The Devoted Friend

Once upon a time there was a young man whose name was Hans. He lived alone in little house. He had a lovely garden where he worked every day. His garden was the best in the village and there were a lot of beautiful flowers in it.

Little Hans had a devoted friend, big Hugh the Miller. Indeed, the rich Miller was so devoted to little Hans, that he always picked some flowers or took some fruit when he was passing Han’s garden.

“Real friends must have everything in common, ” the Miller used to say, and Hans smiled and felt very proud that a friend with such noble ideas.

Sometimes the neighbours were surprised that the rich Miller never gave little Hans anything, but Hans never thought about these things. He worked and worked in his garden. In spring, summer and autumn he was very happy. But in winter he had no flowers or fruit to sell at the market, and he was often very hungry and cold. He was also very lonely, because the Miller never came to visit him in winter.

“There is no good in my going to see little Hans in winter, ” the Miller used to say his Wife, “Because when people are in trouble, you must leave them alone. That is my idea about friendship, and I am sure I am right. So I shall wait till spring comes, and then I shall go to see him, and he will give me a large basket of flowers, and that will make him happy.”

The Miller’s Wife sat in her comfortable arm-chair near the fire. “It is very pleasant, ” she said. “to hear how you talk about friendship.”

“But can’t we invite little Hans to our house? ” said the Miller’s son. “If poor Hans is in trouble, I will give him half my supper and show him my white rabbits.”

“What a silly boy you are! ” cried the Miller. “If Hans comes here and sees our warm fire and our good supper, he may get envious, and envy is a terrible thing. Besides, maybe he will ask me to give him some flour, and I cannot do that! Flour is one thing and friendship is another.”

“How well you talk, ” said the Miller’s Wife.

Exercise 12. Say what sentences are true or false: