The Magical Book Of Sleep: A Soothing Bedtime Story

This is a Calming, Sleepy Story, written and narrated by me. Tonight, we’ll journey to a timeless land where we’ll uncover the secret of a very special book created by a kind sorcerer, a book that brings rest and peace to all who encounter it. We will step into this mystical world, explore its serene landscapes, and follow the stories of those whose lives were touched by the Book of Sleep. Let the gentle words and calming scenes guide you into a restful sleep.

Narration and Sound Design by Stephen Dalton

Transcript

Hello,

My friend.

Welcome to your sleep story.

My name is Stephen Dalton.

I'm an Irish storyteller.

And it's my great privilege to be the voice that you listen to as you go to sleep tonight.

As many of you know,

I read all of your comments,

And I love to get suggestions for stories.

And tonight's story is based on one of those suggestions.

So I present to you,

The Book of Sleep.

This is a book that was written a very long time ago by a kind and gentle sorcerer,

And is handed down through many different people.

And each life that meets it is touched in a very profound way.

It might even come into your life tonight and help you with your sleep.

I hope it does.

Okay,

Let's do the relaxation session now,

Which will take a few minutes,

Before tonight's sleep story.

I'm going to count down from 10 to 1.

And as I do,

Allow yourself to let go more and more.

Ten.

Feel the support of the bed beneath you,

Or the floor,

Or whatever you lie upon tonight.

And beneath that,

The support of the earth,

Our home.

And as you become aware of those supports beneath you,

See if you can let go a little more now.

Ease into this moment a little more now.

You are safe.

Allow my voice to be an anchor of safety tonight,

To be a friend.

Know that my voice will only ever take you to safe places.

And with that knowledge,

Feel a sense of lightness,

A sense of freedom,

A sense of letting go of the heaviness of the day.

Feel into your body now.

Just notice whatever you notice.

Maybe it's tension.

Maybe it's tingling.

Maybe it's pain.

Maybe you feel it in your feet,

Or in your legs,

Or in your belly,

Or in your face.

And see if you can let go a little more now,

Wherever you feel,

Whatever you feel.

Seven.

Today is done.

Whatever has been,

Has been.

Whatever will be,

Will be.

So whatever thoughts you might be having now,

See if you can just watch them float away,

Like clouds passing in a starlit sky,

Or leaves floating away from you on a moonlit river.

Thoughts are not enemies.

They aren't to be fought.

But they don't serve you now.

So experience them as a part of being human.

But know that you are not them.

Six.

This is your moment.

This is your time.

You deserve this moment.

You deserve to have this time.

Allow that fact to sink into this moment a little bit more now.

Peace lives within you.

It is always there.

It is your constant friend.

See if you can find it tonight.

If you can feel it.

And if you do,

Where do you feel it?

Maybe it's in your head.

Or maybe it's in your heart.

Just know that it is there.

Always waiting to be found.

Always waiting to be felt.

Four.

Perhaps allow a little gratitude now.

Gratitude for the simple things.

Gratitude for the shelter you have tonight.

For those you love.

For your body.

For your breath.

Three.

Begin to engage with your imagination now.

Begin to see a room in a land far away from all that you know.

A land that existed before time was recorded.

Begin to see a sorcerer.

A kind and humble sorcerer.

Working patiently on something that will become the book of sleep.

Two.

Checking in with your body one more time now.

Releasing any tension one more time now.

It has worked hard for you today.

It deserves rest.

And one.

Completely letting go now.

As I tell you tonight's sleep story.

There once was a very special book.

Some say it still exists,

But that's just a rumor.

So for the purposes of this story,

I'll talk about it in the past tense.

So.

There was once a book that was passed down from mothers to sons.

From fathers to daughters.

From kings to princes.

From queens to princesses.

And from wizards to knights.

People have even taken it from others.

And people have lost it in moments of carelessness.

Forever to regret it.

For this book had a power unlike any other.

It was known as the book of sleep.

And tonight.

I will tell you its story.

In a time so distant.

It exists now only in faded tales.

There was a man.

Known simply as the sorcerer.

His life was quiet and unassuming.

And while others imagined sorcerers to be figures of grandeur and mystery.

He was much like any other man you might pass on a village street.

There was something different however.

In the way he looked at the world.

He had a gentleness.

A way of noticing small things others might overlook.

He observed the faces of those around him.

