Fairy tale dreams and deep sleep may greet you in tonight's story within a story.
You're listening to Cinderella in the Park.
And in this story,
We will revisit the classic fairy tale,
While enjoying the perfect spring day in the park with a beloved pet.
Beneath the warmth of the sun,
On a bed of spring flowers and grass,
You connect with your fairy godmother.
She brings good feelings and reminds you that she is always there,
A gentle behind the scenes guide who wants your dreams to come true.
While you rest in the park,
She reads you the classic story of Cinderella.
In this journey,
You connect with self-soothing powers and imagine the most beautiful life for yourself.
So find a place to get cozy and settle in for the night.
It's time to dream away.
I would like to welcome you to Michelle's sanctuary.
I am Michelle and as you are listening,
Think of my voice as that of your dear friend and most ardent ally.
I am here to remind you of all the good in this world and all the good that resides in you.
So let's place all your cares and concerns into a box and tuck them away for later.
Now is your time to relax,
Unwind and enjoy a nurturing sleep routine.
Let your body and mind know that it is time to stand down and enjoy a holiday before you cross over the bridge to your sleeping life.
And you may tune out my voice at any point if you wish to drift to sleep before the story's end.
Let your body sink into your bed,
In the sanctuary of your room.
A room that is meant for dreaming and peace.
Begin a deep breath and let your inhalation turn into a gentle yawn.
Guilt free and delicious,
This yawn signals to your body that sleepy feelings are welcome.
And then you sigh it out,
Making a gentle sound if that feels good.
Then inhale again and open your mouth into an even bigger yawn.
And then blow out the air through pursed lips like you are blowing through a straw.
Your exhalation transports you to another time and place.
And you ride upon it like fluffy ivory dandelion seeds riding on a spring breeze above rolling emerald green hills.
Against the backdrop of a crystal blue sky,
You float like the puffy white clouds that cast the park below in shadows that travel over the greenery like gentle ocean waves.
You land on a field of violet blue forget-me-nots that shimmer in the sun and dance in the breeze.
You feel your bare feet softly land on the damp earth,
Abundant with silky blades of grass and a bed of delicate flowers.
Forget-me-nots,
Also known as myosotis or mouse's ear,
Are tiny star-shaped flowers that symbolize true love and remembrance.
You walk through the field and feel the velvety lawn tickle between your toes and cushion each step.
You are accompanied by a beloved pet and arrive at a familiar blanket spread in the grass.
The blanket conjures memories of feeling safe and at peace.
Your pet races to the blanket and rolls around on it and you follow behind.
You feel the rays of sun on your face and bare arms and they are all the more cherished after a long cold winter.
You inhale the clean air and its smells of spring,
Of fresh cut grass and the rich earth,
Of a nearby lake that mingles with the fragrant aroma of flowers in bloom.
You hear the melodic tunes from a jazz band that plays on the other side of the lake.
You look to the historic bow-art high-rises that hug the perimeter of the park and jut against the sky with ornate gables and whimsical roofs.
The park is an oasis within the bustling urban environment and you deeply appreciate the moment to peacefully connect with nature.
There is a wicker picnic basket that sits on the corner of the blanket alongside an old worn volume of fairy tales.
You open the basket and remove a cool bottle of homemade lemonade infused with fresh lavender.
You sip the soporific elixir and feel it cascade down your throat.
Your mouth salivates from the acid of the lemons and your thirst is quenched.
There is a delicate glass dish that you remove from the basket and fill with water from a glass bottle.
The vibrant beams of sunlight create a prismatic haze above the water dish.
Your loyal pet instantly begins lapping up the water with a raspberry pink tongue.
You lie down on the soft,
Well-worn blanket that smells of fresh laundry and home.
You look towards the sky and your body tingles from head to toe in the warmth of spring and a glittering sunlight.
You listen to the soft rustle of the grass and the forget-me-nots and feel as if you are floating between this moment and time and a dream.
And on the whispers of the spring breeze,
You hear a soothing voice call out your name.
You think to yourself,
Who is this?
And the voice answers,
Why I am your fairy godmother of course.
She suddenly appears next to you on the blanket,
Surrounded by rainbow glowing orbs.
Your furry companion is at peace and greets her happily.
You feel safe in her presence and a deep part of you trusts her.
She is familiar,
Like an old happy memory you have left unvisited for some time.
