Baby sleeping story
Bedtime Stories Bedtime Stories | Free Stories Kids Love!
Short bedtime stories for kids, 5-10 minute bedtime stories, fairy tales, online story books, audio stories, and more!Our FREE Bedtime Stories for Kids are PRAISED & RECOMMENDED BY: Scholastic, USA Today, The New York Times & Education World.
Enjoy our collection of FREE Bedtime Stories for kids:A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Cinderella, a young girl who finds out that dreams really can come true.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Snow White, who is the fairest of them all, with a modern twist.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Pinocchio. If he is to become a real boy, he has to learn to be honest.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold – adapted from Grimm’s Brothers.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?
A Bedtime Stories Classic: When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
A Bedtime Stories Classic: An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone, whoever pulls it out is the rightful king.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Mama Duck is proud when her ducklings hatch, but one does not look like the others.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A new take on the Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince and makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Aladdin, the Genie, and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures about learning in the woods.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Robin Hood takes part in an archery competition that is thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of Maui, a Demi-God, adapted to Disney’s Moana and the Tales of Maui.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A story about a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real through the love of his owner.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Princess is cursed by Maleficent and put into a deep sleep for 100 years.
Who can save her?
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, how will they get the money?
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father.
A Cinderella Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Cinderella, a young girl who finds out that dreams really can come true.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Snow White, who is the fairest of them all, with a modern twist.
Pinocchio Story | Fairy Tale Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of Pinocchio. If he is to become a real boy, he has to learn to be honest.
Beauty and the Beast Classic Tale | Fairy Tale Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The fairytale of a beautiful woman, a monstrous beast, and finding love.
Rumpelstiltskin | A Fairy Tale Bedtime Story for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold – adapted from Grimm’s Brothers.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears | Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?
Hansel and Gretel | Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm | Bedtime Stories
A Bedtime Stories Classic: An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
The Sword in the Stone | A King Arthur Legend of the Sword Story
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone, whoever pulls it out is the rightful king.
The Ugly Duckling Story | Fairy Tale Story for Kids in English
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Mama Duck is proud when her ducklings hatch, but one does not look like the others.
The Frog Prince: The Princess and the Frog | Bedtime Stories
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A new take on the Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
The Little Mermaid Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince and makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human.
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp from The Arabian Nights | Bedtime Stories
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Aladdin, the Genie, and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
Bambi Story: A Life in the Woods | Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures about learning in the woods.
Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Story | Legend Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Robin Hood takes part in an archery competition that is thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Maui from Moana: Tales of the Demi-God | Legend Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The tale of Maui, a Demi-God, adapted to Disney’s Moana and the Tales of Maui.
The Velveteen Rabbit Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A story about a stuffed rabbit’s desire to become real through the love of his owner.
The Snow Queen Fairy Tale Story | Bedtime Story for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale Story | Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A Princess is cursed by Maleficent and put into a deep sleep for 100 years.
Who can save her?
The Gift of the Magi Story | A Holiday Story for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, how will they get the money?
Pocahontas and John Smith Story | Folktales Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father.
The Emperor’s New Clothes Story | Bedtime Stories
A Bedtime Stories Classic: An Emperor is fooled into believing he is wearing magic clothes which can’t actually be seen.
Mulan Story: Tale of Hua Mulan | Bedtime Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Stories Classic: A legend tale about a girl who goes in disguise as a boy and joins the army in her brother’s place.
Short Stories for Kids ~ Folk tales, Fairy Tales, Riddles, Legends, Poems
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Our Bedtime Stories Are Different
Stories to Grow By is a non-profit organization.
We dedicate ourselves to providing the best treasury of stories and reader's theater scripts. Each one is kid-tested, providing children a meaningful experience that will last a lifetime.
All of our stories are Kid-Tested and Kid-Approved. We are the WORLD'S FIRST Kid-tested and Kid-approved collection of folktales & fairy tales. Each story is based on themes of human ethics. Our stories are diverse, non-denominational and contain themes of respect, honesty, and caring.
Stories to Grow By is the only bedtime story website that is PRAISED & RECOMMENDED BY major outlets. These include Scholastic, USA Today, The New York Times & Education World!
Read more about us and our mission HERE.
