High above the city, on top of a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was covered in gold, with two bright sapphires for eyes, and a ruby glowing on the handle of his sword. Everyone admired him.
“He is as beautiful as an angel,” said the children.
“He brings joy to the city,” said the townspeople.
But the Happy Prince could not move. From up there, he saw all the misery and sadness in the city. And at night, when no one was looking, he wept.
One evening, a little swallow flew beneath the statue to rest. On his way to Egypt, he stopped just for the night. As he tucked his head under his wing, a drop of water fell on him. Then another. “How strange,” the swallow said. “The sky is clear, and yet it’s raining!”
Looking up, he saw the Happy Prince’s eyes filled with tears.
“Who are you, and why are you crying?” asked the swallow.
“I am the Happy Prince,” the statue replied. “When I was alive, I lived in a palace and knew nothing of sorrow. Now I can see all the suffering in my city, and though my heart is made of lead, it weeps.”
The swallow’s heart softened. “How can I help you?”
“Far below, I see a poor seamstress,” said the Prince. “Her little boy is sick, but she has no money for medicine. Please, take the ruby from my sword and give it to her.”
The swallow pulled the ruby from the Prince’s sword and carried it to the poor woman’s house. He laid it beside her thimble, then fanned the boy with his wings until he fell asleep.
The next night, the swallow wanted to leave, but the Prince spoke again.
“Far away, I see a starving playwright. He is too cold and hungry to finish his play. Please, take one of my sapphire eyes to him.”
The swallow hesitated, but did as he was told. He plucked out the Prince’s eye and flew to the poor man’s attic, where he laid the jewel on the desk. The man cried out with joy, for now he could buy food and firewood.
Again, the swallow prepared to leave. But the Prince asked once more:
“In the square below, a poor match girl has dropped her matches in the gutter. Her father will beat her if she returns home empty-handed. Take my other eye, and give it to her.”
“No,” said the swallow. “Without your eyes, you will be blind.”
“Please,” said the Prince. “Do as I ask.”
So the swallow plucked out the Prince’s other eye and gave it to the little girl. She smiled with delight and ran home.
Now the Prince was blind.
“Stay with me one more night, little swallow,” he pleaded.
“I will stay with you always,” said the swallow softly.
And so he stayed. The Prince told the swallow to fly over the city and describe what he saw. Everywhere the swallow went, he saw misery and hunger. The Prince ordered him to strip off his gold leaf, piece by piece, and give it to the poor. Soon, the Happy Prince was no longer golden and beautiful, but dull and gray. Yet the children who once admired his splendor now loved him even more.
Then winter came. The ground grew hard with frost, and snow fell. The swallow grew colder and weaker. One morning, he knew he was going to die. He kissed the Prince on the lips and fell at his feet.
At that moment, the statue’s heart of lead broke in two.
The next day, the mayor noticed the dull statue.
“The Happy Prince looks shabby,” he said. “He is no longer beautiful.”
So the workers pulled him down and melted him. But the broken heart of lead would not melt, so they threw it onto a rubbish heap, where the swallow also lay.
From Heaven, God said to his angels:
“Bring me the two most precious things in the city.”
And the angels carried the broken heart and the dead bird to Him.
For in their love and sacrifice, they had shown the greatest beauty of all.
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