This is a beautiful monologue first recorded and performed by the great Jackie Gleason. My Dad included it in his act and performed it during the seventies when he was working the clubs around Sydney. It never failed to reduce grown men to tears. It is narrated, usually with an organist playing a lullaby softly in the background. I wish Dad had recorded it as he always did it beautifully – and always dedicated it to me and my sister. Just thought I’d reproduce it here…

Ode to a Sleeping Beauty.

Dear Daughter,

I tiptoed into your room tonight and I looked down at you smiling in your sleep. You were so lovely my heart nearly broke, and I thought how very much like Sleeping Beauty a little girl is.

When I tuck you in I never know how old you will be when you wake; one evening you’ll crawl into your dad’s lap and throw your arms around his neck, the next morning you may be much too grown up for that sort of thing. You’re so quickly approaching the awkward age, too young to drive the car, yet too old to be carried into the house half asleep on daddy’s shoulder.

I have a secret I never told you Sleeping Beauty. You are going on an exciting trip, you’ll travel from yesterday all the way to tomorrow. It’s a rapid journey and you’ll travel light, leaving behind your measles, mumps, freckles, bumps, bubble gum…and me. I promise not to feel hurt when you discover the world is more interesting than your daddy’s lap.

Yesterday you were blue jeaned and pigtailed – the neighbourhoods best tree climber – tomorrow you’ll be blue organdy and ponytailed, and you will view the world from a loftier perch…a pair of high heeled shoes.

Yesterday you could mend your dolls broken leg with a hug, tomorrow you’ll be able to break a boy’s heart with a kiss. Yesterday you could get lost one aisle away from me in the supermarket, now I have to worry about losing you down another aisle…to some strange young man.

Just at the point where your growing pains stop, mine begin. Yesterday you were a pain in the neck when you were around…tomorrow you’ll be an ache in the heart when you’re not.

Tomorrow you’ll lay aside your jump rope to tie up the telephone line, and the little boy who used to push you in the mud will fight to sit out a dance with you.

The clock downstairs is counting the minutes for you; the sky upstairs is saving it’s brightest stars and the sun is waiting with it’s shiniest day. I can’t expect you to live in your doll house forever. Sooner or later the butterfly sheds the cocoon and the smallest bird must try it’s wings.

When you grow up and out of my arms, when you finally get too big for my shirts, I’ll still recall how you used to scatter dust and dolls through every room in the house – but you spread sunshine too. The dust is settled, your mum’s picked up the dolls but your sunshine will always fill the corners of our hearts.

So here I am, talking in your sleep – because if you saw this look on my face you’d laugh, and if I spoke with this lump in my throat I’d cry. Yes Daughter, when I looked at you tonight you were Sleeping Beauty and so I tiptoed over and kissed you – you didn’t wake up, I knew you wouldn’t, according to the legend only the handsome young prince can open your eyes, and I am just the father of the future bride.

Slumber on my lovely, tomorrow when you wake you’ll be a young lady and you won’t even realize you’ve changed course in the middle of a dream, but you might notice a change in me. I’ll look different somehow; a little older, a little sadder, a little wiser – but a lot richer.

Tonight I kissed a princess…and I feel like a king.

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