The story opens with a visit to a grand palace . We enter 
through the gate covered with vines. We proceed through 
the window and we see from above, a young boy lying ill 
in bed. His parents are close by and his mother is 
weeping. In the young princes hand he holds of red ruby. 
His hand opens and the ruby falls to the floor slowly. 
The prince is dead! The sound of bells ring out solemnly. 
They fade away as we sweep across the land.

The next scene we see a group of swallows swooping and 
gliding in the air above a patch of reeds at the waters 
edge. The little swallow dives and swoops amongst the 
blowing green reeds. At one point we are the eyes of 
the swallow and we hear his excited voice

SWALLOW
Weeeee! Hey, (To other swallows) look at me! Yeah. 
(laughter)

He lands onto a reed. All the reeds are bending 
gracefully in the wind. His feathers move gently. He 
looks at one particular tall reed and speaks to it.

SWALLOW
Oh beautiful reed, will you be my friend? 

The reed bends forward in the wind and then rises back 
up. The swallow takes this for a yes.

SWALLOW
YES! 

In excitement he flies off over the water his wing 
touches the surface making a ripple. The ripple 
dissolves the scene to a courtyard in a small village.

DISSOLVE TO-A SMALL VILLAGE (PADDLESWORTH), DAY. A 
crowd has gathered in front of a podium. Behind the 
podium we see a statue that is draped in a large sheet. 
On the podium there stands the mayor, the councilor and 
royal representative. 

MAYOR
And furthermore, I thank you all for coming here today to 
witness the unveiling of this beautiful statue of our dear 
departed Prince, Prince. . . .er. . . . Prince. . . . 

The councilor leans in to whisper into the mayors ear.

COUNCILOR
Prince Marcos your worship!

MAYOR
Prince Marcos. By our esteemed guest Lord Flattersly.  

CLAPPING AND CHEERS.

FLATTERSLY
Thank you Mayor Puddle. On behalf of the Royal family, I 
would like to thank the citizens of  Paddlesworth for this 
very kind and generous tribute to Prince Marcos more 
fondly remembered as The Happy Prince.

FALTTERSBY TUGS ON A ROPE TO REVEAL THE STATUE. We do not 
see the statue just the reaction from the crowd.

CUT TO- THE FACES OF THE POOR PEOPLE IN THE CROWN. A golden 
glow from the statue lightens up their shocked and startled 
faces. A gasp goes up.

CUT TO-THE PEOPLE ON THE PONIUM. They are also illuminated 
by the glow of the golden statue still unseen by us. 

FLATTERSLY
It looks as if no expense was spared to build such a 
beautiful tribute Mayor Puddle.

MAYOR
None was Lord Flattersly, none was.

FLATTERSLY
Tell me Councilor, how does a small village such as this 
afford to build such a rich statue?

COUNCILOR
Oh it was easy, we just doubled the peasants taxes. . . . 
. .Oooh!

Before he can continue the Mayor elbows him in the gut to 
shut him up.

MAYOR
Er’. . .which they gladly gave of course.

FLATTERSLY
I see.

He looks suspiciously at them.

CUT TO- The crowd. He looks out at the people gathered 
and sees many very poor peasants standing looking very 
hungry in rags. They look sad and dejected.

CUT TO-The podium. The councilor whispers to the mayor.

COUNCILOR
He looks suitably impressed. If this doesn’t earn you a 
knighthood by the King, I’ll eat my hat.
 
MAYOR
If this doesn’t work, I’ll eat your hat, with your head in 
it.

A look of horror on the councilors face.

FADE OUT.

DISSOLVE TO-POND, DAY. They have now faded to a light 
brown color the little swallow is sitting close by his 
friend the reed. His feathers are a little ruffled 
because he’s trying to keep warm. He looks up and sees 
all the other swallows fly into the sky. One of the 
other swallows calls out to him.

OTHER SWALLOW
Hey little swallow, come now, it’s time for us to leave

SWALLOW
Leave, But why?

OTHER SWALLOW
Because the winter season is almost upon us.

SWALLOW
Beautiful reed, will you come south with me?

The wind picks up and the reed bends from side to side 
as 
if saying no.

SWALLOW
No, then I will stay here with you, because you are my 
friend.

From far in the distance the other swallow calls again.

OTHER SWALLOW
Hurry little swallow, before the winter snow falls.

SWALLOW
(CALING AFTER HIM) Goodbye my friends, I’ll see you in 
the spring. 

OTHER SWALLOW
(SO QUIET WE CAN HARDLY HEAR, THEY ARE TINY SPECKS IN 
THE DISTANCE)Little Swallow. . . . . Come Little swallow. 
. . 

As they disappear the little swallow ruffles his feathers 
again and goes to sleep next to his friend, the reed.

FADE OUT

DISOLVE TO: POND, DAY The little Swallow flies down to 
his friend. The reed is quite brown and is still. Dead 
leaves fall around. Ice forms a cascade of shapes on the 
surface of the water.

SWALLOW
Hello beautiful reed. (NO REACTION)My swallow friends will 
be playing amongst the pyramids today. Every winter the 
pyramids and I meet on the golden deserts for they are my 
friends too. They love to see me flying amongst their high 
peaks and dark passages. Beautiful reed while you sleep I 
will go and visit the pyramids and bring back tails of our 
adventures.

So the little swallow takes flight, he flies over the frozen 
pond and as he disappears into the distance a light breeze 
blows a final farewell from the reeds.

FADE OUT.

DISSOLVE TO :TOWN SQUARE,NIGHT
The little swallow looks down for somewhere to settle and 
sees a ledge. He lands on it and hears a gruff voice.

PIGEON
Hey kid! What you doing on our ledge.

Seeing the silhouette next to him he becomes frightened 
until it moves into the reflected light of a street gas 
lamp. It is a large breasted Pigeon sitting next to him.

LITTLE SWALLOW
I’m sorry sir, I didn’t know this was your ledge.

Another voice (female) comes from the darkness.

PIGEON 2
What kind of creature are you, disturbing our rest on a 
cold night?

LITTLE SWALLOW
I.. I’m a swallow ma’am.

PIGEON 2
Nonsense! Swallows are migrating birds, they fly south 
for the winter.

PIGEON 
Yeah, soft they are, can’t take the cold like us pigeons. 
. . 
They laugh!

LITTLE SWALLOW
I am on my way to the South right now. But tonight I must 
rest, I’ve come a very long way. (yawn!)

PIGEON 2
Well you can’t stay here. We have to put up with your kind 
all summer long. In the winter, this is our town!

PIGEON
Awe, let him stay, after all, in the morning I might be 
feeling a little HUNGRY!

The pigeon leans towards him and smiles menacingly. The 
little swallow flies away very frightened as the pigeons 
laugh. 

He flies straight to a very large high darkened statue and 
hides deep within it’s folds. Realizing he hasn’t been 
pursued he falls into a deep well deserved sleep.