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Help for Paule
Deep in thoughts, Peter a stocky, blond, eight year old, self-confident boy, was on his way home. He had been at Daniel´s house, his best friend. Suddenly he could hear a man swearing loudly in front of him. Peter looked and could just get a glimpse at the milkman whipping his old horse Paule twice with his quirt. Peter started to boil with rage.
"Don´t do that", he screamed loudly and indignant. "What did Paule do that justifies your beating. Animals shouldn´t be beaten."
"Stay out of this, you midget", the milkman fulminated, who answered to the name Unterhuber. "You have no idea what I have to go through with this old crock, day in and day out. But now it´s enough. I will buy a tractor and this crock goes straight to the knacker."
"To the k-knacker", Peter stuttered "but you can´t do that."
"Why not?", Mr Unterhuber asked. "Paule is mine and I can do with him whatever I want. Or do you want to buy him off me? I will make you a proposal. You bring 500 Euros to me in three days and the declaration of consent from your parents and Paule will be yours."
After Peter ensured that Mr Unterhuber was serious about his offer, he ran home as fast as his feet could carry him. He was convinced that his parents would agree at once, as they were fond of animals, too.
Arriving at his home he was in for a disappointment. Even though his parents listened patiently to him talking about Paules fate, they could not help.
"Listen Peter", his dad said. "It is not just done with the 500 Euros. We would need to find a barn for Paule, for which we need to pay rent and we would need to pay for his food and if he gets sick, he will need a vet. This all would cost more money than we have. I am very sorry about the good animal, but we can´t help him."
Peter did understand his fathers´ arguments, but he was still disappointed when he went to bed. He pondered again and again how he could help Paule after all. Then suddenly he had an idea. What if all the parents from his class would jot in some money? Everybody together would surely get the money needed for Paule. With this thought in mind he fell asleep.
The next day he was already awake, to the amazement of his mother, before she had come to wake him. Peter hastily ate his breakfast. He could not wait to get to school.
He said goodbye to his mother with a fleeting kiss and started running. His mother looked after him, shaking her head.
Back in school Peter looked first for his best friend Daniel and told him about Paule and his idea. Daniel was all for it.
"Of course we will do that. Let´s talk to the others", he said. When they entered the classroom, all their classmates were already there. Peter stood on top of the teacher´s desk and yelled: "Attention everyone, I need to tell you something." Everybody looked at him full of expectation. He told his classmates about Paule´s history and his own idea. When he finished, it was dead silent, before everybody burst out in discussions.
"Super idea", "I will join in", "Awesome", the class voiced their opinion. Then all students came together and made plans. No one noticed that their teacher, Mrs Spitz, had entered the class room. She said: "What is going on here? You are flying around like bees." Peter and Daniel looked at each other and thought about telling her what they were doing. Then Daniel started talking: "We want to save a horse, so it doesn´t have to go to the knacker."
Mrs Spitz looked at him, puzzled and for the third time this morning, Peter had to tell about the fate of Paule. "Well, and our parents alone can´t get enough money together, we want to work as a group", he finished his story. "The idea is great", Mrs Spitz said. "I just had an idea. Maybe I can help you a bit. I will tell you after the break. Now however, we still need to study."
After the break Mrs Spitz came back to her class room and said to her students: "Please stay behind after the fourth period. Our principal wants to talk to you." Then they continued with their lessons.
After the fourth period, the principal of the elementary school did indeed come in their class room and explained: "Mrs Spitz told me about your dedication for the old horse. I think your idea and commitment is very wonderful and I want to help you. I spoke to the principals of the other two schools (explanation: the building complex incorporates a junior high school and senior high school) and they agree, too. We will have a meeting in the assembly hall tomorrow with all three class representatives and explain them what is going on. If every student gives up one Euro each month, you can pay for Paule´s expenses. You know about the meadow in the back of our school building right? We never had a use for this meadow. If we fence it off and build a hutch, then this would be a nice place for Paule. What do you think about that?"
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Peter jumped off his seat at once after the principal had finished and shouted: "That would be awesome. Paule would also belong to the students then. That would just be great."
"Good", the principal said. "As you agree, I will talk to Mrs Unterhuber, so that he will grant us more time." With that, the principal left the class room.
At home, Peter told his parents about the principal´s plan and the two were delighted.
"You don´t have to give up a Euro a month from your own pocket money. You´ll get it from us", they said. Peter was happy about that, of course. During the next few days there was a lot of talking and planning done until everything was arranged. The handy work course in junior high worked on fencing off the meadow and building a hutch. After one week, Paule was able to move into his new home. For the sake of Paule´s rest, the principal laid down some rules, so that not all students would disturb him all the time. Every week another class was responsible for Paule´s care and only the students in that class could visit Paule. So no student was discriminate against this way and Paule was not being disturbed by too many people. Through the good care of the students, Paule thrived. Sometimes the students were even able to ride on him. Though only if no teacher was around. So Paule didn´t feel alone, the schools got more animals that no one else wanted to have. If you happen to pass by the meadow at the school now, you can see two sheep, one goat, one cow and three chickens and in the center of this animal cohort, you can see Paule, the old dairy van horse.
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