Here’s an elf story for kids that’s proving to be a hit in Europe. This is not a Christmas story, but rather a cute tale starring European elves, mythological creatures that live in forests and sometimes hide in houses too – a great way for kids to learn about mythological characters from other cultures!
Elves are characters that originate in Northern Europe, which is why stories in America ended up assimilating them to Santa Claus. But it’s important to know their origin! If you prefer, you can find the audio story below – it plays with funny Hanna Barbera-type effects! Parents can listen to it with nostalgia. 😉
Elf story for kids: Audio story
If it is more convenient for you, we can also tell this elf story for kids. Its funny! And it includes a sound surprise for all those parents who grew up with the cartoons of the 1980s.
Public Domain Music: Funkeriffic, Krampu’s Workshop y CC 3.0 Cartoon Pizzicato, by Kevin MacLeod, and Twinkle, twinkle, little bat.
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If you want to be the one reading this elf story for kids to your child, here is the text… Create some atmosphere! If you read with this music in the background you will have it very easy.
It must be the house elves!
Mrs. Bliss was desperate, she couldn’t find things lately! In the last week alone she had lost a thimble, a box of matches and two half dollar coins.
“That’s because there are house elves!”, said Mr. Bliss.
“House elves? Maybe you’re the house elf! All day long you keep moving things around!”, replied, angrily, Mrs. Bliss.
But the truth is that Mrs. Bliss was more worried than angry. Could she be losing her memory?
What if one day, when she woke up, she didn’t even remember her name?!
Mrs. Bliss, every afternoon took a nap. And that afternoon was no different. After lunch, as
she had been doing for the past 30 years, she sat down on her rocking chair and fell asleep.
Suddenly, a strange little creature poked its head out from behind a radiator. He made sure she was asleep and walked over to her. He climbed onto the coffee table and looked toward the door. He exercised his arms a little. He grabbed Mrs. Bliss’s glasses and ran out.
“I’m telling you, there are house elves”, insisted Mr. Bliss. “Mr. Bliss: I, too, have lost a sock and contact lens case”.
The next afternoon, while Mrs. Bliss was asleep, the strange little creature peeked out from behind the radiator again. He tiptoed around. He grabbed a pillbox that Mrs. Bliss had dropped
on the floor… And ran to hide behind the radiator.
“There really are house elves!”, exclaimed Mrs. Bliss, “I’m sure I dropped it on the floor before I fell asleep”.
The next afternoon, Mrs. Bliss, like every afternoon for the past 30 years, sat in the rocking
chair after lunch… but did not fall asleep. She squinted her eyes, faked a few loud snores, and
settled down to wait.
After a while, the strange little creature peeked out from behind the radiator again. He checked to see that Mrs. Bliss was asleep. He jumped onto the carpet and, with a sly step, walked over to Mrs. Bliss’s box of cookies.
“Gotcha, you little thief!”, shouted Mrs. Bliss, scaring him.
The strange creature ran as fast as he had ever run and hid behind the radiator.
Mr. and Mrs. Bliss dismantled the radiator to catch the strange creature.
“I tell you it’s a house elf, it’s a house elf!”, repeated Mr. Bliss
When they removed the apparatus they found a hole in the wall. Mr. Bliss shone a flashlight and brought one eye close to the whole.
What he saw puzzled him – it looked like a beautiful doll’s house! The pillbox was now a beautiful dining table, with two thimbles for chairs. The glasses lenses had become two pretty skylights connecting to the garden. The contact lens case now served as a sink. With the two half dollar coins and an old lighter they had built a stove. The matchbox was a comfortable little bed with a sock blanket, and with the matches they had built a tiny cradle. Suddenly, Mr. Bliss noticed four restless little eyes twinkling in the light of the lantern.
“What’s there! What do you see!”, asked Mrs. Bliss, impatient.
“They are indeed house elves”, answered Mr. Bliss, “Two newly married house elves who are building their new house”.
From that day on, Mr. and Mrs. Bliss deposited various tiny objects behind the radiator so that they could continue to furnish their house. And every Sunday, they would also leave them a tasty cookie from Mrs. Bliss’ cookie box.
Curiosities about elves
Elves are fantastic mythological creatures of European origin. In Europe, elves are not primarily associated with Christmas, they are generally woodland creatures who live alongside fairies and are characterised as elemental beings, caretakers of nature – they are much older than Santa Claus!
Although European elves are nature spirits, there are also house elves. As far back as the ancient Roman Empire, it was believed that there were minor gods linked to the home, what they called “lares”, who were responsible for protecting houses.
The influence of Scandinavian and Celtic mythologies endowed these household elves with a prankster and somewhat mischievous personality, which is why they are blamed when something breaks or goes missing inside the house (just as Mr Bliss believed).
This elves personality is deeply rooted in European culture, but is not always the case in other regions of the world. For example, the character of the European elf would be more similar to the character of a hobgoblin, according to American culture.
Elves are very elusive and therefore very hard to see! If you’ve never seen one, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. What’s more, if one of your toys disappears without a trace, don’t hesitate! You have a friendly house elf living in your home.
Elf story for kids… and of dragons, unicorns, witches…
If you liked this elf story for kids, you are in luck. You can find many other stories about fantastic and mythological beings such as witches, dragons or unicorns on our page of children’s stories to read. Check it out! Each of them comes with a free audio version – we don’t ask you for anything in return! The best way to thank us is to share our stories with other parents and children.
You can also take a look at our Mumablue personalized storybooks catalog, a great gift idea.
Image credit: Freepik.es – forest elf (macrovector)