READING – TEXT SEVEN: The Devoted Friend

By: Oscar Wilde

Word or Phrase Meaning or Explanation

Elegant Attractive and showing a good sense of style
Foremost In a position at the front
Exponents A person who supports an idea, theory, etc. and persuades others that it is
good
Doctrine A belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, a political party, etc.
Aesthetic Concerned with beauty and art and the understanding of beautiful things
Dazzlingly Brilliantly
Earnest Very serious and sincere
Libel The act of printing a statement about somebody that is not true and that
gives people a bad opinion of them
Pose To ask a question especially one that needs serious thought
Overhear To hear, especially by accident, a conversation in which you are not involved
Alight To land in or on something after flying to it
Clergyman A male priest or minister in the Christian Church
Porridge A type of soft thick white food made by boiling oats in milk or water, eaten
hot, especially for breakfast
Temptations The desire to do or have something that you know is bad or wrong
Sternly Serious and often disapproving; expecting somebody to obey you
Scarlet Bright red in colour
Essence The most important quality or feature of something, that makes it what it is
Sluggish Moving, reacting or working more slowly than normal and in a way that
seems lazy
Mend To repair something that has been damaged or broken so that it can be used
again
Timid Shy and nervous; not brave
Errands A job that you do for somebody that involves going somewhere to take a
message, to buy something, deliver goods, etc.
Rap A quick sharp hit or knock
Trudge To walk slowly or with heavy steps, because you are tired or carrying
something heavy
Torrents A large amount of water moving very quickly
Moor A high open area of land that is not used for farming, especially an area
covered with rough grass and heather
Funeral A ceremony usually a religious one, for burying or cremating a dead person
Whisk To stir
 Short Questions and Answers
Q.1 When do we first suspect that the Miller was not really a very good friend to Hans?
Ans. Hugh the Miller is a wealthy man. He claims that he is the best friend of poor little Hans.
Hans himself accepts Miller’s claim and shows his satisfaction and joy for the ‘blessing’. Miller
assertion to his wife creates suspicion in our mind, “There is no good in my going to see little
Hans as long as the snow lasts, for when people are in trouble, they should be left alone and not
be bothered by visitors.” It is generally believed that if a person is in trouble his friend must go
and console him and try to help him in his distress. It is believed to be the proof of true
friendship. But the Miller’s statement does not proof him a good friend to Hans.

Q.2 How did Miller justify his not asking Hans to share some of his good things during the winter?
Ans. The Millers youngest son, as soon as he heard that Hans is in trouble, offered to call
Hans to their house and to share with Hans half his porridge. This offer infuriated the Miller. He
claimed that if Hans went to his house and saw his warm fire and good supper and the great
cask of red wine, he would become jealous. It would certainly destroy Hans’ nature that the
Miller would never allow. He further claimed that Hans might ask him to lend some flour; but
the Miller would not give him because ‘flour’ is one thing and ‘friendship’ is another. We should
not mix up these different ideas together because these have different meaning and spelling.

Q.3 How did the Miller justify his rebuke to Hans for staying in bed a little later than usual after his
tiring expedition to the market?
Ans. The Miller came to collect money from Hans for the sack of flour that Hans sold for the
Miller in the market yesterday. Hans was so tired that he was still in the bed. The Miller harshly
criticized Hans for his laziness. The Miller said, “Idleness is a great sin.” He again reminded Hans
that he was going to give him his wheelbarrow so Hans should work hard. He argued that people
are generally not sincere, so they say charming things and try to please and to flatter, but a true
friend never minds giving pain in order to rectify the mistake of a friend. He claimed that as he
was his best friend, so he would always take care of Hans not to be involved in any destructive
activity.

Q.4 What was the supreme manifestation of the Miller’s selfishness which caused Hans to lose his
life?
Ans. One stormy night the Miller came to Hans house. He seemed worried because his son had fallen
down from a ladder and got hurt. The Miller wanted Hans to go and call in the doctor. The
doctor lived far away. The night was very dark, so Hans asked the Miller to give him the lantern
he was carrying, so that he could keep himself away from ditches. But the Miller refused to give
him the lantern because it was his new lantern and it would be a great loss to him if anything
had happened to the lantern. Hans was so devoted that he did not mind the refusal of the Miller
and went on bravely. He reached the doctor’s house and sent him to the Miller’s house. At last,
when he was trying to return to his house, he lost his way and drowned in a deep hole in the
moor because he could see nothing in the darkness.
 THE DEVOTED FRIEND
MCQ’s

1. The mother duck was teaching the little ducks:

○ how to swim ○ how to stand
○ how to sit ○ how to stand on their heads in
water
2. According to the water rat in ‘The Devoted Friend’ nothing is nobler and rarer than
○ friendship ○ love
○ kindness ○ sympathy
3. Little Hans used to live in a tiny cottage and everyday worked in his:
○ mill ○ garden
○ hospital ○ club
4. Little Hans has grown in his garden different kinds of:
○ fruits ○ vegetables
○ herbs ○ flowers
5. The most devoted friend of little Hans was:
○ the Miller ○ the Carpenter
○ the Cobbler ○ the Linnet
6. According to the Miller, when people are in trouble they should be:
○ left alone ○ helped
○ sympathized ○ visited
7. Hans was going to sell the primroses to Burgomaster’s daughter to get back his:
○ basket ○ spade
○ wristwatch ○ wheelbarrow
8. In return of wheelbarrow, the Miller asked the little Hans to give him:
○ daffodils ○ sweet cherries
○ a plank of wood ○ silver buttons
9. The Miller did not lend little Hans the lantern because it was:
○ new ○ in poor condition
○ very old ○ an ancestral lantern
10. In the story water rat symbolizes:
○ little Hans ○ The Miller
○ Mother Duck ○ Linnet
11. Which one of the following books is not written by Oscar Wilde:
○ An Ideal Husband ○ Lady Windermer’s Fan
○ The Importance of being Earnest ○ Let Your Mind Alone
12. Oscar Wilde was one of the foremost exponents of the doctrine of:
○ art for art’s sake ○ art for ethics’ sake
○ art for artist’s sake ○ art for people’s sake
13. The story of ‘The Devoted Friend’ has been narrated by:
○ the water rat ○ the yellow canaries
○ the duck ○ the green Linnet
14. Which one of these is not the name of a flower?
○ Sweet-Williams ○ Shepherd’s-purses
○ Cowslip ○ Cauliflower
15. Miller says that ‘friendship’ and ‘flour’ are different because they have different:
○ meaning ○ spelling
○ both ○ none
16. According to the critic the new method of telling stories is to arrange the beginning,
middle and end of the story in the following order:
○ beginning, middle, end ○ middle, end, beginning
○ end, middle, beginning ○ end, beginning, middle
17. During the winter Hans has to sell out his wheelbarrow, silver chain,:
○ silver button and big pipe ○ silver button and small pipe
○ gold button and big pipe ○ gold button and small pipe
18. Miller asked for the plank to repair the whole in the roof of his:
○ barn ○ house
○ mill ○ church
19. Miller said that he doesn’t like any of his friends to be idle or:
○ envious ○ liar
○ sluggish ○ unfriendly
20. Oscar Wilde claims it a dangerous thing to tell a story with:
○ meaning ○ background
○ moral ○ a song

********************************