More Than Just Bedtime Stories
You will find stories you love. Stories to Grow By provides a collection of World Tales. Folktales, fairytales, fables, and more! Stories from various countries and cultures! We have you covered.
View our special collection of world tales HERE.
If you would like to see additional stories, content, and materials - drop us a line! Contact us directly by clicking HERE.
Teaching Resources from Stories to Grow ByIn addition to a great bedtime story, we also offer teaching resources! This includes over 100 free bedtime stories, fairy tales, folk tales, readers theater play scripts, and performance notes! You will find the stories and the materials you need for your classroom with Stories to Grow By.
Interactive Reader's Theater | PlayAloudIn 2023 Stories to Grow By launched PlayAloud. A PlayAloud is an interactive reader's theater destination for families and the classroom. PlayAloud is great for struggling readers, drama enthusiasts, or those who want to practice reading fluency and expression. The PlayAloud website helps to build reading confidence too! A PlayAloud is an interactive reader's theater play script.
You can follow along, line by line, and listen to voice actors deliver the lines. Check it out HERE.
These 8 Bedtime Stories Will Put Your Child to Sleep Immediately
Parents know that sometimes putting a child to sleep is a real challenge. There is a reliable and fast way, though. You're surely familiar with fairy tales. But have you ever tried bedtime stories? They're designed to lull your child to sleep by calming their mind and creating a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere.
When we were creating our application, of course we couldn't forget about bedtime stories! Try reading a bedtime story with your child tonight -these are a few of our favourites:
Good Night, Farm Animals
This bedtime story is a beautiful story that takes you to a busy farm. But the noise gradually dies down and as the evening comes, the people and the animals begin to fall asleep. Your child can say good night to each animal, which helps pleasantly set their mood for a good night's rest.
Read the whole bedtime story of Good Night, Farm Animals in Readmio.
Best Friend
Is your child curious and interested in how the human body functions? If so, this bedtime story will delight them. It's a story that takes you on a slow journey through the human body. Your child will learn to work with breathing, which is soothing at night and puts them to sleep. At the same time, this bedtime story explains why rest and sleep is so important.
Read the whole bedtime story of Best friend in Readmio.
The Little Cloud
This bedtime story is designed for the youngest children and together with your child you will set out to a country full of magical adventures. Beautiful descriptions of this country will contribute to your child's visualisation which in this case will help to induce a state of drowsiness and introduce them to the realm of dreams.
This bedtime story takes you and your child to a country full of magical adventures. Designed for younger children, it's filled with beautiful descriptions of the country.
It helps with your child's visualization, which in turn helps to create a state of drowsiness while introducing them into the dream realm.
Read the whole bedtime story of The Little Cloud in Readmio.
The Old Oak
Nature has a calming effect on all of us, and children are no exception. That’s why we've included a story about an old oak tree in our bedtime story. The old oak provides shelter and a place to rest for several forest creatures. There is a calming atmosphere throughout the bedtime story, which evokes a feeling of security and safety.
Read the whole bedtime story of The Old Oak in Readmio.
The Naughty Gnome
As they say, not everyday is Sunday and putting your child to sleep can sometimes be challenging. If your child has had a restless day and can’t calm down at night, this bedtime story can help you. It tells a story about a restless gnome who doesn't want to fall asleep. Eventually, he goes to bed and falls asleep peacefully.
About a Ladybird
Bedtime stories can help not only in the evenings, but also in the afternoon for younger children, for their after-lunch nap.
This one is a good example. It's a comforting story about a little ladybug who decides to rest during a sunny day on the leaf of a flowering apple tree.
Read the whole bedtime story of About a Ladybird in Readmio.
The Lost Chick
This bedtime story is a beautiful example of how perfectly a bedtime story, a wonderful story and love for animals can be combined. It's about a little chick who gets lost on the farm and can’t find his mother. When night falls, he's still looking for her. The other good-natured animals come to his aid, and with their help he gets home again. Eventually, he and his siblings finally fall asleep in their soft nest.
Night Under the Sky
Is your child an adventurer longing for adventures in the outdoors? Then this wonderful bedtime story will appeal to them. It tells the story of a trip outdoors. It also describes the night sight of the twinkling stars and the watching of a flame in a fireplace. The atmosphere of the whole story is very calm and relaxing, so it can put your child to sleep quickly.
