(prompt: 'holiday' July 9, 2021)

Goosey Goosey Gander shook his head, and his brilliant eyes rolled a full circle, nearly disappearing into the tiny Black Hole in their corners. "OLE LUKØJE, THE SANDMAN? You want some of his stories?"

The name had pushed and shoved itself through every other thought and story crowding my mind until finally landing on my lips. I knew it wasn't one of G.G. Gander's regular bedtime stories, but after a bit of a gaggle and a small giggle (quite unbecoming for such an important goose!), he unexpectedly ducked his noble head under a wing as if searching for something. Later, I'd learn this was his personal archive storage area. Finally, he drew himself up tall, and with a deep breath grandly pronounced, "I found IT!" and continued on to tell me how it was first necessary to explain exactly who OLE LUKØJE was — "uhrr... IS, actually!" G.G. stopped for a moment to scratch his head with a delicate wing-tip scratch. "But how do YOU know about my good friend, Ole?"

A thrill of joy coursed through me; a warm wave of happiness. Of course, I already knew Ole. I had the bed lamp that had belonged to my Danish Dad when he was a little boy... the one that hung above our kiddy-bed; the one with Ole Lukøje sheltering under a red umbrella (in fact he was opening his umbrella full of dreams to fall down on the sleepy child beneath, and in his hand was a small sack of special sleep sand... a magical potion to make small eyes heavy, unable to stay open another moment more. And then the dreams could begin). Such a cheery little fellow... 'love at first sight', I believe they call it. But I would not miss out on G.G's story. This was going to be REALLY special. I just knew it. Like taking a holiday at home! To my surprise, this feathered story-teller had more to tell... much more!

"Sometimes... the children are still wide awake, still at their play table on their little chairs, or maybe on the fluffy mat on the floor, playing 'just one more game... it's the last. Promise!' Hmm! murmurs Ole. Walking in his socks, he sneaks through the door and throws a handful of the sleep sand in their eyes. NOT to hurt them... NEVER! This is the magic dust that makes eyes SO heavy. They cannot see him creep behind them and blow softly and warmly on the back of their necks until small heads droop, and bed is the only option.

"Sometimes, when Ole has extra time up his sleeve, and the children are in bed and SO sleepy they're not sure if they are already dreaming, he sits on the bedside to share out the dreams from one of his two umbrellas. One, for well-behaved children, has pictures and the most charming stories. The other holds none... for naughty children to sleep heavily, and wake in the morning having had no dreams at all." Goosey Goosey Gander laid his head back against one wing, sadly; but then abruptly brightened. "I must help you find the story about Hjalmar, a small boy who just could NOT go to sleep... until OLE LUKØJE came into his life." And Mr. Gander flicked through the pages with his longest wing feather.

To be continued...

Pronunciation of Names:

Ole Lukøje — Ole (like cola) Luk (like Luke) øje (like destroyer)

Hjalmar — Hj (like Y in yellow) al (like pal) mar (as written)