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Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream. Settle back and snuggle down as we pay a visit to our two famously adventurous bunnies, Bobby and Bertie. You may recall how they helped the goddess Luna find her lost moon. Well, this time they join the fairies in the search for something very important. But what could it be? Let's find out as I begin. How the Fairies Found Their Magic by Elisha Ainslie. Before we begin, a quick message for the grown ups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy ad free listening, unlock four bonus stories per month and much, much more. You can join Koko Club. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes, but now here's a quick word from our sponsors.
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Hey parents. My name is Jessica Porter and I'm the host of Sleep Magic, the Sleep hypnosis podcast. As a hypnotherapist, I've helped many parents tackle their sleep troubles, whether it's letting go of bedtime worries or getting back to sleep after tiny bedroom intruders. I know finding peace amidst all that life brings can be tough, but since 2021, I've been delivering weekly episodes of Solution Focused Sleep Hypnosis, which have now helped with over 5 million restless nights. Sleep Magic has proven to help you relax really deeply, maybe more deeply than you have in years, with a mix of hypnosis techniques, meditations and classic bedtime stories. Each week there's brand new episodes to help you unwind and fall asleep effortlessly. You can find me and Sleep Magic on all major podcast platforms. Just search Sleep Magic and hit follow so that you can find it easily when you go to bed. Relaxation is truly closer than you think. I'll see you there.
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It had been a long time since bunny rabbits Bertie and Bobby helped the goddess Luna find her lost moon. But almost every day since the creatures of Sleepy Forest seem to be asking them for help, everyone wanted their assistance with finding something they had lost, since they had done such a good job for the goddess Luna. Before they knew it, Bertie and Bobby had become very popular amongst the creatures of the forest, and they had earned themselves a reputation as sort of local heroes. Even with all this attention, Bertie and Bobby didn't let their newfound fame go to their heads. They were still the same playful, sweet bunnies they had always been, and they were more interested in lying by the side of their favourite lake than they were in racing off on daring missions. One day, Bertie and Bobby were relaxing by the side of the water, when they received a very surprising visit. Bertie was stretched out on the riverbank, basking in the warm summer sun, and Bobby was bathing in the cool waters, floating on his back like a starfish, when there came a jingling sound. Bertie's ears pricked up at the sound and he looked around the side of the lake but couldn't see anyone else in sight. That was strange, he muttered before returning to his reclined position on the ground. After a few moments, he heard the sound again. It jingled even louder this time. Bertie sat upright and looked again, but there was nothing and no one to be seen. It was just him and Bobby. My imagination must be playing tricks on me, Bertie decided and laid back down again. Then there it was again. Jingle, jingle. Bertie shot up to his feet and started to bounce around, searching for where the sound was coming from. Bobby. He cried out to his friend, floating blissfully in the water. Did you hear that sound too? Bobbie lifted his ears out of the water and they dripped with watery droplets. What did you say? He called back. I can't hear anything with my ears in the water. Bertie continued to look amongst the reeds, inside the bushes and in the flower beds nearby, but he couldn't find anything. He scratched his head with his fluffy paw and looked very confused. He could have sworn he kept hearing a jingling sound, but maybe it was all in his head. Just as Bertie was about to give up hope, he heard the sound again. This time it came from overhead. He lifted his gaze up into the tree above him and he gasped at what he saw. Sat on the tree branch above his head were three fairies. The fairies were very small. They were the size of butterflies, and most large animals might not even notice them if they passed one by. But being small themselves, bunnies were accustomed to spotting smaller creatures. There were three fairies sat on a tree branch. One was a boy and two were girls. They all had silver hair and large purple eyes, tiny pointed faces and rosy red cheeks. They wore white robes and had large, beautiful wings and sprouting out of their backs. All fairies have different coloured wings. The boy had bright purple wings and the two girls had green and orange wings respectively. Hello up there. Bertie called out to the resting fairies. Is it you that I keep hearing jingling? The three fairies took notice of Bertie and waved uncertainly. Bertie had most likely heard the fairies talking to each other. You see from a distance the sound of fairies voices sounds like twinkling wind chimes. It's only when you get up close to them that you can make out exactly what it is they are saying. The fairies didn't appear to have said anything in return, so Bertie tried calling out to them again. Hello, can you hear me? My name is