1 The Births of the Prince and the Pauper

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CHAPTER 1 The Births of the Prince and the Pauper A great many years ago, a baby boy was born in the city of London. His name was Tom Canty. His family was very poor and could not afford him. On the same day, in a different part of London, a baby boy was born to a rich family who wanted him very much. His name was Edward Tudor and his father was the king of England. As a matter of fact, all of England wanted

this little boy. People cheered in the streets when he was born. Strangers hugged each other and wept tears of joy. There was music and dancing, parties and parades. Everyone— especially King Henry— wished for a boy. Although he had two older sisters, Edward was now heir to the throne. One day he would be the king. Edward, Prince of Wales, paid no attention to all the fuss. He slept wrapped in silks in his warm bed. He didn't have a care in the world. The king and queen, lords and ladies of the court, and important politicians all watched over him. Young Tom Canty did not have the same restful sleep. He slept wrapped in rags. There was no wood for his fire. His mother worried how she would find the money to feed this new child. She loved Tom dearly and was happy to have him, but she feared life would be hard for the poor little babe. She could

barely afford food for her other children. Mrs. Canty kissed Tom's forehead and wished him pleasant dreams. Several years passed. Edward was surrounded by riches and jewels, while Tom had very little to call his own. Nevertheless, they both grew into strong, helpful, and smart boys. Tom Canty and his family lived close to the London Bridge on a street called Offal Court. Their building was old and close to falling down. Tom lived on the third floor with his parents, grandmother, and older twin sisters, Nan and Bet. They all lived in one room. Tom's parents had a bed tucked into a corner of the room. His grandmother slept in the opposite corner. Tom and his sisters had more freedom with their sleeping arrangements. They could choose to sleep anywhere on the floor that they liked. Nan and Bet were fifteen years old. The

girls were caring, good-hearted people, just like their mother. Mr. Canty and their grandmother, on the other hand, were not so kind. He was a thief, and she earned her money by begging in the street. Mr. Canty had tried to turn his children into thieves, but Nan, Bet, and Tom would not steal. And so the children had to beg. If they did not bring home enough money, Mr. Canty became very angry. Sometimes he yelled at them—especially Tom—in moments of rage. Tom's father often sent him to bed without supper. "If you can't bring money into the house, then you get nothing to eat," Mr. Canty said. On those nights, Tom's mother would sneak him food—a tiny scrap or morsel that she had saved from her own meal. Everyone felt hungry in the Canty household. There was never enough food to go around. Yet despite his many hardships, young

Tom was happy with his life. It was the same as that of all of his friends. He didn't know there was any other way to live. One day an old priest named Father Andrew moved into the building. He did not have a parish of his own anymore, so he lived among the poor. The priest often took time out of his day to teach the Canty children how to read and write. Mr. Canty thought that spending time with books meant less time begging in the streets, so the children had to learn in secret. Tom was a very interested student. He loved the world of books and reading. The old priest even taught him a few words of Latin. Tom began to spend more and more time in his "school." The priest told him tales of knights and giants, fairies, enchanted castles, kings, and princes. Soon Tom's head was full of these stories. He lay awake at night and let his imagination run away with him. He tried