-
Upon leaving school
Every afternoon, after leaving school, the children had gotten used to going to play in the giant's garden. It was a large and beautiful garden, covered in green and soft grass. Scattered on the grass, beautiful flowers shone like stars, and there were a dozen peaches that, in spring, were covered with delicate pink buds, and in autumn bore tasty fruit. -
In the giant's garden
One afternoon, they were playing hide and seek when they heard a very loud voice, what are you doing in my garden? said the giant, trembling with fear, the children were spying from their hiding places, from where they saw a very angry giant. He had decided to go home after living with his friend the ogre for seven years. -
The deserted garden
The snow and frost disappeared and the flowers stained the earth with colors. The trees were full of buds and the birds spread their songs across the fields, except in the giant's garden. There the snow and frost continued to freeze the bare branches of the trees. "Spring has not wanted to come to my garden," the giant wailed again and again. "My garden is a desert, sad and cold. -
I return the joy to the garden
One morning, the giant stayed in bed, sad and dejected. With surprise he heard the song of a blackbird. He ran to the window and was overjoyed. The snow and frost were gone, and all the trees were full of flowers. -
The children returned
In each tree a child was climbed. They had entered the garden through a hole in the wall and spring had followed them. A single child had failed to climb any tree and was crying bitterly because it was too small and did not even reach the lowest branch of the smallest tree. -
When spring came
Then spring came and all over the country there were birds and little flowers. Only in the garden of the selfish giant was it still winter. The birds, since there were no children, had no interest in singing and the trees forgot to bloom. On one occasion a pretty flower raised its head on the grass; but when he saw the poster he was so sad thinking about the children, that he dropped to the ground, going back to sleep. -
Selfishness
"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 I've built a high wall all round it, and put up a notice-board. 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. -
Winter of sadness
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. -
The arrival of spring
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 children's heads. The birds were flying about and twittering with delight, and the flowers were looking up through the green grass. -
The end of the giant
One winter morning he looked out the window while. Now she didn't hate winter, because she knew it was only spring asleep, and that the flowers were resting. Suddenly I rubbed his eyes in wonder, and looked and looked. It was certainly a wonderful sight. In the farthest corner of the garden was a tree completely covered in beautiful white flowers. Its branches were all golden, and the silver fruit hung from them, and underneath was the child he had loved.