Bertie and I'm very pleased to meet you. That is my friend Bobby over there. He pointed over to Bobby, swimming in the river without a care in the world. Sure he would be pleased to meet you, too. The fairies looked at each other forlornly and bowed their heads. One of the female fairies, the one with the long braid that dangled over her shoulder, eventually responded to Bertie's greeting. It's nice to meet you too, Bertie. She smiled sweetly. We're sorry if we're not quite ourselves right now. You see, we aren't really feeling like ourselves at the moment. Something is wrong. Bertie grew concerned. What could be the matter with the fairies? It was highly unusual for fairies to have anything wrong with them. Their magical powers granted them eternal life, abundant health, and the ability to create anything they wished. Surely nothing could be wrong for the fairies. He didn't want to make assumptions, so he decided to pry and asked, what is the matter? Maybe Bobby and I could help you. The female fairy with the braid looked at her fellow friends as if seeking assurance, and they nodded their heads in agreement. She turned back to Bertie and decided to explain what their predicament was. You see, Bertie, the fairy began, we woke up this morning and for some reason our wings wouldn't allow us to fly. We tried to fly down from our bed in this tree, but it's as if our magic has disappeared. So we are stuck up here. Our skin normally glows with sparkling magic, but as you can see, our skin is dull and plain. And we've tried to cast spells, but none of them have worked. They have all fizzled out with a pitiful pop. We seem to have lost our magic. Bertie listened to the fairies claim in awe. Surely it wasn't possible for the fairies to lose their magic. Bertie thought that magic was embedded in the hearts and souls of fairies and that nobody could take it away. But it would appear that he was wrong. The fairy continued to explain that fairies get their magic from the same source as all of the mystical creatures in Sleepy Forest. An ancient crystal orb sits on a podium in the centre of the forest. As long as the orb of power remains in its central spot, then everybody gets their equal share of magic. Something must have happened to the orb of power in order for the fairies to have lost their magic. Don't worry, fairies, bertie comforted them. Luckily for you, Bobby and I are Pretty good at finding mystical objects and returning them to their rightful owners. We can help you find your magic. Bertie called Bobbie over, and the dripping wet, mischievous bunny joined him by his side. Bobbie introduced himself to the fairies and Bertie filled him in on the task at hand. Bobbie rubbed his paws together eagerly and exclaimed, oh, another adventure. I knew this was gonna be a fun day. Before they could embark upon their mission, they had one problem to solve first. How were they going to get the fairies down from the tree? Bertie and Bobbie couldn't fly, nor could they climb, so they couldn't help the fairies down by themselves. They dug deep into their little bunny brains for ideas. And then suddenly, Bobbie had a lightbulb moment. Aha. I know how we can get the fairies down from the tree. He announced. Then he placed his fluffy paws in his mouth and he blew hard, creating a loud ringing whistle that echoed throughout the forest. All five of them waited expectantly for a few seconds, wondering what the meaning was of Bobbie's outburst. All of a sudden, they heard the flapping of wings and they all turned to the other side of the lake. Overhead in the sky, flying straight towards them, was Bertie and Bobbie's favourite family of woodpeckers. They were the same woodpeckers that had aided Bertie and Bobbie on their mission to find the lost moon for the goddess Luna. The family of woodpeckers hovered above Bertie and Bobby and greeted them cheerfully. Hiya, Bertie. Hi, Bobby. How can we be of service today? The father woodpecker asked enthusiastically. Bobbie pointed to the stranded fairies up in the tree and asked if the woodpeckers could help them down to the ground. The woodpeckers were happy to oblige, and they carefully glided up into the tree, allowing the fairies to climb up onto their backs. Then, once they were safely on board, the woodpeckers flew them down to the ground, where the fairies hopped off. The three fairies were very grateful, and they thanked the woodpecker family profusely for their aid before the woodpeckers flew back home. So, where should we begin? Bobbie questioned. Keen to get started with their mission, the five new friends discussed and agreed that the first thing they should do was check that the Orb of Power was still in its usual resting place. They all set off walking into the center of the forest in search of the Orb of power. Bertie and Bobbie learned that the names of the three fairies were Sparkle, Tinker and Pebbles. Tinker was the fairy with the long braided silver hair and green wings. Sparkle was the boy with purple wings, and Pebbles was The girl with short cropped hair and and orange wings. All three of the fairies were very beautiful and petite, with shiny silvery hair, but they all were very different in personality. Tinker was gentle and mature. She acted as though she was the leader of their little trio. Sparkle was funny and cheeky, and he kept on breaking into song as they walked through the forest. He entertained them all along the way. And Pebbles was