宝石悄悄地放在她的手掌心上。“一块多么美丽的玻璃呀！”小女孩高声叫着，她笑着朝家
里跑去。
这时，燕子回到王子身旁。“你现在瞎了，”燕子说，“我要永远陪着你。”
“不，小燕子，”可怜的王子说，“你得到埃及去。”
“我要一直陪着你，”燕子说着就睡在了王子的脚下。
第二天他整日坐在王子的肩头上，给他讲自己在异国他乡的所见所闻和种种经历。他还
给王子讲那些红色的朱鹭，它们排成长长的一行站在尼罗河的岸边，用它们的尖嘴去捕捉金
鱼；还讲到司芬克斯，它的岁数跟世界一样长久，住在沙漠中，通晓世间的一切；他讲纽那
些商人，跟着自己的驼队缓缓而行，手中摸着狼冶做的念珠；他讲到月亮山的国王，他皮肤
黑得像乌木，崇拜一块巨大的水晶；他讲到那条睡在棕祸树上的绿色大莽蛇，要20个僧侣
用蜜糖做的糕点来喂它；他又讲到那些小矮人，他们乘坐扁平的大树叶在湖泊中往来横渡，
还老与蝴蝶发生战争。”
“亲爱的小燕子，”王子说，“你为我讲了好多稀奇的事情，可是更稀奇的还要算那些
男男女女们所遭受的苦难。没有什么比苦难更不可思议的了。小燕子，你就到我城市的上空
去飞一圈吧，告诉我你在上面都看见了些什么。”，
于是燕子飞过了城市上空，看见富人们在自己漂亮的洋楼里寻欢作乐，而乞丐们却坐在
大门口忍饥挨饿。他飞进阴暗的小巷，看见饥饿的孩子们露出苍白的小脸没精打采地望着昏
暗的街道，就在一座桥的桥洞里面两个孩子相互搂抱着想使彼此温暖一些。“我们好饿
呀！”他俩说。“你们不准躺在这儿，”看守高声叹道，两个孩子又跚蹒着朝雨中走去。
随后他飞了回来，把所见的一切告诉给了王子。
“我浑身贴满了上好的黄金片，”王子说，“你把它们一片片地取下来，给我的穷人们
送去。活着的人都相信黄金会使他们幸福的。”
燕子将足赤的黄金叶子一片一片地啄了下来，直到快乐王子变得灰暗无光。他又把这些
纯金叶片一一送给了穷人，孩子们的脸上泛起了红晕，他们在大街上欢欣无比地玩着游戏。
“我们现在有面包了！”孩子们喊叫着。
随后下起了雪，白雪过后又迎来了严寒。街道看上去白花花的，像是银子做成的，又明
亮又耀眼；长长的冰柱如同水晶做的宝剑垂悬在屋檐下。人人都穿上了皮衣，小孩子们也戴
上了红帽子去户外溜冰。
可怜的小燕子觉得越来越冷了，但是他却不愿离开王子，他太爱这位王子了。他只好趁
面包师不注意的时候，从面包店门口弄点面包屑充饥，并扑扇着翅膀为自己取暖。
然而最后他也知道自己快要死去了。他剩下的力气只够再飞到王子的肩上一回。“再见
了，亲爱的王子！”他喃喃地说，“你愿重让我亲吻你的手吗？”
“我真高兴你终于要飞往埃及去了，小燕子，”王子说，“你在这儿呆得太长了。不过
你得亲我的嘴唇，因为我爱你。”
“我要去的地方不是埃及，”燕子说，“我要去死亡之家。死亡是长眠的兄弟，不是
吗？”
接着他亲吻了快乐王子的嘴唇，然后就跌落在王子的脚下，死去了。
就在此刻，雕像体内伸出一声奇特的爆裂声，好像有什么东西破碎了。其实是王子的那
颗铅做的心已裂成了两半。这的确是一个可怕的寒冷冬日，
第二天一早，市长由市参议员们陪同着散步来到下面的广场。他们走过圆柱的时候，市
长抬头看了一眼雕像，“我的天啊！快乐王子怎么如此难看！”他说。
“真是难看极了！”市参议员们异口同声地叫道，他们平时总跟市长一个腔调。说完大
家纷纷走上前去细看个明白。
“他剑柄上的红宝石已经掉了，蓝宝石眼珠也不见了，他也不再是黄金的了，”市长
说，“实际上，他比一个要饭的乞丐强不了多少！”
“的确比要饭的强不了多少，”市参议员们附和着说。
“还有在他的脚下躺着一只死鸟！”市长继续说，“我们真应该发布一个声明，禁止鸟
类死在这个地方。”于是市书记员把这个建议记录了下来。
后来他们就把快乐王子的雕像给推倒了。“既然他已不再美丽，那么也就不再有用
了，”大学的美术教授说。
接着他们把雕像放在炉里熔化了，市长还召集了一次市级的会议来决定如何处理这些金
属，当然，我们必须再铸一个雕像。”他说，“那应该就是我的雕像。”
“我的雕像，”每一位市参议员都争着说，他们还吵了起来。我最后听到人们说起他们
时，他们的争吵仍未结束。
“多么稀奇古怪的事！”铸像厂的工头说，“这颗破裂的铅心在炉子里熔化不了。我们
只好把它扔掉。”他们便把它扔到了垃圾堆里，死去的那只燕子也躺在那儿。
“把城市里最珍贵的两件东西给我拿来，”上帝对他的一位天使说。于是天使就把铅心
和死鸟给上帝带了回来。
“你的选择对极了，”上帝说，“因为在我这天堂的花园里，小鸟可以永远地放声歌
唱，而在我那黄金的城堡中，快乐王子可以尽情地赞美我。”
。。
The Happy Prince
the happy prince
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 cant 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 e 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 e 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 panions 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 ha