# Mimi's First Flight 🪿🐥 The Sleepy Duckling | Kids Bedtime Story

An episode of [Snuggle: Kids bedtime stories](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1714672018), 19 Jan 2025, 26 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/63398729/prod_snuggle_064.mp3

Though she's not quite old enough yet, Mimi is eager to learn to fly. Can she reach the sky with the help of a friend? Narrated by: Evie Brown Written by: Shady Grove Oliver Welcome to Snuggle! The best kid's story-telling podcast. Enter a cozy world of imagination perfect for bedtime, quiet time, or any time you want to embark on an enchanting adventure. Learn more at slumberstudios.com/snuggle To enjoy ad-free listening and exclusive bonus episodes, start your 7-day free trial of Snuggle Premium: https://snuggle.supercast.com/ November only: try Premium free for 90 days. Ad-free listening and more at slumber.supercast.com

## Transcript

[0:03] Speaker 1: Welcome to Snuggle, cozy stories for kids. This episode is
[0:10] Speaker 1: called Mimi's First Flight. Snuggle is a production of Slumber Studios.
[0:17] Speaker 1: To listen ad free and support the show, sign up
[0:21] Speaker 1: for our premium feed. Hey friend, it's Tom. It's awesome
[0:29] Speaker 1: to have your company here on Snuggle as we prepare
[0:33] Speaker 1: to enjoy the best part of the day story time.
[0:39] Speaker 1: In this episode, we're returning to see our friend Mimi,
[0:43] Speaker 1: the very sleepy duckling. Mimi has grown a bit older
[0:49] Speaker 1: now and in this story, she'll have her first experience
[0:54] Speaker 1: of flying. It's a big step in a little ducklings.
[1:01] Speaker 1: I'm glad to say that our friend Evy is back
[1:05] Speaker 1: to read this one. So make yourself comfortable and take
[1:12] Speaker 1: a big stretch to relax your muscles, reaching your arms
[1:19] Speaker 1: up and to the sides. Then just snuggle in and listen.
[1:31] Speaker 1: Close your eyes if you like, and try to imagine
[1:35] Speaker 1: a big tree on a grassy hill. It's tall and
[1:42] Speaker 1: has long branches that stretch out over the ground. In
[1:50] Speaker 1: the trunk of the tree, there is a large hole,
[1:55] Speaker 1: and inside that hole lives a family of ducks. This
[2:01] Speaker 1: is their home. Can you see them in your imagination? Well,
[2:09] Speaker 1: that's great, because this is where our story begins.
[2:30] Speaker 2: In a nest in a hole in a big willow tree,
[2:35] Speaker 2: there lived a very sleepy duckling named Mimi. Her family's
[2:43] Speaker 2: tree was near a great, big pond that sparkled in
[2:48] Speaker 2: the summer sunlight. Mimi loved growing up near the pond.
[2:57] Speaker 2: Everyone else who lived there was very friendly. There were
[3:03] Speaker 2: swans whose homes were on the other side, and the
[3:08] Speaker 2: bullfrogs who croaked on green lily pads in the water.
[3:14] Speaker 2: Dragonflies buzzed in the air above them. Mimi liked to
[3:20] Speaker 2: watch their shiny wings flap up and down as they moved.
[3:27] Speaker 2: There were tall stalks and cranes, and elegant blue jays
[3:34] Speaker 2: and little bunnies that hot through the forest. And of
[3:39] Speaker 2: course there were all the other ducks. Mimi's friend Daphne
[3:48] Speaker 2: lived with her family in a willow tree next door.
[3:53] Speaker 2: Across from them were Clarence and his brother Frank. Then
[4:01] Speaker 2: there were Annie, Alice and Amy, three sister ducklings down
[4:05] Speaker 2: the lane. They were all Mimi's friends, and she loved
[4:13] Speaker 2: spending time with them. Daphne and Clarence were about the
[4:19] Speaker 2: same age as Mimi. They all hatched the same season
[4:25] Speaker 2: each popping out from their egg with tiny little chirps,
[4:31] Speaker 2: and they still had their downy yellow feathers the way
[4:35] Speaker 2: baby ducklings do. But the three sisters and Frank were
[4:41] Speaker 2: a year older. That meant they already had their grown
[4:46] Speaker 2: up feathers. Mimi loved to sit by the pond and
[4:53] Speaker 2: to watch the older ducklings waddle gracefully down the water's edge.
[5:00] Speaker 2: Beautiful shades of brown, gray, green, and blue they had
[5:06] Speaker 2: in their feathers. Someday, Mimi knew she would have grown
[5:12] Speaker 2: up feathers like them too, but she had to wait.
