The Quest for Knowledge

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The Quest for Knowledge
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Imagine you live on the edge of a very large and
very dense forest.
During your infant and childhood years you have
always been forbidden to enter the forest.
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Your parents have told you that you could get
lost in the maze of trees and the thick
undergrowth...
...people can go in there and never be seen again!
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Childish thoughts and a creative imagination
conjure up images of the horrors that may lie
within that dark and gloomy forest.
These are added to as each night you see a white
flickering light dancing through the branches and
coming close to your house.
Then you see a person appear sometimes a
stranger, sometimes a neighbour, but always with
a puzzled look on their face. He/she talks to the
light, then may go away or follow the light into
the wood. What is happening? Why do some go into
the wood and some dont? Do those who do go into
the wood ever come out again?
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The years roll by and you grow older, you leave
school and eventually home and make your own way
in the world. Time passes and there are various
milestones in your life and various decisions to
be made.
2010
2015
2020
Childhood seems a distant but happy memory yet
you can never forget that light and the strange
happenings at the edge of the forest. You are
quite content, but there is a compulsion to go
back home and find out about the secret of the
forest.
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You return to your childhood home. You ask your
father why you were never allowed in the forest.
He explains that as you are older and wiser, you
can now know. The forest is called The Forest of
Knowledge. Deep within it lives the All Knowing
One.
She knows the answer to everything, but only
answers the Big Questions of Life. A person, if
fortunate enough to meet her, is only allowed to
ask one question in his/her lifetime.
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As darkness falls, you wait at the edge of the
forest. Just as you remembered from your
childhood days, the white light comes flickering
through the trees. Your heart begins to pound.
Should you make a run for it, never look back and
return to your cosy life?
You stand rooted to the spot as on the end of
this light appears a massive hand and then an
arm.
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Your eyes become more accustomed to the light and
you see a large, troll-like man with tattoos and
a fierce expression.
There is a growl from behind him and a dog the
size of a lion snaps and champs on the end of a
chain, grasped by the mans other hand.
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What do you want? he booms. WWWWHO are you?
you ask, quivering. I am Elif, guardian of this
forest. State your business! he replies. You
explain that you want to ask the All Knowing one
a question. Elif tells you , you can if you can
promise to do three things.
1 - To ask ONE question only. 2 - Not to waste
the All Knowing Ones time by asking
something trivial. 3 - To ask a very
important question of life that only the wisest
one can answer, a question that really puzzles
you.
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Youll never get another chance like this in
your life time again, says Elif, Rise to the
challenge and think hard. If you have indeed an
important question, you can come with me to the
All Knowing One. If you do not, then Ill send
you away and you will never return
Ask your question.