Dorktales Storytime
Be the hero of your own story with Dorktales Storytime, the award-winning podcast for kids and their pop culture loving grownups. Enter their Once Upon a Time world where hosts, Jonathan Cormur and Mr. Reginald T. Hedgehog, take you on a storytelling journey of curiosity and acceptance. You’ll explore reimagined fairytales and fables with social emotional themes, discover inspiring stories of history’s hidden heroes, and experience imaginary tales of boundless possibilities.
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Dorktales Storytime
Journey to Slumberland - Bedtime Stories for Kids
Hesper, the Fairy of the Evening Star, casts a dream-traveling spell to take Redge on his long-awaited journey to Slumberland. With her moth companion, Vesper, by her side, the trio soar along the starry brick road to explore the dreamy realm’s enchanting destinations—from a visit to the Shut Eye Shopping District, a cuppa at Forty Winks Tea House, and a run through the clouds to catch some Z’s at Catnap Castle. Let the stardust of this story work its magic and slip you into a lovely sleep. Your dreams will be sweet and grand in merry Slumberland!
This episode includes the lullaby, Slumberland, by Molly Murphy.
Go to the episode webpage: https://jonincharacter.com/journey-to-slumberland/
GRAB YOUR FREE PDF list of conversation questions for this episode:
https://dorktalesstorytime.aweb.page/ep111freePDF
PARENTS, TEACHERS AND HOMESCHOOLERS: In “Journey to Slumberland,” Hesper the fairy of the evening star guides her moth companion Vesper and their friend Redge the hedgehog along the starry brick road to Slumberland. They practice mindful thinking and shop for the essentials they'll need for restful slumber - sleep masks, cozy pajamas, and calming teas. Redge learns from Slumberland's locals how rest and self-care are as important as a bedtime adventure. This tale encourages children to embrace curiosity, rely on supportive friends, and develop simple bedtime routines that help them drift into restful, imaginative sleep.
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS BEDTIME SLEEP STORY with Hesper and Vesper, you might also enjoy two other stories:
- EP75 Once Upon a Lullaby: https://jonincharacter.com/once-upon-a-lullaby/
- EP89 The Disobedient Dream: https://jonincharacter.com/the-disobedient-dream/
CREDITS: This episode is a Jonincharacter production. This story was written and produced by Molly Murphy. Special thanks to Molly who performed the character Hesper, the fairy of the evening star. All other characters were performed by Jonathan Cormur. The song ‘Slumberland’ was written, produced and performed by Molly Murphy and mastered by Jermaine Hamilton. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at
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Now, go be the hero of your own story and we’ll see you next once-upon-a-time!
JONATHAN CORMUR: Hello Dork Squad. I'm Jonathan Cormur and you're listening to Dorktales Storytime, the podcast for kids and their pop culture-loving grown-ups, and this is one of our anything-is-possible lore stories.
THEME SONG: It's a beautiful day for a story, adventure and glory, new friends and old ones too. It's an excellent day to get swept away in a tail, so let us regale you.
HESPER: I promise I’ve been practicing the spell, Vesper!
VESPER: Are you sure Hesper? The last time we tried to go to Slumberland–
HESPER: I know, I know, I turned you into a chicken.
VESPER: And I stayed that way for a week!
HESPER: Well it’s not my fault that you had just dreamed about chickens! You know people’s dreams make my magic stronger. I’m the Fairy of the Evening Star, after all!
VESPER: And I’m your moth companion. Your MOTH companion.
HESPER: Oh now, don’t flap your wings in a tizzy. I promise you will not be turned into a chicken! …Or a duck. Or a goose. Or any other creature!
VESPER: Ok, Hesper. But I’ll only think moth thoughts when you cast the spell.
HESPER: That’s a good idea.
VESPER: Just in case.
HESPER: Just in case. Ah look! Is that Reginald I see walking towards our tree?
VESPER: He’s right on time as usual!
HESPER: Let’s fly down and greet him.
(Sparkling fairy sounds)
REDGE: Hello Hesper! Hello Vesper!
VESPER: Redge! It’s great to see you!
HESPER: Wonderful and magical to see you!
REDGE: I’m so excited for this evening! I’ve never been to Slumberland before!
