The Happy Prince

Valentina Cesaratto is a high-school teacher specializing in dramatic
arts and film studies.

The Happy Prince is a golden statue of a prince who was much admired by
his people and who died young. Although the statue shows a smile on the
Prince’s face, he is not happy; all he sees from his tall pedestal are
his people’s poverty and suffering.

One day, Swallow, a young bird who is late for his migration to Egypt,
stops at the statue for a rest. While resting, the bird feels drops of
water hit him. They are the Prince’s tears. He is weeping at all the
misery he sees and pleads with Swallow to help him. Swallow agrees to
aid the Prince, and the first person he helps is the sick son of a
seamstress. The Prince asks Swallow to take the ruby from his sword and
take it to the sick boy. Swallow then plucks the two sapphires out of
the Prince’s eyes and delivers one each to a struggling playwright and
a needy little match-girl. Now that the Prince is blind, Swallow is
determined to remain with him. In one last gesture, the Prince orders
Swallow to take all of the gold leaves adorning his body and gives them
to the poor of the city. As winter sets in, Swallow grows tired and
cold, and, after saying goodbye to the Prince, dies at his feet.
Heartbroken, the Prince dies too, but happily they he and Swallow are
reunited in heaven.

The Happy Prince, one of Wilde’s more popular fairy tales, is a story
of charity, love, selflessness, and devotion. Awarding-winning
illustrator Robin Muller, brings the story to life with his rich,
colorful, and detailed watercolor illustrations set in the Victorian
period. Biographical information about Oscar Wilde is included at the
back of the book. Highly recommended.