Ollie the Owl and the Sleepy Sunrise
A tender story about meeting the sunrise and then saying goodnight to the day.
Ollie the owl always slept all day and played all night. He had seen a million stars and a thousand moons, but he had never once seen the sun. “What is it like?” he asked his mother.
“It is warm and golden,” she said. “But you will only see it if you stay up very, very late.” So that night, Ollie decided to stay awake all the way until the morning.
He watched the stars dim, one by one. He watched the sky turn from black to deep blue to a soft grey. The air smelled of dew. A small bird started to sing somewhere in the trees.
Then a thin line of gold appeared on the hill. It grew bigger and bigger, until a round, glowing ball peeked over the top. Ollie’s eyes went as wide as saucers.
“Oh,” he whispered. “It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” The sun spread a warm, golden blanket over the whole field. The flowers opened up to greet it.
“Good morning, Ollie,” said the sun, in a voice like a warm hug. “Good morning, Sun,” said Ollie, and he yawned a great big yawn. “I think I need to go to bed now.”
The sun smiled. “Sleep well, little owl. I will see you again tomorrow.” Ollie flapped slowly home. The morning light came through the hole in his tree.
He curled up in his nest and shut his eyes. The warm light stroked his feathers. The very last thing he thought was, “Sunrise is lovely, but bedtime is lovely, too.”
✨ Key Takeaways
- Trying something new, like staying up to see the sunrise, can be a lovely surprise.
- Every part of the day has its own kind of beauty.
- Rest is important after a big adventure.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- What did Ollie see that he had never seen before?
- How did he feel when the sun rose?
- What is your favourite time of day, and why?
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