NCERT Solutions For Class 9 English Moments Chapter 5 The Happy Prince free PDF is given here. These Solutions contains answers to all questions provided in the textbook. Class 9th English Moments Chapter 5 solutions are explained by the expert English teacher and as per NCERT (CBSE) guidelines.
Think About It
Question 1: Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?
Answer: The courtiers called the prince ‘the Happy Prince’ because he was always happy. He did not know what tears were as he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter.
No, he is not really happy. After death when he was made into a statue, tears flowed down his eyes on seeing the ugliness and the miseries of his city.
Question 2: Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
Answer: The Happy Prince sent a ruby for the seamstress as she was extremely poor and could not feed her child who was suffering from fever.
The swallow, on being persuaded by the prince, went to the seamstress’s house. She had fallen asleep so the swallow kept the ruby on the table where the woman worked. He then flew round the bed fanning the boy’s forehead with his wings. This made the boy feel relaxed and he went to sleep.
Question 3: For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
Answer: The playwright was very poor. He was incapable of buying food and firewood. The prince sent the sapphires for the playwright so that he could finish a play for the director of the theatre in time. The princes sent his second sapphire to a poor match girl. Her matches had fallen into the gutter. She was afraid that her father would beat her for this loss. So, she was helped by the prince by sending her the second sapphire.
Question 4: What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
Answer: The swallow flew over the city. He saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses. There were beggars sitting at the gates. He saw the white faces of hungry children. He also saw the watchman asking two hungry boys to run off.
Question 5: Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
Answer: Since the prince had given away the two sapphires of his eyes to the people in need, he had become blind. Touched by his kindness and to give him support, the swallow decided to stay with the prince always. He left the idea of going to Egypt and decided to serve the Prince.
Question 6: What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
Answer: The precious things mentioned in the story are the leaden heart of the happy prince and the dead bird. They are precious because both the happy prince and the swallow were very kind, generous and selfless. The prince could not bear to see the ugliness, misery and suffering in his city and so gave away all his precious stones and gold to make his people happy.
Similarly the swallow sacrificed his trip to Egypt and acted as the prince’s messenger carrying the precious stones and gold to the needy spreading happiness around. When the prince was blind he still loved him so much that he never left him even though it kept getting colder and colder with winter approaching. Finally when he could no longer bear the cold he died at the feet of the statue and the statue loved him so much that its leaden heart broke into two.
That is why when God asked one of the angels to bring him the two precious things in the garden the angel took the leaden heart and the dead bird and God said that in his garden of Paradise the little bird shall sing for ever more and in the city of gold the Happy Prince shall praise God
Talk about it
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Question 1. The little swallow says, “ft is curious, but I feel quite warm now, although it is so cold.” Have you ever had such a feeling? Share your experience with your friends.
Answer: Man is a social animal. He is social because he is dependent on others to lead a satisfactory life. In this regard mutual help is required. Whenever we help others, there is a feeling of satisfaction. Whenever we are helped by others, we feel grateful. It is because helping others is the essence of life.
In this chapter the little swallow feels warmth when he helps the needy people. He does his act of selfless service with utmost dedication and sacrifice. Owing to this selfless service he becomes satisfied. Yes, I have experienced such a feeling many a time. I believe in helping others. Others too help me whenever I am in need. I help others considering it my duty. I remember the day when I started helping others. Since the day I feel more confident and have become a successful citizen. I feel the presence of God around me.