January 24, 2025 • 20 mins
Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Positive Affirmations And Audio Stories podcast. For this episode’s sleep story, we’ve got a beautiful classic tale by Oscar Wilde – “The Happy Prince”.
Coffee fuels us up ... donations keep us going... please pop over to ko-fi for a coffee donation if you'd like to financially support our work. If you would like to get more inspiration and motivation, there are lots of inspirational positive videos, messages and artwork over there.
https://ko-fi.com/happythoughts
Many thanks, your listens, likes, subscribes and support mean the world to us.
This podcast is available on Spreaker, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio and most podcast platforms and apps. If you like what you hear please feel free to share and to leave a review on your site of choice. Our Supporters Club via Spreaker: spreaker.com/podcast/positive-affirmations-and-audio-stories--1338752/support
Visit my Bandcamp page for more inspiration affirmations, meditations and stories for purchase and sample. Helping you live the positive lifestyle that you deserve.
https://stefanialintonbon.bandcamp.com
__________
And for the children, do check out our other podcast "The Classic Children's Story Podcast ".
Also, have a look at our YouTube channel of stories, affirmations, songs and more for kids:
https://www.youtube.com/@SleepStoriesandFairyTales4U
Wait … There’s more! The website to accompany the you tube channel is here – www.sleepstoriesandfairytales4kids.com
Coffee fuels us up ... donations keep us going... please pop over to ko-fi for a coffee donation if you'd like to financially support our work. If you would like to get more inspiration and motivation, there are lots of inspirational positive videos, messages and artwork over there.
https://ko-fi.com/happythoughts
Many thanks, your listens, likes, subscribes and support mean the world to us.
This podcast is available on Spreaker, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio and most podcast platforms and apps. If you like what you hear please feel free to share and to leave a review on your site of choice. Our Supporters Club via Spreaker: spreaker.com/podcast/positive-affirmations-and-audio-stories--1338752/support
Visit my Bandcamp page for more inspiration affirmations, meditations and stories for purchase and sample. Helping you live the positive lifestyle that you deserve.
https://stefanialintonbon.bandcamp.com
__________
And for the children, do check out our other podcast "The Classic Children's Story Podcast ".
Also, have a look at our YouTube channel of stories, affirmations, songs and more for kids:
https://www.youtube.com/@SleepStoriesandFairyTales4U
Wait … There’s more! The website to accompany the you tube channel is here – www.sleepstoriesandfairytales4kids.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi, This is Stefania over at positive informations and audio
stories bringing new happy thoughts, inspiration, motivation and entertainment start
your day. Today's episode is a sleep story. It's time
to head off to a peaceful, enjoyable sleep with a
relaxing bedtime story. How about that we use the power
(00:27):
of positive words to help you live the positive, uplifting
lifestyle that you deserve. Our story is The Happy Prince
by Oscar Wild. High above the city, on a tall
column stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was
(00:51):
gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold for eyes.
He had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby
glowed on his sword hilt. He was very much admired. Indeed,
he is as beautiful as a weathercock, remarked one of
(01:14):
the town counsilors, who wished to gain a reputation for
having artistic tastes. Only not quite so useful, he added,
fearing lest people should think him unparticle, which he really
was not. Why can't you be like the Happy Prince,
asked the sensible mother of our little boy, who was
(01:35):
crying for the moon. The Happy Prince never dreams of
crying for anything. I am glad there is someone in
the world who was quite happy, muttered a disappointed man
as he gazed at the wonderful statue. He looks just
like an angel, said the charity children, as they came
(01:55):
out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and
their c in white benafores. How do you know, said
the mathematical master. You have never seen one, ah, what
we have in our dreams, answered the children, And the
mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did
(02:17):
not approve of children dreaming. One night there flew over
the city a little swallow. His friends had gone away
to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind,
for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed.
He had met her early in the spring as he
(02:38):
was flying down the river after a big yellow moth,
and had been so attracted by her slender waist that
he had stopped to talk to her. Shall I love you?
