Introduction
This story is about a Prince. When the prince was alive, he was very happy. He didn't know what misery was. After his death, a big statue of his was erected on a pedestal. From there, the statue of Prince could see the entire city. Then he saw the miseries of the people. He saw the poor people, the homeless, their hunger, and starvation. The Prince was sad to see all these miseries, and sadness of the people. He wanted to help them somehow. A swallow became his messenger.
The story is written by Oscar Wilde, a well-known Irish dramatist, and author.
Meanings
gilded: to be covered with something, coating of something
hilt: the handle of a weapon or tool, especially a sword, dagger, or knife
swallow: a tiny bird
Alighted: descended
curious: strange
drenched: soaked with water
misery: sadness
coarse: rough
seamstress: a woman who makes a living by sewing.
sword hilt: the handle of the sword
pedestal: a raised platform
mast: sail of the ship
slumber: sleep
sank: drown (but here it means the boy is going to sleep)
prospect: the thought of something
Steeple: high tower of the church
garret: small dark room at the top of the house
withered: worn out
violet: a kind of flower
pomegranate: a fruit
faint: weak
grate: fireplace
darted: pushed himself inside
appreciate: to praise someone
harbor: seaport
swooped: fly very low
shabby: untidy
proclamation: order, rule
furnace: a fireplace where metal is melted
overseer: supervisor
foundry: a workshop for casting metals
Summary
Once in a town, there lived a prince. He was called the Happy
Prince because he had been happy all his life. After his death, his statue was
erected on a tall pedestal in the middle of the town. The statue was covered
with gold and had two precious sapphire stones embedded in the eyes. A ruby
stone had been fitted into the handle of his sword. From there, he could see
all around the place and realized that the people lived in a lot of poverty and
misery. This sight saddened the prince and being helpless, he would weep to see
the plight of his people.
One day a swallow was flying through the city, on its way to
Egypt to meet his friends. It took shelter for the night at the feet of the
statue happy prince. The swallow came to know that the prince was weeping for
peoples’ miseries. The helpless prince requested the bird to help poor people
by becoming his messenger. The swallow was unwilling initially. Later the bird
agreed to become the prince’s messenger.
The swallow plucked the ruby from the hilt of the prince and
gave it to a poor seamstress. Her son was suffering from a fever. The swallow
fanned the boy with his wings and made his sleep. The seamstress felt happy for
the ruby.
The next morning, as he went to bid goodbye, the happy prince
convinced him to stay back for one more day. That day, the bird was asked to
remove the sapphire stone from one of the statue’s eyes and deliver it to a
young playwright. The playwright was without food and firewood.
On the third day, the happy prince ordered the bird to pull out
the second sapphire. It was for a poor match girl. The match girl had dropped
all her matches and worried that her father would punish her. She was happy to
receive the sapphire.
By this time, the weather had become cold. The swallow
decided to stay with the happy prince. The
statue asked the bird to go around the city and inform him about the condition of the
people living there. The bird told him that the rich were making merry while
the poor lived in misery. Then happy prince ordered the bird to remove the gold
foils from his body and give it to the poor who needed money. Gradually, the
statue of the prince lost its covering of gold and became dull and grey. The
poor were as they got bread to eat.
The swallow was now unable to withstand the cold weather and
realized that death was approaching. He told the happy prince that he had to leave
him forever. As the bird died and fell at the statue’s feet, a strange sound
came out of the statue. It was the sound of the breaking of its heart. Although
the statue’s heart was made of lead, it broke as it was overwhelmed with
affection towards the bird. When the statue was melted in the furnace, the
heart did not melt and was thrown in the garbage. It landed near the swallow’s
body. God’s angel took both the dead swallow and the broken heart to him as
they were the most precious things in the city.
Textual Questions
Think about it (Page 36)
1. Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’?
Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?
He was a prince when he was alive. Being a prince he never
knew sorrow and suffering. So, the courtiers called him ‘the happy prince’. But
he was not happy after he was made as a statue. He could see the miserable
conditions of the people around him. That made him sad.
2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress?
What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
The seamstress was tired due to overwork. She was so poor
that she could not buy oranges for her little sick son. The Happy Prince saw
the poor lady and her son. He felt pity for them. So, he sent a ruby for her.
The swallow came to the poor woman’s house and laid the ruby on the table
beside her. The bird fanned the boy’s forehead with wings and flew back to the
Happy Prince.
3. For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
The playwright was very poor. He was not able to food and
firewood. The prince sent the first sapphire to the playwright so that he could
finish a play for the director of the theatre in time. He sent his second
sapphire to a poor match girl. Her matches had fallen into the gutter. She was
afraid that her father would punish her for this loss. So, she was helped by
the prince by sending her the second sapphire.
4. What does the swallow see when it was flying over the
city?
The swallow saw all kinds of people. He found the rich
making merry in their beautiful houses and beggars begging at the gates. He
also saw a group of wandering children who were very poor.
5. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
In the beginning, the swallow wished to go to Egypt just
after discharging his duty. But when he saw Prince’s activities of charity and
kindness he got impressed. After giving away his two sapphires the Happy Prince
had become totally blind. The swallow could not leave the Prince helpless. He
decided not to go to Egypt.
6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why
are they precious?
The leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow
are the two precious things mentioned in the story. They are precious as they
did various deeds for the welfare of people and sacrificed their lives for the
sake of others.
Talk about it (Page 36)
1. The little swallow says, “It is curious, but I feel quite
warm now, although it is so cold.” Have you ever had such a feeling? Share your
experience with your friends.
We are living in a society. We need each other to live happily. We
have to help each other. If we help others without any selfishness, we feel
happy and satisfied. In the same way, when others help us, we feel grateful.
In this lesson, the happy prince, the little swallow feels
warmth when he helps the needy people. Because of this selfless service, he
becomes satisfied. Yes, I have experienced such a feeling many a time. I
believe in helping others. Others also help me whenever I am in need. If we can
help others we feel more confident, lively, and happy.