Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince

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From his high pedestal, the Happy Prince, a magnificent golden statue, can see all the misery of the city below him. He begs a little Swallow to pluck off his treasure and share it amongst the poor. When the Happy Prince asks his new friend to stay and help him, the Swallow receives a lesson in kindness and caring.

Transcript of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince

Page 1: Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince

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High above the city, on a tall column, stood the

statue of the Happy Prince. He was covered all over

with thin leaves of fine gold, his eyes were two bright

sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on the hilt of

his sword.

He was very much admired indeed.

“Why can’t you be like the Happy Prince?”

a mother asked her little boy who was crying for

the moon. “The Happy Prince never dreams of

crying for anything .”

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One night a little Swallow flew over the city

on his way to Egypt.

He was looking for somewhere to rest when he saw

the statue on the tall column.

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“I will rest there,” he cried.

“It’s the perfect place, with plenty of fresh air.”

So he landed just between the feet of the Happy Prince.

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“I have a golden bedroom,” he said softly to himself as he looked

round. Just as he was putting his head under his wing to sleep,

a large drop of water fell on him. “What a curious thing!” he cried.

“There is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are quite clear and

bright, but it is raining .” Then another drop fell.

The little Swallow decided he’d better move.

“What is the use of a statue if it can’t keep the rain off ?” he said.

“I must rather look for a good chimney-pot.”

But before he had opened his wings to fly off, a third drop fell,

and he looked up, and saw – Ah! What did he see?

The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears were

running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the

moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I am the Happy Prince.”

“Why are you weeping then?” asked the Swallow.

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“When I was alive and had a human heart,” answered the

statue, “I did not know what tears were, as I lived in the palace

where sorrow is not allowed to enter. In the daytime I played

with my companions in the garden, and in the evening I led the

dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a very high wall,

but I never bothered to ask what lay beyond it, because

everything around me was so beautiful.

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