1 00:00:05,759 --> 00:00:12,199 Speaker 1: Hello Max, and hello to you, little dreamer. Inside the 2 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,919 story light jar tonight, a new light is waking up. 3 00:00:17,039 --> 00:00:21,879 It is a steady, glowing amber. It looks like a 4 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,679 drop of golden syrup, heavy and slow, or perhaps the 5 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,879 light from a lantern on a safe, quiet path. It 6 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,679 looks very bright and very still. It is that is 7 00:00:35,719 --> 00:00:41,240 because this is the listening glow tonight. The amber light 8 00:00:41,359 --> 00:00:43,759 brings us a word that is as solid as a 9 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:49,679 rock and as clear as day. The word is truth. 10 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,920 Truth is when you say, what's really there, isn't it? Yes, Max. 11 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,679 Truth is the magic of seeing the world exactly as 12 00:01:00,679 --> 00:01:05,000 it is. Sometimes people try to cover the truth with 13 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:11,319 fancy words or pretend stories, but the truth is always there, 14 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:16,560 waiting underneath. It is brave to speak it. And when 15 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:22,120 we do, oh, it feels so good. It feels like 16 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,719 taking a deep, fresh breath of morning air. 17 00:01:27,359 --> 00:01:35,239 Speaker 2: Per deep fresh breath. That is a perfect description. I 18 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:39,439 know a story about a whole kingdom that forgot how 19 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,879 to take that breath. It is a story about a 20 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:49,760 very fancy emperor, some very tricky weavers, and a small 21 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,719 boy named Leo who was the only one brave enough 22 00:01:54,079 --> 00:01:56,400 to trust his own eyes. 23 00:01:57,599 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: Is it a story about a magic spell. 24 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 2: Not exactly a spell, Max, but a very big trick. 25 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,680 It is a story about how heavy a secret can be, 26 00:02:11,599 --> 00:02:15,159 and how light you feel when you finally let the 27 00:02:15,319 --> 00:02:16,919 truth fly free. 28 00:02:18,479 --> 00:02:23,319 Speaker 1: Let's get ready to listen. Let's make our bodies heavy 29 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:28,000 and comfortable, sinking down into the mattress like a stone 30 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:38,840 settling into soft sand. The amber light is swirling in 31 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:42,680 the jar. It's ready to take us to a palace 32 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,199 made of gold and whispers. 33 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: The story. Light is rising, Max, Watch it float up 34 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:07,879 from the jar. It is painting the attic walls in soft, 35 00:03:08,439 --> 00:03:15,120 honey colored light. It feels warm on my face, like 36 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,520 the afternoon sun coming through a window. 37 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:24,599 Speaker 1: Are you cozy, Max? To hear this story, we need 38 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,240 to be very still. We need to quiet our minds 39 00:03:29,479 --> 00:03:34,439 so we can hear the truth. I'm ready. I'm snug 40 00:03:34,479 --> 00:03:41,199 as a bug, wonderful little dreamer. You settle down too. 41 00:03:41,759 --> 00:03:47,039 Let's take a steady, truthful breath to begin, breathing in 42 00:03:47,159 --> 00:03:54,439 the warm amber light and breathing out any little worries. 43 00:03:57,879 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 2: Perfect. The attic is fading away. The air is smelling 44 00:04:04,599 --> 00:04:12,159 of expensive perfume and old dusty velvet. Listen the kingdom 45 00:04:12,879 --> 00:04:28,720 is whispering us to sleep. Once upon a time, in 46 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:38,839 a land of tall towers and shiny mirrors, lived Emperor Barnaby. Now, 47 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:43,319 Emperor Barnaby was not a bad man, but he was 48 00:04:43,439 --> 00:04:49,240 a very vain man. He loved clothes more than anything 49 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:53,439 in the world. He had a coat made of blue 50 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,439 velvet for the morning, he had a cape made of 51 00:04:57,519 --> 00:05:02,040 red satin for the afternoon, and he had a robe 52 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:07,160 made of silver silk for the evening. He loved to 53 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,920 look in the mirror, turning this way and that, and 54 00:05:11,079 --> 00:05:17,160 hear people say, oh, Emperor, you look magnificent. 