Music Welcome to Snewscast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snewscast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by a life of luxury. Tonight, to start off our fifth annual Spooky Sleep Story series, we shall read the opening to The Metamorphosis written by friends Kafka and first published in 1915. Tune in every Wednesday this month for sleep stories of the darker variety, like classic horror literature and ghost stories, read in a way to evoke a mood of spookiness without actually causing a fright. up on previous years by finding our free stand-alone podcast series, Snooze Cast Presents Spooky Stories. Or if you're a premium subscriber, look for Snooze Cast Plus or Snooze Cast Plus Deluxe, spooky stories instead to listen ad-free. The metamorphosis is referred to as a masterpiece of existential literature because of how it demands the reader to accept the absurdity of our lived, modern, human reality. Although some of the events may be fantastical, the ideas about existence and humanity are highly relatable. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. your body into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. Good morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from dreaming, he found himself transformed in his bed into a giant bug. He lay on his armor-like back, and if he lifted his head a little, he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections. The bedding was hardly able to cover it and seemed ready to slide off any moment. His many legs, thin compared with the size of the rest of him, waived about helplessly as he looked. What's happened to me? He thought. It wasn't a dream. His room, a proper human room, Although a little too small lay peacefully between its four familiar walls. A collection of textile samples lay spread out on the table. Samsa was a traveling salesman, and above it, there hung a picture that he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and housed in a nice, gilded frame. It showed a lady fitted out with a fur hat and fur boa who sat upright, raising a heavy for Muff that covered the hole of her lower arm towards the viewer. Gregor then turned to look out the window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting the pain. How about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense? He thought, but that was something he was unable to do because he was used to sleeping on his right, and in his present state couldn't get into that position. However hard he threw himself onto his right, he always rolled back to where he was. He must have tried it a hundred times, shut his eyes so that he wouldn't have to look at the floundering legs and only stopped when he began to feel a mild dull ache that he had never felt before. Oh, he thought, what a strenuous career it is that I have chosen. Traveling day in and day out. business like this takes much more effort than doing your own business at home. And on top of that, there's the curse of traveling about making train connections, irregular food, contact with different people all the time so that you can never get to know anyone. He felt a slight itch up on his belly, pushed himself slowly up on his back towards the headboard so that he could lift his head better, found where the itch was, but couldn't reach it. He slid back into his former position. Getting up early all the time, he thought, it makes you stupid. You've got to get enough sleep. Other traveling salesmen live a life of luxury. For instance, whenever I go back to the guest house during the morning to copy out the contract, these gentlemen are always still sitting there eating their breakfast. I ought to just try that with my boss. I'd get kicked out on the spot, but who knows? Maybe that would be the best thing for me. If I didn't have my parents to think about, I'd have given in my notice a long time ago. I'd have gone up to the boss and told him just what I think. Tell him everything I would. Let him know just what I feel. He'd fall right off his desk.

And it's a funny sort of business to be sitting up there at your desk, talking down at your support and ins from up there, especially when you have to go right up close because the boss is hard of hearing. Well, there's still some hope. Once I've got the money together to pay off my parents debt to him, another five or six years, I suppose, that's definitely what I'll do. That's when I'll make the big change. First of all, though, I've got to get up. My train leaves at 5.

And he looked over at the alarm clock

ticking on the chest of drawers.

