The Happy Prince, and Other Tales

ike a long bit of black india-rubber. The little ducks were swimming about in the pond, looking just like a lot of yellow canar

m; and every now and then she showed them how it was done. But the little ducks paid no attention

ried the old Water-rat; "they

uck, "every one must make a beginning

have never been married, and I never intend to be. Love is all very well in its way, but friendship is mu

d friend?" asked a Green Linnet, who was sitting in a w

and she swam away to the end of the pond, and stood upon

ter-rat. "I should expect my devoted

d the little bird, swinging upon a sil

and you," answer

story on the subjec

ter-rat. "If so, I will listen to it,

t; and he flew down, and alighting upon the b

Linnet, "there was an hones

tinguished?" ask

den so lovely as his. Sweet-william grew there, and Gilly-flowers, and Shepherds'-purses, and Fair-maids of France. There were damask Roses, and yellow Roses, lilac Crocuses, and gold, purple Violets and white. Columbine and Ladysmock, Marjoram and Wild Basil,

was the rich Miller to little Hans, that he would never go by his garden without leaning over the wall and plucking a

ller used to say, and little Hans nodded and smiled, and

ks of flour stored away in his mill, and six milch cows, and a large flock of woolly sheep; but Hans never troubled his head about these things,

d he had no fruit or flowers to bring to the market, he suffered a good deal from cold and hunger, and often had to go to bed without an

they should be left alone, and not be bothered by visitors. That at least is my idea about friendship, and I am sure I am right. So I shall wait t

d fire; 'very thoughtful indeed. It is quite a treat to hear you talk about friendship. I am sure the clergyman himself could n

ller's youngest son. 'If poor Hans is in trouble I will

get envious, and envy is a most terrible thing, and would spoil anybody's nature. I certainly will not allow Hans' nature to be spoiled. I am his best friend, and I will always watch over him, and see that he is not led into any temptations. Besides, if Hans ca

ng herself out a large glass of warm ale; 'really I

ing of the two, and much the finer thing also'; and he looked sternly across the table at his little son, who felt so ashamed of himsel

of the story?" as

wered the Linnet, "t

bout it the other day from a critic who was walking round the pond with a young man. He spoke of the matter at great length, and I am sure he must have been right, for he had blue spectacles and a bald head, and whe

on as the winter was over, and the primroses began to open their pale yellow

e; 'you are always thinking of others. And mind y

ll together with a strong iron chain, and w

little Hans,'

, leaning on his spade, an

been all the winter

d indeed. I am afraid I had rather a hard time of it, but now the spr

winter, Hans,' said the Miller, 'a

said Hans; 'I was half af

. That is the wonderful thing about it, but I am afraid you don't understa

r me that I have so many. I am going to bring them into the market and sell th

don't mean to say you have sold i

ad 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

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 wo

d his funny round face glowed all over with pleasure. 'I can e

. 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 co

ans, and he ran into the she

on'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

ery big basket, and he knew that if he filled it he would have no flowers

ink that it is much to ask you for a few flowers. I may be wrong, but I should have t

rs in my garden. I would much sooner have your good opinion than my silver buttons, any

as he went up the hill with the plank on hi

began to dig away quite merrily, he

en he heard the Miller's voice calling to him from the road. So he jum

r with a large sack

ler, 'would you mind carrying thi

busy to-day. I have got all my creepers to nail up, a

considering that I am going to give you my wheelb

unfriendly for the whole world'; and he ran in for his

own 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

was going to bed, 'but I am glad I did not refuse the Miller, for he is

o get the money for his sack of flour, but lit

dle 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

'but I was so tired that I thought I would lie in bed for a little time, and listen to

le Hans on the back, 'for I want you to come up to the mil

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

dly of me if I said I was busy?' h

to ask of you, considering that I am going to give you my wheel

ns and he jumped out of bed, and dres

l sunset, and at sunset the Miller

he roof yet, little Hans?' crie

answered little Hans,

e is no work so delightful as

Hans, sitting down, and wiping his forehead, 'a very great privilege.

ust take more pains. At present you have only the practic

think I shall?'

you have mended the roof, you had better go home and rest,

o the cottage, and Hans started off with them to the mountain. It took him the whole day to get there and back; and w

ll have in my garden,' he said

g 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

nds of beautiful things about friendship, which Hans took down in a no

. It was a very wild night, and the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so terribly that at first

,' said little Hans to hims

th a lantern in one hand a

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 we

ming to me, and I will start off at once. But you must lend me your lante

ut it is my new lantern, and it would be a

s, and he took down his great fur coat, and his warm scarle

e wind was so strong that he could scarcely stand. However, he was very courageous, and after h

Doctor, putting his head

e Hans,

ou want, li

ladder, and has hurt himself, and t

ig boots, and his lantern, and came downstairs, and rode off in th

At last he lost his way, and wandered off on the moor, which was a very dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes, and there poor little Ha

uneral, as he was so popular, and

ve the best place'; so he walked at the head of the procession in a long black

lacksmith, when the funeral was over, and they were all seated co

don't know what to do with it. It is very much in my way at home, and it is in such bad repair that I could not get anythi

e Water-rat, af

s the end," s

of the Miller?" a

replied the Linnet; "and I

t you have no sympathy in you

te see the moral of the st

screamed t

mor

say that the sto

y," said

had done so, I certainly would not have listened to you; in fact, I should have said 'Pooh,' like the critic. However, I

fterwards. "He has a great many good points, but for my own part I have a mother's feeli

him," answered the Linnet. "The fact i

very dangerous thing

te agree