Here is the author note from my picture book.—Aaron
For the old woman’s sleeping song, any tune will work, but here’s the one she taught Two‑Eyes.
The Old Woman’s Song
Is your eye a‑wake? Is your eye a‑sleep?
All special features are at www.aaronshep.com/extras.
Ever have trouble sleeping? Then you can use the old woman’s song on yourself! Just be sure to say the right words. Here they are, for anyone with two or more eyes.
Are my eyes awake?
Are my eyes asleep?
This telling is based loosely on “One‑Eye, Two‑Eyes, and Three‑Eyes,” number 130 in the tales of the Brothers Grimm. For a different version, from the Ukraine in Eastern Europe, see One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes: A Hutzul Tale, retold by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Dirk Zimmer, Holiday House, New York, 1996.