Read the whole bedtime story of Night Under the Sky in Readmio.
Those are our 8 favourite bedtime stories to read your child to get them to sleep. We hope you and your child have enjoyed reading them together!
How to choose a bedtime story. Children's sleep consultant advises
Elena Muradova, Head of the BabySleep Center for Children's Sleep and Development
For centuries, parents have been telling stories to their children before going to bed. Fairy tales "lure" the child to bed, the gentle voice of mom or dad calms him down. And a bedtime story is a good way to spend time with your child. Elena Muradova, founder and head of the BabySleep Center for Children's Sleep and Development, will help you figure out why fairy tales help children fall asleep and how to choose the right fairy tale.
Why fairy tales are useful
Here are at least three reasons why you should regularly tell bedtime stories to your children.
Children 1-3 years old think in images. Turning the pages of the book, the child builds his own logical chain, learns to mentally act in imaginary circumstances, and receives a new vision of history.
Sounds - words - sentences - this is how a child learns to speak. Books expand vocabulary. And the pictures in the books help to understand the meaning of the fairy tale. That is why the first books should be with clear and vivid illustrations.
When reading together, it is useful to discuss what has been read with the child. A fairy tale is an ancient way of transferring the experience of different life situations and ways to solve them.
Children's sleep consultant recommendation
Fairy tales can and should be included in the bridge to sleep. This is the name of calm wakefulness, relaxing the child and setting him up for sleep. This time is magical in itself: the room is quiet, the lights are dimmed, the family is sitting on a cozy sofa or on the bed of their parents, the child imagines with pleasure what will happen to his favorite characters today.
Reading together makes the relationship between children and parents closer, strengthens the emotional connection. This is especially important when children grow up, parents spend the whole day at work, and only in the evening there is time for communication without haste. Before going to bed, it is very important to do something together, without being distracted by anything, to saturate the child with your love.
How to choose a bedtime story
However, not every fairy tale is suitable for evening reading. Here are three tips for making the right choice.
- The first item is the age of the child. It is important that the child understands what the book is about. It is unlikely that you will interest a 2-year-old kid with a long story about Robin Hood. The younger the child, the shorter and simpler the tale.
- Choose good stories that won't scare or upset your baby before bed. Ideally, if the book is about sleep or there are elements related to sleep in the book (the hero is going to sleep, turns off the light, changes into pajamas).
Reading stories about sleep helps to "slow down" the child after a busy day. - Set the time frame for reading. Toddlers 1-2 years old can usually listen carefully to a fairy tale for only a few minutes. This time is enough to look at a book with bright pictures and a small number of words. Grown up children are ready to listen to fairy tales for hours - especially if it is "instead of sleep." Agree in advance how long the reading will last: half an hour (show on the clock what this means - this is also useful), or three stories, or two chapters if the book is long.
How to read
In a calm, soothing voice. And by the end of the story, it's even quieter and more monotonous.
It's time for bed, but the child asks to read more and more. What to do?
If you have agreed in advance how long you will read, it is better to keep the agreed boundaries. So that before going to bed the child does not burst into tears, you can agree on "just a little more", but after that it's definitely time to sleep.
It will be possible to read during the next day. But think about it, it might be worth starting reading a little earlier in order to have time to read longer before the child has to go to sleep.
You can call your child's favorite toy for help. Let the plush animal or airplane negotiate with the baby. Sometimes children find it easier to come to terms with an inanimate friend.
Or you can tell your child that after the lights are turned off you will tell another story. Tell this story quietly and slowly. It will help the baby to sleep.
What to read before bed?
We divided bedtime stories by age. But this does not mean that a book loved at the age of 3 cannot be read at the age of 7. And a shadow theater or a beautiful book with three-dimensional illustrations can and should be shown to a 2-year-old kid if he is interested. Our selection is an approximate guide in the endless sea of children's literature.
0-2 years. Wimmelbuchs and good short stories
Toddlers are attracted by what they can see with their eyes, touch, turn in their hands.
A small book with thick pages will help to lure them into bed. It's great if the book contains a story about how the hero goes to bed. For example, as in Jörg Mühle's book "Good night, Bunny!". There are tasks on each page: clap your hands so that the bunny puts on pajamas, pat him on the back. The same actions can be repeated with the child while reading the book. And then both the bunny and your baby will fall asleep.
