The devoted Friend - Oscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900), the Irish-born author, is perhaps best remembered for his wickedly witty comedies like Lady Windermere's Fan (1892) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). He is widely consider a major influence on the English drama of the late nineteenth century, although he also write poetry, short stories, essays and the celebrated novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891). He was closely associate with the 'Art for Art's sake' movement in England.

In his works, as well as in real life. Wilde display the wit and dash that helped to make his reputation. Although a lot of his writing appears merely light-hearted, a close reading reveals elements of irony and criticism direct against the society of his time, whose severe and intolerant codes of conduct preach virtues like generosity and self-sacrifice but actually concealed much hypocrisy. The story feature is taken from Wilde's 1888 collection of fairy tales for children, The Happy Prince and other Tales. In this story the miller, Hugh, constantly speaks of friendship and generosity but is a cold-hearted selfish person. Wilde clearly finds him detestable. It is, however, not clear whether he approves of Hans's uncritical, self-sacrificing nature. One morning, the old water-rat put his head out of his hole. He had bright beady eyes and stiff gray whiskers and his tail was like a long bit of black indiarubber. The 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 try to teach them how to stand on their heads in the water. 'You will never be in the best society unless you can stand on your heads,' she kept say to them, and every now and then she show them how it was done. But the little ducks paid no atten to her. They were so young that they do not know what an advantage it is to be in society at all.

'What disobedient children! ' cry the old water-rat, ' they really deserve to be drown. "'Nothing of the kind,' answered the duck, 'everyone must make a beginning and parents cannot be too patient. Ah! I know nothing about the feelings of parents,' say the water-rat. 'I am not a family.' man. In fact, I have never been married and I never intend to be. Love is all very well in its way but friendship is much higher. Indeed, I know of nothing in the world that is either nobler or rarer than a devote friendship. "And what, pray, is your idea of the duties of a devote friend?" "ask a green linnet who was sitting on a willow tree hard by and had overhear the conversation. 'Yes, that is just what I want to know,' said the duck and she swam away to the end of the pond and stood upon her head in order to give her children a good example. 'What a silly question!' cried the water-rat. 'I should expect my devoted friend to be devoted to me, of course.'" "And what would you do in return? 'said the little bird, swinging silver and flapping his tiny wings. upon a spray 'I don't understand you,' answer the water-rat. 'Let me tell you a story on the subject,' said the linnet. 'Is the story about me?' ask the water-rat. 'If so, I will listen to it, for I am extremely fond of fiction. "It is applicable to you,' answer the linnet and he flew down and alighting upon the bank, he tell the story of The Devoted Friend. 'Once upon a time,' say the linnet, 'there was an honest little fellow name Hans. "'Was he very distinguished? asked the water-rat. 'No,' answer the linnet, 'I don't think he was distinguish 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 work in his garden. In all the countryside there was no garden so lovely as his. Sweet-Williams's 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 blossom 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 odors 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 would never go by his garden without leaning or a handful of sweet over the wall and plucking a large nosegay 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. COWS 'Sometimes, indeed, the neighbors thought it strange that the rich miller never gave little Hans anything in return, although he had a hundred sacks of flour stored away in his mill and six milch and a large flock of woolly sheep, but Hans never trouble 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. So little Hans work away in his garden. During the spring, the summer and the autumn he was very happy but when the winter came and he had no fruit or flowers to bring to the market, he suffered a good deal from cold and hunger and often had to go to bed without any but a few dried pears or some hard nuts. In the winter, also, supper he was extremely lonely as the miller never came to see him then. " "There is no good in my going to see little Hans as long as the snow lasts," the miller used to say to his wife, "for when people are in trouble they shall be left alone and not be bother by visitors. That at least is my idea about friendship and I am sure I am right. So I shall wait till the spring comes and then I shall pay him a visit and he will be able to give me a large basket of primroses and that will make him so happy.

"You are certainly very thoughtful about others," answered the wife, as she sat in her comfortable armchair by the big pinewood fire, "very thoughtful indeed. It is quite a treat to hear you talk about friendship. I am sure the clergyman himself could not say such beautiful things as you do, although he does live in a three-storey house and wear a gold ring on his little finger. "But could we not ask little Hans up here?" said the miller's youngest son. "If poor Hans is in trouble, I will give him half my porridge and show him my white rabbits." "What a silly boy you are!" cried the miller. "I really don't know what is the use of sending you to school. You seem not to learn anything. Why if little Hans came up here and saw our warm fire and our good supper and our great cask of red wine, he might get envious and envy is a most terrible thing and would spoil anybody's nature. I certainly will not allow Hans' nature to be spoiled. I am his best friend and I will always watch over him and see that he is not led into any temptations. Besides, if Hans came here, he might ask me to let him one thing have some flour on credit and that I could not do. Flour and friendship is another and they shall not be confused. Why, the words are spelled differently and mean quite different things. Everybody can see that." "How well you talk!" " said the miller's wife pouring herself out a large glass of warm ale", " really I feel quite drowsy. It is just like being in church. " Lots of people act well, " answered the miller, " but very few people talk well, which shows that talking is much the more difficult thing of the two and much the finer thing also," and he looked sternly across the table at his little son who felt so ashamed of himself that he hung his head down and grew quite 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?' ask 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 storyteller 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," say 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 by ! " " 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 sell 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 sell my silver chain and then I sell my big pipe and at last I sold my wheelbarrow. But I am going to buy them all back again now." "Hans," say 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 hi s 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 all 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 su re 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 sadly, 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," answer the miller, "as I have given you my."

