Once upon a time there was a boy and a girl who were friends since childhood because they lived in the same town and were neighbors. They got along very well and would often have picnics together and take country walks after school.
The boy was very naughty and fond of teasing his friend. Sometimes he would hide behind doors to scare her or tell her unbelievable and fanciful things so that she would believe them. Later, when he saw his astonished face, he would burst out laughing. In a word, he loved clowning around and the girl was almost always the butt of his jokes.
One day when it was raining, the girl was at home and her mother told her:
– Daughter, the rain is soaking everything! Run and get the clothes on the clothesline by the graveyard before it’s too late.
– Right now, Mom. I’ll be right back.
The girl shot out, glancing at the dark clouds over her head. A good storm was about to fall!
He got to the clothesline and hurried as fast as he could. He unhooked the clothes and put them in a wicker basket. When he was going to pick it up to return to his house, he saw that on a grave there was a figure in human form, totally dressed in white. She was sitting up and you couldn’t see her face because she was wearing a cap like the one ghosts wear.
To be honest, she looked like a real ghost, but she wasn’t the least bit scared because she thought it was her prankster friend who, once again, wanted to tease her. Without a moment’s hesitation, he briskly approached the supposed apparition.
– You will be stupid! … If you think you are going to scare me, you are very wrong! I’m sick of your practical jokes!
And raising her arm very annoyed, she gave him a strong push and went back for the basket of clean clothes.
What would be his surprise when, when he got home, he saw that his friend was there, playing with his labrador retriever, as if nothing had happened.
– Thats weird! How could you get there before me? …
Extremely surprised, the young woman went to the kitchen and helped her mother fold the dry clothes she had just brought from the clothesline. Among the pile of clothing, he found a hood just like the one the ghost was wearing. There was no possible explanation.
– Who will have put this hood in my basket? I do not understand anything!
He started to get really scared. He told his mother what had happened to him in the cemetery and they decided to make an appointment with the village sage, to see if he could clear up the mystery. The old man received them solemnly.
– Tell me … How can I help you?
– You see, sir… I think my daughter met a real ghost yesterday. The fact is that she gave him a push, thinking it was a friend of hers in disguise, but when we got home a white cap appeared, as if by magic, in the laundry basket. What do you think we should do?
The old sage was startled.
– What a coincidence! This very morning a neighbor told me that he saw a ghost without a hood on a grave in the cemetery. We must return it to him as soon as possible or misfortune will fall on our community!
The girl felt a chill.
– A disgrace? Why?
The man, who knew a lot about enigmas, answered him in a grave and ceremonious voice.
– Well, because no one should disturb the beings from beyond that visit us and you have pushed them mercilessly. We have to respect them so that they respect us. Let’s go outside and meet the neighbors. We will accompany you so that you are not afraid and you will repair the damage caused by returning the cap.
In a few minutes, the girl and about twenty other people were on the road to the cemetery. They found the ghost sitting head down on a stone grave, worn by the passing of years. Of course, he had nothing covering his head.
Everyone remained in silence. The young woman held the cap with her trembling hands. Scared, she took a few steps forward to approach the specter, who was staring at her with the face of few friends. Making an effort to appear brave, he raised his arms and carefully pulled the hood over her head. Then he asked:
– You are already happy?
The ghost, still angry, lunged at the girl and returned her with another push. The girl fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Immediately afterwards, he replied with irony:
– Yes, I’m already happy! You pushed me and now I have pushed you. We are at peace! Oh, by the way… Thanks for giving me back my cap!
And without saying anything else, the ghost crawled into the grave and disappeared underground forever.
