Welcome to Forget-Me-Not Fairy Tales Bedtime Edition.
Classic stories for book lovers of all ages.
Don't worry about missing the action.
Just let your mind and body relax.
Each story is read slowly and softly two times with soothing sounds to help you drift off to sleep.
Before we start our story,
Let's prepare both mind and body.
It's time to let your mind be calm and let your body relax.
Breathe in and exhale.
Relax your mind.
Relax your body.
Place your worries or busy thoughts in my box.
I'll hold them for you.
Let sleep wrap around you like a warm,
Gentle love.
It's your time to unwind,
To let go,
And enjoy the good story.
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny Written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter One morning,
A little rabbit sat on a bank.
He pricked his ears and listened to the trick trot,
Trick trot of a pony.
A gig was coming along the road.
It was driven by Mr.
McGregor,
And beside him sat Mrs.
McGregor in her best bonnet.
As soon as they had passed,
Little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road and set off with a hop,
Skip,
And a jump to call upon his relations who lived in the wood at the back of Mr.
McGregor's garden.
And in the nearest,
Sandiest hole of all lived Benjamin's aunt and his cousins,
Flopsy,
Mopsy,
Cottontail,
And Peter.
Old Mrs.
Rabbit was a widow.
She earned her living by knitting rabbit wool mittens and muffins.
I once bought a pair at a bazaar.
She also sold herbs and rosemary tea and rabbit tobacco,
Which is what we call lavender.
Little Benjamin did not very much want to see his aunt.
He came round the back of the fir tree and nearly tumbled upon the top of his cousin,
Peter.
Sitting by himself,
He looked poorly and was dressed in a red,
Cotton pocket handkerchief.
Huh?
Said little Benjamin in a whisper.
Who has got your clothes?
Peter replied,
The scarecrow in Mr.
McGregor's garden.
And described how he had been chased about the garden and had dropped his shoes and coat.
Little Benjamin sat down beside his cousin and assured him that Mr.
McGregor had gone out in a gig,
And Mrs.
McGregor also.
And certainly for the day because she was wearing her best bonnet.
Peter said he hoped that it would rain.
At that point,
Old Mrs.
Rabbit's voice was heard inside the rabbit hole calling,
Cotton tail,
Cotton tail,
Fetch some more chamomile.
Peter said he thought he might feel better if he went for a walk and got upon the flat top of the wall at the bottom hood.
From here,
They looked down into Mr.
McGregor's garden.
Peter's coat and shoes were plainly be seen upon the scarecrow topped with an old Tamil shanter of Mr.
McGregor's.
Little Benjamin said,
It spoils people's clothes to squeeze under a gate.
The proper way to get in is to climb down a pear tree.
Peter fell down head first,
But it was of no consequence as the bed below was newly raked and quite soft.
They left a great many odd little foot marks all over the bed,
Especially little Benjamin who was wearing clogs.
Little Benjamin said that the first thing to be done was to get back Peter's clothes in order that they might be able to use the pocket handkerchief.
They took them off the scarecrow.
In the night,
There was water in the shoes and the coat was somewhat shrunk.
Benjamin tried on the Tamil shanter,
But it was too big for him.
Then he suggested that they should fill the pocket handkerchief with onions as a little present for his aunt.
Peter did not seem to be enjoying himself.
He kept hearing noises.
Benjamin,
On the contrary,
Was perfectly at home and ate a lettuce leaf.
He said that he was in the habit of coming to the garden with his father to get lettuces for their Sunday dinner.
The name of little Benjamin's papa was Old Mr.
Benjamin Bunny.
The lettuces certainly were very fine.
Peter did not eat anything.
He said he should like to go home.
Presently,
He dropped half the onions.
Little Benjamin said that it was not possible to get back up.
The pear tree with a load of vegetables He led the way boldly towards the other end of the garden.
They went along a little walk under a sunny red brick wall.
Cracking cherry stones,
They winked at Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin Bunny.
Presently,
Peter let the pocket handkerchief go again.
He got amongst flower pots and frames and tubs.
Peter heard noises worse than ever.
His eyes were as big as lollipops.
He was a step or two in front of his cousin when he suddenly stopped.
This is what those little rabbits saw round that corner.
Little Benjamin took one look and then in half a minute less than no time,
He hid himself and Peter and the onions underneath a large basket.
The cat got up and stretched herself and came and sniffed at the basket.
Perhaps she liked the smell of onions.
Anyway,
She sat down upon the top of the basket.
She sat there for five hours.
I cannot draw you a picture of Peter and Benjamin underneath the basket because it was quite dark and because the smell of onions was fearful.
It made Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin cry.
The sun got round behind the wood and it was quite late in the afternoon.
But still the cat sat upon the bed.
At length there was a pitter patter,
Pitter patter and some bits of mortar fell from the wall above.
The cat looked up and saw old Mr.
