Mark Twain Prince and the Pauper summary

London, mid-16th century. On the same day, two boys are born - Tom, the son of the thief John Canty, who huddles in the stinking cul-de-sac of Garbage Yard, and Edward, the heir of King Henry the Eighth. All of England is waiting for Edward, Tom is not really needed even by his own family, where only his thief father and beggar mother have something like a bed; at the disposal of the rest - the evil grandmother and the twin sisters - only a few armfuls of straw and scraps of two or three blankets.

In the same slum, among all sorts of rabble, lives an old priest who teaches Tom Canty to read and write and even the rudiments of Latin, but most delightful are the old man’s legends about wizards and kings. Tom does not beg very hard, and the laws against beggars are extremely harsh. Beaten by his father and grandmother for negligence, hungry (unless his intimidated mother secretly puts in a stale crust), lying on the straw, he draws sweet pictures from the life of pampered princes. Other boys from the Garbage Court are also drawn into his game: Tom is the prince, they are the court; everything is done according to strict ceremony. One day, hungry and beaten, Tom wanders into the royal palace and gazes with such abandon through the lattice gates at the dazzling Prince of Wales that the sentry throws him back into the crowd. The little prince angrily stands up for him and brings him to his chambers. He asks Tom about his life in the Garbage Court, and unsupervised plebeian amusements seem so delicious to him that he invites Tom to exchange clothes with him. A prince in disguise is completely indistinguishable from a beggar! Noticing a bruise on Tom's arm, he runs to give the guard a beating - and gets a slap on the wrist. The crowd, hooting, chases the “crazy ragamuffin” along the road. After much ordeal, a huge drunkard grabs him by the shoulder - this is John Canty.

Meanwhile, there is alarm in the palace: the prince has gone crazy, he still remembers English letters, but does not even recognize the king, a terrible tyrant, but a gentle father. Henry, with a stern order, prohibits any mention of the heir’s illness and hastens to confirm him in this rank. To do this, you need to quickly execute Marshal Norfolk, suspected of treason, and appoint a new one. Tom is filled with horror and pity.

He is taught to hide his illness, but misunderstandings pour in, at dinner he tries to drink water to wash his hands and does not know whether he has the right to scratch his nose without the help of servants. Meanwhile, Norfolk's execution is postponed due to the disappearance of the great seal of state given to the Prince of Wales. But Tom, of course, cannot even remember what she looks like, which, however, does not prevent him from becoming the central figure of a luxurious celebration on the river.

The enraged John Canty swings his club at the unfortunate prince; the old priest who intervened falls dead under his blow. Tom's mother sobs at the sight of her distraught son, but then arranges a test: she suddenly wakes him up, holding a candle in front of his eyes, but the prince does not cover his eyes with his palm outward, as Tom always did. The mother doesn't know what to think. John Canty learns of the priest's death and flees with his entire family. In the turmoil of the above-mentioned celebration, the prince disappears. And he understands that London is honoring the impostor. His indignant protests cause new mockery. But he is repulsed from the mob by Miles Hendon, a stately warrior in smart but shabby clothes, sword in hand.

A messenger bursts into Tom’s feast: “The king is dead!” - and the whole hall bursts into shouts: “Long live the king!” And the new ruler of England orders Norfolk to be pardoned - the reign of blood is over! And Edward, mourning his father, proudly begins to call himself not a prince, but a king. In a poor tavern, Miles Gendon serves the king, although he is not even allowed to sit down. From Miles's story, the young king learns that after many years of adventures he is returning to his home, where he has a rich old father, influenced by his treacherous favorite younger son Hugh, another brother Arthur, as well as his beloved (and loving) cousin Edith. The king will also find shelter in Hendon Hall. Miles asks for one thing - the right for him and his descendants to sit in the presence of the king.

John Canty tricks the king away from Miles' wing, and the king ends up in a gang of thieves. He manages to escape and ends up in the hut of a mad hermit, who almost kills him because his father ruined the monasteries by introducing Protestantism in England. This time Edward is saved by John Canty. While the imaginary king carries out justice, surprising the nobles with his common wisdom, the true king, among thieves and scoundrels, meets honest people who have become victims of English laws. The king's courage eventually helps him gain respect even among the vagabonds.

