Freddy the frog was a very small frog with very big worries. Every night, when the sun began to set and the fireflies started to blink, Freddy would feel a wobble in his tummy. He was afraid of the dark! All his brothers and sisters loved bedtime. They’d snuggle into the lily pads and drift off to sleep, but Freddy would stay awake, imagining shadows and strange noises.
“I don’t *want* to go to sleep!” he’d croak to his mama. “What if a big, grumpy beetle comes looking for me? Or a sneaky heron tries to say hello in the middle of the night?” Mama Frog would always give him a gentle hug. “Oh, Freddy,” she’d say, “there’s nothing to be afraid of. The dark is just the nighttime’s way of letting everyone rest.”
But Freddy couldn’t help it. He tried everything to stay awake. He counted lily pads, he sang little froggy songs (very quietly, so he wouldn’t wake anyone), and he even tried to build a tower of pebbles. Nothing worked. Eventually, his eyelids would get heavy, and he’d drift off, only to wake up again with a start at every little sound.
One evening, Old Man Tiber, the wisest frog in the pond, noticed Freddy looking glum. He hopped over and sat beside him. “What troubles you, little one?” he asked kindly. Freddy explained his fear of the dark. Old Man Tiber listened patiently, then smiled. “Freddy,” he said, “the dark isn’t empty. It’s full of quiet magic. Close your eyes and listen.”
Freddy hesitated, but he closed his eyes. At first, all he heard was his own heartbeat. Then, he began to notice other sounds: the gentle chirping of crickets, the soft rustling of leaves, the distant hoot of an owl. “What are those sounds?” he whispered. “Those are the sounds of the night,” Old Man Tiber replied. “The night is full of life, just like the day. And those sounds aren’t scary, are they?”
Freddy listened carefully. He realized Old Man Tiber was right. The sounds weren’t scary at all. They were… peaceful. “No,” he said softly. “They’re not scary.” Old Man Tiber continued, “Sometimes, feeling a little scared is okay. It means you’re imagining things, and your imagination is a wonderful gift! But don’t let your worries stop you from enjoying the quiet magic of bedtime.”
That night, Freddy snuggled into his lily pad, remembering Old Man Tiber’s words. He still felt a little wobble in his tummy, but it wasn’t as big as before. He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the night. He imagined the fireflies twinkling like tiny stars and the crickets singing him a lullaby. He thought about all the fun he’d have tomorrow, swimming and playing with his friends.
And for the first time, Freddy the frog drifted off to sleep without a single worry, feeling brave and peaceful in the quiet magic of the dark. He knew that even though the dark might seem a little mysterious, it was also a wonderful time for rest and sweet dreams. From that night on, Freddy wasn’t afraid of bedtime anymore. He knew that even a small frog could be brave, especially when he remembered to listen to the peaceful sounds of the night.