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for details. Welcome

1:01

to Get Sleepy. Where

1:04

we listen, we relax,

1:07

and we get sleepy. I'm

1:11

your host, Thomas. Thanks

1:14

for tuning in. For

1:17

book lovers, there's nothing more

1:20

wonderful than losing oneself amongst

1:22

piles of volumes, whether

1:25

it's in the corner of a

1:27

quaint, cozy bookstore or

1:29

the long, quiet corridors of a

1:32

library. The

1:34

experience of being surrounded by

1:36

so many stories is

1:38

its own kind of magic. Tonight

1:43

Jessica will be reading to us

1:45

as we join a girl named Emily

1:48

who goes on a literary adventure

1:50

via a whimsical bookshop that

1:53

she finds in a very

1:55

unexpected place. It

1:58

was beautifully written. by Alicia Stephan.

2:04

Before we hear our story, I

2:06

want to tell you about Get Sleepy

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Premium. It's our supporters

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subscription where you can enjoy over 700

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everything is completely ad free. Plus,

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every single Thursday we release

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an exclusive bonus episode for

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our premium subscribers. Tomorrow

2:35

I'll be reading a soothing

2:37

meditation to help you generate

2:39

compassion and good will both

2:42

for yourself and all

2:44

other beings. I'd

2:46

love for you to join me and

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enjoy that for yourself. Give

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Get Sleepy Premium a try. The

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can cancel any time. For

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more information on all

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of our plans, visit

3:04

getsleepy.com/support or just follow the

3:06

link in the show notes. Thank

3:09

you all so much. Now

3:15

my friends, it's time

3:17

to get cosy and comfortable. We'll

3:22

turn to our story shortly but

3:26

first let's spend a moment

3:28

together finding some peace,

3:31

relaxation and

3:34

reassurance. Lengthen

3:40

your breathing as much

3:42

as feels comfortable and

3:45

try to deepen your awareness of

3:47

the breath and

3:50

for a few moments. Sense

3:57

the wave like motion as the

3:59

air is flowing. air travels into your

4:01

chest and stomach and

4:05

flows back out into

4:07

the open space around you. If

4:15

thoughts come to mind that

4:18

draw your attention away from the

4:20

breath, you

4:23

can just gently remind yourself

4:26

to come back to that airflow and

4:30

follow the calming rhythm once

4:33

again. I

4:40

hope that all is well in your life

4:42

right now and you're

4:44

feeling good in yourself. I

4:48

hope you're also feeling well rested

4:52

and that your sleep pattern is in

4:54

a healthy spot. Whatever

4:58

the case though, I want

5:00

you to know that we are here for you through

5:03

all the ups and downs. Because

5:08

when you listen to get sleepy, I

5:11

of course hope that it helps you

5:13

find a gentle and effective path to

5:15

better sleep. Not

5:18

as well as that, I've

5:20

always hoped that you feel

5:22

reassurance, some

5:24

familiarity and comfort while

5:27

you listen along. It's

5:32

so special to everyone on the team

5:34

that you choose to let us keep you company

5:37

or you drift off

5:39

to sleep at night or

5:41

whenever you listen and

5:45

we are so happy to be

5:47

that source of good rest and

5:49

peaceful reassurance that

5:51

I know can be so important in

5:54

the quiet hours of the night. So,

6:01

my friends, continue

6:03

to breathe at a

6:06

steady, soothing pace as

6:09

I make way for another familiar

6:11

voice here on the show. Jessica

6:16

is about to read the story

6:19

of a girl named

6:21

Emily, who we join as

6:24

she is wandering home from school under

6:27

gloomy March skies. This

6:33

is where our story begins.

7:02

It was a grey and

7:05

blustery Wednesday in March. As

7:09

Emily walked home from school, she

7:12

reflected on how very dull the day

7:14

had been. It

7:17

was no longer winter, but

7:19

not quite spring. Still

7:23

days away from the weekend,

7:26

not a ray of sunshine to be

7:28

found. As

7:32

she stood at a crosswalk, dutifully

7:34

waiting for the signal to change,

7:37

a car drove by, spraying

7:40

her white socks with water.

7:45

She heaved a sigh and

7:47

resigned herself to wet feet. The

7:53

light changed and she

7:55

crossed to the other side. As

7:58

she did, The fine mist

8:01

that had been lingering in the air

8:04

began to get heavier and

8:07

a steady drenching shower began.

8:13

Pulling her hood up over her head, she

8:16

stepped under the awning of a nearby

8:18

shop. She

8:21

wasn't in a hurry and

8:23

she hoped that if she waited just

8:25

a few minutes, the

8:28

rain would pass. Out

8:32

on the sidewalk, other

8:34

pedestrians rushed along, some

8:37

of them clearly planning to soldier

8:39

onward. But

8:42

as the rain increased in

8:44

intensity, those people

8:46

became fewer and farther between.

8:51

The street was soon relatively

8:53

deserted. Emily

8:58

considered her options. Should

9:01

she resign herself to getting soaked and

9:03

press on? Or

9:06

should she continue to wait it out? She

9:11

scanned the street, following the

9:13

length of it with her gaze. There

9:17

was a large park on the other side. In

9:21

better weather, people could often

9:23

be seen there, walking

9:25

dogs or pushing

9:27

baby carriages. At

9:31

the moment, it was empty.

