open； and through it i can see a woman seated at a table。 her face
is thin and worn； and she has coarse； red hands； all pricked by the
needle； for she is a seamstress。 she is embroidering passion…
flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the queens maids…of…
honour to wear at the next court…ball。 in a bed in the corner of
the room her little boy is lying ill。 he has a fever； and is
asking for oranges。 his mother has nothing to give him but river
water； so he is crying。 swallow； swallow； little swallow； will you
not bring her the ruby out of my sword…hilt？ my feet are fastened
to this pedestal and i cannot move。〃
〃i am waited for in egypt；〃 said the swallow。 〃my friends are
flying up and down the nile； and talking to the large lotus…
flowers。 soon they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great king。
the king is there himself in his painted coffin。 he is wrapped in
yellow linen； and embalmed with spices。 round his neck is a chain
of pale green jade； and his hands are like withered leaves。〃
〃swallow； swallow； little swallow；〃 said the prince； 〃will you not
stay with me for one night； and be my messenger？ the boy is so
thirsty； and the mother so sad。〃
〃i dont think i like boys；〃 answered the swallow。 〃last summer；
when i was staying on the river； there were two rude boys； the
millers sons； who were always throwing stones at me。 they never
hit me； of course； we swallows fly far too well for that； and
besides； i e of a family famous for its agility； but still； it
was a mark of disrespect。〃
but the happy prince looked so sad that the little swallow was
sorry。 〃it is very cold here；〃 he said； 〃but i will stay with you
for one night； and be your messenger。〃
〃thank you； little swallow；〃 said the prince。
so the swallow picked out the great ruby from the princes sword；
and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town。
he passed by the cathedral tower； where the white marble angels
were sculptured。 he passed by the palace and heard the sound of
dancing。 a beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover。
〃how wonderful the stars are；〃 he said to her； 〃and how wonderful
is the power of love！〃
〃i hope my dress will be ready in time for the state…ball；〃 she
answered； 〃i have ordered passion…flowers to be embroidered on it；
but the seamstresses are so lazy。〃
he passed over the river； and saw the lanterns hanging to the masts
of the ships。 he passed over the ghetto； and saw the old jews
bargaining with each other； and weighing out money in copper
scales。 at last he came to the poor house and looked in。 the boy
was tossing feverishly on his bed； and the mother had fallen
asleep； she was so tired。 in he hopped； and laid the great ruby on
the table beside the womans thimble。 then he flew gently round
the bed； fanning the boys forehead with his wings。 〃how cool i
feel；〃 said the boy； 〃i must be getting better〃； and he sank into a
delicious slumber。
then the swallow flew back to the happy prince； and told him what
he had done。 〃it is curious；〃 he remarked； 〃but i feel quite warm
now； although it is so cold。〃
〃that is because you have done a good action；〃 said the prince。
and the little swallow began to think； and then he fell asleep。
thinking always made him sleepy。
when day broke he flew down to the river and had a bath。 〃what a
remarkable phenomenon；〃 said the professor of ornithology as he was
passing over the bridge。 〃a swallow in winter！〃 and he wrote a
long letter about it to the local newspaper。 every one quoted it；
it was full of so many words that they could not understand。
〃to…night i go to egypt；〃 said the swallow； and he was in high
spirits at the prospect。 he visited all the public monuments； and
sat a long time on top of the church steeple。 wherever he went the
sparrows chirruped； and said to each other； 〃what a distinguished
stranger！〃 so he enjoyed himself very much。
when the moon rose he flew back to the happy prince。 〃have you any
missions for egypt？〃 he cried； 〃i am just starting。〃
〃swallow； swallow； little swallow；〃 said the prince； 〃will you not
stay with me one night longer？〃
〃i am waited for in egypt；〃 answered the swallow。 〃to…morrow my
friends will fly up to the second cataract。 the river…horse
couches there among the bulrushes； and on a great granite throne
sits the god memnon。 all night long he watches the stars； and when
the morning star shines he utters one cry of joy； and then he is
silent。 at noon the yellow lions e down to the waters edge to
drink。 they have eyes like green beryls； and their roar is louder
than the roar of the cataract。
〃swallow； swallow； little swallow；〃 said the prince； 〃far away
across the city i see a young man in a garret。 he is leaning over
a desk covered with papers； and in a tumbler by his side there is a
bunch of withered violets。 his hair is brown and crisp； and his
lips are red as a pomegranate； and he has large and dreamy eyes。
he is trying to finish a play for the director of the theatre； but
he is too cold to write any more。 there is no fire in the grate；
and hunger has made him faint。〃
〃i will wait with you one night longer；〃 said the swallow； who
really had a good heart。 〃shall i take him another ruby？〃
〃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 princes eye； and flew away to the
students 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 birds 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 here。 in egypt the sun is warm on the green palm…trees； and the
crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them。 my
panions are building a nest in the temple of baalbec； and the
pink and white doves are watching them； and cooing to each other。
dear prince； i must leave you； but i will never forget you； and
next spring i will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of
those you have given away。 the ruby shall be redder than a red
rose； and the sapphire shall be as blue as the great sea。〃
〃in the square below；〃 said the happy prince； 〃there stands a
little match…girl。 she has let her matches fall in the gutter； and
they are all spoiled。 her father will beat her if she does not
bring home some money； and she is crying。 she has no shoes or
stockings； and her little head is bare。 pluck out my other eye；
and give it to her； and her father will not beat her。〃
〃i will stay with you one night longer；〃 said the swallow； 〃but i
cannot pluck out your eye。 you would be quite blind then。〃
〃swallow； swallow； little swallow；〃 said the prince； 〃do as i
mand you。〃
so he plucked out the princes other eye； and darted down with it。
he swooped past the match…girl； and slipped the jewel into the palm
of her hand。 〃what a lovely bit of glass；〃 cried the little girl；
and she ran home； laughing。
then the swallow came back to the prince。 〃you are blind now；〃 he
said； 〃so i will stay with you always。〃
〃no； little swallow；〃 said the poor prince； 〃you must go away to
egypt。〃
〃i will stay with you always；〃 said the swallow； and he slept at
the princes feet。
all the next day he sat on the princes shoulder； and told him
stories of what he had seen in strange lands。 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 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