The Pope is interviewing a young girl from Hamelin Town, which is located in The Holy Roman Empire.

Madison
By Sheila Reuther
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Spring 2007

Child #93 of 130: Madison Reness Brown

Hi, my names Madison Renee Brown but everybody calls me Maddie. I have long wavy brown hair, blue eyes and Im eight-years-old. I live with my father, mother and three older brothers: Braddock, Hartley and Sterling. We all live together in a four-room house. My mother and father live in the big bedroom. My brothers share a bedroom and I get my very own room, since Im the only girl.

I spend most of my days helping around the house with the chores while my father and brothers work out in the field. Its almost harvest time and then well all be busy in the field. My chore today is to sweep all the floors and the front porch. After I finish doing that I usually go help my mother with the wash. Sometimes after we finish the wash, mother lets me help with dinner.

My mother works hard all the time. She rises before the sun to start breakfast for our family. After breakfast is done, she mends our clothes or makes us new ones. Mother says if I do well all week and help out, shell make me that new dress Ive been begging her for. I love my mother and tell her so every day.

My mother made me a beautiful doll when I was six-years-old, her name is Sally. Sally has blonde hair and two button eyes. Mother let me help make Sallys pretty, flowery dress. Sally and I play on the front porch every day after I finish my chores. I love pretending that were taking a trip to a far away place where we can live in a big castle. Wed have lots of servants and wouldnt have to work or do chores. Mother and father would live there and my brothers would go off and slay dragons and marry beautiful princesses and live happily ever after.

Questions for thought:
Compare the picture/image of the children to the wistful dreams of Madison in her conversation with the Pope. What kind of conclusions can you come to?

Can you write a story of how Madison came to be with the Pope? Do you think she was part of a children's crusade?

How will Madison get back home?

Who is in the picture with Madison?

Where is the Holy Roman Empire, and when did it exist?