All day long he flew, and at night-time he arrived at the city."

   Where shall I put up?" he said; "I hope the town has    

   made preparations." Then he saw the statue on the tall     

   column.

    "I will put up there," he cried; "it is a fine position,

    with plenty of fresh air." So he alighted just between the

    feet of the Happy Prince.

   "I have a golden bedroom," he said softly to himself as he

   looked round, and he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he

    was putting his head under his wing a large drop of water fell

   on him.

  "What a curious thing!" he cried; "there is not a single

   cloud in the sky, the stars are quite clear and bright,

  and yet it is raining. The climate in the north of Europe

  is really dreadful. The Reed used to like the rain, but

   that was merely her selfishness." Then another drop fell.

  "What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain

   off?" he said; "I must look for a good chimney-pot,"

  and he determined to fly away. But before he had opened

  his wings, a third drop fell, and he looked up, and saw--

  Ah! what did he see?

  The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and

  tears were running down his golden cheeks. His face was

  so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled

   with pity.

   have quite drenched me."

"When I was alive and had a human heart," answered the

   statue, "I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the

   Palace of Sans-Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to  

  enter.

  In the daytime I played with my companions in the

  garden, and in the evening I led the dance in the Great

  Hall. Round the garden ran a very lofty wall, but I never

  cared to ask what lay beyond it, everything about me

  was so beautiful.

   indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and

   so I died.

  And now that I am dead they have set me up here so

  high that I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of

    my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I

   cannot chose but weep."

  "What! is he not solid gold?" said the Swallow to himself.

   He was too polite to make any personal remarks out loud.