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 worked away for the Miller, and the Miller said all
kinds of beautiful things about friendship, which Hans took down
in a little notebook, and used to read over at night, for he was a very
good scholar.
