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

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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

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　him