Kids Bedtime Stories

Zoo Tycoon

Snuggle down and cosy up, for this is a story all about the most enchanting zoos that have ever existed. Your zoo.

You find yourself in the most beautiful of places, surrounded by wonderful trees, the greenest grass and the most wonderful blue skies without a cloud in the sky. It's warm, but not hot and the breeze is refreshing but not cold. It's the perfect temperature and you can hear all the wonderful birdsongs echoing through the trees carried by the gentle breeze and absorbed by your pricked ears. It's a paradise, and you're standing in the centre of this wondrous place that has been cleared. Out of the sky a majestic eagle owl lands beside you with a message. You don't expect the owl to talk, but it opens its beak and recites a message that seems to come from an ancient world - maybe the world in which you find yourself.
"You must build a zoo," the owl says in a deep and authoritative tone. "You have been brought here to protect the animals of this world. There is an unknown darkness sweeping the land, and the animals fear this darkness," explains the owl.
Before you can ask anything, the owl has spread its wings and taken to the sky.
"Don't worry," you hear it say in your head, "all you must do is ask for what you need and the animals will come."
With no more explanation and no one to discuss this mysterious turn of events, you sit down wondering what to do next.

As you sit looking into the far end of the clearing you notice movement behind some trees. You're not quite sure what it is, but it's definitely movement of an animal of some kind. And a big one at that. As you venture closer you notice a tusk and stomping. It's an elephant with her family. You both stop and look at each other, both unsure of what to do next. You need to build a zoo, you need to protect the elephant and her family, you wonder if this is the reason she's come to find you. You can hear her in your head.
"Were you visited by the great owl?"
You look at her eyes, which are soft and soothing and nod.
"Then you must call upon the world to provide for you." you hear her say.
Confused, you try speaking, but your mouth won't open, and you are lost for words, almost as if you've forgotten how to speak.
"No, my dear," the elephant says smiling, "you must ask from your heart for this is how things work here."
You collect your thoughts and dream up a beautiful enclosure for the elephant and her herd. You don't really know what they need, but you see a large roaming area with lots of grass and water and trees for the elephants to explore and relax in. When you open your eyes, your vision is a reality and the elephant and her herd are safe in the enclosure. And they're happy. You start to wonder how many animals you will need to protect and what this darkness is.

In the far corner of the world the darkness stirs, knowing that something is shifting. The plan to cover the land with nothingness and coldness is being challenged, but the darkness doesn't know what is scuppering its plan. It knows there is something wrong, but it must control the animals to control the land.

The elephants are so impressed with their new home that they call out to their other jungle friends. Gazelles, zebras, lions and tigers, ox, buffalo and bison, antelope and even snakes all start emerging from the surrounding woodland. You have no idea how you're going to fit them all in your clearing and whether or not they'll be happy with your creations, but you hear the voice of the owl again.
"Ask for what you need," the voice echoes in your head. "Ask for what you need."

You close your eyes and start thinking about all the books you've read and the programmes you've watched about all these wonderful animals. You remember the roaming plains and grasslands of Africa where the gazelles, antelope and buffalo roam. You think of the trees under which the lions take shade and the forests where the tigers are hidden and silent. You think of the trees where the snakes and sloths hang from and the deep forest floor where the armadillos roam among the frogs and boars.
You picture the beautiful birds of paradise and their unique dances. You hear the sound of painted parakeets, multicoloured macaws and colourful cockatoos high in the trees.
You picture lizards and chameleons, Komodo dragons and tortoises in the warmth of their islands.
Your mind wonders to wolves and hunting dogs, wild horses and ostriches. Your brain is racing at a million miles an hour, thinking of all the animals you've ever seen or heard. Bats, rats, mice, turtles, whales, sharks, fish, eels, otters, beavers. The list goes on.

As you explore the many wonderful habitats in your mind, you hear a dark sound creeping into your thoughts. It's the darkness trying to stop you from thinking of the animals and their homes. You quickly open your eyes and to your surprise all the animals you'd thought about are in your zoo in the most lovely of enclosures. You look across the landscape and there are all the things you saw in your mind, all the animals living in perfect spaces for them and enjoying the thoughtfulness of your mind. You're amazed and surprised, but you know that using your heart to think of the best for the animals is what saved the animals from the darkness. You were able to pull all the animals in the island to your clearing by calling them in your mind and with the voice of your heart.

The animals all listened and united and made the way to your clearing, the light coming from you was so strong that it would have been impossible for the darkness to overcome it.

Far away a dark smoke rises and makes its way towards your clearing. Slowly it surrounds the clearing, the animals are hiding; worried the darkness will claim them. You stand straight, eyes closed, and put out your arm. You hear a shrill squawk and the majestic eagle owl lands on your shoulder. It's not heavy, nor does its talons dig into you. Instead, it sits perfectly on your shoulder glaring at the surrounding darkness.

"This is your land, this is your zoo. The animals have come here because they trust you, and they know you will protect them. Do you know what you have to do?"

You take a moment to think as the darkness continues to circle you. The only thing you can think of doing is going back into your mind and fighting the darkness there. After all, it was there that you were able to build this impressive zoo to protect the animals.

"That is the way to fight," you hear the owl say in your head.

You fill your mind with happy thoughts, thoughts of laughter, thoughts of jokes and japes. You think of the most delicious foods you've eaten, as well as the funniest moments in your life. With every memory the darkness is pierced with your brilliant light, broken with the laughter of your memories. Eventually the darkness fades into light and you're left standing amongst the animals outside of their enclosures. They're safe again.

"You saved us," you hear the owl say as the elephant, the first animal to put her trust in you, approaches. She pushes her head down towards your, her trunk wrapping itself around your waist as she pulls you close. A tear works its way down her cracked face as you notice her trunk pulling you closer to her. She's hugging you. You close your eyes and hear all the animals. "Thank you," they're saying.

"You saved us from the poachers, the farmers, the companies that harm us. You saved our lives and our land, our hearts are in your hand and we thank you for all you've done, the world is better with you as our sun."

You sit back down and open your eyes. The animals, now free to roam, surround you instead.

You're tired now, knowing you've done your best. You cuddle into the menagerie of animals and sleep, awaiting your next adventure.