Oh, how rude of me. I have forgotten to tell you my name. I am The Flame and I look like a flame of fire. I am invisible to grown-up people. Only animals and children can see me.

Now I'm going to tell you about one of my adventures from last autumn.

In September of last year, I was on one of my hikes. When I stood on top of a mountain, I had an amazing view over a small village in a valley. There was a lake as smooth as a mirror in the middle of the village. I saw the sky and all the autumn colours of the forest reflected on the lake. With all its brightly colored leaves of yellow, red, and orange, it almost looked like the forest was on fire.

While enjoying the beautiful view, I spotted a few calves with their mothers eating grass from a meadow in the village. I decided to visit them. When I got closer, I saw they were three mountain cows with their small calves. No one had antlers.

One cow was all white with a pink nose. Her little heifer was also white, but she had black ears and a black nose.

The other cow was white with brown dots and a brown nose. Her little bull was a copy of his mother.

The third cow was also white, but she had black dots and a black nose. She had twins, a heifer and a bull. Both of them were covered with black dots and they both had black noses.

When I reached them I saw they were sad. I asked how they were doing and the brown, dotted cow said she had heard the farmer talk to his wife. They said the cow and her calf were going to die. I will never forget the tears in her eyes. I remember thinking I had to save them.

When the cows and their children became calm, I told them about the Borderland.

"The Borderland is like the Garden of Eden on the earth. It's always summer there and the animals live there in harmony with each other. The grass is always green and the water comes from an underground spring."

You should have seen the eyes of my new friends! Their tears dried and I saw a fire of hope in their warm, wise eyes. I asked if they were allowed to be out at night and they said they were. Then I told them we should meet each other at the same place the following night.

My friends stood waiting for me the following night. I reached out my left arm against the enclosed pasture so my hand touched the wire. I said, "Burn, burn, burn!" The wire was on fire and soon it fell apart. Then I said to the cows and calves, "Follow me. I will light the way and take you to the safety in the Borderland." All said and done my friends followed me. After many hours of hiking over mountains and streams, through valleys and forests, we were finally there.

When the dawn came the farmer went to take in the cattle. He was horrified when he saw they were gone.

At the same time my new friends took their first steps in the Borderland. They became so incredible happy! The cows and the calves jumped around and ran back and forth. After they played around for a while, they laid down to rest. Then the brown dotted cow asked if I was sure no people could find their way over there. I said I was absolutely sure.

"Only I know the way."

She said they didn't know how they ever could thank me. Then I said that it was enough for me to know they are allowed to live.

"I save animals. That's the way I am!"

I remember this like it was yesterday. To remember the warm, loving looks I got from my new friends makes my heart warm.