Hello, my friend and welcome back to Drift Off bedtime stories.

I'm your host Joanne and I'm so happy you're here.

Tonight I'll be reading Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe,

a heartwarming Christmas tale written by Elizabeth Harrison.

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Your support truly helps me continue creating these soothing bedtime stories, and I would be so very grateful.

Now, let's take a few moments to settle in and get comfortable.

Take a deep, easy breath in through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth.

Feel your body beginning to unwind.

Let your shoulders soften.

Your jaw relax and your hands rest loosely by your sides.

With each gentle breath, feel yourself drifting a little deeper into calm.

Imagine a soft blanket of peace wrapping around you.

Warm and light as air.

The world around you quiets The mind slows And you begin to feel perfectly safe And at ease. Just breathing, resting,

and letting go.

And now, when you're ready, let's begin. I'm Once upon a time, a long time ago, far away across the great ocean in a country called Germany there could be

seen a small log hut on the edge of a great forest whose fir trees extended for

miles and miles to the north this little house made of heavy, had but one room in it.

A rough pine door gave entrance to this room, and a small square window admitted the light.

At the back of the house was built an old-fashioned stone chimney, out of which in winter usually curled a thin, blue smoke,

showing that there was not very much fire within.

...