The Happy Prince
15 pages · 9 min · ages 6+
Based on: Irish (Oscar Wilde, 1888)
High above the city stood the statue of the Happy Prince on a tall column. He was covered in thin leaves of fine gold, and for eyes, he had two bright blue sapphires. A large red ruby glowed brightly on his sword hilt, sparkling in the sun. All the townspeople looked up at him and smiled because he was so beautiful. "He is as lovely as a rainbow," they would say to their children as they walked by. The Prince looked very happy, and his heart was full of love for everyone living in the city below.
One autumn evening, a little Swallow flew over the city on his way to warmer lands. His friends had already flown away, but he had stayed behind to play in the tall reeds by the river. He was feeling very tired and looked for a cozy place to sleep for the night. He saw the tall statue on its high column and decided to land right between the Prince's golden feet. "I have a golden bedroom tonight," he chirped softly to himself. He tucked his head under his wing, ready for a long and peaceful nap.
Just as the Swallow was falling asleep, a large drop of water fell right on his head. He looked up in surprise and saw that the Happy Prince was crying. "Who are you, and why are you so sad?" asked the little bird. The Prince explained that from his high place, he could see all the suffering in the city. He told the Swallow about a poor seamstress in a little house far away. Her young son was sick with a fever, and she had nothing to give him but water from the river.
"Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you take the ruby from my sword to her?" The Swallow wanted to fly to his friends, but the Prince looked so sad that he agreed to help. He picked out the great red ruby with his beak and flew over the rooftops of the town. He found the tiny house and dropped the red jewel on the table next to the woman's thimble. He gently fanned the boy's forehead with his wings, making the child feel cool and sleepy. The Swallow felt a strange warmth in his heart as he flew back to the statue.
The next night, the Prince saw a young man in a cold attic room across the city. The student was trying to finish a play, but he was too cold and hungry to write anymore. His fire had gone out, and his hands were shaking from the winter chill. "I have no more rubies to give," said the Prince, "but my eyes are made of rare blue sapphires." He asked the Swallow to pluck out one eye and take it to the hardworking student. The Swallow did not want to hurt the Prince, but he knew the student needed help very badly.
The Swallow took the sapphire and flew through a hole in the roof of the student's room. He left the bright blue gem on the desk and flew away quietly. When the young man found the sapphire, he shouted with joy because now he could buy food and wood for his fire. The Swallow returned to the Prince and told him what had happened. Even though the night was chilly, the Swallow felt very cozy and happy inside. He was starting to love the kind Prince and wanted to help him even more.
On the third day, the Prince saw a little girl standing in the town square below. She had dropped her matches in the snow, and they were all wet and ruined. She was crying because she was afraid to go home without any pennies for her family. "Take my other eye and give it to her," the Prince whispered to the Swallow. The Swallow protested because he knew the Prince would be blind without his sapphire eyes. However, the Prince insisted because he wanted the little girl to be safe and happy.
"What a lovely bit of blue glass!" cried the little girl, running home with a big smile. The Swallow flew back to the Prince and sat gently on his shoulder. "You are blind now," the Swallow said softly, "so I will stay with you always." The Prince asked the bird to fly away to the warm lands with his friends, but the Swallow refused to leave. He loved the Prince too much to leave him alone in the cold. He stayed and told the Prince stories of the wonderful places he had seen during his travels.
The weather grew colder, and white snow began to fall from the heavy grey sky. The Prince asked the Swallow to fly over the city and tell him what he saw. The bird saw rich people laughing in their warm houses while the poor sat shivering on the streets. He saw hungry children with pale faces huddled together under a bridge to keep warm. When he returned to the statue, the Prince knew what they had to do next. "I am covered with fine gold," he said, "you must take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it to the poor."
Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off with his beak, until the Happy Prince looked quite dull and grey. The Swallow flew through the snowy streets, dropping the gold into the hands of the needy people. The children's faces grew rosier, and they laughed as they played games in the street. "We have bread now!" they shouted happily to one another. The whole town felt a little bit brighter and warmer, even though the winter wind was blowing harder than ever before. The Prince was happy to help them all.
Soon, the snow was very deep, and the little Swallow was very cold. He tried to keep himself warm by flapping his wings, but it was difficult in the freezing air. However, he would not leave the Prince because they were best friends. He ate crumbs outside the baker's door and waited by the statue's feet every night. The Prince’s heart, though it was made of lead, felt full of the warmth of the Swallow’s friendship. They were never truly lonely because they had each other to talk to every day.
One morning, a wonderful thing happened in the middle of the winter. Instead of more snow, a gentle, warm breeze began to blow through the city. The sun came out from behind the clouds, and the ice began to melt into sparkling puddles. Spring had arrived much earlier than anyone expected, bringing light to the streets! The Swallow felt his strength returning as the sun warmed his tiny feathers. He chirped a happy song, and the Prince smiled, feeling the warmth on his grey shoulders as the world turned green.
The Swallow did not fly away to the distant lands after all. Instead, he flew to the nearby trees and called to all the other birds who were returning home. He told them about the kind Prince who had given everything away to help the townspeople. Many birds came to build their nests on the statue’s shoulders and in the folds of his cloak. They brought bits of green moss and bright flowers to decorate their new home. The statue began to look more beautiful than it ever had when it was made of gold.
The townspeople came out of their houses and gathered around the statue in the town square. They noticed that the Prince was no longer golden, but they did not mind at all. The seamstress, the student, and the little match girl came to say thank you for the gifts they had received. They realized that the Prince and the Swallow had taken care of them when they were in need. They decided to bring the most beautiful flowers from their gardens to honor the statue. Every day, they brought fresh blossoms of red, blue, and yellow.
The Happy Prince was now a garden in the middle of the city, and the Swallow lived there happily with his new friends. The statue was a symbol of how much the community cared for one another. Children played at the base of the column, and the air was filled with the sweet songs of birds. The Prince and the Swallow were never separated, and the city became the happiest place in the world. They learned that the best gifts are the ones we give from the heart to help others. Everyone lived together in kindness and peace.