Welcome to Drift Off, bedtime stories to help you unwind, relax, and drift off.

Thank you for joining me, I'm your host Joanne and it's a pleasure helping you get

restful sleep. You may have noticed that I don't have ads on the podcast, that's because

I want the space to be restful, and instead of reading ads, I'd much rather read you

or relaxing bedtime story. That's why I created this podcast, to offer you a calming, listening

experience where nothing else is needed of you. Only a quiet space where your imagination

can be free to drift off far, far away from your daily obligations and to help you ease

into a restful night's sleep. So if you're enjoying the show and want to support the podcast

so we can continue making more sleepy bedtime stories, check out our Premium Membership where

you can enjoy intro-free episodes, you'll have access to two bonus episodes per month,

a monthly guided relaxation to help you get sleepy, and as of most recently, you'll have

access to the entire audiobook little house in the big woods, over three and a half hours

of continuous storytelling to help you drift off. You can sign up today at driftoff.supercast.com

or see the link in the show notes that's driftoff.supercast.com

Tonight's bedtime reading is the story of the ugly duckling by Hans Christian Anderson.

This classic tale leans towards the themes of bullying, discrimination, and the importance

of being true to yourself. Now because this is a vintage fairy tale, it may contain language

and narrative descriptions that may be disturbing or offensive in our modern day. However,

it can be a powerful story for young listeners to be introduced to the concepts of difference,

acceptance, and bullying. And so, as always, my friend, take a moment of settling comfortably

into your bed. Feel the softness of the pillows and blankets. Feeling all coffee and cozy

as the day now comes to an end. Take a full comfortable breath. And as you exhale, relax

...