The Happy Prince lived a life of opulence but died young, and his soul inhabits a beautiful ruby encrusted statue covered all over in gold leaf. From his perch he witnesses all the poverty, misery, and hopelessness in which his people have been living. When a small barn swallow stops to rest upon the statue the Happy Prince prevails upon him to remove his gold leaf a piece at a time and shower it upon the poor citizens. As the days pass the Prince's beauty is stripped away and as winter sets in the bird's fate i