First star I see tonight – Reach

Dr Tomas Streyer looked around the control room at his team of scientists and engineers. He was excited and frightened but he tried to seem calm. In a few minutes, they might start to discover something amazing: how the universe began.

He looked out of the window at the beautiful blue summer sky and tried to breathe slowly.

‘Ready,’ he said. He pressed the first button and the complicated computers and machines came to life.

‘Set,’ he said. He pressed the second button and switched on the large particle accelerator that lay under the towns and fields of Switzerland.

‘Go,’ he said. And, at exactly twelve o’clock, he pressed the final button.

For a second, he felt as if he was blind, because everything went completely black. Tomas shouted in shock, but the lights were already on again. That was not part of his plan. He had no idea what had just happened.

‘Everybody, check the systems!’ he ordered. But nothing seemed to be wrong with them. The particle accelerator was working perfectly.

‘Tomas,’ said his assistant. ‘Look outside.’ She sounded afraid.

The perfect summer’s day of five minutes ago had gone. Instead, the sky was darker than the blackest night. But that wasn’t the worst thing. The sun wasn’t there, and the moon and stars were also gone.

People were shouting and screaming. They started calling their families on the telephone because they were afraid they had all gone too. Tomas felt as if it was hard to breathe, but he counted to ten and tried to breathe slowly. He sat at the main computer and started reading the information and numbers from his experiment. But he couldn’t find anything to explain what was happening. He ran out of the exit with the rest of his team until they were all outside the building.

Everyone else in the building was outside, frightened and confused. They were using the screens and lights on their mobile phones to see better. Several people got in their cars and turned on the lights. They drove to the entrance to make a small area of light for everybody to stand together. The street lights turned on, but most people were still afraid.

Then, almost twenty minutes after Tomas had started the particle accelerator, the sun was in the sky again. It was warm and yellow, and the black sky turned blue again. Everyone started laughing and dancing around, and Tomas felt as if he could breathe normally again.

But later, hours later, when the real night began, no one was happy. Because, although the moon rose again, there were no stars in the sky at all.

…No one wanted to know what Tomas’ work was actually about. They didn’t care what the particle accelerator was for. What did that matter? All they cared about was what had happened after he turned the machine on. He had stolen all the stars – or that’s what the newspapers said. And when they made him go to the International Criminal Court, they charged him with stealing the stars.

Tomas said, ‘I’m not guilty.’

‘Well, if you didn’t steal the stars, Dr Streyer,’ said the lawyer for the prosecution, ‘what did you do?’

‘If you’re asking about my work,’ said Tomas, ‘we didn’t do anything. We showed that the machine was working, that’s all.’

‘Taking the stars from the sky seems like nothing to you?’ The lawyer looked around at the people in the court. ‘No one here would think it’s nothing. No one in the world would think it’s nothing.’

‘That’s not what I meant,’ said Tomas. ‘But I can tell you this: when the machine started, there were suddenly no photons in the test room.’

‘What? Photons? We aren’t all scientists here! Speak simple English, Dr Streyer!’

‘Light,’ said Tomas. ‘For just a moment it was as if there was no light in our laboratory. Then we saw it was also dark outside … until the light became normal again.’

‘Normal, Dr Streyer? It wasn’t normal when …’ – the lawyer checked his notes – ‘… the sun went out for exactly sixteen minutes and forty seconds. Perhaps we can say the rest of the day was normal. But the night hasn’t been normal ever since, has it?’

Tomas looked sad. ‘I know. But you must believe me. I didn’t do anything that could have taken the stars from the sky!’

‘So are you saying you didn’t steal the stars from us?’ said the lawyer.

‘No, I didn’t steal them,’ Tomas said.

‘You just made it so that we can’t see them anymore.’

After a long pause, Tomas spoke. ‘Yes,’ he said.

‘How is that any different?’ the lawyer asked.

Tomas didn’t have an answer, not one anyone would understand anyway. And if they understood it, they wouldn’t believe him. He had an idea, but it would take years to prove it.

Instead, he changed his mind and said, ‘I’m guilty.’
…
Now the world could blame someone for what it had lost. But there was no point sending Tomas to prison for years. It wouldn’t change anything. Instead, they designed a punishment especially for him.

They sent Tomas to work at the Extremely Large Telescope in Paranal in Chile. Nobody used the telescope now. No tourists came to these high mountains to see the edges of our galaxy. No scientists asked for money to study the empty sky. All that passed through the night sky was the lonely moon and a few planets. Looking up made people feel bad.

Tomas thought it was fair that they punished him. And the job was almost the same as prison because he was completely alone. After a few years, the world forgot about him. Or, at least, everyone decided to leave him alone. Every evening he watched the sun go down. The red ball was gone exactly eight minutes and twenty seconds after it actually went behind the Earth. Tomas was almost happy to know that the laws of physics remained the same. Light still travelled at the same speed as it had always travelled. He hoped it meant he hadn’t changed the universe that much. We know there is a speed light travels at, he thought, so perhaps the dark travels at the same speed.

Of course, there was no way to prove his idea. Not yet. And, alone in the mountains, Tomas had nobody to share his idea with anyway.
…
High in the mountains of Chile, Tomas continued to watch the night sky. With the enormous telescope, he looked at the same place in the empty sky every night, even though there was nothing to see. And each day as the sun went down, he thought of the song his parents sang to him as a child:

Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

For 1,596 black nights – nearly four and a half years – there was no change to the night sky. But that was OK. It didn’t mean his idea was wrong. Tomas thought about the darkness he had created. He imagined it like a wave that had passed the sun. Now, maybe, it was continuing out towards the edge of our galaxy and further, to the stars. It would take 1,596 nights to pass the nearest star. It would take 1,596 more nights for that star’s light to come back to Earth … If the wave was real, of course. If his ideas were correct. If he was wrong, the stars were really gone forever.

…

And then one night 1,596 nights later, almost nine years after that terrible day, Tomas looked up from his telescope. There was Alpha Centauri twinkling back at him from the night sky.

The first star.

He felt tears in his eyes and he made a wish. And he imagined millions of other people were making their wishes too.

The hole in the wall – Reach (medium)

Joanna Paresi was the last one left – the last living person in a family who had been market traders for hundreds of years. She was born in a village at the bottom of high mountains, and she had lived there all her life. At the top of the mountains, the stone fruit grew. In autumn, the fruit fell down the mountains. Most of the stone fruit got lost and no one could find them again. But some fruit fell into a small valley. Joanna’s family were the only people who knew about the valley.

When the stone fruit fell from the trees, they were black and hard. It took four long months for them to become ripe. They turned from black to grey and, finally, to silver. Then people could enjoy the sweet, sun-colored fruit inside.

When it was ripe, the stone fruit was delicious. It was the most popular food in the region. On market day, people got up early and queued for hours to buy it. Joanna’s family always had more fruit to sell than anyone else. Her family had made a lot of money by selling the fruit over the years. But they were not as rich as the market sellers who sold their products far away in the capital city.

When Joanna was a child, she asked her mother, ‘Why don’t we go to the capital city to sell the fruit? That’s where the most important market in the country is.’ Her mother told her that someone had tried once, and they had failed. But she didn’t say any more.

