the　Prince；　one　morning；　as

she　was　walking　on　the　terrace。

〃They　are　like　the　Aurora　Borealis；〃　said　the　King；　who　always

answered　questions　that　were　addressed　to　other　people；　〃only　much　more

natural。　I　prefer　them　to　stars　myself；　as　you　always　know　when　they　are

going　to　appear；　and　they　are　as　delightful　as　my　own　flute…playing。　You

must　certainly　see　them。〃

So　at　the　end　of　the　King's　garden　a　great　stand　had　been　set　up；　and　as

soon　as　the　Royal　Pyrotechnist　had　put　everything　in　its　proper　place；　the

fireworks　began　to　talk　to　each　other。

〃The　world　is　certainly　very　beautiful；〃　cried　a　little　Squib。　〃Just　look

at　those　yellow　tulips。　Why！　if　they　were　real　crackers　they　could　not　be

lovelier。　I　am　very　glad　I　have　travelled。　Travel　improves　the　mind

wonderfully；　and　does　away　with　all　one's　prejudices。〃

〃The　King's　garden　is　not　the　world；　you　foolish　squib；〃　said　a　big

Roman　Candle；　〃the　world　is　an　enormous　place；　and　it　would　take　you

three　days　to　see　it　thoroughly。〃

37

The　Happy　Prince　and　Other　Tales

〃Any　place　you　love　is　the　world　to　you；〃　exclaimed　a　pensive

Catherine　Wheel；　who　had　been　attached　to　an　old　deal　box　in　early　life；

and　prided　herself　on　her　broken　heart；　〃but　love　is　not　fashionable　any

more；　the　poets　have　killed　it。　They　wrote　so　much　about　it　that　nobody

believed　them；　and　I　am　not