The Selfish Giant - Basil Rathbone

Every afternoon

As they were coming from school

The children used to go and play in the Giant's garden

It was a large lovely garden

With soft green grass

Here and there over the grass

Stood beautiful flowers like stars

And there were twelve peach-trees

That in the spring-time broke out

Into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl

And in the autumn bore rich fruit

The birds sat on the trees and sang so sweetly

That the children used to stop

Their games in order to listen to them

'How happy we are here ' they cried to each other

One day the Giant came back

He had been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre

And had stayed with him for seven years

After the seven years were over he had said all

That he had to say for his conversation was limited

And he determined to return to his own castle

When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden

What are you doing here

He cried in a very gruff voice

And the children ran away

My own garden is my own garden

Any one can understand that

And I will allow nobody to play in it but myself

So he built a high wall all round it

And put up a notice-board

Prespassers will be prosecuted

He was a very selfish Giant

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

They used to wander round the high wall

When their lessons were over

And talk about the beautiful garden inside

'How happy we were there

They said to each other

Then the Spring came

And all over the country there were little blossoms

And little birds

Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant

It was still Winter

The birds did not care to sing in it as

There were no children

And the trees forgot to blossom

Once a beautiful flower put it's head out

From the grass

But when it saw the notice-board

It was so sorry for the children

That it slipped back into the ground again

And went off to sleep

The only people

Who were pleased were the Snow

And the Frost

Spring has forgotten this garden they cried

So we will live here all the year round

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

And then he ran round and round the garden

As fast as he could go He was dressed in grey

And his breath was like ice

'I cannot understand

Why the Spring is so late in coming

Said the Selfish Giant

As he sat at the window

And looked out at his cold white garden

I hope there will be a change in the weather

But the Spring never came

Nor the Summer

The Autumn gave golden fruit to every garden

But to the Giant's garden she gave none

'He is too selfish ' she said

So it was always Winter there

And the North Wind and the Hail and the Frost

And the Snow danced about through the trees

One morning the Giant was lying awake in bed

When he heard some lovely music

It sounded so sweet to his ears

That he thought it must be

The King's musicians passing by

It was really only a little linnet singing outside his window

But it was so long

Since he had heard a bird sing in his garden

That it seemed to him to be

The most beautiful music in the world

Then the Hail stopped dancing over his head

And the North Wind ceased roaring

And a delicious perfume came to him

Through the open casement

I believe the Spring has come at last

Said the Giant;

And he jumped out of bed and looked out

What did he see

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 and laughing

It was a lovely scene

Only in one corner it was still Winter

It was the farthest corner of the garden

And in it was standing a little boy

He was so small that he could not reach up

To the branches of the tree

And he was wandering all round it

Crying bitterly

The poor tree was still quite covered

With frost and snow

And the North Wind was blowing and roaring above it

'Climb up little boy '

Said the Tree and it bent its branches down

As low as it could; but the little boy was too tiny

And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out

How selfish I have been ' he said

Now I know why the Spring would not come here

I will put that poor little boy on the top of the tree

And then I will knock down the wall

And my garden shall be the children's playground

For ever and ever

He was really very sorry for what he had done

So he crept downstairs

And opened the front door quite softly

And went out into the garden

But when the children saw him they were

So frightened that they all ran away

And the garden became Winter again

Only the little boy did not run

For his eyes were so full of tears

That he died not see the Giant coming

And the Giant stole up behind him

And took him gently in his hand

And put him up into the tree

And the tree broke at once into blossom

And the birds came and sang on it

And the little boy stretched out his two arms

And flung them round the Giant's neck

And kissed him And the other children

When they saw

That the Giant was not wicked any longer

Came running back

And with them came the Spring

It is your garden now little children

Said the Giant

And he took a great axe and knocked down the wall

And when the people were gong to market

At twelve o'clock they found the Giant playing

With the children in the most beautiful garden

They had ever seen

All day long they played

And in the evening they came to the Giant

To bid him good-bye

'But where is your little companion

He said the boy I put into the tree

The Giant loved him the best

Because he had kissed him

We don't know

Answered the children he has gone away

'You must tell him to be sure

And come here to-morrow

Said the Giant

But the children said

That they did not know where he lived

And had never seen him before

And the Giant felt very sad

Every afternoon when school was over

The children came and played with the Giant

But the little boy

Whom the Giant loved was never seen again

The Giant was very kind to all the children

Yet he longed for his first little friend

And often spoke of him

How I would like to see him

He used to say

Years went over

And the Giant grew very old and feeble

He could not play about any more

So he sat in a huge armchair

And watched the children at their games

And admired his garden

I have many beautiful flowers

He said but the children are

The most beautiful flowers of all '

One winter morning he looked out of

His window as he was dressing

He did not hate the Winter now

For he knew that it was merely the Spring asleep

And that the flowers were resting

Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder

And looked and looked

It certainly was a marvellous sight

In the farthest corner of the garden

Was a tree quite covered with lovely white blossoms

It's branches were all golden

And silver fruit hung down from them

And underneath it stood the little boy he had loved

Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy

And out into the garden

He hastened across the grass

And came near to the child

And when he came quite close

His face grew red with anger

And he said Who hath dared to wound thee

For on the palms of the child's hands

Were the prints of two nails

And the prints of two nails were on the little feet

Who hath dared to wound thee

'Tell me

That I may take my big sword and slay him

'Nay ' answered the child

But these are the wounds of Love

'Who art thou ' said the Giant

And a strange awe fell on him

And he knelt before the little child

And the child smiled on the Giant

And said to him

You let me play once in your garden

To-day you shall come with me to my garden

Which is Paradise '

And when the children ran in that afternoon

They found the Giant lying dead under the tree

All covered with white blossoms