As the years passed, Joanna dreamed of selling stone fruit at the market in the capital. The spring after her mother died, she decided to go. It would take four long months to walk to the capital city. It was exactly how long it took the fruit to become ripe. It would be difficult … but it was possible.

When the people in the city tried stone fruit for the first time, they would love it. And, best of all, they would pay a lot. She would earn more money than ever before.

*****

Joanna walked all the way to the capital city. She pushed a wooden cart full of stone fruit. She carried with her a beautiful wooden market stall. The stall had belonged to her mother, and before that to Joanna’s grandmother. On this stall, she would sell her fruit. When she finally arrived at the city, she was very tired after months on the road. But the stone fruit were almost ripe. So far, her plan was working.

Of course, there was a tax to enter the city gates. And there were market fees to pay. Plus, it wasn’t easy to sell strange, new foods like hers at the market. The fruit had to be tested to prove it was safe to eat. The tests were not cheap and they took days to do.

Joanna spent all her money on the tests. And she also needed a place to sleep while she waited. She really needed money, so she sold her beautiful family stall. She didn’t want to do it, but she had no choice. After she sold the fruit, she could buy the stall back.

Finally, the tests were finished and she was allowed to sell her fruit. She used the last of her money to rent a cheap, ordinary stall. But by now the perfect, silver stone fruit had turned white and lost their sweet flavor.

No customers wanted to buy her overripe fruits from her boring stall. They were starting to look and smell bad. In the end, she sold all the stone fruit to a farmer to feed his pigs. He bought her cart too, and paid her much less than its value.

She had lost everything.

Joanna left the market in defeat. She walked through the city streets. There were shops of every kind. In one she saw the beautiful stall that her mother had given her. But she had no money to buy it back.

Tears ran down her face, and she walked until she was lost in the city streets. At last, she lay down in a corner and fell asleep.

*****

When Joanna woke again, it was dark. But there was something even darker on the wall opposite her. It was a hole in the wall.

It wasn’t a door, because it didn’t reach the ground. It wasn’t a window either. This was just a hole in the wall. It had … nothing. Just like her.

Joanna felt so angry – with the market and with herself. She pulled off one of her boots. It was full of holes from her long journey. She threw it across the street at the hole.

It disappeared into the hole, but there was no sound as it landed. The boot was gone. It was just one more thing that she had lost by being stupid. Tired and sad, she closed her eyes on the world. But then she heard a sound.

She opened her eyes again.

There was something shiny on the ground. It was a coin – a single penny. It was enough to buy a meal. It was definitely worth more than her old boot.

It must be a joke, she thought. She waited for someone to come out and start laughing at her. But nothing happened. She pulled off her other boot and threw it after the first. She saw it fly through the hole into nothing. But this time she saw another coin fly back out, then a second and a third.

Joanna picked up the nearest coin. She held it close to her face … It was real!

She picked up the other coins: three pennies. She could buy new boots now.

She took off her belt and threw it at the hole. In it went – and more coins flew back out. She picked those up too and counted them: ten pennies. Enough for new boots and a simple belt!

Excited, she quickly took off her travelling coat, her jacket and both socks. She threw each one into the hole.

When the sound of metal falling on the ground ended, she had a small pile of coins. She counted them, over and over, through the rest of the night.

When morning came, the hole in the wall had disappeared. Perhaps she had lost her mind as well as her fruit, her cart and her mother’s stall.

Fine. She didn’t care. She had thirty-eight pennies.

And if you’re a good trader, all you need is somewhere to start.

*****

Joanna was now a very unusual trader. She had no shoes, socks or coat. She went from shop to shop. With her pile of pennies, she bought:

a large bag;

a long shirt;

a pair of broken wooden shoes;

all the old, broken or useless things the other traders would sell her.

When she had spent all her money, Joanna returned to the street where she had spent the night. All day she sat there, looking at the empty wall opposite. People walked past her. Some felt sorry for her. Others wondered what she was doing. But most people didn’t pay her any attention.

*****

In the middle of the night, the hole in the wall appeared again. Joanna was happy that she hadn’t imagined it.

She opened the empty bag in front of the hole. Then, one by one, she threw things into the hole. Even the wooden shoes went in. The only thing she didn’t throw in was the bag. When the sun rose in the morning, the bag was full and heavy with coins.

*****

Joanna bought new clothes with the money: a good hat, shirt and trousers, boots to take her home, a thick coat for winter in the mountains, and a new, bigger bag. She had enough money left to do some shopping at the market too. She bought silk carpets, fine wool, bags of spices and more.

After a busy day, she returned to one, special shop. There she bought back her mother’s stall. And then she went back to her lucky street with all the beautiful things she had bought at the market.

She sat down for one last night, waiting for the hole.

When the hole appeared again, she started throwing the spices into it. Then she threw the wool and silk and the other things. Silver and gold coins flew out of the hole into the bag. Soon her bag was filled with more money than she had ever known. For a moment, she thought about throwing her family stall into the hole as well. But then she had a better idea.

The hole had always given her more than the value of the things she threw into it. So what about the gold and silver coins? What would the hole give her if she threw all the money in?

What could be worth more than all the money she had?

Maybe she would never have to sell stone fruit again! Joanna lifted the heavy bag of coins. She began to move the bag backwards and forwards, faster and faster … and then she threw it.

Five coins came out of the bag and fell by Joanna’s feet. The others flew into the hole.

Joanna waited and watched the hole. But this time, nothing came back.

*****

There was a tax to leave the city. Joanna’s last five coins were just enough to pay it.

She walked out in her good boots and new clothes. On her back, she carried her mother’s stall. She walked all day and she slept well at night. She was happy to be going home. As she got further and further away from the capital, she could see the mountains of home. They looked more beautiful than ever.

Her pockets were empty, but her heart was full.

Sometimes she met other travelers on the road. When she saw them coming, she put up her beautiful, family stall. The only thing she had to sell was her story. She only asked people to pay a penny or two to hear her story. If they didn’t have any money, she asked for some food or drink. No one believed her story was true, but they believed the lessons her story contained. Everyone who heard the story learned a different lesson. For some people, the lesson was ‘be happy with what you have’ or ‘if you want more than you need, you will lose everything.’ For others, it was ‘wisdom has a high price.’

For Joanna, the last trader in her family, the lesson was different. It was the answer to her question: What could be worth more than all the money she had? Now she knew the answer was wisdom.

True Beauty – Reach (easy)

Steph was looking at Instagram. There were #blessed yoga photos and #Sunday Breakfast pictures. She saw photos of fresh bread and coffee with hearts in the milk.

*****

On the other side of the city, Matt was doing the same thing. His Instagram was full of #FitBody gym selfies and #beach life holiday photos.

*****

Steph put some flowers next to her breakfast and took a photo of it. Her eggs and coffee were cold now, but the plate looked good. The plate was from an expensive art market. She had ‘borrowed’ the flowers from her neighbour’s garden. Probably only ten people a day walked past old Mrs. Robinson’s garden. Flowers are for everyone to enjoy, aren’t they? she thought. If she put the picture on Instagram, more people would see the flowers.

Steph changed the colors on her picture to make the orange juice more orange and the pink roses brighter. She was choosing an Instagram filter when she noticed True Beauty. She had downloaded it the day before and then forgotten about it. Her picture looked perfect with that filter. She posted the photo for her 15k followers. She hoped some of them would feel jealous of her life. Then she threw the food on her plate into the bin. She didn’t want to eat it now that it was cold.

