’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 will certainly 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 have some flour on credit, and
that I could not do.
