Wilde's Fairy Tales - Illustrated Classic Stories

Author: Oscar Wilde (United Kingdom) / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features:
"Who are you?" asked the little swallow. "I am the Happy Prince," replied the statue. "Why are you crying?" asked the little swallow. "Your tears have soaked me through." "When I was alive, I did not know what tears were, for I lived in a carefree palace where sorrow could not enter. My subjects called me the Happy Prince. Now that I am dead, they have erected me on this high pillar, and I can see all the ugliness and misery in the city. Though my heart is made of lead, I cannot help but weep for them." The Happy Prince said gently, "In a small street far away, there lives a poor family. One of their windows is open, and through it I see a thin, frail woman sitting at the table. She is a seamstress, preparing a gown for the queen's attendants to attend a banquet. Her child is sick and crying for oranges, but there is nothing in the house. The child keeps weeping. Little Swallow, would you like to take the red ruby from my sword hilt and give it to her? My feet are fixed to this plinth and cannot move." "But my friends are waiting for me in Egypt," said the little swallow. The Happy Prince said, "That child is too, his mother's heart is broken." The Happy Prince was so sad that the little swallow felt very sorry for him. P31-32