《快乐王子童话集(英文版)》第7章

broke　most　of　the　slates；　and　then　he　ran　round　and　round　the　garden　as　
fast　as　he　could　go。　He　was　dressed　in　grey；　and　his　breath　was　like　ice。　
〃I　cannot　understand　why　the　Spring　is　so　late　in　ing；〃　said　the　
Selfish　Giant；　as　he　sat　at　the　window　and　looked　out　at　his　cold　white　
garden；　〃I　hope　there　will　be　a　change　in　the　weather。〃　
But　the　Spring　never　came；　nor　the　Summer。　The　Autumn　gave　
golden　fruit　to　every　garden；　but　to　the　Giant"s　garden　she　gave　none。　〃He　
is　too　selfish；〃　she　said。　So　it　was　always　Winter　there；　and　the　North　
Wind；　and　the　Hail；　and　the　Frost；　and　the　Snow　danced　about　through　the　
trees。　
One　morning　the　Giant　was　lying　awake　in　bed　when　he　heard　some　
lovely　music。　It　sounded　so　sweet　to　his　ears　that　he　thought　it　must　be　
the　King"s　musicians　passing　by。　It　was　really　only　a　little　lin　singing　
outside　his　window；　but　it　was　so　long　since　he　had　heard　a　bird　sing　in　his　
garden　that　it　seemed　to　him　to　be　the　most　beautiful　music　in　the　world。　
Then　the　Hail　stopped　dancing　over　his　head；　and　the　North　Wind　ceased　
roaring；　and　a　delicious　perfume　came　to　him　through　the　open　casement。　
〃I　believe　the　Spring　has　e　at　last；〃　said　the　Giant；　and　he　jumped　out　
of　bed　and　looked　out。　
What　did　he　see？　
20　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
He　saw　a　most　wonderful　sight。　Through　a　little　hole　in　the　wall　the　
children　had　crept　in；　and　they　were　sitting　in　the　branches　of　the　trees。　
In　every　tree　that　he　could　see　there　was　a　little　child。　And　the　trees　were　
so　glad　to　have　the　children　back　again　that　they　had　covered　themselves　
with　blossoms；　and　were　waving　their　arms　gently　above　the　children"s　
heads。　The　birds　were　flying　about　and　twittering　with　delight；　and　the　
flowers　were　looking　up　through　the　green　grass　and　laughing。　It　was　a　
lovely　scene；　only　in　one　corner　it　was　still　winter。　It　was　the　farthest　
corner　of　the　garden；　and　in　it　was　standing　a　little　boy。　He　was　so　small　
that　he　could　not　reach　up　to　the　branches　of　the　tree；　and　he　was　
wandering　all　round　it；　crying　bitterly。　The　poor　tree　was　still　quite　
covered　with　frost　and　snow；　and　the　North　Wind　was　blowing　and　roaring　
above　it。　〃Climb　up！　little　boy；〃　said　the　Tree；　and　it　bent　its　branches　
down　as　low　as　it　could；　but　the　boy　was　too　tiny。　
And　the　Giant"s　heart　melted　as　he　looked　out。　〃How　selfish　I　have　
been！〃　he　said；　〃now　I　know　why　the　Spring　would　not　e　here。　I　will　
put　that　poor　little　boy　on　the　top　of　the　tree；　and　then　I　will　knock　down　
the　wall；　and　my　garden　shall　be　the　children"s　playground　for　ever　and　
ever。〃　He　was　really　very　sorry　for　what　he　had　done。　
So　he　crept　downstairs　and　opened　the　front　door　quite　softly；　and　
went　out　into　the　garden。　But　when　the　children　saw　him　they　were　so　
frightened　that　they　all　ran　away；　and　the　garden　became　winter　again。　
Only　the　little　boy　did　not　run；　for　his　eyes　were　so　full　of　tears　that　he　did　
not　see　the　Giant　ing。　And　the　Giant　stole　up　behind　him　and　took　
him　gently　in　his　hand；　and　put　him　up　into　the　tree。　And　the　tree　broke　
at　once　into　blossom；　and　the　birds　came　and　sang　on　it；　and　the　little　boy　
stretched　out　his　two　arms　and　flung　them　round　the　Giant"s　neck；　and　
kissed　him。　And　the　other　children；　when　they　saw　that　the　Giant　was　not　
wicked　any　longer；　came　running　back；　and　with　them　came　the　Spring。　
〃It　is　your　garden　now；　little　children；〃　said　the　Giant；　and　he　took　a　great　
axe　and　knocked　down　the　wall。　And　when　the　people　were　going　to　
market　at　twelve　o"clock　they　found　the　Giant　playing　with　the　children　in　
21　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
the　most　beautiful　garden　they　had　ever　seen。　
All　day　long　they　played；　and　in　the　evening　they　came　to　the　Giant　to　
bid　him　good…bye。　
〃But　where　is　your　little　panion？〃　he　said：　〃the　boy　I　put　into　the　
tree。〃　The　Giant　loved　him　the　best　because　he　had　kissed　him。　
〃We　don"t　know；〃　answered　the　children；　〃he　has　gone　away。〃　
〃You　must　tell　him　to　be　sure　and　e　here　to…morrow；〃　said　the　
Giant。　But　the　children　said　that　they　did　not　know　where　he　lived；　and　
had　never　seen　him　before；　and　the　Giant　felt　very　sad。　
Every　afternoon；　when　school　was　over；　the　children　came　and　played　
with　the　Giant。　But　the　little　boy　whom　the　Giant　loved　was　never　seen　
again。　The　Giant　was　very　kind　to　all　the　children；　yet　he　longed　for　his　
first　little　friend；　and　often　spoke　of　him。　〃How　I　would　like　to　see　him！〃　
he　used　to　say。　
Years　went　over；　and　the　Giant　grew　very　old　and　feeble。　He　could　
not　play　about　any　more；　so　he　sat　in　a　huge　armchair；　and　watched　the　
children　at　their　games；　and　admired　his　garden。　〃I　have　many　beautiful　
flowers；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　children　are　the　most　beautiful　flowers　of　all。〃　
One　winter　morning　he　looked　out　of　his　window　as　he　was　dressing。　
He　did　not　hate　the　Winter　now；　for　he　knew　that　it　was　merely　the　Spring　
asleep；　and　that　the　flowers　were　resting。　
Suddenly　he　rubbed　his　eyes　in　wonder；　and　looked　and　looked。　It　
certainly　was　a　marvellous　sight。　In　the　farthest　corner　of　the　garden　was　
a　tree　quite　covered　with　lovely　white　blossoms。　Its　branches　were　all　
golden；　and　silver　fruit　hung　down　from　them；　and　underneath　it　stood　the　
little　boy　he　had　loved。　
Downstairs　ran　the　Giant　in　great　joy；　and　out　into　the　garden。　He　
hastened　across　the　grass；　and　came　near　to　the　child。　And　when　he　came　
quite　close　his　face　grew　red　with　anger；　and　he　said；　〃Who　hath　dared　to　
wound　thee？〃　For　on　the　palms　of　the　child"s　hands　were　the　prints　of　
two　nails；　and　the　prints　of　two　nails　were　on　the　little　feet。　
〃Who　hath　dared　to　wound　thee？〃　cried　the　Giant；　〃tell　me；　that　I　may　
22　
The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales　
take　my　big　sword　and　slay　him。〃　
〃Nay！〃　answered　the　child；　〃but　these　are　the　wounds　of　Love。〃