The young swindler Hugo, whom the king beat with a stick according to all the rules of fencing, throws him a stolen pig, so that the king almost ends up on the gallows, but is saved thanks to the resourcefulness of Miles Hendon, who appeared, as always, on time. But a blow awaits them in Hendon Hall: their father and brother Arthur died, and Hugh, on the basis of a forged letter about Miles’ death, took possession of the inheritance and married Edith. Hugh declares Miles an impostor, Edith also renounces him, frightened by Hugh's threat to kill Miles otherwise. Hugh is so influential that no one in the area dares to identify the rightful heir,

Miles and the king end up in prison, where the king again sees the fierce English laws in action. In the end, Miles, sitting in the stocks in the pillory, also takes upon himself the lashes that the king incurs with his insolence. Then Miles and the king go to London to find the truth. And in London, during the coronation procession, Tom Canty's mother recognizes him by a characteristic gesture, but he pretends that he does not know her. The triumph fades for him from shame. The moment the Archbishop of Canterbury is ready to place the crown on his head, the true king appears. With Tom's generous help, he proves his royal origins by remembering where he hid the missing state seal. The stunned Miles Hendon, who had difficulty getting an appointment with the king, defiantly sits down in his presence to make sure that his eyesight is correct. Miles is rewarded with a large fortune and the title of peerage of England along with the title of Earl of Kent. Disgraced, Hugh dies in a foreign land, and Miles marries Edith. Tom Canty lives to a ripe old age, enjoying special honor for having “sat on the throne.”

And King Edward the Sixth leaves a memory of himself with a reign that was unusually merciful for the cruel times of that time. When some gilded dignitary reproached him for being too soft, the king answered in a voice full of compassion: “What do you know about oppression and torment? I know about this, my people know about it, but not you.”

Option 2

“The Prince and the Pauper” is the very first and famous novel by Mark Twain, in which he ironically described all the shortcomings of the state and judicial system of the sixteenth century.

The main characters of the novel are Tom Canty (son of a thief) and Edward (heir to King Henry the Eighth). Tom often got it from his father and the old priest taught him everything, and everyone loved the heir very much. Then one day, being hungry and beaten, the thief’s son approaches the palace gates, through which he admires the prince. Then the sentry pushes Tom back into the crowd, but the king's heir stands up for him and invites him to his chambers. There, Edward feeds a beggar and asks him about life in the Court of Garbage. So the guys agree to exchange clothes.

The prince is driven away by a sentry and he meets John Canty, and Tom, pretending to be the heir, is considered a madman. Because of him, there was panic in the palace that the prince had gone crazy, he remembered the letter, but did not remember his father. Then Henry the Eighth issues a decree in which he forbids mentioning his son’s illness, and forbids Marshal Norfolk to be accused of treason and executed. Tom was horrified by what was happening. He is also taught to hide his illness, but he is not very good at it. In addition, the execution of the marshal has been postponed because Tom does not know where the state seal is, which the real prince hid. Meanwhile, John Canty swings a club at Edward and kills the priest. Then the thief decides to run away with his entire family, but the real prince hides and learns about the festival on the river that Tom organized. This is how Edward understands that London is honoring the impostor. And he tries to tell the whole truth, only causing more mockery from everyone. But he is repulsed from the mob with a sword in hand by Miles Hendon, the only person who helped him.

And a messenger bursts into Tom’s celebration and says that the king has died. Then everyone began to greet the new king, who pardoned Norfolk. Edward mourns his father, and in the tavern Miles began to serve the new king. Then they want to go home together to Hendon’s family, but John Canty cunningly takes the real king away, where he ends up in a gang of thieves. Here he gains respect among the tramps with his courage while Tom pretends to be him. But again he is unlucky. The swindler Hugo gives him a stolen pig, for which they want to hang Edward. But Miles saved him in time and together they go to Hendon Hall, where a blow awaits them: dad and brother Arthur died, and Hugh married Edith and took possession of the inheritance. Then Edward introduces himself as the heir to the crown, but they do not believe him and he and Miles are sent to prison, where the king experiences the harsh English laws. Then the guys go to London, where they want to tell the truth.