Said the swallow, who liked to come to the point
at once, And the Reed made him a low bow,
(02:58):
so he flew round and round her, touching the water
with his wings and making silver ripples. This was his courtship,
and it lasted all through the summer. It is a
rediculous attachment, twitted the other swallows. She is no money
and far too many relations. And indeed the river was
(03:20):
quite full of reeds. Then when the autumn came, they
all flew away. After they had gone, he felt lonely
and began to tire of his lady love. She is
no conversation, he said, and I am afraid that she
is a go cut, for she is always flirting with
the wind, and certainly whenever the wind blew, the reed
(03:45):
made the most graceful courtesies. I admit that she is domestic,
he continued. But I love traveling, and my wife consequently
should love traveling also. Will you come away with me?
(04:07):
He said finally to her. But the reed shook her head.
She was so attached to her home. You have been
trifling with me, he cried. I am off to the pyramids.
Good bye, And he flew away. All day long he flew,
and at night time he arrived at the city. Where
(04:28):
shall I put up? He said, I hope the town
has made preparitions. 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.
(04:53):
I have a golden bed room, 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 at him.
What a curious thing, he cried. There is not a
single cloud in the sky. The stars are clear and bright,
(05:16):
and yet it is raining. The climate in the north
of Europe is really quite dreadful. The reed used to
lock 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
(05:36):
must look for a 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
(05:59):
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. Who are you,
he asked, I am the happy Prince. Why are you weeping?
Then said the swallow, you have quite drenched me when
(06:22):
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 San Sushi, where a sour is
not allowed to enter. In the daytime, I played with
my companions in the garden, and in the evening I
(06:43):
led the dance in the great hall. Round the garden
ran a very lofty wall, but I never cared to
ask what lay behind it. Everything about me was so beautiful.
My courtiers called me the Prince, and happy. Indeed I was,
if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so I died.
(07:09):
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 choose
but weep. What is he not solid gold? Said the
(07:35):
swallow to himself. He was too polite to make any
personal remarks out loud. Far away, continued the statue in
a lone, muscal voice. Far away, in a little street,
there is a poorhouse. One of the windows is open,
and through it I can see a woman seated at
(07:56):
a table. Her face is thin and worn, and she
has coarse red hands, all pricked by the needle, for
she is a samestress. She is imbroiding passion flowers on
a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen's maids
of honor to wear at the next court ball. In
a bed in the corner of the room, her little
(08:19):
boy is lying ill. He has a fever and is
asking for oranges. His mother has nothing to give him
but river water, so he is crying. Swallow, swallow, little swallow,
will you not bring her the ruby out of my
sword hilt? My feet are fastened to this petal, and
(08:40):
I cannot move. I am waiting for in Egypt, said
the swallow. My friends are flying up and down the
nile and talking to the large lotus flowers. Soon they
will go to sleep in the tomb of the great King.
The king is there himself and is painted coffin. He
is wrapped in yellow linen and embalmed with spices. Round
(09:04):
his neck is a chain of pale green shade, and
his hands are like withered leaves. Swallow, Swallow, little swallow,
said the prince, will you not stay with me for
one more night and be my messenger. The boy is
so thirsty, and the mother so sad. I don't think
(09:28):
I like boys, answered the swallow. That summer, when I
was staying on the river, there were two rude boys,
the miller's sons, who were always throwing stones at me.
They never hit me. Of course, we swallows fly far
too well for that, And besides, I come from a
family famous for his agility. And still it was a
(09:52):
mark of disrespect. But the happy prince looked so sad
that the little swallow was sorry. It is very cold here,
he said, but I will stay with you for one
night and be your messenger. Thank you, little swallow, said
(10:12):
the prince. So the swallow picked out the great ruby
from the Prince's sword and flew away with the inner's
beak over the roofs of the town. He passed by
the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels were sculptured.
He passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing.
(10:32):
A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover.
How wonderful the stars are, he said to her, And
how wonderful is the power of love. I hope my
dress will be ready in time. For the state ball.
She answered, I have ordered passion flowers to be embroidered
on it, but the seamstresses they are so lazy. He
(10:58):
passed over the river and saw the lanterns hanging to
the masts of the ships. He passed over the ghetto
and saw men bargaining with each other and weighing out
money in copper scales. At last he came to the
poorhouse and looked in. The boy was tossing feverishly on
(11:21):
his bed, and his mother had fallen asleep, she was
so tired. Then he hopped and laid the great ruby
on the table beside the woman's thimble. Then he flew
gently around the bed, fanning the boy's forehead with his wings.
