“Little Hans had a great many friends, but the most devoted friend of all was big Hugh the Miller.
“小汉斯有许多朋友,但是最忠实的朋友只有磨坊主大休。
Indeed, so devoted was the rich Miller to little Hans,
的确,有钱的磨坊主对小汉斯是非常忠实的,
that he would never go by his garden without leaning over the wall and plucking a large nosegay,
每次他从小汉斯的花园经过总要从围墙上俯过身去摘上一大束鲜花,或者摘上一把香草。
or a handful of sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with plums and cherries if it was the fruit season.
遇到硕果累累的季节,他就会往口袋里装满李子和樱桃。
“Real friends should have everything in common,’ the Miller used to say,
“磨坊主时常对小汉斯说,‘真正的朋友应该共享一切。’
and little Hans nodded and smiled, and felt very proud of having a friend with such noble ideas.
小汉斯微笑着点点头,他为自己有一位思想如此崇高的朋友而深感骄傲。
“Sometimes, indeed, the neighbours thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave little Hans anything in return,
“的确,有时候邻居们也感到奇怪,有钱的磨坊主从来没有给过小汉斯任何东西作为回报,
though he had a hundred sacks of flour stored away in his mill, and six milch cows, and a large flock of woolly sheep;
尽管他在自己的磨坊里存放了一百袋面粉,还有六头奶牛和一大群绵羊。
but Hans never troubled his head about these things,
不过,小汉斯从没有为这些事而动过脑筋,
and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful things the Miller used to say about the unselfishness of true friendship.
再说经常听磨坊主对他谈起那些不自私的真正友谊的美妙故事,对小汉斯来说,没有比听到这些更让他快乐的了。