Saw the weariness etched in their expressions.

The weight of sleepless nights that pressed upon them.

He wished deeply to ease this burden.

To create something that would offer them peace.

Over many years.

The sorcerer dedicated himself to a work of rare devotion.

Peace by peace.

He gathered materials that spoke to him.

Not for their power.

But for what they could bring.

In a much more subtle way.

He found an ancient binding.

Its leather softened by age.

He selected pages that held a certain quality.

Neither too thick nor too fragile.

Each one ready to hold something precious.

The sorcerer called his creation.

The Book of Sleep.

It was simple to look at.

With a cover that bore only a faint,

Unassuming mark.

Nothing grand or embellished.

Yet,

When held,

It had a feeling to it.

As though it carried something just beneath the surface.

Something quiet,

Yet powerful.

And when it was complete,

The sorcerer knew it was not his to keep.

So,

He chose,

One evening,

To pass it on to a man he had long observed from afar.

A shepherd,

Who spent his days working in silence.

His nights,

Often filled with wakeful hours,

Beneath the stars.

He found the shepherd by his fire.

And without a word,

Placed the book into his hands.

Offering only a nod of encouragement,

Before disappearing into the night.

The shepherd,

Alone now with the book,

Turned it over in his hands.

Tracing the faint mark on the cover.

Feeling the slight weight of it.

He sensed a warmth.

A reassurance in its presence.

Though he could not explain why.

Then,

The shepherd opened the book.

And instead of seeing words on pages,

He saw nothing.

But after a moment,

He heard a voice.

A soft,

Gentle voice.

And when the voice spoke,

The same words appeared on the page.

The words he heard,

Were the following.

You are a quiet strength.

A presence that holds steady.

Even in the silence of the night.

You have walked many paths.

You may feel unseen.

Yet your journey is known.

Your path is respected.

There is a light that travels with you.

Even when it feels hidden.

That light is yours.

Always there.

Even when you cannot see it.

It is steady.

Just as you are steady.

You are more than your quiet nights.

More than the worries that sometimes visit in the early hours.

You are the calm that remains when everything else fades.

Your heart knows the way.

Knows how to rest when it is weary.

Knows how to rise when the morning comes.

Let yourself breathe,

Here and now.

Feeling the quiet strength that lives within you.

You are safe in this moment.

Just as you are.

As you listen.

Feel the weight of the day ease.

Feel the worries release.

There is a warmth here for you.

A comfort that asks nothing in return.

It is yours to rest in.

To trust.

To know.

You are cared for.

Deeply.

You are valued beyond measure.

Not for what you do.

But for simply being.

You are welcome here.

This moment is yours.

Close your eyes if you wish.

Let yourself drift.

The world will hold you.

You are enough.

You have always been enough.

The shepherd felt the words settling within him.

A calm spreading.

As though he were held in a kindness he had not known before.

And as he closed the book.

He felt as though he had discovered something precious.

A quiet power that would be with him always.

Years passed.

And the book of sleep found a quiet place in the shepherd's life.

A companion on evenings when the world was still.

It became a part of him.

A steady presence that reminded him he was never truly alone.

But one night.

A traveller arrived on the shepherd's path.

A man with eyes weary.

From roads and cities.

Far beyond the hills.

He spoke of a kingdom in turmoil.

A place where even the ruler himself struggled to find rest.

The shepherd listened.

His heart moved by the tale.

Feeling an unexpected pull to pass on the gift he had been given.

He handed the book to the traveller.

Hoping it might offer the same comfort to another as it had to him.

Take this to your king,

He said softly.

Knowing that something as simple as a book.

Could hold a great power in hands that truly needed it.

The traveller carried the book for many days.

Until he arrived at the gates of the distant kingdom.

Where an aging king sat alone in his grand empty halls.

This king,

Once celebrated for his wisdom and strength.

Had grown rigid over the years.

His choices had often been difficult.

And the weight of his crown.

Left little room for warmth or gentleness.

Despite his achievements.

A deep sense of unrest haunted him.

Lingering.

Even in his sleep.

When the traveller finally presented the book to him.

The king looked at it with little interest.

A book seemed a poor remedy for the burdens he carried.

But something in the traveller's gaze.

A quiet assurance.

Persuaded him to open its pages that night.

As he settled alone in his chamber.

With the flicker of candlelight.

Casting long shadows.

