On a sunny July day in Hollóko (Ho-low-ko), Hungary, 7-year-old László and his older sister, Katalin, hurried to their grandmother's house. It was almost time for the noon meal.

As he skipped along, László noticed something sparkling on the cobblestone street. “A coin!” he shouted.

Both children raced for it. Katalin leaped forward on her long legs and grabbed the coin.

“That's mine!” László shouted.

“No, I got it first!” Katalin said.

László tried to snatch the coin. But Katalin ran ahead to Grandma's house.

“Nagyi — Grandmother!” Katalin called, nearing the house. Grandma put her hands on her hips. “What is happening here?” she asked.

“Katalin took a coin I want for my collection!” László said. “I have money from seven countries now.”

Grandma looked at the coin and frowned. “Tourists drop coins every day. There is no need to fight over one Euro.”

Hot tears filled László's eyes. Katalin is better than me at everything! he thought. I don't read fast. I don't run fast. When will I be really good at something?

Inside the house, Grandma filled plates with homemade goulash — a steaming stew of meat, potatoes, onions and paprika. Then she prayed a blessing on the meal. “Dear God,” she prayed, “help these children know Your love is upon them. And help them show Your love wherever they go.”

László kept his head down as he ate. The fresh paprika seemed hotter than usual. It burned his mouth just as the hurt feelings burned inside him.

After the meal, László, Katalin and Grandmother strolled through town. László saw his cousin Eszter leading a tour. She waved them over and hugged them tightly.

“This American group came with me by bus from Budapest,” she said, motioning to the tourists. “I will show them our house museums and the church. Then they will watch a folk dance.”

Turning to the group, Eszter said: “Meet my grandmother! I'm proud to tell you she is one of the folk dancers. And these are my cousins who live in Hollóko. Most houses are more than 150 years old. Only about 300 people live here now because families have moved to bigger cities.”

Eszter asked the children to talk about school. Right away Katalin spoke. She chattered in Hungarian about her teacher. Eszter repeated Katalin's words in English, and everyone clapped.

When it was László's turn, all he said was, “There are only seven of us who go to the school. Most people who stay in this town are old.”

People smiled, but no one clapped. László's cheeks felt hot. I am not a good storyteller like Katalin. When will I be really good at something?

Later that day, Eszter and the tourists watched Grandmother and five other women dance on the outdoor stage. They wore costumes with full skirts and bright vests. They sang Hungarian songs and danced in a line.

At the end of the show, Grandma called László and Katalin to the stage. The women sang as she and Katalin stepped to the music.

Then Grandma gently took László's hand. “You remember how we did this at home?” she asked.

László took two steps but turned the wrong way. His feet froze. People started laughing. Grandma hugged him and walked him offstage.

László's legs shook. I can't even dance. When will I be really good at something?

On the way home, László ran ahead of Grandma and Katalin. He pretended to look for coins, but the tears pushing into his eyes made it hard to see.

Soon László came to the church. He liked its dark wooden spire. A woman wearing a green neck scarf took video pictures in front of the church. Then she and a man went inside.

When they came out, László slipped into the church. He saw the cross of Jesus. It was the cross he saw every Sunday.

“Help me be really good at something,” László prayed. He remembered Grandma's lunchtime prayer about God's love and felt better.

Suddenly László noticed something lying on a wooden seat. A video camera! He grabbed the camera and rushed out of the church. He looked for the woman with the green scarf, but she was gone.

László jogged up the street looking all around. He passed wooden houses and the posta — post office. When he saw Grandma, he yelled, “I'll be back!”

In the crowd he saw the woman with the green scarf. She and her husband were talking to Eszter. They looked worried. László ran as fast as he could. Out of breath, he handed the camera to the woman.

“Thank you, thank you!” she said with a big smile.

The tourists clapped their hands and cheered.

Grandma and Katalin rushed to the crowd. Everyone was taking photographs of László! “Köszönöm — thank you,” he said. They clapped again.

The woman with the green scarf patted László's arm. She said something in English. Eszter told him the words: “You are a very honest boy! You were a big help.”

László smiled. Honest . . . helpful, he thought. Those are some really important things to be good at.

[trailer:] Each year thousands of tourists wander through the cobblestone streets of Hollók_, Hungary. In this tiny village, visitors can step back in time. They tour homes that are very old. People live in the houses and still do many things the same way people did hundreds of years ago. Citizens get most of their food from their gardens and speak a special kind of Hungarian.