Page 9 - Tree of Happiness

In fact, she grew quite angry. She stood to her full height (a foot taller than the Elf) and said, “You must give me the key!” She then began to threaten him with, “Death in boiling oil!”
She would have her soldiers come and, “Cut you into small pieces, very slowly.” Still he told her “No.” She whined that he was just being mean to her and was a terrible, horrible, little Elf for not giving her the key.
Finally, with tears in her eyes, she asked, “What in the world must
I do to get you to give me the Key?” The Elf smiled and asked, “Don’t you know anything? You must undergo a series of trials
and tests to determine if you are worthy to use the key to the ‘Tree of Happiness.”
Well, even I had to chuckle a little at this point of the story. I would think that everybody knows that, “a series of trials and tests” are necessary for a great gift like Happiness.
“Tell me,” she squealed, “what I must do. I’ll do anything. I am so very tired of this unhappiness.”
“Well,” the Elf said, tapping his long thin finger on his cheek, “There are just a few things you must do to prove you deserve the KEY.” “Please,” she said, “Tell me what they are. I’m ready to do anything!”
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