Faithful friend

One morning an old river rat stuck its head out of his hole. He had small bright eyes and hard grey whiskers, and his tail looked like a long black eraser. The ducklings swam around in his pond, looking like a flock of yellow canaries, and their mother was all white with real red legs, and she was teaching them how to stand upside down in the water.

"If you can't stand on your head, you'll never have a chance to hang out with the upper class," she kept telling them, and she used to show them how to stand on your head. But the ducklings didn't pay attention to her. They were too young to know the benefits of hanging out with the upper class.

'What disobedient children! 'cried the old Rat,' they should really drown. '"No," replied the mother duck, "it's not easy to start with, it's the same for everyone, parents have to be patient." "Ah! I don't understand the emotions of parenting at all," said the Rat, I'm not a family man.

In fact, I have never been married, and I never want to get married. Love is good in itself, but friendship is much nobler than it. To be honest, I don't know of anything in the world more noble and rare than faithful friendship. "" Then, what kind of obligations do you think a faithful friend has? "A green plum sparrow sat on a nearby willow tree and interjected when he heard their conversation.

"Yes, that's what I want to know," said the mother duck, and she swam to the other end of the pool and stood on her head, setting a good example for her children.

"How silly of you to ask!" cried the Rat. "Of course, I want my faithful friends to be faithful to me." "Then how will you repay me?" said the bird, flapping his little wings and jumping on a silver branch.

"I don't understand what you mean," replied the Rat.

"Let me tell you a story about this," said the plum sparrow.

"Is this a story about me?" asked the Rat. "In that case, I'd be happy to hear it, because I like novels very much." "This story can be applied to you too," replied the plum sparrow, and he flew down, stood on the river bank, and began to tell the story of "faithful friend".

"Once upon a time," said the Sparrow, "there was a very honest little fellow named Hans." "Is he famous?" asked the Rat.

"No," replied the Sparrow, "I don't think he's famous at all, but he has a good heart and a funny, kind, round face, which many people know. He lives alone in a small hut and works in his garden every day. There is no garden in his area as lovely as his. There are dianthus, violets, camellias, French snow grass. There are reddish roses, yellow roses, saffron, golden, purple and white violets. Columbine and camelina, horseshoe and wild orchid, lotus and iris, daffodils and cloves all bloom in sequence according to the season, one flower has just withered, and another flower has followed, and the garden will always see beautiful things, always smell a good aroma.

"Little Hans had many friends, but the most loyal among them was the grinder Overhaul. Indeed, this rich grinder was very loyal to little Hans. Every time he walked through little Hans' garden, he must lean against the fence and fold a large bouquet of flowers, or pull out a handful of herbs. If there was fruit in season, he must fill his pocket with plums and cherries.

"The grinder often said to little Hans: 'A true friend should share everything.' Little Hans listened, nodded and smiled. He felt that he was very proud to have such a superb friend.

"It is true that sometimes the neighbors find it strange that the rich grinder, whether he has 100 bags of flour in his mill, and six cows and a large flock of sheep, never gave little Hans anything; but little Hans never thought about that, and the grinder often told him unselfish things about true friendship, and nothing made him happier than listening to his friends talk about those wonderful things.

"Little Hans worked in his garden all the time. He was happy in spring, summer, and autumn, but when winter came, he had no fruit or flowers to bring to the market to sell, and he was greatly starved and frozen. Often he could not even eat dinner, and went to bed with only one or two dried pears or hard walnuts. In winter he was lonely, because the grinder never came to see him at those times.

"The grinder used to say to his wife, 'It is no good for me to see little Hans when the snow has not melted, because in difficult times a man should be kept quiet and no guests should disturb him. That is at least my view of friendship, and I believe I am right. So I will not visit him until spring comes, and then he can give me a big basket of primroses, which will make him very happy.'" His wife was sitting in a comfortable lap chair by the fireplace, facing a fire of firewood, and replied: 'You are very thoughtful for others, indeed very thoughtful. It is satisfying to hear you talk about friendship.

