快樂王子 作者 王爾德 譯者江銘輝
快樂王子是一座雕像，高高屹立在城市又高又大的圓柱上。他身上綴滿了精緻的薄金葉片，眼睛鑲嵌著兩粒閃亮的藍寶石，劍柄上閃耀一顆巨大的紅寶石，確實令人非常羨慕。
「像孔雀般的漂亮」，二位渴望獲得藝術品味聲望的市議員當中一位這樣說。「只是，好像不怎麼實用，」為了怕有人以為他不切實際，他又趕緊補上這句話。實際上，他做人最現實了。
「為什麼你不學學快樂王子呢？」一位聰明的母親對她那哭鬧著要摘天上月亮的兒子這樣說。「快樂王子從來不會作白日夢，哭鬧著要任何東西的。」
「我很高興看到世界上還有這麼快樂的人，」一個鬱鬱寡歡的人當他凝視這座神奇的雕像，喃喃細語地說。
「他看起來像天使」，一群披著鮮艷紅色斗蓬，圍著潔白圍兜的慈善院孩童，在踏出教堂大門時，齊聲說道。
「你們如何知道？」，廣場有位數學老師問道，「你們可是從來沒看過天使。」
「啊!可是我們在夢裡看見過天使。」，孩子們答道；然而，數學老師卻皺著眉頭，臉上現出生氣的表情。因為，他並不贊同小孩子作太多白日夢。
有一天晚上，一隻小燕子飛掠過城市上空。它的夥伴們早在六個星期前就飛到埃及去過冬了，它因為忙著和最美的蘆葦小姐談戀愛而延誤了行程。它們相識於初春時節，那時，它追逐著一隻大黃蛾來到河邊，一眼見到到蘆葦苗條的腰桿立刻被吸引住了，情不自禁地停下來和她聊天。
「我可以愛妳嗎？」小燕子問道，它立刻直截了當的說，蘆葦小姐無語地彎著腰對它鞠躬。於是他在她身旁飛繞著，還用翅膀點觸著水面，撩起一波波銀色的漣漪。這就是它的羅曼史，而且這段感情持續了一整個夏季。
「這真是一樁可笑的戀情，」另一隻燕子格格地笑道，「她不但沒錢，而且親戚太多了；的確，河邊確實長滿了蘆葦。然後，當秋天來臨，它們全部飛走了。
自從同伴離開之後，它感覺得有些寂寞，而且開始討厭它的情人。「她無法交談，」燕子說：「而且，我怕她是個水性楊花的女人，因為她總是愛與風調情。」的確，風一吹，蘆葦就彎著腰行最優雅的鞠躬禮。「我承認她很愛家，」燕子繼續說，「可是我喜歡旅遊，所以我的妻子必然地也愛旅遊。」
「你願意同我一道走嗎？」它終於開口問道；但是蘆葦卻搖搖頭，因為她是如此被家庭黏住。
「原來妳一直在耍我，」它叫道，「我耍離開去看金字塔了。再見！」說完，它便飛走了。
它飛了一整天，到了夜晚它抵達這個城市。「我該在哪兒歇腳呢？」他說，我「希望這城市有棲身的地方。」
然後，它瞧見高高圓柱上的雕像。「我就在那兒歇腳，」他大叫，「好地方，空氣新鮮。」於是它在快樂王子二腳之間落下。
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「我有個黃金打造的床鋪，」環視四周後，它輕聲細語地說，然後它準備就寢了；但是正當它把頭埋進翅膀時，一顆大水珠落在它身上。「多麼可笑！」它大叫，「天空一片雲也沒有，星光這麼清澈、燦爛，竟然還會下雨。看來北歐的天氣真是可怕。「蘆葦一向喜歡雨水，可是那是她個人的事啊！」
正說著，一顆水珠又落了下來。
「這雕像若不能遮雨還有什麼用呢?」它說；「我還是找一個良好的煙囪頂管避避雨較好，」於是它決定起飛離。
但是就在它展翼起飛之前，第三顆水珠落下，它往上看，啊!你瞧，它看什麼事情？快樂王子的雙眼充滿淚水，眼淚向下流到他黃金色的臉頰。在月光的映照下，他的面容如此地美麗，以致於小燕子充滿愛憐。
「你是誰？」它問。
「我是快樂王子。」
「那麼，你為何在嘆息？」燕子問；「你完全淋濕了我」
「當我活的時候，我有一顆一般人的心臟，」雕像回答，「我不知道淚水是什麼，因為我住在無憂的王宮裡，從不讓悲傷進入。在白天我跟我的同伴在花園玩耍，晚上，我在龐大的宮庭跳舞。花園四周圍繞著極高的圍牆，但我從來不關心去問圍牆後面是什麼？對於我每件事情都非常美麗。我的朝臣們叫我為快樂王子，如果聲色娛樂就是快樂的話，那麼，我的確很快樂。我就這樣地過了一生，死了。現在我死了，他們把我放在這麼高的地方，使我能看盡這城裡一切的醜惡興悲慘。非常悲傷的是，我沒有辦法選擇，我的心臟是由鉛作成的。」
「什麼！他難道不是全金打造的？」燕子自語著，它是太客氣了，以至於沒有大聲地發表個人的高見。
「在遠方，」雕像繼續以低緩美妙的聲音說道，「在遠方的一條小街有一戶貧苦人家。其中有一扇窗沒有關，透過這扇窗我看到一位婦人坐在桌前。她的臉乾扁憔悴，雙手既粗糙又紅腫，且充滿針頭扎傷的痕跡。她是個女裁縫，正為皇后身邊最漂亮的一位未婚侍女趕著繡下一次宮廷舞會要穿的絲緞禮服上的熱情花朵。她兒子病了，正躺在房間角落的床上。他發高燒，正央求給他橘子。母親身無分文，只能給他河水。因此他一直在哭。燕子！燕子！小燕子，你願意將我劍柄上的紅寶石取出，送給她嗎？我的雙腳都黏在座上，不能移動。」
「可是我可望飛往埃及，」燕子說。「我的朋友們正沿著尼羅河飛行，和一大群蓮花談天。不久，它們將飛到偉大國王的墳墓上睡覺。此地的國王躺在彩繪的棺材裡，身上纏著黃色的亞麻布，還塗敷著香料。頸項上環繞一條淡綠色的碧玉項鍊，手像乾枯的樹葉一般。」
「燕子！燕子！小燕子，」王子說，「你願意留下來陪我一夜，當我的信差好嗎？ 那個小男孩是如此饑渴，他媽媽又如此傷心。」
「我不喜歡小男孩，」燕子答，「去年夏天，我在河邊玩的時候，有兩個粗魯的孩子，磨坊主人的兒子，他們總是拿石頭丟我。當然，他們是打不到我啦，我們燕子飛行技術太好了，除外，我是來自以動作靈敏著稱的家族。不過，再怎麼說，這證明他們的舉動是無禮的。」
然而，快樂王子那悲傷的表情倒是讓小燕子感到難過。「這裡好冷，」它說；「不過，我還是決定留下來，陪你一個晚上，當你的信差。」
「謝謝你，小燕子，」王子說。
於是燕子從王子的劍柄上取下那顆巨大的紅寶石，用它的嘴銜著紅寶石，飛過城裹建築物的屋頂。
它飛過豎立白色大理石天使雕像的教堂尖端。經過皇宮，並聽到王宮傳出的歌舞聲。一位美麗的少女和她的戀人走出皇宮，在陽台上。
「這些星星真美，」戀人對少女傾訴著，戀愛的魔力多麼奇妙！
「真希望我的禮服能在豪華舞會之前做好，」少女說道；「我特別吩咐在禮服繡上熱情的花朵；可是這些女裁縫師懶得要命。」
小燕飛過河流，看到每隻船的桅杆都掛著燈籠。它飛過猶太人聚居的地方，看見幾個老猶太人正在做生意，正用銅秤在算錢幣。最後，它終於抵達目這可憐的房子，往裡面瞧。小孩子發燒地正在床上翻來覆去，母親則疲憊得趴在桌上睡著了。如它所願，它將大紅寶石放在桌子婦人使用的針筒旁邊。然後輕輕飛繞床舖，用它的翅膀扇著小男孩的額頭，「好涼快啊，」小男孩說，「我的病一定是快好了，」說完，小男孩香噴噴地睡著了。
然後，燕子飛回快樂王子身旁，並將它所做的事告訴他。「好奇怪，」燕子說，「雖然天氣很冷，我卻覺得自己身上好暖和。」
「這是因為你做了一件善事。」王子說。如此，小燕子開始沈思，然後睡著了。沈思一向會加速它入睡。
當天一破曉，它便飛到河邊去玩，還洗了個澡。「多麼不可思議的現象。」一位鳥類學專家剛走過橋上。「冬天竟然還有燕子！」於是，他便寫了有關此事的長篇報導，投到當地的報紙。文章一刊出，引起每一個人的引述，但人們卻無法了解整篇文章的大部份語句。