How cool I feel, said the boy. I must be
(11:42):
getting better, And he sank into a delicious slumber. Then
the swallow flew back to the happy friends and told
him what he had done. It is curious, he remarked,
But I feel quite warm now, although it is so cold.
(12:05):
That is because you have done a good action, said
the prince. And the little swallow began to think, and
then he fell asleep. Thinking always made him sleepy. When
day broke, he flew down to the river and had
a bath. What are remarkable phenomenon, said the professor of ornithology,
(12:30):
as he was passing over the bridge. A swallow in
the winter, and he wrote a long letter about it
to the local newspaper. Everyone quoted it. It was so
full of many words that they could not understand. Tonight,
I go to Egypt, said the swallow, and he was
in high spirits at the prospect. He visited all the
(12:52):
public monuments and sat a long time on top of
a church steeple. Wherever he went, the sparrows chirped 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?
(13:16):
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.
Tomorrow my friends will fly up to the second cataract.
(13:36):
The river horse couches there among the bulrushes, and on
a great granite throne sits the god Memon. All night
long he watches the stars and with the morning star shines,
he utters one cry of joy, and then he is silent.
At noon, the yellow lions come down to the water's
(13:59):
edge tod They have eyes like green barrels, and their
roar is louder than the roar of the cataract. Swallow, swallow,
little swallow, said the fence. Far away across the city,
I see a young man in a garret. He is
leaning over a desk covered with papers, and in a tumbler.
(14:21):
By his side there is a bunch of withered violets.
His hair is brown and crisp, and his lips are
as red as a pomegranate, and he is larger, dreamy eyes.
He is trying to finish a play for the director
of the theater, but he is too cold to write
(14:42):
any longer. There is no fire in the grate, and
hunger has made him faint. I will wait with you
one night longer, said the swallow, who really had a
good heart. Shall I take him another ruby? Alas I
(15:02):
have no ruby now, said the prince. My eyes are
all that I have left. They are made of verse sapphires,
which were brought out of India a thousand years ago.
Pluck out one of them and take it to him.
He will sell it to the jeweler and buy food
and firewood and finish his play. Dear Prince, said the swallow.
(15:24):
I could not do that, and he began to weep. Swallow, Swallow,
little swallow, said the prince, Do as I command you.
So the swallow plucked out the prince's eye and flew
away to the student's garret. It was easy enough to
(15:46):
get in, as there was a hole in the roof.
Do this, he darted and came into the room. The
young man had his head buried in his hands, so
he did not hear the flutter of the bird's wings,
and when he looked up he found a beautiful sapphire
lying on the withered violets. I am beginning to be appreciated,
(16:08):
he cried. This is from some great admirer. Now I
can finish my play, and he looked quite happy. The
next day, the swallow flew down to the harbor. He
sat on the mast of a large vessel and watched
the sailors hauling big chests out of the hold with ropes.
(16:30):
Eye boy, they shouted as each chest came up. I
am going to Egypt, cried the swallow, but nobody minded,
and when the moon rose, he flew back to the
happy Pence. I am come to bid you goodbye, he cried. Swallow, Swallow,
(16:50):
little swallow, said the prince. Will you not stay with
me one night longer? It is one, answered the swallow,
and the chill snow will soon be here. In Egypt,
the sun is warm on the green palm trees, and
the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them.
(17:14):
My companions are building a nest in the temple of Balbik,
and the pink and white doves are watching them and
cooing to each other. Dear friends, I must leave you,
but I will never forget you, And next spring I
will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of
those you have given away. The ribbes shall be redder
(17:38):
than a red rose, and the sapphire shall be as
blue as the great sea. In the square below, said
the happy Prince, there stands a little mutch girl. She
has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they
are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she
(18:00):
does not bring home some money, and she's crying. She
has no shoes or stockings, and her little head is bare.
