Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper tells the story of two identical young boys: a pauper named Tom Canty and the son of King Henry VIII, Prince Edward. The two boys meet when Tom is caught by guards while exploring the castle grounds and Edward stops them from punishing him. The two boys spend time talking and learning about each others' lives and discover that not only do they look physically identical, but they were also born on the same day. They decide to switch places: Edward leaves the palace in rags and faces the violent abuse of Tom's father, while Tom pretends to be the prince. During their time acting as each other, Edward learns about the cruelty of the judicial system, and Tom causes the palace staff to fear the prince is losing his memory. On the day of Tom's coronation as King Edward VI, Edward reappears at the palace and shows the Great Seal he had stolen to prove his identity. The two switch back to their original lives, with Edward becoming King and naming Tom his ward.
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