And his fireplace giving off a warm light.

He let his hands rest on the cover.

And took a steadying breath.

Before turning to the first page.

And like the shepherd before him.

He was greeted by empty pages.

Before the voice began again.

And the words began to appear in front of him.

More than the weight you carry.

You are more than the crown that rests upon you.

There is a part of you.

Hidden beneath layers of duty.

That remembers a time when you were free.

When your heart knew laughter and ease.

When the world seemed bright and alive.

That part of you has not left.

Though it may feel distant.

It is waiting.

Always within reach.

You are not alone in this moment.

Nor have you ever truly been.

The walls around you.

The weight of silence in the halls of this place.

They may seem to close in.

Yet they only echo what is within.

But there is more to you than these walls.

You carry memories of simpler days.

Of unguarded laughter.

Of walking freely among those who knew you.

Not as a king.

But as a friend.

You still hold the wisdom of those moments within you.

A wisdom that goes beyond rule or reign.

This life.

With its duties and demands.

Has not taken away your true self.

You are as you have always been.

A person of heart.

Of courage.

Of compassion.

Beneath every decision.

Every sacrifice.

Lies a soul that feels deeply.

That longs for connection.

Do not be afraid of this longing.

It is what makes you whole.

It is what makes you wise.

Let go of the burdens you carry alone.

Trust that there are those who would walk with you.

If you let them near.

The strength you seek is not found in solitude.

But in the courage to share your journey.

To lean when you are weary.

To open when the world feels closed.

You are safe in this space.

You are understood.

And you are free to rest.

The king closed his eyes.

Letting these words settle over him.

Like a balm.

For the first time in years.

He felt a release.

A quiet letting go.

That allowed him to breathe freely.

Unguarded.

And at peace.

The morning after the king had opened the book of sleep.

A subtle change had taken place.

Where his steps had once been heavy.

Weighed down by unseen burdens.

There was now a lightness.

A quiet ease.

He noticed the small things.

A slant of sunlight through the window.

The gentle brush of air as he passed the open halls.

Things he had long overlooked.

In his preoccupation with duty.

People around him sensed the change too.

He began to listen more intently.

His tone softer.

His gaze kinder.

He called for his advisors.

Not out of need.

But to hear their thoughts.

To share in the work he had once shouldered alone.

Some time passed.

And one day.

The king decided.

To walk beyond the palace grounds.

An impulse he hadn't followed in years.

He found himself drawn toward the village.

Where the streets were lively.

With the chatter of merchants,

Children and families.

Going about their daily lives.

His guards followed at a distance.

Sensing that today.

He preferred a quieter presence.

Allowing him to walk as one among his people.

As he strolled through the market.

Rain falling from the skies above.

His attention was caught by a young girl.

Sitting on a low stone wall.

Watching the world around her.

Underneath a tree.

Wearing a solemn expression.

Far too heavy for her small frame.

She seemed caught between childhood.

And a sense of knowing.

As though she had taken on burdens that were not her own.

The king approached her gently.

Mindful not to startle her.

Hello there.

He said softly.

The girl looked up.

Her eyes widening as she recognized him.

She had seen his pictures.

She didn't move.

Or bow.

Or speak.

She simply held his gaze.

A little uncertain but curious.

What brings you here alone?

He asked.

His tone patient.

She looked down at her hands.

Fidgeting with a ribbon tied around her wrist.

Sometimes it's easier to be by myself.

The world gets loud.

And people expect things.

And I don't always understand what they want.

I try to but.

.

.

Her voice trailed off.

And she looked away embarrassed.

The king felt a pang in his heart.

Recognizing in her words.

An echo of his own journey.

He understood.

What it was to carry expectations too early.

To feel alone.

In the midst of others.

And in that moment.

He knew the book of sleep.

Had been waiting for this very meeting.

He reached into the folds of his cloak.

And pulled out the book.

Holding it carefully before her.

This is something.

That helped me remember.

Things I'd forgotten about myself.

It has a way of reminding you.

That you're more.

Than what others might see.

Would you like to keep it for a while?

The girl looked at the book with wonder.

Her small hand reaching out to touch its cover.

Feeling the warmth that radiated from it.

Thank you.

She whispered.

Not quite understanding why.

But sensing that this was a gift.

Unlike any other.

The king left.

And the little girl went home.

As she settled under her thin blanket.

The book resting in her lap.

She opened it.

