The Woman from the Forest In a small, dreamy village on the edge of a vast, untouched forest lived an old man named Johann. His life had been long and eventful, but one memory burned brighter than all the others: a night under the stars, so magical and unreal that even decades later it still seemed like a dream to him. It was in his wild youth that Johann met a woman in a clearing at the edge of the forest whose beauty immediately captured his heart. They laughed, danced and told each other their deepest secrets, enveloped in the soft glow of the moonlight that fell through the tops of the old oaks. But at the first light of morning, she had disappeared as if she had never been there. No goodbye, no trace, only the sweet memory of their night together and the promise she gave him: to find each other again. Decades passed in which Johann traveled the world in the hope of seeing her again. But his search was unsuccessful, and time left its mark on his face and weakened his step. Now, in the autumn of his life, Johann felt that his days were numbered. He decided to visit the clearing at the edge of the forest one last time, that magical place of his youth. Slowly, leaning on his old, gnarled walking stick, he made his way through the forest that was so familiar to him and yet seemed different every time. When he reached the clearing, he leaned against the old oak tree where they had once sat together. The sun was sinking towards the horizon and the shadows of the trees grew long and dark. Johann closed his eyes and let the memories come. He could hear her laughter, see her smile, and for a fleeting moment it felt as if she were with him. With a peaceful smile on his lips and the warmth of that long-ago night enveloping him, Johann felt his heart grow light. As the stars appeared in the sky, he softly breathed her name into the cool night air. Certain that his love had never faded, Johann fell asleep one last time, hoping to be reunited with her in his dreams.