--- title: Opening, part 7 — The Happy Prince, and Other Tales · full text with trees description: Opening, part 7, «The Happy Prince, and Other Tales» by Oscar Wilde: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: “Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy,” said the Dragon-fly; and he spread a pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away into the sky. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Happy Prince, and Other Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/) / Opening, part 7 # Opening, part 7 Opening, part 7 of «The Happy Prince, and Other Tales» by Oscar Wilde: the whole text, 76 sentences and 1067 words. Every sentence has its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself; 1 of them are in the tales treebank and were checked by a teacher model. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/1/) — “Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy,” said the Dragon-fly; and he spread a pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away into the sky. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/2/) — “How very silly of him not to stay here!” said the Rocket. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/3/) — “I am sure that he has not often got such a chance of improving his mind. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/4/) — However, I don’t care a bit. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/5/) — Genius like mine is sure to be appreciated some day”; and he sank down a little deeper into the mud. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/6/) — After some time a large White Duck swam up to him. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/7/) — She had yellow legs, and webbed feet, and was considered a great beauty on account of her waddle. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/8/) — “Quack, quack, quack,” she said. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/9/) — “What a curious shape you are! - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/10/) — May I ask were you born like that, or is it the result of an accident?” - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/11/) — “It is quite evident that you have always lived in the country,” answered the Rocket, “otherwise you would know who I am. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/12/) — However, I excuse your ignorance. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/13/) — It would be unfair to expect other people to be as remarkable as oneself. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/14/) — You will no doubt be surprised to hear that I can fly up into the sky, and come down in a shower of golden rain.” - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/15/) — “I don’t think much of that,” said the Duck, “as I cannot see what use it is to any one. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/16/) — Now, if you could plough the fields like the ox, or draw a cart like the horse, or look after the sheep like the collie-dog, that would be something.” - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/17/) — “My good creature,” cried the Rocket in a very haughty tone of voice, “I see that you belong to the lower orders. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/18/) — A person of my position is never useful. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/19/) — We have certain accomplishments, and that is more than sufficient. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/20/) — I have no sympathy myself with industry of any kind, least of all with such industries as you seem to recommend. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/21/) — Indeed, I have always been of opinion that hard work is simply the refuge of people who have nothing whatever to do.” - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/22/) — “Well, well,” said the Duck, who was of a very peaceable disposition, and never quarrelled with any one, “everybody has different tastes. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/23/) — I hope, at any rate, that you are going to take up your residence here.” - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/24/) — “Oh! dear no,” cried the Rocket. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/25/) — “I am merely a visitor, a distinguished visitor. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/26/) — The fact is that I find this place rather tedious. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/27/) — There is neither society here, nor solitude. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/28/) — In fact, it is essentially suburban. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/29/) — I shall probably go back to Court, for I know that I am destined to make a sensation in the world.” - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/30/) — “I had thoughts of entering public life once myself,” remarked the Duck; “there are so many things that need reforming. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/31/) — Indeed, I took the chair at a meeting some time ago, and we passed resolutions condemning everything that we did not like. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/32/) — However, they did not seem to have much effect. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/33/) — Now I go in for domesticity, and look after my family.” - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/34/) — “I am made for public life,” said the Rocket, “and so are all my relations, even the humblest of them. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/35/) — Whenever we appear we excite great attention. - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/36/) — I have not actually appeared myself, but when I do so it will be a magnificent sight. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/37/) — As for domesticity, it ages one rapidly, and distracts one’s mind from higher things.” - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/38/) — “Ah! the higher things of life, how fine they are!” said the Duck; “and that reminds me how hungry I feel”: and she swam away down the stream, saying, “Quack, quack, quack.” - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/39/) — “Come back! come back!” screamed the Rocket, “I have a great deal to say to you”; but the Duck paid no attention to him. - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/40/) — “I am glad that she has gone,” he said to himself, “she has a decidedly middle-class mind”; and he sank a little deeper still into the mud, and began to think about the loneliness of genius, when suddenly two little boys in white smocks came running down the bank, with a kettle and some faggots. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/41/) — “This must be the deputation,” said the Rocket, and he tried to look very dignified. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/42/) — “Hallo!” cried one of the boys, “look at this old stick! - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/43/) — I wonder how it came here”; and he picked the rocket out of the ditch. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/44/) — “OLD Stick!” said the Rocket, “impossible! - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/45/) — GOLD Stick, that is what he said. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/46/) — Gold Stick is very complimentary. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/47/) — In fact, he mistakes me for one of the Court dignitaries!” - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/48/) — “Let us put it into the fire!” said the other boy, “it will help to boil the kettle.” - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/49/) — So they piled the faggots together, and put the Rocket on top, and lit the fire. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/50/) — “This is magnificent,” cried the Rocket, “they are going to let me off in broad day-light, so that every one can see me.” - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/51/) — “We will go to sleep now,” they said, “and when we wake up the kettle will be boiled”; and they lay down on the grass, and shut their eyes. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/52/) — The Rocket was very damp, so he took a long time to burn. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/53/) — At last, however, the fire caught him. - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/54/) — “Now I am going off!” he cried, and he made himself very stiff and straight. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/55/) — “I know I shall go much higher than the stars, much higher than the moon, much higher than the sun. In fact, I shall go so high that—” - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/56/) — Fizz! - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/57/) — Fizz! - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/58/) — Fizz! and he went straight up into the air. - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/59/) — “Delightful!” he cried, “I shall go on like this for ever. - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/60/) — What a success I am!” - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/61/) — But nobody saw him. - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/62/) — Then he began to feel a curious tingling sensation all over him. - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/63/) — “Now I am going to explode,” he cried. — checked by a teacher - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/64/) — “I shall set the whole world on fire, and make such a noise that nobody will talk about anything else for a whole year.” - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/65/) — And he certainly did explode. - [66](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/66/) — Bang! - [67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/67/) — Bang! - [68](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/68/) — Bang! went the gunpowder. - [69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/69/) — There was no doubt about it. - [70](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/70/) — But nobody heard him, not even the two little boys, for they were sound asleep. - [71](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/71/) — Then all that was left of him was the stick, and this fell down on the back of a Goose who was taking a walk by the side of the ditch. - [72](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/72/) — “Good heavens!” cried the Goose. - [73](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/73/) — “It is going to rain sticks”; and she rushed into the water. - [74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/74/) — “I knew I should create a great sensation,” gasped the Rocket, and he went out. - [75](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/75/) — \* \* \* \* \* - [76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/7/76/) — Printed by BALLANTYNE & CO. LIMITED Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London - ← previous: [Opening, part 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/6/) - ↑ back to [The Happy Prince, and Other Tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg902/)