Charlie Condou - Time For Bed, Little One CBeebies Bedtime Stories

Hello, I'm Charlie.

It's nearly time for you to be getting ready for bed

but while you're going to sleep tonight there are some

animals who will be just waking up.

They're called "nocturnal" animals.

They stay awake at night and sleep in the daytime.

Tonight's bedtime story is about a nocturnal animal - a little fox.

Would you like to hear it?

It's called "Time For Bed, Little One."

And it's by Caroline Pitcher and Tina Macnaughton.

"Time for bed, little one", said Mother Fox.

"The moon is melting away and the sun is getting up.

"It's time foxes were asleep."

"But I'm not sleepy", Little Fox said.

"My friend's are only just waking! Please, can I have one more play?"

"Just one more play then, little cub."

So, Little Fox scampered off into the wood,

where an owl was flying softly overhead.

"Hello, Owl, will you play with me?"

asked Fox.

"I'm on my way home to bed", hooted Owl.

"And you should be too...oooh."

"But I'm not sleepy!" Little Fox cried

and he charged into a woodland glade, where Fawn was waking up.

"Play with me?" asked Little Fox.

"It's breakfast time for us", said gentle Mother Deer.

"Shouldn't you be going home?"

"The sun is turning the sky to gold

and foxes should be down in their dens."

"But I'm not sleepy", Little Fox cried and he skipped away again.

As Fox raced into the sunshine, a butterfly fluttered passed his nose.

He bounded after it,

jumping and bouncing all the way to the river bank.

WATER SPLASHES

Someone was busy in the water.

It was Otter!

He was twisting and turning in the rippling river,

rolling through the bubbles.

"Will you play with me?" called Little Fox

but Otter squeaked,

"I'm busy now, I'm catching fish and dragonflies too!"

"Otter's allowed to stay up all day...", thought Little Fox.

"He doesn't have to go to sleep and miss everything!"

Just then, an acorn rolled across the grass near Fox's paw.

He looked up and there was Squirrel, high up on a branch.

"Catch me if you can", she cried and dashed down the tree,

shaking her shimmering tail!

They raced into the woods, through the crackly bracken,

scattering the leaves and leaping over logs.

The woods were rich with the smell of feathers and fur

and peppery leaves.

But Little Fox was getting tired

and began to trail behind.

"Please wait for me", he panted.

"But I've got oodles of energy left", chattered Squirrel.

"Maybe you should be going to bed!"

Squirrel danced along the branch, leaping from tree to tree,

all the way through the woods.

Then it was quiet.

Little Fox was by himself.

HE SIGHS

"It's not fair", he thought.

"When I get up tonight, there'll be no-one left awake!

"I'll be all alone again."

Little Fox sighed and padded home.

He was so tired he could hardly even lift his head

and he nearly bumped into Badger.

"Are you off to bed,

"Little Fox?" Badger asked.

"I'm so tired I can't wait to be snuggled in my set."

"Will you be there when I get up?

"We can play chase in the moonlight!"

"Yes! Oh, yes, I will", cried Fox and he trotted on home!

At last he had a friend to play with in the night.

Back in his den, Little Fox nestled down with his mum.

She nuzzled his ears and they cuddled up safe,

a cosy pile of paws and tails.

"Sleep well, my little one", his mother said.

"When the moon is high and the stars crackle in the dark,

"You'll wake up, full of life again!"

And Little Fox fell fast asleep.

That story was called "Time For Bed, Little One".

Now it's time for you to go to bed and get some rest.

You need to be full of energy tomorrow to play

with your friends, just like Little Fox.

Perhaps someone who loves you will tuck you in

and give you a good night cuddle.

I hope you sleep tight.

I'll see you again very soon, night-night!