Music Welcome to snoozecast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us on snoozecast.com and follow us on Instagram at snoozecast to find behind the scenes content. If you enjoy our show, please write a review on the Apple Podcasts app. Please know that we read and appreciate every single one. Thank you to our listeners who have written a review already. This episode is brought to you by our Patreon supporters and by a magical feather. Tonight, we'll read a sleep story called The Bird King and the Mermaid, adapted by snooze cast from The Story of Tremseen, The Birds Are, and Nastasia, the lovely mate of the sea. found in Kha'zac fairy tales, published in 1916.

The Kha'zaks are a group of predominantly Orthodox Christian people who speak a Slavic

language and originated in Eastern Europe.

They played an important role in the historical and cultural development of both Ukraine and Russia. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a few deep breaths. There was once upon a time a man and a woman and they had one little boy. In the summer time they used to go out and mow corn in the fields and one summer when and they had laid their little lad by the side of a sheath, an eagle swooped down, caught up the child, carried him into a forest, and laid him in its nest. Now in this forest, three rough bandits chance to be wandering at the same time. They heard the child crying in the eagle's nest, so they climbed up the tall oak tree on which was the nest, said one to another, let us raise him as our own. So he brought down the lad, and they nurtured him and gave him the name of Trimseen. They brought up Trem Zin until he became a youth, and then they gave him a silver-colored horse, set him upon it, and set to him, now go out into the wide world and search for thy father and thy mother. So Tremsine went out into the wide world and pastured his steed on the vast steppes, which were the flat grasslands of Eastern Europe and Siberia. His trusty steed stopped trotting along one day, turned his handsome neck to look back at Tremseen and spoke. He said, When we have gone a little farther, that will see before thee an extraordinarily beautiful plume lying on the ground. It will be a feather from the bird-king. Do not pick it up, or sore trouble will be thine. Trim scene listened to this thoughtfully, and they went on their way again. They trotted on and on through ten kingdoms known as Zardoms, and on they went until they came to another empire where lay the feather. the young lad sent to himself. Why should I not pick up the feather when it shines so brightly even from afar? And he went near to the feather, and it shone so that the like of it cannot be expressed or conceived or imagined or even told of in tales. I'm seen picked up the feather and went into the town over yonder.

And in that town there lived a rich noble man. Trim scene entered the house of this noble man and said, Sir, may I not take service with thee as a laborer? The noble men looked at him, and seeing that he was cumbly and stalwart said, Why not? Of course Thou may said he.

So he took him into his service. Now this noble man had many servants, and they curried his horses for him, and made them smart and glossy against the day he should go hunting. And Tremsine began to carry his horse likewise, and the servants of the noble men could not make the horses of their master so shining bright as Treremsyne made his own silver horse. So they looked more closely and they perceived that when Tremsyne cleaned his horse, he stroked at with the feather of the bird-king and the coat of the good-steed straight away shone like burnished silver. Then those servants were filled with envy and sad amongst themselves. How can we get rid of this guy? They deliberated and decided thus, will saddle him with a task he is unable to do, and then our master will drive him away. So they went to their master and said, Trimsyne has a feather of the Bird King and he says that if he likes he can get the bird king himself. Then the noble men sent for Tram-scene and said to him, Oh, Tram-scene, my good servants say that thou can't get the bird-king if thou dost choose. Tram-scene replied, Nay, but I cannot. I don't want to hear no as an answer. Said the noble men, if you want to stay peacefully in my town any longer, you must do as I say. Then, Tramseen went away solemnly to his shining silver horse. My master said he hath given me a task to do that will ruin me. What task is that?" asked the horse. Why? To fetch him the bird-king. Why? That's not a task, but a trifle. Replied the horse. Let us go to the steps. It continued, and let me go up browsing. But do thou strip thyself, stark naked, and lie down in the grass. And the bird-king will straight away swoop down to catch you in its talons. As soon as you feel its talons touch you, seize him by the legs. So, when they got to the wild steps, Trum seen stripped himself naked and flung himself in the grass, and immediately the bird king swooped down to lift the lad up into the air. Then, trim scene seized him by both legs and mounted his horse and carried the bird king to the nobleman. Then his fellow servants were more envious than ever and they said among themselves. We've underestimated the boy. How shall we devise for him a task to do that can really not be done and so rid him altogether? So they thought themselves, and then they went to the noble men and said, Trumph Seen says that to get the bird king was nothing, and that he is also able to fetch the gorgeous mermaid Nastasia of the sea. Then, the noble men again sent for trim-scene and said to him, Look now, thou didst get me the bird-king. See that thou now also get for me that lovely Nastasia of the sea I've heard about. But I cannot, sir," said Trimstein. Answer me not so," replied the nobleman. You absolutely must obey me for I rule this town. Then, Trem scene went out to his horse and sorrowfully leaned upon its silver neck. Why are you so sad? Asked the faithful steed. How could I not feel this way, he replied, my master has given me a task that cannot

