按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
laughing。
Then the Swallow came back to the Prince。 〃You are blind now；〃 he
said； 〃so I will stay with you always。〃
〃No； little Swallow；〃 said the poor Prince； 〃you must go away to
Egypt。〃
〃I will stay with you always；〃 said the Swallow； and he slept at the
Prince's feet。
All the next day he sat on the Prince's shoulder； and told him stories of
what he had seen in strange lands。 He told him of the red ibises； who
stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile； and catch gold…fish in their
beaks； of the Sphinx； who is as old as the world itself； and lives in the
8
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
desert； and knows everything； of the merchants； who walk slowly by the
side of their camels； and carry amber beads in their hands； of the King of
the Mountains of the Moon； who is as black as ebony； and worships a
large crystal； of the great green snake that sleeps in a palm…tree； and has
twenty priests to feed it with honey…cakes； and of the pygmies who sail
over a big lake on large flat leaves； and are always at war with the
butterflies。
〃Dear little Swallow；〃 said the Prince； 〃you tell me of marvellous
things； but more marvellous than anything is the suffering of men and of
women。 There is no Mystery so great as Misery。 Fly over my city； little
Swallow； and tell me what you see there。〃
So the Swallow flew over the great city； and saw the rich making
merry in their beautiful houses； while the beggars were sitting at the gates。
He flew into dark lanes； and saw the white faces of starving children
looking out listlessly at the black streets。 Under the archway of a bridge
two little boys were lying in one another's arms to try and keep themselves
warm。 〃How hungry we are！〃 they said。 〃You must not lie here；〃
shouted the Watchman； and they wandered out into the rain。
Then he flew back and told the Prince what he had seen。
〃I am covered with fine gold；〃 said the Prince； 〃you must take it off；
leaf by leaf； and give it to my poor； the living always think that gold can
make them happy。〃
Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off； till the Happy
Prince looked quite dull and grey。 Leaf after leaf of the fine gold he
brought to the poor； and the children's faces grew rosier； and they laughed
and played games in the street。 〃We have bread now！〃 they cried。
Then the snow came； and after the snow came the frost。 The streets
looked as if they were made of silver； they were so bright and glistening；
long icicles like crystal daggers hung down from the eaves of the houses；
everybody went about in furs； and the little boys wore scarlet caps and
skated on the ice。
The poor little Swallow grew colder and colder； but he would not leave
9
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
the Prince； he loved him too well。 He picked up crumbs outside the
baker's door when the baker was not looking and tried to keep himself
warm by flapping his wings。
But at last he knew that he was going to die。 He had just strength to
fly up to the Prince's shoulder once more。 〃Good…bye； dear Prince！〃 he
murmured； 〃will you let me kiss your hand？〃
〃I am glad that you are going to Egypt at last； little Swallow；〃 said the
Prince； 〃you have stayed too long here； but you must kiss me on the lips；
for I love you。〃
〃It is not to Egypt that I am going；〃 said the Swallow。 〃I am going to
the House of Death。 Death is the brother of Sleep； is he not？〃
And he kissed the Happy Prince on the lips； and fell down dead at his
feet。
At that moment a curious crack sounded inside the statue； as if
something had broken。 The fact is that the leaden heart had snapped
right in two。 It certainly was a dreadfully hard frost。
Early the next morning the Mayor was walking in the square below in
pany with the Town Councillors。 As they passed the column he
looked up at the statue： 〃Dear me！ how shabby the Happy Prince looks！〃
he said。
〃How shabby indeed！〃 cried the Town Councillors； who always agreed
with the Mayor； and they went up to look at it。
〃The ruby has fallen out of his sword； his eyes are gone； and he is
golden no longer；〃 said the Mayor in fact； 〃he is litttle beter than a
beggar！〃
〃Little better than a beggar；〃 said the Town Councillors。
〃And here is actually a dead bird at his feet！〃 continued the Mayor。
〃We must really issue a proclamation that birds are not to be allowed to
die here。〃 And the Town Clerk made a note of the suggestion。
So they pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince。 〃As he is no
longer beautiful he is no longer useful；〃 said the Art Professor at the
University。
10
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
Then they melted the statue in a furnace； and the Mayor held a
meeting of the Corporation to decide what was to be done with the metal。
〃We must have another statue； of course；〃 he said； 〃and it shall be a statue
of myself。〃
〃Of myself；〃 said each of the Town Councillors； and they quarrelled。
When I last heard of them they were quarrelling still。
〃What a strange thing！〃 said the overseer of the workmen at the
foundry。 〃This broken lead heart will not melt in the furnace。 We must
throw it away。〃 So they threw it on a dust…heap where the dead Swallow
was also lying。
〃Bring me the two most precious things in the city；〃 said God to one of
His Angels； and the Angel brought Him the leaden heart and the dead bird。
〃You have rightly chosen；〃 said God； 〃for in my garden of Paradise
this little bird shall sing for evermore； and in my city of gold the Happy
Prince shall praise me。〃
11
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE
ROSE
〃She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses；〃
cried the young Student； 〃but in all my garden there is no red rose。〃
From her nest in the holm…oak tree the Nightingale heard him； and she
looked out through the leaves； and wondered。
〃No red rose in all my garden！〃 he cried； and his beautiful eyes filled
with tears。 〃Ah； on what little things does happiness depend！ I have
read all that the wise men have written； and all the secrets of philosophy
are mine； yet for want of a red rose is my life made wretched。〃
〃Here at last is a true lover；〃 said the Nightingale。 〃Night after night
have I sung of him； though I knew him not： night after night have I told
his story to the stars； and now I see him。 His hair is dark as the hyacinth…
blossom； and his lips are red as the rose of his desire； but passion has
made his face like pale ivory； and sorrow has set her seal upon his brow。〃
〃The Prince gives a ball to…morrow night；〃 murmured the young
Student； 〃and my love will be of the pany。 If I bring her a red rose
she will dance wit