Bedtime Story

The little princess lifted the book into her lap and turned over the heavy cover, moving the pages until she came to her bookmark. She was freshly bathed, with teeth brushed and flannel pajamas on. Her family gathered behind her, holding up the light so she could see and resting heads on arms to listen.

“When she came to the top, she found herself in a little square place—” the princess started, following the ornate script with her finger. The other members of the family sighed and cooed as they settled in.

The house creaked with the wind and a tiny draft found its way into the room, making the lamplight jump and jitter. One of the family draped a blanket over the princess’s shoulders, tucking it lovingly around her and smoothing out her hair with very thin fingers.

“Could it be the rain?” the princess read. “No. It was much more gentle, and even mono— mono—”

“Monotonous,” the largest of the family whispered.

“Monotonous,” the princess said, nodding to herself. “It was even monotonous than the sound of the rain . . .”

The family listened in rapt attention as the little princess read on about the adventures of another little princess until their darling’s head drooped and the heavy book slid off her lap. Then many hands leaped to gently wrap the blanket around the sleeping form and carry her off to her little bed under the eaves, while others put the bookmark in its place and closed the book, storing it on the shelf for the next bedtime.