My companions are building a nest in the Temple of Baalbec , and the pink and white doves are watching them , and cooing to each other . Dear Prince , 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 ruby shall be redder 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 match-girl . She has let her matches fall in the gutter , and they are all spoiled . Her father will beat her if she does not bring home some money , and she is 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 with you one night longer , '' said the Swallow , `` but I can not pluck 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 Prince 's other eye , and darted down with it . He swooped past the match-girl , and slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand . `` 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 I will stay with you always . '' `` No , little Swallow , '' said the poor Prince , `` you must go away to Egypt . '' `` I will stay with you always , '' said the Swallow , and he slept at the Prince 's feet . All the next day he sat on the Prince 's shoulder , and told him stories of what he had seen in strange lands . He told him of the red ibises , who stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile , and catch gold-fish in their beaks ; of the Sphinx , who is as old as the world itself , and lives in the desert , and knows everything ; of the merchants , who walk slowly by the side of their camels , and carry amber beads in their hands ; of the King of the Mountains of the Moon , who is as black as ebony , and worships a large crystal ; of the great green snake that sleeps in a palm-tree , and has twenty priests to feed it with honey-cakes ; and of the pygmies who sail over a big lake on large flat leaves , and are always at war with the butterflies .
`` Dear little Swallow , '' said the XXXXX , `` you tell me of marvellous things , but more marvellous than anything is the suffering of men and of women .
Baalbec Nile Prince Swallow beaks honey-cakes match-girl night palm-tree sapphire