9:35

The lamp posts were illuminated,

9:38

glowing steadfastly through the gloomy

9:40

afternoon. It

9:44

wasn't twilight yet, but

9:46

it sure felt like it. As

9:51

she examined the scene, Emily's

9:53

attention was drawn to something

9:55

unusual farther down the road.

10:00

There was a double-decker bus sitting

10:02

there, but it wasn't

10:04

taking passengers, and

10:06

there was no bus stop where it was parked.

10:11

Furthermore, it was

10:13

painted a shade of purple, which

10:16

was not the colour of a normal bus. Hung

10:21

around its exterior was

10:23

a string of white fairy lights.

10:27

There were some words on the side of it, but

10:30

she couldn't seem to make them out. Finally,

10:36

she was driven from her dry

10:39

hiding place by curiosity. Ducking

10:43

under a line of dripping

10:45

trees, she walked

10:48

towards the bus, bent

10:50

on discovering what the words on the side

10:52

of it said. As

10:56

she arrived at the place where it was parked,

10:59

she could finally see it. It

11:03

read, Mobile Bookshops.

11:09

Emily did not know what to make of this. She

11:12

had only seen regular bookshops, and

11:15

certainly none of them were purple. She

11:20

tried to peer into the windows of the

11:22

bus, but they were all dark.

11:28

As she craned her neck, strolling

11:30

up and down the walk, the

11:34

rain suddenly picked up and

11:37

became quite heavy. One

11:41

impulse, she ran to the

11:43

front door of the bus and hugged on

11:45

it, but it didn't

11:50

open. As she stood there, getting

11:53

wetter and wetter, She

11:56

noticed there was a doorbell off to the

11:59

side. Let

12:02

it sign over the doorbell said. Ring

12:05

for entry. Now.

12:10

Perhaps on a sunny day? Emily

12:13

might have thought twice about ringing

12:15

the bell of a strange backups.

12:20

At the site was that Emily's

12:22

was cold. And wet. And

12:25

she wanted nothing more. Than to

12:28

be in a warm try place.

12:31

So she pushed the button and

12:34

wait with bated breath. To

12:36

see if anyone was inside. A

12:42

long moment past. But.

12:44

No one on said. With

12:48

water dripping down her face, she

12:50

turned to guys. But

12:53

just as she did, this. The

12:55

opaque door of the Boss sneeze.

12:57

I pedal. Power

13:02

amazement inside. She

13:05

saw a very petite elderly lady

13:07

sitting in the driver's seat. While

13:12

their the woman said kindly,

13:14

what's he waiting for. You're

13:17

getting drenched. Come out

13:19

of the rain. Encouraged

13:23

by the woman's comforting you

13:26

parents. And the warmth

13:28

of her invitation. Emily

13:30

stamps tuck into. The interior of

13:32

the past. The

13:35

door closed behind her with

13:37

a light. Hissing noise.

13:42

In seconds before bidding March

13:45

weather was on the outside.

13:48

And see was warm and

13:51

safe. While. The range

13:53

run on the wrist about. emily

13:58

ascended the sword say of stairs that

14:00

led to the interior of the bus

14:03

and nodded politely at the woman in

14:05

the driver's seat. She

14:09

had the appearance of a person who

14:11

was certainly advanced in years, but

14:14

she still had a sort of ageless

14:16

demeanor. Her

14:20

grey hair was mostly atop her head

14:22

in a large bun, which

14:25

was held in place by several

14:27

pencils sticking this way and

14:29

that. Her

14:33

green eyes sparkled with humor

14:35

over her spectacles, which

14:37

were pushed down on her nose. Most

14:42

curious of all, she

14:44

was not dressed like a typical

14:46

bookshop attendant. She

14:49

was wearing faded overalls and

14:51

a large soft shirt. How

14:57

very odd, Emily

14:59

thought to herself. This

15:02

is not what I was expecting. But

15:07

there were bigger surprises to come.

15:11

Turning to survey the interior of the bus,

15:14

she expected to see a long row

15:16

of shelving where the seats

15:18

might have been. But

15:21

the inside view of the vehicle made

15:23

no sense at all to her. It

15:28

was enormous. In

15:33

fact, it could accurately

15:35

be described as palatial.

15:40

Extending upward and back

15:42

toward the rear, there

15:44

appeared to be countless stacks.

15:50

Each one was absolutely crammed

15:52

with books of every sort.

15:56

Hard backs that were tall, thin, and

15:59

wide. The found in class.

16:03

Shorts that bowl games with

16:05

my colleague gold edges. Soft.

16:08

Thoroughly eyes that was big enough

16:10

to contain. that's. How

16:15

I scoured the profusion ourselves

16:17

and raise. taking

16:20

in the rents com esse.

16:24

It was almost too much to

16:26

absorb. At once. But.

16:31

In addition to the amazing sites,

16:34

As any book club I know is.

16:37

There. Was also the Love

16:39

Lisa Million Smell. Of

16:42

old books. That

16:45

aroma of the age

16:47

to paper. At

16:51

atmosphere of dignified

16:53

mystery, It

16:57

lay like a soft quilt

16:59

throughout the entire space. As

17:02

is calmly awaiting her entrance.

17:05

As if wanting. To

17:07

come in. Gazing.

