The Happy Prince, and Other Tales

High above a bustling city a gilded statue stands on a tall column, its bronze body encrusted with gold leaf, sapphire eyes, and a ruby‑set sword. The figure, once a living prince, now watches the streets below, admired for its beauty but silent to the hardships that unfold beneath it. One rainy night a weary swallow, delayed from its migration, seeks a place to rest and alights at the prince’s feet, surprised by an unexpected drop of water that seems to pass right through the stone.

The statue’s eyes begin to weep, and the swallow, moved by the sight, learns that the Prince’s heart once knew only opulence, untouched by sorrow. Now, seeing the city’s poverty and suffering, the Prince asks the swallow to help him share the riches that still cling to his gilded form. Together they embark on a quiet mission to bring comfort to the poorest souls, discovering that true happiness may lie in selfless acts rather than glittering adornments.