High above the city on the tall column stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over within thin leave so fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.
He was very much admired indeed, "he, is as beautiful as a weathercock", remarked one of the town counsellors who, who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes, "only, not quite so useful he added," fearing people who should think him less practical, which he really was not.
"Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?" Asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon, "the happy prince never dreams of crying for anything".
"I'm glad there is someone in the world who is quite happy'" mattered the disappointed man as he gazed at the beautiful statue.
"He looks just like an angel." said the charity children as they come out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white pinafore. "How do you know?" said the mathematical master you have never seen one "Ah, but we have, in our dreams" and said the children, and the Mathematical master frond and looked very severe, for he disapproved of the children dreaming.
One night there flew over the city a little Swallow; his friend had gone away to Egypt six weeks before. Still, he had stayed behind for he was in love with the most beautiful weed, he had met her earlier in the spring as he was flying down the river after a big yellow moth, and he was so attracted by the cylinder waste that he had stopped to talk to her. "Shall I love you?" said the Swallow who like to come to the point of ones, and the weed made him a low bow, so he flew round and round her, touching the water with his wings and making silver ripples, this was his courtship, and it lasted all through the summer. "It is a ridiculous attachment", twitter the other swallows she has no money and far too many relations, and indeed the river was quite full of reeds, then when the autumn came they all flew away. After they had gone, he felt lonely and began to tire of his lady love, and she has no conversation. I am afraid that she is a crocket for she's is always flirting with the wind, and certainly whenever the wind blew the weed made the graceful courtesies. I admit that she is domestic he continues, but I love travelling, and my wife consequently should love travelling also, "will you come away with me" he said finally to her, but the weed shook her head she was so attached to her home you have been trifling with me he cried. I am off to the pyramids goodbye, and he flew away, all day long he flew, and at night-time, he arrived at the city. "where should I put up" he said, "I hope the town has made preparations". He saw the statue on the tall column "I will put up there" he cried, it is a good position, with plenty of fresh air, so he alighted just between the feet of the Happy Prince. "I have a golden crown bedroom," he said softly to himself as he looked around as he pretended to go to sleep. But just as he was putting his head under his wing a large drop of water fell on him, what curious thing he cried "there is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are clear and bright. Yet, it is raining the climate in the north of Europe is really dreadful, the weed used to like the rain, but that was merely her selfishness." Another droop fell, "what is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off" he said, "I must look for a good chimney-pot." He determined to fly away, but before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he looked up and saw. Ah, what did he see the Happy Prince's eyes were filled with tears and tears were running down his golden cheeks, his face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity, "who are you?" He said, "I am the happy Prince", "why are you weeping then", asked the Swallow. "You have quite drenched me," "when I was alive and had a human heart" answered the statue, "I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the palace of Sansuseis were sorrow was not allowed to enter. In the day time, I played with my companions in the garden, and in the evening, I led the dance in the great hall. Around the garden where a very lofty wall, but I never cared to ask what lies beyond it, everything about me was so beautiful, my courtiers called me the Happy Prince and Happy indeed I was, if pleasure is happiness, so I lived, and, So I died. Now that I am dead, they have set me up here so high that I can see all the ugliness and misery of my city and though my heart I made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep."
"What is he not solid Gold," said the Swallow to himself he was too polite to make any personal remarks out loud. "Far away", continued the statue in a low musical voice, "far away in a little street there is a poor house one of the windows is open, and through it, I can see a woman seated at a table, her face is thin and worn, and she has coarse read hands, she is a seamstress. She embroidered passion flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the queen's maids of honour to wear on the next court ball. In a bed in the corner of the room, her little boy Is lying ill, has a fever, and asks his mother for oranges, his mother has nothing to give him but river water, so he is crying."
"Swallow, swallow little Swallow will you not bring her the ruby out of my sword-hilt my feet are fastened to pedestal, and I cannot move." "I am waited for in Egypt", said the Swallow," my friends are flying up and down the Neil and talking to the large lotus flower, so they will go sleep in the tomb of the great king, the king is there himself, in his painted coffin, he is wrapped in yellow linen, and embalmed with spices, round his neck is a chain of pale green jade, and his hands are like withered leaves."