*****

Matt was ready to give up. He had worked out for an hour and he had put cooking oil on his skin so that it would look shiny. But the photos still didn’t look good. He only wanted to be fit so that he could put photos on social media. He looked at his Instagram again. He hoped to see some ideas he could copy. Then he noticed an ad for True Beauty.

Pictures as beautiful as you are. See the real you with True Beauty. Available in your app store for £0. Because True Beauty is free.

That’s what he needed. He downloaded the app. In minutes, he had the perfect selfie. In the photos, his body looked amazing. He posted the photo for his 27k followers. Then he got in the shower to wash off all the cooking oil. He remembered reading about all the fat under the city, in the sewers. Millions of people lived in his city. Most of them washed their cooking oil down the sink. The oil went to the sewers. It made a disgusting mess and some poor worker had to clean it. Or did the oil go into the ocean and kill dolphins? He couldn’t remember. But it wasn’t his problem, was it? It was someone else’s problem.

*****

Both Steph and Matt were surprised to get so few likes. And they weren’t prepared for the negative comments they received.

Susie Q Remind me never to get breakfast at your place!

gymguy21 Ewww, disgusting!

The rest of the comments were even worse.

Both social media influencers looked again at the pictures they had posted.

Steph’s picture showed horrible, green eggs with flies all over them. The flowers were dead, and the coffee looked disgusting and grey. In Matt’s picture, his body was covered in something that looked like dirty butter. It was in his hair and in his nose. And, worst of all, his hands were really dirty. It looked as if he had been digging in the garden – or worse.

They both tried to delete the photos, but they couldn’t. The negative comments kept coming. In a way, it was Steph’s most popular post. And 50 people had shared Matt’s post already.

Just then, everyone who had installed the True Beauty filter received a message from the person who had created it. Steph and Matt read:  

Dear User,

Thank you for making True Beauty such an amazing success! Fifty million downloads in the first 24 hours! Wow, it’s more than I ever hoped for. Honestly, guys, I am so #blessed.

I know that each of you really, truly cares about showing yourself as you really are. Are you as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside? If you want your pictures to show the real you, it’s time to be as beautiful in real life as you are on your social media.

Have a truly beautiful day, beautiful people!

Love,

True Beauty

1. You can’t remove the filter or delete the pictures you posted using it. #Sorry Not Sorry

PPS. By the way, after the first time you use TrueBeauty, it will change all your photos from that moment on!

*****

For the next 24 hours, not many people posted photos online. There was only one way people could see if the filter was still destroying their photos: they had to post pictures first and then see how they looked.

The results were not pretty.

A few of the biggest influencers offered a reward. They joined together to offer a million pounds for the first person to remove the filter. But they couldn’t post a picture of themselves holding the money because the pictures were so ugly. So they had to stop advertising the reward. It didn’t matter anyway. The person who developed True Beauty was too clever and no one could remove the filter.

*****

Steph stopped trying to take pictures after five more horrible pictures. She couldn’t remove the True Beauty filter. The only thing she could do to hide the ugly pictures was to make her account private. Now, no one could see anything she had ever posted in her life. She felt depressed. She didn’t want to do anything if she couldn’t post photos of it.

She went downstairs, past Mrs. Robinson’s garden. The flowers were more beautiful than ever. She noticed the smell for the first time. Lovely! She stopped and smelled a large, purple rose.

‘Hello,’ said Mrs. Robinson. Steph was surprised because she didn’t know Mrs Robinson was there.

‘Oh, sorry!’ said Mrs. Robinson. ‘I was just putting water on the plants. At this time of year, there’s always so much to do.’

Steph looked around. She hadn’t realized it was hard work to make a garden look nice. In fact, she had never really spoken to Mrs.  Robinson. She had a new thought.

‘Do you want some help?’ Steph asked. After all, she didn’t have anything else to do.

‘Oh, thank you, dear! That would be lovely!’ Mrs.  Robinson looked delighted. Steph actually felt happy for the first time since the whole True Beauty nightmare had started.

A couple of hours later, to be honest, Steph didn’t think the garden looked very different. But Mrs. Robinson said she had been a great help. Steph had enjoyed herself a lot. Mrs. Robinson had been an actor in the past and she had some amazing stories to tell.

‘Take a picture of us, dear,’ said Mrs. Robinson as Steph was leaving. ‘One of those selfies everyone loves.’

Steph almost said no. What could she do with photos now? But Mrs. Robinson would be happy with an ordinary picture. Steph supposed she could take one. She took a quick picture of the two of them. They were standing together in front of the roses, smiling and looking a little bit shiny and hot.

Later that evening she looked at the picture on her phone. She changed the colors a little bit. But the roses looked beautiful anyway, with or without any changes. And nothing could improve the smiles on her and Mrs. Robinson’s faces.

That’s a really beautiful picture, she thought. It’s a shame True Beauty will destroy it if I post it. 

But then she had a thought. She went back and read True Beauty’s message again.

And then she posted her picture. When the picture went online, it looked exactly the same! She made her account public again. Then she added some text to the photo.

Me and my neighbour in her garden #True Beauty #BeautyIsOn TheInside

*****

One of Steph’s followers, Matt, saw her photo. At first, he was just pleased to see a nice photo for a change. He hadn’t been to the gym for two days. He supposed he was kind of depressed. Maybe he felt bad because he hadn’t exercised. Or maybe it was because of all the horrible, ugly photos he’d seen.

Then he had an idea as he read @Steph’s post. Maybe it wouldn’t work, but it was worth trying. He picked up all the paper, plastic and glass in his house. He put it into three different piles. Then he looked again at @Steph’s picture. He went and knocked on his neighbour’s door. He asked her if he could take her rubbish to the bins. The young mother who answered the door was surprised at his offer of help, but she said yes.

*****

While Matt was at the recycling bins, he took a photo of himself next to the green glass bin. He posted the smiling selfie with the hashtag #True Beauty. He saw that #True Beauty was the fifth most popular hashtag. His picture, like many of the others, was nothing special. It was just a smiling guy, a guy who was doing something ordinary after helping his neighbor. It was a truly beautiful photo.

The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep – Reach (medium)

On the day that he was born Max slept for most of the time. And in the first weeks of his life he slept like other babies. But when he began to look around him, he didn’t sleep so much. He slept for a few hours at night and a little in the daytime. Then he stopped sleeping during the day. He was awake for twenty hours. His eyes were always open!

His mother, Samantha Price, was very surprised. She said that the world was a very interesting place and perhaps Max wanted to see everything. She thought this was because he was intelligent.

The doctors and pediatricians were also very surprised; but they said that they didn’t know why Max slept so little. Then a child psychologist studied Max’s case. He said that it wasn’t a very strange case.

His studies showed that a lot of modern babies were sleeping less. He wasn’t sure why, but he had some ideas about it.

‘Two hundred years ago people went to bed earlier than today,’ he told Samantha. ‘Generally, life was slower in the past and people slept longer. They worked a lot and they didn’t have much money, so they often stayed at home after work and went to bed when it got dark. You see, there was no television and there weren’t any electric lights. Electric light is different from candlelight; it is brighter and it keeps you awake. Babies are influenced in mysterious ways by the world. And if the world is fast, noisy, and bright, and if people often go to bed very late, babies will feel this and they won’t sleep so much.’

