The Happy Prince, and Other Tales

ince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he

own Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; "only not quite s

le mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon.

who is quite happy," muttered a disappoint

ldren as they came out of the cathedral in their br

he Mathematical Master, "

en; and the Mathematical Master frowned and looked ve

tayed behind, for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed. He had met her early in the spring as he was flying dow

ed made him a low bow. So he flew round and round her, touching the water with his wings

has no money, and far too many relations"; and indeed the river wa

is a coquette, for she is always flirting with the wind." And certainly, whenever the wind blew, the Reed made the most graceful cur

finally to her; but the Reed shook her

he cried. "I am off to the Pyram

rived at the city. "Where shall I put up?" he

e statue on th

position, with plenty of fresh air." So he alig

wing 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 brig

other d

the rain off?" he said; "I must look for a go

s, a third drop fell, and he look

were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautifu

e you?"

e Happy

?" asked the Swallow; "yo

in the evening I led the dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a very lofty wall, but I never cared to ask what lay beyond it, everything about me was so beautiful. My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was,

Swallow to himself. He was too polite

pricked by the needle, for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering passion-flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen's maids-of-honour to wear at the next Court-ball. In a bed in the corner of the room her little boy is lying ill. He has

rs. Soon they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great King. The King is there himself in his painted coffin. He is wrapped in

will you not stay with me for one night, and be my mes

de boys, the miller's sons, who were always throwing stones at me. They never hit me, of course; we swallows fly fa

low was sorry. "It is very cold here," he said; "but I

tle Swallow," s

rom the Prince's sword, and flew away with

the palace and heard the sound of dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her l

ll," she answered; "I have ordered passion-flowers to b

At last he came to the poor house and looked in. The boy was tossing feverishly on his bed, and the mother had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In he hopped, and laid the great ruby on the table besi

old him what he had done. "It is curious," he remarke

he Prince. And the little Swallow began to think, and

of Ornithology as he was passing over the bridge. "A swallow in winter!" And he wrote a long letter about

l the public monuments, and sat a long time on top of the church steeple. Wherever he went the Sparro

appy Prince. "Have you any commissions f

w," said the Prince, "will you n

d on a great granite throne sits the God Memnon. All night long he watches the stars, and when the morning star shines he utters one cry of joy, and then he is s

a tumbler by his side there is a bunch of withered violets. His hair is brown and crisp, and his lips are red as a pomegranate, and he has large and dreamy eyes.

said the Swallow, who really had a good

rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years ago. Pluck out one of them and

Swallow, "I cannot do th

Swallow," said the Princ

a hole in the roof. Through this he darted, and came into the room. The young man had his head buried in his hands, so he did

; "this is from some great admirer. Now I ca

rs hauling big chests out of the hold with ropes. "Heave a-hoy!" they shouted as each chest came up. "I am go

bid you good-b

w," said the Prince, "will you n

companions are building a nest in the Temple of Baalbec, and the pink and white doves are watching them, and cooing to each other. Dear Prince, I must leave you, but I will never forget you,

and they are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she does not bring home some money, and she is crying. She has no sho

said the Swallow, "but I cannot pluck out

Swallow," said the Princ

d past the match-girl, and slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand. "Wha

rince. "You are blind now," he said

id the poor Prince, "you

s," said the Swallow, and h

s as old as the world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows everything; of the merchants, who walk slowly by the side of their camels, and carry amber beads in their hands; of the King of the Mountains of the Moon, who is as black as ebony,

marvellous than anything is the suffering of men and of women. There is no Mystery s

lanes, and saw the white faces of starving children looking out listlessly at the black streets. Under the archway of a bridge two little boys were lying in one

and told the Princ

ust take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it to my poor;

ll and grey. Leaf after leaf of the fine gold he brought to the poor, and the children's faces

er, they were so bright and glistening; long icicles like crystal daggers hung down from the eaves of

nce, he loved him too well. He picked up crumbs outside the baker's door when

ength to fly up to the Prince's shoulder once more. "Good-bye

Swallow," said the Prince, "you have stayed too long

he Swallow. "I am going to the House of Deat

rince on the lips, and fe

f something had broken. The fact is that the leaden heart had

mpany with the Town Councillors. As they passed the column he looked u

uncillors, who always agreed with the

re gone, and he is golden no longer," said the Ma

a beggar," said th

. "We must really issue a proclamation that birds are not to be all

e. "As he is no longer beautiful he is no longer

the Corporation to decide what was to be done with the metal. "We must hav

llors, and they quarrelled. When I last h

"This broken lead heart will not melt in the furnace. We must throw it aw

ty," said God to one of His Angels; and the Ange

of Paradise this little bird shall sing for evermore, a