THE HAPPY PRINCE

This is a story about the statue of a Happy Prince and a little Swallow. The
Happy Prince was a beautiful statue stood on a tall column high above the
city. The statue was covered with thin leaves of gold. He had sapphires for
his eyes and a ruby in his sword.
One night a little swallow flew over the city. He was tired and want to
spent the night between the feet of the Happy Prince. As he was ready to
sleep just then a large drop of water fell on him. It was curious as there
were no clouds in the sky. Then another drop of water fell on him. The
swallow decided to look for another place just then third drop fell on him, he
looked up and saw that these were the tears from the eyes of the Happy
Prince and the swallow filled with pity. The swallow asked " who are you"
and why are you crying? The Happy Prince told the swallow that he lived in
a palace while he was alive and had a kind human heart. There was no
sorrow at all and his and his courtiers called him the happy prince. After his
death he had been set up on a high pillar, his heart is made up of Lead yet
and it always weeps when he see the ugliness and misery of his city. He
told the swallow that far away in a little street a little boy of a seamstress is
sick. He is crying and his mother could not give him oranges to eat. He
asked the swallow to give his ruby to the poor women when he was going
to Egypt. But he obeyed the Happy Prince and then he flew and laid the
ruby on the table of the poor women.
Then the Happy Prince saw a writer. He was suffering from cold
and was hungry. Happy Prince asked the swallow to give one of the
sapphire to the writer. The swallow did not want to pluck out the sapphire
from his eyes, but he obeyed him unwillingly. After that the Happy Prince
saw a match girl and her matches fall into the gutter. At his command the
swallow very unwillingly plucked out the sapphire from the other eye of the
Happy Prince and now the Prince was totally blind. the swallow slipped the
sapphire into the palm of the match girl. The swallow reported about the sufferings of the starving
people. At the command of the Happy Prince the swallow took of the
golden leaves from the statue and distributed them among the poor people.
Now the statue was dull and grey. The frost made the swallow colder and
colder and he was about to die. He flew to the Happy Prince who bade him
kiss him on the lips. The swallow fell down die at the feet of the statue. The
lead heart of the Prince broke into two.
The Mayor ordered that the statue should be pulled down
because it was neither beautiful now useful. The broken heart did not melt
in the furnace. It was thrown away on a dust heap where the dead swallow
was also lying. God asked the angels to bring the two most precious things
in the city. God praised the angel's choice in bringing him the leaden heart.... Of the happy Prince and the dead Swallow.........