As the sun dipped low behind the tall forest trees, casting long, sleepy shadows, little Squeaky the squirrel knew it was almost time for bed. He had busily scampered and played all day, collecting nuts and chasing butterflies, but now his little paws felt a bit tired.
Squeaky climbed up to his cozy nest high in the big oak tree. His mama was already there, snuggled in. "Good night, my little Squeaky," she whispered softly, tucking him close with her tail.
Squeaky snuggled into the warm, soft leaves of the nest. "Mama," he mumbled, his eyes getting heavy, "where else does Good Night happen? And how do they say it?"
Mama Squirrel smiled a quiet, sleepy smile. "Good Night happens everywhere, my dear. It's a feeling more than just words."
Squeaky thought about this. Did the sleepy bumblebees say good night as they zipped back to their hive? Did the silent owls say good night as they woke up for their nighttime watch?
He imagined the little river flowing nearby, murmuring a soft, bubbly good night tune as it flowed over stones. He pictured the wildflowers closing their petals ever so slowly, nodding their sleepy heads, saying a colorful good night to the sun.
He imagined the big mountains far away, standing tall and quiet, saying a grand, silent good night under the stars. He thought about the deep, deep ocean, where the waves might whisper a rolling, gentle good night as they reached the shore.
Even the moon, when it peeked through the leaves, looked like it was saying a silvery, soft good night to the whole wide world, getting ready to watch over sleepyheads.
All these different kinds of 'Good Night' – the quiet ones, the murmuring ones, the colorful ones, the grand ones, the silvery ones – made Squeaky feel very safe and peaceful. It was like the whole world was snuggling down just like he was.
His own nest felt extra warm and soft. The gentle sway of the oak tree felt like a lullaby. Squeaky felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, like little stones.
He took a deep, peaceful breath and snuggled even closer to his mama. The forest outside hummed a sleepy tune he couldn't quite hear with his ears, but he felt it in his heart.
With a happy, sleepy sigh, Squeaky the squirrel whispered back into the quiet darkness, "Good night, world." And with all the good nights swirling gently in his mind, he drifted off into a peaceful, cozy sleep, ready for sweet dreams.