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快乐王子童话集(英文版)-第1章

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The Happy Prince and Other Tales 



1                  THE HAPPY PRINCE 

    High above the city; on a tall column; stood the statue of the Happy 
Prince。 He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold; for eyes he 
had two bright sapphires; and a large red ruby glowed on his sword…hilt。 
    He was very much admired indeed。 〃He is as beautiful as a 
weathercock;〃 remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain 
a reputation for having artistic tastes; 〃only not quite so useful;〃 he added; 
fearing lest people should think him unpractical; which he really was not。 
    〃Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?〃 asked a sensible mother of 
her little boy who was crying for the moon。 〃The Happy Prince never 
dreams of crying for anything。〃 
    〃I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy;〃 
muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue。 
    〃He looks just like an angel;〃 said the Charity Children as they came 
out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white 
pinafores。 
    〃How do you know?〃 said the Mathematical Master; 〃you have never 
seen one。〃 
    〃Ah! but we have; in our dreams;〃 answered the children; and the 
Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe; for he did not 
approve of children dreaming。 
    One night there flew over the city a little Swallow。 His friends had 
gone away to Egypt six weeks before; but he had stayed behind; for he 
was in love with the most beautiful Reed。 He had met her early in the 
spring as he was flying down the river after a big yellow moth; and had 
been so attracted by her slender waist that he had stopped to talk to her。 
    〃Shall I love you?〃 said the Swallow; who liked to e to the point at 
once; and the Reed made him a low bow。 So he flew round and round 
her; touching the water with his wings; and making silver ripples。 This 

                                        
2  The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




was his courtship; and it lasted all through the summer。 
    〃It is a ridiculous attachment;〃 twittered the other Swallows; 〃she has 
no money; and far too many relations〃; and indeed the river was quite full 
of Reeds。 Then; when the autumn came they all flew away。 
    After they had gone he felt lonely; and began to tire of his lady… love。 
〃She has no conversation;〃 he said; 〃and I am afraid that she is a coquette; 
for she is always flirting with the wind。〃 And certainly; whenever the 
wind blew; the Reed made the most graceful curtseys。 〃I admit that she 
is domestic;〃 he continued; 〃but I love travelling; and my wife; 
consequently; should love travelling also。〃 
    〃Will you e away with me?〃 he said finally to her; but the Reed 
shook her head; she was so attached to her home。 
    〃You have been trifling with me;〃 he cried。 〃I am off to the Pyramids。 
Good…bye!〃 and he flew away。 
    All day long he flew; and at night…time he arrived at the city。 〃Where 
shall I put up?〃 he said; 〃I hope the town has made preparations。〃 
    Then he saw the statue on the tall column。 
    〃I will put up there;〃 he cried; 〃it is a fine position; with plenty of fresh 
air。〃 So he alighted just between the feet of the Happy Prince。 
    〃I have a golden bedroom;〃 he said softly to himself as he looked 
round; and he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head 
under his wing a large drop of water fell on him。 〃What a curious thing!〃 
he cried; 〃there is not a single cloud in the sky; the stars are quite clear and 
bright; and yet it is raining。 The climate in the north of Europe is really 
dreadful。 The Reed used to like the rain; but that was merely her 
selfishness。〃 
    Then another drop fell。 
    〃What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off?〃 he said; 〃I 
must look for a good chimney…pot;〃 and he determined to fly away。 
    But before he had opened his wings; a third drop fell; and he looked up; 
and saw … Ah! what did he see? 
    The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears; and tears were 

3 The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




running down his golden cheeks。           His face was so beautiful in the 
moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity。 
     〃Who are you?〃 he said。 
     〃I am the Happy Prince。〃 
     〃Why are you weeping then?〃 asked the Swallow; 〃you have quite 
drenched me。〃 
     〃When I was alive and had a human heart;〃 answered the statue; 〃I did 
not know what tears were; for I lived in the Palace of Sans… Souci; where 
sorrow is not allowed to enter。 In the daytime I played with my 
panions in the garden; and in the evening I led the dance in the Great 
Hall。 Round the garden ran a very lofty wall; but I never cared to ask 
what lay beyond it; everything about me was so beautiful。 My courtiers 
called me the Happy Prince; and happy indeed I was; if pleasure be 
happiness。 So I lived; and so I died。 And now that I am dead they have 
set me up here so high that I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of 
my city; and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot chose but 
weep。〃 
     〃What! is he not solid gold?〃 said the Swallow to himself。 He was 
too polite to make any personal remarks out loud。 
     〃Far away;〃 continued the statue in a low musical voice; 〃far away in a 
little street there is a poor house。 One of the windows is 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 Queen's 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 

4 The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




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 don't think I like boys;〃 answered the Swallow。 〃Last summer; 
when I was staying on the river; there were two rude boys; the miller's 
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 Prince's 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 woman's thimble。 Then he 
flew gently round the bed; fanning the boy's forehead with his wings。 

5 The Happy Prince and Other Tales 




〃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 bri
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