Apparently I felt motivated. XD Have some platonic Spamano!
Song: Best Of Friends
High above the city, atop a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with fine gold, with two emeralds for eyes and a bright red ruby in his sword hilt. He towered over all the comings and goings of his city and was much admired. The Charity Children often exclaimed that he looked like an angel and it was common for women to point to the statue and say, "Why can't you be more like the Happy Prince? He never dreams of crying," when one of their children was in tears. Though it was in the nicer part of the city, the poor folk liked to visit it since it was a pleasure to know that someone was always happy.
One night, in the later stage of autumn, a swallow flew over the city. His friends had left for Egypt weeks ago but he had stayed behind, for he had fallen in love with a beautiful Reed by the riverbank. She had a slender waist and bowed most prettily when he swooped around her. However, after his fellow swallows had gone he felt quite lonely, and began to doubt the Reed's faithfulness. "She curtsies and flirts with the wind," he said bitterly. "And she is quite attached to her home. Any wife of mine should enjoy traveling as much as I do!" And so he left her behind with her many relations and started out for Egypt.
He flew all day until he arrived at the town. "It's getting cold, I hope the town has made preparations," the swallow grumbled. Now that he had left his lady-love he resumed his normally grumpy attitude. Then he caught sight of the statue. "I will sleep there tonight!" he cried, for no swallow could resist a golden bedroom with plenty of fresh air. He alighted on the column, between the golden legs, and settled down to sleep.
A drop of water fell on his feathered head and disturbed him greatly. "What's that?!" Another drop fell on his wing and he looked up. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the stars were clearly seen. "This damn climate is awful! What's the use of a statue if it can't stop the rain?" he shouted. Another drop on his beak silenced him and directed his attention to the statue. To his immense surprise the Prince was crying, fat tears rolling down his golden cheeks. The Swallow flew up to face him. "Who are you?" he asked.
There was a pause before the statue answered, though his mouth did not move. "I am the Happy Prince."
The swallow scoffed. "If you're so happy, why are you crying?"
"When I was alive with a human heart, I did not know what tears were," the prince sighed. "I lived in the palace, where sorrow was not allowed to enter. My name was Antonio, but everyone called me the Happy Prince for I played with my friends in the gardens by day and lead the balls by night. There was a high wall around the palace, but I never cared to ask what lay behind it.I was indeed happy, if pleasure could ever be happiness. So I lived, and so I died…" He sighed again. "Now the people have set up my statue, and I can see all the sadness and misery of my people. How can I not weep? The leaden heart inside me is breaking." The tears continued to flow.
What? He isn't solid gold? the swallow thought. Thankfully, he had enough tact to keep this thought to himself. He perched on the statue's outstretched hand.
"Far away I can see a little house. The window is open and I can see a woman sitting at a table. She is thin and tired, with red hands for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen's maids of honor." The Prince was silent for but a moment before he continued. "And I can see her son, lying in the only bed and sleeping restlessly. He has a fever and is asking for oranges, but his mother has only water." The statue didn't move but it seemed to the swallow as if those bright emeralds were looking straight at him. "Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, please, bring her the ruby from my sword hilt. I cannot move from this column."
The swallow shook his head. "I am going to Egypt! My family is already flying along the Nile, and it is very cold here. Besides, I don't like boys. The ones I knew threw stones at me. Heh, they never hit me of course!" He flew around the statue several times to show off his agility.
The tears fell faster and the Prince asked pleadingly, "Little Swallow, will you stay just one night and be my messager?"
His voice tugged at the swallow's heart. The swallow finally agreed and carefully picked the ruby from the sword hilt and flew off. He flew near a palace, where he heard a pretty young woman say, "I've ordered a gown with passion flowers embroidered on it. I do hope it will be ready in time for the ball, but the seamstresses are so lazy, you know." On he flew to the poorer part of the city until he came upon the small house with an open window.
The poor woman had fallen asleep at the table, and her fingers bled from being pricked so often. Gently, the swallow placed the ruby near the only candle she had. He then hovered over her sick son and fanned him with his wings. The boy stirred slightly and murmured, "How cool I feel!" before sinking into a restful sleep.
The swallow flew back to the Prince's side and told him all he had done. "It's weird," he said at last. "I feel warmer, even though it's so cold." And he perched on the Prince's hand and slept through the rest of the night.
In the morning, he went to the river to bathe. The professor of Ornithology was amazed to see a swallow so late in the year and the little sparrows twittered on about what a distinguished stranger he was. Therefore, the Swallow was very pleased.
He stopped by the statue to say goodbye to the Happy Prince. The Prince, however, asked him to stay one night more. "My family is resting near the great pyramids, where the kings of old rest," the swallow explained, shivering a little.
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, far across the city I can see a young man in a garret. He is trying to finish a play for the director of the theater, but he is too cold to write. He has no money for firewood, only a candle, and hunger has made him weak. Pluck out one of my emerald eyes and give it to him. He can sell it and then buy firewood and food. He will be able to finish his play."
The swallow was aghast. "What the hell?! I can't take your eye!"
"Little Swallow, please do as I ask."