And all she saw.

Was blank pages.

But just then.

The voice began to speak.

You are more than the world sees.

More than the worries that linger in your thoughts.

You have a kindness.

That shines quietly.

A strength.

That doesn't need to be loud to be true.

You are enough.

Exactly as you are.

Even when others ask things of you.

That seem too big.

You are enough.

Just by being here.

In this very moment.

The little girl's eyes grew soft.

Her small hand resting on the page.

As if she could feel the words there.

Speaking directly to her heart.

She took a slow breath.

Letting herself relax.

The tension easing from her shoulders.

You are a place of stillness.

A quiet calm.

You are the courage to listen.

The patience to wait.

Let the world drift as it may.

For you have the strength.

To stand as you are.

Just as you are.

You do not need to change.

To fit in to the lives of others.

You are.

And that is a wonder.

All its own.

Close your eyes,

Little one.

If you wish.

Imagine a place.

Where you feel safe.

Where the world.

Feels small and gentle.

Like the embrace.

Of a familiar warmth.

You are in that place now.

A place where you can be exactly as you are.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

You are safe.

And you are cherished.

You are cared for.

You are valued.

Close your eyes.

And know that the night.

Holds you.

Rest well,

Little one.

You are safe here.

You are loved.

And as sleep took her.

A small smile played upon her lips.

The first she had felt.

In what seemed like forever.

The little girl would keep the book of sleep.

Close to her.

For many years.

It became her comfort on difficult days.

And her friend in quiet moments.

The words had soothed her.

Shaped her.

And over time.

She grew into a young woman.

With a gentle strength.

Someone who others turned to.

For calm and reassurance.

She had known the gift of the book.

And though it meant the world to her.

She began to feel.

That perhaps it was time to pass it on.

Just as it.

Had been passed to her.

One evening.

As she walked along the harbor.

Where her village met the sea.

She noticed an old man.

Sitting alone on the pier.

Gazing out.

Over the open water.

He wore the look of someone who had seen many journeys.

The lines on his face.

Etched deep.

From years spent in sun and wind.

His clothes were worn.

And his hands rough.

But his eyes held a kindness.

That hadn't faded with time.

The girl approached quietly.

Standing beside him for a moment.

Before he looked up.

And offered a small.

Gentle smile.

She sensed a solitude in him.

A sort of longing.

As though he carried the weight.

Of a thousand untold stories.

Are you a sailor?

She asked.

Aye.

He replied.

Spent more years on the sea than I can count.

He looked out at the horizon.

The sea is home.

But it's a lonely place sometimes.

The man begins to feel lost.

Even when he's surrounded by miles of open water.

The girl paused.

Thinking of the book that had been her companion.

Through her own years of feeling lost and uncertain.

She reached into her bag.

And took out the book of sleep.

Holding it out to him.

This was given to me.

When I needed it most.

It helped me find peace.

Helped me remember things I'd forgotten about myself.

Maybe it can do the same for you.

The old man looked at the book.

Then at her.

As if uncertain.

He was worthy of such a gift.

But her eyes held a steady encouragement.

And after a long pause.

He took the book.

With a reverence that came naturally to him.

That night.

As he sat alone on his small fishing boat.

The book resting on his knee.

He felt a quiet anticipation.

As though he were about to set sail on a journey.

That he'd never imagined.

And as he opened its pages.

The book began to speak.

You have traveled far.

Farther than most dare.

Farther than you may even realize.

Each mile you have crossed.

Has been marked by your courage.

Your endurance.

And a heart that holds the spirit of the sea.

Though the waves may have tested you.

Though the storms may have bent you.

You are unbroken.

A strength that stands as firm as the tide itself.

You are a soul of resilience.

A quiet strength.

That does not seek praise.

But endures with grace.

Your journey has been long.

But each moment.

Has brought you closer to yourself.

You are more than your memories.

More than the storms you have weathered.

Beneath all that you have seen and done.

There is a calm.

That belongs only to you.

A peace.

As vast as the sea you call home.

The old man closed his eyes.

Letting the words settle.

Feeling his heart ease as he listened.

It was as if the weight of the years was lifting.

Leaving behind.

Only the simple truth.

Of who he was.

Rest now.

If you wish.

Feel the quiet around you.

The steady rhythm of the water.

The gentle pulse of your own breath.

You are held.

Here in this moment.

Safe and whole.

