High above the city, on a tall column, stood the magnificent statue of the Happy Prince. He was covered all over with thin leaves of fine gold, and for eyes, he had two bright sapphires. A large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt, making him a truly splendid sight.

One evening, a little Swallow flew over the city, searching for a place to rest. His friends had already flown to warm Egypt, but he had lingered. Finding the tall statue, he decided, 'I’ll rest between the Prince’s feet.'

As the Swallow prepared to sleep, a large drop of water fell upon him, followed by another. He looked up and saw that the Happy Prince’s eyes were filled with tears. 'Who are you?' cried the Swallow. 'I am the Happy Prince,' said the statue. 'When I was alive, I lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter. Now I can see all the ugliness and misery of my city, and though my heart is made of lead, I cannot choose but weep.'

The Prince shared a sad tale of a poor seamstress in a little street, whose small boy lay ill and asked for oranges. He asked the Swallow, 'Will you take her the ruby from my sword-hilt?' Though it was cold, the Swallow agreed to help for one night.

The Swallow took the great ruby in his beak and flew over the sleeping city. He found the poor woman’s house and placed the ruby gently beside her thimble. Then, he softly fanned the child’s forehead with his wings, bringing a peaceful smile to the boy’s sleeping face.

The Swallow flew back to the Prince, feeling a surprising warmth spread through him despite the cold night. 'It is curious,' he chirped, 'but I feel quite warm now.' The Prince smiled, explaining that the warmth came from doing a good deed.

The next night, the Prince spoke of a young playwright struggling in a cold garret, too cold to finish his play. 'Shall I take him one of your sapphires?' asked the Swallow. The Prince, without hesitation, replied, 'Yes, take him my eye.'

The following night, the Prince whispered about a little match girl in the square, whose matches had fallen into the gutter. Fearing she would be beaten, the Prince urged, 'Take my other eye.' The Swallow cried, 'But then you will be blind!' but obeyed his gentle command.

Now the Prince was blind, having given both his sapphire eyes. 'You are now blind,' said the Swallow sadly. 'Then stay with me,' pleaded the Prince. So the loyal bird stayed, telling him stories of Egypt—of palm trees, crocodiles, and the Sphinx who knows all secrets. 'But here,' said the Swallow, 'it is too cold to stay.' 'Stay one night more,' said the Prince.

The Prince saw the poor and hungry children, shivering in the streets. He asked the Swallow to take the thin gold leaves from his body and give them to those in need. Leaf by leaf, the Swallow carried the gold, until the Happy Prince looked dull and grey. But in the streets, children laughed and played with warm bread and smiles.

Then came the harsh winter, bringing snow and bitter frost. Icicles hung from the houses, and the streets glittered like silver. The little Swallow grew colder and colder, his strength fading, yet he would not leave the Prince. Weakly, he whispered, 'Goodbye, dear Prince, I am going to the House of Death.'

The Swallow kissed the Prince gently on the lips and then fell, lifeless, at his feet. At that very moment, a strange crack sounded from inside the statue—the Prince's leaden heart had snapped in two. At dawn, the Mayor looked up and declared, 'The Happy Prince is no longer beautiful. Pull him down.'

The city officials melted the statue in a roaring furnace, but the Prince's broken leaden heart would not melt. So, they threw it away into a dust-heap, where it lay beside the dead Swallow. Far above, God spoke to His angels, 'Bring me the two most precious things in the city.' And they brought Him the leaden heart and the dead bird.

God declared, 'In my garden of Paradise, this little bird shall sing forever, and the Happy Prince shall praise Me.' And so, in joy beyond all sorrow, their love shone brighter than any gold.

And down below, in the city they once watched over, every kind act left a glimmer of unseen gold in the hearts of those who gave. For the Happy Prince and the Swallow had taught the world what it truly means to love and to show compassion, their legacy shining forever.