The Happy Prince and Other Tales

Summary

The Happy Prince and Other Tales is a collection of five literary fairy tales by Oscar Wilde, published by David Nutt in London in May 1888 with illustrations by Walter Crane and Jacomb Hood. Written in the manner of Hans Christian Andersen but with Wilde's own wit, the stories mix humor and sadness and often turn on self-sacrifice and the difference between true and false love. In "The Happy Prince", a jeweled statue looking down on a city's poverty persuades a Swallow, who has stayed behind on his way to Egypt, to carry away his ruby, his sapphire eyes and his gold leaf to people in need. Winter comes, the Swallow dies at the Prince's feet, and the statue's lead heart breaks. The town councillors melt down the shabby statue, but God's angel chooses the broken heart and the dead bird as the two most precious things in the city. In "The Nightingale and the Rose", a nightingale gives her life, singing all night with her breast pressed against a thorn, to make a red rose so that a student may dance with the girl he loves; the girl prefers jewels, and the student throws the rose away. In "The Selfish Giant", a giant who walls children out of his garden is locked in endless winter until a small child softens his heart; years later the child returns bearing the wounds of nails and leads the giant to Paradise. "The Devoted Friend" is a fable, told to a Water-rat by a Linnet, about little Hans, whose rich neighbor the Miller exploits him while talking grandly about friendship. "The Remarkable Rocket" is a comedy about a vain firework at a royal wedding who is so busy admiring himself that he gets damp and fails to go off at the right time. The book was well received, and Wilde followed it with a second collection, A House of Pomegranates (1891).

Top Lessons

• Self-sacrifice

  The Prince, the Swallow and the Nightingale give away what they have for others. Readers can discuss what makes a sacrifice worthwhile.

• True and false friendship

  "The Devoted Friend" contrasts the Miller's fine words with his selfish actions. Students can compare what characters say with what they do.

• Pride and vanity

  The Rocket and the town councillors are figures of vanity. Wilde uses humor to show how pride blinds people.

Verified Quotes

Medical Lens

A poor seamstress's son lies ill with fever in "The Happy Prince", and several tales end with a gentle death; illness and dying are presented simply, as in Andersen.

• The Happy Prince

  A sick child with a fever asks for oranges.