The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and The Selfish Giant are just three of Oscar Wilde’s magical short stories. These, with a further two tales, are included in this handsomely produced edition with stunning illustrations originally painted for the stories in 1913.
Beautifully written, these stories are at times melancholy and they do not shy away from difficulties but at the heart of each there is a touching moral most notably the value of sharing.
This is a beautifully bound gift edition of these haunting and beautiful stories. And the Giant's heart melted as he looked out. 'How selfish I have been!' he said; '...I will knock down the wall, and my garden shall be the children's playground for ever and ever.' The five stories in his collection for children show Wilde at his best; moving, witty and wise. In The Happy Prince , a grand but lonely statue recruits a swallow to help him give to people in need; In The Nightingale and the Rose , a small bird makes a great sacrifice for love; The Selfish Giant is a beautiful story of the triumph of kindness; The Devoted Friend is a morality tale told to a pompous water rat; and The Remarkable Rocket charts the rise and fall of a particularly arrogant firework at a royal wedding.
Launch titles in the Heritage Collection from Egmont include:
A gifted poet, playwright and wit, Oscar Wilde was a phenomenon in 19th century England. He was illustrious for preaching the importance of style in life and art, and of attacking Victorian narrow mindedness.
Wilde is immortalised through his works, and the stories he wrote for children such as "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant" are still vibrant in the imagination of the public.