Oscar Wilde Short Stories pairs two of Wilde's sharp little fairy tales, about a devoted gardener and a boastful firework, eased down to bedtime pace.
The first story, "The Devoted Friend," follows Little Hans, a humble gardener who has nothing but his flowers and his friendship with Hugh the Miller. Hugh talks endlessly about devotion and loyalty, but he never once helps Hans in return. Instead he sends him out on hard errands in rain and snow, always with a kind word and nothing more. It's a quiet, pointed story about the difference between what people say and what they actually do.
The second, "The Remarkable Rocket," turns to a royal wedding and the fireworks made to celebrate it. Among them is one rocket who is utterly convinced of his own importance. He talks over the other fireworks, mocks their small lights, and imagines the whole display exists just for him. Wilde has great fun watching pride meet its match.
Both stories carry Wilde's familiar bite: fairy tales dressed in gentle, old-fashioned language, but with sharp little morals about kindness, vanity, and the gap between talk and action. They sit alongside classics like "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant" as part of Wilde's short run of fables for children and adults alike.
This is one for admirers of Hans Christian Andersen and old-world fairy tales, or anyone who likes a wink of adult wit tucked under a simple plot. Neither tale runs long, so it's an easy listen before bed.
Elizabeth Grace leaves room between the sentences for your mind to ease down, two calm little fables seeing you off to sleep.
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