be done.

What task is that?

Why to fetch him the magical and beautiful mermaid Nastasia? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, any random goods found in a market, and wine and spirits in bottles and flasks, and the extraordinary nostalgia will come and purchase thy wares, and then thou may bring her back with you.

And when asked, the noblemen did so?

He ordered white tents to be pitched by the seashore,

and bought scarves and curchiefs, and spread them out in a pleasing manner and made great store of wine and brandy in bottles and flasks. Trim scene rode the tents, and while he was on his way, his horse sent to him. Now, when I go to grace, do thou lie down and feign to sleep. Then Then the lovely Nostasia will appear and say, What for thy wares, but do thou keep silence? But when she begins to taste of the wine and the brandy, she will get very sleepy in the tent, then thou can catch her easily. So, tremseen lay down and feigned to sleep, and forth from the sea came the beautiful the st nostalgia, and went up to the tents and asked, merchant, merchant, what for thy wares? But he lay there and moved never a limb. him, the magical creature asked the same thing over and over again. But getting no answer went into the tents where stood the flasks and the bottles. tasted of the wine, how good it was. She tasted of the brandy. That was still better. So from tasting, she fell to drinking. First, she drank a little, and then she drank a little more, and at last, she went to sleep in the tent. Then, trim scene lifted up the lovely mermaid and put her behind him on horseback and carried her off to the noble men. The noble men praised Trem scene exceedingly, but the thrice lovely Nastasia said, Look now, since Thou hast found the feather of the bird-kang, and the bird-kang himself. Since also Thou hast hast found me, thou must now fetch me also my little coral necklace from the sea. Then, trim-scene, went out to his faithful steed, and wept storely, and told him all about it. And the horse said to him, did I not tell thee that grievous woe would come upon thee if thou didst pick up that feather? But then the horse added.

Come. And they if thou didst pick up that feather. But then the horse added, Come, weep not. After all, it is not a task, but a trifle. Then they went along by the sea. And the horse said to him, Let me out to grace, and then keep watch till thou seest, A crab come forth from the sea, and then say to him, I'll catch thee. So, trim scene let his horse out to grace, and he himself stood by the seashore, and watched, and watched, Till he saw a crab, come swimming along. Then he said to the crab, I'll catch thee. Oh, seize me not, said the crab, but let me get back into the sea, and I'll be of great service to thee." "'Very well,' said Trum seen. "'But thou must kept me from the sea, the coral necklace of the mermaid nostalgia.' And with that, he let the crab go back into the sea again. Then the crab called together all her young crabs, and they collected all the coral and brought it ashore and gave it to Tramsine. Then the faithful steed came running up and Tramsine mounted it and took the quarrel to Nostalgia. Well, Sidness Dazia, though has got the feather of the bird king, thou has got the bird king itself, thou has got me my quarrel. Get me now from the sea my herd of wild horses. Tr, Tramcine was soar distressed and went out to his faithful steed and told him all about it. Well, said the horse, this time, it is no trifle but a real hard task. Go now to thy master and bid him by twenty hikes and twenty pounds of pitch and twenty pounds of flax and 20 pounds of hair. So, Trimstein went to his master and told him and his master bought all of it. Then Trim scene loaded his horse with all this, and to the sea they went together. And when they came to the sea, the horse said, Now lay upon me the hides, and the tar, and the flags, and lay them in this order. First a hide, and then some tar, and then some flags, and so on, Lay laying them thus till they are all laid. Trimsyne did so. And now, said the horse, I shall plunge into the sea, and when thou seest a large blue wave riding towards the shore, run away till the blue wave has passed, and thou dost see a white wave coming. And then sit down on the shore and keep watch of that wave as it drives towards you. I shall then come out of the sea, and after me the whole herd of sea horses. Now I must strike with the horse hair, the horse which gallops