quiet but intelligent. She didn't speak as much as the other two, but when she did, she made very interesting additions to the conversation. Bobbie, in particular, thought that Pebbles was very impressive. The five comrades eventually made it to the centre of the forest. There was a giant oak tree with the thickest, longest roots Bertie and Bobbie had ever seen. There were long vines hanging from the trees all around them, and one trickle of sunlight broke through the leaves in the trees, creating a spotlight that fell upon the ground at the base of the giant oak. There they saw a large golden podium, glistening in the sunlight. However, there was nothing placed upon it. Oh, no. Tinker exclaimed, bringing her hands up to her cheeks. The Orb of Power is gone. Normally, the Orb of Power sat on top of the golden podium, sending out its powerful magic and sharing it equally around the forest. But now it was missing. Why would somebody take the orb? Sparkle lamented. Bertie and Bobbie hopped over to the golden podium and began to inspect the scene. Why would someone want to take the orb? The orb did possess a lot of power, so maybe somebody wanted that power for themselves and didn't want to share. Or maybe this was some sort of trick that somebody was playing on the fairies. Whatever the reason, it was important that they found the Orb of Power soon. To put things right, Bertie and Bobbie searched for clues as to where the orb might have gotten to. They sniffed the ground, trying to pick up scents. They checked for tracks and they hunted for anything that might have been left behind by the perpetrator. Unfortunately, they couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary. Does anyone else get their magic from the Orb of Power? Maybe we should check that they're all right and that they haven't lost their magic too. Bertie suggested Tinker. Sparkle and Pebbles looked between themselves, thinking hard, and Pebbles replied. Well, us fairies obviously get our power from the orb, and so do a lot of other mystical woodland creatures. There are the elves and the pixies, the gnomes and the dwarves, not to mention the trolls and the wood nymphs. A lot of mystical creatures in the woods got their power from the orb, so Bertie and Bobby would have their work cut out, checking on everyone no matter the case, they would check that everyone still had their magic. Bertie, Bobbie, Tinker, Sparkle and Pebbles walked through the forest, checking in on the other magical creatures. All of the fairies had lost their magic, as had the pixies and the gnomes. It seemed to be that all the magical creatures were struggling as a result of the missing Orb of power. They continued to move through the forest, making their way towards the home of the dwarves when Bertie spotted a squirrel in a tree. The squirrel was humming a catchy melody as it munched away on a nut. Then it started to sing. Bertie listened closely to the squirrel's soft song and he made out the following. Poor fairies, poor gnomes. Where their magic is, nobody knows. Except for me. Except for me. Registering what the squirrel was saying, Bertie stopped in his tracks and shouted up to the squirrel in the tree. Excuse me. Did you see who took the Orb of Power from its podium? The squirrel turned its head absentmindedly towards Bertie and nibbled its two front teeth into the shell of the nut with a crack. Oh, yes, oh yes, I see, I see. Concealed from sight where the magic may be, the fairies held their breath with anticipation. Well, where is it? If you know who took the orb, then you must tell us. Sparkle deplored to the riddling squirrel. Who took the orb? Bobbie demanded. The squirrel chewed and swallowed the rest of the nut and then dusted off his hands on his furry chest. He stared out into the distance wistfully and appeared to get lost in a memory. Finally, he answered in song. Where the magic is now, I do not know, but the ones who took it, I know. No, no. Little pointy hats and little nimble hands a little bigger than you took it to their lands. The fairies were confused, and Bertie and Bobbie were just as perplexed. Little pointy hats sounded like the dwarves and the gnomes that they had already been to see, although they weren't particularly nimble. Besides, they were a lot bigger than the fairies. Pixies were a similar size to them, but the trolls and wood nymphs were giants in comparison. Bertie had an idea. Let's pay a visit to the elves next. I have a feeling that they might be able to help us. They thanked the squirrel for its puzzling assistance and changed up their plan. They would pay a visit to the elves next to check in on their magic and possibly ask for their help. The elves lived on the other side of the forest. Generally, the elves liked to spread themselves out. Some of the elves lived in the forest, but some preferred living in the meadow beyond. They could even be spotted frolicking in the forest springs quite often. But they didn't hang around for long if they saw any other animals coming. The elves like to keep to themselves. After some time, Bertie, Bobbie, Tinker, Sparkle and Pebbles reached the doorway to the tree hollow where the main community of elves lived. None of them had ever been inside the elves den, but it was widely known that most of the elves lived here. Bobbie liked to imagine that inside the tree were thousands of little elves working away, sleeping and eating over hundreds of floors that spanned