The Happy Prince Extra Questions and Answers

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Extra Questions, Notes, Assignment and study material for Class 9th as Per CBSE Syllabus

Chapter-5 English Language and Literature

The Happy Prince Extra Questions and Answers

By- OSCAR WILDE

Introduction of the lesson- The Happy Prince

The Happy Prince was a beautiful statue. This statue was on a tall pillar. The prince was covered with gold. There were two sapphires in place of his eyes. He had a ruby in his sword hilt. He could see all around the city. When he was alive, he lived in a palace. He was always happy. He had not seen the miseries of life. But now he could see miseries around him. He saw the hungry and the homeless. He was very sad. He was filled with pity. One day, a swallow came there. He saw the prince in tears. The prince told him that he wanted to help the poor and sad people. He sent his ruby and the sapphires of his eyes to the poor people. Now he was blind. He sent his gold also. Now he looked ugly. The swallow began to love the prince. The winter came but the swallow did not go away. He lived with the prince. One day, the swallow died. This broke the leaden heart of the statue. The statue was no longer beautiful. It was melted in a furnace. But the leaden heart did not melt. It was thrown in the dust heap. The dead swallow was also lying there. God sent one of his angels to bring the two most precious things. He took the dead swallow and the leaden heart to God. Both these things were really fit for paradise.

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(प्रसन्न राजकुमार एक सुन्दर मूर्ति था । यह मूर्ति एक ऊँचे स्तंभ पर थी । राजकुमार सोने से ढका हुआ था ।  पाने हो ढका हुआ या । उसकी आँखों के स्थान पर दो नीलम थे । उसकी तलवार की मूठ में एक मणिक था । है वह शहर के चारों ओर देख सकता था । जब वह जीवित था तो एक महल में रहता था । वह सदा प्रसन्न था । उसने जीवन के कष्टों को नहीं देखा था । मगर अब बह अपने चारों ओर दु:खों को देख सकता था । उसने भूखे और बेघर लोगों को देखा। यह बहुत उदास हुआ । वह करुणा से भर गया । एक दिन वहाँ एक अबाबील आई । उसने राजकुमार को रोते हुए देखा । राजकुमार ने उसे बताया कि वह गरीब और उदास लोगों की सहायता करना चाहता है । उसने अपना मणिक और आँखों के नीलम गरीब लोगों के पास भेज दिए । अब वह अंधा हो गया था उसने अपना सोना भी भेज दिया । अब वह भद्दा लगता था । अबाबील ने राजकुमार से प्यार  करना आरंभ कर दिया । सर्दी आ गई , मगर अबाबील वहाँ से नहीं गई । वह राजकुमार के पास रही । एक दिन अबाबील मर गई । इससे राजकुमार का सीसे का दिल टूट गया । अब मूर्ति सुंदर नहीं रही थी । इसे    एक भट्टी में पिघला दिया गया । मगर सीसे का दिल नहीं पिघला । इसे कूड़े के ढेर पर फेंक दिया गया ।मरी हुई अबाबील  भी वहीँ पड़ी थी । भगवान ने अपने एक फरिश्ते को दो सबसे महत्वपूर्ण वस्तुएं लाने को कहा । अबाबील तथा राजकुमार का सीसे का दिल भगवान के पास ले आया । ये दोनों वस्तुएं सचमुच स्वर्ग के लिए उचित थीं

Introduction of the lesson- The Happy Prince (2):

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“The Happy Prince” is the story about a beautifully decorated statue of a prince who lived a very happy life. He learnt about sorrow after his death, when his statue was placed at a high point from where the misery of the entire city could be seen. Moved by the plight of the poor, the Happy Prince gave away all his possessions to the needy with the help of a kind swallow. This compassionate bird sacrificed his life for the noble cause of the Prince.

TITLE of the lesson- The Happy Prince

The title of the story, “The Happy Prince”, presents its elements in a symbolic manner. The story is about a prince who used to be happy when he was alive. However, he is very sad after he is placed atop a column as a statue. The prince appeared to be happy only because he knew nothing of life outside of his palace. Only after he died and became a statue did he learn of the people’s suffering and the disparity between the rich and the poor. He now sought happiness by sacrificing himself for the happiness of others. The title thus aptly suggests that the outward happiness of the prince is symbolic of the superficial joys in life. Real happiness lies in having a compassionate heart.

THEME of the lesson- The Happy Prince

The story is an allegory. It is based on the theme that love and sacrifice are important values in human life and happiness comes to those who make others happy. Those who have compassion and concern get as much joy as those who receive their kindness and charity. Hence, one must try to live a life guided by the virtues of love, sacrifice, benevolence and joy.

Theme of the lesson- The Happy Prince (2)

This story highlights the three themes. The first theme is that spiritual beauty or inner beauty is more important than outward beauty. The real beauty is love, compassionate heart and sacrifice. The prince and the swallow lost their outward beauty to attain inner beauty by helping the poor and needy. The second theme is the love, charity and sacrifices that make life going on in the world. The third theme os the story is that there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor. We should help the poor and needy people in society so that they are able to lead a happy life.

MESSAGE of the lesson- The Happy Prince

“The Happy Prince” gives many important messages. The first message is that we must spread happiness around us if we wish to be happy. It is useless to mount statues with gold and jewels when the people are hungry. The Prince could be happy only as long as sorrow was not allowed to enter his palace. Once he saw pain, suffering and injustice, even his lead heart cried.

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The next message is that the disparity and sorrow in society can be overcome by compassion, generosity and sharing. The generous prince and the gentle swallow sacrificed themselves to bring happiness to the poor and the needy. However, their deaths did not end their lives. The redemptive power of love made them live forever as the precious and chosen ones of God.

Messageof the lesson- The Happy Prince (2)

The most powerful message or moral lesson given by this story is that it is very essential to help the poor and the downtrodden in society. The second message is, we must be sensitive to the people who are suffering, especially the poor, and help them out. This will reduce their suffering and help them to stand up. This story highlights the virtues of kindness and pity towards others. It also talks about sacrifice towards others. The Happy Prince could have retained his precious stones on his body and retained his glory. But he decided to give them all away to help the poor and needy. This shows the sacrifice done by him.

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Justification of the Title of the lesson- The Happy Prince

The statue of the Happy Prince is adorned with gold and precious stones. The Happy Prince gets happiness by distributing the jewellery to the poor of the city. The swallow helps him to carry out his task. The Prince who was crying when the swallow met him, now feels happy that he has been able to make a number of poor people happy around the city. So the title ‘Happy Prince’ is apt. It is about the inner or real happiness of the prince at the cost of his out happiness.

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CHARACTERS of the lesson- The Happy Prince

The Swallow: The swallow is kind-hearted and polite. On discovering that the statue was not made of solid gold, he did not make any personal remark. He had to leave for Egypt to be with his friends but stayed back when the prince insisted. He also helped the prince in distributing precious jewels and gold among the poor and needy of the city. He also had a compassionate heart.

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He refused to pluck out the sapphires, for they were the prince’s eyes. And when the prince’s eyes had been given away as charity, the swallow decided to stay on with the prince. Even when the prince urged him to leave, he did not. He braved the cold and hunger until his last breath and sacrificed his life for the well-being of humanity.

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The Happy Prince was a statue of a prince who used to be known as Happy Prince when he was alive. He had been decorated with thin gold leaves all over his body and had sapphires as its eyes. A red ruby shone on his sword hilt. The Happy Prince became sad after his death because he could see the sorrow of the city from the place where his statue had been mounted. He was fastened to his pedestal which made him immobile. Feeling helpless, he wept and wished to help those in need. He humbly pleaded with the swallow to be his messenger. He had pity in his heart and he was generous as he gave away every bit of wealth that he had. He truly loved the swallow and could not bear to be separated from it. When the bird died, the leaden heart of the prince broke into two.

Value Points of the lesson- The Happy Prince

  • The Happy Prince is a statue of the dead Prince. He is decorated with gold leaves and precious stones.
  • He feels sad because he is unable to help the people who are crying in misery.
  • He decides to help (people) with his gold leaves, precious sapphires and ruby.
  • The swallow acts as his messenger. He distributes all his wealth, among the needy people.
  • The Swallow was going to Egypt but the Happy Prince persuaded him to stay for a night to help the poor.
  • His death broke the Happy Prince’s heart.
  • The Mayor and Town councillors pulled down the statue as it looked shabby.
  • They melted the statue but failed to melt the leaden heart.
  • One day God asked one of his angels to bring two most precious things from the earth. The Angel brought the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow.
  • God was pleased with the angel’s selection.
  • The prince and the swallow were given a permanent place in heaven. Then they lived happily in heaven.

Vocabulary of the lesson- The Happy Prince

Column—pillar; Statue—a sculpture representing a human or animal; Sapphire—a clear, bright blue precious stone; Ruby—a dark red precious stone; Position—place; Curious—strange; Determine—to decide; Drench—to make extremely wet; Ugliness—very unattractive; Misery—sufferings; Remark—to comment; Coarse—not smooth; Seamstress—female tailor; Pedestal—platform; Messenger—one who takes message; Cathedral—a church; Angels—good heavenly spirits; Sculptured—carved out; Mast—a tall pole of ship; Thimble—a cap worn in finger to protect it from needle; Forehead—the part of the face above the eyes; Slumber—sleep; Prospect—possibility; Monument—a structure erected to commemorate persons or events; Garret—small room at the top of roof; Wither—fade away, to become weak and dry; Violet—a flower; Crisp—hard; Pomegranate—a fruit; Director—a person who gives directions in play etc.; Grate—fireplace; Playwright—one who writes plays; Command—order; Flutter—to move; Appreciate-to praise; Admirer—fan; Harbour—a port; Vessel—ship; Palm—a tree; Spoil—destroy; Pluck—to remove; Swoop—to move very quickly; Marvellous—extremely good; Suffering—the state of undergoing pain; hardship; Misery—distress; Starve—to remain hungry; Dull—faded; Leaf(here) thin coating of expensive metal; Scarlet—dark red; Crumb—piece of bread; Murmur—whisper; Death—the state of being dead; Crack—to break; Leaden—made of lead; Dreadfully—very badly; Frost—white powdery layer of ice; Shabby—ugly; Councillor—a member of council; Actually—in reality; Proclamation—official announcement.




