During the funeral, the grandfather suddenly heard strange noises coming from the coffin and decided to open it: when the lid was lifted, everyone froze at what they saw
In a small village, where everyone knew each other, the day of the funeral seemed the darkest in history. Everyone had gathered to say goodbye to the little girl who had been a joy to all around her.

Grandfather stood at the edge of the grave, holding his hat and a lonely rose in his hands. His face was etched with pain like never before. His shoulders trembled, his lips whispered silent words. He seemed smaller, as if the weight of loss had bent him forever. People around him lowered their eyes, unable to look at his suffering.
Grandfather had cared for his beloved granddaughter since her childhood, as she had no other relatives.
He stood motionless for a long time as the coffin was lowered into the ground. And in the moment when the wooden lid hid his beloved granddaughter’s face from him, the old man’s heart seemed to tear apart.

His breathing became ragged, he fell to his knees, clutching the hat to his chest. Tears, which he had never shown to anyone, flowed endlessly and fell to the ground.
The crowd was silent. It seemed as though everything around him had stopped. And suddenly, as silence settled over the grave, the man froze. Through the sobs and the sound of the wind, the old man heard something… very strange. As if a faint, almost imperceptible sound was coming from inside the coffin.
At first, he thought it was only a trick of his imagination, caused by grief. But the sound repeated – short, like a moan.
Grandfather paled, his eyes widened. With a trembling hand, he touched the lid and then, summoning his last strength, lifted it. The people around gasped, unable to understand what was happening.
What they saw inside shocked everyone

Next to the girl lay her cat. The small animal, quietly pressed against its owner, seemed determined not to leave her even in death. Somehow it had sneaked into the coffin without anyone noticing.
The crowd froze in horror. The animal had almost been buried alive! Someone hurriedly helped take the cat out. It was alive but weak, almost motionless, as if the hours in the tight space had drained its last strength.
Everyone looked at the cat, stunned by its loyalty. For the grandfather, however, this was the final blow. He cried again, but now his tears were not only of despair but also of bitter tenderness.
A few days later, the cat died. It was as if it had followed its owner, unable to remain in a world without her.