The updated fairytale has always been a popular type of story. Here O. Henry takes the principle of the fairytale into a Western setting, and does a wonderful job of it. A Chaparral Prince has a lot going for it - vivid and unique settings in the limestone quarry and the German-settled town of Fredericksburg, Texas; memorable characters; a display of O. Henry's gift for colorful dialogue in the jargon of the train-robbers and the jumbled English of Fritz the mail-carrier; and an engaging story with a lovely blend of comedy and pathos.