17:10

Out played at the impossible height of

17:13

the ceiling. She saw

17:15

a distance chandelier hanging above

17:17

her head. In

17:20

here, the drumming of the rain

17:22

was faint. As

17:25

if it were hitting a roof that

17:27

was very far away. With.

17:31

Each small step that took

17:33

her father from the doors

17:35

the boss she felt more

17:37

a man stands. And

17:40

cushions by. A

17:42

silence within. Emily

17:47

seen became aware that the

17:49

odd little proprietor of the

17:52

bus. Was. Still behind her

17:54

and turned back around. In

17:58

response, The. intriguing lady

18:00

shifted in her seat and

18:03

slid to the floor. Once

18:08

she was standing, Emily could

18:10

see how very petite she was.

18:13

However, she moved

18:16

with spry energy that belied

18:18

her apparent age. Staying

18:23

her arms wide, she

18:26

said, ''Welcome to the mobile

18:28

bookshop, my dear. And

18:32

what a day for it. It's

18:35

not fit for man nor beast

18:37

out there.'' Emily

18:41

smiled and nodded in agreement.

18:46

Then, uncertainly, she

18:48

peered into the far reaches of

18:51

the extensive stacks. ''May

18:55

I browse around a bit? I

18:57

won't be a bother,'' she

18:59

said to the lady, hopeful

19:02

that she could wait out the rain a little bit.

19:07

But, even more

19:09

importantly, she was

19:11

hoping to discover what further secrets

19:14

might be contained in this eccentric

19:16

bus. ''Well,

19:20

of course,'' the lady

19:22

said with a smile. ''Take

19:24

all the time you like and

19:26

go anywhere you want.'' Then,

19:30

blurring her voice as

19:33

if to share a secret, she

19:35

added, ''You may be

19:37

surprised by some of the interesting nooks

19:39

you will find here.'' Emily

19:45

nodded in wonder. With

19:48

an approving chuckle, the lady

19:50

straightened up to her full, diminutive,

19:54

height. My

19:58

name is Mrs. Simble. Just

20:00

let me know if you need any help. I'll

20:04

be here having my tea," she

20:07

said. Emily

20:11

followed her gaze to the driver's seat

20:14

and noticed an elephant china

20:16

teacup there, with

20:18

a biscuit resting on the saucer. It

20:22

steamed as if the tea in it had

20:24

just been poured, which was

20:26

confusing as there was

20:29

no stove or teapot in sight. The

20:33

lady returned to her comfy spot in

20:35

the front and picked up

20:38

her teacup. Then,

20:41

just as Emily was making a move

20:43

to venture further into the bus, the

20:46

lady spoke once more. Dear,

20:51

just one more thing. This

20:55

bookshop is a bit leaky in places.

20:59

Things from the outside tend to get in, but

21:02

don't worry, it's quite

21:04

normal around here. Emily

21:08

was puzzled over this last

21:11

statement. Surely

21:13

water coming into a bookshop would be

21:15

concerning. But

21:17

Mrs. Thimble had already busied herself

21:19

with her tea and

21:21

pulled out a newspaper, so she

21:24

thought better of asking any questions.

21:29

Instead, she proceeded

21:31

to make her explorations without

21:33

further discussion. She

21:37

began walking farther into the bus with

21:40

a delicious feeling of anticipation.

21:43

Her clothes were already drying, and

21:47

the toasty warmth of the

21:49

bookshop was enormously comforting. Looking

21:54

down, she noticed that the

21:56

hard floor of the bus quickly gave

21:58

way to soft carpets, each

22:02

with its own elegant pattern and

22:05

neatly knotted tassels. Looking

22:10

farther back into the library, for

22:13

that was really what the interior of the bus

22:15

looked like, she

22:17

could see no effort had been made to

22:19

match the carpets to each other. One

22:24

rug might be in jewel tones

22:26

of red, tan and

22:29

faded green, whereas

22:31

another was in pleasantly faded

22:34

tones of pink, white

22:37

and cornflower blue. But

22:42

the effect was very homely. The

22:45

entire gallery of books felt lived

22:47

in, like it had

22:49

been there for ages. She

22:55

detoured into a square nook. It

22:58

was formed by soaring bookshelves

23:00

that went so high that

23:03

the topmost levels could only be

23:05

reached via a balcony. Seeing

23:10

the walkway around with her eyes, she

23:13

spotted a clever spiral staircase in

23:15

the corner. It

23:18

was so small that a person would

23:20

be constantly turning on themselves to climb

23:22

it. She

23:25

noted that Mrs. Thimble would fit

23:27

perfectly. But

23:29

it tucked perfectly into the small spot

23:32

and looked as if it had been custom made

23:35

for the purpose. At

23:38

the foot of the stairs was

23:41

a delightfully overstuffed yellow

23:43

armchair with a

23:45

mismatched purple velvet ottoman. A

23:50

book lay open on the small table next

23:53

to it, as if the

23:55

reader had left to fetch a snack and

23:57

would be right back. However,

24:01

she saw nobody anywhere nearby.

24:06

It felt for all the world like

24:09

she was the only patron in the

24:11

shop. The

24:15

comfy chair was inviting, but

24:18

she wanted to explore further. Also,

24:21

of course, she

24:23

was a little concerned that she might

24:25

be taking someone's seat if she perched

24:27

there, so she pressed on.

