The Happy Prince

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The Happy Prince

Once upon a time, in a city adorned with statues and gardens, there stood a magnificent statue of a prince. The statue was covered in gold leaf, with eyes made of sapphires and a ruby embedded in its hilt. It was known as the Happy Prince.

The Happy Prince had lived a life of luxury and pleasure in the palace, shielded from the sufferings of the world. But after his death, his soul had been transferred to the beautiful statue overlooking the city.

From his elevated position, the Happy Prince could see the poverty and misery that afflicted the people below. He felt deeply saddened by their plight and wished to alleviate their suffering.

One day, a swallow flying south for the winter stopped to rest beneath the Happy Prince's outstretched arm. The swallow, struck by the beauty of the statue, decided to stay a while and keep the Happy Prince company.

As they spent time together, the Happy Prince shared his observations of the city with the swallow. He told the swallow of the hungry children, the cold and homeless, and the sick and suffering.

Touched by the Happy Prince's compassion, the swallow offered to help him ease the suffering of the people below. With the swallow as his messenger, the Happy Prince began to distribute his gold and jewels to those in need.

He asked the swallow to pluck out his sapphire eyes and give them to the poor, leaving his face blank but his heart full of love. The swallow, though saddened by the loss of the Happy Prince's eyes, agreed to help.

Together, they traveled throughout the city, delivering the Happy Prince's treasures to the needy. The swallow used his wings to carry the jewels to the poorest of the poor, while the Happy Prince watched from above, his heart swelling with joy.

As winter approached, the swallow grew weaker and weaker, unable to fly south to warmer lands. With each passing day, he grew closer to death.

Saddened by the swallow's plight, the Happy Prince implored him to leave and save himself. But the swallow refused, choosing instead to stay by the Happy Prince's side until the end.

Finally, on a cold winter's night, the swallow breathed his last breath, his tiny body frozen against the Happy Prince's golden heart.

As dawn broke, the mayor and townsfolk marveled at the beauty of the statue of the Happy Prince. But when they looked closer, they saw that the gold had peeled away, leaving the statue dull and lifeless.

The mayor ordered the statue to be torn down and melted, deeming it worthless without its golden sheen. But as the statue was being destroyed, a voice cried out from the heavens, proclaiming the Happy Prince and the swallow as the most precious things in the city.

And so, even though the Happy Prince and the swallow were gone, their sacrifice had not been in vain. Their selfless acts of kindness had touched the hearts of all who knew their story, leaving behind a legacy of love and compassion that would never be forgotten.

The moral of the story is that true happiness comes from helping others and sacrificing for the greater good. The Happy Prince and the swallow teach us that the most valuable treasures are not material possessions but the kindness and compassion we show to others in need.

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