Ole Lukøje
About This Story
Join little Hjalmar on a magical week of bedtime adventures with Ole Shut-Eye, a gentle visitor who brings the most wonderful dreams. From shrinking down for a tiny mouse wedding to sailing on a sparkling river, every night is a brand-new journey! Along the way, Hjalmar meets amazing talking animals and learns about the beautiful world around him.
What you will learn:
- Why it is important to be kind and help those in need.
- That it is always okay to ask grown-ups questions when something is hard to understand.
- How your own imagination can take you on the most amazing adventures.
No one in the whole world 🎵 knows as many wonderful fairy tales as Ole Shut-Eye. And no one can tell them as beautifully as he does!
Late in the evening 🎵, when children are still sitting at the table or on their little chairs, Ole Shut-Eye comes along. He walks up the stairs without making a single sound 🎵, because he is wearing only his socks. He quietly opens the door 🎵 and—spritz, spritz!—he sprinkles a tiny bit of sweet, magic milk into the children’s eyes 🎵. It is just a tiny drop, but it is enough to make their eyelids heavy right away so that they cannot see him. Then, Ole stands behind the children and blows softly on the back of their necks 🎵. Their little heads start to feel so heavy. Oh, how sleepy they become!
Once the children are tucked safely into their little beds, Ole sits on the edge. He wears the most amazing clothes: a silk coat that shimmers in the light 🎵 and changes colors. One moment it is green, the next it is red, and then it is bright blue.
Tucked under his arms are two umbrellas. The inside of one is covered with beautiful pictures. When Ole opens this one over them, the children dream of faraway adventures, wonderful creatures, and magical lands. The second umbrella is completely plain, with no pictures at all. Under this one, children sleep just as peacefully, though in the morning they do not always remember their dreams.
Listen now to how Ole Shut-Eye came every night for a whole week to visit a little boy named Hjalmar, and hear about the wonderful adventures they shared each evening.
As soon as Hjalmar was snug in bed, Ole Shut-Eye touched the potted flowers with his magic wand 🎵. Right away, they turned into giant trees 🎵! Their branches climbed up the walls all the way to the ceiling, and the whole bedroom transformed into a sweet-smelling, green forest.
Flowers bigger than roses bloomed on the branches. Golden fruits peeked out from between the leaves, and here and there, sweet raisin buns even grew like apples!
Suddenly, a soft groaning sound came from the desk drawer.
“What could that be?” wondered Ole.
He opened the drawer and peeked inside Hjalmar’s notebook. It was a terrible mess in there. The letters the little boy had written were standing so crookedly that it looked like they were about to tip over.
Ole decided to tidy them up. He lined them up like soldiers on parade.
“One, two! One, two! Backs straight!” he called out.
The letters practiced hard until, finally, every single one stood perfectly straight on its line.
Sadly, when Hjalmar opened his notebook the next morning, they were just as crooked as the day before. It looked like the little boy would have to practice his handwriting while he was awake, too!
That evening, Ole Shut-Eye walked over to a big painting hanging on the wall and tapped it with his wand. Instantly, the sound of birds singing 🎵 came right out of the picture. The branches of the painted trees began to rustle 🎵, fluffy clouds drifted across the sky, and the sun peeked out from behind them.
Ole lifted Hjalmar up and carried him straight into the painted world!
The boy stepped into the tall, soft grass. Right next to him flowed a river, and by the riverbank bobbed a little boat painted with red and white stripes. Hjalmar hopped inside, and six beautiful white swans pulled the boat along the bright blue water 🎵.
They sailed past green forests and castles with shining towers. Princesses waved to Hjalmar from the balconies, and on the shore, little tin soldiers stood at attention and saluted.
Silver fish swam right behind the boat. Birds flew 🎵 overhead, and colorful butterflies landed gently on the sides. Every creature had a little story to tell.
Hjalmar listened to them with wide eyes, and the little boat carried him further and further through the sunny land.
How it rained that night 🎵! The rain drummed against the windows so loudly that Hjalmar could hear it even while he was sleeping.
When Ole Shut-Eye opened the window, the water came all the way up to the windowsill. Instead of the street outside, there was a giant lake, and right next to the window, a huge ship was floating 🎵!
“Will you sail with me?” asked Ole. “We will be back before morning.”
A moment later, Hjalmar was standing on the deck. The clouds parted, the wind filled the sails, and the ship set off on its journey.