24:33

Leaving the little square nook, she

24:36

came upon a perplexing book-lined room

24:38

that had a large wooden door

24:40

on each side. How

24:43

is it possible to have a large wooden door

24:46

in the side of a bus? She

24:49

thought to herself. Still

24:53

to resist, she crept over

24:55

to one of the richly carved

24:58

portals and put her

25:00

hand on the fancy metal knob. She

25:03

pulled on the door just a little bit,

25:06

but it was too heavy to move.

25:11

Turning the knob slowly to the right,

25:13

she leaned backward, throwing

25:16

her weight into the effort. The

25:21

door began to open with a

25:23

faint creak and

25:26

a golden light shone through. Stepping

25:32

back, she pulled again and the

25:35

door reluctantly opened wider, making

25:39

a soft shushing sound as

25:41

it moved over the rock. Turning

25:46

around it, she couldn't believe her

25:48

eyes. Inside

25:53

there was another room, and

25:57

oh, what an alluring spot it was.

26:02

A pleasantly worn leather club

26:05

chair sat by a cheerful

26:07

crackling fire. All

26:10

around the walls, lining

26:13

every space up to the

26:15

ceiling, there were bookshelves.

26:19

Those were simply packed with

26:21

long, short, fat

26:25

and skinny volumes crammed in at

26:28

every possible

26:30

spot. More

26:34

books were stacked on the floor, as

26:36

if someone had set out to

26:38

build haphazard monuments to literature in

26:40

every corner. And

26:43

the oddest feature of the room was a

26:46

bay window. Yes,

26:49

a window, she thought

26:51

herself, in which

26:54

there was a welcoming cushion

26:56

seat piled with soft-looking throw

26:58

pillows. Emily

27:02

crossed to the window and

27:04

pulled its gauzy drapes aside,

27:07

peering into the gloom on the other

27:09

side of the glass. She

27:13

expected to see the rainy street out there.

27:18

Instead, she was looking

27:20

at the white caps of an ocean.

27:24

It was as if the room were perched on

27:27

a remote cliff, with a

27:29

panoramic view of the sea. In

27:33

the skies above the darkened waters,

27:36

a canopy of stars unfolded,

27:40

more stars than she had ever seen

27:42

in the sky before. She

27:47

tucked her feet up onto her for a moment

27:49

and leaned into the window seat, uttering

27:53

a happy little sigh. She

27:58

Felt she could look at that

28:00

tremendous view. Magic. Fear forever. I

28:06

to been something and she

28:08

realized there was a small

28:10

blue cloth and book sitting

28:12

near. She

28:14

picked it up and opened it

28:16

gently. Feeling it

28:18

spine cracks just a little

28:20

bit. And

28:23

possibly see how the perks

28:26

closer to her face. Inhaling

28:29

it sent. It.

28:32

Smells of old a time

28:34

and. More. Same place.

28:37

Of spices. In

28:42

a dramatic scrimped. And

28:45

saved eating. A

28:47

title page said. Exotic

28:50

islands of the well.

28:54

Then. Somewhat smaller

28:57

a subtitle. Clarified

28:59

that the book list

29:01

for aspiring. See: Sarris.

29:05

Also, Emily had never thought of

29:07

myself as such. She

29:09

began turning the pages. As

29:15

she did she could have sworn

29:17

that the sound of the Ways

29:19

they more audible. Ceiling.

29:22

The air in the entire window

29:24

seat. See.

29:27

Ran a single nightly

29:29

as a beautiful illustrations

29:31

inside. She saw

29:34

Sandy. I'm an. Amazing

29:36

multi colored bad seed never

29:39

heard of before. depictions

29:42

of precious cargo. Coming

29:48

from one chapter to

29:50

another, Emily last. Herself in

29:53

the alluring descriptions of fall

29:55

off poets. Ceiling

29:58

that they're happily. A

30:00

more time and she had intended. I

30:06

log part. it's gently in the

30:08

fireplace. Bringing her attention

30:10

back to the rain, Sleeping.

30:15

Out of the window seat she

30:17

felt the curtain sight across our.

30:20

Silky. And Santa.

30:25

Ana when. She stuck

30:27

the little burke and her coat pocket.

30:30

She's always put it back before she

30:32

last. Series and. Then

30:37

as she's dead in the middle

30:40

of a dark and space, she

30:42

spotted a movement in the bookshop

30:44

beyond the open door. Curious.

30:49

To see who else might be wondering

30:51

the stacks. She returned to

30:53

the open portal and picked out.

30:57

Nothing seemed out of place.

31:00

And there was no the insight. It

31:05

was when she stepped back out of

31:07

the silent run and into the stacks

31:10

that she saw it. An

31:13

enormous white rabbit. With

31:16

paints, eyes. Hopped out

31:18

from behind a pile of books. And

31:21

sat up on it's hind legs. Considering.

31:28

Emily's price on the spot.

31:30

Not wanting to startle the

31:33

creature. The

31:36

two of them regarded each other for a moment.

