Class 9 English Moments Chapter 5 The Happy Prince Question Answer | SEBA: Welcome to our website! We are happy to provide you with Class 9th Notes for your academic journey. Class IX is an essential year for learners as they prepare themselves for the upcoming board exams, which will determine their academic success.
Today, I will discuss your Class 9th “The Happy Prince” Long and Short Questions| We provide solutions for almost all long and short questions.
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Text Book QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q.1. Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?
Ans: When the Happy Prince was alive and had a human heart he did not know what tears were. He used to live in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter. Indeed he lived happily. For such happy life led by the prince, his courtiers called him the Happy Prince.
No, he was not happy. So long he was living he was happy. But after his death when his statue was installed on a column high above the city the prince turned, sad. All around him, he saw in the city only the suffering and misery of the people.
He saw the rich enjoying happy life living in beautiful houses and the poor, suffering from poverty and hunger. According to him the worst mystery in the world was misery.
Q.2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the Swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
Ans: The seamstress is a widow who lives in a poor house in the city. Her face is thin and worn out and her hands are coarse and red, all pricked by needles. She is embroidering flowers on a satin gown for the lovliest of the Queen’s maids of honour.
Her little boy is lying ill in a bed in the corner of the room. He has a fever and asking his mother to give him oranges, But the poor mother had nothing but the river water to give him.
So the boy was crying. The Happy Prince was moved by the misery of the mother and the son and sends the ruby for the seamstress. The Swallow hopped in the room of the seamstress. He laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman’s ‘thimble. Then he flew gently round the bed. He fanned the boy’s forehead with his wings.
The boy uttered that he felt very cool and hoped that he would be getting better. Then the Swallow flew back to the Happy Prince.
Q.3. For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
Ans: The Happy Prince sends the sapphires to the playwright and the matchgirl. The playwright was a young man who was seen in a garret. He was seen leaving over a desk covered with papers. In a glass by his side was seen a bunch of withered violets. His hair was brown and crisp, his lips were red and he had large dreamy eyes. He was trying to finish a play for the Director of the theatre. But he was too cold to anymore. There was no fire in the grate and hunger had made him faint. The Happy Prince sent a sapphire for him so as to help him.
The second sapphire was sent to the matchgirl who had dropped the matches in a gutter and all of them were spoiled. If she did not bring some money her father would beat her. She had neither shoes nor stockings, and her head was bare. So the Happy Prince sent her the second sapphire with a view to helping her.
Q.4. What does the Swallow see when it flies over the city?
Ans: The Happy Prince had given away his eyes and could no more see the happenings in the city. So he asked the Swallow to over the city and tels him what he would see. So the Swallow flew over the city. He saw the rich making merry is their beautiful houses while the beggars were sitting at the gates. He flew into dark lanes and saw the white faces of starving children.
The children were seen looking listlessly at the black streets. The Swallow saw two little boys lying in each other’s arms to try to keep themselves warm. The boys were seen under the archway of a bridge. The boys said that they had been hungry. The Swallow also saw how the watchman drove away the little boys into the rain.
Q.5. Why did the Swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
Ans: The friends of the Swallow had left for Egypt because winter and snow were approaching. Only the Swallow remained behind flying over the city. At night he came to the statue of the Happy Prince and rested under his feet: Living with the Happy Prince he learned his real nature-how sacrificing he was! He himself distributed the jewels of the prince.
The prince had given through him the ruby, the sapphires, and the gold plates on his body to various persons. The Swallow was moved by the tears shed by the Happy Prince. He wept for the misery of the poor and the helpless people. The nature and behavior of the Prince moved the Swallow so much so that he decided not to go to Egypt leaving the prince. In fact, he died at the feet of the statue of the prince.
Q.6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
Ans: The precious things mentioned in the story are the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead body of the Swallow. They are precious things because, during their stay on earth, they spent days serving the cause of the poor. Even as a statue the Happy Prince shed tears seeing the misery of the suffering humanity. He gave the ruby, the sapphires, and the gold plates covering his body to the poor and the needy. He wept seeing the misery of the poor.
The Swallow acted to carry out the wishes and commands of the Prince while his friends had gone to Egypt the Swallow decided to stay in the cold country serving the needy. He was moved by the princes love for his fellowmen. It was because of their generosity and love for mankind that God granted them a permanent seat in heaven.
Additional Questions and Answers
Q.7. “I have a golden bedroom.” Who is the speaker? How does he have a golden bedroom?
Ans: The Swallow is the speaker. The friends of the Swallow had gone away to Egypt. He had been left alone in the city of the Happy Prince. His friends had left six weeks ‘before. After six weeks he too wanted to go to Egypt. All day long he flew and at night came to the city. Then he thought where he would stay, for the night. The town seemed to make preparation.
Then he saw the statue of the Happy Prince on the tall column. He cried with joy and decided to put up there. It seemed to him a fine position with plenty of fresh air. So he alighted just between the feet of the Happy Prince. Looking around he saw the body of the Prince gilted with thin leaves of gold and said that he had a golden bedroom.
Q.8. “Why are you weeping then? You have quite drenched me.” Why and when does the Swallow say this?
Ans: The Swallow had alighted between the feet of the Happy Prince. He was pleased to get a golden bedroom and prepared to go to sleep. Just as the Swallow was putting his head under his wings a large drop of water fell on him. He was surprised because the sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly. He was astonished thinking how it could rain without a cloud in the sky. Then another drop fell.
The Swallow decided to fly away to seek shelter under some good chimney top. But before he had opened his wings a third drop fell. The Swallow looked up and saw that the eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears and tears were running down his golden cheeks. The face of the Happy Prince appeared so beautiful in the moonlight that the Swallow was filled with pity.
The Swallow wanted to know who he was. The Happy Prince gave his identity. Just then the Swallow uttered the above quoted lines. He asked out of astonishment thinking how and why a prince could shed tears.
Q.10. What did the Swallow see and hear in the course of his flight to the house of the seamstress? Why did he go there?
Ans: The Swallow flew away from the feet of the Happy Prince. He flew away over the roofs of the town. He passed by the cathedral tower and saw the white marble angels sculptured on it. He then passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing. A beautiful girl was seen coming out on the balcony with her lover. She said that her dress would be ready in time for the state ball. She was also heard saying that she had ordered flowers to be embroidered on the dress. But she blamed the seamstress as a lazy one.
Q.11. How did the Swallow serve the Happy Prince? How did he die?
Ans: The Swallow practically executed (1) the wishes of the Happy Prince who could not move. The Swallow delivered the ruby to the seamstress and the sapphires to the playwright and the match girl. He narrated to him the suffering of the people in the city. As desired by the Prince he picked up and delivered the gold leaves to the children who needed them so urgently. His service pleased the Prince and those whom he served by delivering the jewels and the gold leaves.
Finally, the Happy Prince asked the Swallow to fly away to Egypt. He was growing colder and colder. But he refused to go. Kissing the hands and lips of the prince he went to the house of Death and lay between the Prince’s feet.
Q.12. Why was the statue of the Happy Prince pulled down? What happened to it?
Ans: The Happy Prince had given away the jewels and gold on his body. The statue then appeared ugly and no better than a beggar. The Mayor and the councilor noticed the shabby statue. The Art Professor at the University remarked that as the statue was no longer beautiful, it was no longer beautiful. So the statue was pulled down.
Then the statue was melted in a furnace. But to the astonishment of the workmen at the foundry, the broken lead heart of the statue did not melt. So it was thrown on a dust heap where the dead Swallow was also lying.
Conclusion:
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