VESPER: NEVER?
REDGE: Never! I’ve been to Wonderland…
HESPER: Such a curious land!
REDGE: Quite! But I’ve never been to Slumberland. Can you believe it?
HESPER: I can’t! I thought you’d been everywhere! Well, this will be marvelous. We can introduce you.
VESPER: We’re seasoned tour guides.
HESPER: If you’re both ready, I’ll begin casting the spell!
VESPER: Just remember!
HESPER: I know! No chickens! Think moth thoughts! Oh, and hedgehog thoughts for you, Reginald.
REDGE: On it! (Starts muttering to himself like he is thinking out loud) Quills. Snacks. Burrows. Snacks. Forests. Foraging. Snacks…
HESPER: Very good. (Clears throat) Now let us all lie on our backs in the soft grass and gaze up at the stars.
VESPER: (Sighs wistful) I love the stars!
HESPER: Oh me too, I adore them. (Also sighs wistfully)
REDGE: Uh…has the spell started?
HESPER: Hmm?
REDGE: To…uh…get to Slumberland?
HESPER: OH! Right! I completely forgot.
VESPER: We love the stars so much that they distract us.
REDGE: I can understand that! They are beautiful.
HESPER: Alright, gaze at the stars, think hedgehog and moth thoughts, and listen to the sound of my voice…
Slip into a lovely sleep
Where dreams are sweet & grand
Then follow along the Starry Brick Road
Straight on to Slumberland!
Magical sound.
REDGE: The sky! It’s changed colors! It’s a beautiful swirl of pink and purple and green!
VESPER: With twinkling stars all around us!
REDGE Some of them are so close I can touch them! Poke! Hehe, I touched a star!
HESPER: Yes! I’ve done it! And no one turned into a chicken or a goose! We have arrived in Slumberland!
REDGE: It’s so beautiful already!
VESPER: Come on Redge! We have so much to show you! Like…the Shut Eye Shopping District!
HESPER: We must go to Forty Winks - Slumberland’s famous tea room! It’s my favorite spot.
VESPER: Oh! Oh! You know where else we should go?
HESPER: No! Where?
VESPER: You do.
HESPER: Do I?
VESPER: Oh you know!
HESPER: OH! Wait. I don’t…Do I? WAIT. WAIT!
VESPER: She’s got it!
HESPER: Catnap Castle!
VESPER: Yes!
REDGE: A castle? A tea room? Shopping? Oh this is going to be a wonderful trip indeed!
HESPER: Hop on one of the larger stars over here, Redge! That way you can fly along with us!
REDGE: You’re telling me I get to ride through Slumberland atop a star?
VESPER: You do!
REDGE: Wow! Alright then. Up I go! (like he is jumping) HUP!
HESPER: Very good! Now away we go!!
(Sparkling fairy sounds)
VESPER: Our first stop - the Shut Eye Shopping District!
REDGE: Look at all the little wagons and carts and booths floating on clouds!
HESPER: Let’s fly down the Starry Brick Road so you can see some of the wares!
VESPER: Everything in the Slumberland Shopping District is meant to help you have peaceful, cozy evenings–
HESPER: And sweet dreams!
REDGE: Look at that shop, it looks like a large tree on top of a fluffy pink cloud! What does the sign say?
VESPER: That’s Scowl’s shop!
HESPER: Scowl the Owl!
VESPER: Hello, Scowl!
SCOWL: (Grunts an incoherent reply)
REDGE: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Scowl. What fine goods are you selling today?
SCOWL: (Grunts again)
HESPER: Scowl sells handmade sleep masks with designs inspired by the colors of bird feathers!
VESPER: You see Scowl here has big ‘ol owl eyes that let in a lot of light.
HESPER: And of course he has to sleep during the day because he is nocturnal!
VESPER: And the light was bugging our old pal!
HESPER: He woke up cranky every single night!
SCOWL: (Grunts affirmatively)
REDGE: So…he solved the problem by making sleep masks! And is now sharing them here in Slumberland!
VESPER: That’s right!
REDGE: Look at this one! The colors remind me of peacock feathers!
HESPER: Oh! I brought some stardust for you in case you wanted to make some trades for Slumberland goodies! Here you are, Scowl! We’ll take that sleep mask for our friend Redge!
