Oscar Wilde
The Happy Prince
Der glückliche Prinz
High on a column above the city stands the gilded statue of the Happy Prince, with sapphires for eyes and a ruby on his sword-hilt. From there he sees the misery of the poor and longs to help. A little Swallow shelters at his feet for one night and agrees to be his messenger.
B130 minAudio
How it begins
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.
Hoch über der Stadt, auf einer hohen Säule, stand die Statue des glücklichen Prinzen. Er war ganz mit dünnen Blättern aus feinem Gold überzogen, für Augen hatte er zwei leuchtende Saphire, und ein großer roter Rubin glühte an seinem Schwertgriff.
He was very much admired indeed.
Er wurde in der Tat sehr bewundert.
“He is as beautiful as a weathercock,” remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; “only not quite so useful,” he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not.
„Er ist so schön wie ein Wetterhahn“, bemerkte einer der Stadträte, der sich den Ruf erwerben wollte, einen künstlerischen Geschmack zu haben; „nur nicht ganz so nützlich“, fügte er hinzu, aus Angst, die Leute könnten ihn für unpraktisch halten, was er in Wirklichkeit gar nicht war.
Languages
- The Happy Prince · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 3,474 words · ~30 min · Audio
- Der glückliche Prinz · GermanB1 Intermediate · 3,355 words · ~30 min · Audio
- Ο Ευτυχισμένος Πρίγκιπας · GreekB1 Intermediate · 3,229 words · ~25 min
- El príncipe feliz · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 3,251 words · ~25 min · Audio
- Le Prince heureux · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 3,709 words · ~30 min · Audio
- सुखी राजकुमार · HindiB1 Intermediate · 3,746 words · ~30 min
- Pangeran Bahagia · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 3,126 words · ~25 min
- Il principe felice · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 3,100 words · ~25 min
- 幸福な王子 · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
- 행복한 왕자 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 2,305 words · ~20 min
- O Príncipe Feliz · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 3,360 words · ~30 min
- Prințul Fericit · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 3,249 words · ~25 min
- Mutlu Prens · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 2,386 words · ~20 min
- Hoàng tử Hạnh phúc · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 4,447 words · ~35 min
- 快乐王子 · ChineseB1 Intermediate
German with English · Greek with English · English with German · English with Greek · English with Vietnamese · Spanish with English · French with English · Hindi with English · Indonesian with English · Italian with English · Japanese with English · Korean with English · Portuguese with English · Romanian with English · Turkish with English · Vietnamese with English · Chinese with English · English with Spanish · English with French · English with Hindi · English with Indonesian · English with Italian · English with Japanese · English with Korean · English with Portuguese · English with Romanian · English with Turkish · English with Chinese · German with Greek · German with Spanish · German with French · German with Hindi · German with Indonesian · German with Italian · German with Japanese · German with Korean · German with Portuguese · German with Romanian · German with Turkish · German with Vietnamese · German with Chinese · Greek with German · Greek with Spanish · Greek with French · Greek with Hindi · Greek with Indonesian · Greek with Italian · Greek with Japanese · Greek with Korean · Greek with Portuguese · Greek with Romanian · Greek with Turkish · Greek with Vietnamese · Greek with Chinese · Spanish with German · Spanish with Greek · Spanish with French · Spanish with Hindi · Spanish with Indonesian · Spanish with Italian · Spanish with Japanese · Spanish with Korean · Spanish with Portuguese · Spanish with Romanian · Spanish with Turkish · Spanish with Vietnamese · Spanish with Chinese · French with German · French with Greek · French with Spanish · French with Hindi · French with Indonesian · French with Italian · French with Japanese · French with Korean · French with Portuguese · French with Romanian · French with Turkish · French with Vietnamese · French with Chinese · Hindi with German · Hindi with Greek · Hindi with Spanish · Hindi with French · Hindi with Indonesian · Hindi with Italian · Hindi with Japanese · Hindi with Korean · Hindi with Portuguese · Hindi with Romanian · Hindi with Turkish · Hindi with Vietnamese · Hindi with Chinese · Indonesian with German · Indonesian with Greek · Indonesian with Spanish · Indonesian with French · Indonesian with Hindi · Indonesian with Italian · Indonesian with Japanese · Indonesian with Korean · Indonesian with Portuguese · Indonesian with Romanian · Indonesian with Turkish · Indonesian with Vietnamese · Indonesian with Chinese · Italian with German · Italian with Greek · Italian with Spanish · Italian with French · Italian with Hindi · Italian with Indonesian · Italian with Japanese · Italian with Korean · Italian with Portuguese · Italian with Romanian · Italian with Turkish · Italian with Vietnamese · Italian with Chinese · Japanese with German · Japanese with Greek · Japanese with Spanish · Japanese with French · Japanese with Hindi · Japanese with Indonesian · Japanese with Italian · Japanese with Korean · Japanese with Portuguese · Japanese with Romanian · Japanese with Turkish · Japanese with Vietnamese · Japanese with Chinese · Korean with German · Korean with Greek · Korean with Spanish · Korean with French · Korean with Hindi · Korean with Indonesian · Korean with Italian · Korean with Japanese · Korean with Portuguese · Korean with Romanian · Korean with Turkish · Korean with Vietnamese · Korean with Chinese · Portuguese with German · Portuguese with Greek · Portuguese with Spanish · Portuguese with French · Portuguese with Hindi · Portuguese with Indonesian · Portuguese with Italian · Portuguese with Japanese · Portuguese with Korean · Portuguese with Romanian · Portuguese with Turkish · Portuguese with Vietnamese · Portuguese with Chinese · Romanian with German · Romanian with Greek · Romanian with Spanish · Romanian with French · Romanian with Hindi · Romanian with Indonesian · Romanian with Italian · Romanian with Japanese · Romanian with Korean · Romanian with Portuguese · Romanian with Turkish · Romanian with Vietnamese · Romanian with Chinese · Turkish with German · Turkish with Greek · Turkish with Spanish · Turkish with French · Turkish with Hindi · Turkish with Indonesian · Turkish with Italian · Turkish with Japanese · Turkish with Korean · Turkish with Portuguese · Turkish with Romanian · Turkish with Vietnamese · Turkish with Chinese · Vietnamese with German · Vietnamese with Greek · Vietnamese with Spanish · Vietnamese with French · Vietnamese with Hindi · Vietnamese with Indonesian · Vietnamese with Italian · Vietnamese with Japanese · Vietnamese with Korean · Vietnamese with Portuguese · Vietnamese with Romanian · Vietnamese with Turkish · Vietnamese with Chinese · Chinese with German · Chinese with Greek · Chinese with Spanish · Chinese with French · Chinese with Hindi · Chinese with Indonesian · Chinese with Italian · Chinese with Japanese · Chinese with Korean · Chinese with Portuguese · Chinese with Romanian · Chinese with Turkish · Chinese with Vietnamese
Questions
Which languages can I read The Happy Prince in?
English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.
What level is it?
The original English is B1 Intermediate. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.
How long is it?
About 3,474 words: around 5–35 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.
Is it free?
Yes. Read it online with no account. The downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.
Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?
Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.