人人有本用

Cornelius was tired from the long journey, but he looked out of the window of the carriage at the people.

"Why are there so many people in the square?" he asked. "Is it a feast of flowers?"

"Yes, it is the greast Feast of the Flowers," said the officer. "Today a prize will be given for the Black Tulip."

Cornelius asked to let him have a look. He was given the permission to get down to see the tulip.

Cornelius was led by four soldiers towards the Black Tulip. The nearer he came to it , the more excited he became.

At last he saw it --the flower which he could see once and never again. A line of beautiful girls stood round it. It was wonderful-- a wonderful flower; yet the more he looked at it, the sadder he felt. He looked round to see anyone of whom he might ask one question--"Who is sthe happy grower of that lovely thing?"

Then the Price stood up. As he looked out over the crowed he saw only three people. In front of him he saw Boxtel eagerly watching him, and the money. To his right he saw Cornelius with eyes, his heart, his life, his love fixed upon the tulip. And to the left stood Rosa, dressed as a bride, but there was tears in her eyes.

The Prince spoke calmly and quickly; the fifty thousand people listened.

"You all know the reason for which we are present today. A prize of one hundred thousand guliders has been offered to anyone who can grow a black tulip. The story of how it was grown and the name of the grower will be written in the Book of Honour of his city, -- Now let the owner of the tulip come forward."

The Prince look at the three people standing among the crowd-- Boxtel, Cornelius, Rosa. Boxtel ran forward, pushing people away from his path then stopped. Then he saw the officer who was charge of Rosa lead the girl away.

Boxtel's face was red with anger. Counelius cried out with joy, "Rosa! Rosa!"

"This tulip is yours, is it not, my child?" said the Price.

"Yes, sir," said Rosa.

"Oh!" cried Boxtel, "all is lost!"

"This tulip", continued the Prince, "is named 'The Black Tulip of Rosa Baerle', as Rosa Baerle will be the future name of this lady."

Cornelius rushed forward, wild with joy.

The Prince took Rosa's hand and put it in Cornelius Van Baerle's hand.

At the same moment a man fell to the ground. It was Boxtel. All his hopes was gone! They raised him up.He was quite dead.

But the feast went on.

Music played and the Flower-growers and the lords and judges and great men marched out of the square, and among them were Rosa and Cornelius, walking hand in hand. They came to the Town Hall; there the Prince stopped.

The Prince pointed to the bag of one hundred thousand guilders which was being carried beside the tulip.

"It is difficult," said the Prince, " to judge by whom this money was gained --by you, or by Rosa. You, Cornelius Van Baerle, found the bulb, but she grew it and brought it into flower. I shall give the money to her at her marriage. The money is a prize given to her, not only for growing the tulip, but for her honesty and bravery."

The Prince turned to Cornelius,

"You have to thank Rosa not only for growing the tulip, but also for proving that you should now be set free from prison. You were put in prison for a thing which you did not do. Your house, land and money will also be given back to you."

The two lovers knelt down before the Prince.

"Ah," said the Prince sadly, "you are happy, happier than I, your Prince, can never be. I dream of the greatness of Holland; you dream of its beauty and its real greatness-- the beauty of its flowers."

He got into his carriage and drove away.

And so the story ends.

Cornelius and Rosa were married; they had two beautiful children, and many beautiful tulips. And oly Gryphus wass sthe gardener. He kept the tulips as a prison-keeper keeps his prisoners: the flowers stood up in staight rows as he marched up and down giving then their water, and no cat ever dared to come near his garden.

Over the door of the house in which Cornelius and Rosa lived there words aare written:

"Those who have suffered much, have a right to be happy."

That is the end of the story.

¿Alguna persona habla inglés?


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