Pluck out my other eye and give it to her,
and her father will not beat her. I will stay
(18:20):
with you one night longer, said the swallow. But I
cannot block out your eye. You would be quite blind. Then, swallow, swallow,
little swallow, said the prince. Do as I command you.
So he plucked out the press's other eye and darted
(18:41):
down with it. He swooped past the match girl and
slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand. What
a what a lovely bit of glass, cried the little girl,
and she ran home laughing. Then the swallow came back
to the prince. You are blind now, he said, so
(19:02):
I will stay with you always. No, little swallows, said
the poor prince. You must go away to Egypt. I
will stay with you always, said the swallow, and he
slept at the princess feet. We'll be back again very
(19:27):
soon with the next part, the conclusion of the Happy Prince.
Feel free to spread the news of the podcast to
everyone you know, your family, your friends, to everyone. We're
available on all major podcasts, platforms, and apps, and if
(19:50):
you need a little bit of encouragement in between the
podcast episodes, please do feel free to visit our coffee page.
You'll find the URL in the show notes, and over
there you can find artwork, inspiration videos and all kinds
of things to lift your spirits. And if you want
(20:13):
to buy us a coffee while you're there, yes, please,
But you don't have to. Just go there and enjoy
the positive energy. Bye for now,
Hi, This is Stefania over at positive informations and audio
stories bringing new happy thoughts, inspiration, motivation and entertainment start
your day. Today's episode is a sleep story. It's time
to head off to a peaceful, enjoyable sleep with a
relaxing bedtime story. How about that we use the power
(00:27):
of positive words to help you live the positive, uplifting
lifestyle that you deserve. Our story is The Happy Prince
by Oscar Wild. High above the city, on a tall
column stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was
(00:51):
gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold for eyes.
He had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby
glowed on his sword hilt. He was very much admired. Indeed,
he is as beautiful as a weathercock, remarked one of
(01:14):
the town counsilors, who wished to gain a reputation for
having artistic tastes. Only not quite so useful, he added,
fearing lest people should think him unparticle, which he really
was not. Why can't you be like the Happy Prince,
asked the sensible mother of our little boy, who was
(01:35):
crying for the moon. The Happy Prince never dreams of
crying for anything. I am glad there is someone in
the world who was quite happy, muttered a disappointed man
as he gazed at the wonderful statue. He looks just
like an angel, said the charity children, as they came
(01:55):
out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and
their c in white benafores. How do you know, said
the mathematical master. You have never seen one, ah, what
we have in our dreams, answered the children, And the
mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did
(02:17):
not approve of children dreaming. One night there flew over
the city a little swallow. His friends had gone away
to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind,
for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed.
He had met her early in the spring as he
(02:38):
was flying down the river after a big yellow moth,
and had been so attracted by her slender waist that
he had stopped to talk to her. Shall I love you?
Said the swallow, who liked to come to the point
at once, And the Reed made him a low bow,
(02:58):
so he flew round and round her, touching the water
with his wings and making silver ripples. This was his courtship,
and it lasted all through the summer. It is a
rediculous attachment, twitted the other swallows. She is no money
and far too many relations. And indeed the river was
(03:20):
quite full of reeds. Then when the autumn came, they
all flew away. After they had gone, he felt lonely
and began to tire of his lady love. She is
no conversation, he said, and I am afraid that she
is a go cut, for she is always flirting with
the wind, and certainly whenever the wind blew, the reed
(03:45):
made the most graceful courtesies. I admit that she is domestic,
he continued. But I love traveling, and my wife consequently
should love traveling also. Will you come away with me?
(04:07):
He said finally to her. But the reed shook her head.
She was so attached to her home. You have been
trifling with me, he cried. I am off to the pyramids.
Good bye, And he flew away. All day long he flew,
and at night time he arrived at the city. Where
(04:28):
shall I put up? He said, I hope the town
has made preparitions. 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.
(04:53):
I have a golden bed room, 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 at him.
What a curious thing, he cried. There is not a
single cloud in the sky. The stars are clear and bright,
(05:16):
and yet it is raining. The climate in the north
of Europe is really quite dreadful. The reed used to
lock 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
(05:36):
must look for a 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
(05:59):
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. Who are you,
he asked, I am the happy Prince. Why are you weeping?
