The happy prince Once upon a time, on a tall column, there was a statue of the Happy Prince He was covered with gold and he had two bright sapphires for eyes, and a a big ruby on his sword One night, a little Swallow arrived at the cityand looked mfor a place to sleep between the feet of the Happy Prince Suddenly, a drop fell on the Swallow: the Prince was crying He was sad because he saw that his people were suffering He told the Swallow about a woman She was very poor and her little boy was ill ‘Please,’ said the Prince to the bird, ‘give her the ruby from my sword’ So the Swallow took the ruby to the woman The next day, the Prince saw a hungry writer who was too cold to write any longer ‘Take one of my eyes and give it to him,’ said the Prince So the Swallow took the sapphire to the writer The following day, the Prince saw a girl crying because she had no money to take home So the the Swallow took the other eye and gave it to her ‘You are blind now,’ said the Swallow to the prince, ‘I will stay with you forever’ ‘Dear little Swallow,’ said the Prince, ‘I am covered with gold Please, take it and give it to my poor’ The bird obeyed With no more gold, the Prince looked grey Then the winter came The poor Swallow felt colder and colder but he didn’t leave the Prince He loved him very much At last, the Swallow kissed the Happy Prince and died At that moment, the heart of the Prince broke into two ‘Bring me the two most beautiful things in the city,’ said God to one of His Angels; and the Angel brought him the heart of the Happy Prince and the dead Swallow