The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde
A one-lesson story perfect for ages 9-13
I loved this story as a kid and still do. We’ve adapted it slightly to make it more class- friendly. Included is the audio book and all the normal lovely classroom stuff. Quizzes, discussions and post-reading work. There is a PDF to print out if you need it at the end. And here is the teacher’s pack
The Happy Prince – Section 1
High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was covered all over in thin gold leaves, with two bright sapphires for eyes, and a large red ruby on the hilt of his sword. Everyone admired him.
"He is as beautiful as a weathercock," said one of the town councillors, who wanted people to think he had good taste. "Only not as useful," he added, because he didn't like it when others thought differently from him.
"Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?" asked a sensible mother, as her little boy cried for the moon. "The Happy Prince never cries for anything."
"I'm glad there's someone in the world who is quite happy," said a sad man, looking up at the lovely statue.
One night, a little Swallow flew over the city. He was on his way to Egypt, where it was warm and sunny in the winter. But he stopped to rest. He saw the statue on the column and thought, "I'll sleep here tonight. It's a good place with lots of fresh air."
He landed just between the Happy Prince's feet. But just as he was tucking his head under his wing, a large drop of water fell on him. "What a strange thing!" said the Swallow. "There's not a cloud in the sky, and yet it's raining!"
Comprehension
1. What is the Happy Prince statue covered in?
a) Silver and diamonds
b) Thin gold leaves and precious stones
c) Paint and feathers
d) Leaves and flowers
2. Why do people admire the Happy Prince?
a) Because he can talk
b) Because he is tall
c) Because he is beautiful
d) Because he tells jokes
3. Where does the Swallow want to go for the winter?
a) England
b) Egypt
c) The North Pole
d) The forest
Discussion
Why do you think the statue is called the Happy Prince, even though he seems to be crying?
The Happy Prince – Section 2
Another drop fell, and then another.
“This statue must be leaking,” said the Swallow. “I must find a better place to sleep.”
But before he flew away, he looked up—and what did he see? The Happy Prince had tears running down his golden cheeks. His eyes were full of sorrow.
“Who are you?” asked the Swallow. He felt sorry for the statue.
“I am the Happy Prince,” said the statue in a soft, musical voice.
“Then why are you crying?” asked the Swallow. “You’re high up here and you can see everything. You must be very happy.”
“When I was alive,” said the Prince, “I lived in a beautiful palace. I was never allowed to leave it. People called me the Happy Prince because I never cried. I didn’t know what sadness was.” He continued, “Now that I am dead, they put me up here so I can see everything. And now I do see everything. I see the misery and the pain. My heart is made of lead, but I can’t help crying.”
Comprehension
1. What does the Swallow think is happening when he feels drops of water?
a) It’s raining
b) Someone is playing a trick on him
c) The statue is leaking
d) A bird is above him
2. Why is the Happy Prince crying?
a) Because he misses his palace
b) Because he sees people suffering
c) Because he is lonely
d) Because he is afraid of birds
3. What was the Happy Prince like when he was alive?
a) Poor but wise
b) A travelling artist
c) A boy locked in a tower
d) A prince who lived in a palace and never saw sadness
Discussion
The Swallow says the Prince is high up and must be happy. But he is not. Why do you think some people who seem happy on the outside might feel sad inside?
The Happy Prince – Section 3
“Far away,” said the Happy Prince, “in a little street, there’s a poor house. One of the windows is open. I can see a woman sitting at a table. She is a seamstress. She’s sewing clothes for a rich lady’s party, and her fingers are hurt from the needle.
In the bed next to her lies her little boy. He is sick with a fever and crying. He wants oranges, but all she can give him is water from the river.
Swallow, will you take the ruby from my sword and give it to her?”
“I’m staying in Egypt for the winter,” said the Swallow. “My friends are flying down the Nile. They’re waiting for me.”
“Please stay just one night,” said the Happy Prince. “The boy is so thirsty, and the mother is so sad.”
So the Swallow took the ruby from the Prince’s sword. He flew with it over the city, past the cathedral, and over the palace.
