Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Re-Release: A Train Town Holiday

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Starting point is 00:01:20 Plus you'll be supporting the ongoing production of all of our shows. Just click the link in the episode notes and then look for the GIFTESubscription button. From everyone at Sumbus Studios, we wish you a wonderful festive season. Welcome to Get Sleepy. Where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas, and I'm your host. Tonight, we have a very special festive treat. It's a re-release of one of our first ever Christmas stories on the show, which is usually only available on the Premium feed. It's perfect for inspiring the Childlike

Starting point is 00:02:14 Magic within, and I think still flutters deep within us all at this time of year. And speaking of childlike magic, this story is also releasing tonight on our newest show, Snuggle. It's perfect if you've got little ones in your life. It will help to calm them down and find some peace and comfort whenever they need it, just as Get Sleepy does for you. So tonight you could listen to a train town holiday here on Get Sleepy, while the little ones listen to the kids version over on snuggle. Whenever you're ready to settle down and prepare for a good night's rest, make yourself nice and comfortable in bed.

Starting point is 00:03:20 And then close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, holding at the top for a moment. And as you release the air back out, sense any tension or discomfort in the body, Sense any tension or discomfort in the body, easing away. Let's do one more together, breathe in nice and fully. Hold and gently release. Perfect. Now we're ready to begin tonight's story. So open up your imagination as you picture the scene. A cold wind howls across the land. And a cloud of snow flurries around in all directions. This is where our story begins. A layer of soft snow covers everything inside. A head, there's a small village, a little cluster of homes and workshops made of wood, painted

Starting point is 00:05:29 red and green. Each glows with a warm yellow light within. A small trail leads into the village, marking the entrance there's a little white sign. In curving handwritten letters it reads, welcome to Train Town. Standing next to the sign with a red canvas sack slung over his shoulder is winky and this is her very first day in train town winky takes a deep breath feeling the cold air warm in her lungs a puff of air billows from her mouth, warming the tip of her nose as she looks down at the village. A gentle shiver travels her spine.

Starting point is 00:06:36 She's excited, but also a little nervous. Her whole life, she's dreamed of making toy trains. The years she went to school and apprentice with the very best elves in the train building business. She studied hard and spent long nights pouring of every book on trains she could find. She read books about painting trains and books on train mechanics. There were ones about the best materials to use, about how to fasten the perfect brake wheels and how to decorate the interior in various styles.

Starting point is 00:07:29 One of her favourites was called Everything about toy trains that doesn't have to do with the train. It talked about where to place a jolly sprig of holly, talked about where to place a jolly sprig of holly. How to tie a cinnamon stick through a bow and place it firmly on the front of the engine. And the best way to a fix a shiny silver bell so it will ring bright and clear as the train travels along the track. She worked hard to get to this point, and now she's made it, standing with her rucksack,

Starting point is 00:08:17 looking down at the centre of the toy train universe, train town. Winky squeals with delight and hops up and down, clapping her hands together in excitement. She stops only when her sack begins to slip off her shoulder. Winky adjusts her green coat and the sack. She stands up straight and sets her mouth into a determined smile. It's time to go to work. Train Town is one of many holiday villages on this side of the North Pole. It's peak season, so the town is bustling with activity. This is where every toy train in the world comes to life.

Starting point is 00:09:17 Other villages specialize in toy boats, sewing machines, toolboxes and tools, fun socks, art supplies, rocking horses, ice skates and mittens. She's glad to be a toy train elf. It's more interesting than Mittens, she thinks. She chuckles to herself and shakes her head. For Winky, it's always been trains. She loves the way they go round and round. She loves the sound their wheels make as they charred around bends and over bridges.

Starting point is 00:10:08 She loves the weight of the engine and the brightness of the paint. She loves how sturdy they are. Trains can brave any weather and any obstacle. When she once saw a poodle go nose to nose with a commuter train under a well decorated tree. The train was triumphant, of course. After a few sniffs, the poodle laid down, content to watch the train go round the tree. She loves the tiny scenic villages that they travel through. She loves the picturesque stations with their decorative doors, broad platforms and miniature conductors. She loves how some people who don't have all the trinkets for a full village just bunch up white sheets to make mountains of imaginary snow and tunnels.

Starting point is 00:11:17 Those toy train landscapes are her favourite. favorite. To Winky, that's true creativity. Every November, the elves in training get their assignments. Winky could barely wait to get her letter. One Friday night, it finally came, wrapped up in a big red bow. She enthired the bow carefully, gently tugging at it until the paper unfalled. The letter was simple. There were only two words on the paper, etched in glimmering gold. Train town, it read.

