hesawamoswonderfulsighhroughalileholeinhewallhechildrenhadcrepin,andheyweresiinginhebranchesofhereesineveryreehahecouldseeherewasalilechildandhereesweresogdohavehechildrenbackagainhaheyhadcoveredhemselveswihblossoms,andwerewavingheirarmsgenlyabovehechildren’sheadshebirdswereflyingabouandwieringwihdeligh,andheflowerswerelookinguphroughhegreengrassandughingiwasalovelyscene,onlyinonecorneriwassillwineriwashefarhescornerofhegarden,andiniwassandingalileboyhewassosmallhahecouldnoreachupohebranchesofheree,andhewaswanderingallroundi,cryingbierlyhepoorreewassillquiecoveredwihfrosandsnow,andhenorhwindwasblowingandroaringabovei“climbup!lileboy,”saidheree,andibenisbranchesdownaslowasicould;buheboywasooiny

andhegian’shearmeledashelookedou“howselfishihavebeen!”hesaid;“nowiknowwhyhespringwouldnocomehereiwillpuhapoorlileboyonheopofheree,andheniwillknockdownhewall,andmygardenshallbehechildren’spygroundforeverandever”hewasreallyverysorryforwhahehaddone

sohecrepdownsairsandopenedhefrondoorquiesofly,andwenouinohegardenbuwhenhechildrensawhimheyweresofrighenedhaheyallranaway,andhegardenbecamewineragainonlyhelileboydidnorun,forhiseyesweresofullofearshahedidnoseehegiancomingandhegiansoleupbehindhimandookhimgenlyinhishand,andpuhimupinohereeandhereebrokeaonceinoblossom,andhebirdscameandsangoni,andhelileboysrechedouhiswoarmsandflunghemroundhegian’sneck,andkissedhimandheoherchildren,whenheysawhahegianwasnowickedanylonger,cameru

ingback,andwihhemcamehespring“iisyourgardennow,lilechildren,”saidhegian,andheookagreaaxeandknockeddownhewallandwhenhepeopleweregoingomarkeawelveo’clockheyfoundhegianpyingwihhechildreninhemosbeauifulgardenheyhadeverseen

alldaylongheypyed,andinheeveningheycameohegianobidhimgoodbye

“buwhereisyourlilecompanion?”hesaid:“heboyipuinoheree”hegianlovedhimhebesbecausehehadkissedhim

“wedon’know,”answeredhechildren;“hehasgoneaway”

“youmusellhimobesureandcomehereomorrow,”saidhegianbuhechildrensaidhaheydidnoknowwherehelived,andhadneverseenhimbefore;andhegianfelverysad

everyafernoon,whenschoolwasover,hechildrencameandpyedwihhegian

buhelileboywhomhegianlovedwasneverseenagainhegianwasverykindoallhechildren,yehelongedforhisfirslilefriend,andofenspokeofhim

“howiwouldlikeoseehim!”heusedosay

yearswenover,andhegiangrewveryoldandfeeblehecouldnopyabouanymore,sohesainahugearmchair,andwachedhechildrenaheirgames,andadmiredhisgarden“ihavemanybeauifulflowers,”hesaid;“buhechildrenarehemosbeauifulflowersofall”

onewinermorninghelookedouofhiswindowashewasdressinghedidnohaehewinernow,forheknewhaiwasmerelyhespringasleep,andhaheflowerswereresing

suddenlyherubbedhiseyesinwonder,andlookedandlookedicerainlywasamarvelloussighinhefarhescornerofhegardenwasareequiecoveredwihlovelywhieblossomsisbrancheswereallgolden,andsilverfruihungdownfromhem,andunderneahisoodhelileboyhehadloved

downsairsranhegianingreajoy,andouinohegardenhehasenedacrosshegrass,andcamenearohechildandwhenhecamequieclosehisfacegrewredwihanger,andhesaid,“whohahdaredowoundhee?”foronhepalmsofhechild’shandswereheprinsofwonails,andheprinsofwonailswereonhelilefee

“whohahdaredowoundhee?”criedhegian;“ellme,haimayakemybigswordandsyhim”

“nay!”answeredhechild;“buhesearehewoundsoflove”

“whoarhou?”saidhegian,andasrangeawefellonhim,andheknelbeforehelilechild

andhechildsmiledonhegian,andsaidohim,“youlemepyonceinyourgarden,odayyoushallcomewihmeomygarden,whichisparadise”

andwhenhechildrenraninhaafernoon,heyfoundhegianlyingdeadunderheree,allcoveredwihwhieblossoms