Some Stupid Mistakes

One spring afternoon. Marilla walked home. The country was very beautiful and Marilla felt happy.

«Anne’s at home,» she thought. «She’ll make a good fire, and she’ll have tea on the table.»

But Anne wasn’t at Green Gables. There was no fire, and the tea wasn’t ready.

«Where is that girl?» thought Marilla angrily. «Is she playing with Diana again? She has to do housework first.»

Matthew came in from the farm and he and Marilla had tea. But Anne didn’t come. When it was dark, Marilla went upstairs to Anne’s room. Anne was on her bed.

«What’s wrong, Anne?» said Marilla in surprise. «Are you sick?»

«No, Marilla,» said Anne unhappily. «Look at my hair!»

Marilla looked at Anne’s hair. It was green! «Anne Shirley!» she said. «What did you do to it?»

«I. dyed it,» said Anne. «I hated my red hair. Today a man came to Green Gables. He wanted to sell us things. I saw a bottle of black hair dye in his box, so I bought it. But it made my hair green!»

«Go and wash it,» said Marilla.

Anne washed her hair. But the green color didn’t go away.

«Oh, Marilla,» she said. «What shall I do? The other girls will laugh at me. I can’t go to school.»

Anne stayed home for a week. She washed her hair every day, but the green color stayed in her hair.

«We’ll have to cut it,» Marilla said, and she cut Anne’s hair short.

«I’ll never hate my red hair again!» Anne said.

She went back to school. When her friends saw her short hair, they were very surprised. But Anne didn’t tell them about the dye. After some weeks, Anne’s hair looked prettier than before, and it wasn’t as red.

***

One day in the summer, Anne and her friends were by the river near Diana’s house. There was an old boat there.

«Let’s play a game,» said Anne. «Do you remember that poem from school about a girl, Elaine? She was unhappy in love. She found a boat on the river and got into it. Then she died. The river carried the boat to a town. Everybody came and saw her.

«I’ll be Elaine. I’ll get into this old boat and the river will carry it down to the bridge. Go and wait for me there.»

Anne climbed into the bottom of the boat. The girls put flowers into her hands and Anne closed her eyes.

«Oh,» said the girls. «Anne really looks dead.»

They pushed the boat out into the center of the river, and ran to the bridge. The river was very fast and dangerous. The boat was old and not very strong. Suddenly, a lot of water came into the boat. Anne sat up. She was very afraid.

The boat went past a large tree and Anne caught the tree with her hands. The river carried the boat away. Then the boat went down-down to the bottom of the river.

Diana and the other girls waited at the bridge. They saw the boat in the river, but they didn’t see Anne. «Anne’s in the river!» they cried. «Let’s go for help!» They ran quickly to Diana’s house.

Anne was very cold and wet. She had her arms around the tree, but she couldn’t move. Her arms hurt and she felt very tired. «Help! Help!» she cried. «Why doesn’t somebody come?»

Suddenly, a small boat came down the river. A boy was in it. It was Gilbert Blythe.

«Anne Shirley, what are you doing here?» he asked in surprise.

Anne told him, and Gilbert brought his boat near the tree. He gave Anne his hand and pulled her into his boat. But Anne didn’t look at him.

«Thank you,» she said coldly.

«Please let’s be friends,» said Gilbert. «I was rude about your hair in school, and I’m sorry. But your hair is very pretty now.»

«No,» said Anne. «I’ll never be friends with you!»

«All right,» said Gilbert angrily. «I’ll never ask you again!»