SCOWL: (Grumbles happily)
REDGE: Thank you! Thank you! I will wear this proudly each night. (Gasps) Wait…..do I see what I think I’m seeing?
HESPER: Most likely, although sometimes all this dreaming magic brings dreams to life in Slumberland so you never can tell.
REDGE: CLOTHES!
HESPER: Oh! Yes, that’s Tammy’s Pajammies!
VESPER: Good eye, Redge! Tammy is a Sewing Fairy. She has the best cozy clothes around!
REDGE: Look at these blue striped pajamas!! There’s a little cloud stitched on the pocket on the shirt. The detail! The color! They’re glorious!
VESPER: Hello Tammy!
TAMMY: Well howdy-doo-da-day, Vesper!
VESPER: Have you got those blue striped pajamas in Redge’s size here?
TAMMY: Easy as pie! Hesper, I’ll take some of that stardust…
HESPER: Here you are!
TAMMY: Swirl my magic needle and thread…and…(sparkling magic sound) voila! The perfect fit!
REDGE: WOW! The perfect outfit for sleeping!
VESPER: Looking sharp, Redge!
HESPER: Redge is now perfectly outfitted for Slumberland!
TAMMY: Make sure to cruise and snooze on by again, folks!
VESPER: You know it!
REDGE: So many more amazing shops! Slip Away Slippers! Rest Well Blankets and Bedding! Oooo! Cold Side of the Pillow!
HESPER: I have one of their pillows and it always stays at the perfect temperature!
REDGE: Nice!
VESPER: Where should we go next?
HESPER: Shopping always makes me want a snack. What do you think, Redge?
REDGE: Oh I always want a snack!
VESPER: Forty Winks Tea House it is!
(The sparking magic sound)
HESPER: (Sighs) My favorite place in Slumberland. All of the beautiful plants. Peaceful sounds and calming tunes. Simply magical.
REDGE: It looks like a beautiful pond at sunset in here! The water with….are those?
VESPER: Huge lilypads that you can sit on!
HESPER: And that’s not even the very best thing about Forty Winks.
REDGE: No?
HESPER: No! It’s the tea of course! Come, let’s speak with Earl.
REDGE: Earl?
VESPER: Earl the Tea Toad! He’s the expert on tea and he runs Forty Winks. He’s just over there!
EARL: Hesper! Vesper! (Croaking sound) Marvelous to see you!
HESPER: Earl! I’m so happy to be back at Forty Winks. I’ve run low on my Calming Croakin’ Chamomile.
EARL: Calming Croakin’ Chamomile leaves (Croak) coming right up!
VESPER: Our friend Redge has never been to Slumberland before!
REDGE: That’s right!
EARL: I’m so glad you’re here in our land of sleep and dreams, Redge! What kind of tea can I get you for your first visit?
REDGE: Oooo…how do I decide?
EARL: Would you say your personality is sour like citrus or fanciful like flowers?
REDGE: Definitely fanciful!
EARL: Would your ideal day include rooting to the spot and thinking or frolicking through forests?
REDGE: I’m a fanciful frolicker! Don’t you think friends?
HESPER: Absolutely! We’ve been frolicking through Slumberland all evening afterall!
EARL: Then I’d say you need some Lush Lavender Lullaby tea!
REDGE: That sounds perfect!
(The sound of tea pouring into a cup, with magical sparkling sound)
EARL: Here you go, Redge! Let me know if you like it, and I’ll bag up some of the dried leaves so you can make it at home!
REDGE: I will! Thank you, Earl!
HESPER: Let’s sit on this lilypad floating over by the turtles!
VESPER: Hesper! Get the Earl’s Famous Tea Cookies to snack on!
REDGE: Yes yes! We can’t miss those!
HESPER: I’m way ahead of you!
VESPER: (Sighs) Nothing better than resting on a lilypad at Earl’s.
HESPER: Ahh, yes. Forty Winks is my favorite place in all of Once Upon a Time!
REDGE: (Mouth full) I can see why. Everything is delicious!
VESPER: How have you liked your first trip to Slumberland, Redge?
REDGE: Why….it’s been fantastical! Truly a place made from the dreamiest of dreams!
