"The Happy Prince"

Chapter 4:

When the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince."Have You Any commissions for Egypt?"he cried,"I am just starting." "Swallow,Swallow,Little swallow,"said the Prince,"will you not stay with me for one night longer?" "I am waited for in Egypt,"answered the Swallow."Tomorrow my friends will fly up to the Second Cataract.The Riverhorse 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 joy,and then he is silent.At noon the yellow lions come down to the water' sedge to drink.They have eyes like green beryls,and their roar is louder than the roar of the cataract."

"Swallow,swallow,little Swallow," said the Prince, "far away across the city I see a young man in a garret.He is leaning over a desk covered with papers,and in a tumbler by his side there is a bunch of withered violets.His hair is brown and crisp,and his lips are red as pomegranate,and he has large and dreamy eyes.He is trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theater,but he is too cold to write any more.There is no Fire in the grate,and hunger has made him faint."

"I will wait with you one night longer," said The Swallow,who really had a good heart."Shall I take him another ruby?"

"Alas! I have no ruby now,"said the Prince: "My eyes are all that I have left. they are made of rare sapphires,which were brought out of India a thousand years ago.Pluck out one of them and take it to him.He will sell it to the Jeweller,and buy firewood,and finish his play."

"Dear Prince," said the Swallow, "I cannot do that";and he began to weep."Swallow,Swallow,little Swallow," said the Prince, "do as I Command you."

So the Swallow plucked out the Prince's eye, and flew away to the student's garret.It was easy enough to get in, as there was a hole in the roof.Through this he darted,and came into the room.The young man had his head buried in his hands,so he did not hear the flutter of the bird's wings,and when he looked up he found a beautiful sapphire lying on the withered violets.

"I am beginning to be appreciated," he cried; "this is from some great admirer.Now I can finish my play," and he looked quite happy.The Next day the Swallow flew down to the harbor.He sat on the mast of a large vessel and watched the sailors hauling big chests out of the hold with ropes."Heave a-hoy!" They shouted as each chest came up."I am going to Egypt!" Cried the Swallow,but nobody minded,and when the moon rose he flew back to The Happy Prince

"I am come to bid you good-bye,"he cried

"Swallow,Swallow,Little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not stay with me one night longer?"

"It is winter," answered the Swallow,"and the chill snow will soon be here.In Egypt the sun is warm on the green palm trees,and the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them.