「今晚，我要去埃及了，」燕子說，對這個計劃，它感到非常興奮。它參觀了此地所有的名勝古蹟，還在教堂的尖塔上停了很久。它每到一處就引來麻雀們彼此交談的聲音；「多麼奇特的外地小鳥！」如此，它真的得意極了。
當月亮昇起時，它飛回快樂王子的身邊。「你有信件要我帶到埃及嗎？。」它大聲說道；「我正要出發了。」
「我渴望去埃及哪！」燕子答道，「明天我的伙伴們就要飛到第二個瀑布了。
在那兒，有許多河馬躺臥在蘆葦叢中，而且有一位馬蒙神坐在巨大的花崗岩寶座上。這位神祇整夜守望著星星，一旦晨星閃爍上升，馬蒙神便欣悅地大叫一聲，而後復歸於沈默。中午，黃色的獅子便會來到河邊飲水。獅子們的眼睛好像綠寶石，而且吼聲比瀑布的聲音還要響亮。」
「燕子！燕子！小燕子，」王子說，「在城市遠端的簡陋閣樓裡，我看到有一位年輕人正埋首於堆滿稿紙的桌上，他旁邊的玻璃杯裡放著一束枯萎的紫羅蘭。他的頭髮是棕色黃的但鬆散凌亂，嘴唇紅得像石榴，大大的眼睛中充滿夢想。他正給歌劇院導演趕寫劇本，可是他冷得幾乎無法下筆。壁爐裏已經沒有炭火，而且他本身也快餓昏了。」
「我願意留下來再陪你一晚。」燕子說，它確實有一顆好心臟。「我要送給他一顆紅寶石嗎？」小燕子問。
「哎呀,現在我已經沒有紅寶石了，」王子回答道；「我全部剩下就是我這雙眼睛是值錢的，它們是稀有的藍賣石，原產於印度，已有千年的歷史。挖出其中的一顆，拿去送給那個年輕人。他可以將它賣給珠寶商，然後就有錢買食物和炭火，完成劇本。」
「親愛的王子，」燕子說；「我不能那樣作；」它開始哭泣。
「燕子！燕子！小燕子，」王子說，「能照我說的去作嗎？」
因此外燕子銜出王子的眼睛，飛向作家簡陋的閣樓。因為屋頂有一個破洞，因此將藍賣石放入是輕而易舉的。經由此洞，燕子飛衝到室內。年青人正把他的頭埋在雙手間，所以他完全沒有聽到小鳥翅膀拍打聲，他一抬頭，看到一顆美麗的藍賣石放在枯萎的紫羅蘭上。
「我將感謝上天了！」他叫到，「這可能來是我的仰慕者送的，」現在我可以完成我的劇本了，他看起來非常快樂。
第二天燕子飛到海港。它停在一隻大船的桅竿上，看著水手們搬運以繩索捆綁的大貨箱。「嘿咻！嘿咻！給上去啦！」當每次箱櫃子要搬上去時，他們大聲喊道。「我要去埃及了！」燕子喊叫，但沒有受人注意，當月亮升起時，它飛回快樂王子的身邊。
「我要跟你告別了，」它叫著。
「燕子！燕子！小燕子，」王子說，「你不願意再陪我一個晚上嗎?」
「冬天到了，」燕子答道，「這兒很快就要降下寒雪了，在埃及有暖和的陽光，綠油油的棕櫚樹，還有泥地上躺著一群懶洋洋的鱷魚。我的伙伴們正在巴勒貝克（Baalbeck）神廟上築巢，而且周圍還會有粉紅色、白色的鴿子望著它們，彼此咕咕交談著。親愛的王子，我必需離開你，但我永遠不會忘記你，明年春天，我會帶兩顆美麗的寶石回來填在你被取走的地方，一顆比玫瑰還要紅的紅寶石，另一顆和大海一樣湛藍的藍寶石。」
「下面的廣場上，」快樂王子說道，「站著一個賣火柴的小女孩，她把她的火柴掉到街溝了，那些火柴全都不能用了。如果她沒有拿錢回家，她的父親就會痛打她。她現在正大哭著，這個小女孩既沒有穿鞋子也沒有穿襪子，光禿禿的小頭，沒有戴任何東西。把我另一隻眼睛取出送給她，這樣，她父親就不會打她了。」
「我願意留下來再陪你一晚，」燕子說道，「可是我不能再將你的眼睛取出了，
你會完全變瞎子。」
「燕子！燕子！小燕子，」王子說，王子說道。「希望能照我要求去做。」
如此燕子取下王子的另一隻眼睛，帶著這顆寶石，往下俯衝。它迅速飛過小女孩身旁，把寶石丟進她的手掌中。「多麼漂亮的玻璃珠啊！」小女孩叫道，開心得笑著跑回家去了。