When he reached the poor house, he flew in through the window and placed the ruby gently on the table beside the woman’s thimble. Then he flew around the sick boy and fanned him with his wings.
“How cool I feel!” said the boy. “I think I’m getting better.”
Comprehension
1. Why does the Happy Prince want to give the ruby to the woman?
a) Because she is rich and kind
b) Because her son is sick and they are poor
c) Because she lost her job
d) Because she gave him food
2. What does the sick boy want?
a) A toy
b) Money
c) Oranges
d) A book
3. What does the Swallow do with the ruby?
a) He hides it in a tree
b) He gives it to the King
c) He throws it in the river
d) He delivers it to the woman’s house
Discussion
The Swallow was planning to leave, but he stayed to help. Have you ever changed your plans to help someone else? How did it feel?
The Happy Prince – Section 4
The next day, the Swallow came back to the statue. “It’s very cold,” he said. “But I feel warm inside.”
“That’s because you did something kind,” said the Happy Prince.
The Swallow felt happy. He flew down to the river and bathed. Then he flew through the city, watching people and their lives. When night came, he went back to the Prince.
“Swallow, Swallow,” said the Prince. “Far away across the city, I see a young man in an attic. He is leaning over a desk full of papers. He’s trying to finish a play for the theatre, but he’s too cold to write. There is no fire, and he is hungry and tired.
Take one of the sapphires from my eyes and give it to him.”
“But that would make you blind!” said the Swallow.
“Please do it,” said the Prince.
So the Swallow took the sapphire and flew to the attic.
The student was holding his head in his hands. “There’s no use,” he whispered. “I’ll never finish this.”
Then the sapphire dropped onto the desk.
“Oh! A jewel!” he cried. “Now I can buy food and firewood. I’ll finish my play!”
The Swallow returned to the Prince.
Comprehension
1. Why does the Prince feel warm even though it’s cold?
a) He is wearing warm clothes
b) The Swallow lit a fire for him
c) He is happy about doing something kind
d) The sun came out
2. What problem does the student in the attic have?
a) He is lost
b) He is cold and hungry and can’t work
c) He has too much money
d) He is trying to fly
3. What does the student plan to do with the sapphire?
a) Hide it
b) Sell it to buy food and firewood
c) Give it away
d) Use it as a pen
Discussion
The Prince gives away one of his eyes to help a stranger. Do you think helping someone you don’t know is just as important as helping a friend?
The Happy Prince – Section 5
“Swallow, Swallow,” said the Prince. “There is a little girl down in the street. She’s selling matches. She dropped them in the gutter and they are all ruined. If she doesn’t bring home any money, her father will be very angry.
She has no shoes or stockings. She is crying in the snow. Take my other eye, and give it to her.”
“I can’t do that,” said the Swallow. “Then you will be completely blind!”
“Please do it,” said the Prince.
So the Swallow took the second sapphire and flew to the match-girl.
He dropped the jewel into her hand.
“Oh! What a lovely stone!” she said, and ran home happily.
Then the Swallow flew back to the Prince. “You are blind now,” he said. “So I will stay with you always.”
“No, Swallow,” said the poor Prince. “You must go away to Egypt.”
“I will stay with you,” said the Swallow. And he slept at the Prince’s feet.
Comprehension
1. What happens to the match-girl’s matches?
a) She sells them all
b) She throws them in the river
c) She drops them and they’re ruined
d) She gives them to a friend
2. What does the Prince give to help the girl?
a) A golden feather
b) His second sapphire eye
c) His ruby
d) A loaf of bread
3. Why does the Swallow decide to stay with the Prince?
a) He is tired
b) He likes the cold
c) He feels sorry for him and wants to help
d) He is afraid to fly
Discussion
The Swallow says he will stay with the Prince “always.”
What do you think makes a good friend?
The Happy Prince – Section 6
The Prince could no longer see, but he still wanted to help.
“Swallow, my friend,” he said, “fly over the city and tell me what you see.”
So the Swallow flew far and wide. He saw the rich enjoying fine dinners in warm houses, while the poor sat at doorways, cold and hungry. He told the Prince everything he saw.