Benjamin Bunny prancing along the top of the wall of the upper terrace.
He was smoking a pipe of rabbit tobacco and had a little switch in his hand.
He was looking for his son.
Old Mr.
Bunny had no opinion whatever of cats.
A tremendous chop off the top of the wall onto the top of the cat and cuffed it off the basket and kicked it into the greenhouse scratching off a handful of fur.
The cat was too much surprised to scratch back.
When old Mr.
Bunny had driven the cat into the greenhouse he locked the door.
Then he came back to the basket and took out his son Benjamin by the ears and whipped him with the little switch.
Then he took out his nephew Peter.
Then he took out the handkerchief of onions and marched out of the garden.
When Mr.
McGregor returned about half an hour later he observed several things which perplexed him.
It looked as though some person had been walking all over the garden in a pair of cloths.
Only the footmarks were too ridiculously little.
Also he could not understand how the cat could have managed to shut herself up inside the greenhouse locking the door upon the alley.
When Peter got home his mother forgave him because she was so glad to see that he had found his shoes and coat.
Cottontail and Peter folded up the pocket handkerchief and old Mrs.
Rabbit strung up the onions and hung them from the kitchen ceiling with the bunches of herbs and the rabbit tobacco.
The End Fairy tales contain many morals.
One lesson from this story is if someone we love is doing something wrong that doesn't mean we have to follow along.
It's always okay to walk away.
It's time for Aesop's Fables.
The Peacock and the Crane A peacock puffed up with vanity met a crane one day and to impress him spread his gorgeous tail in the sun.
Look,
He said,
What have you to compare with this?
I am dressed in all the glory of the rainbow while your feathers are gray as dust.
The crane spread his broad wings and flew up toward the birds of the barnyard while the crane soared in freedom far up in the sky.
The moral of the story is it's more valuable to have something that is useful than it is to have something that is just pretty.
The Boy and the Filberts also known as the Boy and the Hazelnuts A boy was given permission to put his hand into a pitcher to get some filberts but he took such a great fistful that he could not draw his hand out again.
There he stood,
Unwilling to give up a single filbert and yet unable to get them all out at once.
Vexed and disappointed,
He began to cry.
My boy,
Said his mother,
Be satisfied with half the nuts you have taken and you will easily get your hand out.
Then perhaps you may have some more filberts some other time.
The moral of the story is do not attempt too much at once.
The Dog and His Reflection A dog to whom the butcher had thrown a bone was hurrying home with his dog.
As he crossed a narrow footbridge he happened to look down and saw himself reflected in the quiet water as if in a mirror.
But a bone much bigger than his own He began to find himself swimming for dear life.
To rest,
He managed to scramble out and as he stood sadly thinking about The moral of the story is It is very foolish The Tale of Benjamin Bunny Written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter A little rabbit sat on a bank He pricked his ears and listened to the trick trot,
Trick trot of a pony.
A gig was coming along the road.
It was driven by Mr.
McGregor and beside him sat Mrs.
McGregor and her bat as soon as they had passed Little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road and set a skip and a jump to call upon his relations who lived in the wood at the back of Mr.
McGregor's garden.
It was full of rabbit holes and in the nearest sandiest hole of all lived Benjamin's aunt and his cousins Flopsy,
Mopsy,
Cottontail and Peter.
Old Mrs.
Rabbit was a widow.
She earned her living by knitting rabbit wool mittens and muffins.
I once bought a pair at a bazaar.
She also sold herbs and rosemary tea and rabbit tobacco which is what we call lavender.
Little Benjamin did not very much want to see his aunt.
He came around the back of the fir tree and nearly tumbled upon the top of his cousin Peter.
Peter was sitting by himself.
He looked poorly and was dressed in a red cotton pocket handkerchief.
Peter said Little Benjamin in a whisper Who has got your clothes?
Peter replied The scarecrow in Mr.
McGregor's garden and described how he had been chased about the garden and had dropped his shoes and coat.
Little Benjamin sat down beside his cousin and assured him that Mr.
McGregor had gone out in a gig and Mrs.
McGregor also and certainly for the day because she was wearing her best bonnet.
Peter said he hoped that it would rain.
At that point,
Old Mrs.
Rabbit's voice was heard inside the rabbit hole calling Cotton tail,
Cotton tail Fetch some more chamomile.
Peter said he thought he might feel better if he went for a walk and got upon the flat top of the wall at the bottom of Mr.
McGregor's garden.
Peter's coat and shoes were plainly to be seen upon the scarecrow topped with an old Tamil shanter of Mr.
McGregor's.
Little Benjamin said It spoils people's clothes to squeeze under a gate.
The proper way to get in is to climb down a pear tree.
Peter fell down head first but it was of no consequence as the bed below was newly raked and quite soft.
It had been so when they left a great many odd little foot marks all over the bed especially little Benjamin who was wearing clogs.