‘Are you sure, Doctor?’ Samantha said. ‘I think that Max doesn’t sleep because he finds the world so interesting. He’s very intelligent.’

‘Yes, that’s possible, Mrs. Price. But it’s true that our society is becoming more nocturnal.’

The psychologist’s words surprised Samantha. She couldn’t believe him. But when she told her husband Derek, he said, ‘Yes, it seems crazy but our world is crazy! The psychologist may be right. But we’ll see. Perhaps it will pass and Max will sleep like other babies.’

When Max was five, the doctors said he was a hyperactive child. Every night Samantha tried to put him to bed at eight-thirty but he wasn’t sleepy. Samantha became angry; Derek was angry too. They shouted at Max and finally he went to bed at about half past nine. But he cried and cried, and he never fell asleep before eleven o’clock. Then he woke up between four and five in the morning and he wanted to play. Samantha and Derek were always tired and nervous.

When Max was eight, he slept about two hours at night. Now Samantha and Derek went to bed while he continued to play quietly with his toys or his computer. He did lots of things to pass the time and he didn’t often feel bored. He liked the electronic light of the TV or computer. He was always in the light!

If he was always in was in the dark for a while, he became nervous and depressed. It seemed that he needed light.

‘I think he’s a mutant,’ Derek said one day, and he laughed. But he was half serious.

‘What do you mean?’ asked Samantha.

‘Nature is trying to produce a new kind of human and Max is an experiment,’ Derek replied, laughing. ‘He’s a child of the future.’

When Max was a teenager, he was awake for most of the day. He watched videos or late-night films on TV, and he listened to music. He went to school every day, but he didn’t get up in the morning like other children. At school his friends were surprised because he wasn’t sleepy. And he worked hard. He liked learning new things and he read a lot of books. He wanted to know all about life and the world. When his friends asked him about this, he said, ‘I want to understand everything. The world is a big, interesting place and life is short. We sleep too much. Sleep is a waste of time.’

Samantha and Derek were feeling better now because they usually slept well. Derek accepted Max’s condition more than Samantha. He said it was true that Max was different but in other ways he was normal. He liked sport, clothes, and music.

‘How can you say he’s normal?’ said Samantha. ‘A normal person can’t always live in the light of day or electricity. Normal people can’t live without sleep. It’s impossible! Max must sleep or one day he will die!’

One evening Samantha put some strong sleeping tablets in Max’s tea to see what would happen. When he began to look sleepy, she called Derek.

‘Look!’ she said excitedly. ‘He’s going to fall asleep!’

Derek was surprised and happy. ‘That’s wonderful! Perhaps he’s normal after all!’

‘Ssh! You’ll wake him up!’

After about half an hour Max opened his eyes.

‘What’s happening?’ he said, looking around.

‘You fell asleep,’ said Derek with a big smile.

‘Asleep? Me?’ Max looked angry. ‘How long?’

‘About thirty minutes.’

‘Oh no! I don’t want to sleep. There’s too much to do and see in the world. But how did I fall asleep?’

Samantha said quietly, ‘I gave you some sleeping tablets.’

‘You – what?’ Derek shouted.

‘Give them to me, Mum,’ said Max.

Samantha looked very unhappy. ‘Oh, you must sleep,

Max! Why don’t you sleep?’

‘I don’t need it. When you sleep, you don’t know anything. You can die in your sleep and you won’t know about it. When you sleep, you can’t see or hear anything. I don’t like that.’

‘But everybody in the world sleeps, Max!’

‘I know – but not me. I want to see, hear, and know. Now give the tablets to me, Mum.’

Slowly Samantha put the packet in his hand.

But she couldn’t stop herself. She was always thinking about Max’s condition. One day she wrote to a famous neurologist who was an expert on sleep. Dr Somaz answered her letter, asking if he could do some tests on Max. Max said yes. After the tests, Dr Somaz said that Max’s brain waves were different.

‘His brain produces very strong alpha waves,’ the doctor explained. ‘These are the normal waves when we are awake. But his brain doesn’t produce any slow waves, which are normal when we are asleep. It’s strange. I’ve never seen this before.’

‘So he really doesn’t need sleep?’ asked Derek.

‘Sometimes perhaps – just a little.’

‘And he is a normal, healthy person?’ Samantha asked.

‘Yes, he is. But there is a problem. Sleep restores the body. If the brain is always awake, the body is not renewed. And so… it will get old faster than normal…’

Samantha was looking at the doctor with big, frightened eyes. ‘Do you mean that Max will die young?’

‘I don’t know, Mrs. Price, but it’s possible. I would like to do some more tests.’

Dr Somaz’s tests showed that Max’s body was getting old faster than normal. He was eighteen but he had the body of a man of thirty-five. Samantha and Derek were shocked.

‘How long will he live?’ Derek asked.

‘That’s a very difficult question and I don’t know the answer.’

‘Oh, isn’t there anything we can do, Doctor?’ Samantha cried. ‘How can we help him?’

Dr Somaz was silent for a moment. ‘Well, I know a kind of medicine that can make him sleep. But it’s very strong. If he takes it for a long time, it will kill him.’

Samantha and Derek said nothing. They only looked at each other sadly.

‘So if he takes this medicine, he will live longer – am I right?’ said Derek.

‘I’m not sure, Mr. Price. You see, it will kill him in the end.’

‘Oh God, this is terrible!’ cried Samantha with big tears in her eyes. ‘Which will kill him first – no sleep or the medicine?’

‘Again I can’t be certain,’ replied Dr Somaz. ‘I can only say that if my calculations are right, it seems probable that without sleep he will die younger than if he takes the medicine.’

After a silence, Derek said, ‘We must tell poor Max all this and he can decide what he wants to do.’

‘He won’t take the medicine,’ said Samantha, shaking her head.

‘Are you sure?’ asked Dr Somaz.

‘Yes. He says he wants to stay awake, he wants to live with his eyes open. He told us that life is too short to sleep because there is so much to learn and do. He will never take any medicine’

‘But you and Mr. Price must tell him that it’s better to take the medicine,’ Dr Somaz said. ‘When he understands the problem, perhaps he will decide to take it.’

That night Samantha and Derek talked to Max. They told him the situation and said that Dr Somaz thought it would be better for him to take the medicine.

‘And what do you think?’ Max asked them.

‘We agree with the doctor,’ said Derek.

‘No,’ said Max. ‘I won’t take any medicine.’

‘Take your time, Max,’ said Derek. ‘Think about it.’

‘The answer is no. I don’t want to spend half my life sleeping in darkness. I prefer to live for a short time awake in the light. The world is a miracle and I don’t want to miss any of it.’

‘But Dr Somaz said you will be dead before you are forty,’ said Samantha, beginning to cry.

Max smiled. ‘The number of years I live is not important. How I live is more important. What I do and what I am is more important.’

Samantha was very unhappy. ‘Oh Max, my darling boy – please take the medicine!’

‘I’m sorry, Mum, but I can’t.’ Then Max smiled. ‘Will you excuse me now? If I’m going to die young, I haven’t got much time.’

