ife. You can see all the ugliness and all the misery of your city.
Фея йде. На сцену вибігає ластівка і сідає біля підніжжя статуї.
Swallow: I`m so tired! I need some rest.What a beautiful statue! Oh! I have a golden room. What`s this? Where are these drops from? Oh! It`s you. Why are you crying?:I`m crying because I observe people`s life with its troubles, sorrows, sufferings. And I can`t do anything: my feet are fastened to this pedestal, I can not move. Look, far away there is poor house ... 2.
У правому кутку сцени сидить за шиттям бідна жінка. На ліжечку хвора дитина - її синочок.
Mother: What should I do? My child is ill, he` s got a fever ... I have to make a dress for a court lady to earn a little money, but I can`t. My hands are all pricked by the needle, I`m so exhausted .: Mummy, mummy ...! I want oranges ... oranges ...: Go to sleep, my baby .: Swallow, little Swallow. Will you not stay with me for one night and be my messenger? Far away in a little street there is a poor house. I see a woman seated at a table. In a bed in the corner her little boy is lying ill. The boy is so thirsty and the mother so sad. Will you not take the ruby ??out of my sword - hill? I can not move .: Tonight I`ll go to Egypt. And I don`t think I like boys. They throw stones at birds. But you look so sad. I will be your messenger for this night. See you.
Ластівка виклювала великий рубін з шпаги Принца і полетіла до убогого дому, влетіла в комірчину і поклала рубін на стіл.
Mother: Thank God! Thank God!
Part 3
Коли зійшов місяць, Ластівка повернулася до Принцу.
Swallow: I come to bid you good-bye. It`s winter, I must go to Egypt. Have you any commissions for Egypt? I am just starting .: Swallow, little Swallow, won`t you stay with me for one more night and be my messenger? There is a talented but poor poet in a small house.
На сцену виходить поет .: Oh! What should I do? I will not finish my play by tomorrow and I will not get the money. It`s too cold to write any more. Hunger makes me faint, the light of the candle is fading away. Why must everything depend on money? Love, happiness, talent and even life ... What should I do ?: Swallow, won`t you stay me for one more night more .: Don`t weep, dear Prince. I will stay with you for one night more .: Oh! Thank you! My eyes are all that I have left. They are made of sapphire. Pluck out my sapphire eye and take it to him.
Swallow: See you.
Ластівка полетіла до оселі поета і поклала сапфір йому на стіл.
Poet: Thank God! Thank God!
Part 4
Ластівка знову повернулася до Принцу.
Swallow: I came to bid you good-bye .: Swallow, little Swallow, won`t you stay with me for one night more ?: It is winter, and the snow will soon be here. I am waited for in Egypt. Dear Prince, I must leave you, but I will never forget you .: In the square below there stands a little match- girl. She has let her match 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. Pluck out my other eye and give it to her .: I will stay with you one night longer, but I can not pluck out your eye. You would be quite blind then .: Swallow, little Swallow, do as I command you.
Ластівка полетіла до дівчинці і поклала сапфір в її руку.
Little girl: What a lovely bit of glass! Thank God!
Дівчинка, сміючись, побігла додому. Ластівка повернулася до Принцу .: You are blind now. So I will stay with you always .: No, little Swallow, you must go away to Egypt .: I will stay with you always .: Dear little Swallow, fly over my city and tell me what you see there.
Part 5
Ластівка пролетіла над містом і повернулася до Принцу.
Swallow: I saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses. The beggars were sitting at the gates. I saw the white faces of starving children. Hear! Hear! A lot of poor people pray to survive and earn their living. Hear! Hear!
Бідні люди разом з дітьми виходять на сцени і починають молитися.
I lay me down to sleep, ask Good God my soul to keep, if I die before I wake, ask Good God my soul to take .: Swallow, little Swallow, I`m covered with gold. Take it and give it to the poor.
Ластівка знімала зі статуї золото і роздавала його бідним людям з дітьми.
People: We have bread now! Thank God!
