I tossed and turned all night trying to think of a clever prompt. Churning thoughts through my mind wouldn't allow even a snooze. So I got up, slipped on my fluffy dressing gown with satin appliqued green frogs all over it and matching slippers. (The Swallow gave it to me for my birthday.) I mulled over it with a steamy hot milo at 2am... surrounded by darkness sitting on the lounge, and my cute white kitty cat curled in my lap. Still the word... of all words evaded me... then it came to me around 5am- the time when I was finally able to sleep, until the alarm went off at 6.20am! Damn it... Here it is... INSOMNIA

"My lord!" The pounding at the door refused to stop or go away. "My lord, you are summoned!" Zoltar groaned and took his head out from under the pillow. "Tell the Luminous One that I will attend presently!" he shouted. He briefly considered throwing the pillow at the door but didn't have the energy. He threw off the covers, sat up, thrust his feet into his fluffy purple slippers and stood up. He found his purple chenille bathrobe and pulled it on over his flannel pyjamas (purple again, with red cats'-heads printed on the fabric) then found his mask and put it on. His blonde hair spilled from the back of the mask but he simply tucked it in under the collar of the robe, tied the belt and trudged into the corridor. Mala's bedroom door opened and Zoltar's sister appeared in the doorway, dishevelled and bleary-eyed. "What is all the racket about?" Mala demanded. "Guess," Zoltar growled. "Again?" Mala speculated. "Do you want me to come with you?" "No," Zoltar said. "There is no sense in both of us losing sleep. Go back to bed, dear heart. Try to get some rest for both of us." "Send for me if you need me," Mala said before disappearing back into her room. Zoltar made his way to the Presence Chamber, where the Great Spirit of Spectra fretted and hissed. He bowed and sank to one knee. "You sent for me, O Luminous One?" he said. "Yes," the Great Spirit said. Zoltar took a deep breath and let it out. "How may I be of service, O Great Light of Wisdom?" "I wish to hear more of the history of Earth from times gone by," the Great Spirit said. "I feel we can learn from these ancient philosophers, and I find it soothing." "Of course, Luminous One," Zoltar said. "Your wisdom is unsurpassed, as always." He rose and made his way to the steps, where he eased himself into a sitting position and tried to call to mind something that the Great Spirit might like to hear. "This particular parable is about the rewards of choosing one's battles and making strong alliances against a superior enemy," he said. "Very good," said the Great Spirit. "Begin." Zoltar smothered a yawn. "Once upon a time," he said, "there were three Billy Goats Gruff..." He fervently hoped that the Great Spirit would recover from Its bout of insomnia before he ran out of fairy tales.

The pondering in those early hours is so true. "Why do ants form lines ???.Why does a cockroach live after a nuclear blast...Mmmm..." The answers of the universe lay in the wee hours of night, from no sleep. For once I'm feeling sorry for Zoltar.

Ebonyswanne: sorry to hear about the insomnia -- one of the great banes of humanity! GGO: Pity none of Spectra's goons swiped a few story books!

Zoltar should get a whole pile of fairy tale books/videos and explain that they contain the Earth's greatest wisdom.

Originally posted by ChrisW Zoltar should get a whole pile of fairy tale books/videos and explain that they contain the Earth's greatest wisdom.

Thank you. Thank you so much for that mental image. Now I have the Great Spirit in my head singing, Let it Go. In Keye Luke's voice.

Originally posted by GrumpyGhostOwl

Originally posted by ChrisW Zoltar should get a whole pile of fairy tale books/videos and explain that they contain the Earth's greatest wisdom.

Thank you. Thank you so much for that mental image. Now I have the Great Spirit in my head singing, Let it Go. In Keye Luke's voice.

Aw, dammit! I just got Rosanne Barr's voice out of my head!

Originally posted by GrumpyGhostOwl

Originally posted by ChrisW Zoltar should get a whole pile of fairy tale books/videos and explain that they contain the Earth's greatest wisdom.

Thank you. Thank you so much for that mental image. Now I have the Great Spirit in my head singing, Let it Go. In Keye Luke's voice.

Aw, dammit! I just got Rosanne Barr's voice out of my head!

Originally posted by ChrisW Zoltar should get a whole pile of fairy tale books/videos and explain that they contain the Earth's greatest wisdom.

Better yet, he could come up with his own versions, kinda like "Cracked Fairy Tales" LOL

Originally posted by Redbird

Originally posted by ChrisW Zoltar should get a whole pile of fairy tale books/videos and explain that they contain the Earth's greatest wisdom.

Better yet, he could come up with his own versions, kinda like "Cracked Fairy Tales" LOL

... Or Rocky and Bullwinkle's "Fractured Fairy Tales"...