《快乐王子童话集(英文版)》第10章

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　won"t　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　don"t　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；　
selfishness　of　any　kind。"　
〃"My　dear　friend；　my　best　friend；"　cried　little　Hans；　"you　are　wele　to　
29　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
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　Miller"s　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　aerrily；　
he　was　so　pleased　about　the　wheelbarrow。　
〃The　next　day　he　was　nailing　up　some　honeysuckle　against　the　porch；　
when　he　heard　the　Miller"s　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；　don"t　say　that；"　cried　little　Hans；　"I　wouldn"t　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。　
30　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
〃"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　don"t　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。　
31　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
〃"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；