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人们去赶集的时候，欣喜地看见巨人和孩子们一起在他们所见到的最美丽的花园中游戏玩耍。
他们玩了整整一天，夜幕降临后，孩子们向巨人道晚安。
“可你们的那个小伙伴在哪儿呢？”巨人问，“就是我抱到树上的男孩。”巨人最爱那
个男孩，因为男孩吻过他。
“我们不知道啊，”孩子们回答说，“他已经走了。”
巨人又说：“你们一定要告诉他，叫他明天来这里。”但是孩子们告诉巨人他们不知道
小男孩家住何处，而且从前没见过他，巨人听后心里很不是个滋味。
每天下午，孩子们一放学就来找巨人一起玩。可是巨人喜爱的那个小男孩再也没有来
过。巨人对每一个小孩都非常友善，然而他更想念那个小男孩，还常常提起他。“我多么想
见到他啊：”巨人常常感叹道。
许多年过去了，巨人变得年迈而体弱。他已无力再与孩子们一起嬉戏，只能坐在一把巨
大的扶手椅上，一边观看孩于们玩游戏，一边欣赏着自己的花园。“我有好多美丽的鲜
花，”他说，“但孩子们才是最美的花朵。”
冬天的一个早晨，巨人起床穿衣时朝窗外望了望。现在他已不讨厌冬天了，因为他心里
明白这只不过是让春天打个吨，让花儿们歇口气罢了。
突然，他惊讶地揉揉眼，定睛看了又看。眼前的景色真是美妙无比：在花园尽头的角落
里，有一棵树上开满了逗人喜爱的白花，满树的枝条金光闪闪，枝头上垂挂着银色的果实，
树的下边就站着巨人特别喜爱的那个小男孩。
巨人激动地跑下楼，出门朝花园奔去。他急匆匆地跑过草地，奔向孩子。来到孩子面
前，他脸红脖子粗地愤愤说道，“谁敢把你弄成这样？”只见孩子的一双小手掌心上留有两
个钉痕，他的一双小脚上也有两个钉痕。
“谁敢把你弄成这样？”巨人吼道，“告诉我，我去取我的长剑把他杀死。”
“不要！”孩子回答说，“这些都是爱的烙印啊。”
“你是谁？”巨人说着，心中油然生出一种奇特的敬畏之情。他一下子跪在小男孩的面
前。
小男孩面带笑容地看着巨人说道：“你让我在你的花园中玩过一次。今天我要带你去我
的花园，那就是天堂。”
那天下午孩子们跑进花园的时候，他们看见巨人躺在那棵树下，已经死了，满身都盖着
白花。
the selfish giant
every afternoon； as they were ing from school； the children used
to go and play in the giants garden。
it was a large lovely garden； with soft green grass。 here and
there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars； and there
were twelve peach…trees that in the spring…time broke out into
delicate blossoms of pink and pearl； and in the autumn bore rich
fruit。 the birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the
children used to stop their games in order to listen to them。 〃how
happy we are here！〃 they cried to each other。
one day the giant came back。 he had been to visit his friend the
cornish ogre； and had stayed with him for seven years。 after the
seven years were over he had said all that he had to say； for his
conversation was limited； and he determined to return to his own
castle。 when he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden。
〃what are you doing here？〃 he cried in a very gruff voice； and the
children ran away。
〃my own garden is my own garden；〃 said the giant； 〃any one can
understand that； and i will allow nobody to play in it but myself。〃
so he built a high wall all round it； and put up a notice…board。
trespassers
will be
prosecuted
he was a very selfish giant。
the poor children had now nowhere to play。 they tried to play on
the road； but the road was very dusty and full of hard stones； and
they did not like it。 they used to wander round the high wall when
their lessons were over； and talk about the beautiful garden
inside。 〃how happy we were there；〃 they said to each other。
then the spring came； and all over the country there were little
blossoms and little birds。 only in the garden of the selfish giant
it was still winter。 the birds did not care to sing in it as there
were no children； and the trees forgot to blossom。 once a
beautiful flower put its head out from the grass； but when it saw
the notice…board it was so sorry for the children that it slipped
back into the ground again； and went off to sleep。 the only people
who were pleased were the snow and the frost。 〃spring has
forgotten this garden；〃 they cried； 〃so we will live here all the
year round。〃 the snow covered up the grass with her great white
cloak； and the frost painted all the trees silver。 then they
invited the north wind to stay with them； and he came。 he was
wrapped in furs； and he roared all day about the garden； and blew
the chimney…pots down。 〃this is a delightful spot；〃 he said； 〃we
must ask the hail on a visit。〃 so the hail came。 every day for
three hours he rattled on the roof of the castle till he broke most
of the slates； and then he ran round and round the garden as fast
as he could go。 he was dressed in grey； and his breath was like
ice。
〃i cannot understand why the spring is so late in ing；〃 said the
selfish giant； as he sat at the window and looked out at his cold
white garden； 〃i hope there will be a change in the weather。〃
but the spring never came； nor the summer。 the autumn gave golden
fruit to every garden； but to the giants garden she gave none。
〃he is too selfish；〃 she said。 so it was always winter there； and
the north wind； and the hail； and the frost； and the snow danced
about through the trees。
one morning the giant was lying awake in bed when he heard some
lovely music。 it sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought it
must be the kings musicians passing by。 it was really only a
little linnet singing outside his window； but it was so long since
he had heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed to him to be
the most beautiful music in the world。 then the hail stopped
dancing over his head； and the north wind ceased roaring； and a
delicious perfume came to him through the open casement。 〃i
believe the spring has e at last；〃 said the giant； and he jumped
out of bed and looked out。
what did he see？
he saw a most wonderful sight。 through a little hole in the wall
the children had crept in； and they were sitting in the branches of
the trees。 in every tree that he could see there was a little
child。 and the trees were so glad to have the children back again
that they had covered themselves with blossoms； and were waving
their arms gently above the childrens heads。 the birds were
flying about and twittering with delight； and the flowers were
looking up through the green grass and laughing。 it was a lovely
scene； only in one corner it was still winter。 it was the farthest
corner of the garden； and in it was standing a little boy。 he was
so small that he could not reach up to the branches of the tree；
and he was wandering all round it； crying bitterly。 the poor tree
was still quite covered with frost and snow； and the north wind was
blowing and roaring above it。 〃climb up！ little boy；〃 said the
tree； and it bent its branches down as low as it could； but the boy
was too tiny。
and the giants heart melted as he looked out。 〃how selfish i have
been！〃 he said； 〃now i know why the spring would not e here。 i
will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree； and then i
will knock down the wall； and my garden shall be the childrens
playground for ever and ever。〃 he was really very sorry for what
he had done。
so he crept downstairs and opened the front door quite softly； and
went out into the garden。 but when the children saw him they were
so frightened that they all ran away； and the garden became winter
again。 only the little boy did not run； for his eyes were so full
of tears that he did not see the giant ing。 and the giant stole
up behind him and took him gently in his hand； and put him up into
the tree。 and the tree broke at once into blossom； and the birds
came and sang on it； and the little boy stretched out his two arms
and flung them round the giants neck； and kissed him。 and the
other children； when they saw that the giant was not wicked any
longer； came running back； and with them came the spring。 〃it is
your garden now； little children；〃 said the giant； and he took a
great axe and knocked down the wall。 and when the people were
going to market at twelve oclock they found the giant playing with
the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen。
all day long they played； and in the e