So Max continued to work and play and live fast. But he lived a quiet, clean life. He didn’t smoke and he didn’t eat too much. He didn’t worry about small things; he didn’t think about money. And he didn’t waste time. He travelled lot and looked carefully at the world and people. They interested him. And he studied hard. He was always bright and awake; he always wanted to learn new things.

The medical experts said that Max’s body and brain were not influenced by the diurnal rhythm, like every animal on earth.

‘I’m sure he’s from another planet,’ laughed Derek.

He liked Max’s strange condition now; it was different. But Samantha didn’t like it. She did everything possible to make Max normal.

For years, only a few doctors and scientists knew about Max’s condition. Samantha and Derek didn’t tell anybody. It was a big secret. So Max lived quietly and he was happy. When he left school, he got a job in a bank. Then he met a girl called Wendy and they got married. Max was thirty years old. He didn’t tell Wendy about his condition so she didn’t know anything. But she began to notice things, and one day she told Samantha that Max didn’t sleep much but he was never tired. The two women talked, and finally Samantha told Wendy the secret.

Wendy was shocked and amazed. ‘Is Max really going to die before he’s forty?’

‘Nobody knows. Dr Somaz said that if he lives quietly, he will probably live longer. But listen, Wendy! You must not tell anybody about this – not even your friends. Nobody must know. It’s a big secret.’

‘Why?’ said Wendy.

‘Because he must live quietly. Then he will be happy and he will live longer. So the world must never know, especially the newspapers and magazines. They must never, never know! Do you understand, Wendy? You must never say anything to the media. Promise?’

‘Yes, all right, I promise,’ Wendy answered.

Wendy was a good person and a good wife, but she liked money and she liked a lot of it. She loved spending money! So when she saw beautiful clothes in the shops, she was often angry because she couldn’t buy them. Max didn’t get a lot of money as a bank clerk. So Wendy began to think.

She thought, ‘I’m going to have a child soon. If Max dies before he is forty, what will happen to us? I must think about the future.’

One day she decided to speak to Max about it. At first he was angry because she knew his secret; then he smiled.

‘Wendy, my love, don’t think about the future. We love each other and we are happy. That’s very important! You see, nothing is certain. Perhaps I won’t die young. But I promise that when I die, you will have enough money.’

But Wendy had a different idea. She thought about it for a few days and then she went to the office of a big national newspaper and said that she wanted to tell them an incredible story. Of course, she got thousands of pounds for the story. And when the world heard about Max, the world wanted him. America, Japan, Australia, Europe… interviews, articles, talk shows, documentaries… The public and the media were fascinated. In a few days Max became world- famous – and Wendy became very rich. He tried to hide, he tried to escape from all the noise and attention. He ran away, but the media always found him.

Samantha knew that this was a very bad thing for Max and she was furious with Wendy. But it was too late. The TV journalists and personalities, the newspapers and magazines followed him everywhere. Film directors offered him millions of dollars to appear in their films. Big film stars and rock singers wanted to meet him.

Max became unhappy; he became ill. He didn’t eat and he got very thin. He lost his concentration and he stopped working hard. He also lost his interest in the world, in people, in life. He didn’t want to learn new things. He locked himself in his room and sat alone night and day. And Wendy continued to spend the money.

One day Samantha visited him and she was shocked because he had changed a lot. He looked grey and tired. He looked old. His eyes were heavy and there were dark shadows under them. Then, while Samantha was talking to him, the impossible happened: he yawned. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

‘Are you sleepy, Max?’ she asked.

‘Yes. I want to sleep.’

And in a few moments he was asleep. He slept for a few hours. But when he woke up, he was still tired. A few days later he slept again. And then little by little he began to sleep like a normal person.

‘You sleep eight hours a day now, Max,’ Samantha said, frightened. ‘What’s happening to you?’

‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘I feel tired. I need to sleep.’

‘But why?’

‘Because I don’t want to stay awake now. The world is boring; people are boring. It’s better to sleep.’

When he fell asleep quickly, Samantha went home. She was very anxious and very unhappy. Now Max was beginning to sleep more than a normal person! He had no more bright energy, no more interest in life. He just seemed very tired.

Now the public and the media were completely obsessed with Max. Photographers stood outside his house all day and night and took photos of Max when he yawned and when he was asleep. Every day Wendy told reporters what Max was doing – for a fee, of course. All round the world people knew what Max was doing every minute of the day.

They tried to telephone him, they sent letters, telegrams and presents.

Samantha said to herself, ‘If this continues, Max will die. It must stop.’

She thought about it day and night. And then one day she decided to appear on a TV chat show.

‘He’s very ill,’ she said in the studio. ‘You must all leave him alone.’

‘Why is he ill?’ the interviewer asked. ‘Is the medicine killing him?’

‘No, he doesn’t take any medicine!’ said Samantha angrily. ‘It’s you – the newspaper and TV people – and you – the public! You have destroyed his peace and his world with all your noise and gossip. You won’t let him live quietly. He always lived in the light with his eyes open but you have pulled him down into your darkness and he has closed his eyes. You – the media and the public – are killing Max with your stupidity. Leave him alone!’

The media and the public were very angry. Next day there was a lot of anger about it on TV and in the newspapers.

‘Us?’ one newspaper article began. ‘Is Max Price’s mother accusing us? Yes, she is saying that we – the people and the press – are destroying her son. But isn’t he rich now? And isn’t he famous? Hasn’t Mrs. Price asked herself who made him rich and famous? We are innocent, Mrs. Price. We have helped your son. You told us to leave him alone. We have a right to know about Max Price. We demand to know about him!…’

Etcetera, etcetera.

When Samantha left the TV studio, she went to Max’s house. Wendy told her that he was sleeping so she went home. Next day Wendy phoned Samantha.

‘I’m frightened,’ she said. ‘Max is still sleeping. Please come!’

When Samantha arrived, there were reporters and photographers and two TV cameras outside the house. She pushed her way to the door and went in. Wendy was sitting on the sofa. She looked terrified.

‘Why doesn’t he wake up?’ she cried.

The women went upstairs to Max’s room. He was in bed. His eyes were closed; his face was very pale. Samantha touched him.

‘He’s very cold,’ she said. ‘Call Dr Somaz.’

Dr Somaz came and began to examine Max. Just then Derek arrived.

‘There’s a very big crowd outside,’ he said.

Then he saw that the women were crying. He looked at Dr Somaz, who said to him:

‘Tell the people to go away. Max is dead.’

Next day Max’s death was big news all over the world.

The newspapers, the magazines, and the TV news all had the same opinion.

‘The boy who couldn’t sleep has finally found eternal rest. As the doctors always said, he died before he was forty. This shows that the people and the media are not responsible.’

Heidi – Reach (easy)

There lived a girl called Heidi. She was very young when her mom and dad died. When Aunt Dete, who was taking care of her, got a job in Frankfurt, she assumed it fit to take Heidi to her Grandpa who resided on Mount Alm. Heidi was scared of her Grandfather. She had heard Aunt Dete say that Grandpa was a mean man who did not like anyone.

Reaching her Grandpa’s house Heidi told him timidly. “Hello, grandpa. ” Grandfather said, “Why have you come over here? ” “I have come here to live together with you, ” Heidi told him. “Oh, I see, ” he said, “Who made the decision?

