The Selfish Giant

by Oscar Wilde

The Selfish Giant, one of our Favorite Fairy Tales, was first published in 1888 as part of Oscar Wilde's collection of children's stories entitled The Happy Prince and Other Tales. That collection of children's stories also includes: The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Selfish Giant, and The Remarkable Rocket.

Summary Introduction

The Selfish Giant owns a beautiful garden which has 12 peach trees and lovely fragrant flowers, in which children love to play after returning from school. On the giant's return after visiting his friend the Cornish Ogre for seven years, he takes offence at the children and builds a wall to keep them out. He puts up a notice board, "TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED." The garden falls into perpetual winter. One day, the giant is awakened by a linnet and discovers that spring has returned to the garden, as the children have found a way in through a gap in the wall. He sees the error of his ways and resolves to destroy the wall.