[5:19] Speaker 2: She didn't mind her fluffy, yellow down. It was good
[5:24] Speaker 2: for snuggling up in bed and nestling her little orange
[5:29] Speaker 2: bill into at night. In fact, that's where Mimi was
[5:37] Speaker 2: as she thought about the other ducklings, laying in bed
[5:42] Speaker 2: with her head against her soft down. It was already morning,
[5:49] Speaker 2: but Mimi didn't feel like getting up quite yet. She
[5:54] Speaker 2: was still very sleepy, so she pulled her blanket up
[5:59] Speaker 2: a little closer to her chin and kept her eyes
[6:03] Speaker 2: shut tight. Mimi loved to lay in bed for a
[6:09] Speaker 2: few extra minutes every day. Sometimes she would imagine her
[6:16] Speaker 2: dreams continuing, the people and places she saw in her
[6:22] Speaker 2: mind would come to life. She watched them in the
[6:28] Speaker 2: darkness behind her eyelids. It made her happy to know
[6:33] Speaker 2: that dreams didn't have to end just because she woke up.
[6:39] Speaker 2: She could carry them into the day with her, like
[6:42] Speaker 2: special stories that played in her mind. One of her
[6:49] Speaker 2: very favorite dreams to have was the one where she
[6:53] Speaker 2: could fly. In her dream, she would start by running
[6:59] Speaker 2: down on the hill. With each step, she would flap
[7:05] Speaker 2: her wings faster and faster, and then just as she
[7:11] Speaker 2: reached the pond, she would feel the wind lift her body,
[7:18] Speaker 2: using the power off her wings to guide her higher
[7:23] Speaker 2: and higher. She would soar over the water and watch
[7:28] Speaker 2: the other ducks playing down below. Oh, how Mimi longed
[7:36] Speaker 2: to fly. Just last month, the older ducklings learned how,
[7:43] Speaker 2: and it was all because of their grown up feathers. Mamma,
[7:50] Speaker 2: may I learn to fly, she asked her mother. You
[7:56] Speaker 2: have to wait until you're older, Mimi, her mind said,
[8:02] Speaker 2: But why do I have to wait, Mama, she asked,
[8:07] Speaker 2: I want to learn to fly now, because everything happens
[8:13] Speaker 2: in its own time, her mother said, And besides, there
[8:19] Speaker 2: are plenty of other fun things to do when you're
[8:22] Speaker 2: a very little duckling like you. Mimi knew her mother
[8:29] Speaker 2: was right, she would have to wait until she was older.
[8:35] Speaker 3: But still, whenever.
[8:37] Speaker 2: She fell asleep at night, she dreamt a flying high
[8:41] Speaker 2: in the sky with the blue days, the cranes and
[8:46] Speaker 2: all the other birds who lived at the pond. Mimi
[8:53] Speaker 2: wondered when her grown up feathers would come in. When
[8:58] Speaker 2: did it happen for you, she asked her father last week,
[9:05] Speaker 2: when I was a little older than you are now, Mimi.
[9:08] Speaker 2: He said, just be patient and it will happen in
[9:13] Speaker 2: its own time. Every morning, Mimi looked down to see
[9:21] Speaker 2: if she had her grown up feathers yet. This morning
[9:27] Speaker 2: she hadn't opened her eyes. Maybe today would be the day,
[9:32] Speaker 2: she wondered. With her eyes shut tight, she lifted her
[9:40] Speaker 2: wings out from under the covers. They didn't feel any different.
[9:48] Speaker 2: She shook them gently up and down. They felt the
[9:53] Speaker 2: same as always. She opened her left eye and peeked
[10:01] Speaker 2: down at her wing. It was still covered with soft
[10:06] Speaker 2: yellow down. Oh no, Mimi thought there would be no
[10:13] Speaker 2: flying today. Hopefully she wouldn't have to wait too much longer.
[10:24] Speaker 2: Mimi yawned and stretched her wings over her head. Then
[10:30] Speaker 2: she pulled off her covers and stepped out of bed.
[10:36] Speaker 2: She waddled into her living room and ruffled her feathers
[10:40] Speaker 2: into place. Perhaps she'd go down to the pond and
[10:46] Speaker 2: have a swim with the other ducklings before lunch, she thought.
[10:53] Speaker 2: She learned to swim not long ago, and now got
[10:57] Speaker 2: into the water whenever.
[10:59] Speaker 3: She had the chance.