Before Heidi could say anything, Peter the goat-herd came up there with the goats, screaming. Aunt Dete asked Heidi to go and play with Peter while Aunt Dete herself started discussing with Grandpa.

Leaving Heidi with Grandfather, Aunt Dete went away.

At night, Heidi had a dinner of dark loaf of bread and toasted cheese. She didn’t like to drink milk. But Grandpa said, “No, you should drink it; this will make you strong and healthy. ” Grandfather had created a hay-bed for her. Outside, the wind, passing through three fir trees, sounded just like a lullaby, sending Heidi to quick sleep.

Peter came there again, the following morning. Heidi went to Grandpa to get his approval for hanging out to the field. Grandfather conveniently agreed.

Heidi ran about over the green grass and had fun with the goats. Later in the day, she all of a sudden called Peter, “Hey Peter! look above. The sky and the hills are on fire. ” She also explained to Grandfather about the fire. “It wasn’t fire, my kid. It was the sun saying goodbye to the mountains” Grandpa told her. “Oh, Grandfather! How lovely this place is! I will never ever leave this place. ” Heidi said, filled with excitement.

One early spring day, Aunt Dete returned there to visit Grandpa. She told Grandfather that a wealthy man in Frankfurt wanted to adopt Heidi. He wanted her to give company to his suffering daughter. Heidi would not want to go. But she agreed when Aunt Dete assured to bring her back again the next day.

Aunt Dete had said ‘yes’, but Grandpa knew Heidi would not come back. He kept standing outside of the house, looking at her go till she was out of eyesight.

Once in Frankfurt, Aunt Dete took Heidi to a big wonderful house. Heidi was introduced to a little older girl. She was seated on a wheelchair, “She is Clara, dear. You see, Clara is not well and for that reason she has to use a wheelchair. She is a good buddy. ” Aunt Dete told Heidi.

Later, Heidi realized Dete was right. Clara was really nice and kind. She too, like Heidi, wanted to laugh.

Heidi discovered that Clara’s mom, like her very own, had passed away when she was a small child. Miss Rottenmeyer had brought her up following her mom’s demise.

Miss Rottenmeyer did not like Heidi simply because she had never attended school and she could not read and write. Heidi was always kind to servants which Miss Rottenmeyer believed did not behove rich people. She also disliked Heidi’s dinner table manners.

Clara’s Grandmother lived in a far-off town. When she learned about Heidi, she visited Frankfurt to meet her. miss Rottenmeyer was all set with a number of complaints. “Heidi is just not fit to give Clara company. ” miss Rottenmeyer advised Grandma.

“Do not worry; I will educate her how to read and write as well as the good manners. ” said Grandmother. She requested one of the maids to go to the marketplace to get some books. Grandma found Heidi very keen on studying.

Heidi missed the mountains, the green grass, the blossoms and the goats of Mount Alm. At the same time, she missed Grandfather. Clara was a adorable girl. However, city was terrible. Heidi wished to escape.

Every night, she would imagine her times in Mount Alm. But at the end of each night, her hopes and dreams too ended and in the morning, she yet again found herself in the mansion in Frankfurt.

Over the past a number of days, Miss Rottenmeyer found the main door wide open in the morning. The last night, she had also witnessed a white figure in the hall.

“I think there exists a ghost in the home. ” she told Clara’s father and the doctor. That night, both of them anxiously waited in the corridor. Sometime in the middle of night, they heard the door open. They stood short of breath as they saw Heidi coming out of the door, as if in sleep.

“Heidi is homesick. ” the doctor told Clara’s daddy after looking at her. “We probably should not keep her, here, anymore. Her condition may grow more serious. She may become very sick if we do not send her back home. “

Clara and her father could not want Heidi to return. But they also could hardly see her suffer. Therefore they made a decision to send her to Mount Alm the very next day.

After a day’s Travelling from Frankfurt, Heidi arrived at Mount Alm. She saw Grandpa standing close to his cottage, unhappy and alone. She ran towards him. The old man broken into tears as he took his loving Heidi into arms. “Where had you been all these days, my girl? Did you ever remember this old man? ” Grandfather said to Heidi.

That night, Heidi one more time heard the lullaby she had never forgotten.

After a few days, Clara also came to visit Heidi. She and Heidi would play on the mountains. At night, they would alongside one another sleep on the hay-bed. They would also eat together.

Peter did not like the company of Clara. He was envious. “If I push her wheelchair down the hill, Clara will have no other choice than to return to the city, ” Peter thought. Finding a chance, he pushed Clara’s wheelchair over a high cliff.

But Peter was wrong. Clara would not get back to Frankfurt. Rather, she began walking gradually. She too did not want to leave the mountains. Peter felt embarrassed of his bad behavior.

Both Peter and Heidi given a hand to Clara to walk slowly and gradually but steadily. Fresh milk and mountain fresh air made her more healthy and stronger. In a short time. she was able to walk on her own.

After some time, Clara’s daddy came over there to take Clara back to Frankfurt. He could not believe his eyes when he witnessed Clara walk without the wheelchair.

“I do not wish to leave this place. Please let me live here for ever. ” Clara pleaded with her father. “These mountains are amazing. ” Clara’s daddy said to her. “You will spend each and every summer time here. Let us get back now.“

Saying farewell to Heidi, Peter and Grandpa, Clara went back to Frankfurt.

The Curious Journey of Sammy the Squirrel- Reach (medium)

Once upon a time, in a green forest, lived a young squirrel named Sammy. Sammy was full of curiosity and always eager to explore the world around him. One sunny morning, he decided to embark on a grand adventure to discover the secrets of the animal kingdom.

As Sammy scurried through the forest, he encountered various animals along the way. First, he met a wise old owl perched on a branch. The owl, with its large, round eyes, shared stories about the forest and its inhabitants. Sammy listened intently, learning about the nocturnal habits of the owl and other creatures that thrived under the moonlit sky.

Continuing his journey, Sammy stumbled upon a family of rabbits hopping playfully in a meadow. They taught him the art of agility and the importance of teamwork. Sammy hopped and played with them, feeling the joy of companionship and the thrill of chasing after each other.

As evening fell, Sammy found himself near a sparkling river. He watched in awe as a graceful deer gracefully drank from its crystal-clear waters. Sammy learned about the importance of water for all living creatures and how the river provided sustenance and life to the forest.

Further along his adventure, Sammy encountered a mischievous raccoon digging through a pile of fallen leaves. The raccoon taught him the art of resourcefulness and how to find hidden treasures in the forest. Sammy joined in the scavenger hunt, discovering acorns and berries hidden beneath the leaves.

Sammy’s journey soon led him to a serene pond, where he met a wise old turtle basking in the sun. The turtle shared stories of longevity and patience, teaching Sammy the value of taking things slow and appreciating the beauty of nature.

Finally, after days of exploration, Sammy returned to his cozy tree nest. He reflected on his adventure and realized that every animal had something unique to offer. Each one had a role to play in the intricate web of life, and he felt grateful to have learned from them all.

From that day forward, Sammy carried the wisdom and lessons he gained from his animal encounters, becoming a wiser and more compassionate squirrel. He shared his knowledge with other young squirrels, inspiring them to embark on their own journeys of discovery.

