"Dear Prince," said the Swallow, "I cannot do that"; and he began
Sparrows chirruped, and said to each other, "What a distinguished
something had broken. The fact is that the leaden heart had
When the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince. "Have you any
love. "She has no conversation," he said, "and I am afraid that
fly away.
"What! is he not solid gold?" said the Swallow to himself. He was
Then the snow came, and after the snow came the frost. The streets
"Shall I love you?" said the Swallow, who liked to come to the
sat a long time on top of the church steeple. Wherever he went the
never dreams of crying for anything."
he had done. "It is curious," he remarked, "but I feel quite warm
early in the spring as he was flying down the river after a big
played with my companions in the garden, and in the evening I led
of her hand. "What a lovely bit of glass," cried the little girl;
me was so beautiful. My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and
"I am waited for in Egypt," said the Swallow. "My friends are
All the next day he sat on the Princes shoulder, and told him
climate in the north of Europe is really dreadful. The Reed used
The young man had his head buried in his hands, so he did not hear
summer.
meeting ofthe Corporation to decide what was to be done with the
is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked by the
"I will put up there," he cried; "it is a fine position, with
was a mark of disrespect."
red ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile, and
starving children looking out listlessly at the black streets.
command you."
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not
Then the Swallow came back to the Prince. "You are blind now," he
open, and through it I can see a woman seated at a table. Her face
And he kissed the Happy Prince on the lips, and fell down dead at
weathercock," remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to
unpractical, which he really was not.
outside the bakers door when the baker was not looking and tried
Then the Swallow flew back to the Happy Prince, and told him what
"What a strange thing!" said the overseer of the workmen at the
boys wore scarlet caps and skated on the ice.
students garret. It was easy enough to get in, as there was a
"Why cant you be like the Happy Prince?" asked a sensible mother
for one night, and be your messenger."
the stars are quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining. The
of the ships. He passed over the Ghetto, and saw the old Jews
The King is there himself in his painted coffin. He is wrapped in
looked as if they were made of silver, they were so bright and
died. And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that
glistening; long icicles like crystal daggers hung down from the
So the Swallow flew over the great city, and saw the rich making
When day broke he flew down to the river and had a bath. "What a
remarkable phenomenon," said the Professor of Ornithology as he was
it to him. He will sell it to the jeweller, and buy food and
But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he
next spring I will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of
lips are red as a pomegranate, and he has large and dreamy eyes.
"Will you come away with me?" he said finally to her; but the Reed
did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace of Sans-
clean white pinafores.
But at last he knew that he was going to die. He had just strength
golden no longer," said the Mayor in fact, "he is litttle beter
and she ran home, laughing.
Then another drop fell.
firewood, and finish his play."
High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the
He passed over the river, and saw the lanterns hanging to the masts
and give it to her, and her father will not beat her."
Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off, till the
"How shabby indeed!" cried the Town Councillors, who always agreed
"And here is actually a dead bird at his feet!" continued the
dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover.
The next day the Swallow flew down to the harbour. He sat on the
curious thing!" he cried; "there is not a single cloud in the sky,
"How do you know?" said the Mathematical Master, "you have never
"Where shall I put up?" he said; "I hope the town has made
out of India a thousand years ago. Pluck out one of them and take
thirsty, and the mother so sad."
merchants, who walk slowly by the side of their camels, and carry
So they pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince. "As he is no
the morning star shines he utters one cry of joy, and then he is
command you."
she is a coquette, for she is always flirting with the wind." And
the butterflies.
stay with me one night longer?"
glowed on his sword-hilt.
of her little boy who was crying for the moon. "The Happy Prince
had gone away to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind,
One night there flew over the city a little Swallow. His friends
gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby
Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine
going to the House of Death. Death is the brother of Sleep, is he
yellow moth, and had been so attracted by her slender waist that he
snapped right in two. It certainly was a dreadfully hard frost.
Dear Prince, I must leave you, but I will never forget you, and
delicious slumber.
mast of a large vessel and watched the sailors hauling big chests
useful," he added, fearing lest people should think him
"Ah! but we have, in our dreams," answered the children; and the
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "do as I
to this pedestal and I cannot move."
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "do as I
for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed. He had met her
he is too cold to write any more. There is no fire in the grate,
rose, and the sapphire shall be as blue as the great sea."
water, so he is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you
over a big lake on large flat leaves, and are always at war with
this little bird shall sing for evermore, and in my city of gold
companions are building a nest in the Temple of Baalbec, and the
looked up, and saw - Ah! what did he see?
things, but more marvellous than anything is the suffering of men
happy.
looked up at the statue: "Dear me! how shabby the Happy Prince
catch gold-fish in their beaks; of the Sphinx, who is as old as the
certainly, whenever the wind blew, the Reed made the most graceful
also."