from underground all the way up to the top of the tree. Maybe he would find out now if that was in fact true. Tinker knocked on the door and the five of them waited patiently. Who is it? A squeaky voice hollowed from the other side of the door in the tree. My name is Bertie and this is my brother Bobby. Bertie responded confidently. We have come to check on you. A lot of the mystical creatures in the forest have lost their magic and we want to check if you are all alright. There was an awkward pause and the sound of muffled whispering. Then the squeaky voice replied, er, yes, we are fine. Thank you for checking. Bye bye now. Bertie, Bobbie and the fairies all looked at each other curiously. Something didn't seem right. Bertie tried talking to the voice again. Are you sure that you're all right? The orb of power is missing from its podium and all the other magical creatures have lost their magic because of it. Are you sure you still have your magic? The door to the tree clicked open and a gangly elf stormed out of the front door and up to Bertie. Yes, we are perfectly fine, thank you. Now off you go and stop bothering us. Bertie was very surprised by the elf's bad manners and he peered over the elf's shoulder and into the darkness beyond the door to inside the tree. There seemed to be a shimmering glow coming from deep within. That suggested to Bertie that the elf might not be telling the whole truth. Before he could pry any further, Tinker, Sparkle and Pebbles stormed forward. Did you take the orb of power? Tinker asked, looking very disappointed. The elf shuffled from foot to foot guiltily. He denied that he knew anything about it, but when Pebbles rushed forwards towards the door, she caught sight of the shimmering light inside the hollow tree and she cried out, look. The orb of power is inside the elf tree. I can see it with my own eyes. The elf looked embarrassed. There was no denying it now. He ushered some of his elf friends to come out to the front with him and he apologized profusely to the fairies and to Bertie And Bobbie, we're sorry. The elf apologised. We only took the Orb of Power because we have so many plans and things that we want to do. But by sharing the magic with everyone else, we don't have enough power to make it all happen fast enough. We thought that if we kept the orb for ourselves for a little while, that we could harness its power to get all our jobs done, and then we could return the orb before anybody noticed. The elf's intentions might have been innocent enough, but Bobbie and Bertie explained how, by keeping the Orb of Power for themselves, they had taken all of the magic away from everybody else, leaving everyone with a lot of problems and unable to carry out their own duties. The elves hung their heads in shame and begged for forgiveness. Tinker stepped forward and held out her hands to the elves in an offer of peace. It's all right. We all make mistakes, she assured them kindly. Bertie and Bobbie agreed and added that it was always better to share the magic than keep it for themselves. It might take a little longer to do things, but at least it meant that everybody got their fair chance and that everybody had the same opportunities to do good things without causing detriment to others. Bertie and Bobbie advised the elves that they should slow down and relax more. Their work would be done eventually if they all worked together, and if they needed any help. Then all they had to do was ask their sleepy forest friends. The elves bought the Orb of Power out of hiding from their tree hollow and presented it to Bertie and Bobbie. We will return it to its rightful place, Bobbie assured them. It will be much easier for us to carry it than for you, tiny elves. The elves were thankful for their understanding and forgiveness and provided a wooden wagon for the orb to rest in. The fairies placed saddles on Bertie and Bobbie and attached the wagon to reins on their back so that they could pull it with ease. And then the elves loaded the orb onto the wagon. Bertie and Bobbie set off through the forest, pulling their precious cargo, and the fairies rode on top of their backs as if they were horses. The five new friends journeyed through the forest and returned the Orb of Power to its rightful place. Thanks to Bertie and Bobbie's astute thinking and confidence in asking for help from others, they had tracked down the magical Orb of Power, and the fairies possessed their magic once more. All of the mystical creatures of the forest were delighted to have their magic restored. And Tinker, Sparkle and Pebbles flew away back home to their fairy kingdom, delighted to have the ability to fly once again. Bertie and Bobbie certainly lived up to their reputation of being experts in finding things that are lost. Now, with another job perfectly executed, they had something else they had lost that they needed to catch up on time. They hopped their way back to the side of the lake to indulge in the last rays of the day's sunlight. They lay down on the bank, stretched their arms back behind their heads, and closed their eyes. Well done today, Bertie, bobbie whispered, satisfied. Well done to you, too, Bobby. We are a good team, bertie whispered back. With the sun disappearing behind the trees and moonlight taking its place to cast a glow across the river, Bobby and Bertie felt the warm air grow cool, and they sighed with relief as they relaxed after a very productive day. Sam. Sa.
