midnight
But this secret had never yet been penetrated throughout all the years in which it had vexed and tormented students . And so to Father Peter , this book had been given for a companion ; in case he wished to escape from the hard service in the castle , this book would be welcome in gaining his exit through the closed door , and for that reason , Father Peter spent whole nights over the thick book , and studied in succession the writings of those who had gone astray before him . The little son of the mistress of the castle slept with the monk in one room , but beside the monk , the child must have the Fool too ; for he could not go to sleep unless the Fool told him fairy stories , and the Fool well knew how . Often he sat until midnight by the boy 's bedside , weaving garlands of the Thousand and One Nights ; this gave the monk a chance to study the secrets of the Arabic writing . The young Lord had very bad dreams . He dreamed of the fairies and witches in the fairy tales , and would waken screaming . Often he dreamed with wide open eyes , tried to escape , howled and wept , so that the monk and the Fool had all they could do to quiet him and lull him back to sleep again .