NCERT Textbook - The Happy Prince | English Class 9 PDF Download

 Page 1


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.
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; then he decided to go to Egypt too.
All day long he flew,
and at night time he
arrived at the city.
“Where shall I put
up?” he said. “I hope
the town has made
preparations.”
Then he saw the
statue on the tall column.
“I will put up there,”
he cried. “It is a fine
position with plenty of
fresh air .” So he alighted
just between the feet of
the Happy Prince.
“I have a golden
bed-room,” he said
softly to himself as he
looked round, and he
5. The Happy Prince
The Happy Prince was a beautiful statue. He was
covered with gold, he had sapphires for eyes, and a
ruby in his sword. Why did he want to part with all
the gold that he had, and his precious stones?
2024-25
Page 2


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.
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; then he decided to go to Egypt too.
All day long he flew,
and at night time he
arrived at the city.
“Where shall I put
up?” he said. “I hope
the town has made
preparations.”
Then he saw the
statue on the tall column.
“I will put up there,”
he cried. “It is a fine
position with plenty of
fresh air .” So he alighted
just between the feet of
the Happy Prince.
“I have a golden
bed-room,” he said
softly to himself as he
looked round, and he
5. The Happy Prince
The Happy Prince was a beautiful statue. He was
covered with gold, he had sapphires for eyes, and a
ruby in his sword. Why did he want to part with all
the gold that he had, and his precious stones?
2024-25
The Happy Prince/ 29
prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under
his wing a large drop of water fell on him. “What a curious thing!”
he cried. “There is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are
quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining.”
Then another drop fell.
“What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off ?” he said.
“I must look for a good chimney pot,” and he determined to fly away.
But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he
looked up, and saw — Ah! What did he see?
The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears
were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful
in the moonlight that the little swallow was filled with pity.
“Who are you?” he said.
“I am the Happy Prince.”
“Why are you weeping then?” asked the swallow. “You have
quite drenched me.”
“When I was alive and had a human heart,” answered the
statue, “I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace,
where sorrow is not allowed to enter.  My courtiers called me the
Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was. So I lived, and so I died.
And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I
can see the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my
heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep.”
‘What! Is he not solid gold?’ said the swallow to himself. He
was too polite to make any personal remarks.
“Far away,” continued the statue in a low musical voice, “far
away in a little street there is a poor house. One of the windows is
open, and through it I can see a woman seated at a table. Her
face is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked
by the needle, for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering flowers
on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen’s maids of honour,
to wear at the next Court ball. In a bed in the corner of the room
her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking his mother
to give him oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river
water, so he is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you
not bring her the ruby out of my sword hilt?  My feet are fastened
to this pedestal and I cannot move.”
2024-25
Page 3


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.
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; then he decided to go to Egypt too.
All day long he flew,
and at night time he
arrived at the city.
“Where shall I put
up?” he said. “I hope
the town has made
preparations.”
Then he saw the
statue on the tall column.
“I will put up there,”
he cried. “It is a fine
position with plenty of
fresh air .” So he alighted
just between the feet of
the Happy Prince.
“I have a golden
bed-room,” he said
softly to himself as he
looked round, and he
5. The Happy Prince
The Happy Prince was a beautiful statue. He was
covered with gold, he had sapphires for eyes, and a
ruby in his sword. Why did he want to part with all
the gold that he had, and his precious stones?
2024-25
The Happy Prince/ 29
prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under
his wing a large drop of water fell on him. “What a curious thing!”
he cried. “There is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are
quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining.”
Then another drop fell.
“What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off ?” he said.
“I must look for a good chimney pot,” and he determined to fly away.
But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he
looked up, and saw — Ah! What did he see?
The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears
were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful
in the moonlight that the little swallow was filled with pity.
“Who are you?” he said.
“I am the Happy Prince.”
“Why are you weeping then?” asked the swallow. “You have
quite drenched me.”
“When I was alive and had a human heart,” answered the
statue, “I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace,
where sorrow is not allowed to enter.  My courtiers called me the
Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was. So I lived, and so I died.
And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I
can see the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my
heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep.”
‘What! Is he not solid gold?’ said the swallow to himself. He
was too polite to make any personal remarks.
