A Story from a Picture Book

A Monster Without A Name

Once upon a time, there lived a monster without a name.
The monster wanted a name so badly that he couldn't stand it.
So the monster decided to go off on a journey to find himself a name.
But because the world was so big, the monster split in two and went on two separate journeys.
One went east, and the other went west.
The one that went east found a village.
There was a blacksmith at the village entrance.
"Mr.Blacksmith, please give me your name."
"I can't give you my name."
"If you give me your name, I will jump inside you and make you stronger in return."
"Really? I'll give you my name if you can make me stronger."
The monster jumped inside the blacksmith.
The monster became Otto the blacksmith.
Otto the blacksmith was the strongest man in the village.
But one day...
"Look at me! Look at me! The monster inside me has grown this big!"
Chomp. Munch. Crunch. Gulp.
The hungry monster ate Otto from the inside out.
He went back to being a monster without a name.
Even though he jumped inside Hans the shoemaker...
Chomp. Munch. Crunch. Gulp.
He went back to being a monster without a name again.
Even though he jumped inside Thomas the hunter...
Chomp. Munch. Crunch. Gulp.
He still went back to being a monster without a name.
The monster went to the castle to find a wonderful name.
Inside the castle, there was a very sick boy.
"I'll make you stronger if you give me your name."
"I'll give you my name if you can cure my illness and make me stronger."
The monster jumped inside the boy.
The boy became very healthy.
The king was delighted.
"The prince is well! The prince is well!"
The monster became fond of the boy's name.
He also grow fond of the life inside the castle.
That's why he endured even when he became hungry.
Every day, even when his stomach became very empty, he endured.
But because he became so hungry...
"Look at me! Look at me! The monster inside me has grown this big!"
The boy ate his servants, his father, and everyone.
Chomp.
Munch.
Crunch.
Gulp.
Because everyone was gone, the boy left on a journey.
He walked and walked for days.
One day, the boy met the monster that went west.
"I have a name. It's a wonderful name."
And then the monster that went west said,
"I don't need a name. I'm happy even if I don't have a name. Because we're monsters without names."
The boy ate the monster that went west.
Even though he now had a name, there was no one left to call him by his name.
Johan.
It is a wonderful name.