Latest / Abide Meditation App / Calming Bedtime Story _ Relax at the Renaissance Fair _ Peaceful Story to Make you FALL ASLEEP FAST

Transcript

Calming Bedtime Story _ Relax at the Renaissance Fair _ Peaceful Story to Make you FALL ASLEEP FAST · Abide Meditation App

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks so much
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: for tuning in and trusting in us to help you
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: get a good night's rest. Simon will be reading to
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: us tonight. I'm so looking forward to you hearing our story.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Sometimes our lives nowadays can seem complicated and overwhelming. Although
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: modern conveniences are supposed to make everyday tasks easier, it
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: can also quite easily go the other way and we
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: soon find our schedules filled up with a different type
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: of stress that simply didn't exist many years ago when
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: life seemed so much simpler. Tonight, we'll leave the modern
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: world behind and spend a day exploring the sights and
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: sounds of a Renaissance fair. Of course, because this is
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: a sleepy story, our journey will have all the charm
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: of a true Renaissance village, but with even more magic
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: and fellowship. Now then, It's time to leave today behind,
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: to put all physical distractions to one side and let
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: your mind follow suit, parking anything it's trying to problem
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: solve until tomorrow. It's time for bed and for a
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: good night's rest. So allow your breathing to just ease
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: and draw out into a relaxing rhythm that encourages a
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: greater sense of calm. And as you breathe, just focus
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: on the way your body feels. notice the points of
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: contact with the bed below where does the body press
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: deeper into the mattress and where is there a lightness
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: to that pressure how about the blankets or covers keeping
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: you warm how does it feel to be cocooned within
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: them safe and snug ready to rest and just feel
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: for any tension or achiness in the body at this
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: time if anything arises then just use the calming wave-like
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: motion of the breath to invite calm and relaxation into
• 3:26
  Speaker 1: those areas. All is peaceful and you can enjoy this
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: chance to rest. Now, let your mind drift away from
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: the here and now as though you're entering a dream
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: drift farther and farther back in time, to an era
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: when people rode horses, made their own foods and goods,
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: and rarely left their own village. This is where our
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: story begins.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: You find yourself standing in front of the gate to
• 4:44
  Speaker 2: a walled city. Colourful flags fly on either side of
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: the entrance, rippling cheerfully in the autumn breeze. You shield
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: your eyes from the sparkling October sun and look up
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: at the grey stone wall in front of you. A
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: man in a velvet cloak stands atop it, waving a
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: metal tankard about, as he welcomes the other merrymakers assembled
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: near you. Good day, fine people, he says. You turn
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: and smile at your friend, who is standing at your side.
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: You are ready to enjoy a magical day at the
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: Renaissance Fair. The two of you walk through the shadowy
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: interior of the entrance and emerge in another world, a
• 5:43
  Speaker 2: charming village in the forest unfolds before you. Ahead, a
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: dirt road is bordered by small buildings of medieval half-timbered construction.
