快乐王子英文版

1TheHappyPrinceOscarWildeHighabovethecity,onatallcolumn,stoodthestatueoftheHappyPrince.Hewasgildedalloverwiththinleavesoffinegold,foreyeshehadtwobrightsapphires,andalargeredrubyglowedonhissword-hilt.HIGHabovethecity,onatallcolumn,stoodthestatueoftheHappyPrince.Hewasgildedalloverwiththinleavesoffinegold,foreyeshehadtwobrightsapphires,andalargeredrubyglowedonhissword-hilt.Hewasverymuchadmiredindeed.‘Heisasbeautifulasaweathercock,’remarkedoneoftheTownCouncillorswhowishedtogainareputationforhavingartistictastes;‘onlynotquitesouseful,’headded,fearinglestpeopleshouldthinkhimunpractical,whichhereallywasnot.‘Whycan’tyoubeliketheHappyPrince?’askedasensiblemotherofherlittleboywhowascryingforthemoon.‘TheHappyPrinceneverdreamsofcryingforanything.’‘Iamgladthereissomeoneintheworldwhoisquitehappy,’mutteredadisappointedmanashegazedatthewonderfulstatue.‘Helooksjustlikeanangel,’saidtheCharityChildrenastheycameoutofthecathedralintheirbrightscarletcloaks,andtheircleanwhitepinafores.‘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,whentheautumncame,theyallflewaway.2Aftertheyhadgonehefeltlonely,andbegantotireofhislady-love.‘Shehasnoconversation,’hesaid,‘andIamafraidthatsheisacoquette,forsheisalwaysflirtingwiththewind.’Andcertainly,wheneverthewindblew,theReedmadethemostgracefulcurtsies.‘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;‘itisafinepositionwithplentyoffreshair.’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.Roundthegardenranaverylofty3wall,butInevercaredtoaskwhatlaybeyondit,everythingaboutmewassobeautiful.MycourtierscalledmetheHappyPrince,andhappyindeedIwas,ifpleasurebehappiness.SoIlived,andsoIdied.AndnowthatIamdeadtheyhavesetmeupheresohighthatIcanseealltheuglinessandallthemiseryofmycity,andthoughmyheartismadeofleadyetIcannotchoosebutweep.’‘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,andhishandsarelik