Short and Simple Summary of the lesson in English-In  The Happy Prince / Summary in simple Words/ Critical appreciation of the lesson –  The Happy Prince

A beautiful statue had been set up on a tall column high above the city. It was the statue of the Happy Prince. It was covered with gold. It had sapphires in its eyes and ruby on its sword-hilt.

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 The Happy Prince was always happy when he was alive. He lived in the palace of happiness. He did not know what tears were. So his courtiers called him the Happy Prince. After his death, his statue was set up so high that he saw the misery of his city all around and wept. He wanted to help his people but was helpless. His feet were tied to the pedestal. Still, he helped the needy people through a little bird.

One day, the Prince saw a swallow resting between his feet. He told the swallow that there was a poorhouse far away in a street. A poor woman lived there. Her little boy was lying ill. He had a fever and was asking for oranges. But the poor woman had no money to buy oranges. The Prince asked the swallow to pick out the ruby from his sword and take it to her. The swallow did as it was told and laid the ruby beside the poor woman. It also fanned the sick boy’s forehead with its wings.

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Then the Prince saw a young man who lived in a garret. The young man was writing a play. But it was so cold that he couldn’t write any more. He had no firewood to keep himself warm. The Happy Prince asked the swallow to pick out the sapphire from his one eye and give it to the young man. The swallow began to weep. It did not want to make the Happy Prince blind of one eye. But the Prince commanded the swallow to do so. He gave away his sapphire so that the man could buy firewood and finish his play.

 The next day, the Prince saw a match girl who had let her matches fall into a gutter. She was crying because her father would beat her if she did not take home some money. The Happy Prince asked the swallow to take the sapphire from his other eye and give it to the poor little girl. The swallow was not ready to do so because that would make the Prince completely blind. But the Prince forced the swallow to do as he desired. And when the little girl got the sapphire, she was very happy.

 The Prince became blind now. So the swallow decided to stay with the Prince always. The Prince asked the swallow to fly over his city and tell him what he saw there. The swallow informed the Prince that the poor were leading a miserable life.

The Prince said to the swallow, “I am covered with fine gold. Take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it to the poor.” The swallow picked leaf after leaf and took them to the poor people of the city. The poor children had now bread to eat. They laughed and played games in the street. Their faces grew rosier. But when all the gold was removed, the Prince looked very ugly. That winter, the poor swallow died of cold at the Prince’s feet. The Prince’s leaden heart broke when his beloved swallow died.

 The next morning, the city Mayor passed that way and saw the statue that was looking very ugly. He ordered it to be pulled down. The statue was melted in a furnace but the broken lead heart would not melt. So it was thrown on a dust-heap where the dead Swallow was also lying.

 God sent one of His Angels to the city. He asked the Angel to bring Him two most precious things from the city. The Angel took the leaden heart and the dead swallow to God.

 God was very happy with the Angel. He said that the Angel had chosen rightly. He kept the swallow in His garden of Paradise. The Happy Prince was admitted in God ’s city of gold where he sang forever in praise of God.

Summary(2) of the lesson- The Happy Prince:

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The happy prince was a statue that stood above a tall column, high above the city. He was decorated with gold and jewels. One night, a swallow stopped by this city on his way to Egypt and decided to rest for a night at the feet of the statue. However, when he was preparing to go to sleep, drops of water fell on him, although the sky was clear. When the curious bird looked up, he was astonished to see the prince’s statue weeping. The swallow asked the statue the reason behind his tears and the statue told him his story how he used to be a Happy Prince and he knew no sorrow or tears. But now as a statue set up high he could see the ugliness and the misery of his city. This made him weep. The swallow was amazed to hear that the statue’s heart was made of lead but was too polite to make any personal remark. Meanwhile, the statue told the swallow that he could see a poor seamstress seated at a table from the open window of her house far away in a little street embroidering flowers on a satin gown for the Queen’s loveliest maid of honour. In the same room, her little boy was lying in a corner.

He had a fever and was asking his mother to give him oranges. Sadly, his mother was so poor that she could not give him anything but river water. The statue urged the swallow to take out the ruby from his sword hilt and give it to the poor seamstress. At first, the swallow refused but when the prince requested him to stay only for one night, the bird agreed on seeing his sad face. He picked out the great ruby from the Prince’s sword and flew to the seamstress as the messenger of the Happy Prince. On the way, he overheard a beautiful girl complaining to her lover about the delay by the seamstress in completing her ball-dance dress. Finally, he reached the poor woman’s house and laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman’s thimble and flew around the bed, fanning the boy’s forehead with his wings. This brought relief to the boy and he went off to a peaceful sleep. The swallow returned to the statue and reported all that he had done. He also remarked that he was feeling warm although it was actually quite cold. The prince told him that it was so because he had done a good deed. Next day the swallow flew to the river, had a bath and decided to leave for Egypt that night. He visited all the monuments and sat on top of the church steeple for a long time. When the moon came up, he flew back to the statue and told him that he was starting for Egypt. The Happy Prince urged him to stay for one more night. He wanted to help a young playwright who was trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre. It was too cold and he was unable to write further. There was no fire in the grate and he did not have any food either. The swallow asked if he should take another ruby to this writer. The prince sighed that he did not have any other ruby and so he urged the swallow to pluck out a sapphire from one of his eyes. He said that the writer would sell it and buy firewood and finish his play. The swallow began to weep and told the prince he could not tear away his eye. But the prince told the swallow to follow his command. Hence, the swallow plucked the prince’s eye and flew to the young writer and left the sapphire on the dried flowers on his table. The playwright was filled with joy and thought that the sapphire was a gift from one of his admirers. The next day, the swallow flew to the harbour and sat on the mast of a large ship watching the sailors at work. He cried loudly that he was going to Egypt but no one paid attention. He returned to the prince at night and said that he had come to say goodbye but the prince managed to convince the swallow to stay back. The Prince told the swallow that a little match girl was standing and crying in the square below. Her matches had fallen in the gutter and were all spoiled. Her father would beat her if she failed to take home some money. So the prince asked the swallow to pluck out his other eye and give it to that girl. On the prince’s insistence, the swallow plucked the second eye and flew swiftly to the matchgirl slipping the sapphire in the palm of her hand. The little girl exclaimed with joy on seeing the jewel and ran home laughing. The swallow returned and told the blind prince that now he would never leave him. The next day, the swallow sat on the prince’s shoulder all day and told him of what he had seen in other strange places. The prince listened to those marvellous things and then told the swallow that he wanted him to fly over his city and tell him about the misery and suffering of his people, too. So, the swallow flew over the great city and saw the rich enjoying their big houses while the poor were hungry and suffered. He flew back to the prince and told him all that he had seen. The prince suggested that the swallow should pluck the fine gold with which his statue had been covered and distribute it among the poor and hungry. Gradually, the leaves of gold that covered the prince were all gone and the statue looked dull and weathered. However, the poor children who had been given that gold was laughing and playing as they now had food.

Then came the cold winter and it started to snow. Each day, the swallow grew colder but did not leave the prince. He tried to survive by picking some crumbs outside the baker’s door and flap his wings to keep himself warm. But this could not go for long and one day the swallow realized that he was going to die. He gathered his strength and flew to the prince’s shoulder to bid him goodbye. The prince thought that the swallow was going to leave for Egypt and he said that it was a good decision. But the swallow told him that he was going to die and saying so he kissed the Happy Prince on the lips and fell down to death at his feet. At that moment a strange cracking sound was heard inside the statue – the lead heart of the statue had broken. The next morning, the Mayor of the city passed the statue while walking with the other Town Councillors. He noticed that the gold, ruby and sapphires were gone from the statue. He was even more shocked to find a dead bird at its feet. The statue looked shabby and useless, so the Mayor ordered to remove and melt it down. However, it proved impossible to melt the Happy Prince’s lead heart, which had to be thrown on to a garbage heap where the dead swallow lay. One day God sent one of His Angels to the city and asked him to bring two most precious things from there. The Angel chose the broken heart and the dead swallow. God was pleased with Angel’s choice and announced a place in His Paradise for the little bird and the Happy Prince.




Summary of the lesson- The Happy Prince (3)

The story is about the statue of a prince and a little swallow who sacrificed their lives in order to help the poor. There was a statue of a prince called the Happy Prince covered with gold, having sapphires for eyes and ruby in his sword. The Happy Prince could see the sufferings of the people in the city but was unable to move and help them. One day, a little swallow which was on his way to Egypt landed on the statue. The swallow found the statue weeping. He was very kind and full of pity. He asked the Happy Prince why he was crying. The Happy Prince told him that he could see the people in the city who were hungry. He wanted to help them and asked favour of the swallow. The Happy Prince helped a seamstress by sending his great ruby through the swallow. Then he requested the swallow to take out a sapphire from his eye and give it to a playwright who was about to faint because of hunger and cold. Another sapphire was sent to the match girl. Now the Happy Prince became blind. The swallow decided to stay with him forever and helped the poor by taking the gold off his body and give it to the poor. The weather had become extremely cold. The snow and the frost fell. The poor little swallow could not survive and die. At that moment, the leaden heart of the statue broke into two. Next morning, on the order of Mayor, the statue was pulled down and melted in a furnace at a factory but the (broken) leaden heart could not be melted. It was thrown in a dust-heap where the dead Swallow was also lying.

 On the order of God, the angel carried two precious things from the city, leaden heart of the Happy Prince and dead swallow. God praised the angel for the right choice. God said that the little bird would sing forever in his garden of Paradise and the Happy Prince would praise him in his city of gold.

