How To See Unicorns | Bedtime Tale

Meet a herd of magical unicorns in tonight’s fantasy sleep story for young listeners.

In tonight’s fantasy-inspired bedtime story, you join your teacher and classmates on an exploratory nature walk through the woods next to your school, looking for telltale signs of the coming of spring. As you explore, the woods reveal their own hidden enchantments, including an unmistakable sign of spring: a herd of magical unicorns.

Sleep & Sorcery presents Arthur’s Corner: Magical Bedtime Stories for Young People. Inspired by fantasy, fairytales, and folklore, and using guided visualization with meditation cues, this bedtime story is especially designed for children but can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages.

Music & Sound: Ursa Major by Deep Inside
A Glimpse of Avalon by Flouw, Via Epidemic Sound

Transcript

Meet a herd of magical unicorns in tonight's fantasy sleep story.

Sleep and Sorcery presents Arthur's Corner,

Magical bedtime stories for young people.

Inspired by fantasy,

Fairy tales,

And folklore,

And using guided visualization with meditation cues.

This bedtime story is especially designed for children,

But can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages.

You can find more bedtime stories,

For any age,

At Sleep and Sorcery,

On YouTube,

Insight Timer,

And wherever you find podcasts.

In tonight's fantasy-inspired bedtime story,

You join your teacher and classmates on an exploratory nature walk through the woods near your school,

Looking for telltale signs of the coming of spring.

As you explore,

The woods reveal their own hidden enchantments,

Including an unmistakable sign of spring,

A herd of magical unicorns.

Before the story begins,

Take a moment to settle in and get cozy.

You might start this track while you're getting into your PJs,

Or brushing your teeth,

Or as you're getting into bed.

As you come to the end of your nighttime routine,

Go ahead and snuggle up under the covers.

Let your eyes close whenever you're ready.

This is a story to help you fall asleep.

All you have to do is listen to my voice,

And feel free to let go and fall asleep even before the story is over.

You can always come back and finish it another time.

We're going to take a couple of deep breaths together to help you relax and tune in to the world of the story.

Breathe all the way into your belly,

So that if you put a hand on your belly,

You would feel it rise and fall as you breathe in and out.

Now breathe in,

And out,

And in.

With your eyes closed,

Relax your body and begin to use your imagination.

Imagine that you are part of the story I'm about to tell.

In fact,

You're the main character.

Use your imagination to see pictures in your mind,

Like a herd of unicorns glowing through the trees.

To hear the sounds of the story,

Like the laughter of your closest friends.

To feel the sensations in the story,

Like the last bit of melting snow crunching under your feet.

To smell the smells in the story,

Like the smell of the first flowers of spring poking up through the soil.

We'll soon enter a world of enchantment,

Where magical creatures roam the woods,

If you know how to look for them.

Are you ready to visit them?

Now,

Come along.

The unicorns are waiting.

When the world is ready to shake off winter,

To leave behind the chill and the snow,

Something wonderful happens.

The sun,

Bright and golden,

Melts through the icy air to cast its gentle rays upon your cheek and bring out the sparkle in your eyes.

The days get longer,

As the sun almost refuses to set,

Giving you more time to enjoy the outdoors in the company of friends and family.

A spring comes back into your step,

Just as the promise of spring teases at the end of a long winter.

There is the promise of warmth in the air.

On one such morning,

You soak in the sweetness of this almost spring,

This sunny,

Chilly sweetness,

As you walk to school.

You meet up with friends along the way,

And together you travel up the towpath,

Talking all about what your teacher,

Miss Wilder,

Has in store for you today.

You are asked to dress for the outdoors,

So your backpacks are bursting with hiking boots and extra layers,

But no one knows for sure what she's planning.

By the time you reach your school and enter Miss Wilder's classroom,

An energy of anticipation is all around.

The room echoes with musical giggles and chatter.

You all scramble to take your seats as the school bell rings,

And Miss Wilder,

With a bright smile on her face,

Takes her place at the front of the room.

Good morning,

Class,

She says,

Her eyes twinkling.

I've got a very special activity planned for today.

You and your classmates murmur in excitement.

We've been learning all about the seasons of the year,

She continues,

But there's only so much you can learn inside the classroom.

