The Prince says, “Little swallow, fly over my city and tell me what you see there.” So the swallow flies over the great city, and he sees the rich enjoying themselves in their beautiful houses, while the beggars sit outside the gates. He flies into dark streets and sees the thin faces of children who have nothing to eat for many days. Then, he flies back and tells the Prince what he has seen.
“I am covered with fine gold,” says the Prince. “You must take it off, little by little, and give it to the poor. The living always think that gold can make them happy.”
Little by little, the swallow takes off all the gold until the Happy Prince looks gray all over. The swallow gives the gold to the poor, and so the children eat well and they laugh and play games. “We have bread now!” they cry.
Then, the snow comes. The little swallow grows colder and colder, but he will not leave the Prince because he loves him so much. He picks up snow to eat and tries to keep himself warm by flapping his wings, but soon he knows that he is going to die.
He has just enough strength to fly up to the Prince’s shoulder once more. “Goodbye, dear Prince,” he says. “Will you let me kiss your hand?”
“I am glad that you are going to Egypt at last, little swallow,” says the Prince.
“I am not going to Egypt,” says the swallow. “I am going to die of hunger and cold.” He kisses the Happy Prince and falls down dead at his feet.
At that moment, there is a loud sound inside the statue just as the window breaks. The statue’s heart breaks into two.
【小题1】Why do the children have thin faces?【小题2】How does the swallow take off the gold from the Prince?
【小题3】Where is the swallow dead at last?
【小题4】Why is there a loud sound inside the statue?
【小题5】What do you think of the Prince, according to the passage?
