Welcome, dear listeners to Drift Off, where we leave the worries of the day behind and journey into the calming world

of bedtime stories. I'm your host Joanne, and I'm so glad you're here. Tonight we'll be

sharing a charming tale called The Fiery Dragon by Edith Nesbett, a magical story full of bravery, friendship, and just the right touch of

adventure to lull you into a peaceful sleep. Just a small reminder, if you'd like to support the

podcast and enjoy bonus bedtime stories each month, you can subscribe to Drift Off Premium.

Your support helps keep the podcast ad-free and going strong, and I'm truly grateful for

it.

Before we begin, let's take a moment to settle in.

Gently close your eyes. Take a moment to settle in.

Gently close your eyes if you feel comfortable and take a slow, deep breath in and a long,

soft breath out.

Allow your body to soften a little more with each breath.

Feeling the day melt away, knowing there's nothing you need to do right now but rest.

And so, my friend, snuggle under those cozy blankets, and let's begin our story.

Thank you. The Little White Princess always woke in her little white bed when the starlings began to chatter in the pearl gray morning. As soon as the woods were awake, she used to run up the twisting turret stairs with her little

bare feet and stand on the top of the tower in her white bedgown and kiss her hands to the

sun and to the woods and to the sleeping town and say, good morning, pretty world.

Then she would run down the cold stone steps and dress herself in her short skirt and her cap and apron and begin the day's work. She swept the rooms and made the breakfast. She washed the dishes

and she scoured the pans, and all this she did

because she was a real princess. For all who should have served her, only one remained faithful,

her old nurse, who had lived with her in the tower all the princess's life. And now the nurse was old and feeble. The

princess would not let her work anymore, but did all the housework herself, while nurse sat still

...