31:38

Then. The rabbit turned and

31:41

hop the way. Heading

31:43

into the deepest recesses of

31:45

the bookshop, Emily

31:50

stood steaks on the spot

31:52

wondering if Mrs. Symbol. Knew that

31:54

was a rabbit here. it

31:57

was a pretty unusual thing to have

31:59

in a bookstore door, she thought. But

32:03

the rabbit was gone, and

32:06

she was becoming more and more

32:08

intrigued to see more of

32:10

this miraculous bus. She

32:16

looked briefly at the other carved

32:18

wooden door, the

32:20

one across from the chamber containing

32:22

the filet library. She

32:25

was very interested to know what lay within, but

32:29

she was distracted by a sound further

32:31

inside the shop. It

32:36

was a sort of bubbling noise that had

32:38

nothing to do with the rainfall outside. Perhaps

32:41

it was the kettle that had produced

32:43

Mrs. Dimble's tea. Set

32:47

on confirming her theory, she

32:49

continued her walk deeper into the

32:51

bus. Oddly,

32:57

the hallway that had once seemed

32:59

endless now stopped. Well,

33:04

she thought, I have

33:06

reached the back of the bookshop at last.

33:11

But then she noticed that the bubbling noise

33:13

was coming from the nest. Looking

33:17

to the side, she

33:19

was amazed to find that the

33:21

rows of bookshelves continued in that

33:23

direction. This

33:27

seemed impossible, because

33:30

a long straight bus couldn't have

33:32

any twists or turns inside it.

33:36

But many things inside this

33:38

mobile bookshop could not be

33:40

explained, and Emily

33:42

was getting used to that idea. As

33:48

she was swiveling to the left, she prepared

33:51

to follow this new corridor. As

33:54

she did so, she

33:56

cast a glance back in the direction she'd

33:59

come from. She

34:01

could still see Mrs. Thimple's hand in

34:03

the front, holding her

34:05

teacup aloft. Now

34:10

Emily would really be a

34:12

solo adventurer. She

34:16

walked on. The

34:20

rich carpets gave way to a

34:23

parquet wooden floor that

34:25

looked like it had been there for

34:27

eons. This

34:31

new diverging hallway was narrow

34:34

and the book stacks rose very

34:37

high. She

34:40

thought it must be an optical illusion,

34:43

but they almost seemed to bend inward,

34:47

meeting in an arc over her head. She

34:51

couldn't account for how the books were

34:53

staying so neatly on their shelves, nor

34:56

did she imagine how a person would fetch

34:59

one of those hovering volumes and

35:01

take it down to read it. But

35:06

the bubbling sound was getting more audible

35:09

and she was driven on by

35:11

her curiosity. The

35:16

hallway was filled with a soft

35:18

darkness. It

35:21

felt restful and

35:24

protective, like

35:26

it muffled the world in a pleasant

35:28

way. As

35:32

she walked forward into the gloom, a little

35:35

yellow bird flapped by, sailing through

35:39

the air just out of her

35:41

reach. In

35:44

her wooden mouth, she turned and

35:47

watched as it vanished down the

35:49

book-lined tunnel. Now

35:54

she was noticing something, behind

35:57

the bubbling sound which

35:59

was getting more audible. quite near, she

36:02

heard many birds. It

36:05

was like the sound through a window on

36:07

a spring day. It

36:09

was an entire chorus of

36:11

third song. Is

36:15

this what had leaked into the bus,

36:17

she wondered. Perhaps

36:20

the birds had escaped from the rain

36:22

outside. And

36:26

then she entered a most miraculous

36:29

room. Here

36:34

it was like a forest had

36:36

grown inside a library. Or

36:40

perhaps it would be more aptly

36:42

described as a library that

36:45

had grown inside a forest. Either

36:49

way, the two

36:51

were now indistinguishable from

36:53

one another. Leafy

36:58

green trees with long

37:00

gnarled branches wove in

37:02

and out of bookshelves.

37:06

Here and there, she

37:09

could see some of the birds whose song had

37:11

led her here. They

37:14

had feathers in the most

37:16

marvellous colours. Bright

37:19

red, blue and yellow, like

37:25

the one that had flown past her. These

37:29

were definitely the prettiest birds she'd

37:31

ever seen. Emily

37:37

had also discovered the source of the bubbling

37:39

noise. Standing

37:44

in the middle of this forest,

37:47

there was a huge

37:49

rustic table. The

37:52

surface was stacked high with

37:54

a confusion of books and

37:57

scrolls. Some

37:59

were open. open, pinned by

38:01

other objects. Others

38:04

were unceremoniously piled here

38:06

and there. Standing

38:12

nearby, she also saw

38:14

some test tubes, jars,

38:18

and unidentifiable containers.

38:22

The bubbling sound was coming from a

38:24

liquid that was slowly simmering over a

38:26

burner. A

38:29

purple fog rolled off of it, suggesting

38:32

mystical properties within. Then,

38:39

even as she was still taking in

38:41

her surroundings, Emily

38:43

sensed that somebody else was in the

38:45

room with her. An

38:50

elderly man in a

38:52

shabby velvet robe had suddenly appeared.

38:56

It might be more accurate to say

38:58

that he materialised, because

39:01

Emily had been completely unaware of

39:03

his presence until that moment. He

39:08

was the very image of a

39:10

wizard, with a

39:12

long grey beard and spectacles

39:15

that appeared a bit worse for

39:17

wear. Adjusting

39:21

those spectacles, he

39:23

peered down his nose at Emily and

39:25

said, where did

39:28

you come from? Emily

39:32

felt this was a very tricky question.

