The Devoted Friend by Oscar Wilde. Short summary

5 seconds

The rich miller was called the friend of the poor gardener. He would come to the garden and fill his pockets with fruit. And when winter came, he did not visit his «friend. But the gardener proved his friendship by deeds.

1 minute

A story told by the Knotty Bird to the old maid of the Water Rat and the mother of a large brood, Mrs. Duck.

Once upon a time there were two friends, Hugh the rich miller and Hans the poor gardener. The latter was a hard worker. Thanks to his care, lush fruits ripened on the trees and beautiful flowers blossomed in the flowerbeds. In the spring, summer and fall, Hugh often visited his friend. And he always returned with baskets full of flowers and pockets full of fruit.

But in winter, Hugh did not «bother» his friend with visits. He said that if a man had nothing to eat, it was not worth embarrassing him and piling in. But Hans was glad of his friend’s visit and looked forward to spring.

Soon it was a bad harvest year. Hans had to give up his garden and join Hugh as a laborer. He worked for nothing but his friend’s porridge, for he did not pay his friend any money. One day Hans went to fetch a doctor for the miller’s sick son.

It was night, and Hans drowned in the swamp. Many people came to his funeral, because everyone knew the gardener as a good man.