포피와 고요한 우물

The Dry Well

Every morning, the village of Solmae carried buckets to the old stone well. But one dry summer, the well went silent and gave no water. The rope came up light, and the bucket rattled against dry stone. People frowned and whispered, and the children grew thirsty by noon. For years the well had never failed, so the silence frightened the older neighbors. Nine-year-old Poppy loved to build things from springs and scraps. She believed her clever hands could fix the well alone.

A Clever Plan

Poppy studied the quiet well carefully for three long and dusty afternoons. She sketched gears, levers, and a pump made from an old bicycle. 'I will pull the water up myself,' she said proudly. She gathered wire, wood, and a rusty wheel from the shed. The other villagers watched, but Poppy did not ask for help. She wanted to prove that one smart girl was enough.