She runs her hand through your hair and it causes your scalp to tingle and an electric impulse to travel down your spine.
I am here to remind you that even when life is hard,
Someone is working behind the scenes so that you may get all you deserve in this life.
You need only remember that and trust and simply believe.
Your mind drifts to a time where you did believe that everything would work out in your favor.
It feels good to imagine a life where everything works out and to believe all the challenges you face are leading you to something greater.
Your fairy godmother picks up the burgundy book of fairy tales and nestles it in her lap.
She flips the pages and opens to the story of Cinderella.
She tells you to get comfortable and just listen.
And so you do with your furry pet cuddled against you,
Gently breathing in and out in tandem.
Your fairy godmother continues to run her hand through your hair and you close your eyes,
Feeling the warmth of the sun on your face.
And in her soft,
Comforting voice she says,
May the story bring you sweet dreams and a reminder that I am always with you,
Looking out for your best interests and helping the wildest of your dreams come true.
And with that,
Your head sinks into the blanket,
Elevated on the plush bed of grass and forget-me-nots.
You feel like a small child kept safe and nurtured to sleep by the voice of someone who loves you.
Your fairy godmother begins to read.
Cinderella Once there was a gentleman who married for his second wife the proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen.
She had by a former husband two daughters of her own humor,
Who were,
Indeed,
Exactly like her in all things.
He had likewise by another wife a young daughter,
But of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper which she took from her mother,
Who was the best creature in the world.
So sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over,
But the mother-in-law began to show herself in her true colors.
She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl,
And the less because they made her own daughters appear the more odious.
She employed her in meanest work of the house.
She scoured the dishes,
Tables,
Etc.
,
And scrubbed Madame's chamber and those of Mrs.
Her Daughters.
She lay up in a sorry garret upon a wretched straw bed,
While her sisters lay in fine rooms,
With floors all inlaid,
Upon beds of the very newest fashion,
And where they had looking glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length from head to toe.
The poor girl bore all patiently,
And dared not tell her father,
Who would have rattled her off,
For his wife governed him entirely.
When she had done her work,
She used to go into the chimney corner and sit down among cinders and ashes,
Which made her commonly be called a cinder maid.
But the youngest,
Who was not so rude and uncivil as the eldest,
Called her Cinderella.
However Cinderella,
Notwithstanding her mean apparel,
Was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters,
Though they were always dressed very richly.
It happened that the King's son gave a ball,
And invited all persons of fashion to it.
Our young Misses were also invited,
For they cut a very grand figure among the quality.
They were mightily delighted at this invitation,
And wonderfully busy in choosing out such gowns,
Petticoats,
And head-clothes as might become them.
This was a new trouble to Cinderella,
For it was she who ironed her sisters' linen,
And plaited their ruffles.
They talked all day long of nothing but how they should be dressed.
For my part,
Said the eldest,
I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimming.
And I,
Said the youngest,
Shall have my usual petticoat.
But then to make amends for that,
I will put on my gold-flowered manteau,
And my diamond stomacher,
Which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world.
They sent for the best tire-woman they could get to make up their head-dresses,
And adjust their double pinners,
And they had their red brushes and patches from Mademoiselle de la Poche.
Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all these matters,
For she had excellent notions,
And advised them always for the best,
Nay,
And offered her services to dress their heads,
Which they were very willing she should do.
As she was doing this,
They said to her,
Cinderella,
Would you not be glad to go to the ball?
Alas,
She said,
You only jeer me.
It's not for such as I am to go thither.
Thou art in the right of it,
Replied they,
It would make the people laugh to see a cinderwench at a ball.
Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry,
But she was very good,
And dressed them perfectly well.
They were almost two days without eating,
So much they were transported with joy.
They broke above a dozen of laces,
And trying to be laced up close,
That they might have a fine,
Slender shape,
And they were continually at their looking-glass.
At last the happy day came.
They went to court,
And Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could.
And when she had lost sight of them,
She fell,
A-crying.
Her godmother,
Who saw her all in tears,
Asked her what was the matter.
I wish I could,
I wish I could.
She was not able to speak the rest,
Being interrupted by her tears and sobbing.
This godmother of hers,
Who was a fairy,
Said to her,
Thou wishest thou couldst go to the ball,
Is it not so?
Yes,
Cried Cinderella,
With a great sigh.
Well,
Said her godmother,
Be but a good girl,
And I will contrive that thou shalt go.