“Far away,” continued the statue in a low musical voice, “far
away in a little street there is a poor house. One of the windows is
open, and through it I can see a woman seated at a table. Her
face is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked
by the needle, for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering flowers
on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen’s maids of honour,
to wear at the next Court ball. In a bed in the corner of the room
her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking his mother
to give him oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river
water, so he is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you
not bring her the ruby out of my sword hilt?  My feet are fastened
to this pedestal and I cannot move.”
2024-25
30 / Moments
“I am waited for in Egypt,” said the swallow. “My friends are
flying up and down the Nile, and talking to the large lotus flowers.
Soon they will go to sleep.”
The Prince asked the swallow to stay with him for one night
and be his messenger. “The boy is so thirsty, and the mother so
sad,” he said.
“I don’t think I like boys,” answered the swallow. “I want to go
to Egypt.”
But the Happy Prince looked so sad that the little swallow was
sorry. “It is very cold here,” he said. But he agreed to stay with
him for one night and be his messenger.
“Thank you, little Swallow,” said the Prince.
The swallow picked out the great ruby from the Prince’s sword,
and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town.
He passed by the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels
were sculptured.  He passed by the palace and heard the sound of
dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover.
“I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State ball,” she
said. “I have ordered flowers to be embroidered on it, but the
seamstresses are so lazy.”
He passed over the river, and saw the lanterns hanging on the
masts of the ships. At last he came to the poor woman’s house
and looked in. The boy was tossing feverishly on his bed, and the
mother had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In he hopped, and
laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman’s thimble. Then
he flew gently round the bed, fanning the boy’s forehead with his
wings. “How cool I feel!” said the boy, “I must be getting better;”
and he sank into a delicious slumber.
Then the swallow flew back to the Happy Prince, and told him
what he had done. “It is curious,” he remarked, “but I feel quite
warm now, although it is so cold.”
“That is because you have done a good action,” said the Prince.
And the little swallow began to think, and then fell asleep. Thinking
always made him sleepy.
When day broke he flew down to the river and had a bath.
“Tonight I go to Egypt,” said the swallow, and he was in high
2024-25
Page 4


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.
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; then he decided to go to Egypt too.
All day long he flew,
and at night time he
arrived at the city.
“Where shall I put
up?” he said. “I hope
the town has made
preparations.”
Then he saw the
statue on the tall column.
“I will put up there,”
he cried. “It is a fine
position with plenty of
fresh air .” So he alighted
just between the feet of
the Happy Prince.
“I have a golden
bed-room,” he said
softly to himself as he
looked round, and he
5. The Happy Prince
The Happy Prince was a beautiful statue. He was
covered with gold, he had sapphires for eyes, and a
ruby in his sword. Why did he want to part with all
the gold that he had, and his precious stones?
2024-25
The Happy Prince/ 29
prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under
his wing a large drop of water fell on him. “What a curious thing!”
he cried. “There is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are
quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining.”
Then another drop fell.
“What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off ?” he said.
“I must look for a good chimney pot,” and he determined to fly away.
But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he
looked up, and saw — Ah! What did he see?
The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears
were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful
in the moonlight that the little swallow was filled with pity.
“Who are you?” he said.
“I am the Happy Prince.”
“Why are you weeping then?” asked the swallow. “You have
quite drenched me.”
“When I was alive and had a human heart,” answered the
statue, “I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace,
where sorrow is not allowed to enter.  My courtiers called me the
Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was. So I lived, and so I died.
And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I
can see the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my
heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep.”
‘What! Is he not solid gold?’ said the swallow to himself. He
was too polite to make any personal remarks.
“Far away,” continued the statue in a low musical voice, “far
away in a little street there is a poor house. One of the windows is
open, and through it I can see a woman seated at a table. Her
face is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked
by the needle, for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering flowers
on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen’s maids of honour,
to wear at the next Court ball. In a bed in the corner of the room
her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking his mother
to give him oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river
water, so he is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you
not bring her the ruby out of my sword hilt?  My feet are fastened
to this pedestal and I cannot move.”
2024-25
30 / Moments
“I am waited for in Egypt,” said the swallow. “My friends are
flying up and down the Nile, and talking to the large lotus flowers.
