The story follows a Prince whose statue remains in the town after his death. A swallow rests on the statue and learns that the Prince, though immortalized in gold and jewels, is saddened by the suffering he witnesses in the city. The Prince gives his jewels to the swallow to help the poor, bringing him happiness. When winter comes, the swallow dies at the Prince's feet, breaking his heart. The town leaders destroy the statue but the Prince's broken heart cannot burn and is later found with the dead bird, deemed the most valuable thing in the city.