The Happy Prince

Plot
A swallow is delayed in migrating to Egypt, so he sojourns in a town, sheltering beneath a statue of the Happy Prince. However, he soon discovers that the prince is crying because the people in the town are miserable. The prince urges the swallow to delay his migration and take the ruby from the hilt of his sword to a poor, ill boy so his mother can buy him oranges. The swallow does this, and on subsequent nights the prince convinces the swallow to take his sapphire eyes and gold leaf to other poor people. Because the prince is now blind, the swallow resolves to stay with him, abandoning his migration. Eventually cold weather arrives, and the swallow dies. The prince's heart breaks as a result. The town's officials realize that he is no longer a beautiful statue and notice the dead bird at his feet. They decide to melt him down for scrap and dispose of the bird carcass. Yet the prince and the bird are redeemed at the end of the story, as God exalts them in Paradise.