Summary in Hindi- The Happy Prince

नगर में एक ऊँचे स्तम्भ के ऊपर एक सुन्दर बुत लगा हुआ था । यह प्रसन्नचित्त राजकुमार का बुत था । वह सोने की पत्तियों से ढका था । इसकी आँखें नीलम से बनी थीं और इसकी तलवार की मूठ पर एक लाल माणिक जडा हुआ था ।

प्रसन्नचित्त राजकुमार जब जीवित था तो यह एक खुशी भरे महल में रहता था और वह सदैव प्रसन्न रहता था । उसे पता नहीं था कि आँसू क्या होते है । इसलिए उसके दरबारी उसे हैप्पी प्रिन्स (प्रसन्नचित्त राजकुमार) कहा करते थे । उसकी मृत्यु के बाद उसका बुत इतनी ऊँचाई पर स्थापित किया गया कि उसे नगर में रहने वाले सभी लोगों का दु:खी जीवन स्पष्ट दिखलाई देता था । जब वह यह सब देखता तो उसकी आँखों में आँसू भर आते ।  वह गरीबों की सहायता करना चाहता था किन्तु बेबस था क्योंकि उसके पांव बुत की चौकी के साथ बन्धे हुए थे । फिर भी उसने एक छोटे पक्षी के माध्यम से जरूरतमंदों की सहायता की ।

राजकुमार ने एक अबाबील को अपने पैरों के मध्य विश्राम करते देखा । उसने अबाबील से कहा कि दूर एक गली में किसी गरीब का घर था । एक निर्धन स्त्री वहां रहती थी । उसका पुत्र बीमार था । उसे बुखार था और वह सन्तरे खाना चाहता था । लेकिन निर्धन स्त्री के पास सन्तरे खरीदने के कोई पैसे नहीं थे । राजकुमार ने अबाबील से कहा कि वह उसकी तलवार की मूठ से माणिक उखाड़ कर ले जाए और निर्धन स्त्री के पास पहुंचा दे । अबाबील ने वैसा ही किया और माणिक को ले जाकर निर्धन स्त्री के पास रख दिया । उसने लड़के के माथे पर अपने परों से पंखा भी किया ।

इसके बाद राजकुमार ने अन्धेरे कमरे में बैठा हुआ एक युवक देखा । यह युवक एक नाटक लिख रहा था

किन्तु सर्दी इतनी ज्यादा थी कि वह आगे लिख नहीं पा रहा था । उसके पास जलाने की लकड़ी खरीदने के लिए कोई पैसे नहीं थे ।राजकुमार ने अबाबील से कहा कि वह उसकी एक आंख में मे नीलम निकाले तथा उस युवक के पास ले जाए । अबाबील रोने लगा क्योंकि वह ऐसा नहीं करना चाहता था । उसके ऐसा करने से राजकुमार ने एक आंख से अन्धा को जाना था । किन्तु राजकुमार ने अबाबील को आदेश दिया कि वह ऐसा ही करे और नीलम को निकाल कर उस युवक के पास ले जाए ताकि वह जलाने की लकड़ी खरीद सके और फिर अपना नाटक लिख कर पूरा कर सके ।

दूसरे दिन राजकुमार ने अबाबील को बताया कि माचिस बेचने वाली लड़की की माचिस की डिब्बियाँ एक नाले में गिर गई थी । वह रो रही थी क्योंकि वह डरती थी कि यदि वह कुछ पैसे घर नहीं ले जाएगी , उसका पिता उसे पीटेगा । प्रसन्नचित्त राजकुमार ने अबाबील से कहा कि वह उसकी दूसरी आँख का नीलम निकाल कर उस नन्हीं ग़रीब लड़की के पास ले जाए । अबाबील ऐसा नहीं करना चाहता था क्योंकि उसके ऐसा करने से राजकुमार ने पूरा अन्धा हो जाना था । किन्तु राजकुमार ने अबाबील को आदेश दिया कि वह उसके कहे अनुसार नीलम को गरीब लड़की के पास ले जाए ।

राजकुमार अब पूरी तरह अन्धा हो गया । इसलिए अबाबील ने हमेशा उसके साथ रहने का निश्चय कर लिया । राजकुमार ने अबाबील से कहा कि कहा कि वह उड़ कर पूरे नगर में जाए और सभी जगह के द्रश्य के बारे में उसे बताए । अबाबील ने राजकुमार को सूचित किया कि गरीब लोग बहुत दुःखी जीवन व्यतीत कर रहे है ।    

राजकुमार ने अबाबील से कहा कि उसके बदन की सोने पत्तियाँ एक –एक करके गरीबों के लिए ले जाए । अबाबील ने वैसा ही किया । गरीब बच्चों को अब खाने के लिए भोजन मिलने लगा ।  वे हँसने लगे और गलियों में खेलने लगे । उनके चेहरे गुलाब की तरह खिल गए ।  लेकिन सारा सोना उतरने के बाद राजकुमार का बुत अब बदसूरत लगने लगा ।  उसी शीत ऋतु में अबाबील कि मृत्यु हो गई ।  उसका मृत शरीर राजकुमार के पैरों में जा गिरा । यह देखकर राजकुमार का दिल टूट गया , यधपि यह सीसे का बना हुआ था । 

अगली सुबह जब नगर का मेयर उधर से गुजरा तो उसने उस भद्दे बुत को देखा । उसने तुरन्त उसे गिराने का आदेश दे दिया ।  बुत को एक भट्टी में पिघला दिया गया लेकिन टूटा हुआ दिल न पिघल सका । इसलिए उसे एक कूड़े के ढेर पर फेंक दिया गया जहाँ मृत अबाबील भी पड़ा हुआ था ।

ईश्वर ने अपने दूतों में से एक दूत को भेजा कि वह उस नगर की दो सर्वाधिक मूल्यवान चीज़े चुन कर लाए । दूत ने उस सीसे के दिल को तथा मृत अबाबील को चुना । ईश्वर दूत से बहुत प्रसन्न हुआ ।  उसने कहा कि  दूत का चुनाव बिल्कुल सही था । ईश्वर ने इन दोनों को अपने स्वर्ग में स्थान प्रदान किया । ईश्वर ने कहा कि  छोटा पक्षी उसके बाग़ में गाया करेगा और प्रसन्नचित्त राजकुमार (हैप्पी प्रिन्स) उसके सुनहरे स्वर्ग की प्रशंसा किया करेगा ।

Important Word-Meanings of difficult words from the lesson- The Happy Prince

(Page28-29) columnस्तम्भ ; 2.statueबुत ; 3. gilded सोने की पत्तियों से ढका हुआ ;4. bright –   चमकीला ;  5. Sapphires – नीलम ; 6. ruby  –   माणिक ; 7. Sword- hilt  –  तलवार की मूठ ; 8. Swallow –  अबाबील ; 9.position –  स्थान ; 10 . preparations तैयारियाँ ; 11. alighted –  नीचे उतर आया ;  12. golden  –   सुनहरी  ;  13. prepared –  तैयार हो गया ; 14. curious  –  विचित्र ।

(Page 29 ) 1. determined  –  निश्चय किया ; 2. tears  –  आँसू ; 3. moonlight  –  चाँदनी ; 4. Pity –  दया ; 5. drenched –  भिगो दिया ; 6. alive  –   जीवित ;  7. sorrow  –   दुःख ; 8. courtiers –  दरबारी ; 9.ugliness –   भद्दापन ; 10. misery  –  दुःख ,विपत्ति ;  11. lead –  सीसा, सिक्का ; 12. choose  –  चुनना ; 13. Polite –  नम्र ;  14. continued  –  जारी रखा ; 15. voice  –  आवाज़ ; 16. street –  गली ; 17. worn –  थका – माँदा ; 18. coarse –  खुरदरा ; 19. pricked –  चुभा हुआ ; 20. seamstress –  दर्जिन ; 21. court  ball –  दरबारी नृत्य ; 22. fever –  बुखार ; 23. fastened –  बन्धे हुए Curious = strange = अजीब ; bright = shining = चमकते हुए ; determined = decided = निश्चय करना ; tear = salty liquid which flows from the eyes –आँसू ;  cheek = a soft part of the face =गाल ; pity =feeling of sorrow for others = दया ; drenched = made wet = भिगो देना ; alive = living = जीवित ; human = of man = मानवीय ; courtier = companion of a king =दरबारी ; indeed = really = वास्तव में ;  ugliness = unattractive =कुरूपता ; misery = unfortunate condition = दुर्दशा ; lead = a kind of metal =सीसा (एक धातु ) ; solid = hard =ठोस ; polite = gentle = विनीत , विनम्र ; remark = comment = टिप्पणी ; worn = old, tired = वृद्ध या थका -मांदा; coarse= rough = रूखे ; seamstressmaid tailor = दर्जिन ; made of honour = lady in attendance upon a queen or princess =रानी या राजकुमारी की परिचारिका  I Fastened = firmly fixed = मजबूती से जड़े हुए ; pedestal = column or base =आधार I

(Page 30-31) 1. Pedestal – आधार, चौक ी; 2. Egypt—मिस्र  ; 3. The Nileनील नदी ; 4. Lotus –  कमल  ; 5. messengerदूत  ;  6. thirsty—प्यासा ; 7. agreed—सहमत हो गया ;  8. beak— चोंच  ; 9. cathedral—गिरजाघर  ; 10. tower– मीनार  ; 11. balcony— छज्जा  ; 12. tossing—तड़प रहा ,करवटें ले रहा ; 13. hopped—फुदक कर गया  ; 14. thimble– अंगुस्ताना ; 15. slumberनींद  ; 16. curiousअजीब  ; 17. good action—भला काम  ; 18. fell asleep—सो गया  ; 19. in high spiritsऊँचे जोश में  ; 20. prospectसंभावना  ; 21. monuments—स्मृति – भवन  I : Picked out = remove = उखाड़ना ; cathedral = church =गिरजाघर ; tower = a fall structure = बुर्ज या मीनार ; angel = messenger from God = देवदूत ; sculptured = carved = संगतराशी किए हुए I Lantern = lamp= लालटेन ; mast = a tall pole of wood or metal = मस्तूल ; toss = roll = करवटें बदलना ; feverishly = restlessly = बेचैनी से ; delicious slumber = sweet sleep = मधुर नींद ; action = deed = कार्य I  Garret = attic, small dark room near the roof = अटारी ; bunch = group = गुच्छा ; crisp = curly = घुंघराले ; pomegranate = a fruit = अनार ; grate = fireplace = अंगीठी ; faint = feeble = कमजोर ; playwright = dramatist =नाटककार ; rare = seldom =  दुर्लभ I

