Please tell me the story of urban sculpture. Thank you. Speed...

The statue of the Happy Prince stands high above the city on a tall stone pillar. His body was covered with thin gold leaves, his eyes were made of bright sapphires, and a huge gleaming red gem was embedded in the hilt of the sword.

The world is really envious of him. "He's as beautiful as a weathercock," said an alderman who wanted to show he had artistic taste, and then added, fearing he would be seen as impractical, which he was. : "It's just not as practical as a weathervane."

"Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?" A wise mother said to her little boy who was crying for the moon, "The Happy Prince dreams I never thought of crying for something."

"It makes me happy that there are such happy people in the world," muttered a depressed man, staring at this extraordinary statue. Said.

"He looks like an angel," the children at the orphanage said. They were walking out of the church, wearing bright red cloaks and clean white bibs on their chests.

"How do you know?" the math teacher asked, "You have never seen the appearance of an angel."

"Ah! But we have seen it, it was in a dream I saw it." The children replied. The math teacher frowned and grimaced because he disapproved of children dreaming.

One night, a little swallow flew over the city. His friends had flown to Egypt six weeks ago, but he stayed behind because he missed the incomparably beautiful Miss Reed too much. He met her in early spring, chasing a large yellow moth down the river. He was fascinated by her slender waist and stopped to talk to her.

"Can I love you?" Yanzi asked, he likes to get to the point right away. The reed bent down to him, so he flew around her in circles, caressing the water with his wings, creating layers of silver ripples. This is the swallow's way of courting, and he goes on like this all summer long.

"This love affair is really ridiculous," the other swallows chuckled. "She has no money and so many relatives." Indeed, the river is full of reeds.

When autumn arrives, the swallows fly away.

After everyone left, he felt very lonely and began to hate his lover. "She can't talk," he said, "and besides I'm afraid she's a slut, you see she's always flirting with the wind." That's true, when the wind blows, the reeds make the most elegant curtseys. "I admit that she is a homebody," Yanzi continued, "but I love traveling, and of course my wife should also love traveling."

"Are you willing to come with me? he asked finally. However, Luwei shook her head. She was too reluctant to leave her home.

"So you are joking with me," he roared, "I'm going to the pyramid, goodbye!" After that, he flew away.

He flew all day and came to the city at night. "Where am I going to spend the night?" he said. "I hope the city is ready."

At this time, he saw the statue on the tall column.

"I'll spend the night there," he cried. "It's a nice place, full of fresh air." So he settled down between the Happy Prince's feet.

"I have a bedroom made of gold," he said softly to himself after looking around and getting ready to sleep. But just as he put his head under his wings, a big drop of water fell on him. "It's incredible!" he exclaimed, "There are no clouds in the sky, the stars are clear and bright, but it rains. The weather in Northern Europe is really terrible. Reed likes rain, but that's just her selfishness."

Another drop fell immediately.

"What's the use of a statue if it can't even protect it from the rain?" He said, "I have to find a good chimney to make a nest." He decided to fly away from here.

But before he could spread his wings, the third drop of water fell again. He looked up and saw - ah! What did he see?

The Happy Prince's eyes were filled with tears, and the tears flowed down his golden cheeks. The prince's face was extremely beautiful in the moonlight, and the little swallow suddenly felt pity.

"Who are you?" he asked the other party.

"I am the Happy Prince."

"Then why are you crying?" The swallow asked again, "You made me wet."

< p> "When I was alive with a human heart," the statue said, "I didn't know what tears were, because at that time I lived in the palace of freedom, which was a place where sorrow could not enter. During the day People played with me in the garden, and I led the dance in the hall at night. There was a high wall along the garden, but I never thought there was anything on the other side of the wall. Everything around me was so beautiful. My servants call me the Happy Prince, and indeed, if joy is joy, I am extremely happy. And now that I am dead, they stand me so high. It allowed me to see all the ugliness and poverty in my city. Even though my heart was made of lead, I still couldn't help but cry.

