APznzaZqN1cLiAks7nDJmdLPCT2ytSAOYG05k3ZInxbpftR1 msBuPLlhbG7NRfhGSCMn1XBLLGOV5RqjAuKY0rZcfzyjbv2paTiW4QEJhxYY3HGqou-sgGfWAnGsZlBwyePoS0kki0gMf2fnMXkdOMaTp5VUiFI2CUaNN6Es-OKvC1ys8rdfcVMix4NDmb6Up VfDq

THEHAPPYPRINCEANDOTHERTALES
OscarWilde
Illustrator:CharlesRobinson
Firstpublishedin1920
To CARLOSBLACKER
https://TheVirtualLibrary.org

TableofContents
TheHappyPrince
TheNightingaleandtheRose
TheSelfishGiant
TheDevotedFriend
TheRemarkableRocket

THEHAPPYPRINCE
Highabovethecity,onatallcolumn,stoodthestatueoftheHappyPrince.Hewasgilded
alloverwiththinleavesof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Councillorswhowishedtogainareputationforhavingartistictastes;“only
notquitesouseful,”headded,fearinglestpeopleshouldthinkhimunpractical,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amgladthereissomeoneintheworldwhoisquitehappy,”mutteredadisappointed
manashegazedatthewonderfulstatue.
“Helooksjustlikeanangel,”saidtheCharityChildrenastheycameoutofthecathedral
intheirbrightscarletcloaksandtheircleanwhitepinafores.
“Howdoyouknow?”saidtheMathematicalMaster,“youhaveneverseenone.”
“Ah!butwehave,inourdreams,”answeredthechildren;andtheMathematicalMaster
frownedandlookedverysevere,forhedidnotapproveofchildrendreaming.
OnenightthereflewoverthecityalittleSwallow.HisfriendshadgoneawaytoEgyptsix
weeksbefore,buthehadstayedbehind,forhewasinlovewiththemostbeautifulReed.
Hehadmetherearlyinthespringashewasflyingdowntheriverafterabigyellowmoth,
andhadbeensoattractedbyherslenderwaistthathehadstoppedtotalktoher.
“ShallIloveyou?”saidtheSwallow,wholikedtocometothepointatonce,andtheReed
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,”twittered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.“Shehasno
conversation,”hesaid,“andIamafraidthatsheisacoquette,forsheisalwaysflirting
withthewind.”Andcertainly,wheneverthewindblew,theReedmadethemostgraceful
curtseys.“Iadmitthatsheisdomestic,”hecontinued,“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Reedshookherhead,she
wassoattachedtoherhome.
“Youhavebeentriflingwithme,”hecried.“IamofftothePyramids.Good–bye!”andhe
flewaway.
Alldaylongheflew,andatnight–timehearrivedatthecity.“WhereshallIputup?”he

said;“Ihopethetownhasmadepreparations.”
Thenhesawthestatueonthetallcolumn.
“Iwillputupthere,”hecried;“itisafineposition,withplentyoffreshair.”Sohe
alightedjustbetweenthefeetoftheHappyPrince.
“Ihaveagoldenbedroom,”hesaidsoftlytohimselfashelookedround,andheprepared
togotosleep;butjustashewasputtinghisheadunderhiswingalargedropofwaterfell
onhim.“Whatacuriousthing!”hecried;“thereisnotasinglecloudinthesky,thestars
arequiteclearandbright,andyetitisraining.TheclimateinthenorthofEuropeisreally
dreadful.TheReedusedtoliketherain,butthatwasmerelyherselfishness.”
Thenanotherdrop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,”and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eyesoftheHappyPrince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.”

THEPALACEOFSANS–SOUCI
“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Sans–Souci,wheresorrowisnotallowedtoenter.In
thedaytimeIplayedwithmycompanionsinthegarden,andintheeveningIledthedance
intheGreatHall.Roundthegardenranaveryloftywall,butInevercaredtoaskwhatlay
beyondit,everythingaboutmewassobeautiful.MycourtierscalledmetheHappy
Prince,andhappyindeedIwas,ifpleasurebehappiness.SoIlived,andsoIdied.And
nowthatIamdeadtheyhavesetmeupheresohighthatIcanseealltheuglinessandall
themiseryofmycity,andthoughmyheartis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,redhands,allprickedbytheneedle,
forsheisaseamstress.Sheisembroideringpassion–flowersonasatingownforthe
loveliestoftheQueen’smaids–of–honourtowearatthenextCourt–ball.Inabedinthe
corneroftheroomherlittleboyislyingill.Hehasafever,andisasking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
thispedestalandIcannotmove.”
“IamwaitedforinEgypt,”saidtheSwallow.“Myfriendsareflyingupanddownthe