王子愛德華與貧兒湯姆同年同月同日出生，後來由於一個陰差陽錯的機會二人互換了位置。湯姆。穿著王子的衣服在王宮裡過上了奢華卻備受約束的生活。而真正的王矛愛德華卻流落民間，充分地體會到民間疾苦。在好人霍頓的幫助下，愛德華華王子經歷了重重劫難、改正了自已的壞習慣，最後終於回到了王宮。而湯姆也終將不屬於自己的王位還給了真正的王子。此後，愛德華成了一位仁慈的君主，和他的子民一起過著幸福的生活。

馬克·吐溫（Mark Twain），原名塞謬爾·朗荷思·克列門斯，生於美國密蘇裡州一個貧窮的拓荒者家庭。幼年在密西西比河邊過著無拘無束的生活。13歲時做過印刷所的學徒，此後從事過水手和領港員等多種工作。這些豐富的閱歷對他日後的文學創作產生了很大的影響。
他因創作處女作《加利維拉縣有名的跳蛙》（1865）而聲名鵲起。此後，陸續發表了《湯姆·索亞歷險記》（1876）、《密西西比河上的生活》（1883）和《哈克貝恩·費恩歷險記》（1885）等作品，成為美國文學的代表性作家。
馬克·吐溫一改往日承襲歐洲文風的做法，轉而描述美國人眼中的一切。他嫻熟地運用俚語，自成一派風格，在美國現代文學方面做出了不可磨滅的貢獻。

這本書以一種展現事實的形式來到讀者大眾的面前。
——《亞特蘭大憲政報》
《王子與貧兒》是這位幽默作家的受歡迎、常被改編為戲劇的故事之一。
——羅伯特·泰恩（美國作家）

Chapter 1 THE BlRTH OF THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER
Chapter 2 T0M’S EARLY LIFE
Chapter 3 TOMS MEETlNG，WITH THE PRINCE

Chapter 4 THE PRINCES TROUBLES BEOIN
Chapter 5 TOM AS A PA TRICIAN
Chspter 6 T0M RECE|VES INSTRUCTIONS
Chapter 7 TOMS FIRST ROYAL DINNER
Chapter 8 THE QUESTION OF THE SEAL
Chapter 9 THE R|VER PA8EANT
Chapter 10 THE PRINCE IN THE TOLLS
Chapter 11 A T gUlLDHAU
Chapter 12 THE PRINCE AND H|S DELlVERER
Chapter 13 THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PRINCi
Chapter 14 "LE ROI EST MoRT——VIVE LE R0|H
Chapter 15 T0M AS KING
Chapter 16 THE STATE TE DINNER
Chapter 17 F00-F00 THE FIRST
Chapter 18 THE PRINCE WITH THE TRAMPS
Chapter 19 THE PRINCE WITH THE PEASANTS
Chapter 20 TH￡PRINCE AND THE HERMIT
Chapter 21 HENDON TO THE RESCUE
Chapter 22 A VICTIM OF TREACHERY
Ckapter 23 THE PRINCE A PRISONER
Chapter 24 THE ESCAPE
Chapter 2s HENDON HALL
Chapter 26 DISOWNED
Chapter 27 IN PRISON
Chapter 28 THE SACRIFICE
Chapter 29 TO LONPON
Chapter 30 TOMS PROOeESS
Chapfer 31 THE RECOGNITION PROCESSION
Chapter 32 CORONATION DAY
Chapter 33 EDWARD AS KIN8
Conclusion JUSTICE AND RETRIBUTION

By and by Toms reading and dreaming about princely life wroughtsuch a strong effect upon him that he began to act the prince， unconsciously.His speech and manners became curiously ceremonious and courtly， tothe vast admiration and amusement of his intimates. But Toms influenceamong these young people began to grow， now， day by day; and in time hecame to be looked up to， by them， with a sort of wondering awe， as a superiorbeing. He seemed to know so much！ and he could do and say such marvelousthings！ and withal， he was so deep and wise！ Toms remarks， and Tomsperformances， Were reported by the boys to their elders; and these， also，presently began to discuss Tom Canty， and to regard him as a most giftedand extraordinary creature. Full-grown people brought their perplexities toTom for solution， and were often astonished at the wit and wisdom of hisdecisions. In fact he was become a hero to all who knew him except hisown family——these， only， saw nothing in him.
Privately， after a while， Tom organized a royal court！ He was theprince; his special comrades were guards， chamberlains， equerries， lordsand ladies in waiting， and the royal family. Daily the mock prince wasreceived with elaborate ceremonials borrowed by Tom from his romanticreadings; daily the great affairs of the mimic kingdom were discussed inthe royal council， and daily his mimic highness issued decrees to his imagi-nary armies， navies， and vice-royalties.
After which， he would go form in his rags and beg a few farthings， eat hispoor crust， take his customary cuffs and abuse， and then stretch himself uponhis handful of foul straw， and resume his empty grandeurs in his dreams.
And still his desire to look just once upon a real prince， in the flesh，grew upon him， day by day， and week by week， until at last it absorbed allother desires， and became the one passion of his life.

I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father，which latter had it of his father， this last having in like manner had itof his fathermand so on， back and still back， three hundred years andmore， the fathers transmitting it to the sons and so preserving it.It maybe history， it may be only legend， a tradition. It may have happened， itmay not have happened： but it could have happened. It may be that thewise and the learned believed it in the old days;.it may be that only theunlearned and the simple loved it and credited it.