"I am beginning to be appreciated," he cried; "this is from some
that gold can make them happy."
Prince.
millers sons, who were always throwing stones at me. They never
city, little Swallow, and tell me what you see there."
He swooped past the match-girl, and slipped the jewel into the palm
quarrelled. When I last heard of them they were quarrelling still.
metal. "We must have another statue, of course," he said, "and it
his head under his wing a large drop of water fell on him. "What a
"I am covered with fine gold," said the Prince, "you must take it
the room her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is
ripples. This was his courtship, and it lasted all through the
Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did not
to fly up to the Princes shoulder once more. "Good-bye, dear
"No, little Swallow," said the poor Prince, "you must go away to
the Happy Prince shall praise me."
preparations."
eaves of the houses, everybody went about in furs, and the little
flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queens maids-of-
flying up and down the Nile, and talking to the large lotus-
Pyramids. Good-bye!" and he flew away.
hit me, of course; we swallows fly far too well for that, and
not bring her the ruby out of my sword-hilt? My feet are fastened
though my heart ismade of lead yet I cannot chose but weep."
a desk covered with papers, and in a tumbler by his side there is a
bread now!" they cried.
THE HAPPY PRINCE
Then he flew back and told the Prince what he had seen.
"The ruby has fallen out of his sword, his eyes are gone, and he is
the great green snake that sleeps in a palm-tree, and has twenty
"Of myself," said each of the Town Councillors, and they
has no money, and far too many relations"; and indeed the river was
sits the God Memnon. All night long he watches the stars, and when
bunch of withered violets. His hair is brown and crisp, and his
"What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off?" he
be here. In Egypt the sun is warm on the green palm-trees, and the
those you have given away. The ruby shall be redder than a red
Moon, who is as black as ebony, and worships a large crystal; of
honour to wear at the next Court-ball. In a bed in the corner of
and hunger has made him faint."
said; "I must look for a good chimney-pot," and he determined to
priests to feed it with honey-cakes; and of the pygmies who sail
"You have been trifling with me," he cried. "I am off to the
with the Mayor; and they went up to look at it.
"Who are you?" he said.
"Bring me the two most precious things in the city," said God to
"I am waited for in Egypt," answered the Swallow. "To-morrow my
his feet.
"I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State-ball," she
be allowed to die here." And the Town Clerk made a note of the
is the power of love!"
"Little better than a beggar," said theTown Councillors.
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not
"Dear little Swallow," said the Prince, "you tell me of marvellous
"I am come to bid you good-bye," he cried.
came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their
not?"
me on the lips, for I love you."
approve of children dreaming.
stories of what he had seen in strange lands. He told him of the
chest came up. "I am going to Egypt"! cried the Swallow, but
drenched me."
suggestion.
now, although it is so cold."
hole in the roof. Through this he darted, and came into the room.
great admirer. Now I can finish my play," and he looked quite
Then they melted the statue in a furnace, and the Mayor held a
silent. At noon the yellow lions come down to the waters edge to
Thinking always made him sleepy.
when I was staying on the river, there were two rude boys, the
beautiful sapphire lying on the withered violets.
but the seamstresses are so lazy."
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not
Early the next morning the Mayor was walking in the square below in
than a beggar!"
"To-night I go to Egypt," said the Swallow, and he was in high
bargaining with each other, and weighing out money in copper
couches there among the bulrushes, and on a great granite throne
stay with me one night longer?"
moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity.
bring home some money, and she is crying. She has no shoes or
nobody minded, and when the moon rose he flew back to the Happy
amber beads in their hands; of the King of the Mountains of the
seen one."
and round her, touching the water with his wings, and making silver
"You have rightly chosen," said God, "for in my garden of Paradise
to keep himself warm by flapping his wings.
leave the Prince, he loved him too well. He picked up crumbs
asking for oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river
sorry. "It is very cold here," he said; "but I will stay with you
scales. At last he came to the poor house and looked in. The boy
"It is winter," answered the Swallow, "and the chill snow will soon
Happy Prince looked quite dull and grey. Leaf after leaf of the
"In the square below," said the Happy Prince, "there stands a
"It is not to Egypt that I am going," said the Swallow. "I am
anothers arms to try and keep themselves warm. "How hungry we
flowers. Soon they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great King.
company with the Town Councillors. As they passed the column he
really had a good heart. "Shall I take him another ruby?"
plenty of fresh air." So he alighted just between the feet of the
"I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy,"
He passed by the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels
Egypt."
stockings, and her little head is bare. Pluck out my other eye,
the dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a very lofty
across the city I see a young man in a garret. He is leaning over
the bed, fanning the boys forehead with his wings. "How cool I
out of the hold with ropes. "Heave a-hoy!" they shouted as each
were sculptured. He passed by the palace and heard the sound of
"Far away," continued the statue in a low musical voice, "far away
The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears were
besides, I come of a family famous for its agility; but still, it
Mayor. "We must really issue a proclamation that birds are not to
to weep.