Meanwhile, at the coronation, Tom's mother recognizes her son. And when the Archbishop of Canterbury wanted to place the crown on Tom's head, Edward appeared and proved that he was a real king. With the help of a beggar, he told everyone where he hid the state seal. As a result: Miles received the peerage of England and a huge fortune, and also became an earl and married Edith; Tom Canty lives quietly into old age, enjoying the honor of having sat on the throne; King Edward the Sixth became a merciful ruler.

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Summary of The Prince and the Pauper Twain

Twain's novel The Prince and the Pauper was written in 1881. In his book, the author, with his characteristic irony, described all the imperfections of the state system in Great Britain in the 16th century. The chosen topic turned out to be so topical that Mark Twain’s work was repeatedly republished and filmed in many countries around the world.

For a reading diary and preparation for a literature lesson, we recommend reading online a summary of “The Prince and the Pauper” chapter by chapter.

Main characters

Tom Canty- the son of a beggar and a thief, a representative of the London slums.

Edward, Prince of Wales- legitimate heir to the royal throne.

Other characters

Henry VIII- King of England, Edward's father.

John Canty- Tom's father, a thief, a vile and cruel man.

Miles Hendon- a noble warrior, a loyal friend of Prince Edward.

Tom's mother- beggar, poor, downtrodden woman.

Beth and Nan- Tom's twin sisters, uneducated messes.

Priest- a kind old man, Tom's neighbor.

Lord St. John- a courtier who helped Tom “remember” secular rules.

Chapter 1. The Birth of a Prince and the Birth of a Pauper

“One autumn day” in London, a boy named Tom was born into the poor Kenty family, who no one wanted. And on the same day, the long-awaited heir appeared in the Tudor family, who was needed not only by his family, “but by all of England.”

Chapter 2. Tom's childhood

The house where Tom was born “stood in a stinking dead end behind Glutton Row.” His father was a thief, and his mother was a beggar. Also in the tiny room were Tom's old grandmother and older twin sisters Beth and Nan. The “good old priest” who lived next door taught Tom to read and write and instilled in him a love of books. Only thanks to them could Tom endure hunger, poverty and regular beatings from his always drunk father.

Chapter 3. Tom's meeting with the prince

Tom passionately dreamed of catching a glimpse of the real prince. Behind the fence of the royal palace, he saw a smartly dressed boy, but the guard “rudely pulled him away and threw him into the crowd of village onlookers.” The little prince stood up for Tom and led the dumbfounded boy to his chambers.

Tom told Prince Edward about his adventures in the slums, and he decided to switch places with him for a while to taste a different life. Noticing how much they looked alike, the boys changed into each other's outfits. Forgetting that he was wearing the clothes of a beggar, the prince ran out into the park and was driven out of there by a guard.

Chapter 4: The Prince's Troubles Begin

The prince “went wherever he looked,” and soon came across a church that served as a refuge “for abandoned and poor children.” The boy’s words that he was the Prince of Wales at first “seemed extremely funny” to the young pupils, but then they set a pack of dogs on the tramp. Only in the evening did he manage to get to Gluttony Row and meet with the elder Kenti, who mistook Edward for his son.

Chapter 5. Tom is a patrician

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Tom had to play the role of a prince. Having learned that his son stopped recognizing his relatives and began to behave strangely, the king called doctors. They concluded that the prince's mind was "only darkened, but not irreparably damaged."

Chapter 6. Tom is given instructions

In order for the imaginary prince to quickly get used to court life, Lord St. John was assigned to him, who followed the boy everywhere and told him how to behave.

Chapter 7. Tom's first royal dinner

The real test for Tom was his first royal dinner, where he “took food directly with his hands,” did not know how to use a napkin, filled his pockets with nuts and drank water from a vessel intended “for rinsing his mouth and washing his fingers.” The courtiers looked at the prince's antics with deep sadness - they were sure that the heir had lost his mind.