Why do we love Wimmelbuchs? These books do not contain text that may be boring for a child so far. But there are a huge number of pictures that you want to consider and consider. You can learn new words, make riddles, just look at the pictures. In our experience, these books are bookshelf favorites at least until school.
Wimmelbuchs are books with little or no text. Only pictures! But on the other hand, these pictures are very detailed: there are many objects, characters, events. An adult describes what he sees on the pages. And then a child trains a useful skill to tell from a picture.
You can look through Katerina Gorelik's book "The Courier" before going to bed. The book is made of cardboard, the illustrations are funny and not too detailed. It is suitable for the first acquaintance with Wimmelbuchs. At each task spread, help the courier Chuna deliver the package by sea, by land, by air.
The next book in your "evening library" can be a very detailed Japanese Wimmelbuch about detective Pierre, it will be interesting for a schoolboy to look at it too. Wimmelbuch is presented in three parts - "Detective Pierre unravels the case", "The Chase in the Labyrinth Tower", "The Treasure of the Castle in the Air". Choose any.
2-4 years. Instructive stories with a happy ending and helper books
By reading helper tales, you will help your child to relieve the fears and anxieties experienced during the day. You can also get rid of bad habits and instill good ones. It is important that the main character is sympathetic to the child, then the child will identify with him and empathize with him.
The Dental Book by Ywona Radünz and Thomas Röner can be read to a child who doesn't like brushing their teeth. The book fascinatingly tells how milk teeth are arranged, why they are needed, how to care for them. If you read this book with your child in the evening, then go to brush your teeth, and then go to bed and listen to your mother's lullaby, you will have a good evening ritual that the child will look forward to with pleasure.
The book “Gaston is afraid” by Aurélie Shien Sho Shin introduces the child to one of the strongest emotions — fear. Cute unicorn Gaston is afraid of twilight, because it means that you have to go to bed soon. Perhaps your baby is also afraid of the dark. Together with Gaston, he will perform several breathing exercises and "blow out" his fear of sleep.
Sometimes children are afraid that they will see something bad in their dreams. It is very useful for both children and adults before going to bed to think about something pleasant and visualize something good.
This practice helps to have good dreams. A beautiful story in verse "I invented a pie in a dream!" tells about a rabbit who dreamed of a delicious pie. And when he woke up, he decided to bake it. Perhaps your baby also wants to see something tasty in a dream, and cook it with you the next day?
Shadow theater originated in China over 1700 years ago. But even now this magical act can easily gather the whole family before going to bed. Some books are made on the principle of shadow theater. Turn off the light in the room, take a small lamp or flashlight (dad assists), open a book and start a story about an amazing city in which birds fly, swing on bungee ropes, feed a crocodile. Every evening you can invent a new story. Let the stories be kind, and it is better to tell them in a quiet, fabulous voice. This will help the whole family get ready for sleep.
Are your neighbors disturbing your sleep? In Katerina Gorelik's book "Neighbours" they make noise all the time.
When the mice fall asleep, the cats on the roof begin to sing songs. When it's time for bats to sleep, the rooster raises his chicks for breakfast. And people don't have the same regimes. The pages of the book "Neighbors" are cut so that the child can decide for himself who will be whose neighbor, and how everyone will finally go to bed.
5-95 years. Beautiful books for reflection
At the age of 5, a child already understands that books must be handled with care. And he can be offered unusual and beautiful books for thoughtful examination. The older the child, the more philosophical thoughts occupy him.
"Good night, Miyuki!" - this book will be especially interesting for children who believe in fairy-tale creatures and magic. The main character in the book, Miyuki, never gets to sleep. She had so many things to do before going to bed: water the vegetables in the garden, collect all the snails, cover the cat with a blanket for the night. Just like your child, right?
With everything done, Miyuki's grandfather finally laid her head on the pillow, covered her with a blanket, and kissed her deeply.
As you read this book, talk to your child about the importance of getting things done on time so you don't have to think about them while you're in bed.
Children often have nightmares at night: various monsters or a chase. Dream experiences are very realistic. The child wakes up in tears, frightened. The protector toy will help to cope with nightmares - the child's favorite toy, which sleeps with him and drives away everything that he is afraid of. It is also worth avoiding frightening experiences, minimizing TV and gadgets in the evening.
And most importantly, try to provide your child with quality relaxation before bedtime. For example, reading in the arms of parents.
What the research says
A 2011 longitudinal study shows that regular use of a bedtime ritual involving spoken language (singing, reading, storytelling, etc.) at ages 3-5 resulted in longer nights of sleep and better indicators on cognitive tests that determine speech development.
BabySleep's sleep consultants have come up with the perfect formula for a bedtime book: A good story about sleep + by age + a quiet, calm voice + parental love = soundly sleeping baby.
Try it!
A story about a woman and a child: read a fairy tale, a story for children, full text online sad heart, which exclaimed: “O magnanimous one, show your eternal mercy! Verily, my heart keeps the covenant!” And my heart soared when I heard this voice, so soaring that I was close to death, and I went in the direction of the voice, and I see: it belongs to a woman.
“Peace be with you, O servant of Allah!” I told her. And she replied: “And the peace and mercy of Allah and his blessings be with you!” And then I said: “I will ask you for the sake of Allah the great: what is the covenant that your heart keeps?” “If you had not sworn by the almighty,” the woman replied, “I would not have informed you of the secret. Look what lies before me." And I looked and I see: in front of her lies a sleeping child who snores in his sleep. And the woman said: “I went out, pregnant with this child, to make a pilgrimage to this temple, and boarded a ship, and terrifying waves rose against us, and the winds laughed at us, and our ship crashed.
And I escaped on one of the boards and gave birth to this child, being on the board, and when he lay on my knees, and the shuttlecocks beat me ... "
And Shahrazad dawned in the morning, and she stopped the permitted speeches.
Four hundred and sixty-seventh night
When the four hundred and sixty-seventh night came, she said: “It came to me, O happy king, that a woman said: “When the ship crashed, I escaped on one of the boards and gave birth to this child, being on board. And when he was on my knees, and the waves were beating me, suddenly one man from the sailors of the ship swam up to me and, being with me, said: “By Allah, I loved you when you were on the ship, and now I found myself with next to you; give me power over you, otherwise I will throw you into this sea. “Woe to you! I answered. “Are there no reminders and edifications for you in what you have seen!” But the sailor exclaimed: “I have seen the like of this several times and escaped, and I will not look at it!” “Hey you,” I said to the sailor, “we are in trouble, from which we hope to be saved by humility, and not disobedience!” But the sailor stuck to me, and I got scared and wanted to deceive him and said: “Wait until this child falls asleep.
”
But the sailor took the child from my lap and threw him into the sea.
And when I saw how impudent he was and what he did to the child, my heart soared and my grief increased. And I raised my head to the sky and said: “O you who stand between a man and his heart, stand between me and this lion. You are powerful in everything!” And, I swear by Allah, I had not yet finished speaking, when a beast came out of the sea and carried the sailor off the board, and I was left alone, and my grief and sadness intensified, since I felt sorry for my child. And then I said:
“O cool eyes, my beloved son!
He disappeared when the spirit was tormented by longing.
I see: my body is drowning, but my soul
It's like it's roasting from grief and anguish.
There is no relief in sorrow for me in anything,
Except for your mercy, the support of all!
You, my Lord, see clearly what is happening to me,
How I suffer from separation from my sons,
So bring us together, be merciful to me,
Hope is my strongest shield.
And I spent day and night in this state, and when morning came, I saw the sails of the ship, shining from afar, and the waves threw a shallow, and the winds drove me until I reached this ship, the sails of which I saw. And then the people who were on the ship took me and put me on the ship, and I looked and suddenly I see: my child is among them. And I rushed to him and said: “O people, this is my child! Where did he get to you? And they answered: “We were traveling on the sea, and suddenly something delayed the ship, and a beast appeared, like a huge city, and this child was sitting on his back, sucking his thumb, and we took him.”
And hearing this from them, I told them my story and what had happened to me; and then I thanked my Lord for what he had given me, and gave him a vow that I would not move away from his temple and would not stop serving him, and whatever I asked him after that, he gave me everything.
And I stretched out my hand to the purse of expenses and wanted to give the woman money, one of the sayyids continued to say, to which she exclaimed: “O empty man! I told you about the mercy of Allah and his generous deeds.
Shall I take a gift from the hands of another?”
And I could not force her to accept anything from me, so I left her and left her, saying these verses:
“How many blessings are hidden in Allah
And too subtle for a wise man to comprehend!
How often the easy follows the difficult,
And Allah sends help to the sad soul,
How often are you busy with care in the morning,
And after it comes joy at night!
When all means are shy for you,
One, eternal, supreme — you believe him.
Ask a prophet: every slave, you know,
He will receive if he asks a prophet.”
But the woman did not stop worshiping her Lord and stayed in his house until death overtook her.” The Story ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS SLAVE
They also say that Malik ibn Dinar [476] (may Allah have mercy on him!) said: “Once we had no rain for a long time in Basra, and we went out to pray for it several times, but did not see a sign answer to our prayers.
And we are with Ata-as-Sulami, Sabit-al-Bunaii, Naji-al-Bakka, Muhammad ibn Vasya, Ayyub-as-Sahtiyani, Habib-al-Farisia, Hassan ibn Abu-Sinan, Utboy-al-Ghulyam and Salih al-Muzaii went out and went to the chapel, and the children came out of the schools and began to pray, but we did not see even a sign of an answer to our prayer. And the noon came, and the people left, and Sabitomal-Bunani and I remained in the chapel.
And when the night got dark, we saw a black man with a beautiful face, thin legs and a big belly, who approached, dressed in a woolen cloak, and if we estimated everything that he was wearing, the foam would not have reached two dirhams. He added water and performed ablution, and then entered the mihrab and made a prayer in two light rak'ahs, in which getting up and bowing and prostrating were the same. And then he raised his eyes to the sky and said: “O my lord and master, how long will you refuse the requests of your slaves that will not reduce your power? Has what you have gone out, and has the punishment of your kingdom been exhausted? I conjure you with your love for me: won't you give us your rain to drink right now.
And before he had finished his words, the narrator continued, when the sky was covered with clouds, and it began to rain, pouring down exactly from the holes of wineskins. And we left the chapel, plunging into the water up to the rut…”
And Scheherazade caught the morning, and she stopped the permitted speeches.
Four hundred and sixty-eighth night
When the four hundred and sixty-eighth night came, she said: “It came to me, O happy king, that Malik ibn Dinar said: “And he had not yet finished his words, when the sky was covered with clouds, and he went the rain poured down exactly from the holes of the wineskins, and we left the chapel, plunging into the water to the rut, and were surprised at the black. And I went up to him, - said Malik, - and said to him: “Woe to you, black man! Aren't you ashamed of what you said?" And the black man turned to me and asked: “What did I say?” And I said: “You said the words:“ For the sake of your love for me, ”and what made you know that Allah loves you?”
And the black man, continued Malik, exclaimed: “Get away from me, O he who is distracted from himself! And where was I when Allah supported me with faith in the one God and singled me out, let me know myself? Do you think that he supported me with this not because of his love for me? His love for me is the same as my love for him,” he added.
And I said to him: “Stay with me for a while, Allah have mercy on you!” But the black man replied: "I am a slave, and it is my duty to obey my lesser master."
And we followed him from afar,” Malik said, “and he entered the house of a slave trader (and the night was already half past). And the second half seemed long to us, and we left. And when morning came, we went to the slave trader and asked him: “Do you have a young slave whom you will sell to us to serve us?” “Yes,” replied the slave trader, “I have about a hundred servants, and they are all for sale.”
And he began to show us one servant after another,” Malik said, until he showed seventy servants, but I did not see my friend among them, and then the slave trader said: “I have no one but these.” And when we wanted to leave, we entered one destroyed room behind the house of the slave trader and suddenly we see: that black man is standing. "He, I swear by the Lord Kaby!" I exclaimed. And then I went back to the slave trader and said to him, "Sell me that servant!" “O Abu-Yahya,” replied the slave trader, “this is an unfortunate and useless servant.
At night he has no other business but to cry, and during the day to repent. "That's why I want him," I said.