39:36

As she was composing an answer, the

39:38

man appeared to lose interest. Oh,

39:43

never mind. All

39:46

sorts of odd creatures have been popping

39:48

into my laboratory lately, he

39:50

said, waving to the birds. The

39:55

man peered at Emily thoughtfully, noticing

39:58

her eyes wandering around the room. room. "'What

40:02

is it that you're studying here?' she

40:05

asked. "'I

40:09

am working on an enchantment that will

40:11

give the gift of foresight,' he

40:13

explained. You know, predicting

40:16

the future.' Eager

40:21

to illustrate, he took a

40:23

cloth in his hand and

40:25

carefully lifted the bubbling glass

40:28

container, swirling it

40:30

gently. "'If

40:33

you stare right into this, you

40:36

can see something, can you not?' Emily

40:41

walked closer and squinted.

40:45

It was true. Instead

40:49

of transparent purple liquid with bubbles,

40:52

there was a swirl of shapes inside.

40:57

It was like a picture that had gone all

40:59

runny, but more

41:01

than that, she could not discern.

41:06

The man seemed to read her thoughts. Indeed,

41:11

it tells me nothing

41:14

yet, but I

41:17

am on the verge of a discovery.

41:23

This satisfied Emily, and

41:25

she began to stroll around the

41:27

perimeter of his strange wood-sea study.

41:31

She ran her hands along the nubbly

41:33

bark of the trees and

41:36

then dragged her palms across the

41:38

soft, dusty trackets of the many

41:40

bucks on the shelves. As

41:46

she passed the volumes, her

41:48

touch released that heedy old

41:50

book scent she loved so

41:52

much. She

41:55

wondered what magic spells she might learn

41:58

if she had one of these to take her with her. Turning

42:04

back to the wizard however she

42:07

saw that he had already forgotten her.

42:10

He was deep in concentration,

42:13

turning the pages of an

42:16

enormous atlas. She

42:21

realised she couldn't imagine taking a book

42:23

unless he offered it. Stepping

42:26

away from the shelf, she

42:29

gazed back down the hall that had brought

42:31

her here. Far

42:34

off, in the little circle

42:37

of light at the end, she

42:39

was sure she saw a rabbit go hopping

42:42

by once again. Somehow,

42:47

she knew it was time to go. She

42:53

walked past the enormous table,

42:56

watching the wizard as he muttered to

42:58

himself, tapping his

43:00

fingers on his ancient text. Goodbye

43:04

then, she offered

43:06

quietly. He

43:10

looked up only briefly as if

43:13

he'd forgotten her and

43:15

nodded, saying, I

43:18

wish you good fortune, young lady. And

43:23

then he became reabsorbed in his work.

43:26

He did not see her as she disappeared,

43:30

leaving the enchanted forest library

43:32

behind. Her

43:37

shoes made soft noises on the

43:39

parquet floor as she slowly retraced

43:41

her steps. As

43:44

she walked, she looked

43:46

up again at the wondrous

43:48

arched ceiling full of gravity-defying

43:51

books. She

43:54

soon reached the place where the main

43:56

hall of the bookshop waited, with

43:58

its many carpets. and

44:01

its mysterious detours. Looking

44:06

toward the front of the bus, she

44:09

saw that the driver's seat was empty now. Mrs.

44:12

Thimble and her tea were gone. Perhaps,

44:18

Emily thought, she was

44:20

refilling her cup somewhere. But

44:24

it was only a moment before

44:27

she found the odd little proprietor

44:29

of the shop. Mrs.

44:32

Thimble was deep in the stacks

44:34

around the corner, standing

44:37

on a tall library ladder.

44:40

She had just finished putting a

44:42

book far up on the shelves.

44:48

Nodding to herself with satisfaction,

44:50

as if she had triumphantly stuck

44:53

the last piece in a puzzle, the

44:56

lady turned. She

44:58

looked delighted that Emily had

45:00

appeared. There

45:04

you are, dear, she

45:06

said with a smile. Have

45:09

you found anything that is to your liking yet?

45:14

Emily nodded, pondering whether

45:16

or not she should mention all the

45:18

strange things she had seen since they

45:20

last spoke. But

45:24

a twinkle in Mrs. Thimble's eyes

45:27

made her think that the woman was

45:29

quite aware of the types of adventures

45:31

Emily had been having. Have

45:36

you seen a white rabbit running around here?

45:39

Emily asked casually. Mrs.

45:43

Thimble chuckled. It

45:45

was a surprisingly deep, rich laugh

45:47

for a woman of her modest

45:49

size. Then

45:53

she nodded and said, yes. That

45:57

naughty rabbit leaped in here from the outside.

46:00

side, just as I told you.

46:04

But you're not the only person looking for it.

46:07

A little girl in a pinafore has

46:09

been wandering about on the same quest.

46:14

Then, descending the

46:16

ladder, she confided,

46:19

between you and me, I don't

46:21

think she's going to have any luck catching

46:23

it, and neither will you. Emily

46:29

glanced around the bookshop, still

46:31

hoping to spot the furry intruder.

46:35

Unfortunately, it

46:38

had hidden itself once again in

46:40

the labyrinth of tomes. Mrs.

46:45

Thimble reached the bottom rung of her

46:47

rolling ladder and

46:49

stood on the floor again. She

46:52

might have been shorter than Emily, but

46:55

she was still formidable in

46:57

appearance. With

47:01

her hands resting on her hips, she

47:04

nodded and suggested that her

47:06

young visitor might like to take a

47:08

little more time with the books before

47:11

heading home for the night. Emily

47:16

eagerly accepted the offer to stay.