"

"Ah! Isn't he a golden statue with a heart of stone? "Swallow said to himself. He was very polite and did not want to talk loudly about other people's private affairs.

"Far away," the statue continued in a low and melodious voice, "there is a small street in the distance. There is a poor family. A window was open and through it I could see a woman sitting at a table. Her thin face was full of weariness, and her rough red hands were full of needle holes because she was a tailor. She was embroidering passion flowers on a satin dress that the queen's favorite maid was going to wear at the next palace ball. On a bed in the corner of the room lay her sick child. The child has a fever and is clamoring for oranges. His mother gave him nothing but a few mouthfuls of river water, so the child kept crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you take off the ruby ​​from the hilt of my sword and give it to her? My feet are fixed to this base and cannot move. "

"My friends are waiting for me in Egypt," said the Swallow. "They are flying up and down the Nile, talking to the big lotus flowers, and will soon go to the tomb of the great Pharaoh. overnight. The pharaoh himself slept in his own colorful coffin. His body was wrapped in yellow linen and filled with antiseptic spices. There is a light green emerald necklace tied around his neck, and his hands are like withered leaves. "

"Swallow, swallow, little swallow," the prince said again, "won't you spend the night with me and be my messenger? The child was so horny and his mother was devastated. "

"I don't think I like children," the swallow replied. "Last summer, I went to a river. There were two naughty children, the miller's sons. They always threw Stone me. Of course, they would never try to hit me, how fast we swallows fly, and besides, I come from a family famous for being fast; but in any case, this is impolite behavior. "

But the happy prince's sad face made the little swallow feel very uncomfortable. "It's too cold here," he said, "but I am willing to spend the night with you and be your messenger. "

"Thank you, little swallow," said the prince.

So the swallow took the huge ruby ​​from the prince's sword, held it in his mouth, and crossed a building in the city.

He flew over the top of the cathedral and saw the white marble statue of an angel. He flew over the palace and heard the sound of dancing songs. The beautiful girl walked up to the rooftop with her sweetheart. "What a wonderful star," he said to her. "What a wonderful love."

"I hope my clothes will be ready on time. "In time for the ball," she replied, "I asked for passion-flowers to be embroidered, but the seamstresses were too lazy. ”

He flew over the river and saw countless lanterns hanging on the masts of the ships. He flew over the Jewish Quarter and saw the old Jewish people bargaining with each other to do business and putting coins on the copper. He weighed the child on the scale. Finally he came to the poor man's house and looked inside. The feverish child was tossing and turning on the bed. The mother was already asleep because she was too tired. The ruby ​​was placed on the table next to the woman's thimble. Then he flew gently around the bed and fanned the child's forehead with his wings. "I feel so cool," the child said. "I must be feeling better." . "After saying that, he fell into a sweet dream.

Then, the swallow returned to the Happy Prince and told him everything he had done. "You think it's strange or not," he continued, " Although the weather is very cold, I feel so warm now. "

"That's because you did a good thing," the prince said. So the little swallow began to think about the prince's words, but fell asleep soon after. For him, when he thought about the problem, he always thought about it. Sleepy.

At dawn he flew down to the river and took a bath. "What an incredible phenomenon," said a professor of ornithology as he passed by the bridge. "There are swallows in winter!" "So he wrote a long letter to the local newspaper about the matter. Everyone quoted his words in the letter, even though many of the words in the letter were incomprehensible.

"Tonight I "We are going to Egypt," said the swallow, and he became more energetic when he thought about the distant place. He visited all the memorials of the Duke in the city, and sat on the top of the church for a long time. Everywhere he went, the sparrows They chattered to each other, "What a rare guest! "So he had a great time.

When the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince. "Do you have anything to do in Egypt? he asked loudly, "I'm about to leave." "

"Swallow, swallow, little swallow," said the prince, "will you stay with me for one more night? "

"My friends are waiting for me in Egypt," the Swallow replied. "Tomorrow my friends will fly to the Second Falls, where the hippos spend the night among the papyrus bushes. The ancient Egyptian god Memnon sat on a huge granite throne. He watched the stars all night. Whenever the stars twinkled, he screamed with joy, and then became silent. At noon, the yellow lions came down the mountain to the river to drink water. Their eyes were like green gems, and their roars were louder than the roar of the waterfall. "Swallow, swallow, little swallow," said the prince. "Far away at the other end of the city, I saw a young man living in an attic."

