《快乐王子童话集》

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快乐王子童话集- 第11部分


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strong iron chain; and went down the hill with the basket on his

arm。

〃good morning; little hans; said the miller。

〃good morning; said hans; leaning on his spade; and smiling from

ear to ear。

〃and how have you been all the winter? said the miller。

〃well; really; cried hans; it is very good of you to ask; very

good indeed。  i am afraid i had rather a hard time of it; but now

the spring has e; and i am quite happy; and all my flowers are

doing well。

〃we often talked of you during the winter; hans; said the miller;

and wondered how you were getting on。

〃that was kind of you; said hans; i was half afraid you had

forgotten me。

〃hans; i am surprised at you; said the miller; friendship never

forgets。  that is the wonderful thing about it; but i am afraid you

dont understand the poetry of life。  how lovely your primroses are

looking; by…the…bye〃!

〃they are certainly very lovely; said hans; and it is a most

lucky thing for me that i have so many。  i am going to bring them

into the market and sell them to the burgomasters daughter; and

buy back my wheelbarrow with the money。

〃buy back your wheelbarrow?  you dont mean to say you have sold

it?  what a very stupid thing to do!

〃well; the fact is; said hans; that i was obliged to。  you see

the winter was a very bad time for me; and i really had no money at

all to buy bread with。  so i first sold the silver buttons off my

sunday coat; and then i sold my silver chain; and then i sold my

big pipe; and at last i sold my wheelbarrow。  but i am going to buy

them all back again now。

〃hans; said the miller; i will give you my wheelbarrow。  it is

not in very good repair; indeed; one side is gone; and there is

something wrong with the wheel…spokes; but in spite of that i will

give it to you。  i know it is very generous of me; and a great many

people would think me extremely foolish for parting with it; but i

am not like the rest of the world。  i think that generosity is the

essence of friendship; and; besides; i have got a new wheelbarrow

for myself。  yes; you may set your mind at ease; i will give you my

wheelbarrow。

〃well; really; that is generous of you; said little hans; and his

funny round face glowed all over with pleasure。  i can easily put

it in repair; as i have a plank of wood in the house。

〃a plank of wood! said the miller; why; that is just what i want

for the roof of my barn。  there is a very large hole in it; and the

corn will all get damp if i dont stop it up。  how lucky you

mentioned it!  it is quite remarkable how one good action always

breeds another。  i have given you my wheelbarrow; and now you are

going to give me your plank。  of course; the wheelbarrow is worth

far more than the plank; but true; friendship never notices things

like that。  pray get it at once; and i will set to work at my barn

this very day。

〃certainly; cried little hans; and he ran into the shed and

dragged the plank out。

〃it is not a very big plank; said the miller; looking at it; and

i am afraid that after i have mended my barn…roof there wont be

any left for you to mend the wheelbarrow with; but; of course; that

is not my fault。  and now; as i have given you my wheelbarrow; i am

sure you would like to give me some flowers in return。  here is the

basket; and mind you fill it quite full。

〃quite full? said little hans; rather sorrowfully; for it was

really a very big basket; and he knew that if he filled it he would

have no flowers left for the market and he was very anxious to get

his silver buttons back。

〃well; really; answered the miller; as i have given you my

wheelbarrow; i dont think that it is much to ask you for a few

flowers。  i may be wrong; but i should have thought that

friendship; true friendship; was quite free from selfishness of any

kind。

〃my dear friend; my best friend; cried little hans; you are

wele to all the flowers in my garden。  i would much sooner have

your good opinion than my silver buttons; any day; and he ran and

plucked all his pretty primroses; and filled the millers basket。

〃good…bye; little hans; said the miller; as he went up the hill

with the plank on his shoulder; and the big basket in his hand。

〃good…bye; said little hans; and he began to dig away quite

merrily; he was so pleased about the wheelbarrow。

〃the next day he was nailing up some honeysuckle against the porch;

when he heard the millers voice calling to him from the road。  so

he jumped off the ladder; and ran down the garden; and looked over

the wall。

〃there was the miller with a large sack of flour on his back。

〃dear little hans; said the miller; would you mind carrying this

sack of flour for me to market?

