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Good evening and welcome to the sleepy book shelf where we put down our worries from the day and pick

up a good book.

I'm your host, Elizabeth.

Thank you for coming to the book shelf tonight.

This evening, we are returning to the Nutcracker and the Mouse King.

But before that, let's take some time to unwind and relax.

Take a big stretch wherever you are right now

and feel the tension release from your muscles.

Now, inhale through your nose for one, two, three, and four.

And now out through your mouth for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, 7, 8.

If you like, you can keep breathing like this

while I recap on our last episode.

The night before Christmas, Fritz and Marie Stalbaum were excited about the presents they were about to receive.

Marie got a lovely new doll, and Fritz was gifted a new set of soldiers and a toy pony.

Their godfather Drosselmyel always gave them the most beautiful

handmade clockwork toys, which were usually stored away safely after they were presented to them.

This year, it was a large castle with lots of intricate details and little figures dancing in and out of the rooms inside.

Shortly after, Marie's eye was caught by a smartly dressed little soldier with a big toothy grin.

Her father explained it was a nutcracker and placed him under Marie's protection.

When Fritz got hold of it, however,

...