Soon they will go to sleep.”
The Prince asked the swallow to stay with him for one night
and be his messenger. “The boy is so thirsty, and the mother so
sad,” he said.
“I don’t think I like boys,” answered the swallow. “I want to go
to Egypt.”
But the Happy Prince looked so sad that the little swallow was
sorry. “It is very cold here,” he said. But he agreed to stay with
him for one night and be his messenger.
“Thank you, little Swallow,” said the Prince.
The swallow picked out the great ruby from the Prince’s sword,
and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town.
He passed by the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels
were sculptured.  He passed by the palace and heard the sound of
dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover.
“I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State ball,” she
said. “I have ordered flowers to be embroidered on it, but the
seamstresses are so lazy.”
He passed over the river, and saw the lanterns hanging on the
masts of the ships. At last he came to the poor woman’s house
and looked in. The boy was tossing feverishly on his bed, and the
mother had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In he hopped, and
laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman’s thimble. Then
he flew gently round the bed, fanning the boy’s forehead with his
wings. “How cool I feel!” said the boy, “I must be getting better;”
and he sank into a delicious slumber.
Then the swallow flew back to the Happy Prince, and told him
what he had done. “It is curious,” he remarked, “but I feel quite
warm now, although it is so cold.”
“That is because you have done a good action,” said the Prince.
And the little swallow began to think, and then fell asleep. Thinking
always made him sleepy.
When day broke he flew down to the river and had a bath.
“Tonight I go to Egypt,” said the swallow, and he was in high
2024-25
The Happy Prince/ 31
spirits at the prospect. He visited all the monuments and sat a
long time on top of the church steeple.
When the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince.
“Have you any commissions for Egypt?” he cried. “I am
just starting.”
“Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” said the Prince, “will you
stay with me one night longer?”
“I am waited for in Egypt,” answered the swallow.
“Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” said the Prince, “far away
across the city I see a young man in a garret. He is leaning over a
desk covered with papers, and in the glass by his side there is a
bunch of withered violets. His hair is brown and crisp, and his
lips are red as a pomegranate, and he has large and dreamy eyes.
He is trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre, but he
is too cold to write any more. There is no fire in the grate, and
hunger has made him faint.”
“I will wait with you one night longer,” said the swallow, who
really had a good heart. He asked if he should take another ruby
to the young playwright.
“Alas! I have no ruby now,” said the Prince. “My eyes are all
that I have left. They are made of rare sapphires, which were
2024-25
Page 5


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.
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; then he decided to go to Egypt too.
All day long he flew,
and at night time he
arrived at the city.
“Where shall I put
up?” he said. “I hope
the town has made
preparations.”
Then he saw the
statue on the tall column.
“I will put up there,”
he cried. “It is a fine
position with plenty of
fresh air .” So he alighted
just between the feet of
the Happy Prince.
“I have a golden
bed-room,” he said
softly to himself as he
looked round, and he
5. The Happy Prince
The Happy Prince was a beautiful statue. He was
covered with gold, he had sapphires for eyes, and a
ruby in his sword. Why did he want to part with all
the gold that he had, and his precious stones?
2024-25
The Happy Prince/ 29
prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under
his wing a large drop of water fell on him. “What a curious thing!”
he cried. “There is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are
quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining.”
Then another drop fell.
“What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off ?” he said.
“I must look for a good chimney pot,” and he determined to fly away.
But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he
looked up, and saw — Ah! What did he see?
The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears
were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful
in the moonlight that the little swallow was filled with pity.
“Who are you?” he said.
“I am the Happy Prince.”
“Why are you weeping then?” asked the swallow. “You have
quite drenched me.”
“When I was alive and had a human heart,” answered the
statue, “I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace,
where sorrow is not allowed to enter.  My courtiers called me the
Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was. So I lived, and so I died.
And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I
can see the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my
heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep.”
‘What! Is he not solid gold?’ said the swallow to himself. He
was too polite to make any personal remarks.
“Far away,” continued the statue in a low musical voice, “far
away in a little street there is a poor house. One of the windows is
open, and through it I can see a woman seated at a table. Her
face is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked
by the needle, for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering flowers
on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen’s maids of honour,
to wear at the next Court ball. In a bed in the corner of the room
her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking his mother
to give him oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river
water, so he is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you
not bring her the ruby out of my sword hilt?  My feet are fastened
to this pedestal and I cannot move.”
