The Selfish Giant short story Learn English through story level 2

the selfish giant

when the giant went away for seven years

the children played in his garden every

afternoon

on their way back from school it was a

large and lovely garden

beautiful flowers grew in the grass and

there were 12 fruit trees

in the spring the fruit trees were

covered with red and white

flowers and later in the year wonderful

fruit grew on them

the birds sang sweetly in the trees

sometimes the children stopped their

games and listened to them

we are so happy here they said

then one day the giant came back he saw

the children playing in his garden

what are you doing here he shouted in a

very loud

voice the children ran away

my garden is my garden said the giant

no one can play in it only me

so he built a high wall around it and

put up a notice

keep out he was a very selfish giant

so the children had nowhere to play

they tried to play on the road but the

road was dirty and full of hard stones

and they did not like it after their

lessons

they walked round the giant’s high wall

and talked about the beautiful garden

inside

we were so happy there they said

the spring came and there were flowers

and little birds all over the country

but in the garden of the selfish giant

it was still winter

the birds did not sing in it because

there were no children

the trees forgot to grow flowers

snow covered the grass and ice covered

the trees with silver

the north wind came and the rain

i cannot understand why the spring is

so late said the selfish giant

he was sitting at the window of his

house and looking out at his cold

white garden i hope there will be a

change in the weather

but the spring never came and the summer

did not come

when there was golden fruit in every

other garden there was no

fruit in the giant’s garden it was

always winter there

with the north wind and snow and ice

and rain

the giant was lying in bed one morning

when he heard some beautiful music

a little bird was singing outside his

window

it was the first bird song in the garden

for a very long time

and it seemed to him the most beautiful

music in the world

then the north wind and the rain stopped

i believe that spring has come at last

said the giant he jumped out of bed

and looked out his garden was

full of children they were coming in

through a hole in the wall

and were climbing up into the trees the

giant saw a little child in every tree

the trees were glad to have the children

back

they were covered with flowers again the

birds were flying around and singing

with happiness

and flowers were looking up through the

green grass

a very small boy was standing in the far

corner of the garden

he could not reach up to climb his tree

he was walking round it and crying

that tree was still covered with ice and

snow

i have been very selfish

said the giant now i know why the spring

did not come here

i will put the little boy into the tree

then i will pull down the wall and my

garden will be a children’s playground

forever

he was really sorry about his unkindness

so he went down open the door very

quietly

and went out into the garden but when

the children saw him

they were afraid all the children ran

away

except the little boy his eyes were full

of tears

and he did not see the giant the giant

came quietly behind him

he took the little boy carefully 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

the little boy put his arms round the

giant’s neck and kissed him

the other children saw that the giant

was not bad and selfish now

they came running back it is your garden

now

little children fled the giant

and he pulled down the wall

when people walked along the road to the

town they could see into the garden

they saw the giant playing with the

children

that is a beautiful garden they said

the children played all day 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 that i put into

the tree

the giant loved him best because the

little boy kissed him

we do not know answered the children

he has gone away you must tell him to

come

tomorrow he must come tomorrow

but the children said we do not know

where he lives

we only met him today the giant felt

very sad

every afternoon after school the

children came and played with the giant

but the giant’s favorite little boy did

not come back again

the giant was very kind to the other

children but he wanted to see his first

little friend

i would really like to see him he

thought

years passed and the giant became very

old and weak

he could not play in the garden now so

he sat in a big chair and watched the

children’s games

and looked at his garden i have

many beautiful flowers he said but the

most beautiful flowers

are the children

one morning when he was dressing himself

he looked out of the window

it was winter but he did not hate the

winter now

the spring was only sleeping and the

flowers were only resting

he waited happily for them to come again

suddenly he opened his eyes wide

he looked and looked again something

wonderful was happening

in the far corner of the garden a tree

was covered with beautiful white flowers

the tree was golden and silver fruit

hung down from it

and the little boy was standing under

the tree

the giant ran out into the garden and he

hurried across the grass to the child

then his face became red and angry

who has hurt you he said there was blood

on the child’s hands

and on his little feet who has hurt you

cried the giant tell me and i will kill

him

no said the child this pain

is the pain of love

who are you asked the giant

he was afraid and went down on his knees

in front of the little child

you help me to play in your garden

said the child today you will come with

me

to my garden in the sky

that afternoon the children came into

the garden

they found the giant lying dead under

the tree

he was covered with white flowers

you