Chapter 8. The question of printing

Feeling his imminent death, King Henry VIII hastened to sign a decree on the death of the traitor, the Duke of Norfolk. However, without the great royal seal, which he gave to Prince Edward, this decree could not take effect. Tom did not know where she was, and had to seal the decree with the king’s small seal.

Chapter 9. Holiday on the river

From early morning the royal court was preparing for a magnificent celebration on the river. A sumptuous feast was given in honor of the Crown Prince of Wales, whose place was taken by "Tom Canty, born in a hovel, bred in London's fetid ditches."

Chapter 10. The Prince's Misadventures

Prince Edward had a hard time in the Kenty family, where he fully tasted humiliation, beatings and bullying. When the boy learned of the death of the priest, his only protector, he was forced to flee London.

Chapter 11. At the Town Hall

While Tom was enjoying the holiday, the real prince tried unsuccessfully to get through the gates of the town hall. He entertained the crowd with his words about being part of the royal family. He was saved from the ridicule and humiliation of the crowd by a warrior named Miles Gendon.

Chapter 12. The Prince and His Savior

Like everyone else, Hendon did not believe Edward that he was the Prince of Wales. He simply took pity on the poor boy, whom he decided to play along with and ask for the greatest favor of “sitting in the presence of the English king.” In response, Edward knighted his friend.

Chapter 13. The disappearance of the prince

In the morning, Gendon went to the market to buy new clothes for Edward. When he returned, he saw that the boy had disappeared. The warrior went in search of him - he had no doubt that the boy was taken away by his cruel father.

Chapter 14. “Le Roi est mort - Vive Le Roi!”

Tom Canty had a dream that he was living in Glutton Row again. He opened his eyes joyfully, but the reality was different. The responsibilities of the future king overly tired yesterday's beggar.

Chapter 15. Tom is the king

Tom Canty was able to demonstrate his logical thinking, common sense and mercy when he sorted out the cases of three unfortunates condemned to a painful death.

Chapter 16. State dinner

Tom consolidated his success at the gala dinner, during which he “never got into trouble.”

Chapter 17. King Fufu the First

John Canty managed to lure the prince out by cunning. He committed a murder and needed the boy for cover. Kenti led Edward to a den of robbers, where the little prince received a new nickname - “Fu-fu First, King of Fools.”

Chapter 18

Together with the tramps, Edward was forced to wander around the villages, ruining the unfortunate inhabitants. Only by miracle did the boy manage to get rid of the “society of low and rude vagabonds.”

Chapter 19. The King among the Peasants

Exhausted by hunger and a long journey, the unfortunate prince received shelter in a kind family of simple peasants, who fed him and allowed him to rest. Only the unexpected appearance of John Canty caused the prince to flee.

Chapter 20. The Prince and the Hermit

In the forest in which Edward hid from his tormentor, he came across a crazy hermit who decided to kill the boy and thereby take revenge on the deceased King Henry.

Chapter 21. Gendon comes to the rescue

When Gendon appeared in the hut, the boy bound hand and foot and gagged in his mouth was sure that help was close. However, the elder managed to deceive the man, and Edward became easy prey for John Canty and his partner.

Chapter 22. Victim of treachery

The Crown Prince was again forced to wander “in the company of vagabonds and renegades.” He stubbornly refused to beg, and “all the time thought about escaping.” When the boy was framed in one dirty case, his faithful friend Gendon came to his rescue.

Chapter 23. The King is Arrested

The policeman took the boy to court, where he learned that he could be hanged for theft, which he did not commit. The woman whose basket was stolen took pity on the boy and dropped the charges. Hanging was replaced by imprisonment in a general prison.

Chapter 24. Escape

Hendon managed to convince the policeman who had escorted Edward to prison to turn away for a moment and let "the poor boy escape."

Chapter 25. Hendon Hall

Gendon was confident that “peace and the right life” would restore sanity to his young friend. He took the boy to the village, to his ancestral nest, Hendon Hall. The warrior was looking forward to meeting his relatives, whom he had not seen for many years. However, he was disappointed - his brother, who wanted to receive Gendon’s “father’s legacy and bride,” called him an impostor.