47:22

Returning to the alcove with the two wooden

47:24

doors, she stood in

47:26

front of the one she had not yet

47:28

opened. But

47:31

even as she was considering it, the

47:34

handle began to turn from the other side,

47:38

and the door squeaked open. Emily

47:43

stepped back, holding her breath.

47:46

She wanted to be ready for

47:49

whatever might come through. As

47:53

it turned out, it was just

47:55

a girl. She appeared

47:58

to be about Emily's own age. and

48:01

she had long hair tied in a ribbon.

48:05

Peeking around the edge of the door

48:07

first with just her head and

48:10

then her shoulders and

48:12

finally squeezing the rest of herself

48:14

through, the girl

48:17

stopped and

48:19

stood with her hands clasped in front of

48:21

her, staring at Emily. Who

48:27

were you? the girl said, scrutinizing

48:30

Emily as if she were odd looking.

48:34

Emily, meanwhile, thought

48:36

this was a little bold, considering

48:39

that the other girl was the person who

48:41

had just pushed through a door in the

48:44

side of a book bus, wearing

48:46

a dress with a ruffled pinafore. The

48:51

two stood and sized each

48:53

other up briefly and then

48:55

the strange girl spoke. Have

48:59

you seen a rabbit come through here? she

49:02

asked. Emily

49:05

nodded her head. I

49:07

did, she confided, but

49:10

I don't know where it went. Looking

49:15

over the other girl's shoulder, she

49:17

tried to see what laid beyond the wooden door.

49:21

She had learned enough about the bookshop to

49:25

know that it was probably something

49:27

interesting. In

49:30

response, the girl in the

49:32

dress turned and poured the

49:34

door open a bit farther. Emily

49:39

was transfixed. Behind

49:43

her, there was

49:45

a long wall full

49:47

of mirrors, tables

49:49

and other doors. Books

49:54

were stacked everywhere, although

49:57

there were no shelves to be seen.

50:02

The other girl began to speak again. I've

50:07

gotten a bit lost. I

50:09

was listening to my lessons and

50:12

then I saw that white rabbit and

50:14

I wanted to talk to him. So

50:18

I followed him and somehow took a wrong

50:20

turn. The

50:22

girl stopped talking and hesitated.

50:26

And she added, well, I

50:29

took a bit of a fall if I'm being completely

50:31

honest. And I

50:33

ended up in this strange hallway and

50:35

I still haven't found the rabbit. Having

50:40

finished her story, she looked

50:42

very put out about the entire thing.

50:48

Emily nodded in a

50:50

helpful tone of voice. She

50:53

promised the girl that, if the

50:55

rabbit revealed itself, she

50:57

would put it back in the long hallway and

51:00

shut the door. At

51:04

this, the strange girl looked

51:06

relieved and

51:09

she took her leave, offering

51:11

a small ways. I'll

51:15

try searching in this direction then, she

51:18

said, pointing back into

51:20

the depths of the long corridor

51:22

full of furniture. Maybe

51:26

he went through one of these other doors. And

51:31

with that, she spun

51:33

on the heels of her little Mary

51:36

Jane shoes and disappeared,

51:39

closing the big wooden portal behind

51:41

her. Just

51:46

then, the big white

51:48

rabbit appeared. It

51:50

hopped right up to the door and

51:53

sat in front of it, twitching

51:55

its nose, hoping

51:58

she might be doing a good job. Indeed, Emily

52:01

slowly began to open the door, allowing

52:04

the rabbit to hop around the edge. The

52:09

bunny vanished into the groom of the

52:12

hallway on the other side, following

52:15

the girl who had just gone before it.

52:19

Emily closed the door, giving

52:22

it a final shove with her foot. Well,

52:29

she thought, that

52:31

was one leak into the bookshop that she

52:33

had taken care of. Turning

52:38

back to the interior corridor, Emily

52:41

reluctantly told herself she should make her

52:43

way to the entrance. After

52:47

all, her mother would be

52:49

home soon and would wonder where she was.

52:54

Listening carefully, she

52:56

no longer could discern any rain

52:58

on the roof of the bus. The

53:01

worst of the weather had passed. Wishing

53:07

to draw out her last few

53:10

minutes as much as possible, she

53:13

detoured into an area of the

53:15

stacks she hadn't explored yet. Oddly,

53:20

what had seemed like an easy turn

53:22

became two, then three.

53:28

Before she knew it, she

53:31

was in a veritable labyrinth of

53:33

bookshelves that reminded her of a

53:35

hedge maze. This

53:38

made no sense, of course, because

53:41

a maze of bookshelves should not have

53:43

fit inside a bus. However,

53:48

it was not the most surprising thing

53:50

she'd seen this afternoon, so

53:53

she just followed the path ahead. ended

54:00

in a small room with a table.

