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scarlet； and began to cry into his tea。 However； he was so young
that you must excuse him。〃
〃Is that the end of the story？〃 asked the Water…rat。
〃Certainly not；〃 answered the Linnet； 〃that is the beginning。〃
〃Then you are quite behind the age；〃 said the Water…rat。 〃Every
good story…teller nowadays starts with the end； and then goes on to
the beginning； and concludes with the middle。 That is the new
method。 I heard all about it the other day from a critic who was
walking round the pond with a young man。 He spoke of the matter at
great length； and I am sure he must have been right； for he had
blue spectacles and a bald head； and whenever the young man made
any remark； he always answered 'Pooh！' But pray go on with your
story。 I like the Miller immensely。 I have all kinds of beautiful
sentiments myself； so there is a great sympathy between us。〃
〃Well；〃 said the Linnet； hopping now on one leg and now on the
other； 〃as soon as the winter was over； and the primroses began to
open their pale yellow stars； the Miller said to his wife that he
would go down and see little Hans。
〃'Why； what a good heart you have'！ cried his Wife； 'you are always
thinking of others。 And mind you take the big basket with you for
the flowers。'
〃So the Miller tied the sails of the windmill together with a
strong iron chain； and went down the hill with the basket on his
arm。
〃'Good morning； little Hans；' said the Miller。
〃'Good morning；' said Hans； leaning on his spade； and smiling from
ear to ear。
〃'And how have you been all the winter？' said the Miller。
〃'Well； really；' cried Hans； 'it is very good of you to ask； very
good indeed。 I am afraid I had rather a hard time of it； but now
the spring has come； and I am quite happy； and all my flowers are
doing well。'
〃'We often talked of you during the winter； Hans；' said the Miller；
'and wondered how you were getting on。'
〃'That was kind of you；' said Hans； 'I was half afraid you had
forgotten me。'
〃'Hans； I am surprised at you；' said the Miller； 'friendship never
forgets。 That is the wonderful thing about it； but I am afraid you
don't understand the poetry of life。 How lovely your primroses are
looking； by…the…bye〃！
〃'They are certainly very lovely；' said Hans； 'and it is a most
lucky thing for me that I have so many。 I am going to bring them
into the market and sell them to the Burgomaster's daughter； and
buy back my wheelbarrow with the money。'
〃'Buy back your wheelbarrow？ You don't mean to say you have sold
it？ What a very stupid thing to do'！
〃'Well； the fact is；' said Hans； 'that I was obliged to。 You see
the winter was a very bad time for me； and I really had no money at
all to buy bread with。 So I first sold the silver buttons off my
Sunday coat； and then I sold my silver chain； and then I sold my
big pipe； and at last I sold my wheelbarrow。 But I am going to buy
them all back again now。'
〃'Hans；' said the Miller； 'I will give you my wheelbarrow。 It is
not in very good repair； indeed； one side is gone； and there is
something wrong with the wheel…spokes； but in spite of that I will
give it to you。 I know it is very generous of me； and a great many
people would think me extremely foolish for parting with it； but I
am not like the rest of the world。 I think that generosity is the
essence of friendship； and； besides； I have got a new wheelbarrow
for myself。 Yes； you may set your mind at ease； I will give you my
wheelbarrow。'
〃'Well； really； that is generous of you；' said little Hans； and his
funny round face glowed all over with pleasure。 'I can easily put
it in repair； as I have a plank of wood in the house。'
〃'A plank of wood'！ said the Miller； 'why； that is just what I want
for the roof of my barn。 There is a very large hole in it； and the
corn will all get damp if I don't stop it up。 How lucky you
mentioned it！ It is quite remarkable how one good action always
breeds another。 I have given you my wheelbarrow； and now you are
going to give me your plank。 Of course； the wheelbarrow is worth
far more than the plank； but true； friendship never notices things
like that。 Pray get it at once； and I will set to work at my barn
this very day。'
〃'Certainly；' cried little Hans； and he ran into the shed and
dragged the plank out。
〃'It is not a very big plank；' said the Miller； looking at it； 'and
I am afraid that after I have mended my barn…roof there won't be
any left for you to mend the wheelbarrow with； but； of course； that
is not my fault。 And now； as I have given you my wheelbarrow； I am
sure you would like to give me some flowers in return。 Here is the
basket； and mind you fill it quite full。'
〃'Quite full？' said little Hans； rather sorrowfully； for it was
really a very big basket； and he knew that if he filled it he would
have no flowers left for the market and he was very anxious to get
his silver buttons back。
〃'Well； really；' answered the Miller； 'as I have given you my
wheelbarrow； I don't think that it is much to ask you for a few
flowers。 I may be wrong； but I should have thought that
friendship； true friendship； was quite free from selfishness of any
kind。'
〃'My dear friend； my best friend；' cried little Hans； 'you are
welcome to all the flowers in my garden。 I would much sooner have
your good opinion than my silver buttons； any day'； and he ran and
plucked all his pretty primroses； and filled the Miller's basket。
〃'Good…bye； little Hans；' said the Miller； as he went up the hill
with the plank on his shoulder； and the big basket in his hand。
〃'Good…bye；' said little Hans； and he began to dig away quite
merrily； he was so pleased about the wheelbarrow。
〃The next day he was nailing up some honeysuckle against the porch；
when he heard the Miller's voice calling to him from the road。 So
he jumped off the ladder； and ran down the garden； and looked over
the wall。
〃There was the Miller with a large sack of flour on his back。
〃'Dear little Hans；' said the Miller； 'would you mind carrying this
sack of flour for me to market？'
〃'Oh； I am so sorry；' said Hans； 'but I am really very busy to…day。
I have got all my creepers to nail up； and all my flowers to water；
and all my grass to roll。'
〃'Well； really；' said the Miller； 'I think that； considering that I
am going to give you my wheelbarrow； it is rather unfriendly of you
to refuse。'
〃'Oh； don't say that；' cried little Hans； 'I wouldn't be unfriendly
for the whole world'； and he ran in for his cap； and trudged off
with the big sack on his shoulders。
〃It was a very hot day； and the road was terribly dusty； and before
Hans had reached the sixth milestone he was so tired that he had to
sit down and rest。 However； he went on bravely； and as last he
reached the market。 After he had waited there some time； he sold
the sack of flour for a very good price； and the