NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 5 THE HAPPY PRINCE | English Moments
THE HAPPY PRINCE
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 5 THE HAPPY PRINCE | English Moments
Summary: The happy prince was written by oscar wilde The happy prince was a beautiful statue on a tall column in the city. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold. He had sapphires for eyes and a ruby on his sword hilt. One night there flew over the city a little swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt. All day long he flew, and at night time he arrived in the city. He alighted just between the feet of the statue of the Happy Prince. When he was trying to sleep, a few drops of water fell on him. But to his surprise he didn't find a single cloud in the sky. Then he noticed that the statue of Happy Prince was weeping.
Happy Prince told the swallow that in a house there was a poor seamstress. Her little son was lying ill and she had no money to buy food. So the Prince requested the swallow to bring out the ruby of his sword hilt so that the poor woman could bring oranges for her son. The next day, the swallow wanted to go to his friends but prince requested it to stay with him that night. In the night the Prince told the swallow that there was a young man in a garret. He was trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre, but he was too cold. Now the Prince ordered the swallow to pluck out one sapphire from his eye and give it him. The swallow did the same.
The next night, the Prince told him to take away the second sapphire to help a poor match girl. Thus the prince had become blind so the swallow decided to stay with the Prince forever. Then Prince told the swallow to take off the golden leaves one by one for the poor. Now after taking off all golden leaves the Prince looked very dull and grey but the children's faces grew rosier as they were happy.
Because of too much cold the swallow died after kissing the Prince. The leaden heart of Prince broke into two pieces. After some days the mayor of the city ordered the statue to be pulled down and melted it in a furnace. But the leaden heart of the, prince didn't melt so it was thrown in a dust heap where the dead swallow was also lying.
God sent his angel to bring him the dead swallow and the leaden heart of the Happy Prince. God told him that these two things were fit for the paradise.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 5 THE HAPPY PRINCE | English Moments
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
THINK ABOUT IT
Q. 1.Why do the courtiers call the prince 'the happy Prince' ? Is he really happy?
Ans. He was a prince when he was alive. Being a prince he never knew sorrow and suffering. So, the courtiers called him 'the happy prince'. But he was not happy in real sense as his heart could feel the misery of needy people. He saw the miserable conditions of people around him.
2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress ? What does the swallow do in the seamstress's house ?
Ans. The steamstress was tired due to overwork. She was so poor that she could not buy oranges for roes for her sick little son. Her son was thirsty. The Happy Prince saw the poor lady and her sick little son. He felt pity for them. So he sent a ruby for her. The swallow came to the woman’s house and laid the ruby on the table beside her. The bird fanned the boy’s forehead with wings and flew back to the Happy Prince.
Q. 3. For whom does the Prince send the sapphires and why?
Ans. The playwright was very poor. He was incapable of buying food and firewood, The Prince sent the sapphires for the playwright so that he could finish a play for the director of the theatre on time. The princes sent his second sapphire to a poor match girl. Her matches had fallen into the gutter. She was afraid that her father would beat her for this loss. So, she was helped by the prince by sending her the second sapphire.
Q. 4. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
Ans. The swallow saw all categories of people. He found the rich making merry in their beautiful houses and beggars begging sitting at the gates. He also saw a group of wandering children who were poverty-stricken.
Q. 5. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
Ans. At first stage, the swallow was willing to go to Egypt just after discharging his duty properly. But when he saw Prince's activities of charity and kindness he got impressed. On the other hand now the Happy Prince had become totally blind due to the deeds of charity. In this i condition, he could not leave the Prince helpless. He left the idea of going to Egypt and decided to serve the Prince.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 5 THE HAPPY PRINCE | English Moments
Q. 6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story ? Why are they precious?
Ans. The leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow are the two precious things mentioned in the story. They are precious as they did various deeds for the welfare of public and sacrificed their lives for the sake of others.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 5 THE HAPPY PRINCE | English Moments
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
Q. I. What happened when the little swallow prepared to go to sleep?
Ans. One night a little swallow, who had departed from his friends, was searching for a shelter. The little swallow decided to sleep between the face of the Happy Prince. When the little swallow prepared to go to sleep, three successive drops of water fell upon him. The swallow was surprised to see those drops of water. As soon as he looked up he saw the eyes of Happy Prince filled with tears.
Q. 2. How did the little swallow feel when he saw the eyes of Happy Prince filled with tears ? Why did the Happy Prince cry?
Ans. The little swallow felt pity and asked the Happy Prince why he was weeping. The Happy Prince replied that he could not see the miserable condition of the people all around. He could not tolerate the condition. So the Happy Prince wept.
Q. 3. Why did the Happy Prince ask the swallow to stay ?
Ans. The Happy Prince had soft spot for others. He had his great will to help others in adverse circumstances. It was not possible for him to move from there as his feet were fastened. He wanted to help others with the help of the swallow. So, he requested the swallow to stay there.
Q. 4. To whom did the Happy Prince send his great ruby and why?
Ans. The Happy Prince sent his great ruby to a seamstress who was a poor lady. She had a little sick boy who wanted to have oranges. But the seamstress was too poor to buy oranges for him. So, the Happy Prince asked the swallow to send her the great ruby.
Q. 5. How did the Prince help the match girl? What was the result?
Ans. The Happy Prince helped the match girl with one of the sapphires. The match girl was afraid of help her father as her matches had fallen in the gutter. As soon as she got the sapphire in the form +of help her happiness went beyond the limits.
6. What happened when the little swallow fell down dead?
Ans. The little swallow kissed the Happy Prince on his lips before his death and fell down dead at his feet. At that very moment the leaden heart of the Prince broke into pieces and there was a curious crack sound inside the statue.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 5 THE HAPPY PRINCE | English Moments
II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Describe the 'swallow' as a nice bird.
Ans. Undoubtedly, the swallow was a nice bird. He wanted to go to Egypt with his friends. At first when he rests upon the statue of the Happy Prince, he had no feeling of helping others. His quality becomes obvious when we notice tears in his eyes on seeing Happy Prince's heart aching. He discharges his duty with full loyalty and obedience. When he starts living with the Prince he becomes more sympathetic towards others. He has a deep sense of service. He helps the seamstress by giving a ruby and fanned the sick boy with his wings. He helps the playwright and the match girl too. He rejected his idea to go to Egypt when the Happy Prince became blind. In the end he died and fell down at his feet.
Q. 2. The two most precious things in the city were the Happy Prince and the swallow. Do you agree? Discuss.
Ans. I fully agree with it. These were two precious things that served humanity selflessly. They could not see other people suffering. The Happy Prince was happy throughout his life as he did not come across any suffering. But even after his death, he decided to help the suffering society. He made a big sacrifice by giving his all. He was helpless in moving from his place. He requested the swallow to stay with him and help others. The bird agreed to do it. He also rejected his idea to go to Egypt and started helping others. He made a big sacrifice and died at the Prince’s feet. Both of them served the society and felt satisfaction. The Angel was right in his opinion.
Q. 3. How did the little swallow carry out the wishes of the Happy Prince?
Ans. The little swallow was dedicated and obeyed the Happy Prince. When he realized the miseries around him, he stayed with the Happy Prince. He was fully determined to fulfill the wishes of the Happy Prince. So he was ready to obey the Happy Prince. He helped the poor seamstress with a ruby, the playwright with a sapphire and a match girl with another sapphire. He also helped the poor with the gold leaves which he had plucked out from the statue.