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: Tall trees cluster here and there, bowing gracefully over the dwellings,
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: creating a sheltering canopy. Evidence of autumn is abundant in
• 6:12
  Speaker 2: the softly rustling orange, red and golden leaves that occasionally
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: drift to the ground. From somewhere nearby, a light smell
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: of wood smoke hovers in the air. Off to the side,
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: a group of wonderfully costumed minstrels plays an animated tune
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: with a panpipe, drums and a tambourine. Not to be
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: left out of the fun, two women wearing peasant costumes
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: link arms and dance, kicking up their heels under their
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: full skirts and clapping their hands on cue. This weather
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: is the best October has to offer. The slight morning
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: chill is melting into a day that is temperate and bright,
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: the fresh breeze that blows just briskly enough to invigorate you.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: From somewhere up ahead, the tantalizing scent of sugar and
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: hot cider drifts by. You can tell already that you'll
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: be tempted by some delicious fried dough soon. Walking slowly forward,
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: you see the costume vendors first. In a row of
• 7:36
  Speaker 2: small houses nearby, a handful of customers gather around the
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: shop assistants, they're waiting to shed their mundane modern clothing
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: for something more fanciful. A wide skirt, a flowing linen shirt,
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: or a lace-up vest or bodice. Here at the fair,
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: you can fully immerse yourself in fairy tales and become
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: part of the story. Your attention is drawn to a
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: family standing nearby, The parents are in ordinary street clothes,
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: but their children are decked out in the Renaissance fantasy
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: of their choosing. One little girl wears a silky pink
• 8:26
  Speaker 2: princess dress, complete with a sparkly wand and a tiara
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: that slips to the side of her head. Her sister
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: prefers to play the colourful villain, fully concealed inside a
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: green velveteen dragon costume. Her face peeks eagerly out of
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: the open mouth with its jagged felt teeth. A regal couple,
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: dressed in the heavy finery of the nobility, stops at
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: their side, and the man chuckles, saying, Princess, I do
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: believe you are plagued by a fierce dragon. Shall we
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: call upon the knights of the realms Both the princess
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: and the dragon stare back in awe, unsure of how
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: to respond, while the parents laugh. Then they nod and
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: usher the children onward. The little ones spot a street
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: performer who is making enormous pastel bubbles in the air
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: and head delightedly in that direction. Your friend strolls ahead
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: of you to examine a weaponry vendor nearby. The inventory
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: is impressive. Metal swords of many different sizes hang along
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: the wall. Each one has elegant engravings. With the owner's permission,
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: you're free. picks one up. He laughs when he finds
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: it unexpectedly heavy. He says that he would certainly not
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: be able to carry it around all day, let alone
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: fight with it. The shopkeeper suggests humorously that one of
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: the little wooden swords for children would be more to
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: his liking. Your friend picks one of the children's swords
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: up and nods approvingly, much easier to manage. Leaving the
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: swords behind, you wander next door to an essential oils shop.
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: The most heavenly scents emanate from its rows of shelves
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: and tables lined with bottles. you randomly select one bottle
• 10:53
  Speaker 2: made of dark blue glass and gently remove the stopper
• 10:57
  Speaker 2: to inhale. It turns out this one is spicy. Replacing
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: the stopper, you move on to a different container down
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: the row. Lifting it up to your nose, you decide
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: it's quite different, a bit floral. An entire row of
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: bottles in a brown colour turn out to be citrus smells.
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: They entice you with the aroma of lemons, limes and oranges.
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: Behind them is a row of dark green bottles. You
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: uncork one and the aroma that wafts from the bottle
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: is a mixture of pine trees and spices, as if
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: you're actually inhaling the month of December. The bottle next
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: to it continues the winter theme with a delicious smell
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: of peppermint. You close your eyes and see snowy landscapes
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: in your head. Either of these would be perfect for
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: the holidays, you think to yourself. You look around and
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: realise your friend has moved on to watch a candle-making
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: demonstration at the wax chandler. a woman in homespun simple
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: garb is showing a few children how it is done.
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: She patiently demonstrates the pouring of hot wax around the wick,
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: explaining how long it will take the candle to cool
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: inside the mold. She talks about how bees make beeswax,
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: secreting liquid that hardens into scales. A healthy worker bee
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: can produce about 8 to 12 scales in an hour,
• 12:58
  Speaker 2: she says. The small onlookers are surprised to hear that
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: it takes about 1,000 wax scales to make just a
• 13:08
  Speaker 2: gram of beeswax. In fact, she says, according to the
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: British Beekeepers Association, a group of bees must visit about
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: 30 million flowers just to make a pound of beeswax.
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: Hearing this, you begin to appreciate candles in a whole
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: new way. Out of the corner of your eye, you
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: see a woman selling flower wreaths that can be worn
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: as a crown. You are irresistibly drawn to the sight
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: of them, with their many coloured ribbons and delicate buds.
