The Happy Prince and The Nightingale and the Rose (long ver.)

 All day long he flies, and at night-time he arrives at the city. "Where can I stay?" he asks.

Then he sees the statue on the tall column "I can stay there," he says. "It is in a good position, with lots of fresh air." And he sits between the feet of the Happy Prince. "I have a golden bedroom," he says as he looks around. He to go to sleep. He puts his head under his wing prepares when a large drop of water falls on him. "What a strange thing! There is not a cloud in the sky, the stars are shiny and bright, but it is raining. The weather in the north of Europe is really bad."

Then another drop falls. "This statue is not useful. It does not keep the rain off," he says. 

And he decides to fly away. But before he flies away a third drop falls. He looks up. What does he see? The eyes of the Happy Prince are full of tears, and tears are running down his golden cheeks. His face is so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow feels sad.

"Who are you?" he asks.

"I am the Happy Prince."

 A swallow came The Happy Prince to rest on the way to Egypt. The happy prince asked a swallow to bring his ruby for poor family. He was unwilling to do so at first, but he brought it there. The swallow went back to him and told their look. After doing the same thing several times, the swallows loved the prince. However he couldn't stand winter cold and he realized that he would die. Finally, the swallow kissed him and died. The happy prince looks was a shabby because he gave all his sapphire, ruby and gold foil that covered him. At a moment the swallow died, his lead heart broken. God told one of the angels, “Bring the two most precious things in town.” The angel brought a lead heart and a dead bird to God.

God said, “You have chosen well.” “In the Garden of Heaven this little bird will sing forever, and in the Golden City this happy Prince will praise me.”

I read two stories, The Happy Prince and The Nightingale and The Rose. I like both.

Oscar Wilde is said that he was homosexual. In this story of The Happy Prince, the swallow and the prince are male; but they kissed and love each other. I never feel uncomfortable. Finally, the swallow was dead because of cold, The Happy Prince looks shabby. However, the angel brought a lead heart The Happy Prince had and a dead bird as the two most precious things in town. They would be more happy next time.

My favorite scene in the story is the part where the angel appears. The angel delivers the abandoned prince and the dead swallow to God, saying that they are the most beautiful things in the city. God sees the prince and the swallow's kind deeds. It's sad that they died, but I like this scene best.

I found this book interesting, and it reaffirmed to me that kindness to people is important .

Also, it's not that many words, so anyone can read it easily. For these reasons, I recommend this book, The Happy prince. (Miyu)

This story is also famous in Japan. In Japan, we call the story "Ko-fuku na Ouji". From this story, we can read the kindness both of the Happy Prince's and the Swallow's.  Some thinks it is sad story, I think. But I felt a warm story. I thought this book shows homosexuality because Oscar Wild himself, who was the story's writer, was a homosexual, but homosexuality was prohibited at that time so he wrote he's secret emotion in the story. (Nao)

Knowing only the title, I couldn't notice I have read this book before. I have already read it, but reading this time, I had different impression between to the last time. This time, I learned self-sacrificing. The Happy Prince gives citizens his golds which are his body parts. Recently, there are oppressive occurrences and people fell into hard situation. However, there are people who are working hard to avoid from it for other people. I thought this book's story and current status have some resemblance. I really hope we could get normal lives soon! (Ayane)