I'm sure even the pastor himself could not tell such a beautiful thing, even if he lived in a three-story building and wore a gold ring on his little finger. '"Then the youngest son of the grinder interjected:' But can't we invite little Hans here? If poor Hans is in trouble, I will give him half of my porridge, and I will show him my little white rabbit. '" When the grinder heard this, he cried out:' What a fool you are! I really don't understand the use of sending you to school. You don't seem to have learned anything. Listen to me, if little Hans came to us and saw our fire, our good food, and our vats of red wine, he might be jealous. Jealousy is the most terrible thing, it can damage human nature. I would never want Hans's nature to be damaged. I am his best friend, and I will always look after him, and watch out for him not to be tempted in any way. And, if Hans were here, he might ask me to owe him some flour on credit, something I can't do. Flour is one thing, friendship is another, and can't be mixed together. You see, these two words sound very different and have completely different meanings. Everyone can see it. '"The grinder's wife poured herself a large glass of warm ale and complimented:' How well you said it! Really I'm dozing off. It's really like listening to a lecture in a chapel. '" The grinder replied:' There are many people who do well, but very few who speak well. It can be seen that the two are more difficult to speak and more beautiful. ' He looked sternly at his younger son sitting on the other side of the table. The child was very embarrassed, lowered his head, his face was flushed, and his tears secretly fell into his teacup. However, he is still so young, you have to forgive him. "Is this the end of the story?" River Rat asked.

"Of course not," replied the Sparrow. "This is the beginning." "Then you are so out of date," said the Rat. "People who tell stories these days start from the end, then to the beginning, and finally to the middle. This is the new method. I heard these words from a critic who was walking by the pond with a young man the other day. He made a tirade about it, and I believe he was right, because he was completely bald on the top of his head, had blue glasses on the bridge of his nose, and whenever the young man spoke, he replied, 'Bah!' But please go on with your story. I like the grinder very much. I have a lot of beautiful emotions myself, so I feel very sorry for him. "" Okay, "said the plum sparrow, jumping on this leg and then on that leg." As soon as winter was over and the light yellow stars bloomed from the primrose, the grinder immediately told his wife that he wanted to go down the mountain to visit little Hans.

"His wife exclaimed: 'Ah, what a good heart you have! You are always thinking of others. Don't forget to bring back the big basket with flowers.'" The grinder tied the fins of the windmill together with a strong iron chain, and hung the basket on his arm and walked down the mountain.

"When the grinder saw little Hans, he said: 'Good morning, little Hans.'" Hans propped himself on his shovel and replied with a smile: 'Good morning.' "The grinder asked: 'How have you been this winter?'" Hans exclaimed: 'Ah, it's so kind of you to ask this, you are so kind.

I had a little difficulty in the past, but spring has come, and I am so happy that all my flowers are blooming well. '"The grinder said:' We have often talked about you this winter, and we have often worried about how you are living. '" Hans said:' You are too kind, and I am a little afraid that you have forgotten me. '"The grinder said:' Hans, your idea is amazing, friendship will never be forgotten.

That's the great thing about friendship, but I think you may not understand the poetry of life. And, ah, how beautiful your primroses are! '"Hans replied:' They are indeed beautiful, and I am lucky this year to have so many *** will take them to the city and sell them to the mayor to get money to redeem my car. '" The grinder said:' Redeem your car? Do you mean you have sold the car? How silly! '"Hans said:' Ah, I had to do this. You know winter is a hard time for me, and I really don't have any money for bread. So I sold the silver buttons on my Sunday clothes at first, then my silver chains, then my big pipe, and finally my cart. But I'm going to redeem them all now. '"The miller said:' Hans, I'll give you my cart. It's not very good, indeed, it's fallen on one side, and there's something wrong with the wheel bars; but regardless of that, I'll give it to you.

I know I'm very generous, and many people will think it's silly for me to give it away, but I'm different. I think generosity is the essence of friendship, and I've kept myself a new car. Yes, you can rest assured that I'll give you my car. '"Little Hans' comically round face was full of joy, and he said, 'Ah, you're so generous.

I can fix it effortlessly because I have a plank in my house. '"The grinder said:' A plank! Ah, I was looking for a plank to fix the roof of my warehouse. I have a big hole in the top of my warehouse, and if I don't plug it, the grain will get wet. Good thing you brought it up! It's a good saying that one good thing often leads to another. I've given you my cart, and now you're going to give me your plank. Needless to say, a cart costs a lot more than a plank, but true friendship never pays attention to such a thing. Please bring the planks right away, I'm going to fix my warehouse today. '"Little Hans said loudly:' I'll go right away. 'He ran into his little hut and dragged the planks out.

"The grinder looked at the plank and said, 'This plank is not very big, and I am afraid that I will not leave you a trolley after I use it to repair the roof of my warehouse; but of course it is not my fault. And since I gave you my trolley, I am sure you will be happy to give me some flowers in return. Here is the basket, please fill it up for me.'" Little Hans took the basket and said with some annoyance: 'Is it full?' Because the basket was so large, he knew that if he filled it, there would be no flowers left to sell on the market, but he wanted to redeem his silver buttons.

