ONCE upon a time, many years ago in the old historical town of Sanok, located on the banks of the San River below the Carpathian Mountains in south-eastern Poland, and the home of Shlomo Halberstam the first Bobover Rebbe, lived two young children, Zusa, she was ten and Motke, he was nine. They both lived on Sanowa Street and went to the same school. The children’s parents were good friends with each other. One evening when all the parents in Sanok had hugged their children and kissed them goodnight, tucked them into bed and all the lights in the houses had been turned off, a ferocious rainstorm, the largest anyone had ever seen in their lives, with the San River rising at an enormous rate, caused many families to flee their homes. In the torrential rain sadly many grandparents, parents, and their children were separated from each other. Among them were Zusa and Motke. By chance, during the storm, Zusa and Motke, together tried to find their parents. “Mamme, Tatte, where are you? Where are you?” they both shouted at the top of their voices. But their parents didn’t answer. The rain continued for many days and nights until all the houses at the top of the hill and those in Sanok were swept away down the hill to the river’s edge, where the houses broke into pieces and disappeared into the fast-moving water never to be seen again. Thankfully, Zusa and Motke saved themselves by holding hands and running up the hill to higher ground, past the Sanok Royal Palace, and fifteen minutes later into the magical forest. No one in Sanok had ever attempted to enter the forest before, for it was said the forest had no beginning or end. Besides, they said only scary people lived there. All of Sanok’s children were told from the time they could walk never to play near the forest. ******************* SUDDENLY from behind them, the trees shook. Zusa and Motke turned to see a very old lady with bright sparkling pink hair watching them. She was dressed in some odd-looking green clothes and she had a sack on her shoulder. Her green clothes matched the colour of the forest so that she blended in with the surroundings. The old lady slowly approached Zusa and Motke. Nervously, the children stood their ground. She smiled at them. "Hello, how did you get here?" she asked. “We’re lost and we’re looking for our parents who disappeared during Sanok’s violent rainstorm,” replied Zusa with tears in her eyes. “What are your names?” asked the old lady. “I’m Zusa and this is my friend, Motke,” said Zusa. “And what’s your name?” The old lady smiled, “I have 195 names, equal to all the countries in the world.” Motke looks at the old lady with amazement. “195 names? Why 195?” The old lady sat down on the forest floor, tapped the fallen leaves around her, and beckoned the children to sit next to her. “Every country is blessed with at least one righteous person. I have always lived my life alone in this forest, yet through having each of the 195 names they become a personal attachment in my life. Their good deeds become my good deeds. It is as if all the 195 names are like family to me. And I’m not alone.” The old lady smiled at them. “But you can call me Hanka.” She pointed to the thickness of the leaves of the trees above her that were gently rustling to her voice. “You see, I feel their companionship. It is as if we are one.”