immediately after me, and he will not be too strong for thee. So the faithful steed plunged into the sea.

And Tram scene sat down. The faithful steed plunged into the sea.

And Tramseen sat down on the shore and watched. The horse swam out to a sea forest that rose out of the sea. there the herd of sea horses was grazing. When the strong charger of Nastasia saw him and the hides he carried on his back, it set off after him at full tilt. and the whole herd followed the strong charger of Nastasia. They drove the horse with the heights into the sea and pursued him. Then he caught up with the steed of trem scene and tore off one of his hides and began to tear it to fragments as he ran. Then the charger caught up to him a second time and tore off another hide and began to chew that in like manner. And thus he ran after tremesine steed for 70 miles, till he had torn off all of the hides and chewed them to bits. But Trum scene sat upon the seashore till he saw the large white billow, bounding in, And behind the Billao came his own horse, and behind his own horse came the charger of the lovely Nostalgia with the whole herd at his heels. seen, struck him right on the forehead with the pounds of hair, and immediately he stood stock still. Trim scene through a halter over the charger.

Mounted and drove the whole herd to the lovely mermaid. Nistatia praised Trimcine for his prowess, and said to him, Well, thou has got the feather of the bird king.

Thou has got the bird-king itself. Thou has got me my coral and my herd of horses. Now milk my mare and put the milk into three vats, so that there may be milk caught as boiling water in the first vat, lukewarm milk in the second vat, and icy cold milk in the third vat. Then Tram scene went out to his faithful steed for help. For now he knew not to be sorry. Nostalgia has given me a task to do that cannot be done. I am to fill three vats with the milk from her mare, and the milk must be boiling hot in the first vat, and lukewarm the second, and icy cold in the third fat. Oh-ho! Cry the great, silver horse! That is not a task, but a trifle. I'll go talk sweetly to the mare, which I excel at doing, so that she will not mind at all, giving so much milk.

So, Tremseen did so. He milked the three vats full, and the milk in the first vat was boiling hot and in the second fat, and in the second Vat warm, and in the third Vat freezing cold. When all was ready, the lovely Nostalgia set to trem scene. Now leap first of all into the cold fat, and then into the warm fat, and then into the boiling hot fat. At this point, Trem scene blindly leaped into the first fat, and leaped out again an old man. He leaped into the first fat and leaped out again an old man. He leaped into the second fat and leaped out again a youth. He leaped into the third fat but when he leaped out again he was so young and handsome that no pen can describe it. And no tail can tell of it. Then the incredible mermaid herself leapt into the vats. She dived into the first vat and came out an old woman. She leaped into the second vat and came out a young maid. But when she leaped into the third vat and out of it again. She was such a handsome and goodly woman that no pen can describe it, and no tale can tell of it. Then Nastasia made the noble men leap into the vats. He leaped into the first vat and became quite old. He leaped into the second vat and became quite young. He leaped into the third vat and turned into flower petals that floated off in the breeze. Nostasia then turned to trim scene with love and joy in her eyes. She placed her hands in his, and they climbed together on the back of the silvery steed and trotted off to plan their wedding after, of course, Drem scene fired all of the noblemen's terrible servants. Then the pair lived happily together on the noblemen's estate in peace and harmony.