《快乐王子童话集》第11章

cloak；　and　the　frost　painted　all　the　trees　silver。 then　they
invited　the　north　wind　to　stay　with　them；　and　he　came。 he　was
wrapped　in　furs；　and　he　roared　all　day　about　the　garden；　and　blew
the　chimney…pots　down。 〃this　is　a　delightful　spot；〃　he　said；　〃we
must　ask　the　hail　on　a　visit。〃 so　the　hail　came。 every　day　for
three　hours　he　rattled　on　the　roof　of　the　castle　till　he　broke　most
of　the　slates；　and　then　he　ran　round　and　round　the　garden　as　fast
as　he　could　go。 he　was　dressed　in　grey；　and　his　breath　was　like
ice。
〃i　cannot　understand　why　the　spring　is　so　late　in　ing；〃　said　the
selfish　giant；　as　he　sat　at　the　window　and　looked　out　at　his　cold
white　garden；　〃i　hope　there　will　be　a　change　in　the　weather。〃
but　the　spring　never　came；　nor　the　summer。 the　autumn　gave　golden
fruit　to　every　garden；　but　to　the　giants　garden　she　gave　none。
〃he　is　too　selfish；〃　she　said。 so　it　was　always　winter　there；　and
the　north　wind；　and　the　hail；　and　the　frost；　and　the　snow　danced
about　through　the　trees。
one　morning　the　giant　was　lying　awake　in　bed　when　he　heard　some
lovely　music。 it　sounded　so　sweet　to　his　ears　that　he　thought　it
must　be　the　kings　musicians　passing　by。 it　was　really　only　a
little　linnet　singing　outside　his　window；　but　it　was　so　long　since
he　had　heard　a　bird　sing　in　his　garden　that　it　seemed　to　him　to　be
the　most　beautiful　music　in　the　world。 then　the　hail　stopped
dancing　over　his　head；　and　the　north　wind　ceased　roaring；　and　a
delicious　perfume　came　to　him　through　the　open　casement。 〃i
believe　the　spring　has　e　at　last；〃　said　the　giant；　and　he　jumped
out　of　bed　and　looked　out。
what　did　he　see？
he　saw　a　most　wonderful　sight。 through　a　little　hole　in　the　wall
the　children　had　crept　in；　and　they　were　sitting　in　the　branches　of
the　trees。 in　every　tree　that　he　could　see　there　was　a　little
child。 and　the　trees　were　so　glad　to　have　the　children　back　again
that　they　had　covered　themselves　with　blossoms；　and　were　waving
their　arms　gently　above　the　childrens　heads。 the　birds　were
flying　about　and　twittering　with　delight；　and　the　flowers　were
looking　up　through　the　green　grass　and　laughing。 it　was　a　lovely
scene；　only　in　one　corner　it　was　still　winter。 it　was　the　farthest
corner　of　the　garden；　and　in　it　was　standing　a　little　boy。 he　was
so　small　that　he　could　not　reach　up　to　the　branches　of　the　tree；
and　he　was　wandering　all　round　it；　crying　bitterly。 the　poor　tree
was　still　quite　covered　with　frost　and　snow；　and　the　north　wind　was
blowing　and　roaring　above　it。 〃climb　up！　little　boy；〃　said　the
tree；　and　it　bent　its　branches　down　as　low　as　it　could；　but　the　boy
was　too　tiny。
and　the　giants　heart　melted　as　he　looked　out。 〃how　selfish　i　have
been！〃　he　said；　〃now　i　know　why　the　spring　would　not　e　here。 i
will　put　that　poor　little　boy　on　the　top　of　the　tree；　and　then　i
will　knock　down　the　wall；　and　my　garden　shall　be　the　childrens
playground　for　ever　and　ever。〃 he　was　really　very　sorry　for　what
he　had　done。
so　he　crept　downstairs　and　opened　the　front　door　quite　softly；　and
went　out　into　the　garden。 but　when　the　children　saw　him　they　were
so　frightened　that　they　all　ran　away；　and　the　garden　became　winter
again。 only　the　little　boy　did　not　run；　for　his　eyes　were　so　full
of　tears　that　he　did　not　see　the　giant　ing。 and　the　giant　stole
up　behind　him　and　took　him　gently　in　his　hand；　and　put　him　up　into
the　tree。 and　the　tree　broke　at　once　into　blossom；　and　the　birds
came　and　sang　on　it；　and　the　little　boy　stretched　out　his　two　arms
and　flung　them　round　the　giants　neck；　and　kissed　him。 and　the
other　children；　when　they　saw　that　the　giant　was　not　wicked　any
longer；　came　running　back；　and　with　them　came　the　spring。 〃it　is
your　garden　now；　little　children；〃　said　the　giant；　and　he　took　a
great　axe　and　knocked　down　the　wall。 and　when　the　people　were
going　to　market　at　twelve　oclock　they　found　the　giant　playing　with
the　children　in　the　most　beautiful　garden　they　had　ever　seen。
all　day　long　they　played；　and　in　the　evening　they　came　to　the　giant
to　bid　him　good…bye。
〃but　where　is　your　little　panion？〃　he　said： 〃the　boy　i　put　into
the　tree。〃 the　giant　loved　him　the　best　because　he　had　kissed　him。
〃we　dont　know；〃　answered　the　children；　〃he　has　gone　away。〃
〃you　must　tell　him　to　be　sure　and　e　here　to…morrow；〃　said　the
giant。 but　the　children　said　that　they　did　not　know　where　he
lived；　and　had　never　seen　him　before；　and　the　giant　felt　very　sad。
every　afternoon；　when　school　was　over；　the　children　came　and　played
with　the　giant。 but　the　little　boy　whom　the　giant　loved　was　never
seen　again。 the　giant　was　very　kind　to　all　the　children；　yet　he
longed　for　his　first　little　friend；　and　often　spoke　of　him。 〃how　i
would　like　to　see　him！〃　he　used　to　say。
years　went　over；　and　the　giant　grew　very　old　and　feeble。 he　could
not　play　about　any　more；　so　he　sat　in　a　huge　armchair；　and　watched
the　children　at　their　games；　and　admired　his　garden。 〃i　have　many
beautiful　flowers；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　children　are　the　most
beautiful　flowers　of　all。〃
one　winter　morning　he　looked　out　of　his　window　as　he　was　dressing。
he　did　not　hate　the　winter　now；　for　he　knew　that　it　was　merely　the
spring　asleep；　and　that　the　flowers　were　resting。
suddenly　he　rubbed　his　eyes　in　wonder；　and　looked　and　looked。 it
certainly　was　a　marvellous　sight。 in　the　farthest　corner　of　the
garden　was　a　tree　quite　covered　with　lovely　white　blossoms。 its
branches　were　all　golden；　and　silver　fruit　hung　down　from　them；　and
underneath　it　stood　the　little　boy　he　had　loved。
downstairs　ran　the　giant　in　great　joy；　and　out　into　the　garden。 he
hastened　across　the　grass；　and　came　near　to　the　child。 and　when　he
came　quite　close　his　face　grew　red　with　anger；　and　he　said；　〃who
hath　dared　to　wound　thee？〃 for　on　the　palms　of　the　childs　hands
were　the　prints　of　two　nails；　and　the　prints　of　two　nails　were　on
the　little　feet。
〃who　hath　dared　to　wound　thee？〃　cried　the　giant；　〃tell　me；　that　i
may　take　my　big　swor