Little Benjamin said that the first thing to be done was to get back Peter's clothes in order that they might be able to use the pocket handkerchief.
They took them off the scarecrow.
In the night there was water in the shoes and the coat was somewhat shrunk.
Benjamin tried on the Tamil shanter but it was too big for him.
He suggested that they should fill the pocket handkerchief with onions as a little present for his aunt.
Peter did not seem to be enjoying himself.
He kept hearing noises.
Benjamin on the contrary was perfectly at home and ate a lettuce leaf.
He said that he was in the habit of coming to the garden with his father to get lettuces for their Sunday dinner.
The name of little Benjamin's papa was old Mr.
Benjamin Bunny.
The lettuces certainly were very fine.
Peter did not eat anything.
He said he should like to go home.
Presently he dropped half the onions.
Little Benjamin said that it was not possible to get back up the pear tree with a load of vegetables.
He led the way boldly towards the other end of the garden.
They went along a little way under a sunny red brick wall.
The mice sat on the steps cracking cherry stones.
They winked at Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin.
Presently Peter let the pocket handkerchief go again.
He got amongst flower pots and frames and tubs.
Peter heard noises worse than ever.
His eyes were as big as a mouse.
He was a step or two in front of his cousin when he suddenly stopped.
This is what those little rabbits saw round that corner.
Little Benjamin took one look and then in half a minute less than no time he hid himself and Peter and the onions.
The cat got up and stretched herself and came and snipped at the basket.
Perhaps she liked the smell of onions.
Anyway,
She sat down upon the top of the basket.
She sat there for five hours.
I cannot draw you a picture of Peter and Benjamin underneath the basket because it was quite dark and because the smell of onions was fearful.
It made Peter Rabbit and little Benjamin cry.
The sun got round behind the wood and it was quite late in the afternoon but still the cat sat upon the basket.
At length there was a pitter patter,
Pitter patter and some bits of mortar fell from the wall above.
The cat looked up and saw old Mr.
Benjamin Bunny prancing along the top of the wall of the upper terrace.
He was smoking a pint of rabbit tobacco and had a little switch in his hand.
He was looking for his son.
Old Mr.
Bunny had no opinion whatever of cats.
He took a tremendous jump off the top of the wall onto the top of the cat and cuffed it off the basket and kicked it into the greenhouse scratching off a handful of fur.
The cat was too much surprised to scratch back.
When old Mr.
Bunny had driven the cat into the greenhouse he locked the door.
Then he came back to the basket and took out his son Benjamin by the ears and whipped him with the little switch.
Then he took out his nephew Peter.
Then he took out the handkerchief of onions and marched out of the garden.
When Mr.
McGregor returned about half an hour later he observed several things which perplexed him.
It looked as though some person had been walking all over the garden in a pair of clogs.
Only the footmarks were too ridiculously little.
Also,
He could not understand how the cat could have managed to shut herself up inside the greenhouse locking the door upon the alley.
When Peter got home his mother forgave him because she was so glad to see that he had found his shoes and coat.
Cottontail and Peter folded up the pocket handkerchief and old Mrs.
Rabbit strung up the onions and hung them from the kitchen ceiling with the bunches of herbs and the rabbit tobacco.
The End Fairy tales contain many morals.
One lesson from this story is if someone we love is doing something wrong that doesn't mean we have to follow along.
It's always okay to walk away.
It's time for Aesop's Fables.
The Peacock and the Crane A peacock puffed up with vanity met a crane one day and to impress him spread his gorgeous tail in the sun.
Look,
He said,
What have you to compare with this?
I am dressed in all the glory of the rainbow while your feathers are gray as dust.
The crane spread his broad wings and flew up toward the sun.
Follow me if you can,
He said.
But the peacock stood where he was among the birds of the barnyard while the crane soared in freedom.
Far,
The moral of the story is it's more valuable to have something that is useful than it is to have something that is just pretty.
The Boy and the Filberts also known as the Boy and the Hazelnuts A boy was given permission to put his hand into a pitcher to get some filberts but he took such a great fistful that he could not draw his hand out again.
There he stood unwilling to give up a single filbert and yet unable to get them all out at once.
Vexed and disappointed he began to cry.
My boy,
Said his mother be satisfied with half the nuts you have taken and you will easily get your hand out.
Then perhaps you may have some more filberts some other time.
The moral of the story is do not attempt too much at once.
The Dog and His Reflection To whom the butcher had thrown a bone was hurrying home with his dog.
As he crossed a narrow footbridge he happened to look down and saw himself reflected in the quiet water as F in a mirror.
But thinking he dropped his bone and sprung to find himself swimming for dear life to rest,
He managed to scramble out and as he stood sadly thinking about the girl.
The moral of the story is it is very foolish to be a fool.
Thanks for listening my friend.
