A
Good Night Story
Andrés Díaz Marrero
Term of
use
A long time ago and far
away, there was a small town where no one could sleep. It
was, however, a typical town were parents worked during the
day and kids played and went to school as usual.
At night, they all tried to rest by either sitting or lying
down, but they couldn't sleep even for a single moment, no
matter how tired they were. So they just talk and chat
during the nights. After all this talking their tongues got
tired and the words refuse to flow. They all ended filled
with silence, and wearied from looking at the walls. All of
this happened every night, so we can imagine how they
feel.
One day they decided to ask for help. They went to see Ms.
Hope. She was a wise elderly woman who lived at the other
side of the mountains. Ms. Hope got her wisdom through the
years lived, the books she read, and her contact with
nature.
Ms. Hope listened to her friend's woes, unlike them; she was
able to sleep placidly. However, she wasn't able to explain
to them how it happens. So she resolved to look for an
answer.
That evening, she went to the fields. Once there she found
out that the animals lay down and closed their eyes after
getting a convenient place to spend the night. The wise
elderly woman came back with the news. They agree to do as
the animals do. They will look for a comfortable place to
rest, lay down and close their eyes. And so they did. But,
they end up just as bored. The only difference was that now
their eyes were closed.
When the morning came, they all went back to see Ms. Hope,
and told her what had happened. The wise elderly woman went
back to the fields to find out how animals fall asleep. She
tried to speak with those that had their eyes shut, but they
did not even hear her. Some woke up angry because she
disturbed their sleep.
To those who woke up she asked, "how do you fall asleep? "
But no one was able to explain how. She left the place
quietly. Because she did not want to disturb those who have
not heard her or the ones that went back to sleep.
She walked to the river and sat on its bank to meditate. All
of a sudden she saw the light of a glow-worm and heard the
sweetest voice she ever heard.
"I have the answer to your question", said the
glow-worm.
"I will be very glad if you tell me, because it will make my
friends happy."
"True happiness comes when you make other people happy.
Happiness is like my light; it glows brighter when children
and adults look at me with love."
"But, you were going to give me the answer?"
"Oh! Yes, you need the answer! Well, the answer is to have
the gift of fantasy.
"Where can I get it?"
"Place your hands under my wings, when I flap them, you will
receive the dream and fantasy pollen. I picked it up from
the flowers that at night are showered with stardust and
cuddle with the silver moonlight. Spread it onto your
friends eyelids and you will see them dreaming".
"Dreaming…" whispered Ms. Hope.
Then the glow-worm told her, "Dreaming is the magic of life.
It is to look deep inside us. It's letting our imagination
to roam free in our mind. The glow-worm flutters its wings.
Ms. Hope spread her hands to collect the dream and fantasy
pollen.
"Thanks for this beautiful gift. I will bring it right away
to my friends", said the woman to the glow-worm. The
glow-worm blinked its light twice to give regards to Ms.
Hope and said good-bye.
And that was how Ms. Hope's neighbors managed to sleep and
to dream. Since then, the children dream with starry ways
and new worlds filled with adventures. Parents dream with
love, happiness and peace.
Ms. Hope also dreams. She keep on working, studying and
dreaming. Her friends call her Poet. She is always looking
for new ways of making her dreams come true.
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Translated by Miriam Marcano and Andrés Díaz Marrero