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With the help of your companion fox and the spirit of the ancestors, you explore and endure the wilderness of the arctic in Never Alone.
Narrated by Cate Barr
Written by Chris Winson Longley
Music by Michael Hodgson
Produced by Magdoos Media Limited
© 2022 Magdoos Media Limited - All Right Reserved.
Show Notes
For more information about the bedtime stories and to download the Kid's FREE interactive magazine, visit www.checkpointkids.com
Suitable for all ages.
Narrated by Cate Barr
Written by Chris Winson Longley
Music by Michael Hodgson
Produced by Magdoos Media Limited
© 2022 Magdoos Media Limited - All Right Reserved.
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Suitable for all ages.
Narrated by Cate Barr
Written by Chris Winson Longley
Music by Michael Hodgson
Produced by Magdoos Media Limited
© 2022 Magdoos Media Limited - All Right Reserved.
Creators & Guests
Composer
What is Kids Bedtime Stories?
Relax and unwind with classic bedtime stories for kids. One of the best free bedtime story podcasts, perfect for those long trips and journeys with your kids
Never Alone
Cosy up and snuggle down, for tonight your adventure takes you to the wild and wintry landscape of Never Alone.
You wake to find yourself standing on a deep layer of perennial ice topped with snow. Far beneath your feet, the Arctic Ocean teems with fish. You share the land that surrounds the ice with polar bears, wolves, wolverine and Arctic foxes amongst others. There is a strong breeze blowing but you are warm in your clothes made from caribou. The thick skin and fur protect you from the intense cold and the wolverine ruff warms your face. As you gaze across the vast continent, you sense the breeze getting stronger. You know the blizzard is on its way and you must begin your journey.
Striding out you are pleased to find that Fox has joined you. You are grateful for the company. When you were young, you would listen carefully to the stories the Elders told. They spoke of how the world was created and how your ancestors lived in harmony with their environment. Often, they would sing to the complex beat of drums or illustrate their stories by scratching pictures on bone. You learnt about the land and the sea. You learnt how to read the weather and how to hunt. You learnt about the living creatures and the spirits that share this world. You learnt that everything is alive, and that you are never truly alone.
As the blizzard intensifies, it’s not long before the terrain becomes more challenging. Great walls of ice stand in your way. At first, they are no taller than your head and you are able to use your own agility to climb them, but soon they gain in height, and you cannot scale them however hard you try. As you pause and consider your next move, you find yourself distracted by Fox who is barking and nuzzling the pocket where you keep your bola. This weapon was a gift from the Elders, and you spent many hours learning to throw it with precision. As you draw it from your pocket, Fox leaves your side and easily scales the ice wall. You stare in wonder as a spinning circle of light appears high above Fox’s head. Instinctively, understanding what you are meant to do, you spin the bola in your hand. Taking careful aim, you let go and launch it into the wind. You are not worried about missing, just curious and excited to see what will happen. As it finds its target, there is a flash of light and hundreds of white shards fill the air. They begin to coalesce and form the shape of a spirit. It is exactly like the ones in the Elders’ stories. Now you know that Fox is able to call the spirits, and so you must work together in order to get their help. The spirit gradually becomes more solid, and you are amazed to see Fox jump from the ice wall onto the spirit’s head. The spirit then lowers itself until you are able to climb on too. Together, you and Fox are lifted to the top of the ice wall. Retrieving your bola, you thank the spirit for its kindness and continue on your way.
With each wall you ascend you notice the wind gets stronger. At times it blows so hard that you are pushed back along the ground as if you were skating backwards. Following Fox’s lead, when the wind blows too strongly for you to resist, you crouch down and make yourself as small as possible.
Eventually, you reach the edge of the ice and find yourself looking out across the sea. It is at this moment you experience a trembling through the ground beneath your feet. It is rhythmical like a drum. You are reminded of one of the stories told to you by the Elders. As they beat their drums and told their tales you would form images in your mind. Now the pounding of the ice conjures up the image of a mighty beast born of the ice and sculpted by the sharp wind. A final dusting of pure white snow and the image is complete. You turn knowing what you will see.
The huge polar bear is running towards you. Its back curves like a wave as the mighty paws pummel the ice and drive the beast forward. You can clearly see the black outline of its mouth and the red lolling tongue, stark against the white of its fur. You instinctively turn to check that Fox is safe but there is nothing but ice and snow and beyond that, the sea.
