Lost Love

These things happened to me nearly ten years ago.

I lived in a city, but the city was hot in summer. I wanted to see the country. I wanted to walk in the woods and see green trees.

I had a little red car and I had a map, too. I drove all night out into the country.

I was happy in my car. We had a very good summer that year. The country was very pretty in the early morning. The sun was hot, and the sky was blue. I heard the birds in the trees.

And then my car stopped suddenly.

'What's wrong?' I thought. 'Oh dear, I haven't got any petrol. Now I'll have to walk. I'll have to find a town and buy some petrol. But where am I?'

I looked at the map. I wasn't near a town. I was lost in the country.

And then I saw the girl. She walked down the road, with flowers in her hand. She wore a long dress, and her hair was long, too. It was long and black, and it shone in the sun. She was very pretty. I wanted to speak to her, so I got out of the car.

'Hello,' I said. 'I'm lost. Where am I?'

She looked afraid, so I spoke quietly.

'I haven't got any petrol,' I said. 'Where can I find some?'

Her blue eyes looked at me, and she smiled.

'She's a very pretty girl!' I thought.

'I do not know,' she said. 'Come with me to the village. Perhaps we can help you.'

I went with her happily, and we walked a long way.

'There isn't a village on the map,' I thought. 'Perhaps it's a very small village.'

There was a village, and it was old and pretty. The houses were black and white and very small. There were a lot of animals.

The girl stopped at a house and smiled at me.

'Come in, please,' she said.

I went in. The house was very clean, but it was strange, too. There was a fire and some food above it. I felt hungry then.

'That's strange,' I thought. 'They cook their food over a wood fire! Perhaps they have no money.'

I met her father and mother, and I liked them. They were nice people, but their clothes were strange.

'Sit down,' said the old man. 'Are you thirsty after your walk?'

He gave me a drink, and I said, 'Thank you.' But the drink was strange, too. It was dark brown and very strong.