〃I　am　afraid　you　don't　quite　see　the　moral　of　the　story；〃　remarked　the

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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

Lin。

〃The　what？〃　screamed　the　Water…rat。

〃The　moral。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　the　story　has　a　moral？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　Lin。

〃Well；　really；〃　said　the　Water…rat；　in　a　very　angry　manner；　〃I　think　you

should　have　told　me　that　before　you　began。　If　you　had　done　so；　I

certainly　would　not　have　listened　to　you；　in　fact；　I　should　have　said　'Pooh；'

like　the　critic。　However；　I　can　say　it　now〃；　so　he　shouted　out　〃Pooh〃　at

the　top　of　his　voice；　gave　a　whisk　with　his　tail；　and　went　back　into　his

hole。

〃And　how　do　you　like　the　Water…rat？〃　asked　the　Duck；　who　came

paddling　up　some　minutes　afterwards。　〃He　has　a　great　many　good　points；

but　for　my　own　part　I　have　a　mother's　feelings；　and　I　can　never　look　at　a

confirmed　bachelor　without　the　tears　ing　into　my　eyes。〃

〃I　am　rather　afraid　that　I　have　annoyed　him；〃　answered　the　Lin。

〃The　fact　is；　that　I　told　him　a　story　with　a　moral。〃　〃Ah！　that　is　always　a

very　dangerous　thing　to　do；〃　said　the　Duck。

And　I　quite　agree　with　her。

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The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

THE　REMARKABLE　ROCKET

The　King's　son　was　going　to　be　married；　so　there　were　general

rejoicings。　He　had　waited　a　whole　year　for　his　bride；　and　at　last　she　had

arrived。　She　was　a　Russian　Princes