“Washeverydistinguished?” askedtheWater-rat.“No,” answeredtheLinnet, “Idon’tthinkhewasdistinguishedatall, exceptforhiskindheart, , -williamgrewthere, andGilly-flowers, andShepherds’-purses, , andyellowRoses, lilacCrocuses, andgold, , MarjoramandWildBasil, theCowslipandtheFlower-de-luce, theDaffodilandtheClove-Pinkbloomedorblossomedintheirproperorderasthemonthswentby, oneflowertakinganotherflower’splace, sothattherewerealwaysbeautifulthingstolookat, andpleasantodourstosmell.“LittleHanshadagreatmanyfriends, , sodevotedwastherichMillertolittleHans, thathewouldnevergobyhisgardenwithoutleaningoverthewallandpluckingalargenosegay, orahandfulofsweetherbs, orfillinghispocketswithplumsandcherriesifitwasthefruitseason.“ ‘Realfriendsshouldhaveeverythingincommon,’ theMillerusedtosay, andlittleHansnoddedandsmiled, andfeltveryproudofhavingafriendwithsuchnobleideas.“Sometimes, indeed, theneighboursthoughtitstrangethattherichMillernevergavelittleHansanythinginreturn, thoughhehadahundredsacksofflourstoredawayinhismill, andsixmilchcows, andalargeflockofwoollysheep; butHansnevertroubledhisheadaboutthesethings, andnothinggavehimgreaterpleasurethantolistentoallthewonderfulthingstheMillerusedtosayabouttheunselfishnessoftruefriendship.“, thesummer, andtheautumnhewasveryhappy, butwhenthewintercame, andhehadnofruitorflowerstobringtothemarket, hesufferedagooddealfromcoldandhunger, , also, hewasextremelylonely, astheMillernevercametoseehimthen.“ ‘ThereisnogoodinmygoingtoseelittleHansaslongasthesnowlasts,’ theMillerusedtosaytohiswife, ‘forwhenpeopleareintroubletheyshouldbeleftalone, , , andthenIshallpayhimavisit, andhewillbeabletogivemealargebasketofprimrosesandthatwillmakehimsohappy.’
