Leo the Little Blue Train was a very busy train. All day long, he chugged and puffed, pulling cars full of happy passengers and important deliveries. But when the sun began to set, Leo had a problem: he couldn’t sleep! He’d lie in his roundhouse, his wheels spinning with thoughts of all the things he’d done that day, and all the things he needed to do tomorrow.
Old Man Tiber, the wise stationmaster, noticed Leo’s worried face. “What’s troubling you, little one?” he asked kindly. Leo explained, “I just can’t seem to quiet my wheels! I keep thinking and thinking, and it keeps me awake.”
Old Man Tiber smiled. “Sometimes,” he said, “the best way to sleep is to find a calming routine. Why don’t you try taking a slow, quiet journey before bedtime? Listen to the sounds of the rails, and let them lull you to sleep.”
Leo was willing to try anything. He carefully coupled to a single, empty car and began to roll. He started slowly, very slowly, letting his wheels turn with a gentle rhythm. *Chug… puff… chug… puff…* He focused on the sound of the wheels on the tracks – a steady, soothing *clickety-clack*.
As he traveled, Leo listened to the other sounds of the night. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees. A sleepy owl hooted in the distance. Crickets chirped their evening song. He noticed how each sound blended with the *clickety-clack* of the rails, creating a peaceful melody.
He passed Farmer Giles’ field, where the cows were settling down for the night, their soft mooing adding to the quiet symphony. He saw Mrs. Higgins’ cat, curled up on a windowsill, blinking slowly in the moonlight. Everything felt calm and peaceful.
Leo realized that thinking about all his busy work wasn’t helping him sleep. Instead, he started to think about happy things – the smiles of the passengers he carried, the delicious apples he delivered to the bakery, the beautiful countryside he traveled through.
With each *chug* and *puff*, Leo felt his wheels growing heavier, his thoughts growing softer. The *clickety-clack* of the rails became a gentle rocking motion, like a lullaby. He wasn’t trying to *stop* thinking, he was just letting his thoughts drift by, like clouds in the night sky.
Soon, Leo felt a wonderful, sleepy feeling wash over him. He slowly rolled back into his roundhouse, his wheels barely turning. He closed his eyes, and for the first time in a long time, he drifted off to sleep, listening to the echo of the rails in his dreams.
Old Man Tiber smiled when he saw Leo sleeping soundly. He knew that Leo had discovered the magic of a calming routine and the power of listening to the quiet sounds of the night. And every night after that, Leo the Little Blue Train took his slow, quiet journey before bedtime, and slept like a log… a very happy, sleepy log!