And so, Sammy the squirrel became a beloved figure in the forest, admired for his insatiable curiosity and his willingness to learn from all creatures, big and small. The forest thrived with the knowledge and harmony that Sammy had helped to cultivate.

Around the World – Reach (easy)

Once upon a time, in a small town nestled amidst rolling hills, there lived a curious young boy named Alex. Alex had always dreamed of exploring the world and experiencing different cultures. He would spend hours reading books about far-off places and daydreaming about the adventures that awaited him.

One sunny morning, as Alex was walking to school, he noticed a poster advertising a writing competition with the grand prize being a trip around the world. His heart skipped a beat, and he knew he had to enter. Inspired and determined, Alex spent every spare moment researching, planning, and writing his entry.

Weeks later, the day of the competition arrived. Nervous but excited, Alex stood before a panel of judges and read aloud his essay about his dream of traveling the world. His words painted vivid pictures of ancient temples in Asia, bustling markets in Africa, and breathtaking landscapes in South America.

The judges were captivated by Alex’s passion and the depth of his knowledge. They declared him the winner of the competition, awarding him a golden ticket that would take him on a journey around the globe.

Overwhelmed with joy, Alex couldn’t believe his luck. He packed his bags, bid farewell to his family and friends, and set off on the adventure of a lifetime. His first stop was Tokyo, where he marveled at the towering skyscrapers and tasted delicious sushi. From there, he traveled to the Serengeti in Tanzania, where he witnessed the awe-inspiring sight of wildebeest migration.

In each new destination, Alex immersed himself in the local culture. He learned to cook traditional Indian dishes in Mumbai, and even tried his hand at surfing in Australia.

Throughout his journey, Alex encountered diverse people who welcomed him with open arms. He made friends from all walks of life, sharing stories and laughter that transcended language barriers. He realized that while we may come from different corners of the world, our dreams, hopes, and aspirations are remarkably similar.

As his trip neared its end, Alex reflected on the incredible experiences he had gained. He had learned that the world was a tapestry of colors, cultures, and traditions, each one unique and beautiful in its own way. He had developed a deep appreciation for the diversity that exists among us and the importance of understanding and respecting different perspectives.

The Ugly Duckling (Reach – easy)

Once upon a time, in a peaceful little farm, a mother duck excitedly awaited the arrival of her new ducklings. One by one, they hatched from their eggs, fluffy and adorable. But to her surprise, among the cute ducklings, there was one that looked different. He had gray feathers, a larger beak, and was much bigger than the others.

The mother duck loved all her ducklings equally, but the other animals on the farm didn’t understand. They made fun of the odd-looking duckling, calling him the “Ugly Duckling.” The poor little duckling felt sad and out of place, longing for acceptance and friendship.

As time passed, the Ugly Duckling’s loneliness grew. He decided to leave the farm in search of a place where he would be accepted for who he truly was. He embarked on a journey, wandering through meadows, forests, and lakes, hoping to find a sense of belonging.

Throughout his travels, the Ugly Duckling encountered various animals, each judging him based on his appearance. From the elegant swans to the proud peacocks, they all made him feel unwelcome. The Ugly Duckling’s heart sank, feeling more alone than ever.

One winter day, as the Ugly Duckling swam in a frozen pond, he noticed a group of graceful swans gliding across the icy water. He admired their beauty and elegance, but he was too afraid to approach them. However, to his astonishment, the swans swam towards him, their feathers shining in the sunlight.

With trepidation, the Ugly Duckling braced himself for their mockery. But instead, the swans welcomed him with open wings. They told him that he was not an ugly duckling at all. He had been a beautiful swan all along.

The Ugly Duckling was overcome with joy and relief. He finally found his true family, a group that accepted him for who he was. The other swans taught him to embrace his uniqueness and to appreciate the beauty within himself.

From that day forward, the Ugly Duckling lived happily as a graceful swan, surrounded by friends who loved and valued him. He realized that it wasn’t his appearance that defined him, but his inner spirit and the love he shared with others.

The story of the Ugly Duckling reminds us that beauty lies beyond physical appearance. It teaches us the importance of acceptance, kindness, and embracing our individuality. Just like the Ugly Duckling, we should never let others’ judgments define us, for we all have the potential to become magnificent swans.

Hamlet – Reach (hard)

Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Denmark, there lived a young prince named Hamlet. Hamlet was a thoughtful and thoughtful young man, always questioning the world around him. He had a deep love for his father, King Hamlet, and his mother, Queen Gertrude.

However, tragedy struck when King Hamlet suddenly passed away. Hamlet was overcome with grief and sadness. To his surprise and disappointment, his mother quickly remarried, marrying his uncle, Claudius, who became the new king.

Haunted by his father’s ghost, Hamlet learned the truth: his father’s death was not natural, but a result of foul play. The ghost urged Hamlet to seek revenge and bring justice to his father’s memory.

Hamlet, torn between his love for his father and his loyalty to his mother, found himself in a state of confusion. He struggled with the weight of his duty, the dishonesty surrounding him, and the darkness in the shadows of the kingdom.

He planned to uncover the truth, pretending to be mad to deceive those around him. Through his madness, Hamlet observed the actions and reactions of those close to him, looking for signs of guilt and treachery.

As the days turned into weeks, Hamlet’s plan began to unravel the tangled web of deceit. He confronted his mother, expressing his anger and disappointment at her hasty marriage. He also confronted Claudius, revealing his knowledge of the murder and demanding justice.

In his quest for vengeance, Hamlet’s actions became increasingly dangerous. He plotted and schemed, causing chaos and confusion within the kingdom. His inner confusion mirrored the external chaos that consumed Denmark.

In the midst of his quest, Hamlet encountered Ophelia, a young woman he loved deeply. However, their love was entangled in tragedy, as Ophelia’s father, Polonius, was killed by Hamlet in a moment of rage. This loss further deepened Hamlet’s pain and guilt.

As the play reached its climax, the truth was revealed to all. Claudius, consumed by guilt, admitted to his crimes. Hamlet’s revenge had been achieved, but at a great cost. The kingdom was left with lives lost and hearts broken.

Hamlet’s story reminds us of the importance of honesty, forgiveness, and the pursuit of peace. It serves as a reminder that revenge, though tempting, can only lead to further despair and destruction.

Gratitude – Reach (medium)

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a poor but kind-hearted shoemaker named Hans. Hans was known for his exceptional craftsmanship, and his shoes were said to be the finest in the land. However, despite his talent, Hans struggled to make ends meet.

One winter’s night, as Hans sat by the fireplace, he noticed a tiny figure huddled on his windowsill. It was a little elf, shivering from the cold. Hans opened the window and invited the elf in, offering him warmth and a place by the fire.

Grateful for Hans’ kindness, the elf decided to repay him. During the night, while Hans slept, the elf secretly repaired and enhanced the shoes on the shoemaker’s workbench. When Hans woke up the next morning, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The shoes were transformed into exquisite works of art, more beautiful than anything he had ever made before.

The news of Hans’ extraordinary shoes quickly spread throughout the village, attracting customers from far and wide. People marveled at the craftsmanship and quality of his work. Hans became renowned and prosperous, all thanks to the little elf’s assistance.

As the years went by, Hans and the elf formed a deep bond. They became close friends, sharing stories and laughter. The elf continued to help Hans, ensuring his success and happiness.