He was immersed in his studies on a desk covered with papers, and a bouquet of dried violets stood in a glass next to him. He had curly brown hair, lips as red as pomegranates, and big sleepy eyes. He was trying to write a play for the theater manager, but he was too cold to write. There was no firewood in the fireplace, and hunger made him dizzy. "

"I am willing to spend one more night with you," Yanzi said. He did have a kind heart. "Should I give him another ruby? ”

“Alas! I don't have rubies anymore. said the prince, "all that remains are my eyes." They are made of rare sapphires that came from India more than a thousand years ago. Take one out and give it to him. He would sell it to a jeweler so he could buy food and firewood to finish the play he was writing. "

"Dear prince," said the swallow, "I can't do this," and started crying.

"Swallow, swallow, little swallow," said the prince, “Just do as I say. ”

So the swallow took off one of the prince’s eyes and flew towards the attic where the students lived. Since there was a hole in the roof, the swallow could easily get in. In this way, the swallow passed through the hole and came to the house The young man covered his face with his hands and did not hear the flapping of the swallow's wings. When he raised his head, he saw the beautiful sapphire placed on the dry violet.

"I began to be appreciated. ,” he cried, “this must be from someone who admires me greatly. Now I can finish my script. "A happy smile appeared on his face.

The next day Swallow flew to the harbor below. He sat on the mast of the big ship and watched the sailors dragging the big box out of the cabin with ropes. With their shouts of "Hey! Hey!", big boxes were dragged up one by one. "I'm going to Egypt!" Yanzi said briefly, but no one paid him any attention. After the moon rose, he flew back to the Happy Prince.

"I have come to say good-bye to you," he cried.

"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the prince, "won't you spend one more night with me?"

"Winter is here," replied the Swallow, "it's cold. Snow is coming. In Egypt, the sun hangs on the green palm trees, it is extremely warm, and there are crocodiles lying in the mud pond lazily looking around at the temple in the ancient city of Baalbek. They were building nests inside, and the pink and silver pigeons watched them working while talking to each other about love. My dear prince, I have to leave you, but I will never forget you. Next spring. I want to bring you two beautiful gems to make up for the ones you lost by giving them to others. The ruby ​​will be redder than a red rose, and the sapphire will be bluer than the sea."

" "Down in the square," said the Happy Prince, " stood a little match-girl. Her matches had fallen into the gutter, and they were useless. If she did not bring the money home, her father would strike them. Hers, she's crying. She has no shoes or socks and nothing on her head. Please take off my other eye and give it to her so her father won't beat her. "

"I am willing to spend one more night with you," Yanzi said, "but I can't take off your eyes, otherwise you will become blind."

"Swallow, swallow, little swallow," said the prince, "just do as I say." Then he took off the prince's other eyeball and flew it down. go. He suddenly landed in front of the little girl and quietly placed the gem in her palm. "What a beautiful piece of glass!" the little girl shouted, and she ran home with a smile.

At this time, the swallow returned to the prince. "You are blind now," said the swallow, "I will stay with you forever."

"No, little swallow," said the poor prince, "you have to go to Egypt."

< p> "I will always stay with you," the swallow said and fell asleep at the prince's feet.