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: you watch a woman who is selecting one. She seems
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: to be in the autumnal spirit because she chooses one
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: densely packed with flowers the colour of a sunset. Red,
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: orange and gold blooms circle the crown and a burnt
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: orange silk ribbon falls from the back. The merchant compliments
• 14:18
  Speaker 2: her on looking like quite a fine lady. Then, the
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: merchant nods her thanks, putting the money she's been handed
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: into a drawstring pouch at her waist. The new owner
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: of the flower crown models her elegant new headwear for
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: her friend, and they walk off, laughing together. As you
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: make your way deeper into the woodland village, you have
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: the wonderful feeling that the best amusements lie ahead. a
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: moment of decision occurs when you reach a fork in
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: the road. The hand-painted wooden sign points vaguely toward the
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: amphitheater in one direction and the enchanted forest in another.
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: Judging by the laughter and applause that is coming from
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: the direction of the amphitheater, something very entertaining is going
• 15:19
  Speaker 2: on there at the moment. After some discussion, you and
• 15:24
  Speaker 2: your friend decide to head in that direction to check
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: out the live performance first. You agree to visit the
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: enchanted forest later. The enticing scent of warm pastry and
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: powdered sugar is wafting towards you from somewhere up ahead.
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: You follow the dirt path past a hat store and
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: see that the delicious aroma is coming from a fried
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: dough stall. Inhaling appreciatively as you pass it, you emerge
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: in front of a small open-air auditorium. The stage is
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: positioned low in the centre and wooden benches fan out
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: in a half circle. A troupe of actors appears to
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: be performing a Shakespeare play with some humorous adaptations. the
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: audience claps and laughs with approval as the players cavort
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: on the stage. Sitting down on one of the smooth
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: benches in the back, you and your friend enjoy the
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: show until it ends a few minutes later. You clap
• 16:39
  Speaker 2: and cheer for the performers. When costumed players walk the
• 16:44
  Speaker 2: aisle to pass their feathered hats for tips, you gladly contribute.
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: you realize you're feeling thirsty. So you and your friend
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: head over to the lemonade stand, where you each buy
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: an enormous cup. The mixture of tart and sweet flavors
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: is ice cold, with real lemon slices floating in it.
• 17:12
  Speaker 2: It's so refreshing to sip on as you stroll onward.
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: You've reached a part of the fair with some family-friendly entertainment.
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: Children swing in a contraption powered by two very athletic
• 17:28
  Speaker 2: men dressed in peasant costumes. The riders chortle with delight
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: as their swing circles in the air. Next to that,
• 17:42
  Speaker 2: both adults and children are trying archery. They shoot blunt
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: arrows at hay bales, laughing as they widely miss their targets.
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: The archery attendants joke with them. You might consider practicing
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: some more before applying to the king's guard, they say,
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: wagging their fingers in good humor. Your friend begins watching
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: some people who are playing chess with huge black and
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: white pieces that are as long as your legs. For
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: some reason, It's vastly entertaining to watch them move these
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: enormous figures around the board. You lean against a nearby
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: tree and imagine what each player might do next, mentally
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: figuring what your own move would be. One of the
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: players steps forward and the breeze blows a leaf idly
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: across his path. Your eye follows the leaf as it
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: dances around the rook and then tumbles between two pawns,
• 18:56
  Speaker 2: settling at the edge of the chessboard. Turning your gaze
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: back to the player, you watch as he easily pushes
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: his piece into a new position. Then he smiles at
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: his opponent with an expression of triumphant delight. Your friend
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: sips on his lemonade, no doubt mentally calculating the next
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: best move in the game. He becomes very absorbed. Meanwhile,
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: you're distracted by a jewellery merchant nearby. You stroll over
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: to their display of rings, necklaces, bracelets and anklets. Your
• 19:41
  Speaker 2: eyes roam over the heavy Viking-inspired rings, the bracelets with
• 19:46
  Speaker 2: twisting leaves and Celtic patterns, and the necklaces. embedded with
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: gems of various colours. Your friend returns to your side
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: and suggests the two of you should think about getting
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: a seat in time for the joust. You can tell
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: that the sporting arena is up ahead. the occasional sound
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: of trumpets can be heard, followed by cheering from an audience.
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: You leave the jewellery store behind and follow your friend
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: toward the jolly sound of the crowd. There will be
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: plenty of time for exploring more shops and other curiosities afterward.
