Welcome,
Friends.
Tonight,
I'll read you a gentle fable.
A story that has been passed down for centuries.
A story of courage,
Kindness,
And quiet strength.
As you settle into your bed and take a few deep breaths,
Let your body soften.
Let your mind begin to drift.
Imagine now a wide golden savannah under a soft blue sky.
The warm sun resting on tall grasses that sway in the breeze.
Birds song in the distance.
Peace in the air.
This is where our story begins.
Once upon a time,
In the heart of the savannah,
A lion,
Large,
Regal,
And strong,
Lay sleeping beneath the shade of a tall tree.
He was the king of the animals,
His golden mane catching the sunlight,
His breath steady and deep.
All around him,
The world was calm.
Butterflies danced through the air,
And the breeze carried the scent of wildflowers.
Now,
Not far from this mighty lion,
A little mouse was busy scurrying about,
Gathering seeds and bits of food for her family.
She was tiny,
Barely bigger than a leaf,
But full of life and curiosity.
As she hurried along,
She didn't see where her paws were leading her.
And suddenly,
She ran right across the lion's giant paw.
With a roar,
The lion awoke.
Who dares disturb my sleep?
He thundered,
Swiping out with his paw and catching the mouse in his claws.
The tiny mouse trembled,
Her whiskers quivering,
Her little heart pounding.
But still,
She looked up into the lion's fierce eyes and said,
Please,
Great lion,
Spare me.
I didn't mean to wake you.
It was an accident.
If you let me go,
I promise I'll repay you one day.
The lion blinked.
You?
A tiny mouse,
He said,
With a low,
Rumbling chuckle.
How could you possibly help me?
But something in her brave little eyes touched his heart.
And so,
With a great stretch and a deep sigh,
The lion loosened his paw and let the mouse go.
Run along,
He said.
You were lucky today.
The mouse bowed gratefully.
Thank you,
Thank you,
And darted off into the tall grass.
Days passed,
Maybe weeks.
Then one morning,
The lion was walking through the forest,
His great paws patting softly across the ground,
When suddenly,
Snap!
He stepped into a hunter's trap.
A heavy net made of thick ropes shot up from the earth,
Hoisting him into the air and tangling him in its grasp.
The lion roared and thrashed,
His strength immense,
But the ropes only pulled tighter.
He was caught,
Helpless,
Afraid.
His mighty roars echoed through the trees,
And far away,
The little mouse heard them.
Without hesitation,
She ran toward the sound.
There,
In the clearing,
She saw the lion tangled,
Struggling,
Scared.
Quietly,
Quickly,
The mouse scampered up the ropes.
And with her sharp little teeth,
She began to chew and chew,
Biting through one rope,
Then another,
And another.
The lion,
Seeing her,
Stilled.
He watched in wonder as this tiny creature,
Whom he had once held in his paw,
Worked tirelessly to free him.
Bit by bit,
The net began to fall apart.
Until finally,
With one last snap,
The ropes gave way,
And the lion tumbled gently to the ground,
Free at last.
The lion gazed at the mouse with awe and deep gratitude.
Little one,
He said softly,
Today you have saved my life.
I did not believe you could help me.
But I see now,
Even the smallest friend can be the greatest gift.
The mouse smiled,
Her eyes full of light.
And from that day forward,
The lion and the mouse became the best of friends.
So,
Remember,
Dear one,
No act of kindness is ever wasted.
And no creature,
No matter how small,
Is without great purpose.
Even you,
In all your softness and stillness tonight,
Hold the power to touch the world.
Rest well now.
Let dreams of golden fields and gentle friends carry you into peaceful sleep.
Sweet dreams.
