The-Selfish-Giant

TheSelfishGiantEveryafternoon,astheywerecomingfromschool,thechildrenusedtogoandplayinGiant’sgarden.Itwasalargelovelygarden,withsoftgreengrass.Hereandthereoverthegrassstoodbeautifulflowerslikestars,andthereweretwelvepeach-treesthatinthespring-timebrokeoutintodelicateblossomsofpinkandpearl,andintheautumnborerichfruit.Thebirdssatonthetreesandsangsosweetlythatthechildrenusedtostoptheirgamesinordertolistentothem.”Howhappywearehere!”theycriedtoeachother.Onedaythgiantcameback.HehadbeentovisithisfriendtheCornishorge,andhadstayedwithhimforsevenyears.Afterthesevenyearswereoverhehadsaidallthathehadtosay,forhisconversationwaslimited,andhedeterminedtoreturntohisowncastle.Whenhearrivedhesawthechildrenplayinginthegarden.“whatareyoudoingthere?”hecriedinaverygruffvoice,andthechildrenranaway.“Myowngardenismyowngarden”saidthegiant,”anyonecanunderstandthat,andiwillallownobodytoplayinitbutmyself.”sohebuiltahighwallallroundit,andputupanotice-board:trespasserswillbeprosecutedHewasaveryselfishGiant.Thepoorchildrenhadnownowheretoplay.theytriedtoplayontheroad,buttheroadwasverydustyandfullofhardstone,andtheydidnotlikeit.Theyusedtowanderroundthehighwallwhentheirlessonswereover,andtalkaboutthebeautifulgardeninside.”Howhappywewerethere.”theysaidtoeachother.Thenthespringcame,andalloverthecountrytherewerelittleblossomsandlittlebirds.Onlyinthetherewerelittleblossomsandlittlebirds.OnlyinthegardenoftheSelfishGiantitwasstillwinter.Thebirdsdidnotcaretosinginitastherewerenochildren,andthetreesforgettoblossom.Onceabeautifulflowerputitsheadoutfromthegrass,butwhenitsawthenotice-boarditwassosorryforthechildrenthatitslippedbackintothegroundagain,andwentofftosleep.Theonlypoeplewhowerepleasedwerethesnowandthefrost.”springhasforgettenthisgarden,”Theycried,sowewillliveherealltheyearround.”Thesnowcoveredupthegrasswithhergreatwhitecloak,andthefrostpaintedallthetreesliver.Thentheyintitedthenorthwindtostaywiththem,andhecame.hewaswrappedinfurs,andheroaredalldayaboutthegarden,andblewthechimney-potdown,”Thisisadelightfulspot,”hesaid,‘wemustaskthehailonavisit”Sothehailcame,everydayforthreehoursherattledontheroofofthecastletillhebrokemostoftherattledontheroofthecastletillhebrokemostoftheslates,andthenheranroundandroundthegardenasfastashecouldgo.Hewasdressedingrey,andhisbreatheaslikeice.“Icannotunderstandwhythspringissolateincomeing,”saidtheselfishGiant,ashesatatthewindowandlookedoutathiscoldwhitegarden,”Ihopetherewillbeachangeinthewearther,”Butthespringnevercame,northesummer.TheAuntumngavegoldenfruittoeverygarden,buttothegiant’sgardenfruittoeveygarden,buttothegiant‘sgardenshegavenone.“Heistooselfish.”shesaidSoitwasalwayswinterthere,andtheNorthwind,andtheHail,andthefrost,andthesnowdancedaboutthroughthetrees.Oncemorningthegiantwaslyingawakeinbedwhenheheardsomelovelymusic.itsoundedsosweettohisearsthathethoughtitmustbetheKing’smusicianspassingby.Itwasreallyonlyalittlelinnetsingingoutsidehiswindow,butitwassolongsincehehadheardabirdsinginhisgardenthatitseemedtohimtobethebirdsinginhisgardenthatitseemedtohimtobethemostbeautifulmusicintheworld.Thenthehailstoppeddancingoverhishead,andthenorthwindceasedroaring,andadeliciousperfumecametohimthroughtheopencasement.Ibelievethespringhascomeatlast,”saidthegiant,andhejumoedoutofbedandlookedout.Whatdidhesee?Hesawamostwonderfulsight.Thoughtalittleholeinthewallthechildrenhadcreptin,andtheyweresittinginthebranchesofthetrees.Ineverytreesweresogladtohavethechildrenbackagainthattheyhadcoveredthemselveswithblossoms,andwerewavingtheirarmgentlyaboveandtwitteringwithdelight,andtheflowerswerelookingupthroughthegreengrassandlaughing.Itwasalovelyscene,onlyinonecorneritwasstillwinter.itwasthefarthestcornerofthegarden,andinitwasstandingalittleboy.hewassosmallthathecouldnotreachuptothebranchesofthetree,andhewaswanderingallroundit,cryingbitterly.Thepoortreewasstillquitecoveredwithfrostandsnow,andtheNorthwindwasblowingandroaringaboveit.”climbup!”littleboy.”saidthetree,anditbentitsbranchesdownaslowasitcould,buttheboywastootiny.Andthegiant’sheartmeltedaslookedout.”Howselfishihavebeen!”hesaid,nowiknowwhythespringwouldnotcomehere.iwillputthatpoorlittleboyonthetopofthetree,andtheniwillknockdownthwall,andmygardenshallbethechildren’splaygroundforeverandever.hewasreallyverysorryforwhathehaddone.Sohecreptdownstairsandopenedthefrontdoorquitesoftly,andwentoutintothegarden.Butwhentheranaway,andthegardenbecamewinteragain,onlythethathedidnotrun,forhiseyesweresofulloftearsthathedidnotseethegiantcoming,andthegiantstoleupbehindhimandtookhimgentlyinhishand,andputhimupintothetree.Andthetreebrokeatonceintoblossom,andthebirdscameandsangonit,andthelittleboystretchedouthistwoarmsandflungthemroundthegiant’sneck,andkissedhim.andtheotherchildren,whentheysawthatthgiantwasnotwickedanyspring.“itisyourgardennow,littlechildren.”saidthegiant.andhetookagreataxeandknoweddownthewall.andwhenthepoepleweregoingtomarkettwelveo’clocktheyfoundthegiantplayingwiththechildreninthemostbeautifulgardentheyhadeverseen.Alldaylongtheyplayed,andintheeveningtheycametothegianttobidhimgood-bye.butwher