When it became dark outside, and the night covered the windows with blueberry paint, bright fireflies flew into the sky to meet the moon. "Brush your teeth and go to bed, said Mom to Peppi, "your new friend is waiting!"


"Hmm, I'm wondering, maybe a bear or a unicorn that I've been dreaming of?" thought Peppi, spreading delicious toothpaste on the toothbrush.



After putting on her pajamas and making a silly face in the mirror, Peppi ran into the bedroom and stopped in surprise.


A large blanket - a furry face with a broad smile - was lying on her bed.


"Meet Sleepsy - your night friend," said Mom, "he can tell dreams and scare away nightmares. He's fun, so the night will pass in no time. Lie down, close your eyes and count to ten."


Peppi reached into Sleepsy's furry arms, closed her eyes, and began to count:

"One, two, three, four...."

"Hey, Peppi!" said Sleepsy and stroked her head with a soft paw, "I'm so glad to meet you!"

"Hooray!" Peppi shouted.

"Finally! I have a night friend! How soft and beautiful you are! I sleep all night alone ... Even though .... You know, Sleepsy, are you brave?" the girl asked a little quieter.


"I'm not afraid of anything! My dad is a Tropical Hurricane! Have you seen waves the size of a huge house?"

"No…" Peppi mumbled in surprise.

"We played with my Dad and his friends - the oceans! Sailors on their snow-white boats were a little frightened," said Sleepsy proudly.



"My mother - Northern Lights - showed me Antarctica from space. Why are you asking?"


Peppi clung to Sleepsy tighter, and answered:

"Scaring sailors is fun and I've never seen Antarctica! But there is a shadow in my corner!" - Peppi closed her eyes - "I don't know who it is, but something dark with bright eyes! It sometimes looks at me from the corner and even walks up to my bed!" - whispered Peppi - "I'm afraid of it!"


"Hmm..." smiled Sleepsy. "Dark with bright eyes! Now, check this out!"


He turned and saw something dark stirring in the corner slowly approaching the bed.

"Oh! There it is!" Peppi squealed and covered her face with her hands.


"Aha! Who are you? Sleepsy asked loudly, hiding the girl behind him.

"Boo-booo-boooo! Boo-baah-boo-boo!" answered the shadow and moved closer.

"Boo Boo Boo!" repeated Sleepsy. "I'm Sleepsy!"

"Boo-baah-boo-boo!" the shadow flashed its eyes and moved even closer.

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Peppi screamed, peeping through her fingers.

"Boo-boo-boo! Baah-baah-baah!" hanging over the bed, yelled the shadow.


Sleepsy took the magic Pelican feather out of his thick fur and began to swing it like a sword in all directions.


"Boo-boo-ha-ha! Boo-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-hah!" the shadow giggled and turned orange.


Sleepsy and Peppy looked at each other and started laughing:

"Ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaaaa! Hee-hee-hee!"

The raspy laughter kept going for another twenty minutes…


"Who are you?" Peppi asked the shadow, who had already turned bright orange into an orange cloud.


"Boo-boo-boooo!" answered the cloud… A new burst of laughter shook the walls of the bedroom.


Suddenly, the door opened and they saw Mom enter the room.


"Are you sleeping, Peppi?" Mom asked. There was a silence and she closed the door.


The shadow went back to the corner with a laugh. Sleepsy covered Peppy and said to himself:

"Strange. I didn't even have time to say the magic word, and this shadow began to laugh just from tickling! It's so good to laugh! Close your eyes, Peppi! There will be morning soon!"


"What a fun night! But who is going to scare me from now on?!" asked the girl.

"Tomorrow night I will tell you a frightening story!" promised Sleepsy.

…

When the fireflies washed the windows of the blueberry night, morning came, and the girl opened her eyes. She saw Sleepsy and remembered their night adventures.


Was it all a dream or reality?


She moved her eyes and noticed the Blue Feather of Pelican lying on the pillow.


"Thank you, Sleepsy!" Peppi whispered, wrapping in the blanket.

"You are now my very best night friend!!!"