The Stranger

By Chris van Allsuberg

Retold by: Christie Yates

It was the time of the year farmer Bailey liked best. Then it happened. There was aloud thump. Mr. Bailey jammed on his brakes. He thought it was a deer, but it was a man.

Mr. Bailey helped the stranger inside his house. The man on the sofa was dressed in odd leather clothing. Katy heard her father whispering’’ . . . Must be some kind of hermit. . .sort of fellow who lives alone in the woods.’’

Mr. Bailey called the doctor, who came and listened to the stranger’s heart. He also, felt his bones, looked in his eyes, and took his temperature. The doctor said he should remember who he was in a couple of days.

Mr. Bailey lent the stranger some clean clothes. The fellow seemed confused about buttonholes and buttons. He was copying off of Katy blowing her soup.

Katy watched the stranger from her window. He picked up the rabbits. But instead of running away the rabbits stayed there. The rabbits hopped away, then stopped and looked back as if they expected the stranger to run after them.

That evening Katy sat with the stranger. The stranger could not take his eyes off the birds. He stared at them like a man who's been hypnotized. They liked having the stranger around, he had become one of the family.

One day the stranger climbed the highest hill on the Baileys farm. He looked at the trees on the north and saw a puzzling sight. But the trees on the south , like those around the baileys farm were nothing but shades of green.

At dinner that evening the stranger appeared dressed in his old leather clothes. By the tears in his eyes the baileys could tell that their friend decided to leave. The Baileys hurried outside to wave goodbye, but there friend had disappeared.

At dinner that evening the stranger appeared dressed in his old leather clothes. By the tears in his eyes the baileys could tell that their friend decided to leave. The Baileys hurried outside to wave goodbye, but there friend had disappeared.