Then the Prince said, “Take the gold from my body and give it to the people who need it.”
Bit by bit, the Swallow pulled off the golden leaves from the statue and gave them away.
He brought gold to the poor children who were hungry.
He gave gold to the mother with no fire in her fireplace.
He gave gold to the beggar with no shoes.
“The children now have bread,” said the Swallow. “I’m glad I stayed.”
He flew back to the Prince. “But now you have nothing left,” said the Swallow. “You are dull and grey.”
“That’s okay,” said the Prince softly. “Helping them made me happy.”
Comprehension
1. Why does the Swallow fly all over the city?
a) He is looking for treasure
b) He wants to explore
c) He is helping the Prince see what’s happening
d) He is escaping the cold
2. What does the Swallow give to the poor people?
a) Bread
b) Golden leaves from the statue
c) Apples from a tree
d) Firewood from the palace
3. What happens to the statue as the gold is taken off?
a) It becomes shiny
b) It turns black
c) It begins to move
d) It becomes dull and grey
Discussion
The Prince gives away all his beauty to help others. Do you think doing good is more important than looking good?
The Happy Prince – Section 7
It became colder and colder. Snow fell, and the frost made the Swallow very weak. But he stayed with the Prince.
“Goodbye, dear Prince,” whispered the Swallow. “Will you let me kiss your hand?”
“I’m glad you’re staying,” said the Prince. “You’ve done a good thing.”
The Swallow kissed the Prince on the lips and then died at his feet.
At that moment, there was a strange sound—crack!
The lead heart inside the statue broke in two.
The next morning, the Mayor walked past with the Town Councillors. They looked up.
“Oh dear!” said the Mayor. “The Happy Prince looks horrible!”
“He’s not golden anymore, and he has lost his eyes!” said one Councillor. “And there’s a dead bird at his feet!”
“We must remove the statue,” said the Mayor.
So they melted the statue in a furnace. But the lead heart wouldn’t melt.
“It’s useless,” said the workmen, and they threw it on the rubbish heap—right next to the dead Swallow.
Later that day, God said to one of His angels, “Bring me the two most precious things in the city.”
The angel brought the broken lead heart and the dead bird.
“You chose well,” said God. “This little bird shall sing in my garden forever, and the Prince shall live in my golden city.”
Comprehension
1. Why does the Swallow die?
a) He is very old
b) He gets too cold and weak to fly
c) He is hurt by a person
d) He flies into the furnace
2. What happens when the Swallow dies?
a) The statue begins to cry again
b) The Prince’s lead heart breaks in two
c) The city becomes warm
d) The other birds come back
3. What do the townspeople do with the statue?
a) Fix it and make it shiny again
b) Move it to a museum
c) Melt it down and throw away the heart
d) Hide it in the town hall
Discussion
Why do you think God says the Swallow and the Prince are the two most precious things in the city?
Post-Reading Activities
These activities are designed to help you remember the story and think more deeply about what happened.
1. Quick Recap Quiz (5 minutes)
Choose the best answer:
a) What is the Happy Prince statue covered in? - Silver and diamonds - Gold leaves and jewels - Paint and feathers - Flowers and ribbons
b) What does the Swallow do with the Prince’s eyes? - Hides them - Eats them - Gives them to poor people - Drops them by mistake
c) Why can’t the Prince see suffering when he’s alive?- He is blind- He lives inside a palace and never leaves- He doesn’t care- His parents don’t let him look
2. Emotional Reflection (5–10 minutes)
Write or discuss: What part of the story made you feel something strong—like sadness, hope, or surprise?
Why do you think the writer wanted you to feel that way?
Draw a heart and put the most emotional moment inside it with pictures or words.
3. If I Had Wings… (10 minutes)
Imagine you are a swallow like in the story. You can fly anywhere and help anyone. Where would you go? Who would you help? What small but powerful thing would you do? Write 3–4 sentences or draw the scene and label it.
4. Quote & Reflect (5 minutes)
“Helping them made me happy,” said the Happy Prince. Do you agree with this quote? Can helping someone else make you feel better, even if it costs you something?