[11:02] Speaker 2: She loved to kick and paddle and float amongst the
[11:06] Speaker 2: lily pads. She and Daphne spent many afternoons bobbing lazily
[11:13] Speaker 2: around the pond, splashing each other every so often. Mimi
[11:21] Speaker 2: shut the front door behind her and began to waddle
[11:25] Speaker 2: down to the pond. As she walked, her body swayed
[11:31] Speaker 2: back and forth. She quacked a happy tune to the
[11:36] Speaker 2: rhythm of her steps. She could see the other ducklings
[11:42] Speaker 2: were already in the water. Daphne was splashing around in
[11:48] Speaker 2: the shallows with Clarence, but Frank and the three sisters Annie, Alice,
[11:56] Speaker 2: and Amy were further out. They were practicing taking off
[12:02] Speaker 2: from the water. Frank went first. He flapped his wings
[12:10] Speaker 2: and kicked his legs. Soon his body lifted out of
[12:15] Speaker 2: the water, a stream of water droplets trailing behind him.
[12:24] Speaker 2: He flew in a circle overhead, and then plopped back
[12:29] Speaker 2: down beside the other ducks. The sisters went next. They
[12:36] Speaker 2: lined up in a row and flapped their wings all
[12:40] Speaker 2: at once, in a flutter of feathers and feet, They
[12:46] Speaker 2: rose in unison out of the water. They made a
[12:51] Speaker 2: circle above frank and then gracefully glided back down onto
[12:58] Speaker 2: the surface. They looked so grown up, thought Mimi, free
[13:06] Speaker 2: to fly through the air. Meanwhile, she and the other
[13:13] Speaker 2: littlest ducklings had to stay on land or in the water.
[13:20] Speaker 2: She sighed longingly. Someday she would be old enough. Hello, Mimi,
[13:31] Speaker 2: a voice said beside her. Mimi turned and saw it
[13:37] Speaker 2: was one of the cranes who lived nearby. Hello, Mimi said, soberly,
[13:46] Speaker 2: you seem a little down this morning, said the crane.
[13:50] Speaker 3: Is something the matter. Mimi sighed again. I wish I was.
[13:58] Speaker 2: Older so that I could fly high above the pond
[14:02] Speaker 2: like the bigger ducklings. Mimi said, But I'm still too little.
[14:11] Speaker 2: The crane chuckled kindly and put her wing around Mimi's shoulder.
[14:19] Speaker 2: There's nothing wrong with being little, the crane said. There
[14:24] Speaker 2: will be plenty of time to be grown up later.
[14:28] Speaker 2: There are so many things to enjoy when you're young.
[14:34] Speaker 2: Mimi nodded. She did like playing with her friends and
[14:40] Speaker 2: splashing in the water. She liked sleeping in her small
[14:45] Speaker 2: bed and cuddling up with her mum in the nest.
[14:52] Speaker 2: I just want to know what it's like to be
[14:55] Speaker 2: high up above the pond, Mimi said, and to feel
[15:00] Speaker 2: the wind in my feathers. The crane smiled. She remembered
[15:06] Speaker 2: being young too, and so curious about all the things
[15:11] Speaker 2: that bigger cranes could do. Maybe there was some way
[15:17] Speaker 2: she could help Mimi. She bent down and whispered into
[15:24] Speaker 2: Mimi's ear. You'll take me on a flight. Mimi quacked
[15:31] Speaker 2: with joy.
[15:34] Speaker 3: The crane nodded.
[15:36] Speaker 2: You just have to go ask your parents if it's
[15:39] Speaker 2: all right, she said. Mimi waddled over to her mother,
[15:46] Speaker 2: who was sunning her feathers on the sand. She told
[15:50] Speaker 2: her all about their special plan. Her mother knew just
[15:56] Speaker 2: how adventurous Mimi was, could see the excitement in her eyes.
[16:05] Speaker 2: Just be careful, her mother said, and have fun. Mimi
[16:13] Speaker 2: waddled back over to the crane, who was stretching out
[16:17] Speaker 2: her wings in preparation for the flight.
[16:22] Speaker 3: They were big and powerful, with beautiful white feathers all around.
[16:30] Speaker 2: She must be very strong with wings like that, Mimi thought,
[16:37] Speaker 2: I'm going to carry you in my feet, said the crane,
[16:42] Speaker 2: So be still and hold on tight.
[16:47] Speaker 3: Mimi promised.
[16:52] Speaker 2: The crane opened up her large toes on one foot
[16:57] Speaker 2: and carefully wrapped them around Mimi. She cradled the little
[17:03] Speaker 2: duckling gently. Mimi felt safe and secure in her embrace.
