The Prince and the Pauper , a novel written by Mark Twain, is a popular tale for young
people.
The
story is set during the last years of King Henry VIII. It tells how
Prince Edward and a pauper boy
exchange places by mistake.
Tom Conty, a pauper, looks exactly like The Prince. When they had a chance encounter, they were fascinated to find out they appear to be identical twins. They decide to exchange clothes. Having the pauper's attire, the real Prince is chased from the palace by guards. He is also mistreated by the abusive family of Tom. He wanders through the streets of London in rags until a disinherited knight, Miles Hendson, takes pity on him. Hendson thinks he is mentally imbalanced from his repeated claim that he is of royal birth. While in the company of Hendson, Edward sees the sorry state of the poor and the injustices and cruelty of the law.
Meanwhile, Tom has been treated as a prince. When the king dies he is prepared for his coronation. Edward makes his way to Westminster Abbey and manages to establish his identity by revealing information and his knowledge of the Great Seal. The Prince becomes Edward VI, and during his brief reign, he keeps to mind the experiences and the conditions of the poor people he encountered as a "pauper."