Starting point is 00:12:09 For Winky, it was a dream come true. She packed her bag that night. She picked out red and white striped socks and her best green shoes, the ones with little bells on the front. She packed a couple of skirts, a few pairs of shorts, candy cane coloured stockings, and one pair of checkered overalls. She put in her most durable black belt with a big golden buckle. And she put extra care in selecting her hats. Two green ones with pointy tops and a red velvet one with a white puff on the end.

Starting point is 00:13:01 Then she was all ready to go. She picked up her letter, sprinkled a handful, fresh snow onto it, closed her eyes, and thought of train town. In an instant, she was surrounded by a flurry of snowflakes. They swirled, danced before our eyes. Then, they settled. In a moment of winter magic, her room disappeared, replaced by snow-covered hills, and this small, cozy village village off in the distance.

Starting point is 00:13:50 Now she's finally here full of joy, winky brushes the snow off her nose and heads down the trail leading into train town. The powdery white snow crunches beneath her feet. A curved tips of her shoes flick a bit of snow with each step. She's smiling cheap to cheap as she reaches the first workshop. Inside, she can hear the tinkering of a toy factory. She knocks on the door and an older elf answers.

Starting point is 00:14:39 He has a white beard and wears round gold-rimmed glasses that sit low on his nose. He peers over them at Winky. Come in, come in, you welcomes her. She sets down her sack on a wooden bench beside the front door. She tells him this is her first season here in Train Town and she's not quite sure where she's supposed to go. How exciting, he says, his rosy face beams with delight. It's always nice to see a new recruit. It brings back fond memories of his first year from the job. He clasps his hands with joy. He'll show her around and get her settled

Starting point is 00:15:38 in. But first, he offers her a cup of hot cocoa. After all, an elf can't start a new job without a warm cup of chocolate, he says with a grin. Winky accepts gratefully. She holds the mug in her hands, a steam drifts upward from the dark liquid. It's not too hot, just the right temperature. The warmth seeps into her fingertips and spreads into her palms. It may be snowy outside, she thinks, but it's quite cozy in here. She lifts the mug to her nose and takes a deep breath in. The sweet, savoury aroma of dark chocolate fills her nostrils.

Starting point is 00:16:37 There's a hint of peppermint too, cool and refreshing. Cool and refreshing. Winky takes a sip. It's thick and sweet. She lets it sit on her tongue a moment before swallowing it. It just might be the best hot chocolate she's ever had, she thinks. She drinks the rest of the cup, savoring every sip. When she's finished, she puts the mug down on the table in front of her, satisfied. Now, it's time to head to the workshop and see how Train Town works the older elf says.

Starting point is 00:17:27 Tonight, Winky will learn her way around so she knows what to do over the next several weeks. The older elf leads Winky down a hallway and into a brightly painted room at the far end of the workshop. This room has tall, vaulted ceilings and colorful decorations hanging from the beams. It's so festive, just like her green shoes with the little bells on the toes. She gives her feet a wiggle, gently ringing the bells and squeaks with excitement. The older elf laughs to see her so happy. This is where the trains begin, he tells her. On the ground, running clear through the room from right to left is a set of sturdy black tracks.

Starting point is 00:18:34 On top of the tracks is an elf-sized train, and in one of the empty cargo cars sits a workbench. On the workbench is a picture of a train. The older elf explains that each part of the process happens on this workbench. The larger train carries the workbench from building to building in the village. In every workshop, the next part of the toy is made. By the time the larger train reaches the final shock, there's a fully functional toy train on top of a train.

Starting point is 00:19:27 How fitting. The older elf is the supervisor, so it's his job to ride a top the assembly train to every workshop, overseeing each part of the process. Winky can come along with him tonight. They hop on board the larger train. It has cushy velvet seats with gold studs along the edges. Winky leans back, fully relaxed but beaming with anticipation. The old elf blows a whistle and like magic the train sets off down the tracks. It chokes across the room into a well lit tunnel. Painted arrows point the way.

Starting point is 00:20:26 As the train leaves the first building, Winky fills the cool air on her cheeks. She looks up, snow is falling gently on the ground between the buildings. The night sky is dark overhead, and the stars shine brightly. The train passes under an overhang and into the next workshop where it comes to a stop. Here elves are hard at work, stamping out metal engines in small presses. One elf with a pointed white beard pulls a perfectly moulded engine from his press. He places it carefully on the workbench. The older elf inspects the engine and nods his approval. Another elf brings over a paintbrush and a pot of jet black paint.