And the slave trader called the black man, and he went out, pretending to be sleepy. “Take him for as long as you want, after you relieve me of responsibility for all his vices,” the slave trader told me. And I bought a black man for twelve dinars and asked: "What is his name?" "Maimun," replied the slave trader. And I took the black man by the hand, and we went, heading towards my dwelling.
And the black man turned to me and asked: “O my lesser lord, why did you buy me? By Allah, I am not fit to serve the creatures." “I ransomed you to serve you myself, and let it be on my head,” I replied. "And why?" the black man asked. And I said: “Were you not with us yesterday in the chapel?” “But did you find out about me?” the black man asked. And I answered: "I am the one who spoke to you yesterday with speeches."
And the black man continued to walk until he entered the mosque, - said Malik, - and he prayed there in two rak'ahs and said: "My God, lord and lord, about the secret that was between us, the creatures found out, and you shamed me with this among the people.
How pleasant will life be for me now, since others have learned about what happened between me and you? I conjure you, take my soul at this very hour. And then he fell on his face, and I waited for him a little, but he did not raise his head, and then I moved him and I see: he died (may Allah have mercy on him!).
And I stretched out his arms and legs and looked at him and I see: he is smiling, and whiteness has covered his blackness, his face is shining, and you can see fun on him. And when we marveled at him, a young man suddenly entered the door and said: “Peace be with you! May Allah magnify our reward with you because of our brother Maimuyaa! Here is the shroud, reassure it.” And he handed me two garments the like of which I had never seen, and we wrapped the black man in them.
And at his grave, - said Malik, - now they pray for water and ask near it for the needs of Allah (he is great and glorious!). How sweet is what one of the poets said in this sense:
The hearts of those who know God walk in the garden of heaven,
The veils of the Lord rise before him.
If they drink wine in it, its stream is mixed
With Tasnim [477] — that moisture that closeness to the Creator gives.
Then their secret flows between them and the dear ones,
And it will be protected from the hearts of others.
Story ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS SPOUSES
They also say that there was a man among the sons of Israel, one of the best among them, and he diligently worshiped his Lord and refused earthly life, throwing it out of his heart. And he had a wife who helped him in his affairs and was obedient to him at all times, and they lived by making trays and fans. They worked all day, and when the end of the day came, the husband would come out, holding what they had worked out in his hand, and would walk the streets and roads, looking for a buyer to sell it to him. And they were constantly fasting.
And one day, they fasted and worked all day, and when the end of the day came, the husband came out, as usual, holding in his hand what they had worked out, and began to look for a person who would buy it from him .
And he passed by the gate of one of the sons of earthly life and men of wealth and rank (and this seller had a white face and a beautiful appearance), and the wife of the owner of the house saw him and fell in love with him, and bowed to him with a heart of strong inclination. And her husband was absent.
And she called her maid and said to her: "Perhaps you will cheat with this man and bring him to us." And the maid went out to the seller and called him to buy from him what he was holding in his hand, and turned him out of his way…”
And Scheherazade caught the morning, and she stopped the permitted speeches.
Four hundred and sixty-ninth night
When the four hundred and sixty-ninth night came, she said: “It came to me, O happy king, that a servant girl went out to this man and called him and said: “Come to my mistress: she wants to buy something -what of what you have in your hands, after the ode will experience it and see.
And it seemed to the man that the woman was telling the truth, and he did not see any harm in this and went in and sat down, as she ordered him to.
And the woman locked the door behind him, and her hostess came out of her room and grabbed the seller by the shirt and pulled him towards her and brought him in and said: “How much longer will I ask you for solitude! My patience is exhausted because of you, and this room is fumigated with incense, and the food is prepared, and the owner of the house is absent tonight. I gave myself to you, and for a long time the kings, leaders and possessors of worldly goods desired me, but I did not pay attention to any of them.
And the woman dragged out her speeches, and the seller did not raise his head, looking at the ground from shame before the great Allah and fearing his painful punishment, as the poet said:
How often between sin, great sin, Allah.
And that shame was my remedy for sin;
When shame disappears, there is no cure.
And this man wanted to rid his soul of it, but he could not. And then he said, "I want something from you." - "What is it?" the woman asked, and he said, “I want clean water, and I will go up with it to the highest place in your house to do one thing and wash away the impurities that I cannot show you.