"Swallow, swallow little Swallow," said the Prince "would you not stay with me for one night and be my messenger, the boy is so thirsty, and the mother is so sad." "I don't think I like boys", answered the Swallow, "last summer when I was staying on the river, there were two rude boys, the mellows sons who were always throwing stones at me, they never hit me, of course, we, the swallows fly far too well for that, and besides, I come from a family famous for its agility, but still it was a marked disrespect." But the happy Prince looks so sad that a little swallow was sorry, "it is freezing here he said, but I will stay with you for one night and be your messenger." "Thank you little Swallow" said the Prince, so the Swallow plucked out the great Ruby from the princess sword and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town, he passed by the cathedral tower where the white marble Angels' were sculptured, he passed by the place and heard the sound of dancing, a beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover, how wonderful the stars are a wonderful is the power of love, "I hope my dress will be ready in time for the state ball," she answered "I have ordered passion flowers to be embroidered on it, but the seamstress seems to be so lazy," he passed over the river and saw the lanterns hanging to the masts of the ships, he passed over the ghetto and saw the old Jews bargaining with each other in weighing out money and copper scales, 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 beside the woman's thimble. Then he flew gently round the bed fanning the boy's forehead with his wings, "how cool I feel said the boy, I must be getting better", and he sank into a delicious slumber. Then the Swallow flew back to the happy Prince and told him what he has done. Curiously, he remarked, "but I feel quite warm now although it is so cold." "You have done a good action," said the Prince and a little swallow begin to think and then he fell asleep thinking always make him sleepy.
When day broke, he flew down to the river. He had a bath, "what a remarkable phenomenon" said the professor of ornithology as he was passing over the bridge, "a swallow in winter". He wrote a long letter about it to the local newspaper, and everyone quoted it, it was full of so many words that they could not understand.
"Tonight, I go to Egypt," said the Swallow, and he was in high spirits at the prospect, he visited all the public monuments and sat a long time on top of the church steeple. Wherever he went, the sparrow dropped and said to each other "what a distinguished stranger". So, he enjoyed himself very much, when the moon rose, he went back to the happy Prince, "have you any commissions for Egypt", he cried, I am just starting.
"Swallow, swallow little Swallow," said the Prince "would you not stay with me one night longer". "I am waited for in Egypt, said the Swallow. Tomorrow my friends will fly up to the second cataract the river horse couches there amounts the bulrushes. On a great granite throwing shit the guard Mmemnon all night long, he watches the stars and when the morning star shines he utters one cry of joy. Then he is silent, at noon, the yellow lions come down to the water's edge to drink they have eyes like green pearls and their roar's louder than the roar of the cataract".
"Swallow, swallow little Swallow," said the Prince "far away across the city I see a young man in a garret he's leaning over a desk covered with papers. In a tumbler, by his side, there is a bunch of whitened violets, his hair is brown and crisp, and his lips are red; there's a pomegranate, and he has large and dreamy eyes. He's trying to finish a play for the theatre director, but he's too cold to write anymore, there is no fire in the garret and hunger has made him faint". "I will wait with you one night longer," said the Swallow who really had a good heart, "shall I take him another ruby", "alas I have no Ruby now told the Prince my eyes are all that I have left they are made of rare where Sapphire's which were brought out of India a thousand years ago. Pluck out one of them and take it to him he will sell it to the jeweller and buy food and firewood and finish his play". "Dear Prince said the Swallow, I cannot do that", and he began to weep. "Swallow, swallow little Swallow," said the Prince to do as I command you. So the Swallow plucked out the princess's eye and flew away to the student's garret it was easy enough to get in as there was 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 not hear the flutter of the bird's wings, and when he looked up, he found the beautiful Sapphire lying on the withered violets. "I am beginning to be appreciated he carried, this is from a great admirer, and now I can finish my play", and he looked quite happy.
The next day the Swallow flew down to the harbour he sat on the mast of a large vessel and watched the sailors Holloing big chests out of the hole with ropes, they "hee the hoey" shouted as to see each chest came up. "I am going to Egypt" cried the Swallow but nobody minded, and when the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince, "I am coming to bid you goodbye he cried".
"Swallow, swallow little Swallow will you not stay with me one night longer," "it is winter", and said the Swallow, "and the chill snow soon would be here. In Egypt sun is warm on the green palm trees at the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them, my companions are building a nest in the temple of Baalbeck, and the pink and white doves are watching them and queuing to each other. Dear princess, I must leave you, but I'll never forget you. And next spring I'll bring you back two beautiful Jules in the place of those you have given away, the Ruby shall be redder than a red rose and the Sapphire she'll be as blue as the great sea."
