Щасливий принц та інші казки
The Happy Prince
"DearPrince,"saidtheSwallow,"Icannotdothat";andhebegantoweep.
"Swallow,Swallow,littleSwallow,"saidthePrince,"doasIcommandyou."
SotheSwallowpluckedoutthePrince’seye,andflewawaytothestudent’sgarret.Itwaseasyenoughtogetin,astherewasaholeintheroof.Throughthishedarted,andcameintotheroom.Theyoungmanhadhisheadburiedinhishands,sohedidnotheartheflutterofthebird’swings,andwhenhelookeduphefoundthebeautifulsapphirelyingonthewitheredviolets.
"Iambeginningtobeappreciated,"hecried;"thisisfromsomegreatadmirer.NowIcanfinishmyplay,"andhelookedquitehappy.
ThenextdaytheSwallowflewdowntotheharbour.Hesatonthemastofalargevesselandwatchedthesailorshaulingbigchestsoutoftheholdwithropes."Heavea-hoy!"theyshoutedaseachchestcameup."IamgoingtoEgypt!"criedtheSwallow,butnobodyminded,andwhenthemoonroseheflewbacktotheHappyPrince.
"Iamcometobidyougood-bye,"hecried.
"Swallow,Swallow,littleSwallow,"saidthePrince,"willyounotstaywithmeonenightlonger?"
"Itiswinter,"answeredtheSwallow,"andthechillsnowwillsoonbehere.InEgyptthesuniswarmonthegreenpalm-trees,andthecrocodileslieinthemudandlooklazilyaboutthem.MycompanionsarebuildinganestintheTempleofBaalbec,andthepinkandwhitedovesarewatchingthem,andcooingtoeachother.
