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！
〃Alas！ I have no ruby now；〃 said the Prince； 〃my eyes are all that I
have left。 They are made of rare sapphires； which were brought out of
India a thousand years ago。 Pluck out one of them and take it to him。
He will sell it to the jeweller； and buy food and firewood； and finish his
play。〃
〃Dear Prince；〃 said the Swallow； 〃I cannot do that〃； and he began to
weep。
〃Swallow； Swallow； little Swallow；〃 said the Prince； 〃do as I mand
you。〃
So the Swallow plucked out the Prince's eye； and flew away to the
student's garret。 It was easy enough to get in； as there was a hole in the
roof。 Through this he darted； and came into the room。 The young man
had his head buried in his hands； so he did not hear the flutter of the bird's
wings； and when he looked up he found the beautiful sapphire lying on the
withered violets。
〃I am beginning to be appreciated；〃 he cried； 〃this is from some great
admirer。 Now I can finish my play；〃 and he looked quite happy。
The next day the Swallow flew down to the harbour。 He sat on the
mast of a large vessel and watched the sailors hauling big chests out of the
hold with ropes。 〃Heave a…hoy！〃 they shouted as each chest came up。
〃I am going to Egypt〃！ cried the Swallow； but nobody minded； and when
the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince。
〃I am e to bid you good…bye；〃 he cried。
〃Swallow； Swallow； little Swallow；〃 said the Prince； 〃will you not stay
with me one night longer？〃
〃It is winter；〃 answered the Swallow； 〃and the chill snow will soon be
7
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
here。 In Egypt the sun is warm on the green palm…trees； and the
crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them。 My panions are
building a nest in the Temple of Baalbec； and the pink and white doves are
watching them； and cooing to each other。 Dear Prince； I must leave you；
but I will never forget you； and next spring I will bring you back two
beautiful jewels in place of those you have given away。 The ruby shall
be redder than a red rose； and the sapphire shall be as blue as the great
sea。〃
〃In the square below；〃 said the Happy Prince； 〃there stands a little
match…girl。 She has let her matches fall in the gutter； and they are all
spoiled。 Her father will beat her if she does not bring home some money；
and she is crying。 She has no shoes or stockings； and her little head is
bare。 Pluck out my other eye； and give it to her； and her father will not
beat her。〃
〃I will stay with you one night longer；〃 said the Swallow； 〃but I cannot
pluck out your eye。 You would be quite blind then。〃
〃Swallow； Swallow； little Swallow；〃 said the Prince； 〃do as I mand
you。〃
So he plucked out the Prince's other eye； and darted down with it。 He
swooped past the match…girl； and slipped the jewel into the palm of her
hand。 〃What a lovely bit of glass；〃 cried the little girl； and she ran home；
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 with me till dawn。 If I bring her a red rose； I shall hold
her in my arms； and she will lean her head upon my shoulder； and her
hand will be clasped in mine。 But there is no red rose in my garden； so I
shall sit lonely； and she will pass me by。 She will have no heed of me；
and my heart will break。〃
〃Here indeed is the true lover；〃 said the Nightingale。 〃What I sing of；
he suffers … what is joy to me； to him is pain。 Surely Love is a wonderful
thing。 It is more precious than emeralds； and dearer than fine opals。
Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it； nor is it set forth in the
12
The Happy Prince and Other Tales
marketplace。 It may not be purchased of the merchants； nor can it be
weighed out in the balance for gold。〃
〃The musicians will sit in their gallery；〃 said the young Student； 〃and
play upon their stringed instruments； and my love will dance to the sound
of the harp and the violin。 She will dance so lightly t