This treasured collection gathers five of Oscar Wilde's fairy tales, written with all his wit, lyrical beauty, and tender feeling. In the title story, the jewelled statue of a prince looks out over a city of suffering and, with the help of a little swallow, begins to give everything he has to the poor below. Alongside it stand the haunting tale of a nightingale's sacrifice, the story of a giant who learns to open his garden, and two sly, satirical fables of friendship and vanity. First published in 1888, these are stories of love, generosity, and gentle irony, beloved by children and adults alike.