[PAGE 32] : Pluck out = take out  = उखाड़ना ; jeweller =सुनार ; command = order = आदेश देना ; darted = rushed =झपटना ; bury = cover = ढाँपना ; flutterflapping  = फड़फड़ाहट ; appreciate = praise = प्रंशसा करना ; harbour = port = बंदरगाह ; vessel = utensil = पात्र ; bid = say = कहना ; goodbye = farewell =विदाई I match girl =  a girl who sells matchboxes = माचिस बेचने वाली लड़की ; spoiled = useless = बेकार I

[PAGE 33] : Stockings = socks = जुराब ; Jewel = precious stone = रत्न  ; slip =push off =  खिसका देना ; marvellous =wonderful = अदभुत ; suffering = misery = कष्ट ; lane = street = गली ; starving = hungry = भूखा ;  wandered = went = चले गए ; dull = not bright or clear = नीरस ;  

 [PAGE 34] : Scarlet = bright red = गहरा लाल ; skate = move on skates =बर्फ पर फिसलना ; crumbs = small bits of bread = रोटी के छोटे –छोटे टुकड़े  ; flap = move up and down = फड़फड़ाना ; murmur = mutter = बुड़बुड़ाना ;   certainly = without doubts = निस्संदेह ; dreadful = fearful = डरावना ; mayor = head of a municipal = महापौर ;  shabby = in bad condition =बुरी हालत में I

 [PAGE 35] : Clerk = official in charge of records = मुशी ; pulled down = demolished = गिरा दिया ;melt = flow =पिघलना ;  foundry =  place where metal is melted and moulded  = ढलाई खाना ; paradise = heaven = स्वर्ग;




Following is the complete question bank for – The Happy Prince

EXTRACTS FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow in one or two lines.

(I)

“I will put up there,” he cried. “It is a fine position with plenty of fresh air.” So he alighted just between the feet of the Happy Prince.

(a) Who is the speaker and what is he talking about?

 The swallow is the speaker and he is talking about a suitable place to perch.

(b) What does ‘there’ stand for? Where was it?

‘There’ stands for the statue of the Happy Prince. It was high above the city on a tall column.

(c) Why was it a fine position?

 It was a fine position because the little swallow could get plenty of fresh air over there.

(d) Why did the speaker alight just between the feet of the Happy Prince?

The speaker, the little swallow, alighted just between the feet of the Happy Prince because he thought the statue would protect him from uncertain weather.

(II)

“I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State ball,” she said. “I have ordered flowers to be embroidered on it, but the seamstresses are so lazy.”

(a)Who is the speaker? Who is she talking to?

 The speaker is the loveliest maid of honour of the Queen. She is talking to her lover.

(b) Who has her dress? Why?

 The seamstress has her dress because the maid of honour had ordered her to embroider flowers on it.

(c)Why does she call the seamstresses lazy?

She calls the seamstresses lazy because as a woman from the rich class she lacks an understanding of the sufferings of the poor.

 (d) Is she right in considering the seamstresses to be lazy?

Give a reason. No, she is not right in considering the seamstresses to be lazy because it was hunger, cold, and fatigue that had interrupted the completion of order in time.

(III)

“Dear Prince,” said the swallow, “I cannot do that,” and he began to weep.

 “Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” said the Prince, “do as I command you.”

(a)What is ‘that’ in these lines?

‘That’ is the order given by the Happy Prince to the swallow to pluck the sapphire from his eye socket and give it to the playwright.

(b)Why did the swallow begin to weep?

The swallow began to weep because he had a tender heart and he could not bear the thought of the Happy Prince losing his eye.

(c)Why did the Prince command instead of making a request to the swallow?

The Prince commanded instead of making a request to the swallow because the Swallow had refused to pluck the sapphire while the Prince was determined to help the writer.

(d)Why does the Prince say, “Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow”?

The Prince says, “Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,” because he wanted to press upon the little bird the urgency of the situation.

(a)Who speaks these words to whom?

The Happy Prince speaks these words to the little swallow.

(b)Who is ‘he’ in these lines?

‘He’ is the young playwright who lived in a garret and struggled to complete his play due to cold and hunger.

(c)What does ‘it’ stand for? Why will ‘he’ sell ‘it’?

‘It’ stands for one of the sapphires which were used as the eyes in the statue of the Happy Prince. The writer will sell it to buy firewood and finish his play.

(d)How did the listener respond?

The listener, the little swallow, refused to pluck the sapphire from the eye socket of the Happy Prince and began to weep.

(V)

So they pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince. “As he is no longer beautiful he is no longer useful,” said the Art Professor at the University.

(a)Who pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince? Why?

The town authorities pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince because the Mayor had ordered it to be pulled down.

(b)Why was the statue no longer beautiful and useful?

The statue was no longer beautiful and useful because every precious jewel and every leaf of gold that covered it had been given away in charity by the Happy Prince.

(c)Point out the irony in this statement.

The statue of the Happy Prince had proved useful by helping so many poor and hungry people. Still, he was not admired for this sacrifice. Instead, his absence of beauty and uselessness were rued.

(d)What did they do after pulling down the statue?

They melted the statue in a furnace after pulling it down.

VERY SHORT ANSWERS

Q.1. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince.

Ans. The statue of the Happy Prince stood on a tall pillar. He was covered with gold. He had sapphires for his eyes. He had a large ruby on the hilt of his sword

 Q.2. What made the statue of the Happy Prince cry?

Ans. The statue of the Happy Prince was on a high pillar, He could see the sorrows and misery of people. He saw a seamstress. Her son was ill. But she had nothing to give her except the river water. This made the Happy Prince cry.

Q.3. Why was the statue called the Happy Prince?

Ans. This was the statue of a Prince. When he was alive he lived in a palace. He did not know what tears. Were  There was no sorrow in his life. He was always happy He lived and died as a Happy Prince. So his statue was called the Happy Prince.

 Q.4.  Why did the Happy Prince request the swallow to stay with him for the night?

Ans. The Happy Prince was very kind. He saw that the poor seamstress was very sad. Her son was ill. She had nothing to give him except the river water. The Happy Prince wanted to help her. He wanted to send her a ruby. But he could not move. So he requested the swallow to stay with him for the night.

Q.5. How did the swallow give comfort to the son of the seamstress?

Ans. The swallow came to the house of the seamstress. He found that her son was suffering from a fever. He took pity on him. He fanned the boy with his wings. The son felt comfort. He fell asleep.

Q.6. What was the last wish of the swallow?

Ans. The swallow knew that her end had come. He flew on to the shoulder of the Happy Prince and said, “wish to kiss your hand.” The Happy Prince asked him to kiss him on the lips. He kissed on his lips and then died.

Short Answer Type Questions of the lesson- The Happy Prince  (30 to 40 words)

Q1. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince as depicted at the beginning of the story.

 Ans:-The statue of the Happy Prince was mounted on a tall column high above the city. It had thin leaves of fine gold gilded all over. Two bright sapphires were its eyes and a large red ruby glowed on its sword hilt.

 Q2. Where was the swallow going? Why did he decide not to go there?

 Ans:-The swallow was going to Egypt to join his friends who had already reached there six weeks ago. Initially, he had stopped by only for a night to break his long journey but later got so attached to the Happy Prince that he could not bear to see him crying. He stayed back to be his messenger.

 Q3. Why did the swallow stop in the city? Where did he put up for the night?

 Ans:-The swallow stopped at the city to break his long journey to Egypt. His friends had already reached there. He alighted between the feet of the statue of the Happy Prince for a night’s stay.

 Q4. What happened when the little swallow was getting ready to sleep?

Ans: –A large drop of water fell on the little swallow when he was getting ready to sleep. He considered it a curious thing because it was a clear, bright, starlit, and cloudless night with no indication of rain.

Q5. What were the drops of rain actually? Why did they fall?

Ans:-The drops of rain were actually the tears that rolled down the Happy Prince’s sapphire eyes. The Prince’s sapphire eyes shed them because he was sad to see the poverty and misery of the city dwellers.

Q6. What made the statue of the Happy Prince cry?

 Ans:-The Happy Prince had never seen or experienced sorrow all his life. But after his death, his statue was put up on a high pedestal from where he could see the ugliness and misery of his land. This made him cry with sorrow.

 Q7. When did the Prince first ask the swallow to stay on? Why?

 Ans:-The Prince first asked the swallow to stay on for the night when he had seen the poor seamstress and her sick son. The Prince’s feet were fastened to the pedestal and he could not move. So, he needed the help of swallow in bringing relief and joy to the seamstress and her hungry and sick son.

Q8. Why did the swallow refuse to carry ruby to the seamstress? Why did he finally agree to do it?

 Ans:-The swallow first refused to carry the ruby to the seamstress because he wanted to be with his friends who were in Egypt. Moreover, when the Happy Prince expected help for the little boy of the seamstress, the bird said that he did not like boys. However, he agreed to stay for the night on seeing the Happy Prince in such a sorrowful state.

 Q9. How did the swallow reach the seamstress’s house?

 Ans:-The swallow flew over roofs of the town and passed the cathedral tower with white marbled angels sculptured on it. He flew over the palace and the river before he finally reached the seamstress’s house.

 Q10. What did the swallow overhear while going to the seamstress’s house?

Ans:-As he passed by the palace, the swallow saw a beautiful girl come out into the balcony. The swallow overheard her saying that she hoped her dress would be ready for the state ball and that she had ordered flowers to be embroidered on it but the seamstresses were a lazy lot.

Q11. Why and how did the Happy Prince help the seamstress?

Ans:-The Happy Prince decided to help the poor seamstress who was dead tired and whose son was hungry and lay in the fever. The poor woman had no money to feed her son and get him medicine. She only gave him water to drink. The Prince wanted the swallow to carry the ruby from his sword hilt so that the seamstress could get rid of her poverty and buy her son food and medicine.

