Kabanata Kabanata 1 · The birth of the Prince and the Pauper.

. The birth of the Prince and the Pauper.

In the ancient city of London, on a certain autumn day in the second

quarter of the sixteenth century, a boy was born to a poor family of the

name of Canty, who did not want him.  On the same day another English

child was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor, who did want him.

All England wanted him too.  England had so longed for him, and hoped

for him, and prayed God for him, that, now that he was really come, the

people went nearly mad for joy.  Mere acquaintances hugged and kissed

each other and cried. Everybody took a holiday, and high and low, rich

and poor, feasted and danced and sang, and got very mellow; and they

kept this up for days and nights together.  By day, London was a sight

to see, with gay banners waving from every balcony and housetop, and

splendid pageants marching along.  By night, it was again a sight

to see, with its great bonfires at every corner, and its troops of

revellers making merry around them.  There was no talk in all England

but of the new baby, Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales, who lay lapped in

silks and satins, unconscious of all this fuss, and not knowing that

great lords and ladies were tending him and watching over him--and not

caring, either.  But there was no talk about the other baby, Tom Canty,

lapped in his poor rags, except among the family of paupers whom he had

just come to trouble with his presence.