- 6 months ago
Immerse yourself in The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde, a timeless classic brought to life in a clear US English accent narration. This audiobook tells the moving story of the Happy Prince and his loyal companion, the Swallow, as they teach us about love, sacrifice, and true compassion.
Whether you are a literature lover, a student, or simply someone who enjoys heartfelt stories, this audiobook is perfect for you. Listen, relax, and experience one of the most beautiful tales ever written.
✨ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more classic audiobooks!
Whether you are a literature lover, a student, or simply someone who enjoys heartfelt stories, this audiobook is perfect for you. Listen, relax, and experience one of the most beautiful tales ever written.
✨ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more classic audiobooks!
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FunTranscript
00:00The Happy Prince
00:02A version of the tale by TheFableCottage.com
00:07High above the city stands the statue of the Happy Prince.
00:17He is covered with fine gold leaf.
00:22His eyes are two blue sapphires.
00:25He has a big red ruby on his sword.
00:32Everyone loves him.
00:35Look at the Happy Prince, says a mother to her son, who is crying his eyes out.
00:41The Happy Prince never cries.
00:45Don't you want to be like him?
00:48Well, at least someone is happy in this town, mutters a grumpy man
00:54as he contemplates the beautiful statue.
00:58He looks like an angel, say the children in the orphanage.
01:05One night, a little swallow flies over the city.
01:11He is all alone.
01:12His friends all flew away to Egypt six weeks ago.
01:18The swallow stayed behind because he had fallen in love with the most beautiful reed.
01:26She was tall and slender, and she moved so gracefully in the wind.
01:32The other swallows had laughed at his romance.
01:35It's so ridiculous, they said.
01:39She has no money and no steady job.
01:45Then Autumn arrived.
01:48The other birds left for Egypt, and the little swallow began to get tired of his lover.
01:55Well, yes, she is beautiful, but does she like to travel, he wondered.
02:03Of course, my future wife must like to travel.
02:09So, he asked the reed.
02:12Will you come to Egypt with me?
02:15It'll be so much fun.
02:17I'll show you the pyramids.
02:20But the reed shook her head.
02:22Very well, I will go alone, replied the swallow.
02:29Goodbye.
02:31And he flew away towards the city.
02:37He arrives in the city after dark.
02:41Now, where am I going to sleep, he wonders.
02:46He sees the statue of the happy prince.
02:50Ah, I will sleep there.
02:53The view will be magnificent.
02:56The swallow lands between the feet of the happy prince.
03:01He looks around himself.
03:04Amazing!
03:06I have a golden bedroom.
03:09He is just about to fall asleep when...
03:13A drop of water falls on his head.
03:17What?
03:18Is it raining?
03:20He wonders.
03:22Strange.
03:23I don't see any clouds.
03:25Then, blop, another drop falls on him.
03:31Lousy statue, he mutters.
03:34It can't even protect me from the rain.
03:37Maybe I should find a nice chimney instead.
03:41But then, blop, another drop falls.
03:47The swallow looks up.
03:48And what does he see?
03:51The eyes of the happy prince are filled with tears.
03:56Tears are streaming down his golden cheeks.
03:59His face looks so sad in the moonlight.
04:04The little swallow is filled with pity.
04:07Who are you?
04:10He asks the statue.
04:12I am the happy prince.
04:16Well, why are you crying then?
04:20Asks the swallow.
04:22I'm all wet.
04:25Hmm.
04:26You know, when I was alive and had a human heart, I never cried.
04:34The statue says.
04:36I lived in Sans Souci Palace.
04:40There is no sorrow at Sans Souci.
04:43Every night, I danced in the great hall.
04:49During the day, I played with my friends in the garden.
04:54There was a big wall around the garden.
04:57But I never asked what was on the other side.
05:01Why would I ask?
05:04Everything around me was so beautiful.
05:06When I was alive, everyone called me the happy prince.
05:14And yes, I was happy, if pleasure and happiness are the same thing.
05:22But then I died, and they put me here.
05:26Now I can see all the sadness and ugliness of my city.
05:30My heart is made of lead, but I cannot stop crying.
05:38What?
05:39He has a heart of lead?
05:42I thought he was solid gold.
05:45Thinks the swallow to himself.
05:47But he doesn't say it out loud.
05:50He's too polite.
05:51Far from here, continues the statue.
05:57Far from here, there is a small street.
06:02In this street, there is a small house.
06:06One of the windows is open, and I can see a woman.
06:12She is sitting at a table.
06:15Her face looks tired and worried.
06:18Her hands are red and calloused.
06:23She is a seamstress, and she is sewing a dress for a wealthy lady.
06:29Her little boy is lying on the bed, ill with a fever.
06:36He wants oranges, but his mother does not have the money to buy oranges.
06:42All she can give him to drink is water from the river.
06:46So the little boy continues to cry.
06:52Little swallow, there is a ruby on my sword.
06:56Please take it to his mother.
06:59I am a statue now.
07:01I can't do it myself.
07:03I'm sorry, I can't, says the swallow.
