Good evening and welcome to the Sleepy Bookshelf. This season which is exclusive to Premium

will be reading two short stories by Irish author and playwright Oscar Wilde. We know

our listeners are as unique as our novels and lucky for you, our bookshelf is buried

with lots of different types of stories to lull you into a deep sleep. The following

is just a preview to give you an idea of what to expect from this season. Both of our stories

in this season come from Wilde's fairy tale collection, The Happy Prince and Other Tales,

first published in 1888. While intended for children, the book has many adult themes and

characters who show how decadence, superficiality and injustice often play out in the world. Wilde

brings his characteristic sharp wit to each story. The first called The Devoted Friend is presented

as a cautionary tale told by a bird to a water rat one day. The bird tells the story of

a poor yet hardworking man named Hans and his so-called friend, The Miller. The Miller

takes advantage of Hans' kindness and generosity while boasting about his own capacity for friendship.

The second story called The Remarkable Rocket follows several talking fireworks who are

preparing to be lit to celebrate the marriage of the prince and his princess. Each excited

to bring light and happiness to the party except for the largest rocket who believes the

celebration is all about him. We hope you will join us for this season. However, if you decide

that these tales aren't your cup of tea, feel free to explore the rest of the bookshelf. We

are sure you'll find something to help guide you into a restful sleep. Our premium subscription

offers stories to listen to between the seasons on the main field like this. If you'd

like to hear these short stories by Oscar Wilde, you can sign up today. If you've already

gone premium, we thank you so much for your support. Remember, if there's a book you'd

like to hear on the Sleepy Bookshelf, you can go to the website, sleepybookshelf.com, or

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