# Little Hans — Children’s Stories character guide

> Little Hans in Children’s Stories by Oscar Wilde.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Hans, little Hans, Poor little Hans

**First appearance:** 0003-the-devoted-friend

## Snapshot

A cheerful gardener with a flourishing plot and a generous heart, who cannot see that his best friend the Miller is bleeding him dry.

## Who they are

Little Hans works his garden through every season, sharing flowers and fruit freely, and speaks of the rich Miller with unshakable devotion. The Miller talks beautifully about friendship while taking Hans's time, his wheelbarrow, and his last strength, and Hans mistakes the flattery for love. His inability to name the exploitation is what makes the Linnet's tale so quietly devastating.

## In the story

### [The Nightingale and the Rose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/children_s_stories_se/chapters/the-nightingale-and-the-rose)

Not present in this chapter.

### [The Devoted Friend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/children_s_stories_se/chapters/the-devoted-friend)

The devoted friend who is exploited by the Miller; he works hard, gives away his flowers, and ultimately drowns while running an errand.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/children_s_stories_se/characters/hans
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/children_s_stories_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/children_s_stories_se/characters