Then said the swallow, you have quite drenched me when
(06:22):
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 San Sushi, where a sour is
not allowed to enter. In the daytime, I played with
my companions in the garden, and in the evening I
(06:43):
led the dance in the great hall. Round the garden
ran a very lofty wall, but I never cared to
ask what lay behind it. Everything about me was so beautiful.
My courtiers called me the Prince, and happy. Indeed I was,
if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so I died.
(07:09):
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 choose
but weep. What is he not solid gold? Said the
(07:35):
swallow to himself. He was too polite to make any
personal remarks out loud. Far away, continued the statue in
a lone, muscal voice. Far away, in a little street,
there is a poorhouse. One of the windows is open,
and through it I can see a woman seated at
(07:56):
a table. Her face is thin and worn, and she
has coarse red hands, all pricked by the needle, for
she is a samestress. She is imbroiding passion flowers on
a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen's maids
of honor to wear at the next court ball. In
a bed in the corner of the room, her little
(08:19):
boy is lying ill. He has a fever and is
asking for oranges. His mother has nothing to give him
but river water, so he is crying. Swallow, swallow, little swallow,
will you not bring her the ruby out of my
sword hilt? My feet are fastened to this petal, and
(08:40):
I cannot move. I am waiting for in Egypt, said
the swallow. My friends are flying up and down the
nile and talking to the large lotus flowers. Soon they
will go to sleep in the tomb of the great King.
The king is there himself and is painted coffin. He
is wrapped in yellow linen and embalmed with spices. Round
(09:04):
his neck is a chain of pale green shade, and
his hands are like withered leaves. Swallow, Swallow, little swallow,
said the prince, will you not stay with me for
one more night and be my messenger. The boy is
so thirsty, and the mother so sad. I don't think
(09:28):
I like boys, answered the swallow. That summer, when I
was staying on the river, there were two rude boys,
the miller's sons, who were always throwing stones at me.
They never hit me. Of course, we swallows fly far
too well for that, And besides, I come from a
family famous for his agility. And still it was a
(09:52):
mark of disrespect. But the happy prince looked so sad
that the little swallow was sorry. It is very cold here,
he said, but I will stay with you for one
night and be your messenger. Thank you, little swallow, said
(10:12):
the prince. So the swallow picked out the great ruby
from the Prince's sword and flew away with the inner's
beak over the roofs of the town. He passed by
the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels were sculptured.
He passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing.
(10:32):
A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover.
How wonderful the stars are, he said to her, And
how wonderful is the power of love. I hope my
dress will be ready in time. For the state ball.
She answered, I have ordered passion flowers to be embroidered
on it, but the seamstresses they are so lazy. He
(10:58):
passed over the river and saw the lanterns hanging to
the masts of the ships. He passed over the ghetto
and saw men bargaining with each other and weighing out
money in copper scales. At last he came to the
poorhouse and looked in. The boy was tossing feverishly on
(11:21):
his bed, and his mother had fallen asleep, she was
so tired. Then he hopped and laid the great ruby
on the table beside the woman's thimble. Then he flew
gently around the bed, fanning the boy's forehead with his wings.
How cool I feel, said the boy. I must be
(11:42):
getting better, And he sank into a delicious slumber. Then
the swallow flew back to the happy friends and told
him what he had done. It is curious, he remarked,
But I feel quite warm now, although it is so cold.
(12:05):
That is because you have done a good action, said
the prince. And the little swallow began to think, and
then he fell asleep. Thinking always made him sleepy. When
day broke, he flew down to the river and had
a bath. What are remarkable phenomenon, said the professor of ornithology,
(12:30):
as he was passing over the bridge. A swallow in
the winter, and he wrote a long letter about it
to the local newspaper. Everyone quoted it. It was so
full of many words that they could not understand. Tonight,
I go to Egypt, said the swallow, and he was
in high spirits at the prospect. He visited all the
(12:52):
public monuments and sat a long time on top of
a church steeple. Wherever he went, the sparrows chirped 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?
(13:16):
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.
Tomorrow my friends will fly up to the second cataract.
