Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Nian the Monster (Premium)

Episode Date: January 23, 2020

This is a preview episode. Get the full episode, and many more, ad free, on our supporter's feed: https://getsleepy.com/support. Nian the Monster  Narrated by Tom. A special episode for Chinese New Year.     About Get Sleepy Premium: Help support the podcast, and get: Monday and Wednesday night episodes (with zero ads) The exclusive Thursday night bonus episode Access to the entire back catalog (also ad-free) Premium sleep meditations, extra-long episodes and more! We'll love you forever. ❤️ Get a 7 day free trial, and join the Get Sleepy community here https://getsleepy.com/support. And thank you so, so much.  Tom, and the team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi, Thomas here. You're listening to a preview episode. You can enjoy the entire story tonight by subscribing to our supporters' feed. There you'll get access to the entire back catalogue, bonus episodes, and more, and it's all completely ad-free. Click the link below to learn more and thank you so so much. Me and the team really appreciate your support. Once upon a time tucked away in a rocky cave, it had high up in the mountains. They lived a monster named Nian. His home towered over rushing rivers, green forests and small mountain villages. Living all the way up here, Nian felt like he was on top of the world. From the rocky entrance of his cave, he had the most incredible view. He watched the

sun crest over the horizon at dawn, and admired the warm colours of the sky at dusk. He listened to the wind, whisper, or roar, depending on the season, air, laced with the scent of pine. Nian's favorite season was winter. You liked watching the landscape transform as delicate snowflakes fell one by one to cover everything in sight. But unlike other creatures that slowed down or hibernated until spring, he had a very peculiar tradition. At the end of the year, he visited and nearby village just down the mountain and scared everyone he saw. So Nean, it was always great fun. Nean was so fond of his tradition he could hardly wait for winter to come.

He'd leave the quiet seclusion of his dark damp cave and descend the mountain. His footsteps crunched in the snow, leaving the imprint of his massive paws. His body rustled against the branches of pine trees, which was always a nice brushing for his scaly skin. But although Neon was large, he was rather stealthy. He knew how to hide. He did live in a cave after all. Sometimes, he hid between tall trees and startled villagers gathering firewood. Other times he spooked the fishermen while they sat by the river. And most often he lurped in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment to jump out. Year after year, Nian bothered the villagers.

He never caused them any harm, except of course for the shock of a giant, scaly monster appearing out of nowhere. After having his fun, Nian would return to his comfy cave, satisfied. The villagers in this quaint mountain town were eager to calm Nian and teach him some manners. Sure, he wasn't hurting anyone, but he was a real nuisance. The villagers called meetings to develop ways to scare him off. They built maps detailing his favourite hiding spots. For years they tried one way or another to get rid of Nian, but nothing seemed to work.

Now Autumn had just lost its leaves and winter returned. Big star-like crystals fell from the sky day and night. One morning, Nian stepped out of his cave. He looked around, taking in the awe-inspiring view. Everything around had lost its colour, the sky, the ground and everything in between were painted a pure shade of white. He felt the crisp air in his nostrils and the wet touch of the snowflakes on his hard, reptilian skin. It was the perfect winter day, so he decided to return to the village.

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