0:00:02 > 0:00:05CBeebies Bedtime Story.
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Hello there.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11My name's Eve and I like to sing.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Do you like to sing?
0:00:15 > 0:00:20So does a friend of mine called Peep in tonight's bedtime story.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22You must meet him.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27The story is called The Dawn Chorus and it's by Suzanne Barton.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Deep in the forest, the trees rustled and the animals stirred.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35BIRDS SING The day had just begun.
0:00:35 > 0:00:41Perched on his branch, Peep woke to the sound of a beautiful song.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45"Who's that singing?" he wondered.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Peep stretched out his wings and fluffed up his feathers
0:00:49 > 0:00:52and decided to follow the tune.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55He soared on the breeze to the edge of the forest
0:00:55 > 0:01:00where, high up in the tree, he found an owl.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03"Is it you who's singing?" asked Peep.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07"It's not me-e-e!" hooted the owl.
0:01:07 > 0:01:13So, Peep glided down to the field below, weaving through the corn,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16and soon he spotted a mouse.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19"Is that your wonderful song?" said Peep.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24"It's not me!" squeaked the mouse.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Peep hopped through the poppies and followed the song
0:01:28 > 0:01:30down to the river bank.
0:01:30 > 0:01:36As he watched the water sparkle and swirl, up popped a frog.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39"Have you been singing?" said Peep.
0:01:39 > 0:01:47"No," croaked the frog, "the song is coming from over there."
0:01:48 > 0:01:55Peep looked up and saw an ENORMOUS tree on the top of a hill.
0:01:55 > 0:02:01The tree was full of birds and they were all singing.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05Peep landed on one of the branches and listened.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10"That was beautiful!" said Peep when they had finished.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15"I've never heard anything so lovely."
0:02:15 > 0:02:21"Thank you," chirped a friendly bird. "We're the dawn chorus."
0:02:22 > 0:02:25"What's the dawn chorus?" Peep asked.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28"We sing together each morning," said the bird.
0:02:28 > 0:02:34"Our song lets everyone know that it's the start of a new day."
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Peep thought for a moment.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40"Can I sing with you? Please?"
0:02:40 > 0:02:44"Come for an audition tomorrow," said the conductor.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46"We start at dawn."
0:02:46 > 0:02:50Peep was so excited that he flew straight home
0:02:50 > 0:02:52and practised all evening,
0:02:52 > 0:02:57and when he couldn't sing another note, he fell fast asleep.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00The next morning, he awoke in a panic.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05"You're going to be late for your audition," called the owl.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Peep blinked his sleepy eyes in the bright sunshine.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12SHE GASPS "Oh, no!" he cried.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15And he flew as fast as he could.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19But it was too late.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23"I'm sorry, Peep, the day has begun.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27"The dawn chorus has already sung," said the conductor.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33"Can I have one more chance?" begged Peep.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36"Come back tomorrow," said the conductor.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39"But you MUSTN'T be late."
0:03:40 > 0:03:44That day, Peep practised and practised,
0:03:44 > 0:03:49he sang so sweetly that all of the forest animals stopped to listen.
0:03:50 > 0:03:56The hours passed and Peep felt very tired but he wouldn't go to sleep.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00He didn't want to miss his audition again.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05He watched the stars as night fell. OWL HOOTS
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Just before dawn, Peep set off for the audition.
0:04:10 > 0:04:16But when he got there, he was SO tired that all he could do was...
0:04:20 > 0:04:24"Oh, dear, Peep," the conductor sighed.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28"Perhaps you're just not meant to sing."
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Peep felt very sad as he walked away.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37"Now I'll never be part of the dawn chorus!" he said to himself.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41He flew home all alone,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45and as the sun started to set, he sang softly.
0:04:46 > 0:04:52After a while, Peep heard another sweet song drifting towards him,
0:04:52 > 0:04:57and not far away, he saw a bird who looked just like him.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02"Why can I sing in the evening," asked Peep,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06"but not in the morning with the dawn chorus?"
0:05:06 > 0:05:12"Because you're a nightingale just like me," said the bird.
0:05:12 > 0:05:18"Nightingales don't sing at dawn - they sing at night."
0:05:18 > 0:05:23And so, as the stars came out and the moon shone brightly,
0:05:23 > 0:05:28the two nightingales sang the most beautiful song of all.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33What a lovely story.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Shh.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37If you're really quiet,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41you might be able to hear the nightingale singing outside, too.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42Shh.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48I'll see you again soon with another bedtime story.
0:05:48 > 0:05:49Night-night.