Sam was a little boy who loved adventures, but his biggest adventure happened every night – going to sleep! He wasn’t always excited about it, though. Sometimes, he’d get scared of the shadows in his room.
One night, as Sam was snuggling under his covers, he heard a tiny squeak. He peeked out from under his blanket and saw a little field mouse, shivering near his bed. The mouse looked lost and scared.
Sam, even though he was a little scared himself, felt sorry for the tiny creature. He gently scooped up the mouse with his hands and placed it inside a small, empty shoebox he had kept near his bed for just such an occasion.
He added some soft cotton wool and a few tiny crumbs of his cookie from earlier that evening. 'Don't worry, little one,' Sam whispered. 'You'll be safe here until morning.'
Suddenly, the mouse squeaked again, but this time it sounded like a tiny voice saying, 'Thank you, brave Sam! You have a kind heart.' Sam was amazed! He'd never talked to a mouse before.
The mouse explained that he was lost and couldn't find his way back to his family's burrow. Sam, remembering his own fear of the dark, decided to help. He carefully opened his bedroom window, a bit cautiously.
He then gently placed the box outside on the windowsill. The mouse scurried out of the box and into the night, disappearing into the shadows of the garden. Sam felt a warm glow in his heart, knowing he’d helped someone in need.
With a content sigh, Sam snuggled back under his covers. He felt brave for helping the mouse and kind for showing compassion. He also felt very sleepy and safe, knowing he’d done a good deed before bed.
That night, Sam slept soundly. He dreamt of adventures with friendly mice and even a friendly owl who guided lost creatures home. When he woke up, he felt refreshed and happy, ready for another day of fun. He knew that even small acts of kindness could make a big difference, and being brave helped him sleep soundly.
From that day on, Sam always looked forward to bedtime, knowing that even the night held its own special adventures, and that being kind and brave brought him wonderful dreams and a peaceful sleep. And, sometimes, he'd even leave a small snack near his window for any lost creatures who might need a little help.