快乐王子童话集-第3章

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open；　and　through　it　i　can　see　a　woman　seated　at　a　table。　　her　face

is　thin　and　worn；　and　she　has　coarse；　red　hands；　all　pricked　by　the

needle；　for　she　is　a　seamstress。　　she　is　embroidering　passion…

flowers　on　a　satin　gown　for　the　loveliest　of　the　queens　maids…of…

honour　to　wear　at　the　next　court…ball。　　in　a　bed　in　the　corner　of

the　room　her　little　boy　is　lying　ill。　　he　has　a　fever；　and　is

asking　for　oranges。　　his　mother　has　nothing　to　give　him　but　river

water；　so　he　is　crying。　　swallow；　swallow；　little　swallow；　will　you

not　bring　her　the　ruby　out　of　my　sword…hilt？　　my　feet　are　fastened

to　this　pedestal　and　i　cannot　move。〃

〃i　am　waited　for　in　egypt；〃　said　the　swallow。　　〃my　friends　are

flying　up　and　down　the　nile；　and　talking　to　the　large　lotus…

flowers。　　soon　they　will　go　to　sleep　in　the　tomb　of　the　great　king。

the　king　is　there　himself　in　his　painted　coffin。　　he　is　wrapped　in

yellow　linen；　and　embalmed　with　spices。　　round　his　neck　is　a　chain

of　pale　green　jade；　and　his　hands　are　like　withered　leaves。〃

〃swallow；　swallow；　little　swallow；〃　said　the　prince；　〃will　you　not

stay　with　me　for　one　night；　and　be　my　messenger？　　the　boy　is　so

thirsty；　and　the　mother　so　sad。〃

〃i　dont　think　i　like　boys；〃　answered　the　swallow。　　〃last　summer；

when　i　was　staying　on　the　river；　there　were　two　rude　boys；　the

millers　sons；　who　were　always　throwing　stones　at　me。　　they　never

hit　me；　of　course；　we　swallows　fly　far　too　well　for　that；　and

besides；　i　e　of　a　family　famous　for　its　agility；　but　still；　it

was　a　mark　of　disrespect。〃

but　the　happy　prince　looked　so　sad　that　the　little　swallow　was

sorry。　　〃it　is　very　cold　here；〃　he　said；　〃but　i　will　stay　with　you

for　one　night；　and　be　your　messenger。〃

〃thank　you；　little　swallow；〃　said　the　prince。

so　the　swallow　picked　out　the　great　ruby　from　the　princes　sword；

and　flew　away　with　it　in　his　beak　over　the　roofs　of　the　town。

he　passed　by　the　cathedral　tower；　where　the　white　marble　angels

were　sculptured。　　he　passed　by　the　palace　and　heard　the　sound　of

dancing。　　a　beautiful　girl　came　out　on　the　balcony　with　her　lover。

〃how　wonderful　the　stars　are；〃　he　said　to　her；　〃and　how　wonderful

is　the　power　of　love！〃

〃i　hope　my　dress　will　be　ready　in　time　for　the　state…ball；〃　she

answered；　〃i　have　ordered　passion…flowers　to　be　embroidered　on　it；

but　the　seamstresses　are　so　lazy。〃

he　passed　over　the　river；　and　saw　the　lanterns　hanging　to　the　masts

of　the　ships。　　he　passed　over　the　ghetto；　and　saw　the　old　jews

bargaining　with　each　other；　and　weighing　out　money　in　copper

scales。　　at　last　he　came　to　the　poor　house　and　looked　in。　　the　boy

was　tossing　feverishly　on　his　bed；　and　the　mother　had　fallen

asleep；　she　was　so　tired。　　in　he　hopped；　and　laid　the　great　ruby　on

the　table　beside　the　womans　thimble。　　then　he　flew　gently　round

the　bed；　fanning　the　boys　forehead　with　his　wings。　　〃how　cool　i

feel；〃　said　the　boy；　〃i　must　be　getting　better〃；　and　he　sank　into　a

delicious　slumber。

then　the　swallow　flew　back　to　the　happy　prince；　and　told　him　what

he　had　done。　　〃it　is　curious；〃　he　remarked；　〃but　i　feel　quite　warm

now；　although　it　is　so　cold。〃

〃that　is　because　you　have　done　a　good　action；〃　said　the　prince。

and　the　little　swallow　began　to　think；　and　then　he　fell　asleep。

thinking　always　made　him　sleepy。

when　day　broke　he　flew　down　to　the　river　and　had　a　bath。　　〃what　a

remarkable　phenomenon；〃　said　the　professor　of　ornithology　as　he　was

passing　over　the　bridge。　　〃a　swallow　in　winter！〃　　and　he　wrote　a

long　letter　about　it　to　the　local　newspaper。　　every　one　quoted　it；

it　was　full　of　so　many　words　that　they　could　not　understand。

〃to…night　i　go　to　egypt；〃　said　the　swallow；　and　he　was　in　high

spirits　at　the　prospect。　　he　visited　all　the　public　monuments；　and

sat　a　long　time　on　top　of　the　church　steeple。　　wherever　he　went　the

sparrows　chirruped；　and　said　to　each　other；　〃what　a　distinguished

stranger！〃　so　he　enjoyed　himself　very　much。

when　the　moon　rose　he　flew　back　to　the　happy　prince。　　〃have　you　any

missions　for　egypt？〃　he　cried；　〃i　am　just　starting。〃

〃swallow；　swallow；　little　swallow；〃　said　the　prince；　〃will　you　not

stay　with　me　one　night　longer？〃

〃i　am　waited　for　in　egypt；〃　answered　the　swallow。　　〃to…morrow　my

friends　will　fly　up　to　the　second　cataract。　　the　river…horse

couches　there　among　the　bulrushes；　and　on　a　great　granite　throne

sits　the　god　memnon。　　all　night　long　he　watches　the　stars；　and　when

the　morning　star　shines　he　utters　one　cry　of　joy；　and　then　he　is

silent。　　at　noon　the　yellow　lions　e　down　to　the　waters　edge　to

drink。　　they　have　eyes　like　green　beryls；　and　their　roar　is　louder

than　the　roar　of　the　cataract。

〃swallow；　swallow；　little　swallow；〃　said　the　prince；　〃far　away

across　the　city　i　see　a　young　man　in　a　garret。　　he　is　leaning　over

a　desk　covered　with　papers；　and　in　a　tumbler　by　his　side　there　is　a

bunch　of　withered　violets。　　his　hair　is　brown　and　crisp；　and　his

lips　are　red　as　a　pomegranate；　and　he　has　large　and　dreamy　eyes。

he　is　trying　to　finish　a　play　for　the　director　of　the　theatre；　but

he　is　too　cold　to　write　any　more。　　there　is　no　fire　in　the　grate；

and　hunger　has　made　him　faint。〃

〃i　will　wait　with　you　one　night　longer；〃　said　the　swallow；　who

really　had　a　good　heart。　　〃shall　i　take　him　another　ruby？〃

〃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　princes　eye；　and　flew　away　to　the

students　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　birds　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　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　princes　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　princes　feet。

all　the　next　day　he　sat　on　the　princes　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　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