Chapter 26. Not recognized

Lady Edith, his fiancee and now the wife of his treacherous brother, secretly came to Hendon. She wanted to warn her former lover to run away from reprisals, but she didn’t have time - soldiers burst into the room and took Gendon and the prince to prison.

Chapter 27. In prison

Gendon’s old faithful servant came to prison and privately told his master about the misadventures he had suffered. From him the warrior learned the sad history of his family, as well as the fact that the coronation of the Prince of Wales would soon take place.

Chapter 28. Sacrifice

The court recognized Gendon as a violent tramp and sentenced him “to a humiliating punishment” - for two hours he had to “sit in a pile in the pillory.” Hendon also took upon himself a dozen gifts of lashes intended for his young friend. Touched, Edward granted him the title of count.

Chapter 29. To London

Gendon understood that he urgently needed to “find an influential patron” in order to restore his rights. He decided to go to London and ask the young king for justice.

Chapter 30. Tom's success

Meanwhile, Tom began to find "the appeal of royalty." He fell in love with his luxurious clothes, elaborate ceremonies and his enormous influence on others. Tom looked forward to the upcoming coronation with joy.

Chapter 31. Coronation procession

London was festively decorated in honor of the prince's coronation. A magnificent procession led by Tom Canty moved towards Westminster Abbey, where the ceremony was to take place. On the way, Tom saw a beggar woman, whom he recognized as his mother.

Chapter 32. Coronation Day

At the last moment, when the crown of England was about to appear on Tom's head, a boy appeared in the middle of the cathedral and solemnly declared that he was the real king. Tom Canty had no choice but to admit the truth of his words. After careful interrogation, Edward was able to prove his origin. On the same day, “the real king was anointed with chrism, and a crown was placed on his head.”

Chapter 33. Edward is king

Gendon managed to get into the palace, and with surprise he recognized his friend in the young king. Edward told everyone how much he owed to Hendon, and announced all the privileges due to him.

The king also announced that from now on Tom Canty is under “the special protection and patronage of the crown.”

Conclusion. Justice and Retribution

When everything fell into place, Edward generously rewarded those who helped him during his wanderings as a ragamuffin, and justly punished the scoundrels who got in his way.

King Edward VI did not rule the country for long, "but he lived his years well", and is remembered as a fair and lenient monarch.

Conclusion

The main idea of the work is that it is necessary to remain human under any circumstances, without losing your own dignity and respect for other people. Wealth and power are very conditional and cannot serve as a criterion for assessing a person.

After reading a brief retelling of “The Prince and the Pauper,” we recommend reading Mark Twain’s novel in its entirety.

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Prince and the Pauper

In the same slum, among all sorts of rabble, lives an old priest who teaches Tom Canty to read and write and even the rudiments of Latin, but most delightful are the old man’s legends about wizards and kings. Tom does not beg very hard, and the laws against beggars are extremely harsh. Beaten by his father and grandmother for negligence, hungry (unless his intimidated mother secretly puts in a stale crust), lying on the straw, he draws sweet pictures from the life of pampered princes. Other boys from the Court of Garbage are also drawn into his game: Tom is the prince, they are the court; everything is done according to strict ceremony. One day, hungry and beaten, Tom wanders into the royal palace and gazes with such abandon through the lattice gates at the dazzling Prince of Wales that the sentry throws him back into the crowd. The little prince angrily stands up for him and brings him to his chambers. He asks Tom about his life in the Garbage Court, and unsupervised plebeian amusements seem so delicious to him that he invites Tom to exchange clothes with him. A prince in disguise is completely indistinguishable from a beggar! Noticing a bruise on Tom's arm, he runs to give the guard a beating - and gets a slap on the wrist. The crowd, hooting, chases the “crazy ragamuffin” along the road. After much ordeal, a huge drunkard grabs him by the shoulder - this is John Canty.