Dear me, he thought it was half past six and the hands were quietly moving forwards. It was even later than half past, more like quarter to seven. Had the alarm clock not wrong? He could see from the bed that it had been sat for four o'clock as it should have been. It certainly must have wrong. Yes, but was it possible to quietly sleep through that furniture rattling noise? True, he had not slept peacefully, but probably all the more deeply because of that. What should he do now? The next train went at seven. If he were to catch that, he would have to rush and the collection of samples was still not packed. And he did not at all feel particularly fresh and lively. And even if he did catch the train, he would not avoid his bosses frustration as the office assistant would have been there to see the five o'clock train go. He would have to put in his report about Gregor's not being there a long time ago. The office assistant was the boss's man, and with no understanding. What about if he reported sick? But that would be suspicious. As in five years of service, Gregor had never once yet called out sec. His boss would certainly come round with the doctor from the medical insurance company. Accuses parents of having a lazy son and accept the doctor's recommendation not to make any claim as the doctor believed that no one was ever ill, but that many were work shy. And what's more, would he have been entirely wrong in this case? Gregor did, in fact, apart from excessive sleepinginess after sleeping for so long, feel completely well, and even felt much hungrier than usual. He was still thinking all this through, unable to decide to get out of the bed when the clock struck quarter to seven. There was a cautious knock at the door near his head. Gregor, somebody called. It was his mother. It's quarter to seven. Didn't you want to go somewhere? That gentle voice, Gregor was shocked when he heard his own voice answering. It could hardly be recognized as the voice he had had before. As if from deep inside him, there was a squeaking mixed in with it. The words could be made out at first, but then there was a sort of echo, which made them unclear, leaving the hearer unsure whether he had heard properly or not. Gregor had wanted to give a full answer and explain everything, but in the circumstances contented himself with saying, Yes, Mother, yes, thank you, I'm getting up now. The change in Gregor's voice probably could not be noticed outside through the wooden door, as his mother was satisfied with this explanation and shuffled away. But this short conversation made the other members of the family aware that Gregor, against their expectations, was still at home, and soon his father came knocking at one of the side doors gently, but with his fist. Gregor, Gregor, he called. Gregor, Gregor. At the other side door, his sister came plaintively. Gregor, are you not feeling well? Do you need anything? Gregor answered to both sides. I'm ready now, making an effort to remove all the strangeness from his voice by enunciating very carefully and putting long pauses between each individual word. His father went back to his breakfast, but his sister whispered, Gregor, open the door. Gregor, however, had no thought of opening the door, and instead congratulated himself for his cautious habit, acquired from his traveling of locking all doors at night even when he was at home. The first thing he wanted to do was to get up in peace without being disturbed, to get dressed, and most of all to have breakfast. then would he consider what to do next, as he was well aware that he would not bring his thoughts to any sensible conclusions by lying in bed. He remembered that he had often felt a slight achiness in bed, perhaps caused by lying awkwardly, but that it always turned out to be pure imagination, and he wondered how his imaginings would slowly resolve themselves today. He did not have the slightest doubt that the change in his voice was nothing more than the first sign of catching a cold, which was an occupational hazard for traveling salesmen. It was a simple matter to throw off the covers. He had to blow himself up a little and they fell off by themselves. But it became difficult after that, especially as he was so exceptionally broad. He would have used his arms and his hands to push himself up, but instead of them, he only had all those little legs continuously moving in different directions, in which he was more over unable to control. If he wanted to bend one of them, then that was the first one that would stretch itself out. And if he finally managed to do what he wanted with that leg, all the others seemed to be set free and would move about. This is something that can't be done in bed, Gregor said to himself, so don't keep trying to do it. The first thing he wanted to do was get the lower part of his body out of the bed, but he had never seen this lower part and could not imagine what it looked like. It turned out to be too hard to move. It went so slowly. And finally, almost in a frenzy, when he carelessly shoved himself forwards with all the force he could gather, he chose the wrong direction and hit hard against the lower bedpost. So then he tried to get the top part of his body out of the bed first.

Carefully turning his head to the side.

This he managed quite easily.

