Today, I'm going to retell the story of the Happy Prince. It's written in the book The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde in May 1888.
So, once upon a time, there was a city. In this city, stood a high column with a statue on it. It was the statue of Happy Prince. Happy Prince was covered in golden leaves with two beautiful sapphires as his eyes and a large red ruby on his sword hilt. Many townspeople praised Happy Prince for his beauty and elegance, sincerely or not.
One night, a little swallow went over the city. He was all alone since all his friends had already migrated to Egypt. He didn't go with them as he fell in love with a beautiful reed by the river. Through summer and spring, the swallow spent his relationship with his reed. Swallow's friends though it was stupid since the reed had no money and a lot of relationships, and they all flew away in autumn. The swallow was getting tired of their relationship since the reed was not much of a talker and always seemed to flirt with the wind. The swallow asked the reed to come with him to Egypt, but no, the reed refused as she loved her place so much. So, the swallow was left alone with no companions.
The swallow was seeking shelter in the city when he saw the golden Happy Prince. He then went between Happy Prince's feet and tried to sleep when a drop of water landed on him. The second and third drops later came even if it was not raining. The swallow went to check and he saw the statue crying. The swallow then asked Happy Prince the reason for his tears. The Happy Prince was sad because of the misery and ugliness of the city that he could see from the high column he was placed. In a house far away, he saw a thin and tired woman who was embroidering passion flower for the Queen's satin gown. In the bed in the corner of the room, laid a sick boy asking for oranges. He was crying because his mother couldn't offer anything beside a river water.
Happy Prince asked the swallow to stay the night and be his messenger, to bring the ruby on his sword hilt to the house. The swallow refused at first, describing the fun he would miss if he didn't go that night. The swallow finally agree after seeing how sad Happy Prince had become. He then flew over the city with ruby on his feet. After doing the good deed, the swallow remarked as being warm even if it was really cold.
When the swallow tried to go to Egypt the next night, Happy Prince asked him again to stay the night. The swallow refused describing more fun he would miss. Happy Prince then described that he saw a young Theater writer fainted because of hunger. The good-hearted swallow finally agreed to help the Prince. But, there was no more ruby to give. Forced to do so, the swallow took a sapphire eye of Happy Prince and gave it to the writer.
The next night, the swallow went to say goodbye to Happy Prince as Happy Prince asked him to stay one more night. The swallow refused, afraid of the winter that would come. Happy Prince said that on the square below, there was a poor little match-girl who had her matches spoiled. She would be beaten up by her father if she came home without any money. Without any other choice, the swallow picked up the other eye and gave the sapphire to the girl. As Happy Prince became blind, the swallow stated that he would stayed with the Prince always.
Then, the swallow told Happy Prince about everything strange he had seen in a strange land. Happy Prince asked the swallow to went over the city and told him what he saw. After the swallow made a lap around the city, he described of the sad condition of the poor. Happy Prince then offered the last thing he had, his golden leaves to be given to the poor and made them happy.
Then the snow came. The weather got colder. The swallow tried everything he could to keep him warm. But alas, he was finally going to die. He mustered his last strength to get a farewell kiss with the Prince, and right after that, he fell down death at his feet. Right at that moment, the lead heart that Happy Prince had snapped into two because of the heavy frost.
The next morning, the Mayor and Town Councillors noticed how shabby Happy Prince had become. Then, they took down the statue and melted it in a furnace. But strangely, the Happy Prince's heart wouldn't melt in the furnace. So, the workmen threw away the heart to the dust heap where the dead swallow was also lying.
When God asked one of his Angel to bring two most precious things in the city. The Angel brought him the leaden heart and the dead bird. Then, the God made the little bird sang for evermore, and the Happy Prince praised Him in His city of Gold.
The End
http://archive.org/stream/thehappyprincean00902gut/hpaot10.txt
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