07:09I must fly to Egypt.
07:12My friends are waiting for me.
07:15They will be flying up and down the Nile and talking to the lotus flowers.
07:20They will be sleeping in the tomb of the great king.
07:24I must go, too.
07:28Little swallow, says the prince.
07:32Please be my messenger.
07:35Just for one night.
07:37The little boy is so thirsty, and his mother is so sad.
07:42But I don't even like little boys, says the swallow.
07:48Little boys throw stones at me.
07:51Of course, they never reach me.
07:54But who cares?
07:55It's very rude.
07:57But the happy prince looks sad, and the swallow feels guilty.
08:02It's very cold here, he says.
08:07But I will stay one night and help you.
08:11Thank you, little swallow, says the prince.
08:15So the swallow removes the ruby from the prince's sword.
08:20He holds it in his beak and flies over the roofs of the city.
08:25He flies over the cathedral with its angels made of white marble.
08:32He flies over the river and sees the lanterns hanging from the masts of the boats.
08:39He flies over the market and hears the seller shout,
08:44Oranges! Come and get your beautiful oranges!
08:49He flies over the palace and hears the sound of music and dancing.
08:57A young girl and her boyfriend come out onto the balcony of the palace.
09:02The stars are so beautiful, says the boyfriend.
09:09And so are you.
09:11I hope my dress will be ready in time for the ball, says the girl.
09:18My seamstress is so slow.
09:21Finally, the swallow arrives at the woman's house.
09:26He looks through the window.
09:29The little boy is tossing feverishly in his bed.
09:32The mother is so tired that she has fallen asleep at her sewing table.
09:40The swallow hops inside.
09:43He gently puts the ruby down on the table.
09:47Then he flutters around the little boy's bed,
09:51gently fanning him with his wings.
09:53I don't feel so hot anymore, says the little boy.
10:00I think I'm getting better.
10:03The swallow goes back to see the happy prince.
10:08He tells the prince what he did.
10:10It's strange, says the swallow.
10:14The weather is really cold.
10:17But I feel quite warm now.
10:20That's because you have done something good, says the prince.
10:25The little swallow begins to think.
10:28Then he falls asleep.
10:31Thinking always makes him sleepy.
10:33In the morning, the swallow takes a bath in the river.
10:40Tonight, I'm going to Egypt, he says.
10:44He is very happy.
10:47He spends the day visiting the tourist attractions of the city.
10:52Wherever he goes, the sparrows chirp and ask each other.
10:57Who is this distinguished stranger?
11:01It can't be a swallow.
11:03Here?
11:04In winter?
11:06The swallow likes to be the center of attention.
11:10He enjoys himself immensely.
11:16As the moon rises, the swallow flies back to the happy prince.
11:22Can I bring you back something from Egypt?
11:25He asks.
11:27I'm just about to leave.
11:29Little swallow, says the prince.
11:32Please stay with me one more night.
11:36My friends will be waiting for me in Egypt, replies the swallow.
11:42Tomorrow they will go further up the river.
11:45There will be hippos in the tall grass.
11:48At noon, the yellow lions will come down to drink on the shore.
11:54Their eyes are green like emeralds.
11:57I absolutely must see this.
12:01Little swallow, says the prince.
12:04On the other side of town, I see a young man.
12:09He lives in a cramped, he lives in a cramped, drafty attic.
12:14He is sitting at a desk covered with papers.
12:18He is trying to write a play.
12:20But his hands are too cold to hold a pen.
12:25He has no money to buy firewood or food.
12:30All right, I will stay with you one more night, says the swallow.
12:38Do you have another ruby?
12:41Alas, no, says the prince.
12:44But I have my eyes.
12:48These are sapphires from India.
12:51Please take one of my eyes to the young man.
12:54He can use it to buy food as well as wood.
12:58He can then finish writing his play.
13:01Oh, no, no way, says the swallow.
13:06I can't take one of your eyes.
13:09Little swallow, says the prince.
13:13Please do as I ask.
13:16So the swallow takes the prince's eye and flies to the young man's attic.
13:23It's easy to get in.
13:26There's a hole in the roof.
13:27The young man is resting his head in his hands.
13:33He doesn't hear the rustling of wings as the swallow places the sapphire in front of him.
13:41When the young man looks up, he finds the beautiful sapphire just lying there on his desk.
13:49A donation, he cries.
13:53Someone likes my work.
13:55Now I can finish my play.
14:04The next day, the swallow flies to the harbor.
14:08He lands on the mast of a large ship.
14:13He watches the sailors taking the cargo out of the holds of the ship.
14:19Heave ho! Heave ho!
14:21I am going to Egypt, he declares.
14:27Heave ho! Heave ho! Heave ho!
14:30When the moon rises, he flies to the happy prince.
14:35I've come to say goodbye, says the swallow.
14:41Little swallow, says the prince.
14:44Please stay with me one more night.
14:49It's winter now, replies the swallow.
14:53Soon it will snow.
14:56But in Egypt, the sun will be shining.
15:00I will see green palm trees.
15:03I will see crocodiles lying in the mud.