Wheel barrow, 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 pluck all his pretty primroses and filled the miller's basket. "Goodbye, little Hans," say the miller and he went up the hill with the plank on his shoulder and the big basket in his hand. "Goodbye," said little Hans, and he began to dig away quite merrily, he was so please 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 , "say Hans , "but I am really very busy today . 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 trudge off with the big sack on his shoulders. 'It was a very hot day and the road was terribly dusty and before Hans had reach the sixth milestone he was so tired that he had to sit down and rest. However, he went on bravely and at last he reached the market. After he has waited there for some time, he sold the sack of flour for a very good price and then he returned home at once, for he was afraid that if he stopped too late he might meet some robbers on the way. "It has certainly been a hard day," said little Hans. to himself as he was going to bed, "but I am glad I do not refuse the miller, for he is my best friend and, besides, he is going to give me his wheelbarrow."

Early the next morning the miller come down to get the money for his sack of flour but little Hans was so tired that he was still in bed. "Upon my word," said the miller, "you are very lazy. Really, considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, I think you might work harder. Idleness is a great sin and I certainly don't like any of my friends to be idle or sluggish". You must not mind my speaking quite plainly to you . Of course , I should not dream of doing so if I were not your friend . But what is the good of friendship if one cannot say exactly what one means? Anybody can say charming things and try to please and to flatter, but a true friend always says unpleasant things and does not mind giving pain. Indeed, if he is a really true friend, he prefers it, for he knows that then he is doing good. "I am very sorry," say little Hans, rubbing his eyes and pulling off his nightcap, "but I was so try that, I thought I would lie in bed for a little time and listen to the birds singing. Do you know that I always work better after hearing the birds sing?" Well, I am glad o f that, "said the miller, clapping little Hans on the back, "for I want you to come up to the mill as soon as you are dress and mend my barn-roof for me. "Poor little Hans was very anxious to go and work in his garden, for his flowers had not been water for two days, but he did not like to refuse the miller as he was such a good friend to him." "Do you think it would be unfriendly of me if I say I was busy?" he inquire in a shy and timid voice. "Well, really," answer the miller, "I do not think it is much to ask of you considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, but of course if you refuse I will go and do it myself." "Oh! on no account "cried little Hans and he jump out of bed and dress himself and went up to the barn. He worked there all day long till sunset and at sunset the miller came to see how he was getting on. "Have you mended the hole in the roof yet, little Hans?" "cry the miller in a cheery voice. "It is quite mended," answered little Hans, coming down the 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. "Answer 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 come to you." say 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?" ask little Hans. "I have no doubt of it." answer the miller, "but now that you have mende the roof, you had better go home and rest. for I want you to drive my sheep to the mountain tomorrow." "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 start 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 coming 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 work away for the miller and the miller say all kinds of beautiful things about friendship which Hans took. down in a notebook and use to read over at night, for he is a very good scholar. Now it happen that one evening little Hans is sitting by his fireside when a loud rap come at the door. It is a very wild night and the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so first he thought it was merely the storm. But a second rap then a third, louder than any of the others.

Terribly that at came and "It is some poor traveler," say little Hans to himself and he ran to the door. There stand 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 compliment your coming 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. " answer the miller, "but it is my new lantern and it would be a great loss to me if anything happen to it. "Well, never mind, I will do without it," cried little Hans and he take down his great fur coat and his warm scarlet cap and tied a muffler round his throat and start 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 hardly stand. However, he was very courageous and after he had been walking for about three hours, he arrived at the doctor's 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 miller's son has fallen from a ladder and has hurt himself and the miller wants you to come at once. " All right ! "say the doctor; and he order his horse and his big boots and his lantern and came downstairs and rode off in the direction of the miller's 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 wander 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 find the next day by some goatherds, floating in a great pool of water, and is buy back by them to the cottage. 'Everybody went to little Hans' funeral as he is so popular and the miller is the chief mourner.

"As I am his best friend," say the miller, "it is only fair that I should have the best place," so he walk at the hear of the procession with a in a long black cloak and every now and then he wipe his eyes big pocket handkerchief. "Little Hans is certainly a great loss to everyone," said the blacksmith when the funeral was over and they were all seated comfortable in the inn, drinking spice wine and eating sweet cakes. "A great loss to me at any rate," answer the miller, "why, I had as good as given him my wheelbarrow and now I really don't 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 certainly 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? 'ask the water-rat. 'Oh! I really don't know,' replied the linnet; and I am sure that I don't care. It is quite evident then that you have no sympathy in your nature, said the water-rat. 'I am afraid you don't quite see the moral of the story,' remarked the linnet. 'The what?' screame the water-rat. Do you mean to say that the story has a moral? "Certainly," say the linnet.

'Well, really,' say the water-rat, in a very angry manner, 'I think you should have tell me that before you started. If you have 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? 'ask the duck who came paddling up some minutes afterwards. He has a great many good points but for my own part I have a mother's feelings and I can never look at a confirme bachelor without the tears coming into my eyes. 'I am rather afraid that I have annoyed him,' answer the linnet. 'The fact is that I tell him a story with a moral. "Ah! that it always a very dangerous thing to do,' say the duck. And I quite agree with her.