[24]“WhenIwasaliveandhadahumanheart,”answeredthestatue, “Ididnotknowwhattearswere, forIlivedinthepalaceofSans-Souci, , , butInevercaredtoaskwhatlaybeyondit, , andhappyindeedIwas, , , andthoughmyheartismadeofleadyetIcannotchoosebutweep.”
[25]“What, ishenotsolidgold?”.
[26]“Faraway,”continuedthestatueinalowmusicalvoice, “, , andshehascoarse , redhands, allprickedbytheneedle, -flowersonasatingownfortheloveliestoftheQueen’, , , Swallow, littleSwallow, willyounotbringhertherubyoutofmysword-hilt? MyfeetarefastenedtothispedestalandIcannotmove.”
[27]“IamwaitedforinEgypt,”saidtheSwallow.“MyfriendsareflyingupanddowntheNile, , , andhishandsarelikewitheredleaves.”
[28]“Swallow, Swallow, littleSwallow,”saidthePrince, “willyounotstaywithmeforonenight, andbemymessenger? Theboyissothirsty, andthemothersosad.”
[29]“Idon’tthinkIlikeboys,”answeredtheSwallow.“Lastsummer, whenIwasstayingontheriver, thereweretworudeboys, themiller’ssons, , ofcourse; weswallowsflyfartoowellforthat, andbesides, Icomeofafamilyfamousforitsagility ; butstill, itwasamarkofdisrespect.”
[30]ButtheHappyPrincelookedsosadthatthelittleSwallowwassorry.“Itisverycoldhere,”hesaid; “butIwillstaywithyouforonenight, andbeyourmessenger.”
[31]“Thankyou, littleSwallow,”saidthePrince.
[32]SotheSwallowpickedoutthegreatrubyfromthePrince’ssword, andflewawaywithitinhisbeakovertheroofsofthetown.
[33]Hepassedbythecathedraltower, .“Howwonderfulthestarsare,”hesaidtoher, “andhowwonderfulisthepoweroflove!”
