A statue of a gilded prince stands high above a city, admired for its beauty but unaware of the suffering below. Once a living man, the prince was blissfully ignorant of sorrow, but now, from his lofty perch, he weeps for the misery he sees. A swallow, delayed in his migration to Egypt, lands at the statue's feet and learns of the prince's sorrow. The prince asks the swallow to help a poor seamstress whose son is ill, offering his ruby for the boy's medicine. The swallow, moved by the prince's plight, agrees to stay and assist. The swallow delivers the ruby, witnessing the joy it brings to the seamstress and her son. The next night, the prince requests the swallow's help again, this time to aid a struggling young playwright. The swallow plucks out one of the prince's sapphires and delivers it to the starving artist, who is inspired to finish his work. As winter approaches, the swallow contemplates leaving for Egypt but is persuaded to stay one more night to help the prince. The prince, now blind, continues to direct the swallow to help those in need. The swallow removes the prince's remaining sapphire to give to a poor match-girl, ensuring she won't be punished by her father. The swallow decides to remain with the prince, who shares stories of the world beyond the city, but the swallow grows weaker from the cold. As the swallow nears death, he bids farewell to the prince, who expresses his love. The swallow kisses the prince and dies at his feet, causing the prince's lead heart to break. The next day, city officials, noticing the statue's disrepair, decide to dismantle it, deeming it no longer beautiful or useful. They melt down the statue, but the lead heart refuses to melt and is discarded alongside the dead swallow. In heaven, God recognizes the sacrifice of the swallow and the prince's compassion, declaring them the most precious things in the city. The prince and the swallow are rewarded in paradise, where the swallow sings eternally, and the prince praises God.
By Oscar Wilde · First published 1888 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Allegory