So today,

We're going to go out into nature to see what she can tell us about the end of winter and the start of spring.

Past the playgrounds and basketball courts at your school,

Along the edge and stretching out for what could be miles,

Even hundreds of miles for all you know,

There is a vast forest filled with hiking trails.

All your life,

You've heard those woods are enchanted.

Now,

You've taken walks with family along some of the shallow paths,

But never been far and never seen any proof that there's magic in the woods.

But it always feels special,

Like the trees and the air out there sparkle.

You wonder if today,

In the company of Miss Wilder,

You finally learn the mystical secrets of the woods.

A few minutes later,

Suited up in hats and gloves and hiking shoes,

Your classmates line up behind Miss Wilder,

Each with a buddy.

And together,

You head out the door.

The purpose of this little field trip you have learned is to look for signs of spring out on the hiking trails.

Anything that might mean the season is getting ready to change.

By the time you reach the trailhead as a group,

It's already a bit warmer outside than it was this morning.

It's a beautiful day to not be cooped up in the classroom.

Miss Wilder asks you all to gather round before you go into the trees.

Now,

She says,

This project of ours might sound easy,

Looking for signs of spring coming,

But there's more to it than just looking and listening.

We're going to use our eyes and ears,

Of course,

But we'll also use our minds to look past the ordinary,

To see what's really there in all of nature's nooks and crannies.

With that,

She turns and gestures for you and your classmates to come along into the woods.

The soft sunlight is dappled through bare branches of the trees that line the path.

The towering cedars,

Which smell fresh and woodsy,

Still have all their greenery.

In the shade,

There are still patches of snow here and there from the most recent snowfall.

And there,

Just poking out from a melting clump of snow,

You spot a tiny green shoot with slender leaves and a little white blossom the shape of a teardrop.

Miss Wilder,

You call out in excitement,

Is this a sign of spring?

She encourages your classmates to get in close and look at your finding.

You learn that the flower you're seeing is called a snowdrop,

And it's one of the first flowers to bloom in late winter,

Signaling the coming arrival of spring.

You feel pleased to be the first to find something,

And you admire the hearty little flower,

The very first to emerge from the soil.

Now that someone has spoken up,

It seems everyone wants to find the next spring herald.

Classmates point to tiny buds that cover the spindly branches of trees.

They hearken to the songs of sparrows and robins.

They notice rabbits darting through the thicket and running streams of melted ice.

It seems that once you look closely,

The woods are alive and teeming with spring signals.

Well done,

Everyone,

Miss Wilder says.

You're all such keen observers.

We've seen and heard so many wonderful things,

But I want to challenge you to look even closer,

See even further.

Let's all take a second and close our eyes.

At first,

This seems funny to you,

Closing your eyes to see further.

You follow Miss Wilder's instructions,

But you can't help but peek just for a second to see if your classmates are doing the same.

With your eyes closed,

Says Miss Wilder,

Take a moment to tune in to your other senses.

Take a deep breath and notice what the air smells like.

How cold or warm it is.

Feel the ground under your feet.

Listen for the wind,

Or for birds and animals far off.

In a few moments,

I'll ask you to open your eyes again,

And when you do,

I want you to imagine a veil being lifted from over your eyes so you can see the world as it really is.

One more deep breath.

Now,

Open.

You blink your eyes open,

Imagining a shining curtain being drawn.

Maybe it's only the way the sunlight is shifting,

But you can almost see it,

The veil Miss Wilder described,

Lifting,

Rippling,

And sparkling all around you.

In fact,

As you take in your surroundings,

Although they are not really changed,

Everything seems just a little brighter than before.

A little more colorful,

A little more vivid.

You feel different too.

All your senses are alert,

And you are aware of everyone and everything around you.

Now,

Says Miss Wilder,

Follow me,

And I want to know what else you notice now that you're looking closer.

Together,

You venture further down the pebbly path.

It's not long before one of your classmates lets out a gasp of pure delight.

You and the others rush to see what she's observed.

Crouching down beside a ring of toadstools,

You see a most marvelous sight indeed.

Seated upon one of the speckled red caps are two minuscule people,

Tiny and winged,

Holding between them dried blades of grass.

These,

They appear to be twining into baskets.

Miss Wilder whispers to the class,

Good job,

You've found a couple of woodland fairies.

Looks like they're hard at work preparing for the flower harvest.

So,

The woods really are enchanted,

You realize,

But it takes a special frame of mind to see it.

It's like a song to which you know the melody by heart,

But you've got to learn the harmony to hear it in its full splendor.

Your friends are all abuzz with the same idea,

Amazed at the magical creatures below,

Which none of them have ever seen before.

Will even more wonders reveal themselves?

You arrive under your teacher's direction in a wide clearing.

Everyone remain very quiet,

Miss Wilder whispers.

They'll only come if we don't startle them.

You want to ask who will come,

But you take the teacher's words to heart and you don't make a sound.

You watch as Miss Wilder retrieves a small pouch from the pocket of her coat.

She revolves slowly on the spot,

Shaking the pouch like it's a bag of treats for a pet.

Whatever's inside makes a rustling sound,

Like nuts or seeds.

You look around the clearing and through the spaces in the trees for anything out of the ordinary.

And then,

Just across the way,

You see something.

The sunlight flashes against something pearly and reflective.

Whatever it is,

It's still hidden between the trees,

But you can catch just a glimpse of white,

Shining fur.

Miss Wilder,

Still rustling the bag in her hand,

Lets out a whistle like a bird song toward the creature in the woods and it begins to emerge from the trees.

But even before it's fully revealed,

You learn that the animal is not alone.

One by one,

Half a dozen of them emerge from the brush,

Including the first one you observed.

Each one is a different color,

But they all gleam like diamonds in the late morning sun.

Wild horses,

But each with one peculiar feature,

A single,

Long,

Twisted horn extending from the center of their foreheads.

These are no horses.

These are unicorns.

The herd comes cautiously forward toward Miss Wilder.

Don't be afraid,

She says in a soft,

Reassuring tone to your class.

They're harmless and very friendly.

You look from one unicorn to the next,

Mesmerized.

By their beauty.

There is one with deep black fur that gleams electric blue in the sun.

His horn is a swirl of deep blue and shining silver.

One is a pale pink,

Its horn a glimmering gold.

One is the color of autumn leaves,

And another the hue of a summer sunset.

One,

Who looks like it might be a baby,

Reminds you of seafoam and sand.

And the white one,

In the light,

Seems to reflect with all the colors of the rainbow,

Like Mother of Pearl,

And her horn is a twisted mix of every color imaginable.

A chorus of hushed oohs and ahs resound through your group.

Never before have any of you seen something so wonderful.

As the unicorns approach,

A sense of calm and security washes over you,

As if they are surrounding you with protective magic.

Miss Wilder reaches into her bag and pulls out a handful of its contents.

The pale pink unicorn is the first to come trotting toward her,

Dropping its head to her outstretched hand and eating what she offers.

Some of your friends stifle giggles of glee,

And the other unicorns look on in interest.

Would anyone else like to feed a unicorn?

She asks in the same mellow tone.

At first,

There is hesitation,

And no one speaks up.

But you look into the eyes of the white unicorn with her rainbow horn,

And you feel so instantly at ease and connected to the creature that you step forward and volunteer.

Soon a few of your friends have also raised their hands,

And Miss Wilder doles out a handful of food to each of you,

Insisting everyone who wants to will have a turn.

You look down at the unicorn food in the palm of your hand,

Dried berries,

Crushed flower petals and herbs by the look of it.

You can smell a hint of lavender.

The white unicorn is eyeing you curiously,

So you take a careful step forward and extend your hand toward her.

She comes closer,

Then slowly lowers her head to nibble the food right out of your hand.

It even tickles a little bit.

You can pat her on the head if you like,

Miss Wilder says calmly beside you.

Just use an open hand and be very gentle.

As the unicorn finishes the last of the food,

You slowly raise your other hand to stroke her on the side of the head.

At the first touch,

You feel a sense of warmth and comfort throughout your whole body.

Her fur is the softest thing you've ever touched,

Softer than a fleece blanket or a feather-down pillow.

Her deep brown eyes are gentle and kind.

Now,

The beautiful white unicorn leans down and softly nuzzles your shoulder.

She's taken a liking to you,

Miss Wilder smiles.

It's a very special thing to have a unicorn befriend you.

