Счастливый принц и другие сказки
The Selfish Giant
Thepoortreewasstillquitecoveredwithfrostandsnow,andtheNorthWindwasblowingandroaringaboveit."Climbup!littleboy,"saidtheTree,anditbentitsbranchesdownaslowasitcould;buttheboywastootiny.
AndtheGiant’sheartmeltedashelookedout."HowselfishIhavebeen!"hesaid;"nowIknowwhytheSpringwouldnotcomehere.Iwillputthatpoorlittleboyonthetopofthetree,andthenIwillknockdownthewall,andmygardenshallbethechildren’splaygroundforeverandever."Hewasreallyverysorryforwhathehaddone.
Sohecreptdownstairsandopenedthefrontdoorquitesoftly,andwentoutintothegarden.Butwhenthechildrensawhimtheyweresofrightenedthattheyallranaway,andthegardenbecamewinteragain.Onlythelittleboydidnotrun,forhiseyesweresofulloftearsthathedidnotseetheGiantcoming.AndtheGiantstoleupbehindhimandtookhimgentlyinhishand,andputhimupintothetree.Andthetreebrokeatonceintoblossom,andthebirdscameandsangonit,andthelittleboystretchedouthistwoarmsandflungthemroundtheGiant’sneck,andkissedhim.Andtheotherchildren,whentheysawthattheGiantwasnotwickedanylonger,camerunningback,andwiththemcametheSpring."Itisyourgardennow,littlechildren,"saidtheGiant,andhetookagreataxeandknockeddownthewall.Andwhenthepeopleweregoingtomarketattwelveo’clocktheyfoundtheGiantplayingwiththechildreninthemostbeautifulgardentheyhadeverseen.
