In The Prince and the Pauper, two young boys who happen to share the same birthday and look identical, switch clothing one day, trading places. One of them happens to be Edward Tudor, the Prince of Wales while the other is a street urchin named Tom. Both have trouble adjusting to their new circumstances at first and those around them think the boys have gone insane. The novel shows that the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side, as neither enjoys living the other's life.