And despite its breath and its weight,

the bulk of his body eventually followed slowly in the direction of the head. But when he had at last got his head out of the bed and into the fresh air, it occurred to him that if he let himself fall, he could get hurt. So he became afraid to carry on pushing himself forward the same way. And he could not knock himself out now at any price, better to stay in the bed than to lose consciousness. It took just as much effort to get back to where it had been earlier. But when he lay there, sighing, and was once more watching his legs, as they struggled against each other, if that was possible, he could think of no way to bring peace and order to this chaos. He told himself once more that it was not possible for him to stay in bed, and that the most sensible thing to do would be to get free of it in whatever way he could at whatever sacrifice. At the same time, though, he did not forget to remind himself that calm consideration was much better than rushing to desperate conclusions. At times like this he would direct his eyes to the window and look out as clearly as he could. But unfortunately, even the other side of the narrow street was enveloped in morning fog and the view had little confidence or cheer to offer him. Seven o'clock already, he said to himself, when the clock struck again. Seven o'clock, and there's still a fog like this. And he lay there quietly a while longer, breathing lightly, as if he perhaps expected the total stillness to bring things back to their real and natural state. But then he said to himself, before it strikes quarter past seven, I'll definitely have to have gotten out of bed properly. And by then somebody will have come round from work to ask what's happened to me as well, as they open up at work before seven o'clock.

And so he set himself to the task of swinging the entire length of his body out of the bed all at the same time. If he succeeded in falling out of bed in this way and kept his head raised as he did so,

he could probably avoid injuring it. His back seemed to be quite hard, and probably nothing would happen to it falling onto the carpet. His main concern was for the loud noise he was bound to make, in which even through all the doors would probably raise concern if not alarm. But it was something that had to be rescued. When Gregor was already sticking halfway out of the bed, the new method was more of a game than an effort. All he had to do was roll back and forth, rocking back and forth. It occurred to him how simple everything would be if somebody came to help him. Two strong people. He had his father and the maid in mind would have been more than enough. They would only have to push their arms under the dome of his back. Peel him away from the bed. Bend down with the load, and then be patient and careful as he swaying over onto the floor, where, hopefully, the little legs would find a use. Should he really call for help, though, even apart from the fact that all the doors were locked? Despite all this difficulty he was currently in, he could not suppress a smile at this thought. After a while, he had already moved so far across that it would have been hard for him to keep his balance if he rocked too hard. time time was now 10 past seven, and he would have to make a final decision very soon. Then, there was a ring at the door of the flat. That'll be someone from work, he said to himself, and froze very still, although his little

legs only became all the more lively as they danced around. For a moment, everything remained quiet. They're not opening the door.

Gregor said to himself, caught in some nonsensical hope. But then of course, the maid's firm steps went to the door as ever and opened it. Gregor only needed to hear the visitors' first words of greeting, and he knew who it was. The chief clerk himself. Why did Gregor have to be the only one condemned to work for a company where they immediately became highly suspicious at the slightest shortcoming? After all the employees, every one of them, louts, was there not one of them who was faithful and devoted, who would go so mad with pangs of conscience, that he couldn't get out of bed if he didn't spend at least a couple of hours in the morning on company business. Was it really not enough to let one of the trainees make enquiries? Assuming enquiries were even necessary? Did the chief clerk have to come himself? And did they have to show the whole innocent family that this was so suspicious that only the chief clerk could be trusted to have the wisdom to investigate it? And more because these thoughts had made him upset, then through any proper decision, he swang himself with all his force out of the bed. There was a loud thump, but it wasn't really a loud noise. His fall was softened a little by the carpet, and Gregor's back was also more elastic than he had thought, which made the sound muffled and not too noticeable. He had not held his head carefully enough, though, and hit it as he fell. Anoid, he turned it and rubbed it against the carpet. Some things fallen down in there, said the chief clerk in the room on the left. Gregor tried to imagine whether something of the sort that had happened to him today could ever happen to the chief clerk too. You had to concede that it was possible. But as if in gruff reply to this question, the chief clerk's firm foot steps in his highly polished boots could now be heard in the adjoining room. From the room on his right, Gregor's sister whispered to him to let him know, Gregor, the chief clerk is here. Yes, I know, said Gregor to himself, but without daring to raise his voice loud enough for his sister to hear him. Gregor said his father now from the room to his left. The chief clerk has come round and wants to know why you didn't leave on the early train. We don't know what to say to him. And anyway, he wants to speak to you personally. So please open up this door. I'm sure he'll be good enough to forgive the untightiness of your room. Then the chief clerk called. Good morning, Mr. Samza. He isn't well, said his mother to the chief clerk, while his father continued to speak through the door. He isn't well, please believe me. Why else would Gregor have missed a train? The lad only ever thinks about the business. It never makes me cross the way he never goes out in the evenings. He's been in town for a week now, but stayed home every evening. He sits with us in the kitchen and just reads the paper or studies train timetables. His idea of relaxation is working with his front saw. He's made a little frame. For instance, it only took him two or three evenings. You'll be amazed how nice it is, it's hanging in his room. You'll see it as soon as Gregor opens up the door.