54:03

There were no bookshelves there, but

54:06

the surface was entirely covered with

54:08

maps and atlases. More

54:12

unexpectedly, there was a boy

54:14

standing there, peering at

54:17

the illustrations with interest. He

54:22

was wearing a home-spun shirt and

54:25

had a handkerchief around his neck. He

54:29

was also barefoot and

54:31

appeared like he might be in need of a

54:33

good scrub. Hearing

54:36

her approach, he looked up

54:38

from the table. Oh, hello,

54:44

he said. I didn't know

54:46

you were a part of the crew. Emily

54:50

made a puzzled face. What

54:53

crew, she asked. Well,

54:57

the treasure hunting crew, of course. We're

55:00

going to have quite an adventure. I

55:03

can feel it, he said. Emily

55:08

walked over to the table and

55:11

looked at the map he was reading. It

55:14

appeared to be an island, and

55:17

although the drawings were probably more

55:19

artistic than accurate, she

55:22

was most interested in the red

55:24

X that marked the spot of

55:27

something. Observing

55:31

the boy again, she asked

55:34

him if he wasn't a little nervous, sailing

55:36

off like that when he was so young. The

55:41

boy said that it was not at all unusual

55:44

for a young man his age to be

55:46

a cabin boy, and

55:48

that he was in very good company

55:50

with grown men who would assist him on

55:52

his quest. Then,

55:56

proudly, he said, I'm the

55:59

man. in my family now, and

56:02

I'll soon be a rich one as well." Emily

56:07

hoped that would be true. Something

56:11

about a book she had read once told

56:13

her that he would succeed, or

56:16

at least, that he

56:18

would be rich in the end. Smiling

56:23

to herself, she considered her

56:25

companion. He

56:28

was so full of hope and

56:31

the spirit of adventure. She

56:35

had to leave, but she realised

56:37

she had the perfect parting gift for

56:39

him. Reaching

56:43

in her pocket, she

56:45

pulled out the little book she had

56:48

found in the window seat of the

56:50

fireplace room. She

56:52

held it out to him as an offering. He

56:58

took the book and his eyes lit

57:00

up. Exotic

57:03

islands of the world, he

57:06

read aloud, for aspiring

57:08

seafarers. I

57:12

will study this with great interest.

57:15

Perhaps I will see some of them on my journey. Honing

57:20

widely at her, he

57:23

thanked her and shook

57:25

her hand. Then

57:29

without another word, he bent

57:31

over the book and began

57:34

flipping through the pages. Just

57:39

like the wizard, he

57:41

was immediately lost in his

57:43

thoughts. It

57:46

was as if she were already fading away,

57:48

as if

57:50

she were the dream instead

57:52

of him. She

57:56

left the boy with his plans, retracing

57:59

her steps. steps through the maze of

58:01

bookshelves until she was back in

58:03

the shop. Sadly,

58:08

she could delay her departure from the

58:11

bookshop no longer. She

58:13

didn't want to worry her mother. Walking

58:18

slowly back to the front seat, she

58:21

cleared her throat to let Mrs. Thimble

58:23

know she was finished. The

58:26

lady turned from the newspaper she was reading

58:29

and smiled. All

58:33

done then, dear, she said. Did

58:36

you find anything? Emily

58:40

shook her head reluctantly. She

58:43

had given her only books to the treasure

58:45

hunting boy. Mrs.

58:50

Thimble got a familiar sparkle in

58:52

her eye and put

58:55

a skeptical look on her face. What's

58:59

that then? she asked, nodding

59:02

in the direction of Emily's coat pocket. Looking

59:08

down, the girl saw that there

59:10

was a little book with a green cloth

59:12

cover sticking out of her rain jacket. She

59:16

hadn't the foggiest idea how it had gotten

59:18

there. As

59:23

she began to reach for it, Mrs.

59:25

Thimble stopped her, saying, Leave

59:28

it for bedtime. Let it be a surprise

59:31

for later. Then

59:34

she added reassuringly, I guarantee

59:37

to find each patron the

59:39

perfect story. You will

59:44

love it. One book is free of charge for

59:46

the first visit. Emily

59:51

smiled happily and thanked her.

59:55

Patting the little book, she

59:57

felt a thrill of anticipation.

1:00:01

She couldn't wait to open it later.

1:00:07

The door to the bus slid quietly

1:00:10

open and Emily descended

1:00:12

the stairs and rejoined

1:00:14

the world outside. And

1:00:20

so she left Mrs. Simble

1:00:23

and the magical mobile bookshop behind.

1:00:29

But when she stepped out into the

1:00:32

cool twilight, the

1:00:34

storm having passed, the

1:00:37

city looked fresh again. Where

1:00:41

there had been damp and gloom, the

1:00:44

streets seemed washed clean, lit

1:00:47

brightly by the streetlamps. That

1:00:55

night, she slid

1:00:57

under her soft comforter at home

1:00:59

with an extra dose of gratitude.

1:01:04

What a fantastic thing,

1:01:07

she pondered. To

1:01:09

have such a drab day take

1:01:12

her to such a wondrous place.

1:01:18

She didn't know if she'd ever find the

1:01:20

bookshop again, but she

1:01:22

fervently hoped that she would. In

1:01:28

the meantime, as she

1:01:30

opened the little volume Mrs. Simble had

1:01:32

chosen for her, she

1:01:35

was richly rewarded for her patience.

1:01:40

Not surprisingly, it was

1:01:43

the perfect selection for her

1:01:45

in every way. And

1:01:51

as she turned the yellow pages, inhaling

1:01:55

their lovely library scent.

1:02:00

She became lost in the

1:02:02

magic of the mobile bookshop

1:02:05

once again. You

1:03:00

You You

1:04:00

Thank you. Thank

1:04:30

you. Thank

1:05:00

you. Thank

1:05:30

you. Thank

1:06:00

you. Thank

1:06:30

you.