You hear Fox barking. You stare across the sea and are surprised to see Fox riding on the waves. You wonder how this is possible until you realise that pieces of the ice have broken off and are floating like a row of small islands. The pieces of ice have formed a path and a means of escape. With no hesitation, you leap onto the first island only to find it immediately tilts under your weight, threatening to tip you into the sea. You scramble towards the raised edge and as it begins to right itself you leap to the next platform, and then to the one after that. There is no time to rest. As you hop from island to island you observe that this is not the open sea but a narrow inlet and the ice you are on is leading to the other side, to safety. You allow yourself to pause for the briefest of moments and are dismayed to see that the bear is close behind. It is highly agile and driven by hunger. It will not give up easily. You make your final leap and join Fox on the solid ice. You both run as fast as you can but find your way is blocked by a huge wall of ice. It is far too high to jump and there is no time to call a spirit to your aid. You draw your bola and prepare to face the bear. You will hold your ground and defend yourself. As the bear clambers from the last of the ice islands, you see Fox digging at the base of the ice wall. You do not think that there is time to dig a burrow and that the attempt will be a waste of time. Then, Fox stops digging and barks at the ice wall. You see now that there is a section that seems to glow from within, as if the ice were a window. You have only seconds to make your decision. You decide to put your faith in Fox, and you hurl the bola at the wall of ice. There is a familiar sound of cracking as the ice curtain shatters revealing a very narrow tunnel. On all fours you quickly follow Fox into the tunnel as the polar bear roars with frustration at the entrance.
The tunnel ends in a gigantic underground cavern. Infront of you the floor is covered by sharp shards of ice. Razor-sharp, they are extremely dangerous, and you know you cannot force your way through them. Above your head and just below the ceiling is a shelf. It is too high for you to jump onto, but Fox does so easily. As Fox walks from side to side, spirits appear and hover just below the shelf. They have long arms which hang down like ropes and you understand that you need to use them as swings to cross the cavern. You leap forward, grab the first arm and begin to swing your body to and fro. With each swing your momentum builds and the length of your arc increases. Eventually, you judge yourself close enough to the next arm to release your grip and fly through the air. The arm hits your chest, and you grab hold. You swing again and this time when you release your grip you land on the far side of the cavern. Fox jumps down from the shelf. You thank the spirits and together with Fox follow the path towards the exit.
Outside, you find the blizzard is stronger than before and the snow is forming miniature whirlwinds that fill the air with a white light. The wolverine ruff on your hood can protect your face from the freezing snow, but it cannot stop the glare of the white from hurting your eyes. You have no snow goggles and are worried about becoming snow-blind. Lowering your eyelids until they are almost completely shut, you use your eyelashes to block out the light. Only looking downwards, you put your trust in Fox and carefully follow the trail of footprints before they disappear. After what feels like forever, you find yourself outside a domed structure. It is an abandoned dwelling, and you push the sealskin door to one side and enter.
After a short while, your eyes become accustomed to the low level of light and you explore your surroundings. You discover a seal-oil lamp, a supply of dry wood and a bow drill. You light the lamp using the bow drill and begin making a fire. Sorting the wood, you discover that some of it is driftwood: eroded by the waves and bleached by the Sun, it looks like bone. You take a piece, no longer than your hand, and you place it across your eyes. It fits perfectly to the contours of your face. You place it on one side and complete building the fire. As it burns brightly, you make yourself comfortable and turn your attention to the piece of wood. Using your hunting knife, you carefully carve the wood until it resembles a pair of glasses, but where the glass should go you carefully cut two horizontal slits. With the tip of your knife blade, you bore two holes to take a piece of sinew and your snow goggles are complete.
For a moment you are taken with the idea of going out into the blizzard to test your goggles, but the fire has warmed the air and you are comfortable where you are. Fox has curled into a ball at your side and is breathing the slow relaxed rhythm of a contented sleep. You realise you, too, are feeling tired. It has been a day full of adventure and several times you have had to push yourself beyond your limits.
Lying back, you stare at the ceiling. Constructed from thin curved timbers covered in earth, it resembles the ribcage of a giant animal. It reminds you of the Elders’ story about a young member of the tribe who lived inside a whale and of the spirits who helped you today.
Outside the blizzard is raging, and you reflect on the polar bear as its hunger drives it ever onwards in search of food. You feel an affinity with the bear. You are both an integral part of this vast landscape, both necessary and both trying to survive. But for now, your struggle is over. You draw your hood tightly over your head and snuggle down. You close your eyes and drift away, awaiting your next adventure.
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