Opening, part 3 · page 21 2101I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree, and then I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children’s playground for ever and ever.”102He was really very sorry for what he had done.103So he crept downstairs and opened the front door quite softly, and went out into the garden.104But when the children saw him they were so frightened that they all ran away, and the garden became winter again.105Only the little boy did not run, for his eyes were so full of tears that he did not see the Giant coming.106And the Giant stole up behind him and took him gently in his hand, and put him up into the tree.107And the tree broke at once into blossom, and the birds came and sang on it, and the little boy stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant’s neck, and kissed him.108And the other children, when they saw that the Giant was not wicked any longer, came running back, and with them came the Spring.109“It is your garden now, little children,” said the Giant, and he took a great axe and knocked down the wall.110And when the people were going to market at twelve o’clock they found the Giant playing with the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.111All day long they played, and in the evening they came to the Giant to bid him good-bye.112“But where is your little companion?” he said: “the boy I put into the tree.”113The Giant loved him the best because he had kissed him.114“We don’t know,” answered the children; “he has gone away.”115“You must tell him to be sure and come here to-morrow,” said the Giant.116But the children said that they did not know where he lived, and had never seen him before; and the Giant felt very sad.117Every afternoon, when school was over, the children came and played with the Giant.118But the little boy whom the Giant loved was never seen again.119The Giant was very kind to all the children, yet he longed for his first little friend, and often spoke of him.120“How I would like to see him!” he used to say.121Years went over, and the Giant grew very old and feeble.122He could not play about any more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched the children at their games, and admired his garden.123“I have many beautiful flowers,” he said; “but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.”124One winter morning he looked out of his window as he was dressing.125He did not hate the Winter now, for he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting.126Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder, and looked and looked.127It certainly was a marvellous sight.checked by a teacher128In the farthest corner of the garden was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms.129Its branches were all golden, and silver fruit hung down from them, and underneath it stood the little boy he had loved.130Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and out into the garden.131He hastened across the grass, and came near to the child.132And when he came quite close his face grew red with anger, and he said, “Who hath dared to wound thee?”133For on the palms of the child’s hands were the prints of two nails, and the prints of two nails were on the little feet.134“Who hath dared to wound thee?” cried the Giant; “tell me, that I may take my big sword and slay him.”135“Nay!” answered the child; “but these are the wounds of Love.”136“Who art thou?” said the Giant, and a strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before the little child.137And the child smiled on the Giant, and said to him, “You let me play once in your garden, to-day you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise.”138And when the children ran in that afternoon, they found the Giant lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms.139The Devoted Friend.140ONE morning the old Water-rat put his head out of his hole.141He had bright beady eyes and stiff grey whiskers and his tail was like a long bit of black india-rubber.142The little ducks were swimming about in the pond, looking just like a lot of yellow canaries, and their mother, who was pure white with real red legs, was trying to teach them how to stand on their heads in the water.1 2← previousOpening, part 2next →Opening, part 4↑ back to The Happy Prince, and Other TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/3/page/2/