bedtime · Ages 6-8

The Train That Took the Long Way to Morning

A sleepy train crosses quiet hills and tunnels, learning that the long way is sometimes how everyone gets enough rest.

The whole story

1. At midnight, the little train waited at Moonrise Station. It wanted to reach Morning Valley before sunrise.

2. The passengers had tucked themselves into their seats. The train gave a tiny yawn and wished for a very short ride.

3. At the valley fork, the short track was closed for careful repairs. The long track curled around the hills.

4. So the train took the long way. The hills were quiet, and the sleepy farms below seemed to whisper, “Take your time.”

5. The first tunnel held the night close. Inside the carriages, blankets rose and fell with quiet breathing.

6. By the second tunnel, the train no longer wished to hurry. Its wheels felt warm, and the passengers slept more deeply.

7. At last, the long way led over the final hill. Morning opened its pale gold eyes, and nobody had been woken too soon.

8. The sleepy train reached Morning Valley with everyone rested and ready. It had learned that the long way was sometimes how everyone got enough rest.

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