'Let me tell you a story on the subject,'
said the Linnet.
'Is the story about me?' asked the
Water-rat. If so, I will listen to it, for I am extremely fond of fiction.'
'It is applicable to you,' answered the
Linnet; and he flew down, and alighting upon the bank, he told the story of The
Devoted Friend.
'Once upon a time,' said the Linnet,
'there was an honest little fellow named Hans.'
'Was he very distinguished?' asked the
Water-rat.
'No,' answered the Linnet, 'I don't think
he was distinguished at all, except for his kind heart, and his funny round
good-humoured face. He lived in a tiny cottage all by himself, and every day he
worked in his garden. In all the country-side there was no garden 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, the Cowslip and the Flower-de-luce, the Daffodil and the Clove-Pink
bloomed or blossomed in their proper order as the months went by, one flower
taking another flower's place, so that there were always beautiful things to
look at, and pleasant odours to smell.
'Little Hans had a great many friends,
but the most devoted friend of all was big Hugh the Miller. Indeed, so devoted
was the rich Miller to little Hans, that he [Hans] would never go by his garden
without leaning over the wall and plucking a large nosegay, or a handful of
sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with plums and cherries if it was the fruit
season.
'"Real friends should have
everything in common," the Miller used to say, and little Hans nodded and
smiled, and felt very proud of having a friend with such noble ideas.
'Sometimes, indeed, the neighbours
thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave little Hans anything in
return, though he had a hundred sacks of flour stored away in his mill, and six
milk cows, and a large stock of woolly sheep; but Hans never troubled his head
about these things, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all
the wonderful things the Miller used to say about the unselfishness of true
friendship.
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