National Adult Literacy Database

February 14, 2005

This story was written by Glenn Cunliffe. Glenn was born in 1960, and he started working for a living when he was just 14 years old. He was never very good at school. So it was more important to get a paycheck than to be in school at that point in his life. Glenn has worked at many different types of jobs in his life, which has given him many different lifeskills. This is how he made it through life so far. In November of 2001, he was crushed in an accident at work when a pallet of cedar blocks fell on him. At that point in his life, Glenn was forced to make some changes in the way his future was going. This is how he wound up at the Victory Read Society with the plan to change his life for the better!!

The Elf with No Name

by W.G. Cunliffe

This is a story of a little elf with no name. A long time ago, in a place far away, found only in our dreams, A little elf found himself wandering in an ancient forest not knowing who he was or where he came from. Scared and hungry he had noticed a family of monkeys in the treetops. He watched them feeding. A thought came to him. Now I know what to eat, I'll eat what the monkeys eat. So up into the treetops he climbed to feed with his newfound friend. Now that he had a full belly he could finally sleep. Again taking notes from his newfound friends, he thought if they sleep in the trees I think I will too. So off he went to make his bed.

After living with the monkeys for many weeks the little elf had built himself a very nice tree house high in the canopy of the trees. After many months the little elf was wondering, where do I come from? Who am I? This question would not leave his mind. He did not know and it bothered him all the time. Where am I from? He had to answer this question he thought to himself. In the morning I will start exploring the forest until I find where I came from.

The next day the little elf made a mark on a stump so he would not go in the same direction twice. He had two days of food in his little backpack. I wonder how far I will get today he thought to himself. Will I find where I came from? Off into the ancient forest he walked and walked, all day he walked. It was time to take a break and have some diner to keep up his strength. After an hour or so he felt rested and ready to carry on with his search. He was amazed with all that he was seeing in the forest, the bright colors of the birds and flowers, the sounds and the smells. Unbelievable, he thought to himself. Why can't I remember what had happened to me to make me forget my life?

By now it was getting dark, time to stop for the night. So like his friends the monkeys, up into the trees he climbed to make his bed to sleep. Part way through the night, he was awoken by loud noises. This scared the little elf. It was so dark, so many loud noises. The shadows were dancing in the moonlight. He could not see where the noises came from. He could hardly wait for dawn's first light to come. Early the next day as the sun first rays broke throw the canopy of the trees the little elf new it was time to head back to his tree house. Gathering some food on the way down from the treetops he started for his home. Maybe after a day or two of rest I will try again. Somewhere out there I will find out who I am and where I came from.