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: For now, you are focused on a seat at the
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: big show. as you round another corner, the sheltering trees
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: give way to a grand-looking ring, encircled with bench seating.
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: Many of the benches are already full, as it's getting
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: close to showtime. With only two of you to squeeze in,
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: you and your friend are able to claim a couple
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: of spots at the end of a long bench occupied
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: by a family. Two of the three children have their
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: faces painted in bright colours. The parents are trying to
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: hand the oldest child an enormous roasted turkey leg, and
• 21:18
  Speaker 2: he bites into it somewhat ineffectively. After a few tries,
• 21:24
  Speaker 2: he hands it to his brother, who does the same.
• 21:29
  Speaker 2: The third child, no more than a baby, sits up
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: on his father's knee, wide-eyed at the sight of the
• 21:36
  Speaker 2: activity around him. the performers have divided the spectators into
• 21:42
  Speaker 2: two sides, assigning them a champion to support during the joust.
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: The squires of the respective knights each walk the length
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: of their side of the arena. They're making jokes at
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: the audience and encouraging the spectators to cheer during the
• 22:02
  Speaker 2: upcoming competition. When the regal king and queen appear, in
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: the richly outfitted box at the head of the ring,
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: you know the fun is about to begin. The people
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: watching is as good as the performance. During the joust,
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: you observe groups of revelers wearing all types of costumes.
• 22:29
  Speaker 2: Just behind you, a rowdy collection of pirates exchange stories
• 22:34
  Speaker 2: and jokes, drinking from tankards that hang from their belts.
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: Right next to them, a prim group of ladies appears
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: to whisper together. They are wearing the full velvet dresses
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: of noblewomen, and they each have structured headdresses and veils
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: covering their hair. Across the arena from you is a
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: troop of elves and fairies. The elves are have marvelous
• 23:05
  Speaker 2: pointy ears that make them look quite authentic. Everybody appears
• 23:12
  Speaker 2: to be having a wonderful time. The good natured jousting
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: ends after much cheering from the crowd. Both knights ride
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: their beautiful horses around the ring and awards are given
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: by the king and queen with great ceremony. Afterward, the
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: court withdraws from the royal box, preparing to parade through
• 23:36
  Speaker 2: town and greet the commoners. The spectators slowly fan out
• 23:43
  Speaker 2: into the adjacent food court, ready to enjoy some refreshment
• 23:49
  Speaker 2: and perhaps watch a music or comedy show. At the moment,
• 23:55
  Speaker 2: five women are dancing at a seating area in the centre.
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: As you walk past, you marvel at their smoothly coordinated movements.
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: They smile brightly and exchange cheeky glances, merrily shaking their
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: sequined belts in time with one another. The fair-goers are delighted,
• 24:20
  Speaker 2: clapping with appreciation as each dance is completed. You are
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: faced with a tantalizing array of food choices, ranging from
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: smoothies to gyros to corn on the cob. In the end,
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: you decide to get a shepherd's pie, and your friend
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: opts for a French crepe. You take your lunch and
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: claim a seat where you can watch a juggler in
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: a jester's costume, who is also walking a tightrope. His
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: skill is absolutely amazing, and the crowd shows its appreciation.
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: generous applause. Your pie is delicious. With each bite, the
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: flaky crust gives way to a hearty, fragrant filling that
• 25:13
  Speaker 2: completely satisfies your hunger. Your companion is pleased with his delicate,
• 25:21
  Speaker 2: sweet crepe. It is filled with hazelnut cream and dusted
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: with powdered sugar. The food here is surprisingly good. You
• 25:35
  Speaker 2: savour this moment, tipping your face toward the sun and
• 25:39
  Speaker 2: closing your eyes, while the crowd laughs and applauds around you.