HESPER: Oooo I knew you would love it!
REDGE: And you know what else has been amazing?
VESPER: What’s that?
REDGE: I’ve learned so much about getting restful sleep just by being here! Take Scowl for instance. He used his creativity to create the perfect dark environment for good sleep!
HESPER: You’re right! Sometimes I have to do that too!
REDGE: And just as I always say, the perfect outfit goes a long way! Like these marvelous pajamas!
VESPER: Slumberland really is a great place to wind down and relax!
HESPER: Which is a very important thing to do!
REDGE: It gives us the energy to face the day and be creative!
VESPER: Kind!
HESPER: Adventurous!
REDGE: All of the above and more! This trip has made me want to think more about taking good care of myself and my space.
HESPER: Such is the magic of Slumberland!
VESPER: Well….if you want to go to one more spot for the best slumber fun…then we should head to…
HESPER: Catnap Castle!
VESPER: Oh Redge, it’s beautiful!
HESPER: It’s a castle made of clouds!
VESPER There is a tower with a library full of books suited for bedtime!
HESPER: There is a Snoozing Room, Where you can sit in big fluffy armchairs and doze off for a while.
VESPER: There is even a ballroom where a string quartet plays lullabies.
REDGE: This sounds unmissable!
HESPER: You would be right. Shall we head over?
REDGE: Let me hop back on my star! (As if he’s jumping again) And HUP!
VESPER: Away we go, back down the Starry Brick Road!
(Magical sparkling sound)
COURT ATTENDANT: (Stage whispering) Here ye, here ye! Welcome all to Catnap Castle! Slumberland’s Castle made from Clouds, drifting above the Whispering Woods. Home of the Quietest Queen and the Dozing Duke and their royal families. All are welcome to come read, doze, and catch some Z’s! Here ye! Here ye!
VESPER: Oh Hesper! We forgot to tell Redge about running through the clouds and catching the Z’s!
HESPER: Only the best part of visiting Catnap Castle!
REDGE: What are the Z’s?
VESPER: How to describe the Z’s….
HESPER: They’re like magical, happy balls of floof.
VESPER: They’re just like little floofy cats. Or even sheep!
HESPER: And we can catch and count them ‘til we fall to sleep!
VESPER: Hesper! We rhymed!
HESPER: We nail it every time!
REDGE: It sounds like I have to meet the Z’s!
VESPER: Of course! Then I vote for the Bedtime Reading Library in the tower.
HESPER: We can’t miss that.
REDGE: And we’ll end our trip with lullabies in the ballroom!
HESPER: A perfect conclusion!
REDGE: Thank you both, for introducing me to Slumberland. It’s been a real treat.
HESPER: Absolutely Reginald! You are welcome back any time!
VESPER: First one to catch ten Z’s gets to read in the fluffiest cloud!
REDGE: Oh you’re on!
HESPER: (whispered) Huzzah!
Slumberland lullaby sung by Molly Murphy
Say goodnight and count your sheep
Climb into your bed
For magic is awaiting you
When you rest your head
A place of possibility
With castles in the sky
Where toads serve tea
You catch some Z's
And evening fairies fly
So slip into a lovely sleep
Where dreams are sweet and grand
Then follow along the starry brick road
We're off to Slumberland
Say goodnight wish on a star
As you turn out the lights
Cast the spell of Slumberland
And let your wish take flight
We'll slip into a lovely sleep
Where dreams are sweet and grand
Then soar through the moonlit sky
We're off to Slumberland
Slip into a lovely sleep
Take stardust in our hands
Drift off and magic will awake
In merry Slumberland
JONATHAN: This has been a Jonincharacter production. This story was written and produced by Molly Murphy. Special thanks to Molly who performed the character Hesper, the fairy of the evening star. All other characters were performed by Jonathan Cormur. The song ‘Slumberland’ was written, produced and performed by Molly Murphy and mastered by Jermaine Hamilton. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks. We love hearing from you! Contact us at dorktalesstorytime@gmail.com or try our one-way text feature as a safe way to reach out. You can find even more ways to reach us in the show notes.
Now, go be the hero of your own story and we’ll see you next once-upon-a-time!
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