Sleepyhead Nandu

Naman, lovingly called 'Sleepyhead Nandu' by his friends, had a peculiar problem—he always felt sleepy!

- Alka Jain

Whenever he sat down to do his homework, his eyes would start drooping. In class, his head would always rest on the desk. Even while waiting for his turn to bat in the park, he would yawn endlessly.

But it wasn’t just laziness. Naman’s sleep cycle was completely messed up. He would stay up late watching TV or playing games, making it hard to wake up early. His diet was also unhealthy—too much junk food and not enough vegetables.

Mom and Dad often explained that healthy food and proper sleep keep the body energetic, but Naman found all that boring. His habit had worsened so much that his friends began teasing him.

“Hey, Naman! You're like a walking pillow!”

“We thought tortoises were slow, but you’ve beaten them!”

Naman was fed up with all the jokes. He wanted to change.

That night, lying in bed, he wished, “If only my eyes would always stay open! Then everyone would see how alert I am.”

That night, as Naman drifted into sleep, a beautiful fairy appeared in his dream. She had long hair, twinkling stars in her eyes and a soft glow around her. The fairy smiled and said, “Naman, you're a good boy. Tell me, what do you wish for?”

Naman’s eyes lit up. “O Fairy, I want my eyes to stay open forever! I never want to feel sleepy again. Then I can study well, make my parents happy and stop my friends from teasing me.”