Hello,
Dear listeners,
And welcome to Drift Off,
The podcast where you can relax and ease into sleep with a soothing bedtime story.
I'm your host Joanne,
And tonight I'll be sharing a timeless fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm,
King Grizzlybeard,
A story of lessons learned where a princess discovers that kindness and wisdom are worth far more than vanity and pride.
Now,
Let's take a moment to settle in and let go of the day before we begin our story.
Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a quiet meadow at dusk.
The sky is painted in soft hues of violet and gold,
And a gentle breeze carries the fresh scent of wildflowers through the air.
In the distance,
Rolling green hills stretch as far as the eye can see,
Bathed in the silvery glow of the rising moon.
The air is calm,
And the world around you feels still,
Peaceful,
And timeless.
You take a deep breath,
Feeling the cool crisp evening air fill your lungs,
And as you slowly exhale,
You let go of the worries of the day,
Allowing yourself to settle into this tranquil moment.
The soft rustling of leaves,
The whisper of the wind,
The distant song of crickets,
Everything invites you to rest,
To surrender to the quiet magic of the night.
And so,
My friend,
Snuggle in,
Get cozy,
And allow yourself to drift off as we now begin the story.
The king had a daughter who was beautiful beyond measure,
But she was also proud and arrogant,
Thinking no suitor was ever good enough for her.
One after another,
She rejected them all,
And mocked them as well.
One day,
The king held a grand feast,
And invited all the eligible young men from near and far who might be suitable husbands.
They arranged in order of their rank.
First came the kings,
Then the grand dukes,
Then the princes,
The earls,
The barons,
And the noble gentlemen.
The king's daughter was led through their ranks,
But she found fault with each one.
One was too fat,
Like a wine cask she scoffed.
Another was too tall,
Long and thin,
But little within.
The next was too short,
Short and stout,
Quick to pout.
And one was too pale,
As pale as a ghost.
And one was not straight enough,
A crooked stick dried behind the stove.
She had something cruel to say about each of them,
But she laughed the loudest at a good and noble king who stood among the highest in rank.
His chin had grown slightly crooked,
And she mocked him loudly.
Look at him,
He has a chin like a bristly old bear.
And from that day forward,
He was known as King Grizzlybeard.
The old king saw how his daughter humiliated and ridiculed every suitor and grew furious.
Enough,
He roared.
You have mocked every man who has come for your hand,
And I will tolerate it no longer.
You will marry the very first beggar who comes to my door.
A few days later,
A poor fiddler came to the castle and sang beneath the windows hoping for alms.
The king summoned him and said,
Come inside and sing for me and my daughter.
So the fiddler stood before them in his ragged clothes and played his song.
When he finished,
He humbly asked for a small reward.
Your song has pleased me well,
The king said,
So I shall give you my daughter as a wife.
The princess gasped in horror,
But her father would not hear another word.
I made an oath that I would give you the first beggar who came to my door and I will keep my word.
She pleaded with him,
But it was no use.
The priest was called at once and she was wedded to the beggar on the spot.
When the ceremony was over,
The king said,
It's not fitting for a beggar's wife to remain in the palace.
Go now with your husband to your new home.
The fiddler took her by the hand and she had no choice but to leave.
They walked a long way until they reached a great forest.
She gazed at the trees in wonder.
Whose beautiful forest is this,
She asked.
It belongs to King Grizzlybeard.
If you had married him,
It would have been yours.
She sighed.
Oh,
How foolish I was,
If I only had taken King Grizzlybeard.
They walked on until they reached a meadow and again she asked,
Who owns this beautiful green land?
It belongs to King Grizzlybeard.
If you had married him,
It would have been yours.
Again she sighed.
Oh,
If only I had chosen King Grizzlybeard.
Then they reached a great city.
She looked at the bustling streets and grand buildings.
Whose city is this?
It belongs to King Grizzlybeard.
If you had married him,
It would have been yours.
She wrung her hands.
Oh,
How I regret my pride.
If only I had chosen King Grizzlybeard.
The fiddler stopped and frowned.
It does not please me to hear you constantly wishing for another husband.
Am I not good enough for you?
At last,
They reached a tiny run-down cottage.
Oh,
Dear,
She said.
What a miserable little place.
Whose home is this?
This is our home,
The fiddler said,
Where we shall live together.
