The Old Tractor and the Doctor

Rosalie lived in a small village high in the hills. One night, she had a fever. She felt very hot and very weak.

Her grandson Emil ran to the next house. "Kwame! Please help us!" he said. "My grandmother is ill."

Kwame opened the door. "Is there a doctor in the village?" he asked.

"No," said Emil. "The doctor lives in town. It is far."

"Can we call her?" asked Kwame.

"The phone does not work in the hills," said Emil.

Kwame thought for a moment. "It rained all day," he said. "The road is mud. A car cannot go there."

"What can we do?" asked Emil.

"I have my old tractor," said Kwame. "It is slow, but it is strong."

They ran to the barn. Kwame started the old tractor. It made a loud noise. Emil sat next to him with a big lamp.

The road was dark and wet. The mud was deep. The tractor went slowly, but it did not stop. After an hour, they came to a bend.

Some cows stood in the middle of the road. They did not move. Kwame pressed the horn. The cows looked at him and ate more grass.

"They do not like our noise," said Emil. "Wait. I have some bread."

Emil got down from the tractor. He held out the bread and walked to the side. The cows followed him one by one. The road was free.

"Good work," said Kwame. Emil smiled and jumped back up.

Soon the tractor made a strange sound. Then it stopped. Kwame looked at the tank. "No more fuel," he said.

"Do you have more?" asked Emil.

"Yes, there is a can in the barn," said Kwame. "But it is far behind us."

Then they heard a car. Its light came around the bend. A woman stood in the road and waved her arms.

"Hello!" she said. "I am Sunita. I am the doctor. My car is stuck down the road."

Kwame and Emil looked at each other. "We need you!" said Emil.

"Who is ill?" asked Sunita.

"My grandmother," said Emil. "She has a fever."

"Then I must go to her now," said Sunita. "Is it far?"

"One hour by tractor," said Kwame. "But we have no fuel."

Sunita looked at the tractor. She opened her bag. "I have a small can in my car," she said. "My car does not move, but the fuel is fine."

They walked together to her car. They took the can and went back to the tractor. Kwame poured the fuel into the tank. The old engine started with a loud noise.

"Come, Doctor," said Kwame. "Sit here, next to the boy."

Sunita held her bag on her knees. Emil held the lamp high. The tractor moved slowly through the mud and the dark.

At last, they saw the lights of the village. Emil jumped down before the tractor stopped. He ran to the house and opened the door.

Rosalie lay in bed. She opened her eyes. "Emil? Who is that?" she asked.

"Grandmother, this is the doctor," said Emil. "She came on Kwame's tractor."

Sunita sat down next to the bed. She put her hand on Rosalie's head. "Don't worry," she said. "I have medicine in my bag."

Kwame stood at the door with his hat. "Is she very ill?" he asked.

"She is ill, but she is strong," said Sunita. "You came in time."

Then she looked at the tractor outside. "Next time, I bring my own fuel," she said.