THE HAPPY PRINCE by Oscar Wilde
Long, long years ago a golden statue of the Happy Prince stood in the middle of the
square in the centre of a big town. People very often passed by the statue and stopped, and
thought that he was the only figure in the town to have a happy face. Sometimes they admired his smile, sometimes they were jealous of it; and they wished they were as happy as the Happy Prince was.
One late autumn night, when all birds were already flying to warmer climes, a little swallow sat beside the statute of the Happy Prince to rest. Just then, it heard the sound of crying. The swallow looked at the Happy Prince and saw that the rich golden figure, ornamented with flickering brilliants, had tears in its
diamond eyes. Being very sensitive, the bird''s heart moved in his little breast. It was then that the statue said with a sad voice:
"Swallow, swallow, little swallow, could you do something for me? I am standing here at the highest point in the town and I see everything people have to suffer. I have seen a house where a weaver works day and night to get money to warm her house so that her little son might recover from illness. Swallow, my friend, take my ruby from my sword, and leave it in her house. She will be able to take care of her son and my tears won''t flow any longer."
"But, Happy Prince, it is nearly winter and I must fly with my friends to Egypt", said the swallow sadly. "It is going to be cold here and I may freeze"
"Swallow, please do as I ask you, and tomorrow you will fly with your friends."
Therefore, the swallow flew to the house where the poor woman and her son lived and left the ruby from the Prince''s sword on the table where she had fallen asleep while weaving. When the woman awoke, she was surprised and happy, and she thought that some rich person had offered her such a precious gift. Indeed, she was happy that she could cure her child now.
However, the next day, when the bird came to say good-bye to the Happy Prince, the statue cried once more and said unhappily:
"Swallow, swallow, little swallow, I have one more request to you. I have seen a small girl selling matches in the street. She does not have shoes and she is trembling with cold. If she does not earn money, her father will beat her severely. Swallow, my friend, go, and leave her my diamond eye. It will make the family rich and stop the tears falling down my face."
However, Happy Prince, it started to rain this morning and all my friends have already left for warmer climes. Some of them must already enjoy the hot Egyptian sun. If I stay a day longer, I will have to fly alone"
"Swallow, my friend, please do as I ask you, and tomorrow you will be on your way to Egypt."
The swallow''s heart was warm, and he thought how well and kind the Prince''s heart must be. Therefore, he flew to the street in which the little girl was sitting and he dropped the Happy Prince''s diamond eye beside her. She found it, cried with happiness, and ran into the house laughing. She thought that some rich person had lost his finest diamond and that they would not have to suffer poverty and cold any more.
In addition, the next day, when the swallow came to say good-bye to the Happy Prince for the second time and tell him how good his stone heart was, the Prince cried again and said painfully: