Showing results for "The Prince and the Pauper" in Fantasy

In this "tale for young people of all ages" young Tom switches identities with his look-alike, the Prince of Wales. But it's not quite a whimsical story. Twain uses this situation to compare the hardships of the lower class and the absurd privileges of the aristocracy.

Tom Cantry is a poor boy who lives with his father in shoddy circumstances. While waiting around the palace gates one day, he meets Edward Tudor, the prince of Wales. As the two men meet and talk with one another, they realize they can use their uncanny similarities to experience a new type of life. They decide to swap places for a day. Of course, the day does not go seamlessly, and both young men end up getting more of an experience than they bargained for.

Set in the 16th century, this classic is the enchanting story of two London boys of opposite social standings. Edward, the Prince of Wales is tired of his life as a royal, so when he encounters a street urchin by the name of Tom who happens to look just like him, the two exchange clothes and roles for a short time. This stunt forever changes the lives of both boys.

Poor boy Tom Canty admires the royals who seem so far out of his reach in sixteenth-century English society, but when he meets young Prince Edward, he realizes they are very much alike. They share the same birthday and the same face. And when Edward dons Tom’s rags, and Tom slips into the royal cloak, no one can tell them apart.