Little Hans had many friends, but the
most devoted friend was big Hugh the Miller and Hans always gave his friend a
handful of sweet herbs or plums and cherries in the fruit season. Hans felt very proud of having a very clever friend. Rich Miller gave little Hans nothing anything. But he had a hundred sacks of flour, six
milk cows, and a large stock of woolly sheep. In spring, summer, and autumn Hans was
happy, because he had some food, but when the winter came, and he had nothing to
bring to the market, he suffered from cold and hunger, and
often had to go to bed without any supper.And he was lonely, as the Miller
never came to visit him. His friend Miller often said to his wife, that when people were in trouble they should be left
alone and needed nobody. It was his idea about
friendship.And only Miller's youngest son told his parents one day that if
poor Hans was in trouble he wouldl give him half his porridge, and showed him his white rabbits.