Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories

On the ferryboat over, Elsa had been reading a book of local lore and fairy tales. She had lingered on the one about the brave girl Toothstar, with her long golden hair and her gold heart locket that she always wore on a chain around her neck.

The illustrations in the book, painted by John Bower in the early 20th century, looked just like the scene before Elsa.

In the same book of lore where she had read about Toothstar and Hop, there had also been a chapter dedicated to local customs and beliefs.

The river knows the way to the sea. Without a pilot, it runs and falls, blessing all lands with its charity.

Elsewhere, a couple share a large fruit platter as they look over the pages of a travel book on barley.

The title is imprinted in a heavy shade of gold. It reads, 238 BCE.

Removing the volume from its shelf, you're surprised at the texture of the book's aging cover. It's soft and velvety against your skin.

The lilac book seems to smell like springtime.

Brantwood, the home of the Victorian writer John Ruskin. In the second half of the 19th century, he became one of Britain's most celebrated philosophers and intellectuals, and wrote about everything from myths and archaeology to politics and literature.

When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for.

Next to her Pa sleeps deeply an expression of peace and contentment on his face.

The Pocket children are often a secret audience for these bedtime stories. Matilda and Joe sit comfortably on a nearby shelf resting against the books.

They imagine nights full of chit-chat and comfort and this luxurious hot cocoa.

And in the background, they can hear the ever-flowing water of the fountain outside, which sounds like the waves of a vast ocean.

It's a dream come true, to each and every one of them.

Brushing away the seaweed, Ariel realizes what it is. It's a large, leather-bound book. A book of magic. Ariel remembers seeing this in Prospero's cave. [00:31:57.520 --> 00:32:32.220]

The sorcerer used it to teach himself spells and enchantments. This was the book that enabled him to communicate with the spirits of the island, including Ariel. But when Prospero left the island, he renounced his magic and threw his book into the waves. [00:32:32.220 --> 00:33:08.270]

There's the temptation to rescue it and to add the book to their collection of sea treasures. But in the end, Ariel decides to leave it where it is. [00:33:08.270 --> 00:33:33.380]

It will be read by Elizabeth, who hosts our sibling podcast The Sleepy Bookshelf.

If you'd like to hear some of the best classic books that she reads there, just search The Sleepy Bookshelf in your podcast player.

You turn your attention to a stack of cookbooks. Most of them are unfamiliar to you, but that is the best part, in your opinion. You are especially interested in one about baking old-fashioned holiday cookies, paging through it. You see it has recipes for cookies you've never tried making, such as ginger snaps and Midwestern-style bars, even though you are already carrying two other items.

You turn your attention to a stack of cookbooks. Most of them are unfamiliar to you, but that is the best part, in your opinion. You are especially interested in one about baking old-fashioned holiday cookies, paging through it.

To the right of the sofa, angled towards the fire, a heritage green wing-back armchair with an accompanying footstool invites you to read a book, whilst sipping a mug of hot chocolate, along the wall to the left of the wood-burning stove. Several shelves hold myriad books. Leather-burning books. Leather-bound novels and well-worn paperbacks are arranged side by side, in no particular order. You can see books about Scottish poetry, ancient legends, and maps.

You remove one book about Scottish clans and their tartans, and place it on the table by the armchair, vowing to read it later.

The book on Scottish clans and tartan awaits on the table.

The book you are reading is fascinating. It tells stories of each highland clan or family, and how they got their specific tartan.

When you reach page 12, you see the lodge owner's family name and photographs of their clan tartan.

You remove one book about Scottish clans and their tartans, and place it on the table by the armchair, vowing to read it later.

The book you are reading is fascinating. It tells stories of each highland clan or family, and how they got their specific tartan.

You learn that the word tartan may derive from the Gaelic word tarshan, or the French word tartaran, meaning tartar cloth.

He was sitting on his bed, leaning against the wall, and there were notebooks strewn all around him. He was, to be honest, bored to tears by his novel.

Idly, he flipped the pages, as if fanning through the rest of the book would make it disappear.

She was so lost in her reading that Evan thought to himself he should really give that novel another try.