The Night Goes Quiet

The day is done, little one. The curtains are closed. The lamp is low. And the whole world is getting ready for sleep.

Listen. Can you hear it? The night is full of little sounds. And one by one, they’re going quiet.

---

Far away, a car goes by on the wet road.

Whoosh… whoosh…

Its lights slide across the ceiling, soft and gold, then slip away round the corner.

Whoosh… and gone.

Goodnight, little car. Home you go.

Shh.

---

Out in the garden, high in the old apple tree, an owl calls to the moon.

Hoo-hoo. Hoo-hoo.

She fluffs up her feathers. She blinks her big round eyes. Hoo… hoo…

Then she tucks her head down low, and hushes.

Goodnight, owl.

Shh.

---

Round the chimney, the wind is humming.

Whoo-oo. Whoo-oo.

It rattles the garden gate, just once. Clink.

Then it settles down in the hedge to rest.

Goodnight, wind.

Shh.

---

On the window, the rain is tapping.

Pitter, patter. Pitter, patter.

But the clouds are sleepy now, and the drops come slower. Pitter… patter… pat.

And then, just one more. Plip.

Goodnight, rain.

Shh.

---

Next door, a little dog gives one last sleepy woof.

Woof!

He turns round once. He turns round twice. Then he flops down in his bed with a great big sigh. Hmmmph.

Goodnight, dog.

Shh.

---

Downstairs in the kitchen, the kettle is cooling after the last cup of tea.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Tick…

Tink.

Goodnight, kettle.

Shh.

---

In her basket by the radiator, the cat curls up into a round, warm ball.

Purr, purr, purr. Purr, purr, purr.

She wraps her tail round her nose. Her purr gets slower and slower, and softer and softer… purrrr…

Goodnight, cat.

Shh.

---

Now listen again, little one.

No whoosh. No hoo-hoo. No wind, no rain.

No woof, no tick, no purr.

Just one more sound. Can you hear it?

Breathing, soft and slow. Mine, big and deep. And yours, small and close.

In… and out. In… and out.

The whole world is sleeping. The whole house is still.

And here in the cosy dark, it’s just you and me.

Goodnight, world.

Goodnight, little one.

Shh.

The End