Goldy Lox

The small village where you live with your parents and two older brothers is right on the edge of the forest. Your house is one of the bigger ones and you have an upstairs. Daddy is in charge at the sawmill, where they take the huge logs to be cut up into planks, and Mummy doesn't work, she just spends her time organising things like the sewing circle and the school.

You are just past your eighth birthday and everyone tells you that you are pretty. Most kids in the village have straight dark hair, but you have blonde curls, which is why they call you Goldy, when your name is really Elizabeth.

There is a garden at the back of the house, where Mummy grows vegetables and flowers and at the start of this story, you have been feeding the chickens that live in a big cage at the bottom of the garden.

When you finish that chore, you expect that you will be free to go out and play, but Mummy catches you before you can run off. "Don't go anywhere, I want you to go and visit your Granddad."

Grampy lives alone, right inside the forest in an old woodcutter's cottage and not many people are prepared to find their way along the paths to visit him and that's how he likes it. He is pretty self-sufficient, but once a week Mummy sends someone with a basket of things he can't grow for himself, like tea, salt and sugar. There is usually some cheese and a cake in there too.

"You mean I've got to go on my own," you ask.

"You're a big girl now and your brothers are at the mill helping Daddy."

"It's not fair. I wanted to go out and play," you shout, stamping your foot. You run up the stairs, into your room and bang the door shut.

• Stay in your room and sulk