The Happy Prince Learn English through story Level 3
the happy prince
the statue of the happy prince stood
high above the city
it was covered with gold
its eyes were bright blue jewels
and a red jewel hung from its waist
everyone thought that it was very
beautiful
why aren’t you like the happy prince
mothers said to their little boys when
they cried
sad men looked at the statue and said
i am glad that someone in the world is
happy
one night a little bird flew alone over
the city
the other birds were all in egypt now
where can i stay tonight
he thought
then he saw the statue
i will stay there he thought
it is high up so there is plenty of
fresh air
he landed between the feet of the happy
prince
i have a golden bedroom he thought
but as he put his head under his wing a
large drop of water fell on him
he looked up
that is very strange he thought
there is not a cloud in the sky but it
is raining
then another drop fell
i cannot stay on a statue that does not
keep me dry
he thought
i must find another place
and he decided to fly away
but as he opened his wings a third drop
fell
he looked up and saw
ah
what did he see
the eyes of the happy prince
were full of tears
tears ran down his golden face
the face was very beautiful in the
moonlight and the bird felt sorry for
him
who are you
asked the bird
i am the happy prince
then
why are you crying
i am wet with your tears
when i was alive
said the prince
i had a heart like every other man
but i did not know what tears were
i lived in a palace where there was no
sadness
in the daytime i played with my friends
in a beautiful garden
and in the evening i danced
there was a high wall round the garden
but i did not know what lay on the other
side
so i was called the happy prince
i was pleased with my little world
now i am dead and they have put me up
here
i can see all the unhappiness of my city
my heart now is made of a cheap metal
but even that poor heart can feel
and so i cry
oh
said the bird to himself
he is not all gold
he is only gold on the outside
far away from here
said the happy prince in the low voice
there is a poor house in a little street
through an open window i can see a woman
at a table
her face is very thin
and she has rough red hands
she is making a dress for one of the
queen’s ladies for a dance in the palace
her little boy is lying on a bed in the
corner of the room
he is very ill
he is crying because she can only give
him water from the river
little bird
will you take my red jewel to her i
cannot move from here
my friends are waiting for me in egypt
said the bird
little bird
little bird
said the prince
please stay with me for one night and do
this for me
the boy is crying and his mother is so
unhappy
the happy prince looked very sad
and the little bird was sorry for him
it is very cold here
he said but i will stay with you for one
night tomorrow i will take the jewel
thank you little bird said the prince
so the bird took the great red jewel
from the prince’s waist and flew away
with it over the roofs of the town
he passed the palace and heard the sound
of dancing
a beautiful girl was at a window with
her lover
i hope my dress will be ready for the
dance next week she said
those women are so lazy
the bird passed over the river and flew
and flew
at last he came to the poor little house
and looked inside
the boy was lying on the bed
the mother was asleep she was so tired
he flew in and put the great red jewel
on the table
then he flew round the bed moving the
air around the boy’s face with his wings
oh
said the boy
my face does not feel so hot
i think i am getting better
and he fell asleep
then the bird flew back to the happy
prince
it is strange the bird said
it is very cold but i feel quite warm
that is because you have done a good
thing
said the prince
the little bird fell
asleep when day came the bird flew down
to the river for a bath
a clever man saw him
that is very unusual he said that kind
of bird here in winter i must write that
down
i will go to egypt tonight thought the
bird
when the moon came up he flew back to
the happy prince
can i do anything for you in egypt he
said
little bird little bird said the prince
please will you stay with me for one
more night
my friends are waiting for me answered
the bird
far away across the city said the prince
i can see a young writer in a little
room at the top of a house
he is sitting at a table that is covered
with papers
at his side there are some dead flowers
he is trying to finish a story
but he is very cold and he cannot write
there is no fire in the room and he is
weak and hungry
i will wait with you for one more night
said the bird kindly
what shall i take to him
take him one of my eyes
said the prince
they are made of beautiful blue stones
from india the young man can sell it and
buy wood and food
he can finish his story
take out your eye dear prince
said the bird i cannot do that
and he began to cry
do it
said the prince
so the bird took out the prince’s eye
and flew away to the young man’s room
it was easy to get in because there was
a hole in the roof
the young man was sitting with his head
in his hands
so he did not hear the birds wings
when he looked up a beautiful blue jewel
was lying on the dead flowers
someone likes my stories
he cried happily
this is a gift from someone who has read
my books
now i can finish writing this story
on the next day the bird flew down to
the river
he watched the semen working on the
ships
i am going to egypt
he cried
but no one listened to him
when the moon came up he flew back to
the happy prince
i have come to say goodbye to you
he said
little bird little bird said the prince
please will you stay with me for one
more night
it is winter answered the bird the snow
will soon come
in egypt the sun is warm and the trees
are green
dear prince i must leave you but i will
never forget you
a little girl is standing there in the
square below
she is selling eggs
her eggs have fallen on the ground and
they are broken
she has no money to take home her father
will hit her
take out my other eye and give it to her
i will stay with you for one more night
said the bird but i cannot take out your
other eye you will not be able to see
do it
said the prince
so the bird took out the prince’s other
eye and flew down with it
he flew to the girl and put the jewel in
her hand
this is a beautiful piece of glass
cried the little girl
she ran home laughing
then the bird flew back to the prince
you cannot see now he said so i will
stay with you
no said the poor prince
you must go to egypt
i will stay with you repeated the bird
and he slept at the prince’s feet
the next day he stayed with the prince
he told the prince stories about the
strange lands that he knew
dear little bird said the prince
you are telling me about strange and
wonderful things
but the suffering of men and women is
stranger than anything
fly over my city little bird
tell me what you see there
so the swallow flew over the great city
he saw the rich eating and drinking in
their beautiful houses
he saw the poor people sitting at the
gate
he flew into the dark streets and saw
the white faces of hungry children with
sad eyes
under a bridge two little boys were
lying close together to keep warm
we are so hungry
they said
you cannot lie there
shouted a guard
then the bird flew back and told the
prince
i am covered with fine gold said the
prince take it off piece by piece and
give it to my poor people
the bird pulled off the gold until the
happy prince looked gray and ugly
the bird took the gold to the poor and
the children’s faces became brighter
we have bread now they
cried then the snow came
ice followed the snow and hung down from
the roofs of the houses
everyone wore thick coats
the little bird became colder
he did not leave the prince because he
loved him too much
but he was dying
goodbye dear prince he said
can i kiss you
i am glad that you are going to egypt
said the prince you have stayed too long
kiss me because i love you
i am not going to egypt
said the bird
i am going to the house of death
he kissed the prince
and fell down dead at his feet
then there was a strange sound inside
the statue
crack
the metal heart broke into two pieces
early next morning an important man in
the city was walking below with two of
his friends
he looked up at the statue
the happy prince does not look very
bright
he said
the red stone has disappeared
his eyes are not there
and he is not golden
he looks like a
beggar yes he does
said the man’s friends
here is a dead bird at his feet
said the officer
we must make an order that birds cannot
die here
they pulled down the statue of the happy
prince and put it in the fire
a stream of bright metal ran out
this is strange
said the workman
this broken piece in the middle of the
statue has stayed hard
we must throw it away
so they threw it away with the dead bird
god said to his servants
bring me the two best things in the city
they brought him the broken heart and
the dead bird
yes
you have brought the right things god
said
this little bird will sing forever in my
garden
and the happy prince will stand in my
city of gold
you