第2部分(第1/7 页)

〃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　mand

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　e　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

7

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

here。 In　Egypt　the　sun　is　warm　on　the　green　palm…trees；　and　the