THINK ABOUT IT

Page 36

Q1. 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 him the ‘Happy Prince’ when he was alive because he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter. He lived a life of pleasure and was unaware of the suffering outside the palace walls. He was not really happy, as his heart was made of lead. After he died, he was set on a tall column, from where he could see all the ugliness and misery of the city, and this made him weep.

Q2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
Answer: The Happy Prince sends a ruby for the seamstress because she is poor and overworked. Her little boy is ill with a fever and is asking for oranges, but she has nothing to give him but river water. The swallow flies to her house and lays the ruby on the table beside her thimble. It then flies gently around the boy’s bed, fanning his forehead with its wings.

Q3. For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
Answer: The Prince sends the sapphires for a young man in a garret and a little matchgirl. The young man is a playwright who is trying to finish a play but is too cold and hungry to write. The matchgirl has let her matches fall in the gutter, and her father will beat her if she doesn’t bring home some money. The Prince sends the sapphires so they can sell them to a jeweller and buy firewood and food.

Q4. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
Answer: When the swallow flies over the city, it sees the rich making merry in their beautiful houses and the beggars sitting at the gates. It flies into dark lanes and sees the white faces of starving children. Under the archway of a bridge, it sees two little boys lying in each other’s arms to keep warm. It witnesses the great misery and suffering of the people.

Q5. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
Answer: The swallow, who initially wanted to go to Egypt, decides to stay with the Prince because of his compassion. He is moved by the Prince’s sadness and his tireless efforts to help the poor. After the Prince becomes blind, the swallow decides to stay with him forever to be his eyes and messenger.

Q6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
Answer: The two most precious things mentioned in the story are the leaden heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow. They are precious not because of their monetary value but because they represent pure love, compassion, and self-sacrifice. The Prince gave away all his gold and jewels to help the poor, and the swallow sacrificed its life and its journey to Egypt to help the Prince help others.