- Mmm... I love ice-cream - exclaimed Lena licking her fingers covered in a sticky dessert. She also loved tiny macaroons and cupcakes, especially at the exquisite patisserie 'Monet' where desserts were delicious pastel colours, decorated with glittering stars, unicorns or live flowers. Lena went there frequently with her mother. It was always a treat!
One day, when Lena was on her way to school, a strong wind was blowing and it quickly turned into a hurricane. Suddenly, a gust of wind picked the girl up, lifted her in the air and she went floating up and up. Her coat, skirt and scarf were flying in the wind and she was startled but also strangely excited. When at last she was landed on the ground, as if by magic, she was miles away from home.
Lena found herself in an enchanting very bright green forest, which after the hurricane just minutes ago, was very strangely quiet. Lena's eyes were wide open, both in a bit of fear as well as amazement at how beautiful everything was around her. She had never been to the forest in her life, as far as she remembered, anyway.
Suddenly, a tiny bird flew in front of her and sat on a nearby branch curiously watching her. Then, it started singing a lovely song and Lena felt a bit more comfortable and less fearful. She sat down on a tree stump and listened, then a few more birds flew over and they all sang in a choir. Lena loved music and found the concert absolutely amazing, so she smiled and knew everything would be all right.
Hardly did the concert stop, when a little squirrel brought a few beechnuts and hazelnuts which she left at Lena's feet and ran away. Lena was beginning to get hungry so she appreciated the tasty snack. She hardly finished her nuts when a frog leapt up towards her, then away from Lena and the girl somehow knew that she ought to follow him. They got to a small forest spring where she had handfuls of fresh water as she got quite thirsty, indeed.
Lena, then, sat down on a green mossy stone by the brook and enjoyed the bubbly noise made by water flowing down the hill and its flapping on the stones. The sun was high up now and it was very warm so Lena enjoyed the cool air by the stream and relaxed in the shade of a great beech tree. After a while, she got up and was ready to walk following the brook to look for her way back home, when a bee flew up to her. Lena first found the insect a bit scary and annoying, however she quickly realised that the bee was dancing in the air as if trying to communicate something to her. When the bee finally got the girl's attention, it flew away slowly and Lena followed her. The friendly insect brought her to small fruiting shrubs of blueberries and raspberries. Lena smiled when she understood where the bee had brought her and she thanked the bee laughing sweetly.
The girl had a feast of her life! She was certain she never enjoyed berries so much in her life. Whether it was due to hunger, fresh forest air or the quality of those wild berries, she neither knew nor cared. Lena just ate and ate until she was full. Feeling a little tired at last, she sat down on the grass and fell asleep laying her head on the soft pillow of peat.
When she woke up, Lena wasn't sure where she was, so she felt a bit confused and weepy. Seeing this the birds flew over again and cheered the girl up with their sweet song. As soon as they finished, a fox appeared. Lena was taken aback by the creature which seemed friendly enough, but as she wasn't used to all those animals and all that wild forest life, she felt a bit unsure. The fox made a few steps away and turned around looking at Lena. Then, it walked away a few steps more and looked back at the girl. Lena was still confused but it seemed that the fox wanted to be followed and she felt as if she was in a dream.
All nature seemed to live in such peaceful harmony here, and she never knew about its existence. That day Lena felt a part of it for the first time and felt strangely tranquil and happy out in the wild. As if this was the natural order of the world and not the world she was used to. The fox clearly wanted the girl to follow it, waiting for her patiently to make up her mind, and so she did. They walked for a while, the fox in the front and Lena following it. When they got to the edge of the forest, she realised the fox was taking her home. The girl turned around to look behind her and whispered to the forest, with its brook, tall trees, fruits, nuts and caring animals:
- Thank you!
And for a second she thought that the forest whispered back an answer. Then, she turned towards the fox, which was waiting for her patiently...
Lena was a city girl and liked going to the cinema and theatre. She was scared of bugs, caterpillars and mice, so she avoided going and playing in the park. There were just too many beetles and spiders everywhere to be comfortable.
One day, when Lena was on her way to school, a strong wind was blowing and it quickly turned into a hurricane. Suddenly, a gust of wind picked the girl up, lifted her in the air and she went floating up and up. Her coat, skirt and scarf were flying in the wind and she was startled but also strangely excited. When at last she was landed on the ground, as if by magic, she was miles away from home.
Lena found herself in an enchanting very bright green forest, which after the hurricane just minutes ago, was very strangely quiet. Lena's eyes were wide open, both in a bit of fear as well as amazement at how beautiful everything was around her. She had never been to the forest in her life, as far as she remembered, anyway.
Suddenly, a tiny bird flew in front of her and sat on a nearby branch curiously watching her. Then, it started singing a lovely song and Lena felt a bit more comfortable and less fearful. She sat down on a tree stump and listened, then a few more birds flew over and they all sang in a choir. Lena loved music and found the concert absolutely amazing, so she smiled and knew everything would be all right.
Hardly did the concert stop, when a little squirrel brought a few beechnuts and hazelnuts which she left at Lena's feet and ran away. Lena was beginning to get hungry so she appreciated the tasty snack. She hardly finished her nuts when a frog leapt up towards her, then away from Lena and the girl somehow knew that she ought to follow him. They got to a small forest spring where she had handfuls of fresh water as she got quite thirsty, indeed.
Lena, then, sat down on a green mossy stone by the brook and enjoyed the bubbly noise made by water flowing down the hill and its flapping on the stones. The sun was high up now and it was very warm so Lena enjoyed the cool air by the stream and relaxed in the shade of a great beech tree. After a while, she got up and was ready to walk following the brook to look for her way back home, when a bee flew up to her. Lena first found the insect a bit scary and annoying, however she quickly realised that the bee was dancing in the air as if trying to communicate something to her. When the bee finally got the girl's attention, it flew away slowly and Lena followed her. The friendly insect brought her to small fruiting shrubs of blueberries and raspberries. Lena smiled when she understood where the bee had brought her and she thanked the bee laughing sweetly.
The girl had a feast of her life! She was certain she never enjoyed berries so much in her life. Whether it was due to hunger, fresh forest air or the quality of those wild berries, she neither knew nor cared. Lena just ate and ate until she was full. Feeling a little tired at last, she sat down on the grass and fell asleep laying her head on the soft pillow of peat.
When she woke up, Lena wasn't sure where she was, so she felt a bit confused and weepy. Seeing this the birds flew over again and cheered the girl up with their sweet song. As soon as they finished, a fox appeared. Lena was taken aback by the creature which seemed friendly enough, but as she wasn't used to all those animals and all that wild forest life, she felt a bit unsure. The fox made a few steps away and turned around looking at Lena. Then, it walked away a few steps more and looked back at the girl. Lena was still confused but it seemed that the fox wanted to be followed and she felt as if she was in a dream.
All nature seemed to live in such peaceful harmony here, and she never knew about its existence. That day Lena felt a part of it for the first time and felt strangely tranquil and happy out in the wild. As if this was the natural order of the world and not the world she was used to. The fox clearly wanted the girl to follow it, waiting for her patiently to make up her mind, and so she did. They walked for a while, the fox in the front and Lena following it. When they got to the edge of the forest, she realised the fox was taking her home. The girl turned around to look behind her and whispered to the forest, with its brook, tall trees, fruits, nuts and caring animals:
- Thank you!
And for a second she thought that the forest whispered back an answer. Then, she turned towards the fox, which was waiting for her patiently...
ACTIVITY