2024-25
30 / Moments
“I am waited for in Egypt,” said the swallow. “My friends are
flying up and down the Nile, and talking to the large lotus flowers.
Soon they will go to sleep.”
The Prince asked the swallow to stay with him for one night
and be his messenger. “The boy is so thirsty, and the mother so
sad,” he said.
“I don’t think I like boys,” answered the swallow. “I want to go
to Egypt.”
But the Happy Prince looked so sad that the little swallow was
sorry. “It is very cold here,” he said. But he agreed to stay with
him for one night and be his messenger.
“Thank you, little Swallow,” said the Prince.
The swallow picked out the great ruby from the Prince’s sword,
and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town.
He passed by the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels
were sculptured.  He passed by the palace and heard the sound of
dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover.
“I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State ball,” she
said. “I have ordered flowers to be embroidered on it, but the
seamstresses are so lazy.”
He passed over the river, and saw the lanterns hanging on the
masts of the ships. At last he came to the poor woman’s house
and looked in. The boy was tossing feverishly on his bed, and the
mother had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In he hopped, and
laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman’s thimble. Then
he flew gently round the bed, fanning the boy’s forehead with his
wings. “How cool I feel!” said the boy, “I must be getting better;”
and he sank into a delicious slumber.
Then the swallow flew back to the Happy Prince, and told him
what he had done. “It is curious,” he remarked, “but I feel quite
warm now, although it is so cold.”
“That is because you have done a good action,” said the Prince.
And the little swallow began to think, and then fell asleep. Thinking
always made him sleepy.
When day broke he flew down to the river and had a bath.
“Tonight I go to Egypt,” said the swallow, and he was in high
2024-25
The Happy Prince/ 31
spirits at the prospect. He visited all the monuments and sat a
long time on top of the church steeple.
When the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince.
“Have you any commissions for Egypt?” he cried. “I am
just starting.”
“Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” said the Prince, “will you
stay with me one night longer?”
“I am waited for in Egypt,” answered the swallow.
“Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” said the Prince, “far away
across the city I see a young man in a garret. He is leaning over a
desk covered with papers, and in the glass by his side there is a
bunch of withered violets. His hair is brown and crisp, and his
lips are red as a pomegranate, and he has large and dreamy eyes.
He is trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre, but he
is too cold to write any more. There is no fire in the grate, and
hunger has made him faint.”
“I will wait with you one night longer,” said the swallow, who
really had a good heart. He asked if he should take another ruby
to the young playwright.
“Alas! I have no ruby now,” said the Prince. “My eyes are all
that I have left. They are made of rare sapphires, which were
2024-25
32 / Moments
brought out of India a thousand
years ago.” He ordered the
swallow to pluck out one of
them and take it to the
playwright. “He will sell it to the
jeweller, and buy firewood, and
finish his play,” he said.
“Dear Prince,” said the
swallow, “I cannot do that,” and
he began to weep.
“Swallow, Swallow, little
Swallow,” said the Prince, “do
as I command you.”
So the swallow plucked out
the Prince’s eye, and flew away
to the young man’s garret. It
was easy enough to get in, as there was a hole in the roof. Through
this he darted, and came into the room. The young man had his
head buried in his hands, so he did not hear the flutter of the
bird’s wings, and when he looked up he found the beautiful
sapphire lying on the withered violets.
“I am beginning to be appreciated,” he cried. “This is from some
great admirer. Now I can finish my play,” and he looked quite happy.
The next day the swallow flew down to the harbour. He sat on
the mast of a large vessel and watched the sailors working. “I am
going to Egypt,” cried the swallow, but nobody minded, and when
the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince.
“I have come to bid you goodbye,” he cried.
“Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” said the Prince, “will you
not stay with me one night longer?”
“It is winter,” answered the swallow, “and the snow will soon
be here. In Egypt the sun is warm on the green palm trees, and
the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them.”
“In the square below,” said the Happy Prince, “there stands a
little matchgirl. She has let her matches fall in the gutter, and
they are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she does not bring
home some money, and she is crying. She has no shoes or
2024-25