Cyril (Oscar Wilde's son) once asked his father why he had tears in his eyes when he told him ,and his brother Vyvyan Holland, the story of the Selfish Giant-to which Wilde responded "Beautiful things always make me cry" 
 When I was but eight years old when I first read 'The Happy Prince' I remember that when I first read it I could not help shedding a few tears. 
 Recently I had the opportunity to read it again. Guess what? Yup, I shed some tears again. The ending especially is so beautiful that one cannot help it. The rest (of the tales),though not quite as beautiful as 'The Happy Prince', are still engaging ,morally and otherwise. They also tend to be longer in length. The last tale -'The Fisherman and his soul'- is quite tedious for it is quite lengthy, yet still with a beautiful ending. Indeed there is much to chew on here, and I think Wilde is pointing that none of us ,neither the good nor the bad, know what love is really about except for those who follow their heart. However the priest in the end , although initially condemning the youth, manages to bring himself to bless the burial where the fisherman and his mermaid where buried, unlike the witch (whom represents evil-at one point calling on the devil) who soon forgot him despite her interest in him in the beginning, which just underlines that physical and sexual desire alone are not enough for they are temporary in nature. The Good ,while initially none the wiser than evil on what exactly is love, as represented by the priest; shows moral development in his character. Good 1 Evil 0. Good for the priest! 
 All of 'Oscar's Fables' ,as I like to call this book and these tales, are extraordinary (just like the author himself). Tales with a difference, each highlighting a different theme (eg. vanity in 'The Remarkable Rocket and so on). 'The Birthday of the Infanta' is my second favorite for always makes me feel so sorry for the poor hunchback, who believed in unconditional love, much like the rest of us. Unfortunately realists beg to differ. This tale end on a tragic note and it makes me really emotional. One cannot not mention 'The Nightingale and the Rose'- another beautiful tale, which deservingly inspired so many superb musical pieces and operas. Really emotional, tries to understand the sadness of those who take love for granted, those so called scholars whose knowledge extends only to the reach of their textbooks. With all his textbooks of Metaphysics, the scolar does not have one that dares to touch on the deep theme of 'Love'(those who read the tale will understand). Even though this book was written in 1888, the same applies to nowadays. Like Doctor Faustus before us, we fail to realize that love cannot be read or bought, only deserved especially for those who know that love has the uncomfortable side to it too. 
 Oscar's Fables remain enthralling both for the young and old alike, and a must read ,I believe, for children. One of the reasons for the degeneration of society is that the youth of today are not being exposed to such books at an early age. I fear that reading is becoming a thing of the past. I for one, owe a lot to many of the wonderful children authors (Oscar Wilde in this case, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl-to mention but three) that shared their experiences ,through imaginative and fantastical wit, with the children of their times. The focus of Wilde ,however, is on certain morals while maintaining a certain approach to children (as discussed previously). The principal reason why I gave it 5/5 is that for its time (1888) it discussed certain themes in a way that is still approachable and engaging for children today (if they stop playing Black Ops 2 and grab a book, that is). 
 Scoring: 
 1) The Happy Prince 9/10 (Favorite) 
 2) The Selfish Giant 8/10 
 3) The Devoted Friend 8/10 
 4) The Remarkable Rocket 7.5/10 
 5) The Nightingale and the rose 8.5/10 (tied 2nd place) 
 6) The Young King 8.5/10 
 7) The Birthday of the Infanta 8.5/10 (2nd) 
 8) The Star Child 8/10 
 9) The Fisherman and his Soul 8.5/10 
 Overall-8.5/10=5/5