Prince and the Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper is a novel by American author Mark Twain. Set in 1547 it tells the story of two young boys who are identical in appearance: Tom Canty a pauper who lives with his abusive father in London and Prince Edward son of King Henry VIII.Loitering around the palace gates one day Tom Canty sees the Prince of Wales – Edward VI. There the two boys get to know one another fascinated by each other’s life and their uncanny resemblance. They decide to switch clothes “temporarily”. Soon Prince Edward is trying to escape the brutality of Tom’s abusive drunken father; Tom posing as the prince tries to cope with court customs and manners. His fellow nobles and palace staff think “the prince” has an illness which has caused memory loss and fear he will go mad...