Miles and the king end up in prison, where the king again sees the fierce English laws in action. In the end, Miles, sitting in the stocks in the pillory, also takes upon himself the lashes that the king incurs with his insolence. Then Miles and the king go to London to find the truth. And in London, during the coronation procession, Tom Canty's mother recognizes him by a characteristic gesture, but he pretends that he does not know her. The triumph fades from shame for him. At that moment, when the Archbishop of Canterbury is ready to place the crown on his head, the true king appears. With Tom's generous help, he proves his royal origins by remembering where he hid the missing state seal. The stunned Miles Hendon, who had difficulty getting an appointment with the king, defiantly sits down in his presence to make sure that his eyesight is correct. Miles is rewarded with a large fortune and the title of peerage of England along with the title of Earl of Kent. Disgraced, Hugh dies in a foreign land, and Miles marries Edith. Tom Canty lives to a ripe old age, enjoying special honor for having “sat on the throne.”

In the mid-16th century, two boys were born in the English capital on the same day. One of them, Tom Canty, is born into a poor family living in the wretched Court of Garbage, the head of which earns his living mainly by theft. At the same time, the whole country has long dreamed of the birth of the royal son Edward, and the news of the little prince makes both commoners and representatives of the most noble families rejoice.

Tom's childhood is spent in appalling poverty, the boy grows up with a constant feeling of hunger, his father forces him to beg on the streets, but young Canty does not engage in this craft very willingly, knowing how harsh the laws against begging are. Among Tom's neighbors, an elderly priest stands out, who gradually teaches the boy to read and write and the Latin language. From him, the boy also learns a lot of interesting things about the life of crowned heads, and at night he often imagines himself as a real prince, despite malnutrition and beatings from his father and the equally evil, a grandmother devoid of any compassion.

One day, little Kenti accidentally finds himself near the palace, he looks at His Highness Edward with delight, but the guard sharply throws the boy away from the gate. But the Prince of Wales himself decisively stands up for Tom and invites him to his own chambers.

During the conversation, the slum native tells the king's son about how he plays with friends in his quarter, and Edward sincerely enjoys the fun of Tom and his comrades. He invites the guest to change clothes, Canty enthusiastically agrees. Dressed in rags, His Highness is no different from his new friend.

Next, Edward hurries to punish the sentry who treated Tom so rudely, but the guards immediately throw him out of the palace, not paying any attention to his cries that he is in fact the Prince of Wales; it seems to everyone that the poor boy is simply out of his depth mind. After some time, John Canty, Tom's father, finds Edward and forcibly drags the boy to his home, considering him his son.

At the same time, the courtiers are seized with anxiety, rumors are sweeping through the palace that the prince has lost his mind, he still reads English, but is unable to utter a word in French or Greek, although he previously had a good command of these languages. Moreover, the boy does not even recognize His Majesty, a cruel tyrant and despot towards his subjects, but an affectionate, attentive, gentle father.

Those close to the prince begin to teach Tom to hide the illness that has suddenly seized him, but he has no idea how to behave at dinner, and does not know whether he can even scratch his nose on his own or whether this also requires the help of numerous servants. These days the execution of a certain Duke of Norfolk is due to take place, but the courtiers are unable to find the great seal previously given to the Prince of Wales. Tom is unable to tell anything about the seal, because the boy doesn’t even know what it looks like.

John Canty intends to beat the prince, as he is used to doing with his son, the priest tries to intercede for the boy, but the merciless blow of the thief’s club makes him fall unconscious. At the same time, Tom's mother suspects that a strange boy is now next to her, at night the woman deliberately brings a lighted candle to his eyes, but Edward reacts to this action differently than Mrs. Canty's son always did, and she is unable to understand what is happening.

Having learned about the death of the priest, John, along with his entire family, hurries to hide; the prince runs away in confusion and soon realizes that all of England is now glorifying and honoring the unscrupulous impostor. However, his attempts to announce the truth to everyone are met only with mockery and ridicule; the boy is saved only by the nobleman Miles Gendon, who returned to his homeland after a long military service far from home.

The king dies and Tom is announced as his successor. Edward sincerely grieves for his father, but announces to Miles that he is now the ruler of the entire country. Gendon serves the boy without even sitting down in his presence, trying not to disturb the unfortunate child, whom he considers to have lost his mind. However, Miles expects to bring his ward to his estate, and believes that caring care will eventually help the boy come to his senses.