"In the Square below," said the happy Prince "there stands a little match girl, she has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they are all spoiled, her father will beat her if she does not bring home some money and is crying. She has no shoes or stocking, and her little head is bare," said the Prince, "pluck out my other eye and give it to her and her father will not beat her," "I will stay with you one night longer" said the Swallow, but I cannot pluck out your eye, you would be quite blind then". "Swallow, swallow little Swallow" said the Prince, "do as I command you," so he plucked out the princess other eye and darted down with it, he swooped past the match girl and slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand. What a lovely bit of glass cried the little girl, and she ran home laughing. Then Swallow came back to the Prince, and "you're blind now he said so I will always stay with you." "No little swallow told the poor Prince you must go away to Egypt." "I will stay with you always said the Swallow, and he slept at the Prince's feet."
The next day he sat on the princess's shoulder and told him stories of what he is seen in a strange land, he told him of the red ibises stand in long rows on the Nile banks and catch goldfish in their beaks. Of phoenix who as old as the world itself and lives in the desert and knows everything. Of the merchants who walk slowly by the sides of their camels and carry ember beads in their hands. Of the Ching of the mountains of the moon who is this black is Ebony and workshops a large crystal. Of the great green snake that sleeps in a palm tree has twenty priests to feed it with honey cakes, and as of the pygmies who sale over a big lake on large flat leaves and are always at war with the butterflies.
"Dear little Swallow" said the Prince, "you tell me of marvellous things, but more marvellous than anything is the suffering of man, and of women, there, is no mysteries so great as misery. Fly over my little city swallow and tell me what you see, do you see there." So the Swallow flew off the great city and saw the rich, making Mary, and they're beautiful house, while the beggars were stetting at the gate. He flew into dark lanes and saw the white faces of starving children looking out less Leslie at the black streets. Under the archway of a bridge, two little boys were lying in one another's arms to try to keep themselves warm, "how hungry we are" hey said, "you must not lie here shouted the watchmen," and they wandered out into the rain. Then he flew back and told the Prince what he had seen. "I am covered with Fine gold said the Prince you must take it off leaf by leaf and give it to my poor the living always think that gold can make them happy." Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off till the Happy Prince looked quite dull and grey. Leaf after leaf of the Fein gold he brought to the poor and the children's faces grew rosier, and they laughed and played games in the street bread now they cried, then the snow came, and after the snow, the streets looked as if they were made of silver, they were so bright and glistening. Long icicles like Crystal daggers hang down from the eaves of the house, everybody went about in furs, and the little boys wore scarlet caps and skated on the ice. The poor little Swallow grew colder and colder, but he would not leave the Prince he loved him too well, he picked up crumbs outside the baker store when the baker was not looking and trying to keep himself warm by flapping his wings.
But at last, he knew that he was going to die he had a drink to fly up to the princess's shoulder once more, "good bey Dear prince" in murmured "will you let me kiss your hand." "I am glad that you were going to Egypt at last little Swallow set the Prince you have stayed too long here, but you must kiss me on the lips for I love you." "It is not to Egypt. I am going to the house of death that is the brother of sleep is he not?" And he kissed the Happy Prince on the lips and fell dead and his feet, at that moment a curious crack sound it inside the statue as if something had broken, the fact is that the leaden heart has snapped right in two.
It certainly was a dreadfully hard frost, early the next morning the Mayor was walking in the Square below in the company with the town counsellors, as they passed the column he looked up at the statue, "Dear me, how shabby the Happy Prince looks," "how shabby indeed" cried the town counsellors who always agreed with the Mayor and they went up to look at it. "The Ruby has fallen out of his sword, his eyes are gone, and he has his golden no longer." Said the Mayor, "in fact, he is little battered than or bagger"," little battered than or bagger" said the town counsellors "and here is actually a dead bird at his feet" continue the Mayor." We must really issue a proclamation that birds are not to be allowed to die here," and the town clerk made a note of the suggestion. So, they pulled down the Happy Prince statue, and "as he is no longer beautiful, he is no longer useful," said the art professor at the University. Then they melted the statue in the furnace. The Mayor held a meeting of the corporation to decide what was to be done with the metal, "we shall have a statue of course" he said, "and it shall be a statute would be of myself" he said the Mayor and so did each of the town counsellors. They quarrelled when I last heard of them they were quarrelling still.
"What a strange thing" said the overseer of the workmen at the foundry "this broken lead heart will not melt in the Furness we must throw it away." So, they threw it on a dusty heap were the dead Swallow was also lying.
Bring me the two most precious things in the city said God to one of his angels, and the angel brought him to leaden heart and the dead Swallow. Garden you have rightly chosen said God for in my garden of paradise this little bird she'll sing forever, and in my city of the gold happy prince shall praise me.
The end
Originally written by Oscar Wilde, Narrated by Yap Cafe.
