Once upon a time, in a lush green swamp, lived a little hippo named Humphrey. Humphrey loved to play! He’d splash and splatter in the muddy water all day long, making big, bubbly ripples.
When the sun began to set, all the other little hippos would yawn and head towards their cozy nests of reeds. But not Humphrey! He wanted to keep playing, even when the fireflies started to twinkle.
One night, Mama Hippo said, "Humphrey, it’s time for bed. A good night’s sleep makes you strong and happy!" Humphrey grumbled, "But I’m not tired!"
Mama Hippo smiled. "Let’s have a nice warm bath and then a bedtime story," she suggested. Humphrey loved warm baths, so he agreed.
After his bath, Humphrey felt much more relaxed. Mama Hippo tucked him into his reed nest and read him a story about a friendly crocodile who learned to share. Humphrey’s eyelids grew heavy.
The next morning, Humphrey woke up feeling wonderful! He had slept soundly all night long. He ran outside to play with his friends, feeling much stronger and happier than usual. He could splash even higher!
Humphrey’s friend, Henrietta, asked, “Why are you so energetic today, Humphrey?”
Humphrey explained, "I had a good night’s sleep! Mama gave me a warm bath and read me a story before bed. It made me feel sleepy and happy."
Henrietta said, “That sounds lovely! I think I’ll try that tonight.”
From that day on, Humphrey always followed a bedtime routine. He had a warm bath, listened to a bedtime story, and snuggled into his cozy reed nest. He learned that a good night's sleep made him ready for all the fun adventures the next day would bring.