"That is because you have done a good action," said the Prince.
foundry. "This broken lead heart will not melt in the furnace. We
happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so I
So he plucked out the Princes other eye, and darted down with it.
point at once, and the Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round
little match-girl. She has let her matches fall in the gutter, and
"Alas! I have no ruby now," said the Prince; "my eyes are all that
the dead bird.
and of women. There is no Mystery so great as Misery. Fly over my
answered; "I have ordered passion-flowers to be embroidered on it;
and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town.
to like the rain, but that was merely her selfishness."
stay with me for one night, and be my messenger? The boy is so
needle, for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering passion-
Prince!" he murmured, "will you let me kiss your hand?"
He was very much admired indeed. "He is as beautiful as a
But the Happy Prince looked so sad that the little Swallow was
it was full of so many words that they could not understand.
Then he saw the statue on the tall column.
So the Swallow plucked out the Princes eye, and flew away to the
So the Swallow picked out the great ruby from the Princes sword,
the flutter of the birds wings, and when he looked up he found the
in a little street there is a poor house. One of the windows is
longer beautiful he is no longer useful," said the Art Professor at
Under the archway of a bridge two little boys were lying in one
long letter about itto the local newspaper. Every one quoted it,
than the roar of the cataract.
He is trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre, but
said, "so I will stay with you always."
was tossing feverishly on his bed, and the mother had fallen
world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows everything; of the
and they wandered out into the rain.
I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and
the table beside the womans thimble. Then he flew gently round
At that moment a curious crack sounded inside the statue, as if
dead Swallow was also lying.
running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the
drink. They have eyes like green beryls, and their roar is louder
they are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she does not
rosier, and they laughed and played games in the street. "We have
stranger!" so he enjoyed himself very much.
said the Prince, "you have stayed too long here; but you must kiss
curtseys. "I admit that she is domestic," he continued, "but I
"I will stay with you one night longer," said the Swallow, "but I
crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them. My
After they had gone he felt lonely, and began to tire of his lady-
"I will wait with you one night longer," said the Swallow, who
fine gold he brought to the poor, and the childrens faces grew
asleep, she was so tired. In he hopped, and laid the great ruby on
The poor little Swallow grew colder and colder, but he would not
"I am glad that you are going to Egypt at last, little Swallow,"
muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.
shall be a statue of myself."
"When I was alive and had a human heart," answered the statue, "I
quite full of Reeds. Then, when the autumn came they all flew
passing over the bridge. "A swallow in winter!" And he wrote a
must throw it away." So they threw it on a dust-heap where the
All day long he flew, and at night-time he arrived at the city.
"I will stay with you always," said the Swallow, and he slept at
wall, but I never cared to ask what lay beyond it, everything about
the University.
"It is a ridiculous attachment," twittered the other Swallows; "she
yellow linen, and embalmed with spices. Round his neck is a chain
one of His Angels; and the Angel brought Him the leaden heart and
"I am the Happy Prince."
"How wonderful the stars are," he said to her, "and how wonderful
round, and he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting
"I have a golden bedroom," he said softly to himself as he looked
of pale green jade, and his hands are like withered leaves."
feel," said the boy, "I must be getting better"; and he sank into a
pink and white doves are watching them, and cooing to each other.
"I dont think I like boys," answered the Swallow. "Last summer,
"Why are you weeping then?" asked the Swallow; "you have quite
Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. In the daytime I
the Princes feet.
"Thank you, little Swallow," said the Prince.
love travelling, and my wife, consequently, should love travelling
Happy Prince.
commissions for Egypt?" he cried; "I am just starting."
"He looks just like an angel," said the Charity Children as they
too polite to make any personal remarks out loud.
And the little Swallow began to think, and then he fell asleep.
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "far away
looks!" he said.
the gates. He flew into dark lanes, and saw the white faces of
are!" they said. "You must not lie here," shouted the Watchman,
away.
merry in their beautiful houses, while the beggars were sitting at
spirits at the prospect. He visited all the public monuments, and
friends will fly up to the Second Cataract. The river-horse
gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; "only not quite so
off, leaf by leaf, and give it to my poor; the living always think
I have left. They are made of rare sapphires, which were brought
shook her head, she was so attached to her home.
cannot pluck out your eye. You would be quite blind then."
had stopped to talk to her.