The next day he sat on the prince's shoulder all day long, telling him what he had seen, heard and experienced in a foreign country. He also told the prince about the red ibises, which stood in a long line on the bank of the Nile, catching goldfish with their sharp beaks; and about the Sphinx, which was as old as the world and lived in In the desert, he knew everything about the world; he talked about the merchants, walking slowly with his camel caravan, touching the rosary made by Lang Ye in his hand; he talked about the king of Moon Mountain, whose skin was as black as ebony, and who worshiped a huge crystal; he told of the great green serpent that slept in the palm tree and required twenty monks to feed it cakes made of honey; and he told of the dwarfs who rode on the great flat leaves. Crossing back and forth in the lake, Huanlao had a war with butterflies. "

"Dear little swallow," said the prince, "you have told me many strange things, but what is even more strange is the suffering suffered by those men and women. There is nothing more incredible than suffering. Little Swallow, just fly over my city and tell me what you saw there. ",

So the swallow flew over the city and saw the rich having fun in their beautiful mansions, while the beggars were sitting at the gate and starving. He flew into the dark little house. In the alley, I saw hungry children looking listlessly at the dim street with their pale little faces. In the opening of a bridge, two children hugged each other to keep each other warm.

"We are so hungry!" they said. "You are not allowed to lie here," the guard sighed loudly, and the two children staggered off into the rain again.

Then he flew back and told the prince everything he had seen.

“I am covered with fine pieces of gold,” said the prince. “You take them off piece by piece and give them to my poor people. Everyone alive believes that gold will make them rich. Happy."

The swallow pecked off the bare golden leaves one by one until the Happy Prince turned gray. He gave these pure gold leaves to the poor one by one. The children's faces turned red and they played games happily on the street. "We have bread now!" the children shouted.

Then it started to snow, and after the white snow came the severe cold. The streets looked white, as if they were made of silver, bright and dazzling; long icicles hung from the eaves like swords made of crystal. Everyone wore leather jackets, and the children also wore red hats and went skating outdoors.

The poor little Yanzi felt that it was getting colder and colder, but he did not want to leave the prince. He loved the prince so much. He had no choice but to get some bread crumbs from the door of the bakery to satisfy his hunger when the baker was not paying attention, and flapped his wings to keep himself warm.

However, in the end he also knew that he was going to die. He only had enough strength left to fly to the prince's shoulders one more time. "Goodbye, dear prince!" he murmured, "will you let me kiss your hand again?"

"I am so glad that you are finally flying to Egypt, little swallow. "," said the prince, "you have stayed here too long, but you must kiss my lips, because I love you."

"The place I am going to is not Egypt," said the swallow. I'm going to the house of death. Death is the brother of sleep, isn't it?" Then he kissed the Happy Prince on the lips, and fell at his feet and died.

At this moment, there was a strange cracking sound coming from the statue, as if something was broken. In fact, the prince's lead heart was split in two. It was indeed a terrible cold winter day.

Early the next morning, the mayor, accompanied by the aldermen, walked to the square below. As they passed the column, the mayor looked up at the statue. "Oh my God! How ugly the Happy Prince is!" he said.

"It's really ugly!" cried the aldermen in unison, as they usually did in the same tone as the mayor. After saying that, everyone stepped forward to take a closer look.

"The ruby ​​on his sword hilt has fallen off, the sapphire eyes are gone, and he is no longer gold," the mayor said. "In fact, he is no better than a beggar. How much!”

“Not much better than a beggar, indeed,” echoed the aldermen.

"There is also a dead bird lying at his feet!" the mayor continued, "We should really issue a proclamation prohibiting birds from dying in this place." So the city clerk put this Suggestions were recorded.

Later they pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince. "Now that it's no longer beautiful, it's no longer useful," said the university's art professor.

Then they melted the statue in a furnace, and the mayor called a municipal meeting to decide what to do with the metal. Of course, we had to cast another statue. He said, "That should be my statue." "

"My statue," each of the aldermen argued, and they quarreled. The last time I heard anyone talking about them, their quarrel was still going on.

p>

"What a strange thing! "The foreman of the statue factory said, "This cracked lead core cannot be melted in the furnace. We had to throw it away. "So they threw it into the rubbish heap, where the dead swallow also lay.

"Bring me the two most precious things in the city," God said to one of his The angel said. So the angel brought the lead heart and the dead bird back to God.

"You made the right choice," God said, "because in my garden of heaven, birds can." Sing forever, and in my golden castle the Happy Prince may praise me to his heart's content.

”