Sunlight peeked through the leaves of a giant, swishy willow tree. Underneath, two children, Knud and Johanna, loved to play. They didn't have many toys, but they had each other and the big, friendly tree.

Knud was a boy with big dreams. "One day," he'd puff out his chest, "I'll be the best shoemaker in the whole world! And I'll travel to faraway lands!"
Johanna, with her kind smile, would listen. "That sounds wonderful, Knud," she'd say, always believing in him. She loved their willow tree and their simple games, but she loved Knud's happiness even more.

The day came for Knud to leave their little village and learn how to make shoes. Johanna felt a little sad. She packed him a small bundle of bread, the best she could offer. As he was about to go, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't forget our willow tree, Knud," she whispered, "and don't forget me."
"Never!" Knud promised, his heart full of adventure.

Knud worked very hard. Making shoes wasn't as easy as he thought! His hands got sore, and sometimes he felt lonely. At night, when he was tired, he would dream. Often, he dreamed he was back under the willow tree with Johanna, laughing and playing. In these dreams, Johanna always smiled. But sometimes, in his dreams, Johanna looked a little pale and sad, and he'd wake up feeling a bit worried, though he wasn't sure why.

Years went by. Knud became a very good shoemaker. He traveled to a big, bustling city. There, he worked for a master shoemaker who had a kind daughter. She was nice, and Knud sometimes thought she was pretty. But she wasn't Johanna. He thought about Johanna and their willow tree, but the city was so exciting, and he was busy trying to become famous.

One day, a letter arrived. It was from his old village. Knud opened it. The letter said that Johanna was very sick and that she kept asking for him.
Knud felt a sudden ache in his heart. He remembered Johanna's kind smile and their games under the willow tree. But he was very busy. He had an important pair of shoes to finish for a rich lady. "I'll go soon," he told himself. "Just after I finish this order."

He finished the shoes, and then another order came in. He kept telling himself, "Soon, soon."
Finally, he packed his bag and started the journey back to his village. He walked as fast as he could, a strange feeling growing in his chest.
When he reached the village, the willow tree seemed to droop its branches lower than ever before. He hurried to Johanna's little cottage.
But he was too late.
Johanna was gone. She had waited and waited, but he hadn't come in time.

Knud's heart felt like a heavy stone. All his dreams of fancy shoes and faraway places suddenly felt empty. He went to the willow tree and sat beneath its whispering leaves. He remembered Johanna's kiss and the bread she had packed for him. He remembered her gentle voice saying, "Don't forget me." And he had, not completely, but enough to be too late. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

That night, as he slept under the stars near the willow tree, he dreamed of Johanna again. She was standing under the willow tree, just like in his old dreams. But this time, she wasn't pale or sad. She was smiling, a bright, peaceful smile, and she looked like an angel. She waved to him, as if to say, "It's okay, Knud. Be happy."

Knud never became the most famous shoemaker in the whole world. He stayed in his village, making good, sturdy shoes for the people there. And every day, he would visit the willow tree, remembering his kind friend Johanna, and the important lesson he had learned: that some things, like friendship and keeping a promise, are more precious than all the riches in the world.

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