Summary (The Happy Prince)
The story is about a statue of the Happy Prince who is gilded in gold and has sapphires for eyes and a ruby in his sword hilt. One night, a little swallow stops to rest at the statue’s feet, but is surprised to find that the statue is weeping. The Happy Prince explains that when he was alive and had a human heart, he did not know what tears were, but now that he is dead and can see the ugliness and misery of the city, he cannot help but weep. He asks the swallow to bring the ruby from his sword hilt to a poor woman and her ill son. The swallow is hesitant at first, wanting to go to Egypt with his friends, but ultimately agrees to stay for one night and be the Prince’s messenger. The swallow takes the ruby and flies over the city, passing by the palace, the cathedral tower, and other sights before delivering the ruby to the poor woman and her son.
Summary-02 (The Happy Prince)
The story tells of a statue of the Happy Prince, who stands high above the city on a tall column. The statue is gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, has two bright sapphires for eyes and a large red ruby in his sword hilt. One night, a little swallow flies over the city and decides to rest at the feet of the Happy Prince statue. The swallow is surprised to find that the statue is weeping, and upon inquiry, the Happy Prince explains that when he was alive and had a human heart, he did not know what tears were. But now that he is dead and can see the ugliness and misery of the city, he cannot help but weep. The Happy Prince requests the swallow to bring the ruby from his sword hilt to a poor woman and her ill son, who are living in a poor house in a little street. The swallow is hesitant at first, wanting to go to Egypt with his friends, but ultimately agrees to stay for one night and be the Prince’s messenger. The swallow takes the ruby and flies over the city, passing by the palace, the cathedral tower, and other sights before delivering the ruby to the poor woman and her son. The story highlights the theme of compassion and selflessness, as the Happy Prince, despite being a statue, is able to feel the suffering of others and wants to help in any way he can. It also highlights the theme of the contrast between the poverty and the richness. The swallow, who is used to the beauty of nature and the freedom of flying, is shocked by the poverty and misery of the city. The Happy Prince, on the other hand, who had lived a life of luxury in the palace, is now able to see and feel the suffering of the poor and wants to help them. The story is also a reminder that true happiness comes from helping others and not from material possessions.
Multi-choice Question And Answer’s
Q1. What is the statue of the Happy Prince made of?
a) Bronze
b) Marble
c) Gold
d) Silver
Answer: c) Gold
Q2. What do the eyes of the Happy Prince consist of?
a) Emeralds
b) Sapphires
c) Diamonds
d) Pearls
Answer: b) Sapphires
Q3. Where did the little swallow intend to go before stopping at the statue of the Happy Prince?
a) The palace
b) The cathedral
c) Egypt
d) The poor house
Answer: c) Egypt
Q4. How does the swallow feel about the Happy Prince when he first sees him weeping?
a) Happy
b) Pity
c) Indifferent
d) Angry
Answer: b) Pity
Q5. Why is the Happy Prince weeping?
a) He is cold
b) He is sad to see the ugliness and misery of the city
c) He misses his friends
d) He is hungry
Answer: b) He is sad to see the ugliness and misery of the city
Q6. Who does the Happy Prince ask the swallow to give the ruby to?
a) A palace maid
b) A rich merchant
c) A poor woman and her ill son
d) The Queen
Answer: c) A poor woman and her ill son
Q7. Why is the swallow hesitant to stay with the Happy Prince for one night?
a) He is afraid of the city
b) He wants to go to Egypt with his friends
c) He does not like the Happy Prince
d) He is tired
Answer: b) He wants to go to Egypt with his friends
Q8. What does the swallow see as he flies over the city?
a) The palace
b) The cathedral tower
c) The Queen’s maids of honor
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Q9. What is the little boy in the poor house suffering from?
a) Hunger
b) Thirst
c) Fever
d) Cold
Answer: c) Fever
Q10. How does the swallow feel about the little boy in the poor house?
a) He likes him
b) He is indifferent
c) He does not like him
d) He is sorry for him
Answer: c) He does not like him
Q11. What is the theme of the story?
a) Wealth and poverty
b) Freedom and captivity
c) Compassion and selflessness
d) Greed and selfishness
Answer: c) Compassion and selflessness
Q12 What is the Happy Prince’s sword hilt made of?
a) Gold
b) Silver
c) Bronze
d) Ruby
Answer: d) Ruby
Q13. What does the poor woman in the story do for a living?
a) She is a seamstress
b) She is a cook
c) She is a nurse
d) She is a teacher
Answer: a) She is a seamstress
Q14. Who is the story about?