” “The house is spacious, and there are hiding places and corners in it, and the house of purity has been prepared,” the woman answered. But the salesman said, "I just want to go upstairs." “Go up with him to the highest balcony in the house,” said the woman to her maid.
And she went up with the sellers to the highest place and gave him a vessel of water and went downstairs. And the man performed ablution and made a prayer in two rak'ahs and looked at the earth, wanting to throw himself, but he saw that the earth was far away, and was afraid that he would not reach it except by breaking, but then he thought about disobeying Allah and punishing him, and he it seemed insignificant to sacrifice one's soul and shed one's blood. “My God and master,” he said, “you see what has descended on me, and my condition is not hidden from you, because you are powerful in every thing!” And the language of his condition spoke in this sense:
My heart and soul strike me at you,
And the secret of secrets is always known to you.
Having spoken, I call you,
And in the hour of silence I give you signs.
O one who cannot be given a second,
Passionately in love, poor man has come to you.
I hope, and the thought strengthens hope,
And the heart, as you know, flies away.
The most difficult thing that will be is to give your soul,
But it's easy for me, since you decided so.
And if you send, by mercy, salvation to me
My hope is you have the power to do so.
Then this man threw himself from the height of the balcony, and Allah sent an angel to him, who carried him on wings and lowered him to the ground in one piece without any harm. And when a man established himself on earth, he praised Allah (he is great and glorious!) For protecting him and bestowing his mercy on him, and went, having nothing, to his wife; and he was already too late.
And he went in, and there was nothing to him, and his wife asked about the reason for his being late and about what he took away in his hands, and asked what he did with it and why he returned with nothing.
And her husband told her what a temptation he was, and told her that he rushed from that place and Allah saved him. “Glory be to Allah who turned away temptation from you and stood between you and the test! his wife exclaimed, and then she said, “Oh man, the neighbors are used to us lighting up our stove every evening, and if they see you today without a fire, they will know that you have nothing. And gratitude to Allah is to hide our poverty and add fasting tonight to the past day, and also stand the night for the sake of Allah (great od!) ”
And she went to the stove, filled it with firewood and melted it in order to deceive the neighbors with this, and uttered the following verses:
“I will hide the anguish and passion that has seized me,
And I will light the flame of fire, to deceive the neighbors.
What the Lord has judged, I will agree.
Perhaps he will see my disgrace and forgive me… «
And Shahrazad dawned on the morning, and she stopped the permitted speeches.
The night that adds up to four hundred and seventy
When the night came that adds up to four hundred and seventy, she said: “It came to me, O happy king, that when a woman kindled a fire to deceive her neighbors, she got up with her husband, and they performed ablution and stood up for prayer, and suddenly one of their neighbors came and asked permission to light a fire from their stove. “Here is the stove for you,” they told her. And the woman went to the stove to take the fire, and shouted: "Hey, so-and-so, hurry to your bread before it burns." “Did you hear what this woman said?” asked the husband's wife. "Go and see," he answered her. And the wife got up and went to the oven, and suddenly she saw: it was full of clean, white bread. And the woman took the cakes and went in to her husband, thanking Allah the Great for the complete good and the great mercy that He had shown them, and they ate bread and drank water, praising Allah the Great.
And then the woman said to her husband: "Let's go and pray to Allah the great, perhaps he will send us something that will save us from the labor of getting food and getting tired of work and will help us to indulge in the worship of Allah and observe obedience to him.
" “Good,” he replied. And then the man prayed, and the woman said, "Amen!" - after his prayer, and suddenly the roof parted, and a yacht went down, which illuminated the house with its radiance. And the husband and wife multiplied their gratitude to Allah and praise to him and were very happy about this yacht and prayed as much as Allah the great wanted.
And when the end of the night came, they fell asleep, and the woman saw in a dream that she had entered paradise and saw many seats lined up in a row and benches placed and asked: “What are these seats and benches?” And she was told: “This is the seat of the prophets, but these are the benches of the truthful and righteous people.” “Where is my husband’s stool, so-and-so?” she asked. And they said to her: "Here she is." And suddenly the woman sees that there is a hole on the side of the bench. "What is this hole?" she asked. And she was told: “This is the hole where the yacht was, which descended to you from the roof of your house.
