第1部分(第6/7 頁)

5　The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

〃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　jo