• 25:48
  Speaker 2: Your friend brushes the sugar off his hands and points
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: to a vendor he's interested in visiting. You relinquish your
• 25:58
  Speaker 2: bench to some new arrivals, and walk over to a
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: merchant who is demonstrating and selling old-fashioned wooden games. Most
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: of them are unfamiliar to you, but they come with
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: instructions and are beautifully carved and painted. There is something
• 26:20
  Speaker 2: so appealing about these lovely hand-crafted boards and their playing pieces,
• 26:26
  Speaker 2: which are bagged in simple linen and burlap. you take
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: the game maker's business card and consider seeking him out
• 26:36
  Speaker 2: again when it's time for holiday shopping. You and your
• 26:42
  Speaker 2: friend agree that you still want to take a walk
• 26:44
  Speaker 2: through the enchanted forest, so you head away from the
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: food court to find it. On the edge of the clearing,
• 26:54
  Speaker 2: people are clapping and dancing to lively music in a tavern.
• 27:01
  Speaker 2: Out front, there is a pie eating contest. People can
• 27:07
  Speaker 2: pay to stand at a long table and then attempt
• 27:10
  Speaker 2: to be the first to eat an entire chocolate cream
• 27:13
  Speaker 2: pie without using their hands. There is plenty of humorous
• 27:20
  Speaker 2: shouting regarding pie eating technique and whipped cream covers many faces.
• 27:29
  Speaker 2: You and your friend both laugh and shake your heads
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: You are too full from eating lunch to watch this
• 27:35
  Speaker 2: game for very long. Even using a fork, it's hard
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: to imagine eating an entire pie that quickly. You see
• 27:47
  Speaker 2: another wooden signpost indicating that you're going in the right
• 27:51
  Speaker 2: direction to reach the enchanted forest. On the way, you're
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: tempted to stop at one craftsman after another. wizard capes
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: and wands, rain catchers and wind chimes and dragon carvings
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: are among the many wares being offered at every turn.
• 28:16
  Speaker 2: You know that anything you buy must be carried with you, however. So,
• 28:22
  Speaker 2: you do not allow yourself to linger long in any
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: of the shops, at least for now. Before long, The
• 28:32
  Speaker 2: entrance to the enchanted forest appears ahead. You find the
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: starting point and step onto the winding trail. It takes
• 28:43
  Speaker 2: you into a dense cluster of gently swaying trees. The
• 28:49
  Speaker 2: path leads you enticingly between mossy boulders and emerges near
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: a whimsical collection of fairy houses. Bird song and lute
• 29:02
  Speaker 2: music is echoing lightly around you, and the sunshine dapples
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: the ground here, creating a magical and secretive atmosphere. You
• 29:14
  Speaker 2: come upon some chairs that are made to look like
• 29:18
  Speaker 2: huge toadstools, and each of you has a seat. You
• 29:24
  Speaker 2: grin at each other with good humour. Even adults cannot
• 29:28
  Speaker 2: resist an invitation to rest in such an adorable spot.
• 29:35
  Speaker 2: You stretch your legs out straight in front of you
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: and observe how the sunlight dances across your feet lifting
• 29:44
  Speaker 2: your face upward you turn your head left and right
• 29:49
  Speaker 2: seeing how the rays of the sun wink through the
• 29:52
  Speaker 2: canopy of leaves above patches of blue sky are visible
• 29:58
  Speaker 2: in places and you see a wispy cloud drift across
• 30:02
  Speaker 2: your view. Looking down again, you feel the gentle sun
• 30:08
  Speaker 2: on the top of your head and take a deep,
• 30:11
  Speaker 2: relaxing breath. After this moment of happy reflection on your
• 30:19
  Speaker 2: woodland perches, you follow the trail farther. You approach a
• 30:26
  Speaker 2: small clearing where several women, costumed as fairies, are performing
• 30:31
  Speaker 2: an elaborate dance. Their chiffon dresses float around them, and
• 30:38
  Speaker 2: they all wear delicate floral crowns. Each one has a
• 30:45
  Speaker 2: gauzy pair of wings on her back. Two of the
• 30:50
  Speaker 2: fairies let go of each other's hands, breaking their chain,
• 30:54
  Speaker 2: and they draw in a little girl who is watching, awestruck.
