Happy Prince 1
Once upon a time. A beautiful golden statue of the most beautiful smiling prince stood in the town centre. P
It was covered with gold leaves and had eyes made of blue sapphire. P
It had a huge red ruby on the hilt of its sword. P
Everyone, who ever saw the Happy Prince, fell in love with it. P
The baker whose flour had just fallen on the floor saw it and said. P
Oh, Happy Prince, I wish I could always be happy like him. From now on I will. P
The schoolgirl whose mother wouldn't buy her ice cream saw the Happy Prince and said P
Oh, the Happy Prince, I wish I could always be like him. From now on I will. P
Happy Prince 2
At the same time in the forest near the city a Swallow asked his new bride. P
My love, all our friends have left for Egypt for the winters. P
There they will see the Pharoahs palace and bask in the sun in the royal gardens. P
They will enjoy many fruits and berries of different kinds. P
We must join them there. P
But his bride just nodded her head to say no. P
We will come back after the winters. P
You must let go of your attachment with this home and dwelling. P
bride again noddes no. P
You are being foolish my new bride. P
But I must go. My friends wait for me. P
And so the swallow flies away. P
Happy Prince 3
After a whole day of flying he is half way through the Happy Prince's city P
and then begins to feel tired. P
I think I will rest the night here. P
And start again for Egypt tomorrow. P
This golden statue is very beautiful I will rest between his feet. P
Just as the swallow was about to sleep a large drop of water fell on him. P
What? what this come from? The sky is clear. P
Just as the swallow was getting ready to sleep again another large drop of water fell on him. P
When he looked up he saw that the Prince was crying. P
Happy Prince 4
Who are you? P
I am the Happy Prince. P
Why are you crying then? P
I lived in the city palace once. I was always happy. P
I had no reason to be sad because I knew my people were happy too. P
When I died, they made a golden statue of me and put me here. P
From here I can see the sadness of my people. P
and my heart though it is made of lead, feels sad. P
What do you see, Oh golden Prince? P
Far away I can see a seamstress. P
Her fingers are red and bloody from endless stitching. P
Happy Prince 5
Next to her on a bed is a little boy. P
He is sick with fever and is crying out for oranges. P
But the seamstress doesn't have anything other than river water to give him. P
Oh, swallow, take the ruby from my sword and give it to her. P
No, no! I have to go to Egypt I cannot stay! P
If I go to the seamstress's house I won't be able to reach Egypt. P
Please, swallow. The child is very thirsty. P
Well. Okay, I will go. P
Happy Prince 6
So the swallow took the ruby from the hilt of the Prince's sword and flew to the seamstress's house. P
By the time he got there, the tired seamstress had fallen asleep on her working table. P
So the swallow kept the ruby on the table. P
Then he flew around the sick boy's bed flapping his wings. P
I feel so much cooler. I think I must be getting better. P
Happy Prince 7
By the time the swallow returned it was the next night. P
I will now go to Egypt. P
But the Prince was crying again. P
I can see a hard working man filled with despair. P
He is a writer and must finish his next play soon. P
But he is tired because he has no food to eat. P
Wont you stay another night and help that man? P
Okay! One night it is. P
Should I take another ruby to him? P
Alas! I have no ruby to give him now. P
But my eyes are made of sapphire. Take one of my eyes. P
No, no! I cannot do that! P
But I order you to do so. P
And so the swallow plucked out the Prince's eye. P
And flew away to the writer's house. P
By the time he reached there the writer had fainted out of hunger and cold. P
The kind swallow put the sapphire on the writer's desk. P
and collected dry twigs and lit a fire for the writer before he flew back to the Prince. P
Happy Prince 8
When he returned to the prince it was the next night again. P
And once again, the Prince was tearful. P
What is wrong Prince? P
In the square, I can see a match-girl crying. P
All her matches have fallen in to the gutter and got spoilt. No one will buy them now. P
She is afraid her father will be very angry when she goes home without any money. P
please swallow. Take my other eye and give it to her. P
No, no! I cannot do that! You will become blind! P
But I order you to do so. P
And so the swallow plucked out the Prince's other eye and took it to the little girl. P
The girl became very happy when she saw the stone and went home skipping. P
Happy Prince 9
The swallow returned to the Prince. P
Now you can go to Egypt, my friend. P
No, now I cannot go my friend. I will stay here and become your eyes. P
So the swallow stayed by the Prince. P
Ever day he would fly over the city and tell the Prince the sorry tales he saw. P
The Prince would then tell the swallow to pluck out a gold leaf from his body and give it to the poor people of his city. P
Soon there were no leaves left on the body of the Prince. P
All that was left was his cold grey body. P
It kept getting colder as the winters kept setting in. P
and the weather kept getting chillier. P
The swallow knew that he will not survive the season much longer. P
My friend, it is time for me to go. P
Finally! You going to Egypt? P
Not Egypt but towards death. Isn't it like sleep after all? P
But before I go, can I kiss you? P
I will once again be sad without you. Kiss me before you go. P
And so the frail swallow kissed the prince and feel at his feet, dead. P
Happy Prince 10
Suddenly there was a loud sound like a crack. P
It was the sound of the breaking of the Prince's lead heart. P
In the morning, the mayor of the city crossed the statue. P
What an ugly statue. And it has a dead bird at its feet too! P
Break it down immediately and put up my statue instead. P
A few hours later, when the mayor's men broke the statue apart they found the two pieces of the Prince's heart. P
And they threw it into the bin next to the dead swallow. P