One day, while Hans was working, he noticed that the elf looked weak and weary. Concerned, Hans asked what was wrong. The elf explained that he had been summoned back to his magical realm and could no longer stay with Hans.

Hans was overcome with sadness but understood that the elf had his own responsibilities and duties. He thanked the elf for all he had done and wished him well on his journey back home.

With a heavy heart, Hans continued his work, but something was missing. The joy and magic that the elf had brought to his life were gone. However, Hans never forgot the elf’s kindness and the impact he had made on his life.

Years later, as Hans grew old, he found himself sitting by the same fireplace where he had first met the elf. Suddenly, a soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. To his surprise, standing before him was a familiar face – it was the elf, now older and wiser.

The elf explained that he had returned to express his gratitude to Hans for his friendship and kindness. He had brought with him a gift, a pair of shoes that would bring happiness and good fortune to whoever wore them.

Touched by the elf’s gesture, Hans embraced him warmly. The two friends reminisced about their shared adventures and the impact they had made on each other’s lives.

From that day forward, the village celebrated the friendship between Hans and the elf. The story of the kind-hearted shoemaker and the helpful elf was passed down through generations, reminding people of the power of kindness, friendship, and the magic that exists in even the smallest acts of generosity.

Pinocchio – Reach (easy)

Once upon a time, in a small Italian village, there lived a kind and lonely woodcarver named Geppetto. Geppetto longed for a child of his own, so one day, he decided to carve a wooden puppet, which he named Pinocchio.

To his astonishment, as soon as Geppetto finished carving Pinocchio, the puppet came to life! Geppetto was overjoyed and treated Pinocchio like a real son. However, Pinocchio was mischievous and curious, always getting himself into trouble.

One day, Pinocchio was approached by a cunning fox and a sly cat who convinced him to join the puppeteer’s theater instead of going to school. They promised him fame and fortune. Ignoring Geppetto’s advice, Pinocchio followed the fox and cat, only to realize too late that it was a trap. They stole his money and left him stranded.

Pinocchio found himself in a series of misadventures, encountering characters like the sneaky Coachman and the deceitful Pleasure Island. Each time, Pinocchio was tempted by easy pleasures and false promises, but he paid the price for his naivety, turning into a donkey and narrowly escaping dangerous situations.

Throughout his journey, Pinocchio encountered the Blue Fairy, who saw the goodness in his heart. She granted him chances to redeem himself and become a real boy. But each time, Pinocchio’s impulsive nature got the best of him, and he made poor choices.

Finally, after facing numerous trials and near-death experiences, Pinocchio learned the importance of honesty, obedience, and selflessness. He realized that his actions had consequences, not only for himself but also for those who cared about him.

With newfound wisdom, Pinocchio decided to save Geppetto, who had been swallowed by a monstrous whale while searching for him. Pinocchio risked his own life to rescue his father, showing bravery and selflessness.

Moved by Pinocchio’s transformation, the Blue Fairy granted him his greatest wish. She turned him into a real boy, no longer a puppet made of wood. Pinocchio was overjoyed to finally have his wish come true and to be reunited with Geppetto.

From that day forward, Pinocchio embraced his new life as a real boy, cherishing the lessons he had learned along the way. He was grateful for the love and guidance of Geppetto, and he vowed to always listen to his conscience and make wise choices.

The story of Pinocchio became a timeless tale, teaching children and adults alike about the importance of honesty, integrity, and the power of redemption. Pinocchio’s journey from a mischievous puppet to a brave and selfless boy serves as a reminder that we all have the ability to change and grow, no matter our past mistakes.

Huckleberry Finn (Reach – hard)

Once upon a time, in the heart of the Mississippi River, there lived a young boy named Huck Finn. Huck was a free-spirited and adventurous soul who found himself longing for something more than the structured life of the town.

Huck lived with Widow Douglas, a kind but strict woman who tried her best to civilize him. However, Huck yearned for the freedom of the river, where he felt most at home. One day, he decided to escape from the confines of society and embark on a journey down the river with his newfound friend, Jim, an escaped slave.

As Huck and Jim sailed along the mighty Mississippi, they encountered a myriad of colorful characters and faced numerous challenges. Together, they navigated the complexities of race and social conventions, challenging the norms of their time.

Throughout their adventures, Huck’s perception of the world began to change. He witnessed the cruelty and injustices inflicted upon Jim simply because of the color of his skin. This realization sparked a moral conflict within Huck as he grappled with the societal expectations of his upbringing.

Driven by his innate sense of justice and compassion, Huck decided to help Jim escape to freedom. He faced dangers and hardships along the way, but his bond with Jim grew stronger with each obstacle they overcame. Huck discovered the true meaning of friendship and the importance of standing up for what he believed was right.

As their journey continued, Huck’s conscience was tested. He found himself torn between loyalty to his friend and the ingrained prejudices of the society he came from. Ultimately, Huck made a decision that would forever change his life.

In a climactic moment, Huck chose to defy society’s expectations and protect Jim, even if it meant going against everything he had been taught. His act of defiance was a testament to his growth and the realization that true morality lies in treating others with fairness and kindness, regardless of societal norms.

As Huck and Jim sailed off into the sunset, their friendship and the lessons learned along their journey would forever shape their lives, leaving an indelible mark on the pages of history.

Oliver Twist – Reach (medium)

Once upon a time, in the bustling streets of Victorian London, there lived a young orphan boy named Oliver Twist. Oliver was born into poverty and was brought up in a workhouse, where he endured harsh conditions and mistreatment.

One day, Oliver dared to ask for more food, a simple request that caused outrage among the workhouse staff. As a punishment, Oliver was sent away to an undertaker named Mr. Sowerberry. Life with the Sowerberrys was no better, as Oliver faced constant ridicule and mistreatment from their jealous and cruel apprentice, Noah Claypole.

Desperate to escape his miserable life, Oliver made a brave decision to run away from the Sowerberrys. He set off on a journey to London, hoping to find a better life for himself.

In London, Oliver found himself alone and vulnerable, falling into the clutches of a group of young pickpockets led by the cunning Fagin. Fagin trained children to be skilled thieves, forcing them to steal for his own gain.

Despite being thrust into a world of crime, Oliver’s pure heart and innocence remained untouched. He resisted the temptations of the criminal life and longed for a chance to escape Fagin’s grip.

One day, while attempting to pickpocket a kind-hearted gentleman named Mr. Brownlow, Oliver was caught in the act. Instead of punishing him, Mr. Brownlow saw the goodness within Oliver and took him under his wing, offering him a safe and loving home.

Oliver’s life took a turn for the better as he experienced love, kindness, and stability for the first time. However, Fagin and his gang were determined to bring Oliver back into their fold. They kidnapped him and forced him to participate in a burglary.

In a twist of fate, Oliver was saved by Nancy, a member of Fagin’s gang who had a change of heart. Nancy’s act of bravery led to a series of events that exposed Fagin’s criminal operations and brought justice to those involved.

In the end, Oliver was reunited with Mr. Brownlow, who became his legal guardian. Oliver found a loving family and a place where he truly belonged.

Oliver Twist’s journey from hardship to hope serves as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of kindness and compassion. His story continues to inspire generations, encouraging us to fight for justice, help those in need, and never lose hope in the face of adversity.