A Friendly Robin

He looked a different person then, and Mary thought how much nicer people looked when they smiled.

The gardener spoke gently to the robin, and the pretty little bird hopped on the ground near them.

He is my friend, he is. said the old man. There are not any other robins in the garden, so he is a bit lonely.

He spoke in strong Yorkshire dialect, so Mary had to listen carefully to understand him.

She looked very hard at the robin.

I am lonely too, she said. She had not realized this before.

What is your name? She asked the gardener.

Ben. I am lonely myself. The robin is my only friend, you see.

I haven't got any friends at all, said Mary.

Yorkshire people always say what they are thinking, and old Ben was a Yorkshire moor man.

We are aloke, you and me. he told Mary. We are not pretty to look at, and we are both very disagreeable.

Nobody has ever said this to Mary before. Am I really as ugly and disagreeable as Ben?

She wondered.

Suddenly the robin flew to a tree near Mary and started singing to her.

Ben laughed loudly.

Well, he said. He wants to be your friend.

Oh, would be please be my friend? she whisphered to the robin.
She spoik in a soft,quiet voice and old Ben looked at her in surprise.

You said that really nicely. he said, You sound like Dickon. when he talks to animals on the moor.

Do you know Dickon? asked Mary. but just then, the robin flew away. Oh look, he's flown into the garden with no door.

Please, Ben, how can I get into it?

Ben stopped smiling and picked up his spade. You cannot, and that is that. It is not your business.
Nobody can find the door. Run away and play, will you ? I must get on with my work.

And he walked away. He did not even say goodbye.

In the next few days, Mary spent almost all her time in the gardens.

The fresh air from the moor made her hungry,and she was becoming stronger and healthier.

One day she noticed the robin again.

He was on top of a wall, singing to her.

Good morning, Isn't this fun.

Come this way. he seemed to say, as he hopped along the wall.

Mary began to laugh, as she danced along beside him.

I know the secret garden's on the other side of the wall. she thought excitely. And the robin lives there. But where is the door?

That evening, she asked Martha to stay and talk to her beside the fire after supper.

They could hear the window blowing round the old house, but the room was warm and comfortable.

Mary only had one idea in her head.