She then took her into her chamber,
And said to her,
Run into the garden and bring me a pumpkin.
Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get,
And brought it to her godmother,
Not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball.
Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it,
Having left nothing but the rind,
Which done she struck it with her wand,
And the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine coach,
Gilded all over with gold.
She then went to look into her mouse trap,
Where she found six mice all alive,
And ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the trap door,
When giving each mouse as it went out a little tap with her wand.
The mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse,
Which altogether made a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored dapple grey.
Being at a loss for a coachman,
Cinderella said,
I'll go and see if there is never a rat in the rat trap.
We may make a coachman of him.
Thou art in the right,
Replied her godmother.
Go and look.
Cinderella brought the trap to her,
And in it there were three huge rats.
The fairy made choice of one of the three which had the largest beard,
And having touched him with her wand,
He was turned into a fat,
Jolly coachman,
Who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever beheld.
After that she said to her,
Go again into the garden,
And you will find six lizards behind the watering pot.
Bring them to me.
She had no sooner done so,
But her godmother turned them into six footmen,
Who skipped up immediately behind the coach,
With their liveries all bedawbed with gold and silver,
And clung as close behind each other,
As if they had nothing else their whole lives.
The fairy then said to Cinderella,
Will you see here an equipage fit to go to the ball with?
Are you not pleased with it?
Oh yes,
Cried she,
But must I go thither as I am in these dirty rags?
Her godmother only touched her with her wand,
And at the same instant her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver,
All beset with jewels.
Ah,
Who can describe a robe made by the fairies?
It was white as snow,
And as dazzling.
Round the hem hung a fringe of diamonds,
Sparkling like dewdrops in the sunshine.
The lace about the throat and arms could only have been spun by fairy spiders.
Surely it was a dream.
Cinderella put her daintily gloved hand to her throat,
And softly touched the pearls that encircled her neck.
Come,
Child,
Said the godmother,
Or you will be late.
Cinderella moved,
The firelight shone upon her dainty shoes.
They are of diamonds,
She said.
No answered her godmother,
Smiling.
They are better than that.
They are of glass made by the fairies.
Now,
Child,
Go and enjoy yourself to your heart's content.
But her godmother,
Above all things,
Commanded her not to stay till after midnight,
Telling her at the same time that if she stayed one moment longer,
The coach would be a pumpkin again,
Her horses mice,
Her coachmen a rat,
Her footmen lizards,
And her clothes become just as they were before.
She promised her godmother she would not fail of leaving the ball before midnight,
And then away she drives,
Scarcely able to contain herself for joy.
The king's son,
Who was told that a great princess,
Whom nobody knew was come,
Ran out to receive her.
He gave her his hand as she alighted out of the coach,
And led her into the hall among all the company.
There was immediately a profound silence.
They left off dancing,
And the violins ceased to play.
So attentive was everyone to contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown newcomer.
Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of how handsome she is.
How handsome she is.
The king himself,
Old as he was,
Could not help watching her,
And telling the queen softly that it was a nice long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.
All the ladies were busy in considering her clothes and headdress,
That they might have some made next day after the same pattern,
Provided they could meet with such fine materials,
And as able hands to make them.
The king's son conducted her to the most honorable seat,
And afterward took her out to dance with him.
She danced so very gracefully that they all more and more admired her.
A fine collation was served up,
Whereof the young prince ate not a morsel,
So intently was he busy and gazing on her.
She went and sat down by her sisters,
Showing them a thousand civilities,
Giving them heart of the oranges and citrons which the prince had presented her with,
Which very much surprised them,
For they did not know her.
While Cinderella was thus amusing her sisters,
She heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters,
Whereupon she immediately made a curtsy to the company,
And hastened away as fast as she could.
Being got home,
She ran to seek out her godmother,
And after having thanked her,
She said she could not but heartily wish she might go next day to the ball,
Because the king's son had desired her.
As she was eagerly telling her godmother what had passed at the ball,
Her two sisters knocked at the door,
Which Cinderella ran and opened.
How long you have stayed,
Cried she,
Gaping,
Rubbing her eyes and stretching herself,
As if she had been just waked out of her sleep.
She had not,
However,
Had any manner of inclination to sleep,
Since they went from home.
If thou hadst been at the ball,
Said one of her sisters,
Thou wouldst not have been tired with it.
