High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. He was very much admired indeed. “He is as beautiful as a weathercock,” remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; “only not quite so useful,” he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not. “Why can’t you be like the Happy Prince? ” asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon.
Classic Literature
The Happy Prince, and Other Tales passages and copywork.
The Happy Prince, and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde is a timeless public domain collection of fairy tales that blends lyrical storytelling with profound reflections on compassion, sacrifice, love, and human nature. Through unforgettable stories such as The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, and The Selfish Giant, Wilde reveals the quiet beauty found in kindness and selfless devotion. As you read, notice how each tale gently uncovers deeper truths beneath its fairy-tale surface, inviting reflection on what it truly means to love, to give, and to live with compassion. Its elegant prose and enduring wisdom continue to reward readers who return to its pages in search of beauty, empathy, and the timeless values that speak to every generation.
- Chapters
- 22
- Passages
- 200
- Comments
- 15
- Copywork
- 0
Slow Reading
Read for the sentences that stay with you.
The Passage is built around passages rather than finished-book lists. Open The Happy Prince, and Other Tales, notice the line that asks for another look, and keep it close as part of your reading journal.
Sample Passages
A few places to begin.
“The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything. ” “I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy,” muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue. “He looks just like an angel,” said the Charity Children as they came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white pinafores. “How do you know? ” said the Mathematical Master, “you have never seen one. ” “Ah! but we have, in our dreams,” answered the children; and the Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did not approve of children dreaming. One night there flew over the city a little Swallow.
His friends had gone away to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind, for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed. He had met her early in the spring as he was flying down the river after a big yellow moth, and had been so attracted by her slender waist that he had stopped to talk to her. “Shall I love you? ” said the Swallow, who liked to come to the point at once, and the Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round and round her, touching the water with his wings, and making silver ripples. This was his courtship, and it lasted all through the summer.
Copywork
Turn memorable sentences into practice.
Copywork gives a sentence more time. Type a passage exactly as it appears, then return to the words you chose with more attention than a quick highlight allows.
Reflect
Leave a public or private note on the sentence that mattered.
Copy
Practice one memorable line at a time through focused typing.