A Sleepy Seahorse’s Enchanting Journey 🌊 Bedtime Story for Kids

SPEAKER_1 (0:03)

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Tom Jones (0:19)

Tonight we'll follow a sweet little seahorse as he explores his underwater home. Along the way, he'll encounter some characters that might be familiar to you if you've ever heard the story of The Little Mermaid. But this enchanting fairy tale is quite different from that one, with a few modern twists.

Close your eyes, and imagine yourself in a beautiful place. You can pick your favorite spot to relax. Take a deep breath in, and hold it for a few moments. Now, let it out fully. And now, let's journey down under the waves, and meet our lovable guide, a little seahorse who is about to go on a sleepy adventure.

Deep beneath the surface of the Adriatic Sea lives a tiny seahorse named Wade. He's a unique character, not only in stature but in physique as well. Wade has translucent skin, making him practically invisible to everyone he meets. He fancies himself a chameleon of the ocean, taking on the color and pattern of whatever he swims by. This makes Wade very special. He can observe underwater beauty all day every day just by blending in. He never surprises the fish or makes the urchins clam up. He's friendly and quiet and just loves to explore. Sometimes he'll join colorful schools of fish for a leisurely swim. When the fish are vibrant shades of yellow and orange with deep blue stripes, so too is Wade. They hardly ever notice Wade, but when they do, they are always friendly and interested to meet a nearly invisible seahorse. From time to time, Wade will join a dolphin or two, but it's hard to keep up with such agile creatures. Wade is a fast swimmer, just not quite fast enough. His favorite companion is an octopus, he affectionately nicknamed his Octofrend. She drifts at the bottom of the ocean, mining for food. Wade always approaches her slowly, so as not to startle her. Together, they enjoy a snack, then lazily wander around.

There aren't many of his kind, and Wade believes being almost invisible is like a super power since he enjoys freedom and tranquility so much. He can't imagine being a massive sea creature like an orca or a humpback whale. He's just the happiest little seahorse there ever was.

One day, Wade's happiness reaches a new level. His attention is captured by the most graceful creature he has ever seen. She's part human, part fish. From the waist down, she has iridescent scales in shades of blue and green. They cover a tail which is where her legs would be if she were human. Her hair is the color of corn silk, and her skin is golden tan. She is, without a doubt, a mermaid.

Wade immediately fills a connection with the mermaid. What is her name? Where did she come from? Are there others like her? Before he can ponder any further questions, she looks his way directly at him. Her eyes are vibrant emerald green. But just like every other living being under the sea, the mermaid looks right through Wade. She cannot see him, not even the outline of his spiny body. He follows along beside her for a little while, never getting too close. Wade notices a small, jeweled crown on the top of her head.

He becomes mesmerized by her tail, which appears to be strong, yet fragile. It moves so delicately through the water, almost as though she is performing a ballet routine for no one but herself. The mermaid takes a turn around a coral reef. Wade is determined to stay close, but the mermaid speeds up.

Wade gives it all he has, and, luckily, is able to keep the mermaid in sight. He watches intently as she swims up towards the surface. This is when Wade realizes that he shouldn't follow her all the way up. It's at least 30 meters to the surface, and he won't have the energy. So, he decides to stay put and tread water for a while. And he is rather content watching schools of fish and shrimp swim by. As he waits for her, a school of silver mackerel passes him. They are quite recognizable with their long, slender bodies and zebra-like stripes. Not long after, another school swims by Wade. This time, it's Sea Bass. Their bodies are rounder than mackerel, and they seem to have more swagger. Or maybe they just appear confident because of the spiked fins on their backs. After a few more schools pass, the mermaid reappears, swimming down from the water's surface. Wade notices a brilliant smile on her face. Whatever or whomever she saw up there made her very happy. Wade wonders what it was. Did she meet a friend? Maybe she found something tasty to eat? Either way, she is radiating and so invigorated that Wade can feel her joy.