• 31:00
  Speaker 2: you smile at the thought of how she will always
• 31:03
  Speaker 2: remember this magical encounter. The fairies circle with the little
• 31:11
  Speaker 2: girl slowly, singing softly as they rotate in their charming ring,
• 31:18
  Speaker 2: and you're reminded of beautiful picture books you read as
• 31:21
  Speaker 2: a child. The most magical thing about fairy stories is
• 31:28
  Speaker 2: the idea that, that these carefree, magical creatures are always
• 31:33
  Speaker 2: living quite near us, but unseen. To be whisked into
• 31:40
  Speaker 2: that secret world is delightful to you. You can almost
• 31:45
  Speaker 2: imagine for a moment that they are real. The trail
• 31:51
  Speaker 2: you're following heads in a lazy circle back toward the
• 31:56
  Speaker 2: entrance of the woods. but one of the most enchanting
• 32:00
  Speaker 2: secrets of the forest is yet to come. A fairy
• 32:07
  Speaker 2: queen appears in a hidden hollow, flanked by numerous elegant attendants.
• 32:14
  Speaker 2: One is telling a story, and both the fairy court
• 32:17
  Speaker 2: and the onlookers listen with delight. She ends by showering
• 32:24
  Speaker 2: her listeners with rose petals. the storyteller tosses pink and
• 32:30
  Speaker 2: red handfuls up in the air, and you watch them
• 32:34
  Speaker 2: flutter slowly down, landing lightly all around you. Beyond the
• 32:42
  Speaker 2: queen's hideaway is a darling wooden bridge. You cross over
• 32:49
  Speaker 2: it in small steps, stopping midway and peering at the
• 32:54
  Speaker 2: babbling brook underneath. Your eye follows the water upstream and
• 33:01
  Speaker 2: you see that it is pouring out of a small cave.
• 33:07
  Speaker 2: It drops down a waterfall, flowing over several ledges, and
• 33:13
  Speaker 2: then works its way to you in a winding path
• 33:17
  Speaker 2: around moss-covered stones. You close your eyes and feel soothed
• 33:25
  Speaker 2: by the gentle sound it makes. as it disappears under
• 33:28
  Speaker 2: your feet and continues past the bridge on the other side.
• 33:35
  Speaker 2: You finish crossing the bridge and find yourselves back at
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: the entrance to the enchanted forest. It was almost like
• 33:43
  Speaker 2: a little secret escape into the tranquil heart of the fair.
• 33:50
  Speaker 2: And now you have returned to the hustle and bustle
• 33:54
  Speaker 2: once more. you find one path through town you haven't
• 33:59
  Speaker 2: yet travelled and set out to explore it. There's a
• 34:05
  Speaker 2: group of spectators standing around a stage up ahead. They're
• 34:10
  Speaker 2: watching two acrobats. The performers are bending and twisting as
• 34:17
  Speaker 2: a pair, with one repeatedly being lifted into the air.
• 34:24
  Speaker 2: Sometimes the airborne acrobat will slowly rotate, extending her legs
• 34:29
  Speaker 2: into different poses like an ice dancer. The performer underneath
• 34:36
  Speaker 2: her must be very strong, but he looks as if
• 34:39
  Speaker 2: he supports her with the greatest ease. Together, they are
• 34:47
  Speaker 2: a beautiful sight, constantly moving in tandem to fold and unfold,
• 34:53
  Speaker 2: to rotate and dramatically pause. Smiling, they take a bow,
• 35:01
  Speaker 2: and the crowd claps in appreciation. Midday is past now,
• 35:09
  Speaker 2: and the sun that warmed the noon hour has become
• 35:11
  Speaker 2: less strong. You can properly feel how autumn is coming
• 35:17
  Speaker 2: on now, as a cooler wind blows ever so lightly
• 35:21
  Speaker 2: down this fanciful alley of another age. With the breeze,
• 35:27
  Speaker 2: comes a tantalising smell of warm cinnamon almonds and sugared pecans.