 Q12. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress?

Ans:- What does the swallow do in the seamstress’s house? (Textual) The Happy Prince sends a ruby for the seamstress to help her get over her poverty so that she could buy food and medicine for her son. The swallow laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman’s thimble and flew around the bed, fanning the boy’s forehead with his wings.

Q13. Why couldn’t the poor seamstress sit beside her ailing son?

 Ans:-The poor seamstress had to work endlessly to complete a gown that had to be worn by the Queen’s loveliest maid of honour at the court ball. Tired and hungry, she fell off to sleep while her ailing son tossed on the bed alone.

 Q14. What change came over the bird on his return from the seamstress’s house? Why?

Ans:-After returning from the seamstress’s house, the swallow felt curious that despite the cold he was feeling quite warm. The Happy Prince told him that it was so because he had done a good deed.

 Q15. What did the swallow do before planning for his flight towards Egypt on the second night?

Ans:- The swallow bathed in the river at dawn and then spent the day to visit the city’s monuments. He also sat for a long time on top of the church steeple. Finally, he went to the Prince to ask him if he had any commissions for Egypt.

had gone blind. The Prince would then tell him to take off the gold from his body, leaf by leaf, and give it to the poor and needy.

 Q16. How did the swallow become the Prince’s eyes?

Ans:- The swallow stayed back with the blind Prince. He would fly over the city and see its people in all their colours. He would report their miseries and sufferings to the Prince. Then, on the Prince’s orders, he would pluck the golden leaves from his statue and give them to the needy.

 Q17. The little Swallow grew colder and colder but kept up his determination. How did the bird show his great strength and courage?

 Ans:-The bird grew cold because of the snow and the frost but he did not leave the Happy Prince. He would eat crumbs from a baker’s shop and keep himself warm by flapping his wings. He showed great strength and courage by staying on beside the Happy Prince in spite of the bitter cold and the consequent risk to his life.

 Q18. What did the swallow do when he realised that he was going to die? How did the Prince respond?

 Ans:-On realising that he was going to die, the swallow gathered his remaining strength and flew up to the prince’s shoulder. He bid him goodbye and sought permission to kiss his hand. The Prince thought that the swallow was going to leave for Egypt. He welcomed this decision and asked the swallow to kiss him on his lips instead, as he loved him.

 Q19. Why was a cracking sound heard when the swallow died?

Or

 What happened when the little swallow fell down dead at the feet of the Happy Prince?

Ans:-The Happy Prince loved the swallow dearly. So when the bird kissed the Prince and fell down dead at his feet, the latter’s leaden heart broke into two with a curious cracking sound.

 Q20. What happened to the Prince’s heart? Why?

Ans:-As the swallow fell dead at the Prince’s feet, the latter’s lead heart broke into two. This happened because the Prince loved the bird dearly. Although it was a dreadful winter, still the heart broke, for it was deeply hurt.

 Q21. What made the Happy Prince look shabby and beggarly?

Or

 Why did the Mayor and Town Councillors comment that the Prince looked ‘little better than a beggar’?

Ans:- The gold leaves that covered the statue of the Happy Prince were gradually given away in charity by him. His sapphire eyes and the red ruby on the sword hilt too were given away. This made him look shabby and beggarly

Q22. Why did the Town Councillors decide to pull down the statue of the Happy Prince?

Or

How did the Mayor and his Councillors react to seeing the statue of the Happy Prince?

 Ans:-The Mayor and the Town Councillors were shocked to see the dull looking statue of the Happy Prince bereft of his sapphire eyes, ruby-studded sword hilt and gold leaves. They decided to pull it down because it looked much too shabby and beggarly, and was no longer beautiful or useful.

 Q23. What strange thing was observed by the overseer?

 Ans:-The statue of the Happy Prince was pulled down and put to melt in a furnace. The overseer at the foundry noticed a strange thing at this time. The broken lead heart of the Prince did not melt and had to be thrown away in the dust.

Q24. What happened to the leaden heart of the Happy Prince after it was thrown away?

Ans:- Because it did not melt in the foundry, the Happy Prince’s lead heart was thrown away on a dust-heap where the swallow also lay dead. Later on, God’s Angels chose the heart as well as the dead swallow as the two most precious things in the city.

 Q25. What are the two most precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?

Or

 What did the Angel consider the two most precious things in the city? Why?

 Ans:-The two most precious things mentioned in the story are the kind lead-heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow. They are precious because the Angel chooses them for their virtues and noble deeds, and God gives them a place in his garden of Paradise.

 Q26. What is the moral of the story “The Happy Prince”?

Ans:- The moral of the story is that charity and compassion can endear us to God. Love, sacrifice and pity should be the governing virtues of mankind. Outward beauty is superficial and a heart that feels for others is the noblest heart.

27. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince.

Ans. The statue was covered with thin leaves of fine gold. It had two bright sapphires for its eyes. There was a large red ruby on its sword-hilt.

28. What made the Happy Prince cry?

Ans. The Happy Prince could see all the misery of the city. He cried on seeing the sorrows of the poor people.

29. To whom did the prince send his ruby and why?

Ans. The prince sent his ruby to a poor seamstress. Her son was ill. He was asking for oranges. But his mother had no money. So the prince wanted to help her.

30. How did the prince and the swallow enable the playwright to finish his work?

Ans. The playwright was feeling very cold and hungry. He could not finish his play. The prince asked the swallow to take one of his sapphires to the playwright. Thus they helped him to finish his work.

31. How did the prince help the match-girl? What was the result?

Ans. The prince sent the sapphire to the match-girl. She became very happy. She ran home laughing.

32. Why did the swallow decide not to leave the prince?

Ans. The prince had given the sapphires from his eyes to the poor. He was now completely blind. Therefore, the swallow decided to stay with him.

33. How did the prince and the swallow help the poor?

Ans. The swallow told the prince about the misery of the people. The prince asked the swallow to pluck gold and jewels from his body. He asked the swallow to give all these to the poor.

34. What did the angel consider ‘the two most precious things in the city’?

Ans. He considered the lead heart and the dead swallow the two most precious things in the city.

35. When the prince was alive, he did not know what tears were. Why?

Ans. The prince lived in a palace. No sorrow was allowed to enter there. The prince never had the taste of sorrow. So he did not know what tears were.

36. What was the boy’s mother doing when the swallow flew into the room? Where did he put the ruby? Why did the boy feel cool?

Ans. The boy’s mother had fallen asleep. The swallow put the ruby on a table near the woman. He fanned the boy with his wings. The boy now felt cool.

37. What made the playwright happy?

Ans. The playwright saw a sapphire lying near him on the table. He thought it had been sent by some great admirer. This made him happy.

38. Describe the sufferings of poor people in the city. How did the Happy Prince help them?

Ans. The poor people in the city lived a miserable life. There was a poor seamstress. She had nothing to give her son who was sick. So the Happy Prince sent a ruby for her. There was a playwright who had no firewood to keep himself warm. The prince sent him a sapphire. There was a match-girl who had no shoes or stockings. Her matches had fallen in the gutter. She was crying. The prince sent her his second sapphire. There were hungry and homeless children. The prince sent them all the gold leaves he had on his body.

39. Give a brief character-sketch of the Happy Prince.

Ans. The Happy Prince saw the misery of the poor people. His heart melted with pity for them. Their sufferings brought tears to his eyes. He gave away his ruby, sapphires and all the gold for the poor. He became blind. His body looked ugly. But he was happy at heart because he had given away his all for the poor. The Happy Prince came to know that real happiness lay in the service of the poor. God blessed him and kept him in His city of gold.

40 Give a brief character-sketch of the swallow.

Ans. The swallow was every inch like the Happy Prince. It had a very kind heart. It saw tears in the prince’s eyes. Its heart melted with pity. It wanted to help the prince. Therefore, it gave up its idea of going to Egypt. It stayed with the prince on cold nights. When the prince became blind, the swallow, decided to live with him forever. It died one day. But even the dead could not separate it from the prince. It was taken to heaven along with the prince.

 OBJECTIVE-TYPE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

Choose the correct answer.

1.Name the writer of the story, ‘The Happy Prince’.

(A) Oscar Wilde.

 (B) R.K. Laxman.

(C) Ruskin Bond.

(D) Mulk Raj Anand.

2.Where was the statue of the Happy Prince put up?

(A) In a temple.

(B) In the town hall.

 (C) In the centre of ‘a public garden.

 (D)) High above the city, on a tall column.

3.What was the statue of the Happy Prince covered with?

(A) Thick leaves of silver.

(B) Thin leaves of tine gold.

(C) Thick leaves of platinum.

(D) Sapphires and rubies.

4.What did the statue of the Happy Prince have for its eyes?

(A) Two bright pearls.

 (B) Two bright sapphires.

(C) Two bright rubies.

 (D) Two bright diamonds.

5.What did the Happy Prince have on his sword-hilt?

(A) Two big pearls.

 (B) Two big sapphires.

(C) A big ruby.

(D) Two big rubies.

6.Where did the swallow decide to spend the night?

(A) In a tree near the statue of the Happy Prince.

(B) On the shoulder of the Happy Prince.

(C) Between the feet of the Happy Prince.

(D) Under the tall column where the statue stood.

7.What happened when the swallow prepared to sleep between the feet of the Happy Prince?

 (A) It started raining heavily.

(B) A large drop of water fell on him.

(C) He heard the cry of the Happy Prince.

(D) He saw the Happy Prince crying.

8.The swallow looked up when the……….. drop of water fell on him.

(A) the first.

(B) the second.

(C) the third.

(D) the fourth.

9.What did the swallow see when he looked up?

(A) He saw the eyes of the Happy Prince filled with tears.

(B) He saw tears running down the golden cheeks of the Happy Prince.

 (C) Both A and B above.

(D) Neither A nor B.

10.How did the swallow feel when he saw the beautiful face of the Happy Prince and the tears in his eyes?

(A) He was filled with pity.

 (B) He was filled with anger.

(C) He was deeply shocked.

