Yesterday when I put Joseph to bed, I offered him a choice. I would read his Castle book (Yay English heritage foundation!) or give him a 'pretend story' about a castle. Predictably, he chose the pretend story. Unfortunately at that moment, my brain clicked out. So I sat there next to his bed, reaching out into the depths of my brain for a fabulous good night story. I make up stories all the time. And songs. I had a fantastic rendition of "I love my boys" during bath time, followed by "Joseph is my big boy." Really. I should be recording.
Unfortunately at this moment, my mind went blank. Hey, it was almost 10 pm and I had a headcold. So reach out into the recesses of my mind I did and came up with the following opening sentences.
"Long... long ago, long before we can remember there was a castle, which was named.. Gondor" (okay... so we had a theme established. Good. Now what would come next. )
In that castle, lived a little boy (obviously there has to be a little boy. What bedtime story would be complete without a little boy?) whose name was... (was... was) FARAMIR. (Back to the theme! Yay. I am getting there!). Faramir was a little boy who wanted to be a knight. So he practiced a lot with a wooden sword. (thank you once more, English heritage foundation!). Faramir had a big brother named..(well hey, since the theme is set, we really should go with it) BOROMIR.
Now Faramir was very nice and he was working very hard at practicing with his sword, because that was his job. One day, he saw his brother Boromir being mean to another young boy. (poor Boromir, he always get the short end of the stick.) Faramir didn't like that. He was a very kind boy and was not happy when other people were being teased. So he told Boromir to stop. But Boromir was much bigger and stronger. And he didn't stop.
So Faramir thought for a moment, then just .. poked him with his wooden sword (poke little boy in the tummy here, and hear him giggle!). Boromir told him to stop that. But Faramir said: No YOU stop that! And he poked Boromir again with his sword. (poke. giggle.) So Faramir kept poking Boromir with his sword. Then Boromir RAN after Faramir, and Faramir ran outside of the castle. When Boromir ran outside after him, Faramir ran back in and closed the drawbridge. Boromir JUMPED and just managed to hold on to the drawbridge and had to hang on by his hands while the bridge was being closed! But he managed to get in. (pfiew!)
Once he was inside, he RAN after Faramir again. But Faramir turned around and POKED him into the belly with his wooden sword. (poke, poke, poke GIGGLE!). They ran up the stairs. They ran down the stairs. They ran UP the stairs again. And then Faramir JUMPED over the trapdoor. But Boromir was running TOO hard and he fell into the trapdoor! (the Melissa and Doug castle has a trapdoor. Thank you, Melissa and Doug). Oh my...
(Little voice interupts and adds his own part to the story.) Then Faramir went down the stairs and opened the door and saved him. (mother's heart melting. BIG KISS). That is right, sweetie. He went down the stairs, and he told Boromir not to tease the other boy again. Boromir promised, and Faramir opened the door. Little boy voice: and he saved him! Mommy: very right! He saved his brother. Because he was very smart. And very kind. Goodnight, my puddleduck. KISS. Have good sleep.
Morals, literature and giggles. Oh yes, I LOVE a good pretend story.
