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10/03/2017 TheSelfishGiant

TheSelfishGiant
byOscarWilde(/author/oscarwilde/biobooksstories)

TheSelfishGiantwasfirstpublishedin1888aspartofOscarWilde'scollectionofchildren'sstoriesentitledTheHappyPrinceandOtherTales.Thatcollection
ofchildren'sstoriesalsoincludes:TheHappyPrince(https://americanliterature.com/author/oscarwilde/shortstory/thehappyprince),TheNightingale
andtheRose(https://americanliterature.com/author/oscarwilde/shortstory/thenightingaleandtherose),TheDevotedFriend
(https://americanliterature.com/author/oscarwilde/shortstory/thedevotedfriend),andTheRemarkableRocket
(https://americanliterature.com/author/oscarwilde/shortstory/theremarkablerocket).

Everyafternoon,astheywerecomingfromschool,thechildrenusedtogo
andplayintheGiant'sgarden.

Itwasalargelovelygarden,withsoftgreengrass.Hereandthereoverthe
grassstoodbeautifulflowerslikestars,andthereweretwelvepeachtrees
thatinthespringtimebrokeoutintodelicateblossomsofpinkandpearl,and
intheautumnborerichfruit.Thebirdssatonthetreesandsangsosweetly
thatthechildrenusedtostoptheirgamesinordertolistentothem."How
happywearehere!"theycriedtoeachother.

OnedaytheGiantcameback.HehadbeentovisithisfriendtheCornish
ogre,andhadstayedwithhimforsevenyears.Afterthesevenyearswere
overhehadsaidallthathehadtosay,forhisconversationwaslimited,and
hedeterminedtoreturntohisowncastle.Whenhearrivedhesawthe
childrenplayinginthegarden.

"Whatareyoudoinghere?"hecriedinaverygruffvoice,andthechildrenran
away.

"Myowngardenismyowngarden,"saidtheGiant"anyonecanunderstandthat,andIwillallownobodytoplayinitbutmyself."
Sohebuiltahighwallallroundit,andputupanoticeboard.

TRESPASSERS
WILLBE
PROSECUTED

HewasaveryselfishGiant.

Thepoorchildrenhadnownowheretoplay.Theytriedtoplayontheroad,buttheroadwasverydustyandfullofhardstones,and
theydidnotlikeit.Theyusedtowanderroundthehighwallwhentheirlessonswereover,andtalkaboutthebeautifulgarden
inside."Howhappywewerethere,"theysaidtoeachother.

ThentheSpringcame,andalloverthecountrytherewerelittleblossomsandlittlebirds.OnlyinthegardenoftheSelfishGiantit
wasstillwinter.Thebirdsdidnotcaretosinginitastherewerenochildren,andthetreesforgottoblossom.Onceabeautiful
flowerputitsheadoutfromthegrass,butwhenitsawthenoticeboarditwassosorryforthechildrenthatitslippedbackintothe
groundagain,andwentofftosleep.TheonlypeoplewhowerepleasedweretheSnowandtheFrost."Springhasforgottenthis
garden,"theycried,"sowewillliveherealltheyearround."TheSnowcoveredupthegrasswithhergreatwhitecloak,andthe
Frostpaintedallthetreessilver.ThentheyinvitedtheNorthWindtostaywiththem,andhecame.Hewaswrappedinfurs,andhe
roaredalldayaboutthegarden,andblewthechimneypotsdown."Thisisadelightfulspot,"hesaid,"wemustasktheHailona
visit."SotheHailcame.Everydayforthreehoursherattledontheroofofthecastletillhebrokemostoftheslates,andthenhe
ranroundandroundthegardenasfastashecouldgo.Hewasdressedingrey,andhisbreathwaslikeice.

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"IcannotunderstandwhytheSpringissolateincoming,"saidtheSelfishGiant,ashesatatthewindowandlookedoutathiscold
whitegarden"Ihopetherewillbeachangeintheweather."

ButtheSpringnevercame,northeSummer.TheAutumngavegoldenfruittoeverygarden,buttotheGiant'sgardenshegave
none."Heistooselfish,"shesaid.SoitwasalwaysWinterthere,andtheNorthWind,andtheHail,andtheFrost,andtheSnow
dancedaboutthroughthetrees.

OnemorningtheGiantwaslyingawakeinbedwhenheheardsomelovelymusic.Itsoundedsosweettohisearsthathethought
itmustbetheKing'smusicianspassingby.Itwasreallyonlyalittlelinnetsingingoutsidehiswindow,butitwassolongsincehe
hadheardabirdsinginhisgardenthatitseemedtohimtobethemostbeautifulmusicintheworld.ThentheHailstoppeddancing
overhishead,andtheNorthWindceasedroaring,andadeliciousperfumecametohimthroughtheopencasement."Ibelievethe
Springhascomeatlast,"saidtheGiantandhejumpedoutofbedandlookedout.

Whatdidhesee?