[17:15] Speaker 2: Then the crane hot and flapped her powerful wings as
[17:20] Speaker 2: hard as she could. Before she knew it, Mimi felt
[17:26] Speaker 2: the wind whistle passed her face and rustled through her
[17:31] Speaker 2: downy feathers. Higher and higher, they flew over flowers and plants,
[17:41] Speaker 2: and then up beyond the treetops. Mimi looked down, her
[17:49] Speaker 2: eyes wide below them, the pond glittered in the late
[17:55] Speaker 2: morning sun. She saw the other duckling watching her soar
[18:01] Speaker 2: above them. They looked so small from up here, Mimi thought,
[18:08] Speaker 2: so did her mother, who looked on from the sand.
[18:15] Speaker 2: It was a whole new perspective on the place she
[18:18] Speaker 2: called home, and it was even better than her dreams.
[18:26] Speaker 2: I'm flying, quacked, Mimi. I'm really flying here in the air,
[18:34] Speaker 2: high above the pond. Mimi felt absolutely free. She quacked
[18:42] Speaker 2: and quacked with joy, the crane pumped her powerful wings harder.
[18:51] Speaker 2: They flew higher than any of the other ducklings had
[18:54] Speaker 2: ever flown. They flew so high the ground below looked
[19:02] Speaker 2: like a patchwork quilt of trees.
[19:04] Speaker 3: Grass, and water.
[19:09] Speaker 2: They soared in great, wide circles and looped back and
[19:14] Speaker 2: forth over the pond. They banked to the left, and
[19:21] Speaker 2: Mimi saw the horizon tilt before them. They swooped down,
[19:29] Speaker 2: and Mimi felt weightless. They banked to the right and
[19:36] Speaker 2: flew back up. How glorious it was to fly, Mimi thought,
[19:46] Speaker 2: And it was even better because she was tucked away,
[19:51] Speaker 2: safe and sound in the craned gentle grasp. That meant
[19:57] Speaker 2: she could spend all her time looking around, watching the
[20:02] Speaker 2: ground move beneath them, and seeing the wispy clouds float past.
[20:11] Speaker 3: After a few.
[20:12] Speaker 2: More minutes, the crane began her descent toward home. Mimi
[20:19] Speaker 2: watched the ground grow larger and larger as they approached.
[20:26] Speaker 2: The other ducks on the pond cheered, what a big
[20:32] Speaker 2: adventure for such.
[20:33] Speaker 3: A little duckling.
[20:39] Speaker 2: The crane landed with a gentle thump and set Mimi
[20:43] Speaker 2: down softly on the grass. Oh thank you, Mimi said
[20:50] Speaker 2: to the crane, what a wonderful first flight that was.
[20:57] Speaker 2: You're very welcome, Mimi said the crane. Some day soon,
[21:04] Speaker 2: you'll be able to fly all on your own. Mimi
[21:10] Speaker 2: waddled over to her mother, who was beaming at her
[21:14] Speaker 2: from the sand. She hugged Mimi tightly under her wing.
[21:22] Speaker 2: You're a very lucky little duckling, she told Mimi. And
[21:28] Speaker 2: it's because you aren't all grown up yet. What do
[21:33] Speaker 2: you mean, mamma, she asked. Her mother explained, if she
[21:41] Speaker 2: had been any bigger and more grown up, it would
[21:44] Speaker 2: have been too hard for the crane to carry her.
[21:49] Speaker 2: She had a special adventure because she was still so
[21:53] Speaker 2: small with downy yellow feathers. Maybe being a very little
[22:02] Speaker 2: duckling isn't so bad after all, Mimi said.
[22:08] Speaker 3: Then she yawned. She could really use a.
[22:12] Speaker 2: Nap before lunch, she thought. She hugged her mother one
[22:19] Speaker 2: more time, and then started to waddle back up to
[22:23] Speaker 2: the nest. She yawned once again. All the excitement of
[22:30] Speaker 2: the day had left Mimi very sleepy. Inside the willow tree.
[22:40] Speaker 2: Mimi pulled back the covers of her bed. She settled
[22:45] Speaker 2: them around her feet and slipped her little wings underneath.
[22:52] Speaker 2: Then she tucked her orange bill into her soft, downy feathers.
[23:00] Speaker 2: They were so cozy and warm. Maybe she didn't need
[23:05] Speaker 2: her grown up feathers just yet, Mimi thought to herself.
[23:14] Speaker 2: She quacked softly with contentment. Everything happens in its own time,
[23:22] Speaker 2: just like her mother said. Mimi's eyelids grew heavy, and
[23:32] Speaker 2: she let them close. She felt her wings relax. With
[23:41] Speaker 2: the memory of her very first flight soaring through her mind,
[23:47] Speaker 2: she fell into a deep and RESTful sleeps.
[24:13] Speaker 4: Last last word d H

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