The Devoted Friend, Oscar Wilde

(a nightcafe.studio creation with my own keywords)

Over the weekend I had found myself facing an errand that would take me about an hour drive away from where I would normally be. It was a full day, what with that drive, collecting items, coming home again, spending the afternoon in the theatre rehearsing for our upcoming portrayal of Reasons to be Pretty, and then helping people move furniture that evening.

Strangely, I found myself not in the mood to listen to music during the drive. Normally, particularly when driving on the highway, I'd get an album or two queued up and turn the volume up loud. I was just not in the mood for it, however, so I decided instead to find some audio books to listen to. I have, after all, been making a concentrated effort to read me, and this almost counts.

I ended up finding an audio book series of Stephen Fry reading a collection of short stories for children written by Oscar Wilde. If ever there was a combination needing to happen, this was certainly it.

The first story of the number read was entitled The Devoted Friend. It was actually difficult to listen to, not because the recording was bad, but because it was surprisingly dark.

The story is about a good natured villager, "Little Hans," who loved to spend his day working his garden.

In all the country-side there was no garden so lovely as his. Sweet-william grew there, and Gilly-flowers, and Shepherds’-purses, and Fair-maids of France. There were damask Roses, and yellow Roses, lilac Crocuses, and gold, purple Violets and white. Columbine and Ladysmock, Marjoram and Wild Basil, the Cowslip and the Flower-de-luce, the Daffodil and the Clove-Pink bloomed or blossomed in their proper order as the months went by, one flower taking another flower’s place, so that there were always beautiful things to look at, and pleasant odours to smell.

This is a garden that I would like to be in! As it turns out, Little Hans' "best friend," was big "Hugh the Miller." The difference between the two men can not be understated: whereas Hans was lithe, frugal, and content to tend his garden, Hugh was large, lavish, rich, and content to let others do his work for him. Hans would spend his day working hard in his garden and, whenever Hugh would come by with a basket and reach over the fence to grab plums, or flowers, or herbs, Hans would smile at his friend who would say "Real friends should have everything in common." Hans was very pleased to have a friend with such lofty ideals.

Ultimately winter came and Hans found it difficult. He did not make much money and ended up having to sell his belongings, including his wheelbarrow. Hugh the Miller, meanwhile, had it easy in his large house and, when asked if he would go see Hans, replied that he shouldn't go visit his friend during these difficult months, because "when people are in trouble they should be left alone, and not be bothered by visitors". Indeed, when Hugh finally went to visit Hans in the spring, it was not to check on his friend, but to gather a great deal of flowers, the sharing of which would surely make Hans pleased.

Through a series of discussions and interactions, and needing a wheelbarrow, Hugh offered his own broken wheelbarrow to Hans in exchange for a wooden plank, and then roof repairs, and then to take some wheat to town to sell, all on the grounds that "I am, after all, about to give you my wheel barrow, and good friends should be happy to help without question."

Ultimately, in the guise of helping Hugh, Hans dies by drowning in a bog.

Like I said. Very dark.

Oscar Wilde was really a master of irony and sarcasm, and it comes through so very well in this short story. Wilde was no stranger to scandal or scandalous behaviour, and he was well familiar with criticising and antagonising current society, and this particular story really digs into the relationship between the bourgeoisie and proletariat and the idea that the proletariat should be happy - always - to do what the bourgeoisie requires of them. Trickle Down, anyone? Wilde was well ahead of his time.

I remember my father used to tell me that if someone is willing to give you a job, then you should do your best at it, which is legit (it's always wise to perform your best), but his additional advice always revolved around somehow "owing" the employer for employing them. "Beats a kick in the ass," my mother used to say. Or "Beggars can't be choosers." Well ahead of his time, Wilde warned against just this mentality.

About Me

Sometimes photographer. Wannabe author. Game designer. Nerd. 
General all around problem-solver and creative type.

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