THE-HAPPY-PRINCE

THEHAPPYPRINCEHighabovethecity,onatallcolumn,stoodthestatueoftheHappyPrince.Hewasgildedalloverwiththinleavesoffinegold,foreyeshehadtwobrightsapphires,andalargeredrubyglowedonhissword-hilt.Hewasverymuchadmiredindeed.Heisasbeautifulasaweathercock,remarkedoneoftheTownCouncillorswhowishedtogainareputationforhavingartistictastes;onlynotquitesouseful,headded,fearinglestpeopleshouldthinkhimunpractical,whichhereallywasnot.Whycan'tyoubeliketheHappyPrince?askedasensiblemotherofherlittleboywhowascryingforthemoon.TheHappyPrinceneverdreamsofcryingforanything.Iamgladthereissomeoneintheworldwhoisquitehappy,mutteredadisappointedmanashegazedatthewonderfulstatue.Helooksjustlikeanangel,saidtheCharityChildrenastheycameoutofthecathedralintheirbrightscarletcloaksandtheircleanwhitepinafores.Howdoyouknow?saidtheMathematicalMaster,youhaveneverseenone.Ah!butwehave,inourdreams,answeredthechildren;andtheMathematicalMasterfrownedandlookedverysevere,forhedidnotapproveofchildrendreaming.OnenightthereflewoverthecityalittleSwallow.HisfriendshadgoneawaytoEgyptsixweeksbefore,buthehadstayedbehind,forhewasinlovewiththemostbeautifulReed.Hehadmetherearlyinthespringashewasflyingdowntheriverafterabigyellowmoth,andhadbeensoattractedbyherslenderwaistthathehadstoppedtotalktoher.ShallIloveyou?saidtheSwallow,wholikedtocometothepointatonce,andtheReedmadehimalowbow.Soheflewroundandroundher,touchingthewaterwithhiswings,andmakingsilverripples.Thiswashiscourtship,anditlastedallthroughthesummer.Itisaridiculousattachment,twitteredtheotherSwallows;shehasnomoney,andfartoomanyrelations;andindeedtheriverwasquitefullofReeds.Then,whentheautumncametheyallflewaway.Aftertheyhadgonehefeltlonely,andbegantotireofhislady-love.Shehasnoconversation,hesaid,andIamafraidthatsheisacoquette,forsheisalwaysflirtingwiththewind.Andcertainly,wheneverthewindblew,theReedmadethemostgracefulcurtseys.Iadmitthatsheisdomestic,hecontinued,butIlovetravelling,andmywife,consequently,shouldlovetravellingalso.Willyoucomeawaywithme?hesaidfinallytoher;buttheReedshookherhead,shewassoattachedtoherhome.Youhavebeentriflingwithme,hecried.IamofftothePyramids.Good-bye!andheflewaway.Alldaylongheflew,andatnight-timehearrivedatthecity.WhereshallIputup?hesaid;Ihopethetownhasmadepreparations.Thenhesawthestatueonthetallcolumn.Iwillputupthere,hecried;itisafineposition,withplentyoffreshair.SohealightedjustbetweenthefeetoftheHappyPrince.Ihaveagoldenbedroom,hesaidsoftlytohimselfashelookedround,andhepreparedtogotosleep;butjustashewasputtinghisheadunderhiswingalargedropofwaterfellonhim.Whatacuriousthing!hecried;thereisnotasinglecloudinthesky,thestarsarequiteclearandbright,andyetitisraining.TheclimateinthenorthofEuropeisreallydreadful.TheReedusedtoliketherain,butthatwasmerelyherselfishness.Thenanotherdropfell.Whatistheuseofastatueifitcannotkeeptherainoff?hesaid;Imustlookforagoodchimney-pot,andhedeterminedtoflyaway.Butbeforehehadopenedhiswings,athirddropfell,andhelookedup,andsaw-Ah!whatdidhesee?TheeyesoftheHappyPrincewerefilledwithtears,andtearswererunningdownhisgoldencheeks.HisfacewassobeautifulinthemoonlightthatthelittleSwallowwasfilledwithpity.Whoareyou?hesaid.IamtheHappyPrince.Whyareyouweepingthen?askedtheSwallow;youhavequitedrenchedme.WhenIwasaliveandhadahumanheart,answeredthestatue,Ididnotknowwhattearswere,forIlivedinthePalaceofSans-Souci,wheresorrowisnotallowedtoenter.InthedaytimeIplayedwithmycompanionsinthegarden,andintheeveningIledthedanceintheGreatHall.Roundthegardenranaveryloftywall,butInevercaredtoaskwhatlaybeyondit,everythingaboutmewassobeautiful.MycourtierscalledmetheHappyPrince,andhappyindeedIwas,ifpleasurebehappiness.SoIlived,andsoIdied.AndnowthatIamdeadtheyhavesetmeupheresohighthatIcanseealltheuglinessandallthemiseryofmycity,andthoughmyheartismadeofleadyetIcannotchosebutweep.What!ishenotsolidgold?saidtheSwallowtohimself.Hewastoopolitetomakeanypersonalremarksoutloud.Faraway,continuedthestatueinalowmusicalvoice,farawayinalittlestreetthereisapoorhouse.Oneofthewindowsisopen,andthroughitIcanseeawomanseatedatatable.Herfaceisthinandworn,andshehascoarse,redhands,allprickedbytheneedle,forsheisaseamstress.Sheisembroideringpassion-flowersonasatingownfortheloveliestoftheQueen'smaids-of-honourtowearatthenextCourt-ball.Inabedinthecorneroftheroomherlittleboyislyingill.Hehasafever,andisaskingfororanges.Hismotherhasnothingtogivehimbutriverwater,soheiscrying.Swallow,Swallow,littleSwallow,willyounotbringhertherubyoutofmysword-hilt?MyfeetarefastenedtothispedestalandIcannotmove.IamwaitedforinEgypt,saidtheSwallow.MyfriendsareflyingupanddowntheNile,andtalkingtothelargelotus-flowers.SoontheywillgotosleepinthetombofthegreatKing.TheKingistherehimselfinhispaintedcoffin.Heiswrappedinyellowlinen,andembalmedwithspices.Roundhisneckisachainofpalegreenjade,andhishandsarelikewitheredleaves.Swallow,Swallow,littleSwallow,saidthePrince,willyounotstaywithmeforonenight,andbemymessenger?Theboyissothirsty,andthemothersosad.Idon'tthinkIlikeboys,answeredtheSwallow.Lastsummer,whenIwasstayingontheriver,thereweretworudeboys,themiller'ssons,whowere