the dead bird.

"You have rightly chosen," said God, "for in my garden of Paradise
this little bird shall sing for evermore, and in my city of gold
the Happy Prince shall praise me."



THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE



"She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses,"
cried the young Student; "but in all my garden there is no red
rose."

From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him, and
she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.

"No red rose in all my garden!" he cried, and his beautiful eyes
filled with tears. "Ah, on what little things does happiness
depend! I have read all that the wise men have written, and all
the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose is
my life made wretched."

"Here at last is a true lover," said the Nightingale. "Night after
night have I sung of him, though I knew him not: night after night
have I told his story to the stars, and now I see him. His hair is
dark as the hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of
his desire; but passion has made his face like pale ivory, and