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The statue of the happy prince stood high above the city.

It was covered all over with thin leaves of gold.

For the eyes it had two bright blue jewels,

and there was a large red jewel on the top of its sword.

Everyone thought that it was very beautiful.

Why can't you be like the happy prince?

Mothers said to the little boys when they cried.

I'm glad there is someone in the world who is happy.

Sad men said as they looked at the statue.

One night a little swallow flew over the city.

All the other swallows had flown to Egypt on their long wings,

but he had stayed behind. He arrived at the city at night.

Where can I stay? He said.

I hope there is some place where I can stay tonight.

Then he saw the statue.

I'll stay there, he said.

It's high up with plenty of fresh air.

He came down just between the feet of the happy prince.

I have a golden bedroom, he said, as he looked around,

and prepared to go to sleep.

Just as he put his head under his wing,

a large drop of water fell on him.

He looked up. That's a very strange thing, he said.

There isn't a cloud in the sky, and the stars are clear and bright,

but it's raining. Then another drop fell.

What is the use of the statue if it can't keep the rain off, he said?

I must find some other place, and he decided to fly away.

But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell.

He looked up and saw.

The eyes of the happy prince were filled with tears.

Tears were running down his golden face.

The face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the swallow felt very sorry for him.

Who are you? asked the swallow.

I'm the happy prince.

Then why are you weeping?

You have made me quite wet with your tears.

When I was alive, said the prince, and had a heart like any other man,

I didn't know what tears were.

I never wept because I lived in a palace into which sadness was never allowed to come.

In the daytime I played with my friends in the garden,

and in the evening I danced in the great hall.

There was a high wall around the garden, and I never asked what lay on the other side,

because everything on my side was so beautiful.

So I was called a happy prince.

And I was happy, if pleasure is the same as happiness.

I was pleased with the little world in which I lived.

Now I am dead, and they have set me up here so high

that I can see all the ugliness and unhappiness of my city.

My heart now is made of lead, but even that lead and heart can feel, and I weep.

Oh, said the swallow to himself.

He isn't all made of gold. He's only gold on the outside.

Far away, said the happy prince in a low voice.

Far away from here, there is a poor house in a little street.

One of the windows is open, and through the window I can see a woman seated at a table.

Her face is very thin, and she has rough red hands.

She is a needle woman.

She is making a dress for one of the queen's ladies to wear at a dance in the palace.

Her little boy is lying on a bed in the corner of the room.

He is very ill. He is asking for fruit.

His mother has nothing to give him except water from the river, so he's crying.

Swallow, swallow, little swallow.

Will you take her the red jewel from the top of my sword?

My feet are fixed, and I can't move.

My friends are waiting for me in Egypt, said the swallow.

Swallow, swallow, little swallow, said the prince.

Won't you stay with me for one night and do this for me?

The boy is crying, and his mother is so sad.

I don't like boys, answered the swallow.

Last summer, two boys threw stones at me when I was flying over the river.

But the happy prince looked so sad.

The little swallow was sorry for him.

It's very cold here, he said.

But I'll stay with you for one night and do what you ask.

Thank you, little swallow, said the prince.

So the swallow took the great red jewel from the prince's sword and flew away with it over the roofs of the town.

He passed by the church and heard the sound of singing.

He passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing.

A beautiful girl came to a window with her lover.

How wonderful the stars are, he said to her.

And how wonderful is the power of love.

I hope my dress will be ready for the great dance next week, she said.

But the needle women are so lazy.

He passed over the river and over the business part of the town.

At last he came to the poor little house and looked in.

The boy was lying restlessly on the bed and the mother had fallen asleep.

She was so tired.

He flew in and put the great red jewel on the table near the woman's hand.

Then he flew around the bed, beating down the air onto the boy's face with his wings.

Oh, said the boy.

My face doesn't feel so hot.

I think I'm getting better.

And he fell asleep.

Then the swallow flew back to the happy prince and told him what he had done.

It's strange, he said.

I feel quite warm now, although it's so cold.

That's because you have done a good thing, said the prince.

The little swallow fell asleep.