a) The little swallow
b) The Happy Prince
c) The poor woman and her son
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Q15. Why is the little boy in the poor house crying?
a) He is hungry
b) He is thirsty
c) He is cold
d) He is asking his mother for oranges
Answer: d) He is asking his mother for oranges
Q16. How does the little swallow feel about the poor woman and her son before delivering the ruby?
a) He is indifferent
b) He is sorry for them
c) He does not care about them
d) He does not like them
Answer: c) He does not care about them
Q17. What is the significance of the ruby in the story?
a) It represents wealth and material possessions
b) It represents compassion and selflessness
c) It represents the Happy Prince’s love for the poor
d) It represents the little boy’s illness
Answer: b) It represents compassion and selflessness
Q18. How does the story end?
a) The little swallow leaves for Egypt
b) The little swallow stays with the Happy Prince forever
c) The little swallow delivers the ruby and leaves for Egypt
d) The little swallow delivers the ruby and stays with the Happy Prince forever
Answer: c) The little swallow delivers the ruby and leaves for Egypt
Q19. Why is the Happy Prince called the “Happy Prince”?
a) Because he is always smiling
b) Because his courtiers called him that when he was alive
c) Because he is always happy
d) Because he is made of gold
Answer: b) Because his courtiers called him that when he was alive
Q20. What is the main message of the story?
a) The importance of material possessions
b) The beauty of nature
c) The importance of helping others
d) The importance of wealth and luxury
Answer: c) The importance of helping others
Prose Passage-01
HIGH above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt. One night there flew over the city a little swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind; then he decided to go to Egypt too. All day long he flew, and at night time he arrived at the city. “Where shall I put up?” he said. “I hope the town has made preparations.” Then he saw the statue on the tall column. “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. “I have a golden bed-room,” he said softly to himself as he looked round, and he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under his wing a large drop of water fell on him. “What a curious thing!” he cried. “There is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining.” Then another drop fell. “What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off ?” he said. “I must look for a good chimney pot,” and he determined to fly away. But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he looked up, and saw — Ah! What did he see? The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little swallow was filled with pity. “Who are you?” he said. “I am the Happy Prince.” “Why are you weeping then?” asked the swallow. “You have quite drenched me.” “When I was alive and had a human heart,” answered the statue, “I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was. So I lived, and so I died. And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I can see the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot choose but weep.”
Q1. What does the statue of the Happy Prince represent?
a) Wealth and power
b) Freedom and nature
c) Compassion and selflessness
d) Greed and selfishness
Answer: c) Compassion and selflessness
Q2. Why is the swallow initially hesitant to stay with the Happy Prince?
a) He is afraid of the city
b) He wants to go to Egypt with his friends
c) He does not like the Happy Prince
d) He is tired
Answer: b) He wants to go to Egypt with his friends
Q3. How does the swallow feel when he first sees the Happy Prince weeping?
a) Happy
b) Pity
c) Indifferent
d) Angry
Answer: b) Pity
Q4. What does the ruby in the Happy Prince’s sword hilt represent?
a) Wealth and material possessions
b) Compassion and selflessness
c) The Happy Prince’s love for the poor
d) The little boy’s illness
Answer: b) Compassion and selflessness
Q5. How does the story end?
a) The little swallow leaves for Egypt
b) The little swallow stays with the Happy Prince forever
c) The little swallow delivers the ruby and leaves for Egypt
d) The little swallow delivers the ruby and stays with the Happy Prince forever
Answer: c) The little swallow delivers the ruby and leaves for Egypt
Prose passage-02
The little swallow flew over the city, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling metropolis. As he flew, he couldn’t help but notice the striking statue of the Happy Prince that stood tall on a column above the city. Intrigued, he decided to stop and rest for the night on the column, between the statue’s feet. As he prepared to go to sleep, he was surprised to find that the statue was weeping. The swallow couldn’t understand why a statue would cry and decided to investigate.
He flew up to the statue and asked, “Who are you and why are you weeping?” The statue replied, “I am the Happy Prince. When I was alive and had a human heart, I did not know what tears were. I lived in the Palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter. My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was. So I lived, and so I died. And now that I am dead, they have set me up here so high that I can see the ugliness and all the misery of my city. Though my heart is made of lead, yet I cannot choose but weep.”
The swallow was filled with pity for the statue and asked, “What can I do to help?” The Happy Prince told the swallow of a poor seamstress who lived in a small street in the city. Her little boy was ill and crying for oranges, but she had nothing to give him but river water. The Happy Prince asked the swallow to take the ruby from his sword hilt and give it to the seamstress to help her and her son.
