woman in blue dress sleeping in a field of lavender

There are several famous fairy tales that use sleep as a way to symbolise renewal, vulnerability or escape. These stories remind us of the power of rest and sleep. Whether they follow themes of finding true love, dealing with life's challenges or experiencing growth, they reflect how being well rested can help us to deal with it.

Here are out top five sleep themed fairy stories:

1. Sleeping Beauty

Based on the story written by the Brothers Grimm and originally called ‘Little Briar-Rose’, a princess falls asleep under a spell cast by a vengeful fairy who had not been invited to the party celebrating the princesses’s birth. Pricking her finger on a spindle, she is fated to remain asleep, until awakened by true love’s kiss. A good fairy ensures the entire kingdom falls asleep with her, to avoid loneliness upon waking. A prince has to overcome challenges, such as a fence of thorns around the castle, to finally find the princess and awaken her with a kiss.

sleeping beauty asleep in her bedsleeping beauty asleep in her bed

2. The Princess and the Pea

A king and queen are searching for the perfect princess for their son. When they eventually find a suitable princess, the queen devises a test to prove the authenticity of the princesses’s royal lineage. The queen places a small pea under 20 mattresses and 20 featherbeds. Despite the layers the princess can feel the pea and sleeps badly because she is unable to get comfortable, thereby ‘proving’ her royal blood. 

Our luxurious, individually handcrafted mattress toppers are created to add a layer of comfort to a hard mattress, so if you are feeling like the Princess and the Pea in your bed, then explore our options!

devon duvets handcrafted mattress topperdevon duvets handcrafted mattress topper

3. Rip Van Winkle

This story was first published in 1819 and tells the tale of Rip, a well-meaning but lazy man who prefers strolling in the mountains with his dog, rather than working. One day to escape the nagging of his exasperated wife, he walks into the forest where he meets a group of mysterious men playing nine-pins. They offer him a drink and he falls asleep. He wakes up 20 years later, an old man with a white beard, and learns that the American Revolution has taken place, his wife has died, and his children are grown. He becomes a local legend and is embraced by the community as a storyteller. His long sleep is a metaphor for escapism and the passage of time but also suggests that the reward for sleeping well is peace.

Preparing for bed and getting in the right frame of mind for sleep is very important for a good night’s rest. Try meditation or breathing techniques to relax and create a relaxing environment with essential oils. Explore the Cherish Nature range on our website – beautifully crafted, natural products that bring nature into your home.

young blonde girl asleep in bedyoung blonde girl asleep in bed

4. Goldilocks and The Three Bears

A curious girl walking in the woods finds a house that belongs to three bears, who are not at home. After testing their chairs and sampling their porridge she explores their beds to find the one that’s ‘just right’. She falls blissfully asleep in the baby bear’s bed, where she is discovered when the bears return. In the original story, from 1831, where Goldilocks is a nosy woman, rather than a child, she comes to a sorry end - but the more modern version sees Goldilocks running away into the wood, her lesson learned. The story uses sleep to highlight comfort, as well as experiencing growth by learning about boundaries.

Finding bedding that’s ‘just right’ for you will increase your ability to sleep well. Select temperature regulating options that will help to keep your core body temperature balanced whilst you sleep. Check out our natural, sustainable and chemical-free duvet range, designed and individually handcrafted by us in our Devon workshops, with better sleep in mind.

devon duvets wool duvet on beddevon duvets wool duvet on bed

5. The Twelve Dancing Princesses

This story revolves around the mystery of twelve princesses who are not getting any sleep and are feeling exhausted all day. Their father, the king, sets a challenge to see who can find out why. Many princes try to find out and fail, until a soldier meets an old woman in the woods. She tells him to ask the king for permission to undertake the challenge but that he should not drink any wine that the princesses offer him as it will be drugged.

Later that evening, the solider is offered wine by the princesses, but he pretends to drink and fakes going to sleep. He then secretly follows the princesses and discovers that they are up all night in an underground castle, dancing and making merry at a feast. He steals one of the drinking cups and returns to the palace ahead of the princesses, before revealing the cause of the mystery to the king. The soldier marries the oldest princess and becomes the king’s heir. The moral of this story seems to be that not getting any sleep as a result of staying up and partying late every night isn’t good for your wellbeing!

devon duvets bedtime storiesdevon duvets bedtime stories

The Devon Duvets Bedtime Stories

Explore our magical bedtime stories. Each one has a theme reflecting the values and traditions that are part and parcel of the Devon Duvets brand and experience. There are seven beautifully illustrated stories, written and narrated by Pauline, one of our co-founders and owners. They include “The Power of Kindness” featuring Bob the sheep dog who learns to be courageous through kindness, “The Dream Weavers” telling the story behind true craftsmanship and sleep and “The Enchanted Dream Box” that takes us on a journey of discovery to achieve peaceful sleep, with the help of Thomas the wise owl.

For more information about our award-winning, natural and sustainable duvets, mattress toppers and pillows, please visit our website, or get in touch with the team by calling 01752 345399 or via email.