Anyway, I'm glad you're here. We wouldn't have been able to get Gregor to open the door by ourselves. He's so stubborn. And I'm sure he isn't well. He said this morning that he is, but he isn't. I'll be there in a moment, said Gregor slowly and thoughtfully, but without moving so that he would not miss any word of the conversation. Well, I can't think of any other way of explaining it, Mrs. Samsa. Said the chief clerk, I hope it's nothing serious. on the other hand, I must say that if we people in commerce ever become slightly unwell, then fortunately or unfortunately as you like, we simply have to overcome it because of business considerations. Can the chief clerk come in to see you now then? Asked his father impatiently, knocking at the door again. No, said Gregor, in the room on his right there followed a silence. So why did his sister not go and join the others? She had probably only just got up and had not even begun to get dressed. And why was she crying? Was it because he had not got up and had not left the chief clerk in? There was no need to worry about things like that. Gregor was still there and had not the slightest intention of abandoning his family. For the time being, he just lay there on the carpet and no one who knew the condition he was in would seriously have expected him to let the chief clerk in. It was only a minor discuracy, and a suitable excuse could easily be found for it later on. It was not something for which Gregor could be sacked on the spot. And it seemed to Gregor much more sensible to leave him now in peace, instead of disturbing him with talking at him. But the others didn't know what was happening. And so that would excuse their behavior. The chief clerk now raised his voice. Mr. Semsa, he called to him, What's wrong? You barricade yourself in your room? Give us no more than yes or no for an answer. You are causing unnecessary concern to your parents. And you fail. And if I mention this just by the way, you fail to carry out your business duties in a way that is quite unheard of. I'm speaking here on behalf of your parents and of your employer, and really must request a clear and immediate explanation. I'm astonished, quite astonished. I thought I knew you as a calm and sensible person, and now you suddenly seem to be showing off with peculiar whims. This morning, your employer did suggest a possible reason for your failure to appear. It's true. It had to do with the money that was recently entrusted to you. But I came near to giving him my word of honor, that that could not be the right explanation. Mr. Samsa cannot allow there to be. But sir, called Gregor, beside himself and forgetting all else in the excitement, I'll open up immediately just a moment. I'm not feeling well, I've been

dizzy, I haven't been able to get up. I'm still in bed now. I'm quite fresh again now Now though, I'm just getting out of bed.

Just a moment.

Be patient.

It's not quite as easy as I'd thought. I'm quite all right now, though. I was quite all right last night. My parents know about it. Perhaps better than me. They must have noticed. I don't know why I didn't let you know it work. Please, there's no basis of making any accusations. Maybe you haven't read the latest contracts I sent in. I'll set off with the eight o'clock train as well. These few hours of rest have given me strength. You don't need to wait, sir. I'll be in the office soon after you. please be so good as to tell that to the boss and recommend me to him. And while Gregor gushed out these words, hardly knowing what he was saying, He made his way over to the chest of drawers. He really did want to open the door. Really did want to let them see him and speak with the chief clerk.

And he was curious to learn what they would say

when they conceded of him. Yn yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n yw'n gweld. Yn yw'n gweld. Yn yw'n gweld.

Yn yw'n gweld.

Yn yw'n gweld.

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