There came thither the finest princess,
The most beautiful ever seen,
With mortal eyes.
She showed us a thousand suffilities,
And gave us oranges and citrons.
Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter.
Indeed she asked them the name of that princess,
But they told her they did not know it,
And that the king's son was very uneasy on her account,
And would give all the world to know who she was.
At this Cinderella smiling replied,
She must then be very beautiful indeed.
How happy you have been!
Could not I see her?
Ah dear Miss Charlotte,
Do lend me your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day.
I,
To be sure,
Cried Miss Charlotte,
Lend my clothes to such a dirty cinder maid as thou art.
I should be a fool.
Cinderella expected well such an answer,
And was very glad of the refusal,
For she would have been sadly put to it if her sister had lent her what she asked for jestingly.
The next day the two sisters were at the ball,
And so was Cinderella,
But dressed more magnificently than before.
The king's son was always by her,
And never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her.
To whom all this was so far from being tiresome,
That she quite forgot that her godmother had recommended to her,
So that she at last counted the clock striking twelve,
When she took it to be no more than eleven.
She then rose up and fled as nimble as a deer.
The prince followed,
But he could not overtake her.
She left behind one of her glass slippers,
Which the prince took up most carefully.
She got home but quite out of breath,
And in her old clothes,
Having nothing left of all her finery but one of the little slippers,
Fellow to that she dropped.
The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a princess go out.
They said they had seen nobody go out but a young girl,
Very meanly dressed,
And who had more of the air of a poor country girl than a gentle woman.
When the two sisters returned from the ball,
Cinderella asked them if they had been well diverted and if the beautiful princess had been there.
They told her yes,
But that she hurried away immediately when the clock struck twelve,
And with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers,
The prettiest in the world,
Which the king's son had taken up,
That he had done nothing but look at her all the time at the ball,
And that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful person who owned the glass slipper.
What they said was very true.
For a few days after the king's son caused it to be proclaimed by sound of trumpet,
That he would marry her whose foot the slipper would just fit.
They whom he employed began to try it upon the princesses,
Then the duchesses,
And all the court,
But in vain.
It was brought to the two sisters,
Who did all they possibly could to thrust their feet into the slipper,
But they could not affect it.
On the following morning,
There was a great noise of trumpets and drums,
And a procession passed through the town,
At the head of which rode the king's son.
To him came a herald,
Bearing a velvet cushion upon which rested a little glass slipper.
The herald blew a blast upon the trumpet,
And then read a proclamation saying that the king's son would wed any lady in the land who could fit the slipper upon her foot,
As she could produce another to match it.
Of course the sisters tried to squeeze their feet into the slipper,
But it was of no use.
They were much too large.
Then Cinderella shyly begged that she might try.
How the sisters laughed with scorn when the prince knelt to fit the slipper on the syndermaid's foot.
But what was their surprise when it slipped on with the greatest ease,
And the next moment Cinderella produced the other from her pocket?
Once more she stood in the slippers,
And once more the sisters saw before them the lovely princess who was to be the prince's bride.
For at the touch of the magic shoes,
The little grey frock disappeared forever,
And in place of it she wore the beautiful robe the fairy godmother had given to her.
The sisters hung their heads with sorrow and vexation,
But kind little Cinderella put her arms around their necks,
Kissed them,
And forgave them for all their unkindness,
So they could not help but love her.
The prince could not bear to part from his little love again,
So he carried her back to the palace and his grand coach,
And they were married that very day.
Cinderella's stepsisters were present at the feast,
But in the place of honor sat the fairy godmother.
So the poor little Cinderella married the prince,
And in time they came to be king and queen,
And lived happily ever after.
Your fairy godmother softly closes the book and places it on the blanket.
You feel the soft thud that brings you in between sleep and the beautiful spring day in the park.
Your furry pet breathes in and out,
Making the softest sound of contentment as it sleeps.
Your fairy godmother brushes your hair away from your face,
And her soft lips land on your forehead.
She wishes you pleasant dreams,
And then reminds you,
I am always here when you need me.
Just simply call for me and I will show.
And with that she disappears as quickly as she once arrived.
Your eyes close,
And you drift away towards sleep.
And I am going to count you down to the peaceful,
Restorative sleep that awaits you.
Ten,
Nine,
Eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Finding peace,
Finding bliss,
Finding trust,
Finding grace,
Finding sleep.
It's time to dream away.
Good night.