 (D) He became very nervous.

11.The swallow asked the Happy Prince why ………….

  (A) he was weeping.

(B) he was laughing.

 (C) he was smiling.

(D) he was crying.

12. The Happy Prince told the swallow that while he was alive………

 (A) he had a human heart.

 (B) he did not know what tears were.

 (C) he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter.

(D) All the above.

13. The Happy Prince said that he could see……….

 (A) his palace.

 (B) the city mayor and his councillors.

(C) the happy children playing in the streets.

(D) all the misery and ugliness of the city.

14. The Happy Prince said that his heart was made of……….

 (A) lead.

 (B) gold.

 (C) sapphires.

 (D) rubies.

15. The little boy of the seamstress had the fever and was asking his mother for………………..

(A) water.

(B) bread.

 (C) oranges.

(D) apples.

16. The Happy Prince asked the swallow to take …………….. to the poor seamstress.

(A) a ruby from his sword-hilt.

 (B) a sapphire from his sword-hilt.

 (C) a ruby from his eyes.

 (D) a sapphire from his eyes.

17. The Happy Prince could not move because…………..

   (A) he was dead.

(B) he was on the tall column.

(C) his feet were tied to the pedestal.

 (D) his body was covered with leaves of gold.

18.The River Nile is in

 (A) England.

(B) Japan.

(C) France.

(D) Egypt.

19.What did the swallow do at the poor seamstress’s house?

 (A) He laid the ruby on the table.

(B) He fanned the sick boy’s forehead with his wings.

(C) Both A and B above.

(D) Neither A nor B.

20.It was cold, yet the swallow felt quite warm. Why?

(A) Because he was sitting between the feet of the Happy Prince.

(B) Because the Happy Prince had given him his big ruby.

 (C) Because he had done a good act.

 (D) Because he had wings and feathers on his body.

21.What did the Happy Prince send for the young playwright?

 (A) A ruby from his sword-hilt.

(B) A sapphire from his eyes.

 (C) A ruby from his eyes.

(D) A leaf of gold from his face.

22.What did the Happy Prince say about the Sapphires in his eyes?

(A) He said they were rare sapphires.

(B) He said they were brought out of India a thousand years ago.

 (C ) Both A and B above.

(D) Neither A nor B.

23.What did the young playwright think when he found a beautiful sapphire on his withered violets?

 (A) He thought it was from a great admirer of his plays.

 (B) He thought it was a gift from the Happy Prince.

(C) He thought someone had put it there by mistake.

 (D) He thought the sapphire was a reward from his Director.

24.Who did the Happy Prince send his second sapphire for?

(A) For the poor match-girl.

 (B) For the poor seamstress.

 (C) For the poor playwright.

 (D) For the mayor of the city.

25.Why did the swallow decide to stay with the Happy Prince always?

 (A) Because the Happy Prince had a lot of gold.

 (B) Because the Happy Prince had given away his sapphires for the poor.

 (C) Because the Happy Prince looked very sad now.

(D) Because the Happy Prince had now become blind.

26.What did the Happy Prince say was more marvellous than anything?

(A) The sapphires in his eyes.

 (B) The suffering of men and women.

(C) The beauties of nature.

 (D) The beautiful things in his palace.

27.What did the Happy Prince think was the greatest mystery?

(A) Death.

(B) Misery.

(C) Life.

(D) God.

28.What were two little boys doing under the archway of a bridge?

(A) They were lying in each other’s arms to keep themselves warm.

(B) They were waiting for the swallow to bring them some gold.

 (C) They were hungry and were begging for food.

(D) They were trying to hide from the watchman

29.What did the Happy Prince ask the swallow to do with the gold on his body?

(A) To take it off leaf by leaf and give it to the poor.

(B) To take it off and keep it for himself.

 (C) To take it off and give it to the match-girl.

(D) To take it off and give it to the poor seamstress.

30.What did the swallow do before he fell down dead?

(A) He kissed the Happy Prince on his lips.

(B) He told the Happy Prince that he was going to the House of Death.

(C ) Both A and B above.

(D) Neither A nor B.

Hints: 1. A        2. D        3. B         4. B         5. C         6. C         7. B         8. C

              9.C          10. A       11. A       12. D      13. D         14. A      15. C      16. A

             17.C        18.D        19. C       20. C      21. B          22.C       23.A       24.A

           25.D       26. B        27. B      28. A      29. A        30. C.

 Very Short Answer Type Important Questions of the lesson- The Happy Prince

1. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince.

Ans.  The statue was covered with thin leaves of fine gold. It had two bright sapphires for its eyes. There was a large red ruby on its sword-hilt.

2. What made the Happy Prince cry?

 Ans.  The Happy Prince could see all the misery of the city. He cried on seeing the sorrows of the poor people.

3. To whom did the prince send his ruby and why?

 Ans. The prince sent his ruby to a poor seamstress. Her son was ill. He was asking for oranges. But his mother had no money. So the prince wanted to help her.

4. How did the prince and the swallow enable the playwright to finish his work?

Ans. The playwright was feeling very cold and hungry. He could not finish his play. The prince asked the swallow to take one of his sapphires to the playwright. Thus they helped him to finish his work.

5. How did the prince help the match-girl? What was the result?

Ans. The prince sent the sapphire to the match-girl. She became very happy. She ran home laughing.

6. Why did the swallow decide not to leave the prince?

Ans. The prince had given the sapphires from his eyes to the poor. He was now completely blind. Therefore, the swallow decided to stay with him.

7. How did the prince and the swallow help the poor?

Ans. The swallow told the prince about the misery of the people. The prince asked the swallow to pluck gold and jewels from his body. He asked the swallow to give all these to the poor.

8. What did the angel consider ‘the two most precious things in the city’?

Ans.  He considered the lead heart and the dead swallow the two most precious things in the city.

9. When the prince was alive, he did not know what tears were. Why?

Ans. The prince lived in a palace. No sorrow was allowed to enter there. The prince never had the taste of sorrow. So he did not know what tears were.

10. What was the boy’s mother doing when the swallow flew into the room? Where did he put the ruby? Why did the boy feel cool?

Ans. The boy’s mother had fallen asleep. The swallow put the ruby on a table near the woman. He fanned the boy with his wings. The boy now felt cool.

11. What made the playwright happy?

Ans. The playwright saw a sapphire lying near him on the table. He thought it had been sent by some great admirer. This made him happy.

12. Describe the sufferings of poor people in the city. How did the Happy Prince help them?

Ans.  The poor people in the city lived a miserable life. There was a poor seamstress. She had nothing to give her son who was sick. So the Happy Prince sent a ruby for her. There was a playwright who had no firewood to keep himself warm. The prince sent him a sapphire. There was a match-girl who had no shoes or stockings. Her matches had fallen in the gutter. She was crying. The prince sent her his second sapphire. There were hungry and homeless children. The prince sent them all the gold leaves he had on his body.

SHORT ANSWERS of the lesson- The Happy Prince

Q1. Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘The Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?                                                                                                                                           

 Ans. He was a prince when he was alive. Being a prince he never knew sorrow and suffering of people. The prince was known as the Happy Prince because he always had a smile on lips. But, after his death, he was not happy in the real sense as his heart could feel the misery of needy people. He saw the miserable conditions of the people around him.

Q2. For whom does the prince send his 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 his play for the director of the theatre, on time. The prince 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 his second sapphire.

Q3. Describe the statue in the story “The Happy Prince”.

Ans. The statue was covered all over with the leaves of fine gold. Two bright sapphires were fixed in place of eyes, and the heart was made of lead. A large ruby was fixed in his sword hilt.

Q4. What did the Prince want the swallow to do?

Ans. The prince wanted the swallow to pick out the ruby from his sword-hilt and gave it to the poor seamstress.

Q5. When the Prince was alive, he did not know what tears were. Why?

Ans. When the Prince was alive, he lived in a palace. The prince lived happily and knew no sorrow. Even the courtiers called him the happy prince. So, he did not know what tears were.

 Q6. Why did the swallow not leave the Prince and go to Egypt?                                    

Ans. The Happy Prince had become totally blind. The swallow was impressed with his charity and kindness. He had sacrificed everything for a good cause of helping the poor in their needs. The swallow loved the prince and could not leave him in that state. He decided not to go to Egypt. He remained there till his last breath.

Q7. 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 give her the great ruby.

 Q8. Describe the young man in the garret. Why could he not able to complete his play?

Ans. He was a young playwright. He was leaning over a desk covered with papers. His hair was brown and crisp and his lips were red. He had large and dreamy eyes. He was trying to finish a play for the theatre. But he was feeling cold as there was no firewood, and hunger had made him faint. So, he could not be able to finish his play.

Q9. What did the swallow see when it was flying 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.

Q10. What happened to the Happy Prince’s leaden heart?

 Ans. Happy Prince’s leaden heart did not melt in the furnace. It was thrown away. The angels considered the leaden heart, the most precious thing in the city. They took it to heaven.

Q11. What is the most pathetic event in the story, The Happy Prince’?

 Ans. When the swallow flew over the city, he noticed the intense miseries of the people. He took all the wealth covering the statue of a prince and gave to the poor. Besides, it was winter season and there was snow and frost all around which was unbearable to the swallow.

Q12. What kind of friendship did the prince and the swallow have?

 Ans. The swallow had a kind heart. When the prince requested him to stay for a day, he agreed. He became ready to carry a ruby to the playwright. He also delivered a sapphire to the poor woman. When the prince gave away the second sapphire, he became blind. In such condition, the swallow decided to stay with him and took his care. Thus, the swallow was a true friend and his friendship was real.

Q13. How did God reward the Prince and the swallow?

Ans. God rewarded the happy prince and the swallow by giving them a place in heaven. The swallow will sing forever in the garden of paradise and the happy prince will live in the city of gold.

Q14. What happened when the little swallow fell down at the feet of the Happy Prince?

 Ans. When the little swallow fell down at his feet, a curious crack sounded inside the statue. It seemed that something had broken. In fact, the leaden heart had swapped right into two in the dreadful hard frost.