Starting point is 00:21:34 With delicate strokes, she covers the engine and its burst coat of shiny paint. The older elf calls his thanks to everyone in this workshop who let out a synchronized cheer and return. With the blow of the whistle, they're off once again on the assembly train. The elves all wave as they chug out of the building. This time, the train takes them through a long winding passageway. Above them are wooden arches linking this workshop with the next. Each of the arches is draped in tinsel. Winky smiles, as some of it brushes against the top of her head and nearly knocks her hat off. In the next workshop, there are a handful of elves, molding and painting train cars. There are passenger cars with tiny seats, dining cars with minuscule tables and chairs,

Starting point is 00:22:49 sleeper cars with little beds and pillows, and cargo cars for holding grain or boxes of goods. The older elf looks back over his shoulder at winkey and grins. He claps his hands and every elf lines up next to the train holding a different kind of car. He looks them over, one by one, nodding in approval each time. The elves attach the cars to the engine using tiny magnetic latches. Once they are all hooked up, he blows the whistle and they are off once again. This time, Winky waves to everyone else in the workshop. They wave back.

Starting point is 00:23:43 to everyone else in the workshop. They wave back. Welcome to Train Town, one of them says as she passes by. Winky feels her heart smile. What a friendly place she thinks. The assembly train bumps its way along the tracks. It turns left, then right, and then emerges from the building into the cool winter night. It winds its way around the back of a building with dozens of windows. That's one of the houses where the elves sleep and play games when they're not on shift. The older elf explains. Winky gays his up at the windows. A candle flickers in every windowsill.

Starting point is 00:24:37 They are snow white and wear a dainty red ribbon around the bottom. No matter how long they burn, they never burn out the old elf's face. It's magic, of course, when he realises. How wonderful. As she looks up, she sees elves talking and laughing with each other in their rooms. Some read by the light of warm orange fires, others knit fluffy socks and mittens, some are visiting with neighbours next door. A few are asleep, snuggled in their beds, warm, safe and cozy. The train continues past this building and around a corner.

Starting point is 00:25:34 They ride under a stone bridge and through a stand of evergreen trees that opens up into the next workshop. This is where the detailing happens, the older elf explains. As the train grinds to a halt, several elves surround the workbench with fine-pointed brushes and little parts. One attaches wheels to the engine while another places tiny flower pots on each of the dining car tables. Another stencils on the name of the train in elegant gold lettering. The train town express it reads, the train is almost complete.

Starting point is 00:26:29 The older elf blows his whistle one more time and the train sets off. In this final workshop, the toy train gets packaged. There are only four elves here. One is in charge of placing the train in white tissue paper. The next gently sets the toy train in a bright red box. A third is an expert in bows. She ties a large puffy silver bow on the box, straightens the edges until they sit smoothly around the corners. The fourth and final elf pulls out a beautiful golden fountain pen. In delicate handwriting, the elf addresses the parcel

Starting point is 00:27:30 to the person who wished for it. This train is going to a girl named Charlotte. Of course, many trains go to children all over the world, Yilda Elf explains. But many go to adults too. After all, everyone loves the decorative toy train. Winky smiles with delight. That's why she wanted to make toy trains a whole life. They make her smile, and she wanted to make other people smile too. The older elf blows his whistle one final time,

Starting point is 00:28:19 and the train sets off back to his workshop. sets off back to his workshop. Once inside he takes the red box with the finished toy train and places it in a special corner. There it joins five other boxes ready to head out to toy lovers around the world. The older elf pulls a long rope dangling in the corner of the workshop. Up above a massive bell rings. Signaling is the end of the day here in Trantown. Winky Yorns, she's learned so much, but now it's time for bed. She wants to be sharp for a first full day here in Trantown. She retrieves her sack from the bench near the door and walks outside. Walking through town, elves file out the workshops

Starting point is 00:29:30 as the warm lights inside flicker out, one by one. When Key looks up at the night sky above and feels the snowflakes land gently on her cheeks. Once she reaches the living quarters, she opens the front door. On a small table just inside, there's a large black key with a card tied to it bearing her name. She heads to the door that matches the number written on the card. She heads to the door that matches the number written on the card. She puts the key into the lock and turns it. With a click, the door swings open, and she looks around her room for the first time. There's a fire cracking in the fireplace on the right side of the room. On the left there's a bed with fluffy green and red blankets and big white pillows.

Starting point is 00:30:37 She sets down her sack and takes off her festive green shoes. The bell's jingle as she sets them down for the night. Winky puts on her pajamas and gets into bed, relishing, feeling the cool crisp sheets. The bed begins to warm as she snuggles down into the covers. to warm as she snuggles down into the covers. She feels her head sink down into the pillow, her body relaxes. She looks out of the window and sees all of train town glowing in the night air. The last workshop dims its lights. Smoke rises from the chimneys, billowing until it disappears into the falling snow. Just as her eyes begin to close. She notices a single star-shaped snowflake land on her window-pay.

Starting point is 00:31:52 This is where she's meant to be. She thinks. She falls into a deep and restful sleep. you you you ... I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing.

Starting point is 00:34:12 I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. you you you you ... you you you I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:37:16 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:37:32 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. you ... you ... ... I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:39:28 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room.

Starting point is 00:39:44 I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. ... ... ... ... you you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Re-Release: A Train Town Holiday

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