The Bedtime Story
Once upon a time there was a child. The child was very, very tired, but she couldn’t fall asleep, even though her bed was warm, the lights were off, and her dad sat in the rocking chair in her room to keep her company. Finally the child asked, “Dad, will you tell me a long, long story?”
Her dad said, “OK.” And this is the story he told: “Once upon a time there was a child. The child was very, very tired, but she couldn’t fall asleep, even though her bed was warm, the lights were off, and her dad sat in the rocking chair in her room to keep her company. Finally the child asked, ‘Dad, will you tell me a long, long story?’
“Her dad said, ‘OK.’ And this is the story he told: ‘Once upon a time there was a child. The child was very, very tired, but she couldn’t fall asleep. . . .’
“Are you listening, honey?” asked the dad at last, after the story had been going on for a long, long time. But the child did not answer.
She was fast asleep.
