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ladder。
〃ah！ said the miller； there is no work so delightful as the work
one does for others。
〃it is certainly a great privilege to hear you talk； answered
little hans； sitting down； and wiping his forehead； a very great
privilege。 but i am afraid i shall never have such beautiful ideas
as you have。
〃oh！ they will e to you； said the miller； but you must take
more pains。 at present you have only the practice of friendship；
some day you will have the theory also。
〃do you really think i shall？ asked little hans。
〃i have no doubt of it； answered the miller； but now that you
have mended the roof； you had better go home and rest； for i want
you to drive my sheep to the mountain to…morrow。
〃poor little hans was afraid to say anything to this； and early the
next morning the miller brought his sheep round to the cottage； and
hans started off with them to the mountain。 it took him the whole
day 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 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 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 pliment
your ing 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。
〃what a dreadful storm it was！ the night was so black that little
hans could hardly see； and the wind was so strong that he could
scarcely stand。 however； he was very courageous； and after he had
been walking about three hours； he arrived at the doctors house；
and knocked at the door。
〃who is there？ cried the doctor； putting his head out of his
bedroom window。
〃little hans； doctor。
〃what do you want； little hans？
〃the millers son has fallen from a ladder； and has hurt himself；
and the miller wants you to e at once。
〃all right！ said the doctor； and he ordered his horse； and his
big boots； and his lantern； and came downstairs； and rode off in
the direction of the millers house； little hans trudging behind
him。
〃but the storm grew worse and worse； and the rain fell in torrents；
and little hans could not see where he was going； or keep up with
the horse。 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 hans was drowned。 his body was found the next
day by some goatherds； floating in a great pool of water； and was
brought back by them to the cottage。
〃everybody went to little hans funeral； as he was so popular； and
the miller was the chief mourner。
〃as i was his best friend； said the miller； it is only fair that
i should have the best place； so he walked at the head of the
procession in a long black cloak； and every now and then he wiped
his eyes with a big pocket…handkerchief。
〃little hans is certainly a great loss to every one； said the
blacksmith； when the funeral was over； and they were all seated
fortably in the inn； drinking spiced wine and eating sweet
cakes。
〃a great loss to me at any rate； answered the miller； why； i had
as good as given him my wheelbarrow； and now i really dont 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 anything for it if i sold
it。 i will certainly take care not to give away anything again。
one always suffers for being generous。〃
〃well？〃 said the water…rat； after a long pause。
〃well； that is the end；〃 said the linnet。
〃but what became of the miller？〃 asked the water…rat。
〃oh！ i really dont know；〃 replied the linnet； 〃and i am sure that
i dont care。〃
〃it is quite evident then that you have no sympathy in your
nature；〃 said the water…rat。
〃i am afraid you dont quite see the moral of the story；〃 remarked
the linnet。
〃the what？〃 screamed the water…rat。
〃the moral。〃
〃do you mean to say that the story has a moral？〃
〃certainly；〃 said the linnet。
〃well； really；〃 said the water…rat； in a very angry manner； 〃i
think you should have told me that before you began。 if you had
done so； i certainly would not have listened to you； in fact； i
should have said pooh； like the critic。 however； i can say it
now〃； so he shouted out 〃pooh〃 at the top of his voice； gave a
whisk with his tail； and went back into his hole。
〃and how do you like the water…rat？〃 asked the duck； who came
paddling up some minutes afterwards。 〃he has a great many good
points； but for my own part i have a mothers feelings； and i can
never look at a confirmed bachelor without the tears ing into my
eyes。〃
〃i am rather afraid that i have annoyed him；〃 answered the linnet。
〃the fact is； that i told him a story with a moral。〃
〃ah！ that is always a very dangerous thing to do；〃 said the duck。
and i quite agree with her。
。。
神奇的火箭
。
神奇的火箭
国王的儿子就要结婚了，所以要在举国上下进行庆典。他为自己的新娘已经等了整整一
年，最后她还是赶来了。她是一位俄国公主，坐着由六只驯鹿拉的雪橇从芬兰一路赶来的。
雪橇看上去像一只巨大的金色