Sleep Story: Horton Hatches The Egg, By Dr. Seuss

Let your mind relax for a peaceful sleep with this story by Dr. Seuss, read by Susan Guttridge. The story follows a kind and faithful elephant named Horton, who is persuaded by a bird named Mayzie to sit on her egg while she takes a break. What was supposed to be a short rest turns into a long journey, and Horton endures several challenges while keeping his promise to care for the egg.

It's a story about dedication, loyalty, perseverance, and patience.

Transcript

Hey there, Thank you for taking this bit of time to wind down for sleep with a bedtime story, And thank you for choosing me to read it to you. I'm Susan Guttridge and tonight I'll be reading a story by author and cartoonist Dr. Seuss called Horton Hatches the Egg. Bedtime stories have a powerful way of training our brains to shift into relaxation for sleep. This story is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss stories, Not only because it has a happy ending, But also because of the delightful way the poetry flows so smoothly off the tongue. The story follows a kind and faithful elephant named Horton, Who is persuaded by a bird named Maisie to sit on her egg while she takes a break. What was supposed to be a short break turns into quite the long journey, And Horton endures several challenges while keeping his promise to care for the egg. It's a story about dedication, Loyalty, Perseverance, And patience. Before we begin, Let's get you comfy cozy in your bed. Give your body a stretch, Shift as you need, Settling into a position that feels just right. Draw a deep breath in together with me, And exhale out. Pull your sheets or blankets up so that you feel just warm enough, Notice the blanket softly cuddling around you like a gentle reassuring hug. It's okay if your mind wanders during the story this evening. If you notice that happens, Acknowledge it with a gentle, There I go again, And then bring your attention back to the sound of my voice and the story being told. Now if it feels okay, Go ahead and close your eyes and I'll begin the story. Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss Sighed Maisie, A lazy bird hatching an egg, I'm tired and I'm bored and I've kinks in my leg from sitting, Just sitting here day after day. It's work, How I hate it, I'd much rather play. I'd take a vacation, Fly off for a rest, If I could find someone to stay on my nest. If I could find someone, I'd fly away free. Then Horton the elephant passed by her tree. Hello, Called the lazy bird, Smiling her best. You've nothing to do and I do need a rest. Would you like to sit on my egg in my nest? The elephant laughed, Why of all silly things. I haven't feathers and I haven't wings. Me on your egg? Why that doesn't make sense. Your egg is so small, Ma'am, And I'm so immense. Tut-tut, Answered Maisie, I know you're not small, But I'm sure you can do it, No trouble at all. Just sit on it softly, You're gentle and kind. Come, Be a good fellow, I know you won't mind. I can't, Said the elephant. Please, Begged the bird. I won't be gone long, Sir, I give you my word. I'll hurry right back, Why, I'll never be missed. Very well, Said the elephant. Since you insist, You want a vacation, Go fly off and take it. I'll sit on your egg and I'll try not to break it. I'll stay and be faithful, I mean what I say. Toodaloo, Sang out Maisie and fluttered away. Hmm, The first thing to do, Murmured Horton. Let's see. The first thing to do is to prop up this tree and make it much stronger. That has to be done before I get on it. I must weigh a ton. Then carefully, Tenderly, Gently he crept up the trunk to the nest where the little egg slept. Then Horton the elephant smiled, Now that's that. And he sat and he sat and he sat and he sat. And he sat all that day and he kept the egg warm. And he sat all that night through a terrible storm. It poured and it lightened, It thundered, It rumbled. The poor elephant grumbled, I wish she'd come back because I'm cold and I'm wet. I hope that Maisie bird doesn't forget. But Maisie by this time was far beyond reach, Enjoying the sunshine way off in Palm Beach. And having such fun, Such a wonderful rest, Decided she'd never go back to her nest. So Horton kept sitting there, Day after day. And soon it was autumn, The leaves blew away. And then came the winter, The snow and the sleet. And icicles hung from his trunk and his feet. But Horton kept sitting and said with a sneeze, I'll stay on this egg and I won't let it freeze. I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100%. So poor Horton sat there the whole winter through. And then came the springtime with troubles anew. His friends gathered round and they shouted with glee. Look, Horton the elephant's up in a tree. They taunted, They teased him. They yelled, How absurd. Old Horton the elephant thinks he's a bird. They laughed and they laughed. Then they all ran away and Horton was lonely. He wanted