Hello, friends! This guide is for the beautiful story "The Happy Prince" from your Class 9 Moments textbook. It is a fairy tale full of kindness, tears, and love. We will explain it step by step with easy words, like a bedtime story. Let’s go!
About the Author
Oscar Wilde was a famous writer from Ireland. He was born in 1854 and passed away in 1900. He wrote plays, poems, and stories for children. His tales are short but deep – they make us laugh, cry, and think. He loved beauty and used simple words to teach big lessons. "The Happy Prince" is one of his best children’s stories. Even though it looks like a fairy tale, it talks about real-life problems like poverty and kindness.
What’s the Story About?
High above a city stands a golden statue of a prince on a tall pillar. People call it The Happy Prince because his face always smiles. His body is covered with thin gold leaves, his eyes are two bright blue stones, and a red jewel shines on his sword.
One winter night, a little swallow bird flies over the city. He is on his way to warm Egypt, but he is tired. He stops to rest between the feet of the statue. As he sleeps, big drops of water fall on him. He looks up – it’s the Prince crying! The bird is surprised. “Why are you sad?” he asks.
The Prince says, “When I was alive, I lived in a palace. No sorrow was allowed inside. I played all day and never saw the pain outside. People called me the Happy Prince. But now, from up here, I see poor people suffering. I can’t move, but I want to help. Will you stay and be my messenger?”
The bird agrees to stay one night. The Prince asks him to take the red jewel from his sword to a poor mother whose child is sick with fever. The swallow flies down, puts the jewel in her room, and fans the boy’s hot head with his wings. The boy feels cool and sleeps. The mother smiles in her sleep too.
Next night, the Prince asks the swallow to peel a blue stone from his eye and give it to a little girl selling matches in the street. She has broken her matches and is scared to go home. The bird does it. The girl is happy and runs home.
On the third night, the Prince says, “Take gold from my body to a poor writer. He is cold and hungry in his small room.” The swallow peels off gold leaves one by one and drops them to the writer. Soon, the whole statue is grey and dull – no more gold, no eyes, no jewel.
Winter comes. It is very cold. The swallow wants to fly to Egypt, but he loves the Prince now. The Prince looks ugly and sad without gold. He asks the bird to kiss him goodbye. As the swallow kisses his lips, his heart (made of lead) breaks with a crack. The bird falls dead at the Prince’s feet – frozen by cold.
Next morning, city leaders see the broken, grey statue. They melt it down in a fire. But the Prince’s broken lead heart does not melt. They throw it away with the dead bird on a dust heap.
God sees everything from heaven. He asks an angel to bring the two most precious things from the city. The angel brings the lead heart and the dead swallow. God smiles and says, “Yes, these are the most beautiful. The little bird will sing forever in my garden, and the Happy Prince will live in my city of gold.”
The story ends with love winning over cold and death.
Who’s Who in the Story
- The Happy Prince: A golden statue of a prince who was happy when alive but now sees pain. He gives away his beauty to help the poor. He has a kind heart.
- The Swallow: A small, fast bird going to Egypt. He is kind, brave, and stays to help the Prince even in cold. He becomes the Prince’s best friend.
- The Poor Mother and Sick Child: A tired woman whose son is ill. The red jewel helps them buy medicine and food.
- The Match-Girl: A little girl who sells matches in the cold street. She drops them in water and fears punishment. The blue eye stone saves her.
- The Poor Writer: A young man trying to write plays. He is hungry and cold. Gold leaves from the Prince help him eat and stay warm.
- City Leaders: Rich men who care only about looks. They destroy the statue because it is no longer beautiful.
- God and Angel: They see true beauty – love and kindness. They give the Prince and swallow a happy forever.
Themes and Moral
This story teaches us many things with tears and smiles:
- True Beauty is Inside: Gold and jewels are not real beauty. Helping others is the real shine.
- Kindness Costs Something: The Prince gives away his eyes, gold, and jewel. He becomes ugly to make others happy.
- Friendship and Love: The swallow gives up warm Egypt for the Prince. Love makes us do big things.
- Rich vs Poor: Rich people ignore the poor. The Prince sees and helps from far above.
- Sacrifice: Both the Prince and swallow give their lives for others. That is the biggest love.
The Moral: Happiness comes from giving, not having. Help others even if it costs you something. True friends stay in hard times. God loves kind hearts more than golden statues.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are key words explained simply:
- Statue: A still figure made of metal or stone. The Prince is a statue on a pillar.
- Sapphire: A bright blue precious stone. The Prince’s eyes are made of sapphires.
- Ruby: A red jewel. The ruby is on the Prince’s sword.
- Gilded: Covered with thin gold. The statue was gilded all over.
- Seamstress: A woman who sews clothes. The poor mother is a seamstress.
- Match-girl: A girl who sells small sticks to light fire. The match-girl is cold and hungry.
- Lead: A heavy, dull metal. The Prince’s heart is made of lead.
- Dust-heap: A pile of rubbish. The broken heart and dead bird are thrown on the dust-heap.
- Phrase: "Tears rolled down": Water from eyes when sad. Tears rolled down the Prince’s cheeks.
- Phrase: "Peel off": Remove a thin layer. The swallow had to peel off gold leaves.
There you go, friends! Read the story again, feel the love, and think: How can I help someone today? A small act can shine brighter than gold. Keep smiling and sharing! 🌟