TheElephantManisastoryaboutauglymannamedJosephMerrickwrittenbyTimVicary.JosephMerrickwasapersonwhowassouglythatotherseitherlaughedathimorwereafraidofhim.Sohewasnotillbuthecouldn'tgotoworkeither.Buthewasveryhappyinthelastthreeyearsofhislife.Wherewashishappinessfrom?

　　Healwayskeptthebeautifulthingsinhismind.Evenwhenhewaskeptinthecoldanddarklittleroom,hetookhismother'spicturewithhimbecausehermotherwasbeautiful,kindandthemostimportantshesmiledtohimwhenhewasachild.

　　Hewassatisfiedwithwhathehave.Thoughhewassounfortunate,henevercomplainedaboutthelifeandthefate.Whensomepeolewenttoseehim,hetalkedaboutthebookswiththemhappily.Somoreandmorepeoplewerewillingtovisithim.

　　Itisnottheappearencebuttheinsideofone'scharactorthatdesidesweitherhecanliveahappylife.