Three young girls, Annemarie Johansen, Ellen Rosen, and Annemarie's younger sister Kirsti, are walking home from school in Copenhagen, Denmark. Annemarie challenges Ellen to a race, wanting to prepare for an upcoming school track meet, but Ellen doesn't want to. Nevertheless, Annemarie convinces her to run, with Kirsti trailing them. Annemarie is winning when a German soldier calls to them to stop. The Germans have been in Denmark for three years. He and another soldier, whom Annemarie recognizes and thinks of as the Giraffe because of his height and long neck, question the girls. They look through Annemarie's bag, asking her about school, her name, and the names of the other girls. Kirsti is rude to them (“Kirsti reached up and pushed the soldier's hand away,” Page 4). Nevertheless, charmed by Kirsti, the soldier tells her she reminds him of his daughter and they let the girls go home to study.

The girls go home slowly. Ellen, in particular, has been scared by the encounter. Ellen asks if Annemarie will tell her mother, but Annemarie says she won't; her mother would be upset and scold her. However, when Annemarie arrives at home, Kirsti is already telling her mother and Mrs.