〃oh; i am so sorry; said hans; but i am really very busy to…day。

i have got all my creepers to nail up; and all my flowers to water;

and all my grass to roll。

〃well; really; said the miller; i think that; considering that i

am going to give you my wheelbarrow; it is rather unfriendly of you

to refuse。

〃oh; dont say that; cried little hans; i wouldnt be unfriendly

for the whole world; and he ran in for his cap; and trudged off

with the big sack on his shoulders。

〃it was a very hot day; and the road was terribly dusty; and before

hans had reached the sixth milestone he was so tired that he had to

sit down and rest。  however; he went on bravely; and as last he

reached the market。  after he had waited there some time; he sold

the sack of flour for a very good price; and then he returned home

at once; for he was afraid that if he stopped too late he might

meet some robbers on the way。

〃it has certainly been a hard day; said little hans to himself as

he was going to bed; but i am glad i did not refuse the miller;

for he is my best friend; and; besides; he is going to give me his

wheelbarrow。

〃early the next morning the miller came down to get the money for

his sack of flour; but little hans was so tired that he was still

in bed。

〃upon my word; said the miller; you are very lazy。  really;

considering that i am going to give you my wheelbarrow; i think you

might work harder。  idleness is a great sin; and i certainly dont

like any of my friends to be idle or sluggish。  you must not mind

my speaking quite plainly to you。  of course i should not dream of

doing so if i were not your friend。  but what is the good of

friendship if one cannot say exactly what one means?  anybody can

say charming things and try to please and to flatter; but a true

friend always says unpleasant things; and does not mind giving

pain。  indeed; if he is a really true friend he prefers it; for he

knows that then he is doing good。

〃i am very sorry; said little hans; rubbing his eyes and pulling

off his night…cap; but i was so tired that i thought i would lie

in bed for a little time; and listen to the birds singing。  do you

know that i always work better after hearing the birds sing?

〃well; i am glad of that; said the miller; clapping little hans

on the back; for i want you to e up to the mill as soon as you

are dressed; and mend my barn…roof for me。

〃poor little hans was very anxious to go and work in his garden;

for his flowers had not been watered for two days; but he did not

like to refuse the miller; as he was such a good friend to him。

〃do you think it would be unfriendly of me if i said i was busy?

he inquired in a shy and timid voice。

〃well; really; answered the miller; i do not think it is much to

ask of you; considering that i am going to give you my wheelbarrow;

but of course if you refuse i will go and do it myself。

〃oh! on no account; cried little hans and he jumped out of bed;

and dressed himself; and went up to the barn。

〃he worked there all day long; till sunset; and at sunset the

miller came to see how he was getting on。

〃have you mended the hole in the roof yet; little hans? cried the

miller in a cheery voice。

〃it is quite mended; answered little hans; ing down the

ladder。

〃ah! said the miller; there is no work so delightful as the work

one does for others。

〃it is certainly a great privilege to hear you talk; answered

little hans; sitting down; and wiping his forehead; a very great

privilege。  but i am afraid i shall never have such beautiful ideas

as you have。

〃oh! they will e to you; said the miller; but you must take

more pains。  at present you have only the practice of friendship;

some day you will have the theory also。

〃do you really think i shall? asked little hans。

〃i have no doubt of it; answered the miller; but now that you

have mended the roof; you had better go home and rest; for i want

you to drive my sheep to the mountain to…morrow。

〃poor little hans was afraid to say anything to this; and early the

next morning the miller brought his sheep round to the cottage; and

hans started off with them to the mountain。  it took him the whole

day to get there and back; and when he returned he was so tired

that he went off to sleep in his chair; and did not wake up till it

was bro
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