快乐王子

快乐王子

The Happy Prince

在城市的高处，立着一根高高的石柱，上面站着快乐王子的雕像。他全身贴满了薄薄的纯金叶子，眼睛是两颗明亮的蓝宝石，剑柄上还闪耀着一颗大红宝石。

High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.

大家都非常赞美他。

He was very much admired indeed.

“他就像风向标一样漂亮，”一位想让别人觉得自己有艺术品味的市议员说，“只是没那么有用罢了。”他补充道，生怕别人认为自己不切实际，其实他一点也不脱离实际。

“He is as beautiful as a weathercock,” remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; “only not quite so useful,” he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not.

“你为什么不能学学快乐王子呢？”一位通情达理的母亲问她那想要月亮而哭闹的小男孩，“快乐王子从来不会为了得不到的东西哭闹。”

“Why can’t you be like the Happy Prince?” asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. “The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything.”

“我很高兴世界上还有人真正感到快乐，”一个失意的人注视着这座奇妙的雕像，低声自言自语道。

“I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy,” muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.

“他看起来就像一位天使，”慈善学校的孩子们从大教堂走出来时说。他们穿着鲜红的斗篷和干净的白色围裙。

“He looks just like an angel,” said the Charity Children as they came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white pinafores.

“你们怎么知道的？”数学老师说，“你们又没见过天使。”

“How do you know?” said the Mathematical Master, “you have never seen one.”

“啊！但我们在梦里见过。”孩子们回答。数学老师皱起了眉头，显得非常严肃，因为他不赞成小孩子做梦。

“Ah! but we have, in our dreams,” answered the children; and the Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did not approve of children dreaming.

一天夜里，一只小燕子飞过了这座城市。他的朋友们六个星期前就飞去埃及了，但他留了下来，因为他爱上了一根最美丽的芦苇。

One night there flew over the city a little Swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind, for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed.

初春时节，他顺着河流追逐一只大黄蛾，就在那时遇见了她。他被她纤细的腰肢深深吸引，便停下来和她说话。

He had met her early in the spring as he was flying down the river after a big yellow moth, and had been so attracted by her slender waist that he had stopped to talk to her.

“我可以爱你吗？”小燕子说。他喜欢开门见山，而芦苇向他深深地鞠了一躬。于是他围着她飞来飞去，翅膀轻轻掠过水面，荡起银色的波纹。

“Shall I love you?” said the Swallow, who liked to come to the point at once, and the Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round and round her, touching the water with his wings, and making silver ripples.

这就是他的求爱方式，而且持续了整个夏天。

This was his courtship, and it lasted all through the summer.

“这种恋爱真是太可笑了，”其他燕子叽叽喳喳地说，“她没有钱，亲戚又多得数不清。”确实，河里长满了芦苇。后来，秋天到了，燕子们全都飞走了。

“It is a ridiculous attachment,” twittered the other Swallows; “she has no money, and far too many relations”; and indeed the river was quite full of Reeds. Then, when the autumn came they all flew away.