(13:36):
The river horse couches there among the bulrushes, and on
a great granite throne sits the god Memon. All night
long he watches the stars and with the morning star shines,
he utters one cry of joy, and then he is silent.
At noon, the yellow lions come down to the water's
(13:59):
edge tod They have eyes like green barrels, and their
roar is louder than the roar of the cataract. Swallow, swallow,
little swallow, said the fence. Far away across the city,
I see a young man in a garret. He is
leaning over a desk covered with papers, and in a tumbler.
(14:21):
By his side there is a bunch of withered violets.
His hair is brown and crisp, and his lips are
as red as a pomegranate, and he is larger, dreamy eyes.
He is trying to finish a play for the director
of the theater, but he is too cold to write
(14:42):
any longer. There is no fire in the grate, and
hunger has made him faint. I will wait with you
one night longer, said the swallow, who really had a
good heart. Shall I take him another ruby? Alas I
(15:02):
have no ruby now, said the prince. My eyes are
all that I have left. They are made of verse sapphires,
which were brought out of India a thousand years ago.
Pluck out one of them and take it to him.
He will sell it to the jeweler and buy food
and firewood and finish his play. Dear Prince, said the swallow.
(15:24):
I could not do that, and he began to weep. Swallow, Swallow,
little swallow, said the prince, Do as I command you.
So the swallow plucked out the prince's eye and flew
away to the student's garret. It was easy enough to
(15:46):
get in, as there was a hole in the roof.
Do this, he darted and came into the room. The
young man had his head buried in his hands, so
he did not hear the flutter of the bird's wings,
and when he looked up he found a beautiful sapphire
lying on the withered violets. I am beginning to be appreciated,
(16:08):
he cried. This is from some great admirer. Now I
can finish my play, and he looked quite happy. The
next day, the swallow flew down to the harbor. He
sat on the mast of a large vessel and watched
the sailors hauling big chests out of the hold with ropes.
(16:30):
Eye boy, they shouted as each chest came up. I
am going to Egypt, cried the swallow, but nobody minded,
and when the moon rose, he flew back to the
happy Pence. I am come to bid you goodbye, he cried. Swallow, Swallow,
(16:50):
little swallow, said the prince. Will you not stay with
me one night longer? It is one, answered the swallow,
and the chill snow will soon be here. In Egypt,
the sun is warm on the green palm trees, and
the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them.
(17:14):
My companions are building a nest in the temple of Balbik,
and the pink and white doves are watching them and
cooing to each other. Dear friends, I must leave you,
but I will never forget you, And next spring I
will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of
those you have given away. The ribbes shall be redder
(17:38):
than a red rose, and the sapphire shall be as
blue as the great sea. In the square below, said
the happy Prince, there stands a little mutch girl. She
has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they
are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she
(18:00):
does not bring home some money, and she's crying. She
has no shoes or stockings, and her little head is bare.
Pluck out my other eye and give it to her,
and her father will not beat her. I will stay
(18:20):
with you one night longer, said the swallow. But I
cannot block out your eye. You would be quite blind. Then, swallow, swallow,
little swallow, said the prince. Do as I command you.
So he plucked out the press's other eye and darted
(18:41):
down with it. He swooped past the match girl and
slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand. What
a what a lovely bit of glass, cried the little girl,
and she ran home laughing. Then the swallow came back
to the prince. You are blind now, he said, so
(19:02):
I will stay with you always. No, little swallows, said
the poor prince. You must go away to Egypt. I
will stay with you always, said the swallow, and he
slept at the princess feet. We'll be back again very
(19:27):
soon with the next part, the conclusion of the Happy Prince.
Feel free to spread the news of the podcast to
everyone you know, your family, your friends, to everyone. We're
available on all major podcasts, platforms, and apps, and if
(19:50):
you need a little bit of encouragement in between the
podcast episodes, please do feel free to visit our coffee page.
You'll find the URL in the show notes, and over
there you can find artwork, inspiration videos and all kinds
of things to lift your spirits. And if you want
(20:13):
to buy us a coffee while you're there, yes, please,
But you don't have to. Just go there and enjoy
the positive energy. Bye for now,
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