Page:The happy prince and other tales.djvu/34

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THE HAPPY PRINCE

full of so many words that they could not understand.

"To-night I go to Egypt," said the Swallow, and he was in high spirits at the prospect. He visited all the public monuments, and sat a long time on top of the church steeple. Wherever he went the Sparrows chirruped, and said to each other, " What a distinguished stranger! ' so he enjoyed himself very much.

When the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince. " Have you any commissions for Egypt? ' he cried; " I am just starting."

"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, " will you not stay with me one night longer? '

"I am waited for in Egypt," answered the Swallow. " To-morrow my friends will fly up to the Second Cataract. The river-horse couches there among the bulrushes, and on a great granite throne sits the God Memnon.

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