15:06My friends will be building their nests.
15:10Dear prince, I must go.
15:13But I will never forget you.
15:15And next spring, I will bring you two beautiful jewels to replace the ones you have given away.
15:22The ruby will be as red as a rose and the sapphire will be as blue as the sea.
15:29In the square just below us, says the prince, there is a little girl selling flowers.
15:37She has dropped a lot of them on the ground, and now they're ruined.
15:43Her family will starve if she doesn't bring some money home.
15:48She's crying.
15:49She has no shoes or socks.
15:54She has no winter jacket and no warm hat.
16:00Please take my other eye and give it to her.
16:04The swallow sighs.
16:07I can stay another night, he says.
16:12But I can't take your eye.
16:14You will be blind.
16:15Little swallow, says the prince.
16:21Please do as I ask.
16:25So the swallow removes the prince's other eye.
16:29He flies down to the square.
16:32He swoops past the little girl and drops the jewel into her hand.
16:39Oh, so pretty, exclaims the little girl.
16:44Well, she runs home laughing.
16:48The swallow returns to the prince.
16:52Now you are blind, he says.
16:55So I am going to stay with you.
16:59No, little swallow, says the poor prince.
17:04You have to go to Egypt.
17:05No, I will stay with you forever, says the swallow, and he falls asleep at the prince's feet.
17:15The next day, the swallow sits on the prince's shoulder.
17:23He tells stories to the prince, because the prince cannot see.
17:28He talks about Egypt, the desert, the camels, the sphinx, the pyramids, and the huge snakes in the palm trees.
17:41Dear little swallow, says the prince, you speak of such extraordinary things.
17:49But do you know what is even more extraordinary to me?
17:54The suffering of people.
17:57There is no mystery greater than misery.
18:01Fly over my city, little swallow, and tell me what you see.
18:06So the swallow flies over the city.
18:11He sees rich people living comfortably in their beautiful homes, while beggars sit at their doorsteps.
18:20He sees hungry children sitting in the dark streets.
18:24He sees two little boys huddled together under a bridge, trying to get warm.
18:34You can't sleep here, says a policeman.
18:38Go on, get!
18:40And the boys scamper off into the rain.
18:46The swallow returns to the prince and tells him what he has seen.
18:51I am covered in gold, says the prince.
18:58Peel it off and give it to the poor.
19:01Piece by piece, the swallow removes the thin layer of gold from the prince.
19:09Soon, the happy prince appears dull and gray.
19:16Piece by piece, the swallow gives the gold to the poor.
19:21The children's faces grow rosy.
19:26They laugh and play in the street.
19:29We have bread now!
19:31Then the snow comes, and then the frost.
19:39The streets turn white.
19:41Long icicles hang from the eaves of the houses.
19:46Everyone wears winter jackets, and the children skate on the ice.
19:52The poor little swallow gets colder and colder, but he does not leave the prince.
20:01He eats the crumbs from in front of the baker's door.
20:05He tries to warm himself by flapping his wings.
20:14Then, finally, he knows he is going to die.
20:18He lands on the prince's shoulder one last time.
20:25Goodbye, dear prince, he whispers.
20:29I'm glad you're finally going to Egypt, little swallow, says the prince.
20:37You have stayed here far too long.
20:40I'm not going to Egypt, says the swallow.
20:47I am going to the house of death.
20:52Death is the brother of sleep, is he not?
20:55He kisses the happy prince, and falls down dead at his feet.
21:05At that moment, a strange sound comes from inside the statue.
21:11Crack!
21:12The prince's lead heart breaks in two.
21:17The next morning, the mayor of the city walks past the statue with his city councillors.
21:30Oh my, the happy prince does not look great, he says.
21:38Not great at all, the councillors say.
21:42They always agree with the mayor.
21:44Where is his ruby, continues the mayor.
21:51Where are his eyes?
21:53And he is not golden anymore.
21:56Not great at all.
21:57Oh dear, he doesn't look like a happy prince.
22:01Why, he looks no better than a beggar.
22:06No better than a beggar, the councillors say.
22:11And what the...
22:13Oh my, my word.
22:16Goodness me.
22:18There is a dead bird at his feet.
22:21Oh, we need to pass a new law.
22:25Birds are not permitted to die on statues.
22:31Someone note that down.
22:33And someone notes it down.
22:38They pull down the statue of the happy prince.
22:42If it is not beautiful, then it is not useful, says an article in the newspaper.
22:47However, they melt the statue in a furnace.
22:53But the heart of lead won't melt.
22:58This is so weird, says one of the foundry workers.
23:03What should we do with this?
23:06Meh, just throw it away, says another.
23:09And don't tell the boss.
23:16So they throw the prince's heart on a pile of trash, right next to the dead swallow.
23:22Bring me the two most precious things in the city, says God to one of the angels.
23:34The angel fetches the heart of lead and the dead bird.
23:42Ah, you have chosen well, says God.
23:47This little bird will sing in the gardens of paradise.
23:51And in my city of gold, the prince will be happy once more.