Ollie the Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark: A Bedtime Story About Fear
High in a hollow of an old walnut tree lived a family of owls. Owls, as everyone knows, sleep in the day and wake up at night. But the littlest owl, Ollie, had a problem.
Ollie was afraid of the dark.
“Why can’t we fly in the daytime, Mom?” he asked, every evening as the sun went down. “The day is bright and warm. The night is dark and scary.”
His mother fluffed her soft feathers around him. “The night isn’t scary, Ollie. It’s just different. Let me show you.”
The First Night Flight
As the last orange light faded behind the hills, Ollie’s mother flew out of the hollow. Ollie peeked out and shivered. Everything looked black and shadowy.
“Come, little one. Stay close to me.”
Ollie took a deep breath and flapped his small wings. He wobbled, then glided behind his mother.
Night Sound Number One
“Listen,” said his mother, landing on a branch. “What do you hear?”
Ollie listened. There was a krrk, krrk, krrk.
“What is that?” he whispered nervously.
“Crickets,” said his mother. “They sing to each other every night. That’s their music.”
Ollie listened again. It did sound a little like music.
Night Light Number One
They flew over a field. Suddenly tiny lights blinked on and off in the grass below.
“Stars have fallen!” Ollie gasped.
His mother laughed softly. “Those are fireflies. They carry their own little lanterns.”
Ollie watched the glowing dots drifting through the air. “They’re beautiful,” he said, forgetting to be afraid.
The Big Silver Moon
Then the clouds moved, and a big silver moon appeared, lighting up the whole valley. Ollie could see the river shining, the wheat fields swaying, and the rooftops of the village sleeping below.
“Mom, I didn’t know the night had its own light.”
“The moon is the night’s lamp,” said his mother. “And look up.”
Ollie looked. The sky was full of stars, more than he could count.
“In the daytime, the sun is so bright that we cannot see them,” his mother said. “The stars are always there. It’s only in the dark that they shine.”
Owl Eyes
“But how do we find our way when it’s really dark?” Ollie asked.
His mother blinked her big round eyes. “We owls have special eyes that see well in the dark, and ears that hear the tiniest rustle. The night was made for us, Ollie. You have everything you need.”
Ollie blinked his own big eyes. He looked around, and he realised he could see: the shape of the trees, a rabbit hopping in the field, the path of the river. The dark didn’t feel so dark anymore.
Home Before Dawn
When the sky began to turn pale pink, Ollie and his mother flew back to the walnut tree. Ollie snuggled into his soft nest, tired and happy.
“Mom,” he yawned, “can we fly again tomorrow night?”
“Of course,” said his mother. “Are you still afraid of the dark?”
Ollie thought about the crickets’ music, the fireflies’ lanterns, the silver moon, and the sky full of stars.
“Maybe a tiny bit,” he admitted. “But now I know the dark is full of beautiful things.”
His mother kissed the top of his fluffy head. “Goodnight, Ollie. Or should I say, good morning.”
Moral of the Story
Things often seem scary when we don’t understand them. When we explore with someone we trust, our fears can turn into wonder.
Gentle Tips for Children Afraid of the Dark
- Talk about night-time sounds and what makes them.
- Use a soft night light, just like the moon.
- Look at the stars together from a window.
- Give your child a small torch to feel in control.
Questions Before Sleep
- What was Ollie afraid of?
- What beautiful things did he discover at night?
- What makes you feel safe at bedtime?
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