Q15. How did the little swallow feel when he saw the eyes of Happy Prince were 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 was sad over the miserable condition of the people all around and was unable to help them. He could not tolerate this condition. So the Happy Prince wept.

Q16. Give a brief character-sketch of the Happy Prince.

Ans.  The Happy Prince saw the misery of the poor people. His heart melted with pity for them. Their sufferings brought tears into his eyes. He gave away his ruby, sapphires and all the gold for the poor. He became blind. His body looked ugly. But he was happy at heart because he had given away his all for the poor. The Happy Prince came to know that real happiness lay in the service of the poor. God blessed him and kept him in His city of gold.

Q17. Give a brief character-sketch of the swallow.

Ans.  The swallow was every inch like the Happy Prince. It had a very kind heart. It saw tears in the prince’s eyes. Its heart melted with pity. It wanted to help the prince. Therefore, it gave up its idea of going to Egypt. It stayed with the prince on cold nights. When the prince became blind, the swallow, decided to live with him forever. It died one day. But even the dead could not separate it from the prince. It was taken to heaven along with the prince.

Additional  Questions of the lesson- The Happy Prince

 Q.1. Describe the statue of the Happy Prince.

Ans. The statue of the Happy Prince stood on a tall pillar. He was covered with gold. He had sapphires for his eyes. He had a large ruby on the hilt of his sword

 Q.2. What made the statue of the Happy Prince cry?

Ans. The statue of the Happy Prince was on a high pillar, He could see the sorrows and misery of people. He saw a seamstress. Her son was ill. But she had nothing to give her except the river water. This made the Happy Prince cry.

Q.3. Why was the statue called the Happy Prince?

Ans. This was the statue of a Prince. When he was alive he lived in a palace. He did not know what tears. Were  There was no sorrow in his life. He was always happy He lived and died as a Happy Prince. So his statue was called the Happy Prince.

 Q.4.  Why did the Happy Prince request the swallow to stay with him for the night?

Ans. The Happy Prince was very kind. He saw that the poor seamstress was very sad. Her son was ill. She had nothing to give him except the river water. The Happy Prince wanted to help her. He wanted to send her a ruby. But he could not move. So he requested the swallow to stay with him for the night.

Q.5. How did the swallow give comfort to the son of the seamstress?

Ans. The swallow came to the house of the seamstress. He found that her son was suffering from a fever. He took pity on him. He fanned the boy with his wings. The son felt comfort. He fell asleep.

Q.6. What was the last wish of the swallow?

Ans. The swallow knew that her end had come. He flew on to the shoulder of the Happy Prince and said, “wish to kiss your hand.” The Happy Prince asked him to kiss him on the lips. He kissed on his lips and then died.

Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each Value-based questions- 

 Ql. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?                                                                (Textual)

Or

 What did the swallow observe when he flew over the city?

Ans: Flying over the city, the swallow saw the difference in the ways the rich and the poor lived. He saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses, while the beggars were sitting at their gates. In the dark lanes, he saw the white faces of starving children looking out lifelessly. Two little boys were trying to keep each other warm by hugging close under the archway of a bridge and the watchman was telling them not to lie them. Uncared for and unwanted, these boys wandered out into the rain. Thus, the swallow saw the same misery that made the Happy Prince weep.

 Q2. Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?                                                                                                                                                 (Textual)

Or

 Why was ‘Happy Prince’ not really happy?

 Ans: The courtiers call the prince the ‘Happy Prince’ because he lived a happy life during which no sorrow could enter his palace. However, the prince was not actually happy because he had never got the chance to witness the misery and plight of his people. By keeping him away from sorrow, his heart was never given a chance to feel the virtues of pity and compassion. So, when his statue was placed at a point from where he could see the city laid before him, he saw pain, hunger, want, and suffering all around. Even his lead heart could not help but weep at this site.

 Q3. When and how did the Happy Prince realise the true meaning of life? What did this realisation prompt him to do?

Ans: The Happy Prince had lived a very comfortable life and had not known any sorrow when he was alive. In fact, sorrow was not allowed to enter the palace where he lived. Thus, he was called the ‘Happy Prince’ by his ministers. However, after his death, his gold and jewel-studded statue were put up on a high column in the city. From here, the Happy Prince, like a statue, got to see the pain and miseries of the people. He then realised that ugliness and sufferings are the true faces of life. He felt that the misery suffered by humans was the greatest mystery and the plight of – men and women was more marvellous than the grandeurs of riches. He then started giving away his riches to the needy and tried to relieve them of the pain of poverty.

Q4. How did the swallow exhibit the values of unconditional love and devotion? ,

Or

 The swallow was to fly away to Egypt. Why did he decide to stay on with the Happy Prince? What does this act of his show about his character?

Ans: The swallow happened to stop by at the city where the statue of the Happy Prince was placed. It was the sheer chance that he took shelter between the feet of the statue for just one night on way to Egypt, but stayed back till his last breath because he was moved by the Prince’s selfless love, kindness and spirit of self-sacrifice. This act of the swallow shows the qualities of compassion, understanding and helpfulness in his character. He helped the Prince by becoming his messenger and carrying the jewels from the statue to the seamstress, the playwright and the match girl. He became a constant companion to the Prince after both the sapphires had been plucked out from his eye sockets. The swallow loved the Prince unconditionally and became his eyes by flying over the city and reporting the hardships and miseries of the people. He would faithfully follow all the orders of the Prince and carry the gold leaves from the statue and give them to the needy. Thus, the good values of the swallow helped him to remain a loving companion to the Prince till cold and hunger snatched away his life.

 Q5. How did the Happy Prince discover true happiness? How did he spread it?

Or

 What the Happy Prince does as a statue should have been done by him when he was alive? Discuss.

Ans: The Happy Prince had lived a very comfortable life as long as he lived. He had never seen sorrow as it was not allowed to enter his palace. Hence his courtiers called him the ‘Happy Prince’. However, after his death, his statue was put up on a high column and he got to see the miseries, sorrows and sufferings of the people in his city and decided to do his bit to lessen them. That is when he discovered true happiness and from thereon he spread it by sacrificing all that he had.

 For example, he had the ruby in his sword hilt sent to a poor seamstress to help her get over poverty and buy food and medicines for her ailing son. Again, the Happy Prince sent one of his sapphire eyes to a poor playwright in need of warmth and food so that he could complete his play for a show. The other sapphire was sent to a matchgirl who was crying because her matches had fallen in a gutter and she feared her father would beat her for not bringing home any money. And whatever leaves of fine gold the Prince had were distributed among the poor to bring them succour. Thus, the Prince donated all that he had to end misery and poverty in the city. This is what he, and for that matter, any prince on the earth, should have done, for the true purpose of life is to be happy by spreading happiness.

 Q6. Imagine you are the playwright who received the mystery gift of a sapphire. While passing by the statue you get to unravel the mystery when you overhear the general public and councillors discussing the dull statue of the Happy Prince. Write a diary entry expressing your gratitude to the Happy Prince and expressing your dismay at the council’s decision of pulling down the statue.

 Ans:(Day & Date)                                                                                                                                              (Time)

Dear Diary

 For days I have been trying to unravel the mystery of a precious sapphire I found at my desk a few days ago. I wondered who this admirer and saviour were. I wanted to personally thank him for his generous and timely help in saving my life and my career as a playwright.

 The mystery got solved today when I was passing by the statue of the Happy Prince. A crowd of people, among them the Mayor and Town Councillors, were discussing how shabby and dull the statue looked without its ruby, sapphires and gold leaves. That is when I realized that the sapphire I had got was actually one of the eyes of the statue of the Happy Prince. That also explained how the poor and needy people in the city were mysteriously getting jewels and gold so that they could end their poverty and miseries. The Happy Prince with the help of the swallow – his noble companion – had brought so much happiness to the poor and downtrodden by sacrificing all he had.

 It utterly dismayed me to hear of the council’s decision to pull down the statue because it looked nothing better than a dull, shabby beggar! How callous and ignorant the Mayor and the Councillors are!

However, I shall remain eternally grateful to the Happy Prince and the swallow, his faithful companion, and as a token of my gratitude to them, I am going to write and stage a play to highlight their exemplary sacrifices in bringing joy and happiness to the poor and needy people of the city.

May the soul of the Happy Prince and the swallow rest in eternal peace in the abode of God.

 Q.7. Why did the Happy Prince send a ruby to the seamstress?

Ans. The Happy Prince was very kind. He saw the ugliness and misery of his city. He saw a small house. In this house there lived a poor woman. She was a seamstress. Her face was thin. She looked tired. Her hands were rough. There were needle marks on them. She was embroidering flowers on a satin gown. Her son was ill. He wanted to cat oranges. But the woman was very poor. She could not give him anything except the river water. She could not leave the town. The Queen’s maid had to wear it at the next court ball. The Happy Prince felt pity for the poor woman and his son. He wanted to help them. So he sent a ruby to her.

Q .8. Why did the Happy Prince request the swallow to stay for another day?

Ans. The  Happy Prince was on a tall column. From there he could see the miseries of people. He wanted to help the poor. But he could not move. The Prince wanted to help a poor seamstress. He sent a ruby to her through the swallow  Then the Prince saw a playwright. He was leaning on his desk. He was very handsome.  His hair was brown and crisp. He was trying to finish a play. But he was feeling very cold. He had no firewood to keep himself warm. The Prince wanted to help him. He wanted to send one of the sapphires of his eyes to the young man. So he requested the swallow to stay for another day.

Q.9. Describe the sufferings of poor people in the city. How did The Happy Prince help them?

Ans. The poor people in the city were miserable. The Happy Prince saw their sorrows and sufferings. There was a poor seamstress. She was sad and tired. But she had nothing to give him except the river water. In another house, there lived a poor playwright. He had no wood to keep himself warm. There was a little match girl. She had no shoes or stockings. The Prince also saw the homeless and children. They were hungry and were shivering with cold. The Prince felt pity for them.  He sent the ruby to the poor woman. He sent one sapphire each to the young man and the match girl. He sent all the gold of his body to these children. Now they could buy bread and be happy. Thus the Happy Prince helped the poor and sad people of his city.

