[Music] it was hot in the house there was no wind I'll go for a walk Jack said to himself I'll go to the river Jack lived in a small town and soon he was in the countryside he walked near the river and watched the birds suddenly he saw a girl she was standing alone looking at the water she was young and very beautiful she had long dark hair and wore a pretty white dress Jack went up to her hello he said what's your name I'm Maya she said and she smiled at him Jack and Maya
talked for a long time the sun went down it was almost dark I must go home said Maya where do you live asked Jack in the big house near the river said Maya where do you live in the Little House near the market said Jack they laughed but Jack was sad the house near the river was big and important Maya was rich and he was poor and Jack was in love after that that Jack and Maya often met near the river Maya always wore beautiful clothes she always looked lovely Jack thought about Maya all day
and every day one evening Jack said listen Maya I've written a poem about you he took a piece of paper from his pocket and read the poem I met her in the evening by the Riverside her dress was creamy white and her hair with ribbon tied she turned and smiled at me and I asked her for her name though I am young and poor my love will stay the same you are wonderful Jack said Maya I love your poem Jack took Maya's hand he looked into her eyes I love you Maya he said do you
love me she smiled yes of course I love you she said she stood up I must go home now Jack was very happy she loves me Maya loves me he thought Jack went home Jack's house was small and poor but it was always clean and tidy Jack lived alone with his mother his father was dead that evening his mother watched him what's happened Jack she asked why are you so happy it's nothing mother said Jack his mother smiled he's in love she thought the next day Jack and Maya met Again by the river Maya looked
sad but Jack did not notice he took her hand Maya he said I am poor now but one day I am going to be a famous writer Maya said nothing will you marry me Maya say yes we will be so happy and he stopped Maya looked at him for a moment there were Tears In Her Eyes slowly she shook her head then she turned and ran away Maya shouted Jack but Maya had gone Jack went home slowly he did not understand Maya what is wrong he thought she loves me doesn't she his mother was waiting
for him she saw his face poor boy she thought the girl doesn't love him Jack and his mother ate their supper in silence suddenly somebody knocked on the door Jack opened it a man in a servant's uniform stood outside I'm from the house near the river he said my mistress wants to see Jack that's me said Jack can you come with me now said the servant yes said Jack he was excited perhaps Maya has changed her mind he thought perhaps she does want to marry me Jack's mother stood at the door of the house she
watched Jack and the servant the house near the river she said to herself I know those people a rich old woman and her beautiful daughter my poor son it was not far to the house near the river the servant took Jack into the house Jack was excited and his heart was beating fast everything was rich and Grand there were beautiful carpets pictures and mirrors Jack saw himself in a mirror he looked terrible this place was so rich and he looked so poor the servant opened a door Jack went inside an old lady was sitting in
a big chair Maya stood behind her the old woman was ugly her eyes were small and cold and her mouth was thin and hard her old hands were covered with big Rings she looked proud and angry Jack looked at the old woman then at Maya what an ugly old woman he thought is she Maya's mother so you want to marry my daughter the old woman said her voice was hard Jack looked at her bravely yes he said I love Maya and I want to marry her the old woman laughed you a poor student no money
no father nothing my daughter will never marry you Jack said nothing he looked at Maya she did not look at him I am poor now he said but one day I'll be a famous writer the old woman laughed again no she said my daughter is not for you she is going to be married soon you will never see her again the old woman got up and left the room Maya and Jack were alone Jack looked at Maya but she did not look at him she stood still and did not say anything Jack went up to
her and put his arm around her Maya moved away from him I'm sorry Jack said Maya my mother is right I can't man marry you I don't want to be poor I want money and clothes and a big car but you love me Maya said Jack and I love you he did not understand her he was angry yes I love you Jack said Maya but love isn't enough she looked at him her face was sad I'm getting married in 2 weeks she said goodbye Jack I'm sorry Jack left the big house and ran to the
river he sat there for a long time Maya loves me I know she loves me he thought but she is marrying another man she is marrying him for money it's her mother Maya is afraid of that ugly old woman Oh Maya Maya what shall I do after a long time Jack went home there was a light in the window of the little house the door was open his mother was waiting for him she looked at his face then she put her arms around him they are bad people my son she said you must forget her
for many days Jack did not see any of his friends his mother was worried about him he did not talk to her he did not eat or sleep he often went to the river and sat there alone all the time he thought about Maya one day he saw a headline in the newspaper rich man's beautiful bride there was a picture of Maya and her husband she was wearing a long white dress and a diamond necklace her husband was old and fat jack turned the newspaper over angrily there was a large notice on the back page
of the newspaper it was an advertisement Jack sat down and read the advertisement carefully write a story and win a prize our story competition offers a chance to Young Writers to win recognition and earn money stories can be on any theme but must not be longer than 1500 words send your entry to this newspaper before the end of the month first prize $500 10 other prizes of $50 this is my chance he said to himself I'll write the story of Jack and Maya and I'll win the competition she'll read our story and she'll be sorry
Jack was very busy now every day he got up early and worked at his story his mother watched him she was pleased he was eating his food again he was talking and smiling sometimes Jack felt pleased with his story it was a good story but sometimes it was difficult to write he was unhappy and he wanted to stop writing but he did not stop at last the story was finished Jack read it to his mother she was very pleased it's a good story Jack she said it's very good Jack wrote the story again carefully and
sent it to the newspaper 2 weeks later A letter came from the newspaper Jack did not open it he was too excited he gave it to his mother you read it for me mother he said his mother opened the letter and read it read it yourself she said and gave it to him she was laughing and crying too Jack read the letter dear sir I am very happy to inform you that you have won the first prize in the story competition if you would kindly call at this office on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. the manager
