Although Nello was a boy and Patrasche was a dog, they had a special friendship, closer to brotherhood.
They were both the same age.
Yet, one seemed old and the other was young.
They spent all of their time together.
Their home was a little hut on the edge of a small village.
The village was near Antwerp.
It was surrounded by cornfields and pastures.
In the center of the village was a big windmill.
A gray church stood across from the windmill.
At the top of the church, there was an old clock.
The clock rang every hour on the hour.
It made a strange, empty sound.
To the villagers, it seemed like the saddest sound in the world.
Nello and Patrasche lived with a very old man.
This man, Jehan Dass, was Nello's grandfather.
He had once been a soldier.
Sadly, he was wounded in a war and was now crippled.
When Jehan Dass was eighty years old, his only daughter died.
The old man had no choice but to take care of his daughter's son.
The old man and the little boy lived happily together.
They were very poor, but they had each other.
That was enough.
As for Patrasche, he made the old man and little Nello happier.
Patrasche, a dog of Flanders, was a slave once.
His owner forced him to pull a cart full of iron.
One summer day, Patrasche was very thirsty when he was working.
But he wasn't allowed to stop and drink.
After some walking, he became dizzy and fell down.
His owner ran up to him and beat him.
Patrasche couldn't move.
His owner kicked him into a ditch and went away.
After some time, an old man and a little boy saw Patrasche.
"We can't let such a beautiful dog die.:
said the old man.
He dragged the big dog back to his hut.
This was how old Jehan Daas, little Nello and Patrasche first met.
The old man and little Nello took great care of Partrasche.
More than this, they loved him.
They patted him softly on the head.
They made a bed for him to sleep in.
This was the first time for Patrasche to feel love.
It seemed strange to him yet wonderful.
He was determined to get well soon and repay then for their kindness.
He wanted to take care of them.
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