Hesawamostwonderfulsight.Throughalittleholeinthewallthechildrenhadcreptin,andtheyweresittinginthebranchesof
thetrees.Ineverytreethathecouldseetherewasalittlechild.Andthetreesweresogladtohavethechildrenbackagainthat
theyhadcoveredthemselveswithblossoms,andwerewavingtheirarmsgentlyabovethechildren'sheads.Thebirdswereflying
aboutandtwitteringwithdelight,andtheflowerswerelookingupthroughthegreengrassandlaughing.Itwasalovelyscene,only
inonecorneritwasstillwinter.Itwasthefarthestcornerofthegarden,andinitwasstandingalittleboy.Hewassosmallthathe
couldnotreachuptothebranchesofthetree,andhewaswanderingallroundit,cryingbitterly.Thepoortreewasstillquite
coveredwithfrostandsnow,andtheNorthWindwasblowingandroaringaboveit."Climbup!littleboy,"saidtheTree,anditbent
itsbranchesdownaslowasitcouldbuttheboywastootiny.

AndtheGiant'sheartmeltedashelookedout."HowselfishIhavebeen!"hesaid"nowIknowwhytheSpringwouldnotcome
here.Iwillputthatpoorlittleboyonthetopofthetree,andthenIwillknockdownthewall,andmygardenshallbethechildren's
playgroundforeverandever."Hewasreallyverysorryforwhathehaddone.

Sohecreptdownstairsandopenedthefrontdoorquitesoftly,andwentoutintothegarden.Butwhenthechildrensawhimthey
weresofrightenedthattheyallranaway,andthegardenbecamewinteragain.Onlythelittleboydidnotrun,forhiseyeswereso
fulloftearsthathedidnotseetheGiantcoming.AndtheGiantstoleupbehindhimandtookhimgentlyinhishand,andputhim
upintothetree.Andthetreebrokeatonceintoblossom,andthebirdscameandsangonit,andthelittleboystretchedouthistwo
armsandflungthemroundtheGiant'sneck,andkissedhim.Andtheotherchildren,whentheysawthattheGiantwasnotwicked
anylonger,camerunningback,andwiththemcametheSpring."Itisyourgardennow,littlechildren,"saidtheGiant,andhetooka
greataxeandknockeddownthewall.Andwhenthepeopleweregoingtomarketattwelveo'clocktheyfoundtheGiantplaying
withthechildreninthemostbeautifulgardentheyhadeverseen.

Alldaylongtheyplayed,andintheeveningtheycametotheGianttobidhimgoodbye.

"Butwhereisyourlittlecompanion?"hesaid:"theboyIputintothetree."TheGiantlovedhimthebestbecausehehadkissed
him.

"Wedon'tknow,"answeredthechildren"hehasgoneaway."

"Youmusttellhimtobesureandcomeheretomorrow,"saidtheGiant.Butthechildrensaidthattheydidnotknowwherehelived,
andhadneverseenhimbeforeandtheGiantfeltverysad.

Everyafternoon,whenschoolwasover,thechildrencameandplayedwiththeGiant.ButthelittleboywhomtheGiantlovedwas
neverseenagain.TheGiantwasverykindtoallthechildren,yethelongedforhisfirstlittlefriend,andoftenspokeofhim."HowI
wouldliketoseehim!"heusedtosay.

Yearswentover,andtheGiantgrewveryoldandfeeble.Hecouldnotplayaboutanymore,sohesatinahugearmchair,and
watchedthechildrenattheirgames,andadmiredhisgarden."Ihavemanybeautifulflowers,"hesaid"butthechildrenarethe
mostbeautifulflowersofall."

Onewintermorninghelookedoutofhiswindowashewasdressing.HedidnothatetheWinternow,forheknewthatitwas
merelytheSpringasleep,andthattheflowerswereresting.

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Suddenlyherubbedhiseyesinwonder,andlookedandlooked.Itcertainlywasamarvelloussight.Inthefarthestcornerofthe
gardenwasatreequitecoveredwithlovelywhiteblossoms.Itsbrancheswereallgolden,andsilverfruithungdownfromthem,
andunderneathitstoodthelittleboyhehadloved.

DownstairsrantheGiantingreatjoy,andoutintothegarden.Hehastenedacrossthegrass,andcameneartothechild.And
whenhecamequiteclosehisfacegrewredwithanger,andhesaid,"Whohathdaredtowoundthee?"Foronthepalmsofthe
child'shandsweretheprintsoftwonails,andtheprintsoftwonailswereonthelittlefeet.

"Whohathdaredtowoundthee?"criedtheGiant"tellme,thatImaytakemybigswordandslayhim."

"Nay!"answeredthechild"butthesearethewoundsofLove."

"Whoartthou?"saidtheGiant,andastrangeawefellonhim,andhekneltbeforethelittlechild.

AndthechildsmiledontheGiant,andsaidtohim,"Youletmeplayonceinyourgarden,todayyoushallcomewithmetomy
garden,whichisParadise."

Andwhenthechildrenraninthatafternoon,theyfoundtheGiantlyingdeadunderthetree,allcoveredwithwhiteblossoms.

TheSelfishGiantwasfeaturedasTheShortStoryoftheDay(/shortstoryoftheday)onTue,Jan17,2017

Thisstoryisincludedinourcollectionof50FeelGoodStories(/50feelgoodstories).

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