will present you with your prize Yours Faithfully Jack jumped up he danced around the kitchen and waved the letter from the newspaper I've won he shouted mother I've got the prize I'll be a writer we'll have some money at last I'll buy you a new dress and some furniture for the house he stopped will Maya see my story in the paper he asked his mother looked at him she was not smiling now do you still love that girl jack she asked yes mother said Jack I'll always love her on Thursday Jack went to the newspaper
office the manager was very friendly your story is good he said very good indeed here is the prize money he gave Jack an envelope $500 Jack did not believe it he thanked the manager and started to go don't go said the manager I want to talk to you what's your job I haven't got a job sir said Jack I want to be a writer good said the manager we need young men like you come and work on our newspaper Jack was very surprised you want me on your new newspaper yes yes of course I'll come
he said Jack loved his work on the newspaper he worked hard but he did not forget Maya one day a reporter came into the office listen everybody he said here's a story for the paper do you remember that beautiful girl Maya and her rich husband there was a photograph of the wedding in our paper she ran away from her husband last week everybody in the office stopped talking this was news Jack sat still he felt cold Maya left her husband he thought why they were married only a few months ago the reporter was still talking
the girl's mother died last week he said she heard the news and the shock killed her that ugly old woman thought Jack the mother was rich wasn't she somebody asked oh yes she was very rich said the reporter Maya will have all her money of course and her husband gave her a lot of money clothes jewels and a car Maya is a very very rich woman I don't like rich women said another reporter Maya is rich said Jack but she is also gentle and kind and he stopped do you know Maya the reporter asked yes
said Jack quietly I know Maya well said the reporter somebody must go to her mother's funeral we need a report report about it for the paper why don't you go Jack Jack went to the funeral the next day it was a long way to the church but he walked he wanted to think Maya loved me he thought but she married another man why because she was afraid of her mother but now her mother is dead Jack was happy and he was sad he was at the church now crowds of people were there it was a
big funeral there were many big black cars outside the church in the first one was the coffin there were a lot of flowers on the coffin and on the roof of the car jack stood at the back of the crowd he took out his pencil and paper he wrote about the cars and the people then he saw Maya she was wearing a black dress she looked sad but very beautiful she was standing alone nobody spoke to her nobody went near her the man next to Jack spoke that's the daughter he said she's a bad woman
she left her husband and it killed her mother look at her nobody wants to speak to her Jack said nothing poor Maya he thought everybody went inside the church the funeral began after the funeral Jack went home his mother was smiling good news Jack she said do you remember your cousin Melba she is coming to stay with us she is 17 now and very pretty you will like her yes I remember Melba said Jack he did not look pleased his mother was disappointed he is still thinking about Maya she thought Melba will help him to
forget but Jack did not want to see Melba I must see Maya he said to himself I must talk to her Jack wanted to see Maya he wanted to talk to her I'll go to the house near the river he thought perhaps Maya will be there but the house near the river looked empty there were no curtains at the windows there was a big notice on the gate it said for sail Jack looked over the gate there was nobody in the garden everything was quiet I'll get into the house and look around he thought perhaps
I'll find Maya's address then I can write to her Jack opened the gate and went up the steps to the house it was very quiet he pushed at the front door it was closed he walked around the house there was a window open quickly Jack climbed through the open window he was excited and his heart was beating fast he was in Maya's old home he remembered her mother he remembered that terrible evening but the house was different now there was no furniture in the room there were no carpets and pictures it was empty Jack felt
a little afraid is anybody in the house he thought no he did not hear anything quietly Jack went to the door of the room and opened it there was nobody there he went from room to room all the rooms were big and they were all empty at last he came to a very big room he stopped he knew this room he had met Maya's mother here he remembered everything the old woman her hard face the big rings on her hands and now the old woman was dead suddenly Jack heard a noise somebody was inside the
room the door opened somebody was standing in the doorway it was a woman Maya said Jack Jack Maya said what are you doing here I was looking for you said Jack you were looking for me asked Maya she smiled Maya said Jack why did you marry that man mother was old said Maya I was unhappy here I never went to parties never went out I wanted money I wanted a good time and friends I understand Jack said you were not afraid of your mother you were tired of her she was old and you wanted a
new life but why did you leave your husband my husband said Maya that fat old man he was stupid Jack he gave me money he gave me Jewels a car everything but he didn't like my friends he likes old people I like clever young people Jack I like you you understand don't you yes said Jack slowly I understand now I am glad said Maya I was unhappy about you jack I liked you I liked your funny poems my funny poems said Jack he stopped you loved me didn't you Jack said Maya do you still love
me you are married said Jack you have a husband but I didn't love him said Maya quickly I want to be free I want to go to parties and enjoy myself come with me I have money now we'll be happy together no said Jack no everything is over Maya was angry her eyes were small and cold and her mouth was thin and hard her hands were covered with big Rings Maya looked like her mother I'm sorry Maya he said I don't love you anymore I loved you very much but now everything is different Goodbye Maya
but you can't leave me said Maya I want you go back to your husband said Jack he looked to her the last time then he turned and walked to another room Jack leaved the house he was free I Was a Fool he thought Maya never loved me how stupid I was Maya is beautiful but she is hard and cold she is like her mother I loved Maya's beauty but I never loved Maya it was the lovely evening Jack felt very happy the door of Jack's house was open his mother was at home she was talking
to a pretty girl Jack she said this is your cousin Melba hello Melba said Jack he smiled [Music]
