'Dear little Swallow,' said the Prince, 'you tell me of marvellous things, but
more marvellous than anything is the suffering of men and of women. There is no
Mystery so great as Misery. Fly over my city, little Swallow, and tell me what
you see there.'
So the Swallow flew over the great city, and saw the rich making merry in their
beautiful houses, while the beggars were sitting at the gates. He flew into
dark lanes, and saw the white faces of starving children looking out listlessly
at the black streets. Under the archway of a bridge two little boys were lying
in one another's arms to try and keep themselves warm. 'How hungry we are' they
said. 'You must not lie here,' shouted the Watchman, and they wandered out into
the rain.
Then he flew back and told the Prince what he had seen.
'I am covered with fine gold,' said the Prince, 'you must take it off, leaf by
leaf, and give it to my poor; the living always think that gold can make them
happy.'
Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off, till the Happy Prince
looked quite dull and grey. Leaf after leaf of the fine gold he brought to the
poor, and the children's faces grew rosier, and they laughed and played games
in the street. 'We have bread nod' they cried.
Then the snow came, and after the snow came the frost. The streets looked as if
they were made of silver, they were so bright and glistening; long icicles like
crystal daggers hung down from the eaves of the houses, everybody went about in
furs, and the little boys wore scarlet caps and skated on the ice.
The poor little Swallow grew colder and colder, but he would not leave the
Prince, he loved him too well. He picked up crumbs outside the baker's door
when the baker was not looking, and tried to keep himself warm by flapping his
wings.
But at last he knew that he was going to die. He had just strength to fly up to
the Prince's shoulder once more.'Good-bye, dear Prince!' he murmured, 'will you
let me kiss your hand?'
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