"The grinder replied, 'Of course, since I gave you my cart, I don't think it's too much to ask you for some flowers. I may be wrong, but I always think that friendship, true friendship, is not selfish at all.'" Little Hans cried out: 'My dear friend, my best friend, all the flowers in my garden are at your disposal. I'd rather have your attention sooner, and my silver buttons will be ready any day.' He ran, plucked all the beautiful primroses in his garden, and filled the grinder's basket.

"The grinder said, 'Goodbye, little Hans.' He carried the plank on his shoulders and the big basket in his hand and went up the mountain.

"'Goodbye,' said little Hans. He happily continued to dig again, and the cart was so satisfying to him.

"The next day, as he was nailing Nylon to the porch, he heard the voice of the grinder calling him on the road. He jumped off the ladder, ran into the garden, and looked out over the wall.

"The grinder was standing there with a big bag of flour on his back.

"The grinder said: 'Dear little Hans, will you carry this bag of flour to the market for me?'" Hans said: 'Ah, I'm so sorry, but I'm really busy today. I have to nail all my vines, water all my flowers, and cut all my grass flat.' "The grinder said: 'Well, you're right, but I'm about to give you my cart, and you refused me. I think you're not friendly.'" Little Hans said loudly: 'Ah, don't say that, no matter what, I won't be unfriendly.' He ran into the house to get his hat, then went out to take the big bag of flour, carried it on his shoulders, and set off for the city.

"It was a hot day, and the road was terribly dusty. Before Hans reached the sixth mile stone, he was too tired to do anything and had to sit down and rest. But he bravely continued on, and then he reached the market. After waiting in the market for a while, he sold the bag of flour for a high price, and he went home immediately when he got the money, because he was afraid that if he delayed in the market for a long time, he might meet robbers on the way.

"When little Hans went to bed at night, he said to himself, 'It's been a hard day, but I'm glad I didn't turn down the grinder, because he's my best friend, and he's going to give me his cart.'" Early the next morning the grinder came down the mountain to get the money for the flour, but little Hans was so tired that he was still in bed.

"The grinder said: 'To be honest, you are too lazy. I am going to give you my car, you should be more diligent to be decent, laziness is a big sin, of course I don't like that I have a lazy friend. You can't blame me for being very frank with you. Of course, if I weren't your friend, I would never do it. But if a man can't say what he means, why is there a need for friendship?

Anyone can say pretty things, please people, and flatter people, but a true friend always says unpleasant things, and does not hesitate to give people a hard time. Indeed, a true true friend is happy to do so, because he knows he is doing good things. '"Little Hans rubbed his eyes, took off his nightcap, and said,' Please forgive me, I'm so tired, I want to lie in bed for a while and listen to the birds sing. Do you know that I always have more energy when I hear the birds sing? '" The grinder patted little Hans on the back and said, 'Well, I'm glad to hear that, because I want you to get dressed and come to my mill right away and mend the top of the barn for me.' "Poor little Hans wanted to work in his own garden, because his flowers hadn't been watered for two days, but the grinder was an excellent friend of his, and he didn't want to refuse him.

'Then he asked in a tone that was half ashamed and half frightened: 'Would you think I was unfriendly if I said I was busy?' "The grinder replied: 'Yes, I don't think I'm asking too much of you, since I'm going to give you my car; but if you won't, I'll do it myself.'" Little Hans cried quickly: 'Ah, no way.' He jumped out of bed, got dressed, and went to the barn.

"He worked there all day until dusk, and at dusk the grinder came to see how he was doing.

"The grinder cried happily: 'Little Hans, have you mended the hole in the roof?'" Little Hans climbed down the ladder and replied: 'Completely mended.' "The grinder said: 'Ah, there is nothing happier in the world than doing things for others.'" Little Hans sat down and wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied: 'It is indeed a great honor, a great honor, to listen to you talk, but I am afraid that I will never have such beautiful thoughts as yours.' " The grinder said, "Ah, you will get it slowly, but you have to work harder. Now you only practice friendship; one day you will have theories. '" Little Hans asked:' Do you really think I can? '"The grinder replied:' I have no doubts at all, but now that you have mended the roof, you'd better go home and rest, because I want you to drive my sheep to the mountain tomorrow. '" Poor little Hans was afraid to say a word about this, and early the next morning the grinder drove his sheep out of the hut, and Hans had to take them up the mountain. This trip back and forth took him all day; when he got home, he was so tired that he sat in a chair and fell asleep until dawn.

"He said to himself: 'How happy I must be in the garden today.' He went to work immediately.

