Lucy (Easy English)

Lucy

'Can you believe it?' Sam's father said as he read the advertisements in the Farmer's Weekly. 'Old Mr Johnson is selling Lucy.'

'What?' Sam said, feeling as if he had just been slapped in the face. 'Our Lucy ... Lucy the sheepdog?'

'Yes son, Lucy the sheepdog, and he wants £200 for her.'

'But ... why is he selling her?'

'Because she is a valuable working dog, Sam, and old Johnson sold all his sheep last month. He doesn't need her now, and a mean old miser like him would rather have £200 than a faithful friend like Lucy.'

'Can we buy her dad?'

Sam's father laughed. 'Sorry son, we haven't even got £20. She will probably be bought by a rich sheep farmer. No one in Barnsfield will be able to afford a dog like her.'

***

The next morning a miserable Sam kicked a pebble along the lane as he walked to school thinking about Lucy. He and all his school friends adored Lucy. In fact, all the children in Barnsfield loved her. She was more than a dog, she was a local character.

Two years ago, Lucy had pulled a child out of a flooded river. In the big snowfall the year before that, she had led rescuers to two lost walkers out on the moor. Lucy was a heroine. The thought of never seeing her again broke his heart but, to a ten-year-old boy, £200 was a huge amount.

Sam got to the gate of Johnson's farm and joined a small group of children who had gathered there. Lucy was the centre of attention, as usual, greeting all the kids as they passed by on their way to school. She sniffed politely at the tasty titbits she was offered and refused the unhealthy ones. Sam patted Lucy on the head and then made his shocking announcement.

'Lucy is going to be sold to a rich farmer.'

The children stood in silence as they absorbed the terrible news. Even Lucy's tail dropped as if it was the first she had heard of it. Then they all started talking at the same time and some of the younger ones began to cry.

'We can put our pocket money and savings together,' Billy Sadler suggested.

'He wants £200,' Sam told them sadly.

'Wow! My dad bought a car for that much last week!' Eric Lyons said.

'He might take less,' Billy said hopefully.

'He won't. My dad says Mr Johnson is a mean old miser,' Sam said.

***

The news of Lucy's fate spread throughout Barnsfield Junior School like a forest fire. Before long Sam's class teacher, Mr Phillips, heard about it.

Mr Phillips told the headmaster, Mr Sedgewick, and soon a meeting was taking place in the teachers' common room. The same afternoon an extra assembly was called and Mr Sedgewick spoke to the entire school.

'By now most of you know that Lucy is to be sold for the sum of £200.'

A wail went up from the children.

'We also know that none of us can afford to spend that amount of money on a dog.' 

The children groaned.

'However, we know how popular Lucy is with you all, and we have a suggestion. There are 205 pupils at Bansfield Junior School, so if each of you can give just one pound, you could buy Lucy.'

A cheer echoed around the hall.

'We suggest that the collection be organised as a raffle and that each child gets a ticket with a number. The winner will keep Lucy at home, but she can be brought to school each day. So the rest of you can see her.'

Applause thundered in the headmaster's ears.

'Remember to ask your parents for permission before buying a ticket. And I do not want to hear any more comments about Mr Johnson being a mean old miser. He may need the £200 for some very important purpose. That is all.'

Only four households were unwilling to give Lucy a home so, during the following week, the small town of Barnsfield became a hive of activity. 201 children worked to make enough money to buy a ticket. Windows were polished and lawns were mown. Treasured possessions were sold and big sisters were blackmailed about their secret boyfriends.

The owner of the town cinema stood and scratched his head in confusion when not a single child turned up for the Saturday afternoon western.

***

During assembly the next Monday morning Mr Sedgewick said that he had all the money in his office. He would draw the winning number without delay.

The children listened quietly as the number was read out and Sam gazed at his ticket in disbelief.

'Here,' he whispered, raising his hand. 'It's mine!'

Mr Phillips took Sam straight to Johnson's farm and said he would wait at the gate while Sam went in to buy Lucy.

'Now remember,' Mr Philips advised. 'Be polite, and don't call him a mean old miser!'

***

Sam knocked on the door and went inside the farmhouse. He gave Mr Johnson an envelope with the exact amount needed to buy Lucy and watched as he carefully counted the money. Then Johnson opened a large metal cash box and placed the notes inside.

'Excellent,' Mr Johnson said, rubbing his hands together. 'I never thought ... Oh, never mind. Tell me ... how did a young lad like you get all this money?'

So, Sam told him the whole story. How the children loved Lucy so much they could not bear to be parted from her. How they had worked hard to earn a few pennies any way they could. How every child had cleaned cars, washed dishes and sold their favourite toys to raise a pound. When he had finished Mr Johnson was close to tears and he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

'I've never heard such a moving story in all my life,' he said. 'You did all that for the love of my Lucy.'

To Sam's surprise, Johnson opened the cash box again and took out the thickest bundle of notes that Sam had ever seen outside a bank.

'It's not right,' Johnson said. 'It's not right that you should have to spend all the money you earned to keep Lucy here with you.'

Then, with a trembling hand, Mr Johnson peeled one crisp pound note from the bundle and gave it to Sam.