《快乐王子童话集》第17章

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　broad　daylight。
〃what　a　delightful　time　i　shall　have　in　my　garden；　he　said；　and
he　went　to　work　at　once。
〃but　somehow　he　was　never　able　to　look　after　his　flowers　at　all；
for　his　friend　the　miller　was　always　ing　round　and　sending　him
off　on　long　errands；　or　getting　him　to　help　at　the　mill。 little
hans　was　very　much　distressed　at　times；　as　he　was　afraid　his
flowers　would　think　he　had　forgotten　them；　but　he　consoled　himself
by　the　reflection　that　the　miller　was　his　best　friend。 besides；
he　used　to　say；　he　is　going　to　give　me　his　wheelbarrow；　and　that
is　an　act　of　pure　generosity。
〃so　little　hans　worked　away　for　the　miller；　and　the　miller　said　all
kinds　of　beautiful　things　about　friendship；　which　hans　took　down　in
a　note…book；　and　used　to　read　over　at　night；　for　he　was　a　very　good
scholar。
〃now　it　happened　that　one　evening　little　hans　was　sitting　by　his
fireside　when　a　loud　rap　came　at　the　door。 it　was　a　very　wild
night；　and　the　wind　was　blowing　and　roaring　round　the　house　so
terribly　that　at　first　he　thought　it　was　merely　the　storm。 but　a
second　rap　came；　and　then　a　third；　louder　than　any　of　the　others。
〃it　is　some　poor　traveller；　said　little　hans　to　himself；　and　he
ran　to　the　door。
〃there　stood　the　miller　with　a　lantern　in　one　hand　and　a　big　stick
in　the　other。
〃dear　little　hans；　cried　the　miller；　i　am　in　great　trouble。 my
little　boy　has　fallen　off　a　ladder　and　hurt　himself；　and　i　am　going
for　the　doctor。 but　he　lives　so　far　away；　and　it　is　such　a　bad
night；　that　it　has　just　occurred　to　me　that　it　would　be　much　better
if　you　went　instead　of　me。 you　know　i　am　going　to　give　you　my
wheelbarrow；　and　so；　it　is　only　fair　that　you　should　do　something
for　me　in　return。
〃certainly；　cried　little　hans；　i　take　it　quite　as　a　pliment
your　ing　to　me；　and　i　will　start　off　at　once。 but　you　must　lend
me　your　lantern；　as　the　night　is　so　dark　that　i　am　afraid　i　might
fall　into　the　ditch。
〃i　am　very　sorry；　answered　the　miller；　but　it　is　my　new　lantern；
and　it　would　be　a　great　loss　to　me　if　anything　happened　to　it。
〃well；　never　mind；　i　will　do　without　it；　cried　little　hans；　and
he　took　down　his　great　fur　coat；　and　his　warm　scarlet　cap；　and　tied
a　muffler　round　his　throat；　and　started　off。
〃what　a　dreadful　storm　it　was！ the　night　was　so　black　that　little
hans　could　hardly　see；　and　the　wind　was　so　strong　that　he　could
scarcely　stand。 however；　he　was　very　courageous；　and　after　he　had
been　walking　about　three　hours；　he　arrived　at　the　doctors　house；
and　knocked　at　the　door。
〃who　is　there？　cried　the　doctor；　putting　his　head　out　of　his
bedroom　window。
〃little　hans；　doctor。
〃what　do　you　want；　little　hans？
〃the　millers　son　has　fallen　from　a　ladder；　and　has　hurt　himself；
and　the　miller　wants　you　to　e　at　once。
〃all　right！　said　the　doctor；　and　he　ordered　his　horse；　and　his
big　boots；　and　his　lantern；　and　came　downstairs；　and　rode　off　in
the　direction　of　the　millers　house；　little　hans　trudging　beh