At times all children are naughty, except, of course, when they are sick or sad. But Dean was an only child whos every wish and whim was granted by over idulgent parents. He lived like a prince without being rich.
His house was comfortable with trees, a bird, a cat, a squirrel and two dogs. Among his collected items Dean had toys, candies, cookies, marbles a television, a tape recorder, a sleigh, and a skate board.
But most of the time he was bored. The toys were thrown in heaps and broken. The records scratched. The pictures he wanted to see in the movies were for adults only.
This sole child was worse than an army. He had lost his imagination for inventing games.
Dean was fed-up with his parents demands: bruch your teeth, be neat, tidy up your room so it doesnt look like the battle ground of White Feather Big Chief, finish your homework, blow your nose, wash your hands, change your clothes and...bathe!
The time came when this blond thin boy loved nothing and no one.
If he was in one place, he wanted to be in another; in class, he dreamed about the mountains; when he was swimming, he wished he were at the movies. He always wanted opposite things at the same time.
One afternoon, bored for lack of imagination and too lazy to study, he went downstairs and sat under a fig tree in the garden. He covered his eyes with his fists. He couldnt even stand the sight of the clouds. He cried out:
Im sick and tired of everything! I cant go on. Who ever dreamed of inviting me to this big Lets Be A Child Party? Who can stand it?
When he uncovered his eyes, next to him on the grass was a tiny, red, convertible car and a tiny man. An elf!
The small man spoke:
This car works. Care for a ride?
Where did you come from?
Im your garden elf. My name is Trompitos.
Very unoriginal, my little dwarf. I have not believed in fairy tales for years.
Tell me you are from outer space and you own a space ship, but please, no stories about belonging to my garden.
The elf, dressed in a one -piece green suit and a belled cap, insisted:
I drove here in my car and I dont come from beyond! Dean jumped to his feet:
You dont say! For my money you could be going to a costume ball. But I do like your car. How about lending it to me?
What for? To mess it up?
Please Elf, dont talk so much. You make me nervous.
What do you say, can we take a ride?
The boy rode on the right side of the car. He slammed the door and Elf Trompitos climbed in and started the motor. They entered a tunnel in the garden that appeared to be a rabbit hole. But, no, it was the secret entrance to the World of the Elves.
Racing along, they went deeper and deeper. The road, well paved, brightly illuminated, had as many sharp curves and stretches as a racing track. Very nice! They whizzed by high buildings with round windows. One of them must have had forty floors!
What was that, Elf?
The
Recuperation? For instance?
Well, for example, for birds that didnt reach warmer climates, moles that have lost their sensitivity to darkness, glow warms that need touching-up with flourescent paint, catterpillars who go into a deep sleep and forget to turn into butterflies.
The boy was truly interested.
And, over there?
That blue building is our toy Hospital.
Yup! Toys, dolls, cars, swings, wooden horses...we patch them up, paint them like new, and deliver them to children on earth.
Hey, Elf! What about that giant sphere that looks like aluminum?
That is our
How boring. I dont like to play. Nothing is fun anymore.
Trompitos silently conducted the automobile. Then he said:
On the telephone?
Dont be funny! Personally!
I dont like adults.
Hes an Elf!
Where does he live?
Ill take you to him.
Here is the home and workshop of Chief Elf.
A blue door opened and out came a white bearded, pink-faced elf. He stood square in front of Dean and the Elf and bellowed:
Let me see. Tell me Trompitos, is this the unhappy boy? The bored one? The boy who wants to change his parents?
Dean stared at the elf.
Aha! And for what or whom do you wish to exchange them?
I havent decided yet. The truth is that ever since the day I was born they havent allowed me one moments peace. Even you couldnt stand it!
Get up son! Hurry up son! Eat your breakfast! Brush your teeth!
Tie your shoelaces! Do your homework! This tv program is not for you!
Dont go out into the street! Answer the telephone! No! No!
The older elf took Deans hand:
Come closer, Dean. Listen to me. All of this is part of the training to make you a real man.
A man? Its more like training for a circus gorilla!
Wait little one. Dont get desperate. I want to understand and help you. Have you really decided to give up being a child?
Of course!
What would you like to be? A lizard? A horse? An elf?
Look! I really dont care as long as I get out of there.
The Chief Elf stroked his beard.
Dean, I want you to know that a child has heart, is capable of loving, and caring for others.
That doesnt make any sense at all. They laugh at me when I try to be kind. My friends make fun of me.
Chief Elf placed his index finger on the boys heart and sang this song:
We would make him an elf, by a mouses tail.
A monkeys eye and a lions claw.
This childs heart will forget to love,
to tolerate, to serve and cry.
Only a mothers tear, lovingly spent.
Will serve to break this enchantment!
You are small. Little Elf Dean, you have no right to dream, to imagine things and even less to play. Here you will only work.
Aha! Not that! I dont like to work!
You didnt like to! You are now in charge of teaching games, rhymes and stories to the children of the world. Once a week you will supervise the toy hospital and visit the sick animals.
Wait a minute! Just one minute! When am I supposed to sleep?
To eat?
You will be supplied with sandwiches, ice cream, candies and honey cakes.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Is it lunch time?
No, it is work time. Obey without questions; instructions are issued by elders. We know the programs and demand the actions.
From that moment on, Little Elf Dean really started to know the meaning of work. Elves have no Sundays, no holidays, no vacations.
He started to recall the songs from his Kindergarten days, the stories from his baby sitters and nannies, he drew pictures without resting; an airplane, a snail, a picture of a picture...He practiced singing Even-Odd, Doña Blanca, Don Ferruco on the Town Square, Sweet Orange, The Snake from the Sea. He taught the steps to Little Onions, Golden Threads, To Mandru, Sir, and Little Saint Michael.
As they say. To work playing is the same as playing at work. Through secret tunnels and passages known only to the elves Dean made many trips to different parts of the earth. He visited children who forget how
to play games and had no fun tryng. He told tales, visited the sick animals, repaired airplanes, inflated baloons and bicycle tires, he never had a free moment.
Time sped by. One day rising very early, he watered the flowers, took a deep breath and remembered his parents. He went to see the Chief Elf.
Good morning, Chief Elf. I was wondering if I may once more see the people who were my parents? I have grown old working, traveling and singing.
Why not? Go visit them. Take the little red car.
Dean! Dean! Dean!
He heard their anguish. He ran up the garden steps to ward them.
Where have you been, son? We have been looking for you hours.
We thought we had lost you. Look at the dirt on you! You look as if you had traveled around the very earth!
Mama. Mama.
Dean embraced his mother tightly. Her tears bathed his face, his neck and ran down his chest...his childs heart started to beat anew. Dean was so happy to be a boy again. He was so happy to be back home.
When the moon is full, Chief Elf and Trompitos sometimes visits Dean...and they lend him the red convertible...