• 35:36
  Speaker 2: You close your eyes and inhale deeply, drawing your sweater
• 35:42
  Speaker 2: a bit more tightly around you. Up ahead, you spy
• 35:49
  Speaker 2: a honey vendor. Stepping inside his shop, you see that
• 35:53
  Speaker 2: he is a local beekeeper, and that he has a
• 35:56
  Speaker 2: generous array of different types of honey available to try.
• 36:03
  Speaker 2: Mason jars stand in front of you filled with honey sticks,
• 36:07
  Speaker 2: which are thin tubes with a single serving of portable
• 36:11
  Speaker 2: honey inside. The hand-lettered sign suggests that these trifles are
• 36:19
  Speaker 2: perfect as stocking stuffers, or to pack in school lunches.
• 36:25
  Speaker 2: You imagine that it might be nice to have a
• 36:27
  Speaker 2: few in your drawer at home to add to your tea.
• 36:34
  Speaker 2: Above the honey sticks are full jars of honey in
• 36:38
  Speaker 2: flavours like orange blossom and clover. It makes sense that
• 36:43
  Speaker 2: honey would take on the flavour of the pasture where
• 36:46
  Speaker 2: the bee was working. You decide to buy a variety
• 36:52
  Speaker 2: of honey sticks. choosing two each of five different flavours.
• 36:58
  Speaker 2: These pack easily into your bag once purchased. You smile,
• 37:05
  Speaker 2: thinking how lovely they will be when you break them
• 37:08
  Speaker 2: out on a future winter day. Your friend points to
• 37:15
  Speaker 2: a shop across the way. He has been wanting to
• 37:18
  Speaker 2: take home one of the beautiful ceramic mugs he has
• 37:20
  Speaker 2: seen available throughout the fair. Crossing to the nearby display,
• 37:27
  Speaker 2: you both walk around a large selection of elegant tankards,
• 37:32
  Speaker 2: each one appearing to be completely unique. There are so
• 37:36
  Speaker 2: many options to choose from. You point admiringly to one
• 37:43
  Speaker 2: that drips with various shades of blue and grey. Your
• 37:48
  Speaker 2: friend likes that one, but he draws your attention to
• 37:51
  Speaker 2: a slightly shorter, wider mug, in lovely beige and brown tones.
• 37:58
  Speaker 2: It feels earthy and appropriate for the season. He decides
• 38:06
  Speaker 2: on the brown one and settles up with the merchant
• 38:09
  Speaker 2: while you wander next door. A glassblower is at work
• 38:15
  Speaker 2: here and you are mesmerized by the sight. All around
• 38:22
  Speaker 2: him are finished vases, cups and votives in glorious colours.
• 38:30
  Speaker 2: From behind the counter, he demonstrates his craft. He is
• 38:37
  Speaker 2: working with red-hot ovens and blowtorches to shape a figurine
• 38:42
  Speaker 2: right before your eyes. Using a pair of pincers, he
• 38:48
  Speaker 2: takes a shapeless glowing orb and expertly teases a head
• 38:53
  Speaker 2: and a tail out of it. He turns and shapes
• 38:58
  Speaker 2: the red-hot material, and as he does, the colours shift within.
• 39:06
  Speaker 2: As if the translucent figure were an orange cream candy,
• 39:11
  Speaker 2: with stripes and small bubbles running through it. Miraculously, a
• 39:18
  Speaker 2: cat emerges. The onlookers are silent, as if uttering a
• 39:25
  Speaker 2: single sound would ruin the picture he is crafting. The
• 39:31
  Speaker 2: crowd silently wills him on with an eager desire to
• 39:35
  Speaker 2: see him succeed. When the masterpiece is finished they exhale
• 39:42
  Speaker 2: with a collective sigh of happiness. The spell of the
• 39:48
  Speaker 2: glassblower gently dissipates when you see a parade walking by.