You are right where you are meant to be.

And the world is at peace with you.

As sleep took the old man.

He rested with a calm.

He had not felt in decades.

Held by the gentle presence of the book.

By the words.

That seemed to cradle him.

As the night.

Carried him through.

Many months passed.

And the old man had spent much of it at sea.

Journeying farther than he had in years.

Following tides and winds.

That carried him beyond familiar waters.

One day.

He found himself on the shores.

Of a small.

Mist covered island.

Far from any mainland he'd ever known.

The rain drizzled steadily.

Blurring the lines between land and sea.

And he pulled his coat close around him.

Stepping onto the muddy shore.

Feeling an unfamiliar pull.

Like he hadn't come here by accident.

As he walked along the narrow.

Winding path.

That led inland.

He noticed a figure ahead.

Sitting alone.

Under a leafless tree.

Eyes cast downward.

Oblivious to the rain that soaked through their clothes.

It was a young woman.

Her expression one of deep.

Unspoken grief.

As if she carried a weight too heavy for her slender frame.

Her shoulders hunched.

Her gaze fixed on the muddy ground.

The old man approached slowly.

His own steps careful.

Respectful of her silence.

He knew the look of someone who had been through.

More than they could voice.

Who had lost something.

That could not be found again.

He stood beside her for a moment.

Letting the quiet between them settle.

He spoke.

It's a heavy rain today.

He said.

Watching.

As she lifted her gaze.

Sometimes it feels like it'll never end.

She managed to nod.

But her eyes remained distant.

As though she were somewhere far away.

From this rainy shore.

After a pause.

The old man reached into his bag.

And pulled out the book of sleep.

Holding it out to her.

With a steady hand.

This was given to me when I needed it.

He said softly.

It helped me find peace.

I think it might do the same for you.

The young woman hesitated.

Glancing at him.

Then at the worn cover of the book.

Her fingers trembling slightly.

As she accepted it.

She didn't speak.

But the gratitude in her eyes was unmistakable.

That night.

As she sheltered beneath the small weathered canopy.

The rain drumming a steady rhythm on the ground.

She opened the book.

And let its words wash over her.

You have walked through shadows.

Through days that felt endless.

Through nights that weighed heavy on your heart.

You have carried more than most.

And though you may feel fragile.

There is a strength within you.

That has held you steady.

Even when the world felt uncertain.

You are more resilient than you realize.

More capable.

Of finding light.

Even in the quietest hours.

The young woman's hand rested on the page.

Her heart catching.

As the words seemed to reach into her very soul.

Giving voice to feelings.

She hadn't dared to express.

She felt the weight of her grief ease.

As though she no longer had to hold it alone.

It's okay to feel weary.

It's okay to let go of the burdens you've carried for so long.

You are not alone here.

You are seen.

Your sorrow is understood.

You have the right to rest.

To let the world hold you for a while.

As you release what no longer serves you.

You are safe in this moment.

Free to simply be.

The rain fell softly.

And the woman felt herself relax.

As though the very air around her.

Was giving her permission to breathe.

Close your eyes if you wish.

Let the quiet surround you.

The world is vast.

Yet it is gentle with you.

Holding you as you are.

Asking nothing in return.

You are enough.

In this moment.

Just as you are.

You are loved.

Deeply.

Unconditionally.

Without question.

Let this love be with you.

Carrying you.

Into rest.

Into peace.

A warmth spread through her.

And as sleep.

Gently claimed her.

She knew.

For the first time in a long while.

That she was not alone.

And that peace.

Had found her at last.

The book of sleep.

Would touch many lives.

Beyond the five I have described to you tonight.

And maybe.

Just maybe.

It will come into your life one day.

But until then.

Hearing the words.

That have been spoken by the book of sleep.

Is more than enough.

Far more than most.

Will ever get to hear in fact.

And if I can leave you with one message.

It would be this.

All of the words.

That you have heard tonight.

Were spoken as much to you.

As to each of the characters.

In tonight's story.

And with that.

I wish you.

A pleasant.

And rejuvenating sleep.

Now.

Reviews

Great voice and story. I love the meditation in the beginning

Love this, this was a great wind down and story. ✨🙏🏼💜💜💜✨

Magical as always🙏so grateful.

Absolutely fantastic

Very meaningful an inspiration for other listeners…I will definitely listen to it again and again and again 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

🙏