The TheHappy Prince Happy Prince Tale 1 T The statue of the Happy Prince stands on a tall column. He is covered with gold, his eyes are two nice sapphires and a large red ruby is on his sword. People admire him. He s very beautiful! the Mayor1 says. You must be like2 the Happy Prince, a mother says to her little boy. The Happy Prince never cries3. He s like an angel, some people say. One night a little Swallow4 flies over the city. His friends are flying to Egypt, but he decides to stop to relax. Where can I stay? he asks himself. Then he sees a statue on a tall column. I can stay there, he thinks. It s a fine position with a lot of fresh air. So he goes between the feet of the Happy Prince. I have a golden bedroom, he says to himself. He prepares to sleep but a drop5 of water falls6 on him. What a curious thing! he says. There isn t a single cloud in the sky, but it s raining. The climate in the north of Europe is really terrible! Then a second drop falls. I must look for another place. I m getting wet! he thinks and he decides to leave. But a third drop falls and he looks up. And what does he see? He sees the eyes of the Happy Prince, full of tears. Tears are running down his golden cheeks7. His face is so beautiful in the moonlight. 1. Mayor: the head of the government of a town/city. 2. be like: be similar to. 3. cries: produces tears. 5. drop: 6. falls: goes down. 7. cheek: side of the face below the eyes. 4. swallow: 7