Ｔｈｅ Ｓｅｌｆｉｓｈ Ｇｉａｎｔ（下篇）

★摘自英文薈萃網 http://www.ywhc.net/

So he went down: he opened the door very quietly， and went out into the garden. But， when the children saw him， they were afraid and ran away. Only the little boy did not run: his eyes were so full of tears(1) that he did not see the giant coming. The giant came quietly behind him. He took the little boy gently(2) in his hand and put him up into the tree. Then the tree was suddenly covered with flowers， and the birds came and sang in it， and the little boy put his arms round the giant’s neck and kissed him.

The other children saw that giant was not bad and selfish now， so they came running back.

“It’s your garden now， little children，” said the giant， and he pulled down the wall.

When the people were going along the road to the town， they found the giant playing with the children in the most beautiful garden they had ever seen.

The children played all day， and in the evening they came to the giant to say goodbye to him.

“But where is your little friend?” he said. “Where is the little boy I put in the tree?” The giant loved him best because the little boy had kissed him.

“We don’t know，” answered the children. “He has gone away.(3)”

“You must tell him to come tomorrow， he must come tomorrow.”“We don’t know where he lives. We had never seen him before.(4)” The giant felt very sad.

Every afternoon when school ended(5)， the children came and played with the giant. But the little boy the giant loved best was never seen again. The giant was very kind to all the children， but he did(6) want to see his first little friend. “How much I would like to see him!” he said.

Years went by， and the giant became very old and weak(7). He could not play in the garden now; so he sat in a big chair and watched the children at their games and looked at his beautiful garden. “I have many beautiful flowers，” he said， “but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.”

One morning， when he was dressing himself(8)， he looked out of the window. He did not hate(9) the winter now， because he knew that the spring was sleeping and the flowers were resting: he knew that they would come again.

Suddenly he rubbed(10) his eyes： he looked again at the wonderful sight! In the farthest corner of the garden there was a tree quietly covered with beautiful white flowers. Its branches were golden， and silver fruit hung down(11) from them. And the little boyhe loved best was standing under the tree.

He ran out into the garden； he hurried across the grass and came near the child. When he came quite close， his face became red with anger(12) and he said， “Who has dared to wound you?(13)” There were marks(14) on the child’s hands， and on the little feet.

“Who had dared to wound you?” cried the giant. “Tell me and I will take my sword(15) and kill him!”

“No，” said the child. “These are the wounds of love.”

“Who are you?” said the giant. He was afraid， and knelt(16) before the little child.

“You once let me play in your garden，” said the child. “Today you’ll come with me into my garden in heaven(17).”

When the children came into the garden on that afternoon， they found the giant lying(18) dead under the tree， covered with white flowers.(The End)

（1） tears 眼淚

（2） gently 溫和地

（3） He has gone away. 他已經

走了。

（4） We had never seen him before.

我們以前從未見過他。

（5） ended 結束

（6） 此處的did 表示強調，有“確實，的確”的意思。

（7） weak 虛弱

（8） dress himself 穿衣服

（9） hate 恨

（10）rubbed 擦拭

（11） hung down 懸掛下來

（12） anger怒氣

（13） “Who has dared to wound you?”誰敢傷害你？

（14） marks痕跡

（15） sword 劍

（16） knelt 跪下

（17） heaven天國

（18） lying 躺著