• 39:57
  Speaker 2: The king and queen are making their way through the
• 39:59
  Speaker 2: town in the direction of the jousting arena, and many
• 40:03
  Speaker 2: follow in their wake. Noble ladies in their elaborate headdresses
• 40:11
  Speaker 2: smile graciously at passers-by. Meanwhile, Their husbands nod to people
• 40:19
  Speaker 2: on the other side, their feathered hats dipping ever so
• 40:23
  Speaker 2: slightly in a dignified manner. At the very end of
• 40:29
  Speaker 2: the procession are a couple of jesters, dancing merrily and
• 40:34
  Speaker 2: playing tambourines and panpipes. The spectators wave and offer a
• 40:42
  Speaker 2: hearty cry of huzzah as the royal court disappears around
• 40:47
  Speaker 2: the corner you realize that you've now come full circle
• 40:55
  Speaker 2: and that there is no corner of the fair you
• 40:57
  Speaker 2: have not explored today. By mutual agreement, you and your
• 41:03
  Speaker 2: friend turn yourselves back in the direction of the main entrance,
• 41:09
  Speaker 2: taking your time to get back there and soaking up
• 41:12
  Speaker 2: the atmosphere as you do. As you meander down the street,
• 41:19
  Speaker 2: you come upon the best sight of the day. In
• 41:24
  Speaker 2: a bower nearby, an actual wedding seems to be taking place.
• 41:33
  Speaker 2: The bride and groom are both dressed in richly detailed
• 41:36
  Speaker 2: period attire. She is piled with jewel-toned velvets and is
• 41:43
  Speaker 2: wearing a tightly laced bodice. Atop her head, is a delicate,
• 41:49
  Speaker 2: sparkling crown that glitters in the October sun. The groom
• 41:58
  Speaker 2: is a perfect match to his lovely lady, wearing a
• 42:02
  Speaker 2: velvet cape that appears to be trimmed in white faux fur.
• 42:08
  Speaker 2: He wears a heavy gold chain around his neck and
• 42:12
  Speaker 2: has a feathered velvet cap on his head. the couple
• 42:19
  Speaker 2: are radiant, surrounded by a motley gathering of friends in
• 42:24
  Speaker 2: different types of Renaissance costume. The regal officiant declares them
• 42:32
  Speaker 2: to be married and they share a kiss while their
• 42:36
  Speaker 2: guests clap in celebration. The bride and groom recess from
• 42:43
  Speaker 2: the bower holding hands and cheer to their guests that
• 42:47
  Speaker 2: will be henceforth found at the tavern. A musician pipes
• 42:53
  Speaker 2: a cheerful tune and leads the way as the company disperses,
• 42:58
  Speaker 2: murmuring amongst themselves. Smiling ear to ear, you and your
• 43:05
  Speaker 2: friend walk on, feeling as if you've had the perfect
• 43:12
  Speaker 2: conclusion to your visit. as you once again pass the
• 43:18
  Speaker 2: merchants displaying their incense, their candles, their beautiful woven garments
• 43:25
  Speaker 2: and their art, you reflect upon what a lovely escape
• 43:30
  Speaker 2: the fair has been. Whether you are a true Renaissance
• 43:36
  Speaker 2: enthusiast or a fan of fairies, elves and the pirate life,
• 43:43
  Speaker 2: this seems like a place where everyone can simply live
• 43:47
  Speaker 2: out their dreams for a day. The enticing music of
• 43:54
  Speaker 2: the minstrels at the gate floats past you as you
• 43:58
  Speaker 2: once again pass through its shadowy door. As you leave
• 44:05
  Speaker 2: the fair behind you, a man atop the wall offers
• 44:09
  Speaker 2: you a final gift. Fare thee well, good people, he calls.
• 44:17
  Speaker 2: You turn and wave to him, and he bows slightly, adding,
• 44:22
  Speaker 2: See you anon. With the light rhythm of the tambourine
• 44:28
  Speaker 2: fading in the background, you and your friend exchange smiles.
• 44:36
  Speaker 2: You both know that the man is right. The Renaissance
• 44:42
  Speaker 2: Faire will be seeing you again, when next year comes around.
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you.
• 46:46
  Speaker 2: Thank you. Thank you.
• 48:24
  Speaker 1: Thank you.
• 48:55
  Speaker 2: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for watching. Thank you.