Once upon a time, there lived a little Dutch boy. No one knows if his story is true or what his name was. Most people today call him Hans.
Hans lived in Haarlem, a city in the Netherlands. The city was built on very low ground near the sea and had many canals. Bricklayers had built walls called dikes to control the water in the canals. The dikes kept the city from flooding.
One autumn day Hans' mother made some delicious cakes. Hans thought of a blind man who lived on the other side of the city.
"Mother, may I take some cakes to Mr. van Beek?" he asked.
His mother smiled. "That's very kind of you."
She helped Hans get ready, putting on his scarf.
"Mr. van Beek loves to talk," his father said. "Don't stay too late. It looks like another storm is coming."
The day was cold and windy. Hans skipped alongside the canals, full of water from the autumn rains.
A while later he arrived at Mr. van Beek's house. Mr. van Beek was delighted to see his young friend.
"I can't stay long today," Hans said. "But I'll come back soon to hear more stories!"
Hans left and was still far from home when the weather became stormy. The wind burned his cheeks and whipped his scarf.
Suddenly Hans spotted something—a small hole in a dike.
"Uh-oh," he thought. "I need to find help."
He knew that a small hole could become a bigger hole. If the hole became too big, the city might flood.
Hans looked around, but he didn't see anyone. "Help!" he shouted, hoping someone would come running.
He kept shouting until his throat felt dry, but no one came. He had to fix the problem on his own.
"Oh, what can I do?" he thought. "I am only one little boy."
Finally he got an idea. He wrapped his scarf around his hand. Then he pushed his fist into the hole. This stopped the water from coming through the dike.
The stormy night went on and on. Hans shivered in the sharp wind.
"I must be strong," thought Hans. "I must be brave like a grown-up."
Hans grew weary. "I am so tired, but I must hold back the water."
Morning finally came and the storm passed.
An old man discovered Hans. His hand was still in the dike. He was shivering and exhausted from the cold. But he had held back the sea all night.
"My goodness, child!" the man said. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm holding back the water so the city won't flood," Hans said.
"Don't move! I'll be right back!" The man hurried off to get help.
Soon he was back with Hans' parents.
"There you are, Hans!" his mother cried. "We searched for you all night long!"
The city bricklayers came running to fix the dike. Hans pulled out his fist, and they quickly sealed the hole.
"I did it," Hans thought.
Hans was bundled up in warm clothes. He was very tired, but he smiled in the morning sun. The storm had passed and his city was safe. His mother and all the people of Haarlem were very proud of Hans.
The next day, a bright morning, the mayor awarded Hans a medal. From that time on, Hans was known as the Little Hero of Haarlem.