第2部分(第3/7 页)

ands。　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

8

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

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　th