The duke took off his top hat and scratched his head, confused.
The dogs, he was sure, had barked as if by now they had caught the fox.
Yet in the woods he had found that little girl in dirty clothes and with red hair.
His hounds, usually so haughty, roamed around her wagging their tails.
Even the horse the duke was riding seems attracted to her.
The duke held it back with the bridle and cleared his throat.
“Have you seen the fox?”
He hadn’t even finished speaking that he felt stupid asking, even if he didn’t know why.
The little girl returned his gaze, serious, as she stroked the dogs that made her parties.
The duke scratched his head again, perplexed, then put his hat back on, called the dogs and turned.
When he came out of the woods, he was stunned: it was evening.
It seemed to him that it was only noon when he had followed the dogs into the forest, and he couldn’t have stayed there that many hours. Or he did?
Never mind, it was time to go back to the mansion: he had guests for dinner that evening.
Without turning around he called the last dog, who was still sniffing a bush.
He did not see a fox emerge from it and nod at the dog with its tail as a greeting.
0 Comments