'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 either 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 compliment your coming 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.
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