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. One night, a little Swallow, delayed from his migration to Egypt, rested between the Prince's feet. He felt a drop of water—the Prince was weeping at the poverty and misery he could see from his high pedestal. At the Prince's request, the Swallow stayed to act as his messenger. He brought the ruby to a poor seamstress, a sapphire to a starving playwright, and the other sapphire to a little match-girl. Soon, the Prince was blind, and as winter deepened, he asked the Swallow to strip his gold leafing to feed the hungry. The Swallow, now too weak from the cold to fly south but unwilling to leave the Prince he loved, died at the statue's feet. At that moment, the Prince's leaden heart snapped in two. When the Mayor found the 'shabby' statue and melted it down, the broken heart would not melt. God declared the leaden heart and the dead bird the two most precious things in the city, bringing them to live forever in His garden of Paradise.
True beauty and greatness are found in selfless sacrifice and compassion for the suffering, rather than in outward wealth or titles.
Questions about this story
What is the moral of The Happy Prince?
The story teaches that true happiness and beauty come from self-sacrifice and helping those in need. It highlights that spiritual wealth and love are far more valuable than material possessions or outward appearances.
Why did the Swallow stay with the Happy Prince?
Initially, the Swallow stayed out of pity for the Prince's tears, but he eventually stayed because he grew to love the Prince's kind heart. He refused to leave the Prince even when it meant risking his own life in the winter cold.
What happens to the Happy Prince's leaden heart?
When the statue is melted down in a furnace, the leaden heart refuses to melt because it is pure and full of love. It is later taken by an angel to heaven as one of the most precious things on earth.
What does the Happy Prince symbolize?
The Happy Prince represents a Christ-like figure of empathy and selfless charity. He symbolizes the bridge between the wealthy elite and the suffering poor, choosing to suffer himself to alleviate the pain of others.
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Good night.
