Щасливий принц та інші казки

           "Argumentsareextremelyvulgar,foreverybodyingoodsocietyholdsexactlythesameopinions.Good-byeasecondtime;Iseemydaughtersinthedistance;"andthelittleFrogswamaway.

           "Youareaveryirritatingperson,"saidtheRocket,"andveryill-bred.Ihatepeoplewhotalkaboutthemselves,asyoudo,whenonewantstotalkaboutoneself,asIdo.ItiswhatIcallselfishness,andselfishnessisamostdetestablething,especiallytoanyoneofmytemperament,forIamwellknownformysympatheticnature.Infact,youshouldtakeexamplebyme;youcouldnotpossiblyhaveabettermodel.Nowthatyouhavethechanceyouhadbetteravailyourselfofit,forIamgoingbacktoCourtalmostimmediately.IamagreatfavouriteatCourt;infact,thePrinceandPrincessweremarriedyesterdayinmyhonour.Ofcourseyouknownothingofthesematters,foryouareaprovincial."

           "Thereisnogoodtalkingtohim,"saidadragon-fly,whowassittingonthetopofalargebrownbulrush;"nogoodatall,forhehasgoneaway."

           "Well,thatishisloss,notmine,"answeredtheRocket."Iamnotgoingtostoptalkingtohimmerelybecausehepaysnoattention.Ilikehearingmyselftalk.Itisoneofmygreatestpleasures.Ioftenhavelongconversationsallbymyself,andIamsocleverthatsometimesIdon’tunderstandasinglewordofwhatIamsaying."

           "ThenyoushouldcertainlylectureonPhilosophy,"saidtheDragon-fly,andhespreadapairoflovelygauzewingsandsoaredawayintothesky.