Q.10. What happened to the statue of the Prince and the swallow in the end?

Ans. The swallow and the Happy Prince became friends. The swallow loved the Prince for his kindness. He decided not to go away. The Prince sent his ruby and the sapphires of his eyes to the poor people. He sent the gold of his body to the poor children. Now he was blind and ugly. Then winter came. The little swallow felt very cold. But he did not leave the Prince. One day, the swallow died. The leaden heart of the Prince broke in two. The next day, the statue was pulled down. It was melted in a furnace. But leaden heart did not melt. It was thrown into a heap. The dead body of the swallow was also lying there. God sent his angel to bring the two most precious things from the city. The angel brought him the leaden heart of the Prince and the dead body of the swallow.

Q.11. Draw a brief character sketch of the Happy Prince

Ans. The Happy Prince was a statue. He stood on a tall pillar. He had two sapphires for his eyes. His body was covered with leaves of gold. There was ruby in his sword hilt. When he was alive he was very happy. He did not know any sorrow or misery. People called him the Happy Prince. After his death, he was set on a high pillar. Now he could see poverty and misery all around him. His heart was filled with pity. He tried to help poor people. He sent the ruby to the poor seamstress. He sent the sapphires of his eyes to the playwright and the match girl. He sent the gold of his body to the poor and hungry children. He loved the swallow. When the swallow died his heart broke. Thus the Happy Prince was a kind and loving man.

Q.12. Give a brief Character-sketch of the swallow

Ans. The little swallow plays an important role in this story. He was going to Egypt. His friends were waiting for him. But the Prince requested him to stay for one day more. He agreed. At the request of the Prince, he took the ruby to the seamstress. He took the sapphires of the Prince’s eyes to the young man and the poor girl. Now the Prince was blind. So he decided to stay with the Prince. The swallow had a kind heart. He fanned the son of the poor woman and gave him comfort. Then winter came. The swallow lived in the snow. He had only crumbs to eat. But he did not leave the Prince. One day the swallow died. But even death could not separate hint from the prince. The angel of God took the swallow and the Prince’s heart to paradise.

Q13. The little swallow was as noble as the Happy Prince. Describe how the swallow played an important role in helping the Happy Prince to carry out his noble deeds?

Ans. Undoubtedly, the swallow was a kind bird. He wanted to go to Egypt with his friends. At first, when he rested between the feet of the Happy Prince, he had no feeling of helping others. His quality becomes obvious when we noticed tears in his eyes on seeing the Happy Prince’s heart aching. He discharged his duty with full loyalty and obedience. When he started living with the Prince, he became more sympathetic towards others. He had a deep sense of service. He helped the seamstress by bringing her a ruby and fanned the sick boy with his wings. He helped 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.

Q14. The two most precious things in the city were the Happy Prince and the swallow. Do you agree? Explain.

Ans. The two most precious things in the city were the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow. The Happy Prince had sacrificed his precious and beautiful things to serve humanity and helped the poor. The swallow fulfilled the wishes of the happy prince. He sacrificed his self-interest in going to Egypt. He carried gold and jewels to the suffering people. He remained with the prince in the bad weather also. He died at the prince’s feet. So, the angel was right when it took the leaden heart of the prince and the dead swallow to Heaven.

 Q 15. How did the Swallow show obedience as the greatest virtue of living things?

 Ans. The Swallow was a bird but he was very obedient. Whenever the Happy Prince requested the swallow to help the people who were in miserable condition, he obeyed the prince’s order. Gradually, he became affectionate to the prince and decided to stay with him. The Swallow became weak during the course of helping others. As long as he was alive, he was obedient to the Happy Prince. In fact, obedience was the greatest quality of him.

Q`16. ‘Goodness can never be destroyed’. Do you agree? Illustrate with reference to the story “The Happy Prince”.

Ans. Goodness is forever. The happy prince had goodness for all. He was moved by the widespread poverty and misery. He gave his eyes, his gold and jewels to the poor. When the swallow died at his feet, his heart was broken into two. The statue of the happy prince was no longer useful and beautiful. It was pulled down. When the statue was melted in a furnace, the leaden heart did not melt because goodness can never be destroyed. The prince and the swallow both were rewarded by God by providing them with a place in heaven.

Q17. ‘Good deeds always pay’. Do you agree? How were the Happy Prince and the swallow paid for their good deeds?

Ans. Yes, good deeds are ever rewarding. In other words, good deeds always pay in one’s life. It is true that mortal life is meant to decay and death and good deeds make one immortal. In life, we get the utmost contentment and inner pleasure by doing some charitable act or by helping others. In the story, ‘The Happy Prince’, both the happy prince and the swallow were rewarded for their good deeds by God. They found a permanent place in heaven. The swallow will sing forever in the garden of paradise and the happy prince will live in the city of gold. Thus, the story teaches us to live a meaningful life by helping those who are in need.

 Q18. The town mayor ordered the statue of the Happy Prince to be pulled down. How does this show the bad side of human nature and behaviour?

 Ans. This is a strange world. It presents a shocking contrasts. Nothing succeeds like success here. So long you are powerful and strong you are respected and obeyed. In this dazzling world of wealth and riches, human feelings have no relevance. The statue of the Happy Prince was installed at the highest column in the most important square of the city. It was gilded all over with fine gold. His eyes had two bright sapphires and a large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt. He was a symbol of power, beauty and grandeur. The moment he lost his gold, sapphires and the grand ruby, he became very ordinary, ugly and useless. He was to be pulled down and melted in a furnace. The Mayor and the Town Counsellors are cruel and selfish.

Q19. True happiness is found only in making others happy. Comment with reference to the story ‘The Happy Prince’.

Ans. There are fun, happiness and thrill of buying things for ourselves and enjoying life on your own but the real happiness gets from making others happy is far greater and deeper than any happiness. We can get them by doing things for others. There is a Chinese proverb, “Fragrance clings to the hand that gives roses”. The fragrance of happiness clings to the heart that spread happiness to others. In the story, the happy prince could not see the misery of people. He lived a comfortable life inside the palace and never saw the misery and ugliness of the people around him but in the form of the statue when he witnessed the pathetic condition of the poor he sacrificed all his precious things to serve the suffering humanity and got everlasting happiness in heaven.

QUICK REVIEW OF THE CHAPTER – The Happy Prince

1. Where did the statue of the Happy Prince stand?

(A) in the palace                                               (B) on a tall building

(C) on a tall column                                         (D)) in a park

Ans. (C) on a tall column

2. What was the body of the Happy Prince gilded with?

(A) flowers                                                         (B) silver leaves

 (C) thin leaves of brass                                                 (D) thin leaves of gold

Ans. (D) thin leaves of gold

3. What were his eyes made of?

(A) sapphires                                                     (B) ruby

 (C) diamond                                                      (D) glass

Ans. (A) sapphires

4. Where was the little swallow going

(A) to Egypt                                                        (B) to India

(C) to Cylons                                                      (D) to Syria

Ans. (A) to Egypt

5. Where did the swallow decide to spend the night 

(A) under a chance                                          (B) in a house

 (C) in the king’s palace                                 (D) between the feet of the statue

 Ans. (D) between the feet of the statue

6. What happened as the little swallow was going to sleep?

 (A) a cool breeze blew                                  (B) the clouds thundered

 (C) a large drop of water fell on him       (D) the statue began to shake

 Ans. (C) a large drop of water fell on him

7. How many drops of water fell on the little swallow from the eyes of the Happy Prince?

(A) one                                                                                (B) two

(C) three                                                                             (D) four

Ans. (C) three

8. Why was the Happy Prince weeping?

(A) to sec the condition of the   (B) to see the sorrows and little swallow town sufferings of the people of his

(C) to sec his ugly body                  (D) none of these

Ans.  (B) to see the sorrows and sufferings of the people of his

9. When the Happy Prince was alive; he did not know what______ was.

(A) joys                                                                                 (B) amusements

(C) tears                                                                               (D) blessings

 Ans. (C) tears

10. What did his courtiers call him when he was alive?

   (A) The Happy Prince                                                     (B) Maharaja

  (C) Yuvraj                                                                            (D) Lord

 Ans. (A) The Happy Prince

11. What was his heart made of?

 (A) gold                                                                               (B) diamond

(C) silver                                                                              (D) lead

Ans. (D) lead

12. What was the profession of the woman who was sitting in her cottage with prickled hands?

 (A) seamstress                                                                  (B) cake-making

 (C) charwoman                                                                (D) none of these

 Ans.  (A) seamstress

13. What was the seamstress’s ailing son asking for?

 (A) bread                                                                             (B) medicines

(C) oranges                                                                         (D) drinking water

Ans.   (C) oranges

14. What does the Happy Prince ask the little swallow to take to the poor lady?

 (A) an orange                                                                   (B) a sapphire

(C) a ruby                                                                            (D) a bag of coins

 Ans. (C) a ruby

15. Which country does the river Nile belong to?

(A) England                                                                         (B) India

 (C) South Africa                                                               (D) Egypt

 Ans.  (D) Egypt

16. Where did the little swallow take the ruby to?

(A) to the palace                                                              (B) to the seamstress’ house

(C) to Egypt                                                                        (D) nowhere

Ans.   (B) to the seamstress’ house

17. Where were the white marble angles sculptured?

 (A) in the palace                                                               (B) near the palace

   (C) in the cathedral tower                                            (D) in the seamstress’s house

Ans. (C) in the cathedral tower

18. Why was the boy tossing on the bed?

(A) because of fever                                                      (B) because of hunger

(C) because of cold                                                         (D) because of thirst

Ans. (A) because of fever

19. When the little swallow returned to the Happy Prince after giving a ruby to the seamstress how was he feeling?

(A) cold                                                                                (B) painful

 (C) dissatisfied and tired                                               (D) warm and happy

 Ans. (D) warm and happy

20. What was the trouble to the playwright?

(A) he was sick                                                                  (B) he was cold and hungry

(C) he was dull and boring                                            (D) he had no work to do

 Ans. (B) he was cold and hungry

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