She had to stoop to fit through the low door.
Where are the servants,
She asked.
Servants,
He scoffed.
You must do the work yourself.
Start by lighting a fire and preparing supper,
For I am tired and hungry.
But the princess had never cooked before.
She had no idea how to start a fire,
So the fiddler had to help her.
Their meal was poor and simple,
And that night,
She lay on a straw mattress instead of a fine feather bed.
And early the next morning,
He made her rise and do household chores.
For a few days,
She struggled to manage,
But soon their provisions ran out.
The fiddler said,
Wife,
We cannot live on nothing.
You must learn to work.
Try weaving baskets.
He cut willow branches for her,
But they were so rough that they cut her delicate hands.
This will not do,
He sighed.
Try spinning thread.
She tried,
But the rough fibers cut her fingers,
And she cried out in pain.
You are hopeless,
The fiddler said.
Then you must sell pots in the marketplace.
She hesitated,
Afraid that the people from her father's kingdom might recognize her,
But she had no choice.
The first day,
People bought from her out of pity,
But when she returned with more pots,
Disaster struck.
A drunken soldier rode through the market and trampled all her wares to pieces.
She ran home in tears.
What will we do now?
Who told you to sit at the marketplace corner,
The fiddler scolded.
You are fit for nothing.
I have asked the king's palace if they need a servant.
They have agreed to take you as a kitchen maid.
At least you will have food there.
And so,
The once proud princess became a lowly kitchen maid.
She had to do the dirtiest work,
And she kept her scraps of food in two little jars tied to her waist.
One day,
A grand wedding feast was being held for the king's eldest son.
The princess stood by the doorway,
Watching the splendid guests enter,
Each more beautiful than the last.
She thought bitterly about her fate,
Regretting how her pride had brought her so low.
As she stood there,
Watching the grand celebration,
A man entered the hall,
Dressed in the finest velvet and gold.
She barely had time to take in his regal presence before he reached out and took her hand.
Come and dance with me,
He said warmly.
She froze.
His voice was familiar.
She looked up and gasped in shock.
The noble man standing before her,
The one everyone called the king's son,
Was none other than the king grizzly-beard himself.
The very man she had mocked,
The very man she had scorned,
And the truth dawned on her all at once.
The very same fiddler she'd been living with all this time.
As he pulled her into the hall,
The string around her waist snapped,
And her little jars of food fell,
Spilling scraps and soup onto the floor.
The guests laughed,
And she burned with shame,
Wishing the earth would swallow her whole.
She turned to flee,
But king grizzly-beard stopped her.
Do not be afraid.
The beggar you married,
The soldier who broke your pots,
It was all me.
I did this to humble your pride and teach you kindness.
She wept bitterly.
I have done terrible wrong.
I'm not worthy to be your wife.
But king grizzly-beard smiled.
Your pride has been tamed,
My sweet,
And your heart has changed.
Let us now truly celebrate our wedding.
The servants dressed her in the finest gown,
And when her father arrived,
He rejoiced to see her changed.
And so,
King grizzly-beard and his bride celebrated a grand wedding,
And they lived happily ever after.
And if you're still awake,
That's okay.
Let's take a few moments to relax the body,
And invite rest to gently carry you into sleep.
Begin by bringing your awareness to your breath.
There is nothing you need to do.
Just notice the natural rhythm of your inhale and exhale.
Feel the soft rise and fall of your chest.
The gentle movement of air flowing in and out.
Like a quiet tide.
Now,
Let's release any remaining tension from the day.
Beginning with your feet,
Let them soften,
Feeling heavy and relaxed.
Allow this sense of calm to travel up through your legs,
Easing away any tension.
Feel your hips settle.
Your lower back release.
Allow your shoulders to drop just a little more,
As if they're melting into the surface beneath you.
Your arms feel loose.
Your hands completely at rest.
Your jaw softens.
Your forehead smooths out.
And your eyes become heavy.
You are safe.
You are at peace.
And sleep is near.
There is nowhere to be.
Nothing to do.
Only this quiet,
Restful moment.
And so,
My friend,
Let yourself drift.
Like a leaf floating on a slow-moving stream,
Letting the current guide you effortlessly into deep,
Restful sleep.
Sleep well,
Dear listener.
Sweet dreams.
