Picture Dictionary & Books : Free for English Learner!

One of the windows is open, and through it I can see a woman seated at a table.

Her face is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked by the needle, for she is a seamstress.

She is embroidering passion-flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen's maids-of-honour to wear at the next Court-ball.

In a bed in the corner of the room her little boy is lying ill.

He has a fever, and is asking for oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river water, so he is crying.

Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you not bring her the ruby out of my sword-hilt?

My feet are fastened to this pedestal and I cannot move."

"I am waited for in Egypt," said the Swallow.

"My friends are flying up and down the Nile, and talking to the large lotus-flowers.

Soon they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great King.

The King is there himself in his painted coffin.

He is wrapped in yellow linen, and embalmed with spices.

Round his neck is a chain of pale green jade, and his hands are like withered leaves."

"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not stay with me for one night, and be my messenger? The boy is so thirsty, and the mother so sad."

"I don't think I like boys," answered the Swallow.

"Last summer, when I was staying on the river, there were two rude boys, the miller's sons, who were always throwing stones at me.

They never hit me, of course; we swallows fly far too well for that, and besides, I come of a family famous for its agility; but still, it was a mark of disrespect."

But the Happy Prince looked so sad that the little Swallow was sorry.

"It is very cold here," he said; "but I will stay with you for one night, and be your messenger."

"Thank you, little Swallow," said the Prince.

So the Swallow picked out the great ruby from the Prince's sword, and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town.

He passed by the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels were sculptured.

He passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover.

"How wonderful the stars are," he said to her, "and how wonderful is the power of love!"

"I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State-ball," she answered; "I have ordered passion-flowers to be embroidered on it; but the seamstresses are so lazy."

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