Once again the swallow gave in and carefully pulled out one of the emerald eyes. He winged past the harbors and soon enough arrived at the man's garrett. It was easy enough to get in, there was a hole in the roof. The young man dozed peacefully, a dreamy expression in his eyes, despite his thin clothes and cold hands. A basket of withered violets rested on his desk and the swallow dropped the emerald inside. The flutter of his wings brought the man to alertness but the quick bird was already out the hole in the roof. A flash of candlelight caught the emerald and the student grabbed it wondrously. "This must be from some great admirer!" he cried. "Now I can finish my play!"
The next day the swallow spent his time near the harbor he had passed and watched the ships go in and out with interest. When the moon rose he once again flew to the Happy Prince to bid him goodbye and once again the Prince asked, "Little Swallow, will you not stay with me one night longer?"
"It's almost winter!" the swallow protested. "The snow will be here soon! I-I don't like leaving you, but when I come back I'll bring you two new jewels. The ruby will be redder than-"
"Down in the square below," the Prince began and the swallow sighed for he knew the Prince had ignored his offer. "there is a little match-girl. Her matches have fallen into the gutter and are ruined. Her family is poor, and her father will beat her when she gets home, so she is crying. Give her my other eye, and her father will not beat her."
"I will stay," the swallow replied. "But I can't take your other eye, you'll be blind!"
"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, please do as I ask."
And so the swallow took the other emerald and swooped down to the match-girl. He hovered near her until he'd caught her attention and dropped the gem in her hand. "What a lovely piece of glass!" she cried, running home to show her family.
Sadly the swallow sat on his perch near the Prince's shoulder. "You are blind, you idiot. So I'll stay with you and be your eyes."
"No, little Swallow! You must go away to Egypt!" The Happy Prince sounded alarmed and guilty.
The swallow only huddled closer and said stubbornly, "I will stay with you, always." And he fell asleep.
All the next day the swallow stayed by the Prince's side and told him of all the wonders he'd seen in Egypt and other places during his travels. He talked of the great Nile, and the Sphinx, the large marketplaces and the great splendour of the pyramids. The Prince listened to it all, then finally said, "Your stories are amazing, little friend, but more amazing to me is the suffering of humankind. The mystery of misery is puzzling. Fly over my city, little Swallow, at tell me what you see.
The swallow flew. He saw nobles dancing and eating fine dinners while beggars waited outside their gate. Dark lanes revealed children who were thin, cold and hungry, wandering the streets in hopes of finding a dry place to rest. After he had seen all he could see, the swallow went back to the Prince and told him everything.
The Prince was silent for a while and the swallow shivered violently while he waited. It was so much colder than it had been merely a few nights before. Finally, the Prince decided, "I am covered in fine gold. Take it off and give it to my poor."
The swallow obediently picked off leaf after leaf of the fine gold and gave it to all he thought needed it. A great shout of joy could be heard all around the city as they were given this excellent gift. Now that they had food to eat, the children became happier and played where they once had trudged.
All that was left of the Happy Prince now was the dull lead underneath, but that didn't diminish him in the swallow's eyes.
Snow came soon afterward, and the streets were covered in white. People went about in furs beneath icicles that clinged to the rooftops.
And then came the frost.
The swallow tried to keep warm, he huddled near chimneys when he wasn't with the Prince and beat his wings to try and product his own heat. It was all in vain, however, and he felt himself grow weaker. He fluttered onto the Prince's hand for the last time.
"I...I have to leave you now," he whispered, head drooping. "Will you let me k-kiss your hand?"
The Prince responded happily, ignorantly, "I am glad you are going to Egypt, little Swallow. You have stayed here too long. But you must kiss my lips, for I love you."
The swallow chuckled, "I'm not going to Egypt… idiot." With his last strength he pecked the Prince's lips then fell dead at his feet.
A strange crack sounded from inside the statue. The Happy Prince's lead heart had broken in two. It certainly was a dreadful frost.
When spring came again, the Mayor noticed the changed appearance of the statue. "How shabby our Prince looks! The ruby is gone from his sword, the emeralds eyes are missing and the gold had been peeled away. There is even a dead bird at his feet, of all things! He looks little better than a beggar!" His sycophants agreed with him.
The Art Professor of the University had heard all as he passed by the square and suggested, "Perhaps we should take it down and make a new statue. He is no longer beautiful, and therefore no longer useful." This was agreed on and the statue was taken down and melted to craft the new sculpture.
The overseer of the workmen was puzzled when he melted the lead. "What a strange thing! This lead heart will not melt. It'll have to be thrown away."
And so the broken lead heart was thrown away into a dust heap, where the dead swallow was also lying.
For those of you who didn't know, this is my humble Hetalia version of The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde. I do not own Hetalia or that story (I feel like I should put a disclaimer for this chapter because it's such a good story with such a famous author XD).
Also I DO NOT consider this yaoi because the whole "kiss me on the lips" thing is in the actual story and the love in there is the kind of love that exists between friends or even between a master and servant (Ahem, did you hear that, Frodo/Sam shippers?). However, this is the Hetalia fandom and you'll probably interpret it in any way you want so I wash my hands of the whole matter. (=A=#)
Anywho, I suggest looking up The Happy Prince and reading it cuz it's awesome.
Star: Of course people will scream yaoi. I almost did, Viva. XD
Also, THIS ENDING IS NOT FAIR. IT'S JUST *sobs* WHYYYYY?! ;_;