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			The little schoolgirl had been told that her parents would come back home very late in the evening, because they had to take her little brother to hospital. So, when she was just leaving her school, she thought that she didn't have to hurry. And she began to stroll. Near the school, there were some attractive shops which always made her dream, for her parents hadn't money enough to buy her a lot of things, and she never could enter there. First, she stopped in front of a shop window full of toys, in one side those for boys, and in the other side those for girls : any kind of dolls, doll's tea set, etc, and of course some cuddly toys ; she marvelled at a huge polar bear, but she enjoyed too a tiny grey cat and a lovely black dog. She stayed there a very long time, then she walked to a shop window with some clothes ; she recognized a dress that a little girl she knew often wore ; she was beginning to become a little sad. At last she joined the third interesting shop window : the one of a famous cake shop ; her parents never bought something there, but she really fancied the cakes ; then she saw a boy who was with her at school, he was coming out of the cake shop with his little brother and with his mother, but also with some apple turnovers, some plum duffs and even a big cherry tart. The little girl was suddenly on the verge of tears, she preferred to set off again for home. The way to her home skirted a small wood. She saw two squirrels playing together, they seemed to be so tame that she wanted to go to them, but she refrained, thinking that they would flee far away ; she stayed a very long time in front of them, till they climbed so high that she couldn't see them anymore. She walked again. A magnificent sunset made her stop again. It was so beautiful ! But the twilight was coming soon. She walked quietly, enjoying strolling. She knew perfectly her way and didn't fear at all any darkness. Then she saw some lights in the night. It was a will-o'-the-wisp, but she didn't know that it was quite natural, and she let her imagination tell her that a gentle elf had come to her to take away her sorrow - by the way the Jack-o'-lantern stayed in front of her for a short moment and vanished suddenly. And she realized that her sadness had disappeared for such a long time ! She thought first that she was as lucky as the boy with cakes, and then that finally she mas MORE lucky than him ! The night made her remember that it was already very late, and she took to her heels and ran home as quickly as possible.
				17/01/09 Isabelle Coquinot