Once there was a ghost who lived in an old, abandoned castle. In that ruin, Hugo—that was the ghost’s name—had only the wind and the bats for company. Hugo was a rather unusual ghost. He could fly and change his colors at will, and these powers helped him scare people who came to the castle. He had been haunting the place for decades when one day he grew very sad. He didn’t understand why he had to frighten the few visitors who wandered in. He didn’t want to do it anymore. Instead, he longed to make friends with people so he wouldn’t be alone all the time. But whenever he appeared to someone, he became frightened himself and fled. Hugo felt very lonely.
One day, some children made their way to the castle, pretending to be treasure hunters. They were Adam and Henry, classmates. Curious and brave, the boys weren’t afraid of the crumbling fortress. They searched every room, hoping to find treasure. Delighted to have visitors, Hugo decided to reveal himself to them, hoping they wouldn’t be frightened—and that they’d want to play.
Hugo emerged like a specter from the wall and greeted the children. “Hello, I’m Hugo, the castle ghost. Do you want to be friends?” he asked with a smile, all the while changing his colors. At first, the children jumped, but then they stared in surprise and fascination at the ghost who was red one moment, blue the next, and soon yellow. They weren’t afraid because they could see he was friendly and meant no harm.
“Hi, Hugo, we’re Adam and Henry. We’re pretending to be treasure hunters. Do you want to join us?” Adam asked. Hugo beamed and nodded. “Yes, I’d love to. I can show you something interesting that I found in the castle.”
Hugo led the boys to the highest tower, where an old chest lay hidden. They could hardly breathe with excitement. They believed they had found a secret treasure and would become rich. “Open it,” the ghost urged. Adam and Henry slowly approached the chest and lifted its heavy lid. The delight on their faces faded into disappointed grimaces.
“What is this?” Henry asked. “Just a book,” Adam replied, crestfallen. “No, it’s not just any book,” said Hugo. “It was written by an outlaw who amassed a great treasure in his lifetime. You might learn where he hid his hoard.” Then the ghost added, “But before you read it, let’s play together.”
The boys were thrilled. Playing with a ghost in an old castle—now that was something their friends would envy. Hugo, Adam, and Henry raced through the halls and played hide-and-seek. Hugo showed off his powers: he flew, passed through walls, and changed his shape and color. The children laughed and admired him. In return, they taught him how to whistle with his fingers and make funny faces so he could spook people even more. Hugo laughed with them and felt better than ever before.
As dusk fell, the children had to go home. Hugo was sad to say goodbye, but he was grateful that they had given him a chance and hadn’t run away.
When Adam and Henry got home, they immediately pulled out the book they had found in the chest. Full of anticipation, they opened it and began to read. They discovered that the outlaw who wrote it was named Hugo. The boys smiled—the castle ghost had the same name. Hugo wasn’t just any bandit; he had turned to outlawry because of the injustice and poverty in his land. He robbed only the unjust lords who had everything and who still took from their peasants the little they had left. Everything he took from the lords he gave to the people.
The boys couldn’t tear themselves away from the book and read all night. Hugo’s life was full of adventures, danger, lifelong friendships—and, sadly, betrayal. In the end, they learned that a bribed farmer had betrayed the outlaw, telling the soldiers who had failed to catch him for years where he was hiding. When they finally captured him, the lords threw him into a dark prison in the castle.
That was the last thing the book revealed. Sleep was out of the question. Treasure no longer interested them; they longed to know how the outlaw’s story ended. Did he manage to escape from the castle? They ran back to the old fortress to ask Hugo the ghost.
Hugo was waiting, as if he knew they would soon return. “Did you boys find out where the treasure is hidden?” he asked at once. “No. The outlaw had no treasure—he gave it all to the poor. But we want to know if he managed to escape from prison,” Adam and Henry said, eager to learn the rest.
“I’m glad you care more about his fate than any treasure. You’re good boys, so I’ll tell you,” the ghost replied, then told them the end of the outlaw’s tale. “Of course, Hugo the outlaw tried to escape. Every day, he dug a tunnel to get out of the castle. After years, when he hoped he was close, he struck hard rock. He had no tools to break through it. In despair, the outlaw breathed his last. But his spirit remained in the castle, and since then he has haunted everyone who comes here.”
“Hugo, was that outlaw you?” Henry asked. “Yes, boys—Hugo the outlaw became the ghost,” he answered, looking at them sadly. “Don’t be sad, Hugo. You’re a hero to us—and our best buddy,” Adam comforted him.
From that moment on, Hugo no longer haunted the castle. Every day, Adam and Henry came to see him so they could share many adventures. Hugo the ghost became the happiest ghost in the world.
