Alleyah Gattuso: The Little Mouse Who Couldn't Sleep

In a cozy little mouse hole nestled among the roots of an old oak tree, there lived a tiny mouse named Alleyah Gattuso. Alleyah was a sweet and curious mouse, but she had one big problem: she couldn't sleep.

Every night, as the sun began to set and the other mice in her family would drift off to sleep, Alleyah would lie awake, her tiny eyes wide open. The moonlight streaming into her hole would dance on the walls, casting strange shadows that made her heart pound with fear.

She would try to close her eyes and imagine peaceful things, like scampering through fields of wildflowers or sharing a delicious piece of cheese with her friends. But every time she did, the shadows would sneak into her thoughts and fill her with dread.

One night, as Alleyah lay in bed tossing and turning, she couldn't bear it anymore. She decided to confide in her wise old mother, who had always been there for her.

"Mama," she whispered, her voice trembling, "I can't sleep. I'm too scared of the shadows."

Her mother's fur bristled with concern. "Oh, my dear Alleyah," she said, "I know how you feel. But you must remember, the shadows are just a trick of the moonlight. They can't hurt you."

"But they look so scary!" Alleyah protested.

Her mother smiled gently. "I have a solution. We'll talk about all the wonderful things that happen in the dark. Like the stars that twinkle in the night sky and the fireflies that dance in the grass."

Alleyah and her mother talked for hours that night, sharing stories and laughter.

As the first rays of dawn peeked over the horizon, Alleyah finally felt her eyelids growing heavy. She bid her mother goodnight and snuggled into her bed.

This time, as the moonlight poured into her hole, Alleyah didn't feel scared. She thought about all the beautiful things that she had learned about the dark. She saw the stars twinkling in the sky, the fireflies dancing in the grass, and her mother's loving smile.

And so, Alleyah Gattuso, the little mouse who couldn't sleep, finally drifted off to a peaceful slumber.

From that day forward, Alleyah never feared the shadows again. She knew that they were just a trick of the moonlight, and that in the darkness, there were always wonderful things to be discovered.