The swallow, though hesitant at first, agreed to help the Happy Prince. He picked out the ruby from the Prince’s sword and flew off over the rooftops of the city. He passed by the grand cathedral tower, where the white marble angels were sculptured, and the palace where he could hear the sound of dancing. He finally reached the poor house and gave the ruby to the seamstress. The little boy’s thirst was quenched, and the mother’s sadness was lifted.
As the swallow returned to the statue, he realized the true meaning of love and sacrifice. He decided to stay with the Happy Prince for the rest of the winter and help him bring happiness to the people of the city.
Multiple choice Question And Answers :
Q1. Where did the swallow decide to rest for the night?
a) On a chimney pot
b) Between the feet of the Happy Prince
c) On a window sill
d) On a rooftop
Answer: b) Between the feet of the Happy Prince
Q2. What did the Happy Prince tell the swallow was the reason for his tears?
a) He missed his friends
b) He was cold
c) He could see the ugliness and misery of the city
d) He was unhappy
Answer: c) He could see the ugliness and misery of the city
Q3. What did the Happy Prince ask the swallow to do?
a) Fly to Egypt
b) Bring him oranges
c) Take the ruby from his sword hilt and give it to a poor seamstress
d) Talk to the large lotus flowers
Answer: c) Take the ruby from his sword hilt and give it to a poor seamstress
Q4. What was the little boy in the poor house suffering from?
a) Hunger
b) Cold
c) Fever
d) Thirst
Answer: c) Fever
Q5. What did the swallow decide to do after returning to the statue?
a) Fly to Egypt
b) Help the Happy Prince bring happiness to the people of the city
c)Return to his friends
d) Sleep
Answer: b) Help the Happy Prince bring happiness to the people of the city
Question And Answers;
Q1.Why do the courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’? Is he really happy? What does he see all around him?
Ans; The courtiers call the prince ‘the Happy Prince’ because when he was alive, he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter, and he was surrounded by people who always flattered him and made him feel happy. However, now that he is a statue, he can see all the poverty and suffering in the city and is no longer truly happy.
Q2. Why does the Happy Prince send a ruby for the seamstress? What does the swallow do in the seamstress’ house?
Ans; The Happy Prince sends a ruby for the seamstress because he sees her and her sick little boy struggling and wants to help them. The swallow delivers the ruby to the seamstress and she is able to use it to buy her son the oranges he needs to help him recover.
Q3. For whom does the prince send the sapphires and why?
Ans; The prince sends the sapphires to a poor playwright to help him pay for his rent. He does this because he sees the playwright struggling and wants to help him.
Q4. What does the swallow see when it flies over the city?
Ans; As the swallow flies over the city, he sees the grand cathedral tower with its white marble angels, the palace with the sound of dancing coming from it, and the poor houses with their open windows. He also sees the Happy Prince’s statue and the city’s ugliness and misery.
Q5. Why did the swallow not leave the prince and go to Egypt?
Ans; The swallow does not leave the prince and go to Egypt because he is moved by the prince’s compassion and the plight of the poor people in the city. He decides to stay with the prince and help him bring happiness to the people of the city.
Q6. What are the precious things mentioned in the story? Why are they precious?
Ans; The precious things mentioned in the story are the golden leaves of the statue, the sapphires in the prince’s eyes, and the ruby in the prince’s sword hilt. They are precious because they are valuable and can be used to help the poor and suffering people in the city.
Difficult Words
- Gilded – covered with a thin layer of gold
- Sapphires – a precious blue stone
- Ruby – a precious red stone
- Alighted – landed
- Column – a tall vertical structure
- Drenched – soaked
- Ugliness – unattractiveness
- Misery – suffering
- Courtiers – court officials
- Palace – a royal residence
- Sorrow – sadness
- Seamstress – a person who sews clothes
- Embroidering – decorating with needlework
- Satin – a type of shiny fabric
- Maids of honour – female attendants to a queen
- Ball – a formal dance
- Sculptured – carved
- Balcony – a platform projecting from the wall of a building
- Palace – a royal residence
- Lamented – grieved
- Lead – a heavy, soft, toxic metallic element
- Loveliest – most attractive
- Pricked – punctured
- Statuary – sculptures of people or animals
- Grief – deep sadness
- Plight – a difficult situation
- Wrought – made or formed
- Gilt – covered with a thin layer of gold
- Lament – to express sorrow
- Beggary – extreme poverty.