Щасливий принц та інші казки
The Happy Prince
"ShallIloveyou?"saidtheSwallow,wholikedtocometothepointatonce,andtheReedmadehimalowbow.Soheflewroundandroundher,touchingthewaterwithhiswings,andmakingsilverripples.Thiswashiscourtship,anditlastedallthroughthesummer.
"Itisaridiculousattachment,"twitteredtheotherSwallows;"shehasnomoney,andfartoomanyrelations;"andindeedtheriverwasquitefullofReeds.Then,whentheautumncametheyallflewaway.
Aftertheyhadgonehefeltlonely,andbegantotireofhislady-love."Shehasnoconversation,"hesaid,"andIamafraidthatsheisacoquette,forsheisalwaysflirtingwiththewind."Andcertainly,wheneverthewindblew,theReedmadethemostgracefulcurtseys."Iadmitthatsheisdomestic,"hecontinued,"butIlovetravelling,andmywife,consequently,shouldlovetravellingalso."
"Willyoucomeawaywithme?"hesaidfinallytoher;buttheReedshookherhead,shewassoattachedtoherhome.
"Youhavebeentriflingwithme,"hecried."IamofftothePyramids.Good-bye!"andheflewaway.
Alldaylongheflew,andatnight-timehearrivedatthecity."WhereshallIputup?"hesaid;"Ihopethetownhasmadepreparations."
Thenhesawthestatueonthetallcolumn.
"Iwillputupthere,"hecried;"itisafineposition,withplentyoffreshair."SohealightedjustbetweenthefeetoftheHappyPrince.