55 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,759 Speaker 1: He sounds like he likes to dress up a lot. 56 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:24,199 Speaker 2: He did max He loved it so much that he 57 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:29,040 forgot about the important things, like being kind or being honest. 58 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:35,040 He only cared about what things looked like. He spent 59 00:05:35,199 --> 00:05:38,399 all his time in his dressing room, while the kingdom 60 00:05:38,439 --> 00:05:45,600 outside went on without him. One day, two strangers came 61 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,720 to the palace. They were weavers, but they were not 62 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:55,759 making ordinary cloth. They told Emperor Barnaby they could weave 63 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,319 the most magical fabric in the world. 64 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,439 Speaker 1: Said this fabric had a special power. They said it 65 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,399 was invisible to anyone who was silly, or anyone who 66 00:06:08,439 --> 00:06:11,720 was not good at their job. They said, only the 67 00:06:11,879 --> 00:06:16,279 very smartest, most special people could see the patterns. 68 00:06:17,439 --> 00:06:22,879 Speaker 2: Of course, this was not true. It was a lie. 69 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:28,240 There was no cloth at all. But the emperor listened. 70 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:34,839 He thought, I must have this suit. Then I will 71 00:06:34,879 --> 00:06:40,000 know which of my ministers are smart and which are silly. 72 00:06:42,399 --> 00:06:46,920 So he gave the weavers bags of gold. He gave 73 00:06:46,959 --> 00:06:52,319 them the finest silk thread. He gave them gems. And 74 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,360 the weavers put the gold and silk in their pockets, 75 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,240 and they set up empty looms. 76 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: Just pretending. 77 00:07:02,439 --> 00:07:09,879 Speaker 2: Yes, Max, they were pretending. They moved their hands through 78 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:14,240 the empty air. They moved the empty shuttles back and forth. 79 00:07:14,879 --> 00:07:20,399 The sound was rhythmic and hypnotic. It sounded like work, 80 00:07:20,879 --> 00:07:25,199 but there was nothing there, just empty, thin air. 81 00:07:26,959 --> 00:07:31,439 Speaker 1: Let's pause for a moment, little dreamer, imagine the sound 82 00:07:31,519 --> 00:07:36,720 of those empty looms. It is a slow, steady sound. 83 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,079 Let's take a breath, imagining we are breathing in the 84 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:52,279 invisible air, breathing in the quiet truth, and breathing out 85 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:58,000 the noise of the lie. 86 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: Emperor Barnaby was very curious. He wanted to see his 87 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:11,680 new clothes, but he remembered the rule only smart people 88 00:08:11,879 --> 00:08:17,240 can see it. He felt a little flutter of worry 89 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:24,040 in his tummy. What if he couldn't see it? So 90 00:08:25,079 --> 00:08:31,560 he sent his oldest, wisest minister to check. The minister 91 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,919 walked into the room. He looked at the empty looms. 92 00:08:37,279 --> 00:08:43,759 He blinked his eyes, he rubbed his glasses. He saw. 93 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: Absolutely nothing, because there was nothing there exactly. 94 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 2: But the minister thought, oh no, if I say I 95 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:03,200 see nothing, everyone will think I am silly. Everyone will 96 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:08,480 think I am not good at my job. He was afraid, 97 00:09:09,639 --> 00:09:14,759 and fear is heavy max. It pushes the truth down 98 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:23,080 deep inside. So the minister smiled a fake smile. He 99 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:29,000 pointed at the empty air and said, oh, it is beautiful. 100 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:34,279 Look at those colors, look at those patterns. 101 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,639 Speaker 1: He told a lie because he was scared, and the 102 00:09:38,639 --> 00:09:43,840 weavers nodded and said, yes, isn't it lovely? They pointed 103 00:09:43,879 --> 00:09:46,600 to the emptiness as if it were red and gold 104 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:50,679 and blue. The minister went back to Emperor Barnaby and 105 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,720 told him, your majesty, the cloth is magnificent. 106 00:09:56,399 --> 00:10:01,759 Speaker 2: More time passed. The whole palace was talking about the 107 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:08,559 magic cloth. Everyone whispered about how beautiful it was, even 108 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:12,559 though no one had seen it. The air in the 109 00:10:12,639 --> 00:10:20,120 castle became thick with pretending. It is tiring to pretend, max. 110 00:10:21,039 --> 00:10:25,399 It takes so much energy to remember a lie. It 111 00:10:25,519 --> 00:10:29,039 makes everyone feel sleepy and confused. 