to play, But he sat on the egg and continued to say, I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100%. No matter what happens, This egg must be tended. But poor Horton's troubles were far, Far from ended. For while Horton sat there, So faithful, So kind, Three hunters came sneaking up softly behind. He heard the men's footsteps. He turned with a start. Three rifles were aiming right straight at his heart. Did he run? He did not. Horton stayed on that nest. He held his head high and he threw out his chest and he looked at the hunters as much as to say, Shoot if you must, But I won't run away. I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100%. But the men didn't shoot, Much to Horton's surprise. They dropped their three guns and they stared with wide eyes. Look, They all shouted. Can such a thing be? An elephant sitting on top of a tree? It's strange. It's amazing. It's wonderful. No, Don't shoot him. We'll catch him. That's just what we'll do. Let's take him alive. Why, He's terribly funny. We'll sell him back home to a circus for money. And the first thing he knew, They had built a big wagon with ropes on the front for the pullers to drag on. They dug up his tree and they put it inside with Horton so sad that he practically cried. We're off, The men shouted, And off they all went with Horton unhappy 100%. Up out of the jungle, Up into the sky, Up over the mountains 10, 000 feet high, Then down, Down the mountains and down to the sea, Went the cart with the elephant, Egg, Nest, And tree, Then out of the wagon and onto a ship, Out over the ocean, And oh, What a trip, Rolling and tossing and splashing with spray, And Horton said, Day after day after day, I meant what I said, And I said what I meant, An elephant's faithful 100%. After bobbing around for two weeks like a cork, They landed at last in the town of New York. All ashore, The men shouted, And down with a lurch, Went Horton the elephant, Still on his perch, Tied onto a board that could just scarcely hold him. Bump, Horton landed, And then the men sold him, Sold to a circus, Then week after week, They showed him to people at 10 cents a peak. They took him to Boston, To Kalamazoo, Chicago, Weehawken, And Washington too, To Daytona, Ohio, St. Paul, Minnesota, To Wichita, Kansas, To Drake, North Dakota, And everywhere thousands of folks flocked to see and laugh at the elephant up in a tree. Poor Horton grew sadder the farther he went, But he said as he sat in the hot, Noisy tent, I meant what I said, And I said what I meant, An elephant's faithful 100%. Then one day, The circus show happened to reach a town way down south, Not so far from Palm Beach, And dawdling along, Way up high in the sky, Who of all people should chance to fly by, But that old good-for-nothing bird, Runaway Maisie, Still on vacation and still just as lazy, And spying the flags and the tents just below, She sang out, What fun, Why I'll go to the show, And she swooped from the clouds through an open tent door, Good gracious, Gasped Maisie, I've seen you before. Poor Horton looked up, His face white as chalk, He started to speak, But before he could talk, There rang out the noisiest ear-splitting squeaks from the egg that he'd sat on for 51 weeks, A thumping, A wild, Alive scratching, My egg, Shouted Horton, My egg, Why, It's hatching. But it's mine, Screamed the bird, When she heard the egg crack, The work was all done, Now she wanted it back, It's my egg, She sputtered, You stole it from me, Get off of my nest and get out of my tree. Poor Horton backed down with a sad, Heavy heart, But at that very instant, The egg burst apart, And out of the pieces of red and white shell, From the egg that he'd sat on so long and so well, Horton the elephant saw something whiz, It had ears and a tail and a trunk just like his, And the people came shouting, What's this all about? They looked and they stared with their eyes popping out, Then they cheered and they cheered and they cheered more and more, They'd never seen anything like this before, My goodness, My gracious, They shouted, My word, It's something brand new, It's an elephant bird, And it should be, It should be, It should be like that, Because Horton was faithful, He sat and he sat, He meant what he said and he said what he meant, And they sent him home happy, 100%. Thank you for listening, And may we all acknowledge our gratitude to Dr. Seuss for writing and illustrating such playful and poetic stories. Horton the elephant sure does show us that being dedicated and patient is important, He never gave up on the egg, Even when things got tough, And because of his loyalty, Something amazing happened, It teaches us that keeping our promises and being patient can sometimes lead to wonderful surprises. As you drift off to sleep, I hope you have wonderful dreams of Horton's famous line, I meant what I said and I said what I meant, An elephant's faithful 100%. Good night, Sweet dreams, And be well.