“Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite,” whispered Kira.
“Mommy, why do you say that? There are no bugs in my bed,” asked her daughter.
Sensing a quick answer wouldn’t suffice. Kira decided it was time to tell her daughter about the time long, long ago.
“Well, once there lived a cruel king who only cared about gold. He covered his palace in gold. Even the commode was gold,” Kira said.
“What a silly man, who cares what you sit on when you poo?” replied Sophie.
Kira could hardly contain herself, but keeping a somber face, she continued her tale.
“The king was never happy with anything. Suppose the cook made him a sandwich with the finest meats in the land. The king would complain there weren’t enough toppings and throw it at the wall,” Kira said.
Sophie’s eyes grew large, and her mouth fell open. “I don’t understand. Why would he throw away good food?” the girl questioned.
“No one knows. He threw everything away. People, friends, and even part of his house,” Kira explained.
“What a silly man,” the child said.
“One day a wise sage came and told the king that if he didn’t change his ways, he would be sorry,” said the mother.
Sophie sat up in bed, leaned close to her mother, and said, “I bet the wise man was a wizard.”
“So you’ve heard this story before?” her mother teased.
Kira explained that the king had the sage thrown in the deepest dungeon in the castle to waste away. Then went back to being as silly as ever.
“What happened to the man?” the girl asked.
“Well, one day when the king went to torment the sage, he opened the cell and found it empty,” Kira said.
“I knew it! He was magic,” cried the girl.
Kira explained that the king found a note on the floor. He read it aloud: “Six legs have I and sleep at night, but when you sleep I bite, bite, bite.”
“Was it a spider?” the child asked.
“No, spiders have eight legs. These were much worse,” replied Kira.
“That night, after a particularly large meal, the king waddled to bed and fell fast asleep. The following morning, the chambermaid gave a screech when she went to fetch the king.”
“What happened? Did the wizard turn him into a bug?” asked Sophie.
Her mother laughed, then explained that the king had large red blotches all over his body.
“Being vain, the king called the physician and ordered him to remove the marks.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, my king. They are bug bites and will swell and ooze blood and pus,” said the doctor.
“Off with his head!” the king screamed.
After that the king hid in his room explained the mother.
“What a terrible man,” Sophie said.
“As time went on, the king grew tired of hiding and decided to throw a great party in his huge ballroom. Many important people came and ate and drank their fill,” Kira said.
“What rubbish, they were as bad as the silly king,” the child remarked.
“After dinner, the dance started, and the king spotted a young, beautiful girl he wanted to dance with. Taking her hand, the king led her to the center of the room and began to dance,” her mother said.
“Was the girl afraid of the ugly king?” Sophie asked.
“At first the girl kept her head down, fearing the gaze of the king. After a bit, she dared to catch a glimpse of the king, and that’s when she screamed,” said Kira.
The scream caught everyone’s attention, and they rushed to her side. That’s when they saw how hideous the king looked. Horrified, the people rushed from the ballroom, Kira explained.
“What happened to the king?” asked Sophie.
“The king knew he was being punished by the bad sage and sent his army far and wide to kill him,” the mother said.
“Did they?” the child asked.
“No. The king grew sicker and uglier until one day even the chambermaid refused to touch him,” Kira said.
“Then what?” the girl asked.
“The king, surrounded by all his beautiful gold, died of a broken heart,” her mother said.
“Broken heart? But he was not married. Who broke his heart?” asked the child.
“You see, Sophie, the king was so in love with himself. When even he could not stand his own reflection, he died,” answered Kira.
“I see, like that boy in the Greek stories,” Sophie said.
“Yes,” her mother replied.
“So why do we say sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite?” asked Sophie.
“It was bedbugs that caused the king’s sores. So we wish you a good night’s sleep without the worry of ending up like the king,” Kira explained.
“I see. Well, I’m tucked in tight, so no bedbugs bite me tonight,” said the girl.
“Sweet dreams, my love,” Kira whispered, then blew out the candle.
“Mama, you sleep tight too,” said Sophie.
“I will indeed,” replied her mother.
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