The Happy Prince
A gilded statue and a little swallow give away everything they have to the poor of the city.
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On the top of the tallest column in a city stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was covered from head to toe in leaves of gold, his eyes were sapphires, and on the hilt of his sword glowed a great ruby. Everyone admired him.
One autumn night a little swallow, late in flying south, landed at the statue's feet. Just as he was falling asleep, a drop fell on him. He looked up: the Prince was crying. "Why are you crying?" said the swallow. The Prince told him: "When I was alive I was always happy in my palace; I never saw outside. Now, from up here, I see all the sorrow of the city. In that street there is a sick child, and his mother has no money for oranges. Will you take the ruby from my sword to her?"
"I must go to Egypt," said the swallow, but he did not go. He took the ruby. The next night the Prince asked for one of his sapphire eyes for a writer shivering in an attic. The night after, the other one for a little match girl. Now the Prince was blind. "I won't leave you," said the swallow, and stayed. Every day he flew over the city and told the Prince what he saw; every night he carried the Prince's gold leaves one by one to the poor. The children's faces turned pink, and the sound of play was heard in the streets.
Winter came. Snow fell. The swallow grew colder every day. One morning he flew up to the Prince's shoulder, kissed him and fell down at his feet. At the same moment a crack was heard inside the statue: the leaden heart had broken in two.
In the morning the mayor looked at the statue: "How shabby it has become! No gold, no jewels." They melted the statue down. But the broken leaden heart would not melt; they threw it on the rubbish heap, next to the swallow.
God said to one of His angels, "Bring me the two most precious things in the city." The angel brought the leaden heart and the dead swallow. "You have chosen rightly," said God.
This story may seem sad to you. But what Oscar Wilde wanted to say was this: it is not being covered in gold that makes a person happy, but giving the gold away.
The tale ends here. Sleep well.
The Happy Prince is a children's tale from Oscar Wilde, suitable for ages 6-11 and about 2 minutes long. Read it free on Masal Merkezi, play a lullaby or nature sound in the background, tap any word to see its Turkish meaning and save it to your favorites. For similar tales browse the Classic Tales category.
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