High above a city, the gilded statue of the Happy Prince looks down on the poverty and suffering its people endure. In life the Prince knew only pleasure behind his palace walls; now, fixed in place and able to see everything, he is moved to sorrow. When a little Swallow, lingering behind his flock on his way to Egypt, shelters at the statue's feet, the Prince begs him to stay and carry his jewels and gold leaf to the poor and desperate below.
Night after night the Swallow delays his journey to do the Prince's bidding, stripping the statue of its riches for the sake of the city's suffering — until winter closes in. Oscar Wilde's beloved fairy tale, first published in 1888, is a tender, melancholy parable about compassion, sacrifice, and the true meaning of beauty and worth.
This illustrated edition brings Wilde's story to a new generation of readers with rich, golden artwork. Simple enough for children yet quietly devastating for adults, The Happy Prince remains one of the most cherished short stories in the English language.