然後，燕子飛回王子身邊。「你現在什麼都看不到了，」它說，「我會，永遠留在你身邊。」
「不，小燕子，」可憐王子說道，「你必需飛到埃及。」
「我要永遠陪著你，」燕子說完便在王子的腳邊睡著了。
第二天，它整天坐在王子的肩膀，講述自己在他鄉旅遊所見到的奇聞。它告訴王子，曾看到朱鷺在尼羅河的河岸排成一列，用長嘴捕捉金色的魚；住在沙漠裏和人類文明一樣古老的獅身人面像，它知道每一件事；還有旁邊跟著駱駝緩步行走，手上戴著琥珀鍊珠的商人；以及那像黑檀木一樣黑，敬拜大水晶球，浩氣蓋山河（Mountains of the Moon）的國王；更有那需要由二十個祭司以蜂蜜餅餵養，盤睡在棕櫚樹上的巨大綠蛇；還有那駛著一片扁平大葉橫渡大湖，老是和蝴蝶打仗的矮人族。
「親愛的小燕子，」王子說，「你告訴我許多令人嘆為觀止的事情，然而，這世間最叫人嘆為觀止的事卻是苦難的世間男、女。這世界最難理解的莫過於苦難。小燕子，你飛在這城市的上空，然後把你所看到的景象告訴我。」
於是，小燕子飛在這城市的上空，看到富人在他們富麗的家中縱情享樂，而乞丐正坐在門口。它飛進黑暗的小巷，看到一群臉上蒼白的饑餓孩童目光呆滯地瞧著黑暗暗的街道。而在拱橋的下面，兩個小男孩瑟縮在橋墩旁，互相躺著相擁取暖。
「我們好餓！」兩個小男孩說道。「你們不可以在躺在這裹」巡夜的人大聲喝斥，他們起來在雨中徘徊。
燕子飛回王子身邊。並把它所見的一切告訴王子。
「我身體貼有小金片。」王子說道，「你務必它們一片一片地剝下來，送給我可憐的人民。世人總是覺得黃金能使他們更快樂。」
燕子將小金片一片一片地剝下，直到快樂王子看起來完全灰暗無光澤。小金片一片接一片由它送到窮人家，孩子的臉頰逐漸紅潤，而且他們在街道上嬉戲、歡笑，高聲地喊著；「我們現在有麵包了。」
不久，開始下雪了，下雪之後，開始降霜。整個城市的街道好像是銀色世界，閃閃發光；而屋簷下面懸掛著的冰柱就像水晶做的短刀一般，每個人都穿著皮裘，小男孩們則戴上紅色帽子，到冰上溜冰。
可憐的小燕子，覺得愈來愈冷了，可是牠不想離開快樂王子，它太愛他了。它啄取麵包師父不小心掉在麵包店門外的麵包屑充飢，並鼓動翅膀保持身體溫暖。
但是，最後它知道自己快凍死了。它再度用僅有的一絲力氣飛上王子的肩膀。
「親愛的王子，再見吧！」它輕輕地說，「讓我親吻你的手好嗎?」
「我很高興，你終於要去埃及了，小燕子。」王子說，「你在這兒耽擱太久了；可是你必需跟我親嘴道別，因為我愛你。」
「我不是要去埃及，」燕子說，「我就要去死神殿報到，死亡和睡眠是兄弟嘛，不是嗎?」
於是，它輕吻快樂王子的嘴唇，倒在王子腳邊。
此時，一個奇怪的聲音從雕像內部爆裂。好像有什麼東西破掉一樣。原來，那鉛做的心已經裂成二半。這是一個嚴重可怕下冰霜的氣候。第二天早晨，市議員們陪著市長在廣場上散步，當他們經過雕像下面的石柱，抬頭往上看雕像時。「我的天哪！快樂王子怎麼變成這麼難看！」市長驚叫道。
「的確是破銅爛鐵！」市議員們他們一向附和市長的說法。也抬頭往上看。
「他劍柄上的紅寶石掉了，兩隻眼睛不見了，他不在金光閃閃，」市長說著，「實際上，他比乞丐好不了多少。」
「比乞丐好不了多少。」市議員們附和道。
「況且，他的他的腳邊還死了一隻鳥！」市長繼續說道。「我們真該貼個公告，宣布鳥類不准死在這裡。」，旁邊的書記立刻把這意見記下來。
「他既然已經不再光彩豔麗，就不再有用了，」一位大學美學專家如此說。因此，人們把快樂王子的雕像拆下來了。
然後，將雕像送進鎔化爐熔燬，而市長也忙著召開市政會議討論著，決定這些熔化的物質將作成什麼東西。「當然，我們必需另塑一座雕像，」市長說，「那麼，就塑成我的雕像吧。
圖：上帝說：「幫我把城裡二件最珍貴的東西送來」
「塑成我!」「塑成我!」每個市議員都說並且爭吵著。最後我離開會場時，還聽見他們爭吵的聲音哩！
「多麼奇怪的事情！」 鑄造廠工人的領班說道。「這破裂鉛做的心臟在鎔化爐中怎麼不會熔化？我們必須把它扔掉。」於是，他們把它扔到垃圾堆，這裡也是死去燕子被丟掉的地方。
「幫我把城裡二件最珍貴的東西送來，」上帝對祂其中一位天使說；於是天使便獻給上帝這顆鉛製心臟和死去的小鳥。
「你挑選得對，」上帝說，「在我天堂的花園裏，這隻小鳥將永遠歡唱；在我的黃金城市裡，這位快樂王子將歌頌我。」
The Happy Prince〈原文〉
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 come 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 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 come 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 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 companions 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 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 come 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. "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 commissions 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 come down to the water's 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 command 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 come 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 companions 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 command 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 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 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 company 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.
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."