Podcast: Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids
Episode Date: March 26, 2026
Host/Narrator: Abbe Opher
Story Author: Elisha Ainslie
In this gentle, enchanting Koala Moon bedtime story, adventurous bunnies Bertie and Bobby are recruited for a magical quest: to help a group of fairies recover their lost magic. The soothing narration draws listeners into the cozy, familiar world of Sleepy Forest, where teamwork, curiosity, and empathy are celebrated. This episode fosters calm and reassurance, making it an ideal pre-sleep tale for children.
[02:32]
[04:25]
While relaxing, Bertie repeatedly hears a mysterious jingling sound.
The sound is revealed to be the voices of three tiny fairies sitting in a tree—Tinker (green wings), Sparkle (purple wings, the boy), and Pebbles (orange wings).
"From a distance the sound of fairies' voices sounds like twinkling wind chimes." — Narrator [05:15]
[06:50]
The fairies confide that they cannot fly or use magic; their powers are mysteriously gone.
They explain all magical creatures in the forest derive power from the ancient Orb of Power, which must have gone missing.
"Our skin normally glows with sparkling magic, but as you can see, our skin is dull and plain." — Tinker [07:44] "Luckily for you, Bobby and I are pretty good at finding mystical objects and returning them to their rightful owners." — Bertie [09:15]
[10:30]
[13:10]
The group (Bertie, Bobby, Tinker, Sparkle, Pebbles) heads to the Orb’s usual resting place under an ancient oak.
The golden podium is empty—the Orb is indeed missing.
"Oh, no. The Orb of Power is gone!" — Tinker [15:10]
[17:35]
The group checks on other magical creatures—gnomes, pixies—all have lost their powers.
A squirrel, through a playful riddle-song, hints that the thieves are "little pointy hats and little nimble hands."
"Little pointy hats and little nimble hands, a little bigger than you took it to their lands." — Squirrel [20:30]
[21:50]
The group suspects the elves and visits their tree den.
Initially, the elves deny any involvement, but a glow inside the tree gives them away.
Pebbles spots the Orb; the elves sheepishly admit to taking it.
"We only took the Orb of Power because we have so many plans and things that we want to do." — Elf [25:24] “It’s always better to share the magic than keep it for ourselves.” — Bertie [26:35] “We all make mistakes.” — Tinker, reassures the elves [26:48]
[27:44]
[29:50]
The fairies, overjoyed, soar home. Bertie and Bobby relax by the lake, content after another successful adventure.
"Well done today, Bertie," Bobby whispered, satisfied.
"Well done to you, too, Bobby. We are a good team," Bertie whispered back. [31:32]
On the sound of fairies’ voices:
"From a distance the sound of fairies' voices sounds like twinkling wind chimes." — Narrator [05:15]
Fairy feelings:
"We aren’t really feeling like ourselves at the moment. Something is wrong." — Tinker [07:20]
The squirrel’s riddle:
"Little pointy hats and little nimble hands, a little bigger than you took it to their lands." — Squirrel [20:30]
Gentle wisdom:
“It’s always better to share the magic than keep it for ourselves.” — Bertie [26:35]
“We all make mistakes.” — Tinker [26:48]
Teamwork affirmation:
"Well done today, Bertie," Bobby whispered, satisfied.
"Well done to you, too, Bobby. We are a good team." — Bertie and Bobby [31:32]
The story is told in a warm, slow, and gentle voice—perfect to calm young listeners. The language is soothing, friendly, and easy to follow. The narrative emphasizes kindness, the importance of sharing, seeking help when needed, and learning from mistakes. Familiar characters return, enhancing emotional comfort and connection to the Koala Moon "koala-verse." The resolution is satisfying and reinforces positive cooperation and forgiveness.
This episode of Koala Moon guides listeners through a comforting bedtime adventure filled with whimsy and moral lessons. As Bertie, Bobby, and their new fairy friends work together to restore harmony, children are reminded of the importance of teamwork, empathy, and doing what’s right, all while being soothed by the familiar rhythm of a favorite bedtime storyteller.