But John Canty finds Edward again and cleverly takes him away with him. Thus, the young king finds himself among vagabonds, beggars, criminals, gradually he learns a lot about the real life of ordinary Englishmen and understands that there are many honest, decent people ruined by the merciless laws in force in this era.

Edward almost ends up hanged due to the machinations of a swindler who dislikes him, but Miles Hendon again comes to his rescue. The two of them go to Miles's estate, but a terrible blow awaits them there. It turns out that the warrior’s father and his older brother had already passed away; all the property was taken over by the dishonest younger brother Hugh, who announced in the area that Miles had died long ago and married cousin Edith, Hendon’s beloved.

None of the neighbors dare to identify the real owner of the estate, fearing Hugh's revenge; Edith is also forced to renounce her beloved, because otherwise her husband threatens to deal with Miles.

The little king and his older comrade are imprisoned, and Hendon is also forced to endure a shameful punishment of lashes due to Edward's impudent behavior. Then they rush to London, intending to certainly achieve justice and restoration of lost rights. It is at this time that Tom's coronation takes place, but at the very last moment the real heir to the throne appears. Kenti, also striving for the triumph of truth, insists that His Majesty really hides under the beggarly clothes. The last proof that Edward is the English king is his words about where he left the state seal.

The shocked Hendon sits down in the presence of the king to make sure that his sight and hearing are not deceiving him. Edward confirms that this man indeed has such a privilege. Miles is also awarded a significant fortune and the title of an English peer, while the greedy Hugh is immediately sent into exile. Soon Hendon gets the opportunity to marry Edith, since his brother dies in foreign lands.

The further life of Tom Canty turns out to be long and quite prosperous; his “royal” past always inspires only the deepest respect in those around him. Edward's reign becomes very merciful, although it does not last too long. In response to all the attempts of the courtiers to reproach him for being excessively soft and condescending towards his subjects, the king notes that the nobles can know absolutely nothing about oppression and suffering; only he himself and ordinary people coming from the people know about this.

Prince and the Pauper

In the same slum, among all sorts of rabble, lives an old priest who teaches Tom Canty to read and write and even the rudiments of Latin, but most delightful are the old man’s legends about wizards and kings. Tom does not beg very hard, and the laws against beggars are extremely harsh. Beaten by his father and grandmother for negligence, hungry (unless his intimidated mother secretly puts in a stale crust), lying on the straw, he draws sweet pictures from the life of pampered princes. Other boys from the Court of Garbage are also drawn into his game: Tom is the prince, they are the court; everything is done according to strict ceremony. One day, hungry and beaten, Tom wanders into the royal palace and gazes with such abandon through the lattice gates at the dazzling Prince of Wales that the sentry throws him back into the crowd. The little prince angrily stands up for him and brings him to his chambers. He asks Tom about his life in the Garbage Court, and unsupervised plebeian amusements seem so delicious to him that he invites Tom to exchange clothes with him. A prince in disguise is completely indistinguishable from a beggar! Noticing a bruise on Tom's arm, he runs to give the guard a beating - and gets a slap on the wrist. The crowd, hooting, chases the “crazy ragamuffin” along the road. After much ordeal, a huge drunkard grabs him by the shoulder - this is John Canty.

Miles and the king end up in prison, where the king again sees the fierce English laws in action. In the end, Miles, sitting in the stocks in the pillory, also takes upon himself the lashes that the king incurs with his insolence. Then Miles and the king go to London to find the truth. And in London, during the coronation procession, Tom Canty's mother recognizes him by a characteristic gesture, but he pretends that he does not know her. The triumph fades from shame for him. At that moment, when the Archbishop of Canterbury is ready to place the crown on his head, the true king appears. With Tom's generous help, he proves his royal origins by remembering where he hid the missing state seal. The stunned Miles Hendon, who had difficulty getting an appointment with the king, defiantly sits down in his presence to make sure that his eyesight is correct. Miles is rewarded with a large fortune and the title of peerage of England along with the title of Earl of Kent. Disgraced, Hugh dies in a foreign land, and Miles marries Edith. Tom Canty lives to a ripe old age, enjoying special honor for having “sat on the throne.”