112 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: It sounds like a fog made of words. 113 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 2: It was a fog. Finally, the day came for Emperor 114 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:47,000 Barnaby to wear his new clothes. He walked into the 115 00:10:47,039 --> 00:10:50,960 weaving room with all his court He looked at the 116 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:58,200 empty looms, and his heart sank. He saw nothing, just 117 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:03,960 the dusty floor. He thought, Am I silly? Am I 118 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,879 not fit to be emperor? But he couldn't say that, 119 00:11:08,759 --> 00:11:13,000 so he clapped his hands and said, wonderful. It is 120 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,240 the best suit I have ever had. 121 00:11:17,279 --> 00:11:20,159 Speaker 1: The weavers asked him to take off his warm robes. 122 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:25,080 The emperors stood there in his underclothes, shivering a little 123 00:11:25,159 --> 00:11:29,440 in the cool air. The weavers pretended to hold up 124 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,759 the new trousers. They pretended to button the new coat. 125 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,840 They pretended to tie a long, heavy train around his waist. 126 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,919 Speaker 2: The emperor turned in front of the mirror. He twisted 127 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:50,440 and turned. How does it look, asked the weavers. Perfect, 128 00:11:50,799 --> 00:11:56,600 said the courtiers, It fits like a glove, but the 129 00:11:56,639 --> 00:12:01,840 Emperor felt a draft. He felt the cold air on 130 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:06,039 his arms, He felt the goose bumps on his legs. 131 00:12:07,279 --> 00:12:11,720 His body knew the truth, even if his mouth wouldn't 132 00:12:11,759 --> 00:12:12,200 say it. 133 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:14,759 Speaker 1: He must have been very cold. 134 00:12:15,159 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 2: He was max but he stood tall. He marched out 135 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:25,240 of the palace to begin the grand parade. The streets 136 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:29,039 were lined with people. Everyone had heard the story of 137 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:33,720 the magic clothes. Everyone knew that if they didn't see them, 138 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:41,159 they would be called silly. So as Emperor Barnaby walked by, 139 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:49,080 shivering in the breeze, the crowd cheered. Look at his coat, 140 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:53,559 they cried, Look at the beautiful train. 141 00:12:54,919 --> 00:12:59,879 Speaker 1: The noise was loud, but underneath the noise everyone felt 142 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:04,399 height and worried. They were all holding their breath, afraid 143 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:09,840 to speak. Let's take a moment to help them relax, 144 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:15,759 little dreamer, Let's take a truthful breath, a breath that 145 00:13:15,879 --> 00:13:24,080 says I am safe, breathing in knowing what is real, 146 00:13:28,279 --> 00:13:31,919 and breathing out, letting go of the pretending. 147 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:41,879 Speaker 2: The Emperor marched on, but near the front of the crowd, 148 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:47,559 sitting on his father's shoulders, was a little boy named Leo. 149 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,799 Leo was young He didn't know about being a minister. 150 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:58,960 He didn't care about being smart or silly. He was 151 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,639 just tired, and he was just looking with his own 152 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:04,960 two eyes. 153 00:14:05,639 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 1: He was just seeing the truth. 