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THE DEVOTED FRIEND
Oscar Wilde
(adapted)
Once upon a time there was an honest little fellow named Hans. He lived in a cottage all alone, and every day he worked in his garden. In all the village there was no garden so lovely as his.
Little Hans had many friends, but the most devoted friend was big Hugh the Miller. Indeed, the rich Miller was so devoted to little Hans that when he passed his garden he always picked a large bouquet of flowers, or if it was the fruit season, he would fill his pockets with plums and cherries.
"Real friends must share everything," the Miller used to say, and little Hans nodded and smiled and was very proud that he had a friend with such noble ideas.
Sometimes, indeed, the neighbours thought it was strange that the rich Miller never gave little Hans anything in return, but Hans never troubled his head about these things.
So little Hans worked and worked in his garden. During spring and summer and autumn he was very happy, but when winter came, he suffered from cold and hunger, and often went to bed without supper. Besides, in winter he was very lonely, as the Miller never came to see him.
"It's no use going to see little Hans in winter," the Miller used to say to his wife. "When people are in trouble we must leave them alone and not bother them. That is my idea of friendship, and I am sure I am right. So I shall wait till spring comes, and then I shall visit him and he will give me a large bouquet of primroses, and that will make him very happy."
"You think so much about others," said his wife. "It is a pleasure to hear what you say about friendship. I am sure the priest himself cannot say such beautiful things as you do, though he lives in a three-storeyed house, and wears a gold ring on his little finger."
"But why don't we ask little Hans to come here?" said the Miller's youngest son. "If poor Hans is in trouble I shall give him half my porridge, and show him my white rabbits."
"What a silly boy you are!" cried the Miller. "I really don't know what is the use of sending you to school. You do not learn anything. Why, if little Hans comes here, and sees our warm fire, and our good supper, and our red wine, he will envy us, and envy is a terrible thing. Besides, if Hans comes here, he will ask me to give him some flour on credit, and I cannot do that. Flour is one thing, and friendship is another. The words are spelt differently and they mean quite different things."
"How right you are!" said the Miller's wife, "Really, I feel quite sleepy. This is just like sitting in church."
(To be continued)
