第4部分(第3/7 页)

is　too　selfish；〃　she　said。　So　it　was　always　Winter　there；　and　the　North

Wind；　and　the　Hail；　and　the　Frost；　and　the　Snow　danced　about　through　the

trees。

One　morning　the　Giant　was　lying　awake　in　bed　when　he　heard　some

lovely　music。　It　sounded　so　sweet　to　his　ears　that　he　thought　it　must　be

the　King's　musicians　passing　by。　It　was　really　only　a　little　lin　singing

outside　his　window；　but　it　was　so　long　since　he　had　heard　a　bird　sing　in　his

garden　that　it　seemed　to　him　to　be　the　most　beautiful　music　in　the　world。

Then　the　Hail　stopped　dancing　over　his　head；　and　the　North　Wind　ceased

roaring；　and　a　delicious　perfume　came　to　him　through　the　open　casement。

〃I　believe　the　Spring　has　e　at　last；〃　said　the　Giant；　and　he　jumped　out

of　bed　and　looked　out。

What　did　he　see？

20

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

He　saw　a　most　wonderful　sight。　Through　a　little　hole　in　the　wall　the

children　had　crept　in；　and　they　were　sitting　in　the　branches　of　the　trees。

In　every　tree　that　he　could　see　there　was　a　little　child。　And　the　trees　were

so　glad　to　have　the　children　back　again　that　they　had　covered　themselves

with　blossoms；　and　were　waving　their　arms　gently　above　the　children's

heads。　The　birds　were　flying　about　and　twittering　with　delight；　and　the

flowers　were　looking　up　through　the　green　grass　and　laughing。　It　was　a

lovely　scene；　only　in　one　corner　it　was　still　winter。　It　was　the　farthest

corner　of　the　garden；　and　in　it　was　standing　a　little　boy。　He　was　so　small

that　he　could　not　reach　up　to　the　branches　of　the　tree；　and　he　was

wandering　all　round　it；　crying　bitterly。　The　poor　tree　was　still　quite

covered　with