One summer evening, Sylvie hurried the cow through the forest, following a path to her grandmother's home.
Suddenly she heard a loud whistle.
"Hello," a young man carrying a gun called out cheerfully. "I've been hunting for birds," he explained, "but I've lost my way." Sylvie led the stranger through the forest.
When they reached her house, the stranger explained his problem to Sylvie's grandmother and was invited to stay there for the night.
After dinner, the young man said he was a scientist, who collected birds. "Do you put them in a cage" Sylvie asked. "No," he answered, "I shoot birds and put something special into them to preserve them. I have over 100 different kinds of birds at home. Their feathers look as bright as before. "
"Sylvie knows a lot about birds, too," her grandmother said proudly.
"Maybe she can help me," the young man said. "I saw a white heron not far from here two days ago. I've been looking for it ever since. It's a tall, strange bird with white wings. Have you seen it?" he asked Sylvie.
Sylvie didn't answer. Her heart began to beat fast. She had seen that bird! The young man added. "I would give $10 to the person who showed me where the bird is. "
That night Sylvie thought about the wonderful things she and her grandmother could buy for ten dollars. She also wanted to be the young man's friend, because she had never seen anyone so charming.
When the sun began to rise, Sylvie quietly left her house and hurried to a huge pine tree. She wanted to climb to the top of the tree where she could see the whole forest.
Sylvie's face was pale when, at last, she reached the top. Suddenly, a bird with big white wings flew past her and landed on a branch below her. The other white heron was sitting on the nest in a nearby tree. Now Sylvie knew the bird's secret!
An hour later, Sylvie returned to the house. The young man would give them the money they needed. Besides, Sylvie wanted to make him happy.
But Sylvie was silent. She remembered how the white heron flew through the air and how they watched the sun rise together from the top of the world. Sylvie could not speak. Finally, she decided to keep the secret of the white heron.
The young man went away later that day and never returned.