She can see how special you are.

You beam,

Continuing to pat the unicorn softly on the neck.

All around you,

Your classmates are doing the same,

Feeding and stroking the wild unicorns of the enchanted wood.

All morning,

We've been looking for signs of spring,

Says your teacher,

And this is one of the best ones you can find.

At the end of winter,

Baby unicorns are born,

Like this little one here.

She offers some more dried berries and flower petals to the seafoam-colored foal.

Miss Wilder,

One of your classmates,

Pipes up.

Can we keep him?

Can we bring him back to be class pet?

The teacher smiles at the request but shakes her head.

I'm sure we'd all love to have a pet unicorn,

Wouldn't we?

But I'm afraid they aren't meant to be tamed or kept as pets.

Unicorns are magical because they are free and they keep the forest safe for all the other animals and plants.

Isn't it nice,

Though,

To spend this time with them?

There are nods and words of agreement.

Soon,

Miss Wilder informs you that it's time to bid farewell to the unicorns and go back to your classroom.

There,

You'll warm up with hot cocoa and discuss all the things you saw on your adventure.

The unicorns begin to depart,

Ambling together back into the trees.

But the white unicorn stays a while as if she doesn't want to leave your side.

She bows her head to you,

Resting her great,

Multi-hued horn softly upon your shoulder.

At once,

You feel a deep well of compassion,

Gratitude,

And love.

You feel love for the unicorn,

But also for the trees in which she shelters.

You feel compassion for the fairies on their toadstools and for the butterflies and bees who will soon fly between the flowers.

For every blade of grass,

Every snowdrop,

And every dwindling patch of snow that melts into a running stream.

With the lightest touch of the unicorn's horn,

You suddenly understand how everything in the forest,

In fact,

Everything on the earth,

Is connected,

Turning with the seasons like a great and wondrous wheel.

And most importantly,

You sense your own place in this wide,

Interconnected web of life.

Because you are part of nature,

Just like the trees,

And the water,

And the wonderful white unicorn.

Soon enough,

Even she knows it's time to go,

And you whisper farewell as you watch her depart.

Blanked by your friends,

You follow Miss Wilder from the clearing back through the frosty trails,

The home of fairies and squirrels alike.

Back in the classroom,

You can hardly believe the magic you've seen,

And everyone shares stories of how the unicorns made them feel.

Every account is different,

But you can all agree that it was a magical,

Eye-opening experience.

Miss Wilder says it's clear that you've learned the most important lesson of all.

When we look past the ordinary in our world,

We can see the true magic of nature.

We can see unicorns.

We can see the truth of how connected we are to each other and to all the living things around us.

That's what unicorns are,

She says.

Truth.

When school is over,

You and your friends walk home along the towpath,

Laughing and reminiscing on the wonders of the day.

And even now,

Though you've left the boundaries of the enchanted wood,

The whole world seems to sparkle just a little bit more.

Because now your eyes are really open to the wonders around you and to the importance of every living creature,

From ladybug to lion.

As night falls and you're snug in your bed,

You can see the moon shining like a bright white pearl outside your window.

You close your eyes,

Snuggling in,

And soon you're swept away on the waves of sleep.

All around you,

Winter is melting away,

Welcoming the arrival of a glorious spring.

The seasons will change again and again,

And the world will carry on but you will never forget the brief time you spent in the company of unicorns.

Sweet dreams.

Reviews

sweet

Delighted tale delightfully told! At least as much as I heard! 😴☺️😴🙏

I fell asleep befor it even got 10 minutes in 🤣🤣

Lovely story to drift off to sleep to, thank you Laurel. 💕

Love it! Full support!

Love this! 🦄🙏🏼

Oh Lauren, what a treasure🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Enchanted by the magic, unicorns, and fairy dust🙏🏻🌟🧚‍♂️🧚‍♂️🧚‍♂️🌟🙏🏻

Absolutely the best storyteller on this app. I wouldn’t be able to sleep without her soothing voice and creative, otherworldly stories. It really means so much that it’s taken into consideration that not everyone can afford a subscription and offers her talents and beautiful storytelling to everyone. 💕 Thank you!!

Lovely tale, so wonderful to imagine them so richly…thank you!❤️🙏🏼