154 00:14:10,159 --> 00:14:14,879 Speaker 2: Leo rubbed his sleepy eyes. He looked at the emperor 155 00:14:14,919 --> 00:14:19,799 marching by. He saw the goose bumps on the Emperor's skin. 156 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:28,960 He saw the Emperor shivering, and Leo frowned. He didn't whisper, 157 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:35,120 he didn't hide. He just spoke out, clear as a 158 00:14:35,159 --> 00:14:41,679 bell in the quiet morning air. But he isn't wearing 159 00:14:41,799 --> 00:14:42,720 anything at all. 160 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:51,399 Speaker 1: The crowd went silent, The cheering stopped. The only sound 161 00:14:51,559 --> 00:14:55,120 was the wind in the trees. Leo's father tried to 162 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,799 hush him, but Leo just pointed again, he has nothing of. 163 00:15:00,639 --> 00:15:01,519 He is cold. 164 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 2: Then a wonderful thing happened. One person whispered, the boy 165 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:17,519 is right. Then another person said he has nothing on, 166 00:15:19,039 --> 00:15:25,080 and then another and another. The truth spread through the 167 00:15:25,159 --> 00:15:31,519 crowd like a warm wave of sunlight. It melted the fear, 168 00:15:32,759 --> 00:15:40,080 it melted the pretending. Suddenly everyone started to laugh, not 169 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:46,480 a mean laugh, but a relieved laugh. He has nothing on, 170 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:48,960 They shouted together. 171 00:15:49,879 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 1: What did the emperor do? 172 00:15:52,559 --> 00:15:58,679 Speaker 2: Emperor Barnaby stopped walking. He heard the truth, and he 173 00:15:58,799 --> 00:16:03,679 knew it was right. He looked down at himself. He 174 00:16:03,799 --> 00:16:08,879 realized how silly he had been, But instead of being angry, 175 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:14,679 he felt relieved too. He didn't have to pretend any more, 176 00:16:15,879 --> 00:16:20,519 he didn't have to hold his breath. He stopped shivering 177 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,440 and wrapped his arms around himself. 178 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,639 Speaker 1: One of the grandmothers in the crowd stepped forward. She 179 00:16:27,759 --> 00:16:32,720 had a thick, warm, wooly blanket. She didn't bow, she 180 00:16:32,919 --> 00:16:35,799 just walked up to the Emperor and wrapped the blanket 181 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:41,919 around his shoulders. Here, lad, she said, kindly, that's the truth. 182 00:16:42,879 --> 00:16:43,519 You're cold. 183 00:16:44,919 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 2: The Emperor pulled the blanket tight. It was heavy, it 184 00:16:49,679 --> 00:16:54,960 was scratchy. It wasn't made of magic silk or invisible gold, 185 00:16:56,279 --> 00:17:01,080 but it was real. It was warm, and for the 186 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:08,799 first time all day, Emperor Barnaby felt truly comfortable. He 187 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:15,039 smiled at little Leo. Thank you, The Emperor said, you 188 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:18,680 have the sharpest eyes in the kingdom. 189 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:23,319 Speaker 1: The weavers slipped away, never to be seen again, but 190 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:27,480 the Emperor didn't mind. He had his warm blanket. He 191 00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:32,359 walked back to the palace, not marching, just walking, and 192 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:36,839 the whole kingdom felt lighter because the heavy weight of 193 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,400 the lie was gone. 194 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:44,599 Speaker 2: And Leo, Leo just put his head on his father's 195 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:51,240 shoulder and fell fast asleep. He had spoken the truth, 196 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:58,079 and the truth is very peaceful. It clears the air 197 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,000 so dreams can come down. 198 00:18:11,079 --> 00:18:15,319 Speaker 1: That is the story of the child who spoke true. 199 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:19,359 We learned that hiding the truth makes us cold and worried, 200 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:25,039 that speaking the truth makes us warm and safe. It 201 00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:27,200 brings us blankets when we are cold. 202 00:18:32,319 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 2: And with that, the amber glow is lifting from my beard. 203 00:18:39,559 --> 00:18:45,240 It is drifting back up, soft does a dandelion seed, 204 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,519 and settling back into the jar. 205 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: The listening glow has done its work. The story is told. 206 00:19:03,079 --> 00:19:08,160 The truth is out. You are safe here, little dreamer. 207 00:19:09,319 --> 00:19:12,079 You don't have to pretend to be anything but a 208 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,480 sleepy child in a warm bed. 209 00:19:17,519 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 2: Let's take one last truthful breath together, breathing in the warm, 210 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:34,880 solid truth of sleep and breathing out into the quiet night. 211 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: Good night, Max, Good night, sleepy listener. That was a 212 00:19:52,039 --> 00:19:58,000 good one, Loomy, I think I'm just about a sleep. 213 00:20:00,279 --> 00:20:35,160 Good night. If you're listening along, you can find more 214 00:20:35,279 --> 00:20:40,319 gentle sleep tips and calming routines for children at storylight 215 00:20:40,519 --> 00:21:00,119 kids dot com. Good night, m.