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