"But he was never able to take care of his flowers, because his friend the grinder still came to trouble him and sent him on errands, or sent him to the mill to help. Little Hans was sometimes miserable, and he was afraid that his flowers would think he had forgotten them, but he comforted himself with the thought that the grinder was his best friend. He used to say to himself: 'Besides, it was an act of generosity that he was going to give me his cart.'" So little Hans kept doing things for the grinder, and the grinder kept telling him all kinds of beautiful things about friendship. Hans wrote down all those words in a notebook and used to read them at night, because he was a very studious person.

"One night little Hans was sitting at home cooking the fire when he heard a loud knock on the door. The weather was very bad that night, and the wind had been roaring and blowing around the house. At first he thought it was just the sound of a storm.

But the second knock on the door rang again, followed by a third, louder than the first two.

"Little Hans said to himself: 'This is a poor traveler.' He ran to open the door.

"In front of the door stood a grinder, carrying a lantern in one hand and a cane in the other.

"When the grinder saw him, he cried out: 'Dear little Hans, something very unfortunate has happened to me.

My youngest son fell off a ladder and was injured, and I am going to see the doctor now. But the doctor lives far away, and the weather is so bad tonight, it occurred to me just now that it would be much better if you made a trip for me. You know I'm going to give you my car, so it's only fair that you should do something for me in return. '"Little Hans exclaimed:' Of course, I feel very honored that you came to me, and I'll leave right away. But you'll have to lend me your lantern, because it's dark at night, and I'm afraid I'll fall into the ditch. '"But the grinder replied:' I'm sorry, this is my new lantern, and it would be a big loss to me if it went wrong. '" Little Hans exclaimed:' Well, it doesn't matter, I don't need it anymore. 'He took off his wide leather jacket and his warm red cap and put them on, wrapped another scarf around his neck, and set off.

"It was a terrible night! It was dark, little Hans couldn't see his fingers, and the wind was blowing so hard that he could barely stand. But he was so brave that after walking for about three hours, he came to the doctor's house, and he knocked on the door.

"'Who is it?' The doctor stuck his head out of the window of his bedroom and asked loudly.

"He said, 'Doctor, I'm little Hans.'" The doctor asked again, 'Little Hans, what are you doing here?' "He replied: 'The grinder's son fell off the ladder and was injured, and the grinder wants you to go immediately.'" The doctor said: 'Very good.' He called for the men to prepare the horse, put on his boots, took the lantern, went downstairs, rode on the horse, and walked in the direction of the grinder's house, and little Hans followed the horse with difficulty.

"But the storm got worse and worse, and it rained like a river, and little Hans couldn't see the way, and he couldn't keep up with the horses. Then he got lost, and went around a moor, which was a very dangerous place, because there were deep caves everywhere, and poor little Hans drowned here. The next day his body was found by some shepherds, floating on the surface of a large pond, and they carried him back to his hut.

"When little Hans was buried, everyone went to participate, because he was very popular on weekdays, and the bereaved master was the face grinder.

"The grinder said: 'Since I am his best friend, I should have the best position.' So he walked at the front of the line, wearing a black robe and wiping his eyes with a large handkerchief from time to time.

"After the funeral, the mourners were sitting comfortably in the inn, drinking spice wine and eating sweets, when the blacksmith suddenly said: 'The death of little Hans is indeed a great loss to everyone.'" The grinder replied: 'In any case, it is a great loss to me. I have almost given him my car, and I really don't know what to do with it now. It is very inconvenient for me to keep it in my house, it is too tattered, and I cannot sell it for money. I must be careful not to give anything away in the future. People often suffer generously.' "So what?" After a while the Rat said.

"Well, my story is over," said the plum sparrow.

"But what was the result of the grinder?" asked the Rat.

"Ah! I don't know, to be honest," replied the Sparrow. "I'm sure I don't care about that." "Obviously you don't have sympathy in your nature," said the Rat.

"I'm afraid you don't quite understand the lesson of this story," said the plum sparrow.

"What did you say?" cried the Rat.

"A lesson." "Do you mean there is a lesson in this story?" "Of course," said the plum sparrow.

"Well," said the Rat angrily, "I think you should have told me that before you told the story. If you had done that, I would never have listened to you; to be honest, I should have said'bah 'like a critic. But I can still say it now." So he gave a desperate "bah," swept his tail again, and went back to his hole.

"Do you like the Rat?" After a few minutes the mother duck patted the water with her feet and came to the surface. She asked the plum sparrow, "He has many good qualities, but in my case, I have ordinary mother's emotions. When I see someone who is determined not to marry, I always cry." "I am afraid that I will offend him," said the plum sparrow, "because I told him a story that taught him a lesson." "Ah yo! This is often a very dangerous thing," said the mother duck.

I totally agree with her.