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Books at Bedtime By Calming Anxiety - The Messengers - By Lord Dunsany
Published 6 hours ago
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The Messengers by Lord Dunsany — A Short, Poetic Fable for Sleep & Insomnia | Books at Bedtime
Drift off with The Messengers by Lord Dunsany, a short, lyrical and thought-provoking fable about the muses, their messengers and the people who will not listen, read aloud by Martin Hewlett on Books at Bedtime, the sleep story series from Calming Anxiety.
One wandering night, a man out chasing hares hears the high muses calling: "Take us a message to the golden town." He would far rather stay in the happy valleys, but the muses call him by name, again and again, until at last he goes to them. They give him a wreath of laurels carved from emeralds, as only the muses can carve, so the wise men of the golden town will know where he has come from.
Dressed in scarlet silks, he runs through the golden gateway crying his message. But the wise men sit cross-legged before their houses, reading from parchments an older message the muses sent long before, and they will not believe him. Still the muses do not rest, and still they send their messengers, until one day they call to the storyteller himself.
This classic short story for adults is a reflective wind-down for a busy mind, with Dunsany's rich, rhythmic, almost biblical prose and Martin's calm, unhurried narration. Like many of Dunsany's fables it carries a sharp, serious edge beneath its beauty, so it suits listeners who enjoy something to ponder as they drift towards sleep.
If you enjoyed it, you'll find more Lord Dunsany on Books at Bedtime, including Alone the Immortals, The Hen and The Return of the Exiles, all from the same collection.
The Messengers was first published in Fifty-One Tales (London: Elkin Mathews; New York: Mitchell Kennerley, 1915). Lord Dunsany (1878–1957).
Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett.
📱 Listen to Books at Bedtime in the Anchored app, offline and with the screen off, so you can fall asleep without a bright phone in your hand:
iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored
🧡 For Martin's calming tips, visit: https://calminganxiety.org/calm
🌱 Try Thole, Martin's new health and wellness app, in beta on iPhone: https://testflight.apple.com/join/aUKB8W7N
Sleep well, my friend. And in everything, be kind.
Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners!
YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1
Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/
Music: All music by Chris Collins at Indie Music Box
Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.
Drift off with The Messengers by Lord Dunsany, a short, lyrical and thought-provoking fable about the muses, their messengers and the people who will not listen, read aloud by Martin Hewlett on Books at Bedtime, the sleep story series from Calming Anxiety.
One wandering night, a man out chasing hares hears the high muses calling: "Take us a message to the golden town." He would far rather stay in the happy valleys, but the muses call him by name, again and again, until at last he goes to them. They give him a wreath of laurels carved from emeralds, as only the muses can carve, so the wise men of the golden town will know where he has come from.
Dressed in scarlet silks, he runs through the golden gateway crying his message. But the wise men sit cross-legged before their houses, reading from parchments an older message the muses sent long before, and they will not believe him. Still the muses do not rest, and still they send their messengers, until one day they call to the storyteller himself.
This classic short story for adults is a reflective wind-down for a busy mind, with Dunsany's rich, rhythmic, almost biblical prose and Martin's calm, unhurried narration. Like many of Dunsany's fables it carries a sharp, serious edge beneath its beauty, so it suits listeners who enjoy something to ponder as they drift towards sleep.
If you enjoyed it, you'll find more Lord Dunsany on Books at Bedtime, including Alone the Immortals, The Hen and The Return of the Exiles, all from the same collection.
The Messengers was first published in Fifty-One Tales (London: Elkin Mathews; New York: Mitchell Kennerley, 1915). Lord Dunsany (1878–1957).
Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett.
📱 Listen to Books at Bedtime in the Anchored app, offline and with the screen off, so you can fall asleep without a bright phone in your hand:
iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/anchored-panic-anxiety/id6785035669
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinhewlett.anchored
🧡 For Martin's calming tips, visit: https://calminganxiety.org/calm
🌱 Try Thole, Martin's new health and wellness app, in beta on iPhone: https://testflight.apple.com/join/aUKB8W7N
Sleep well, my friend. And in everything, be kind.
Rate & Review: Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to help us reach more listeners!
YouTube: Watch all episodes at https://www.youtube.com/c/calminganxiety?sub_confirmation=1
Social Media Support: For younger listeners struggling with social media stress, visit https://www.icanhelp.net/
Music: All music by Chris Collins at Indie Music Box
Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.