CBSE Class 9 English (Moments) Important Questions Chapter 5 - The Happy Prince

1. Why was the statue of the Happy Prince so beautiful?
Answer: The statue was covered with gold, had bright sapphire eyes, and a large ruby on his sword, making it look very beautiful.

2. Why did the Happy Prince cry?
Answer: The Happy Prince cried because he could see the suffering and sadness in his city from his high place on the column.

3. What did the Happy Prince ask the swallow to do with the ruby from his sword?
Answer: The Happy Prince asked the swallow to take the ruby from his sword and give it to a poor woman whose son was very ill.

4. Why didn’t the swallow want to stay in the city?
Answer: The swallow didn’t want to stay because his friends had already flown to Egypt, and he wanted to join them in the warm weather.

5. What happened to the Happy Prince’s heart at the end of the story?
Answer: The Happy Prince's heart broke in two when the swallow died at his feet.

6. How did the Happy Prince help the poor woman and her son?
Answer: The Happy Prince gave the swallow the ruby from his sword to take to the poor woman. Her son was very ill, and she couldn’t afford to give him oranges. The swallow delivered the ruby, and the boy felt better after the swallow fanned him with his wings.

7. Why did the Happy Prince ask the swallow to take his sapphires?
Answer: The Happy Prince saw a poor playwright who was too cold and hungry to finish his work. Since the Prince had no more rubies, he asked the swallow to take one of his sapphire eyes to the playwright, so he could buy food and firewood.

8. Why did the swallow decide to stay with the Happy Prince instead of flying to Egypt?
Answer: After seeing how much the Happy Prince cared for the poor and how much help he was giving, the swallow decided to stay with him. Even though it was getting cold, the swallow wanted to help the Prince.

9. What did the swallow see when he flew over the city?
Answer: The swallow saw the rich people enjoying themselves in their beautiful homes while many poor people were suffering. He saw starving children and beggars, and people struggling to survive in the cold.

10. How did the Happy Prince’s appearance change over time?
Answer: Over time, the Happy Prince lost all his gold, sapphires, and ruby because he gave them away to help the poor. He eventually looked dull and grey without any of his precious decorations.

11. Why did the Happy Prince want to give away all his gold and jewels?
Answer: The Happy Prince was sad because, from his high position, he could see all the suffering and poverty in the city. Even though he was made of gold and jewels, he wanted to use them to help people in need. He gave his ruby to a poor woman with a sick child, his sapphire eyes to a struggling playwright and a matchgirl, and finally, he asked the swallow to strip away his gold to help the poor. The Happy Prince wanted to make a difference and bring happiness to the people, even though it left him looking dull and grey.

12. How did the swallow help the Happy Prince in his mission to help the poor?
Answer: The swallow became the messenger of the Happy Prince. Although he wanted to fly to Egypt, he stayed behind to help. He delivered the ruby, sapphires, and gold from the Prince to different people in need, like the poor woman, the playwright, and the matchgirl. The swallow saw the suffering in the city and felt warm inside after helping others. Even though it was winter and he grew cold, he stayed loyal to the Happy Prince until he died.

13. What lesson does the story of the Happy Prince teach us about kindness and sacrifice?
Answer: The story teaches us that real kindness and sacrifice come from helping those in need, even if it means giving up something valuable. The Happy Prince gave away all his gold and jewels to help the poor and suffering people in the city. The swallow also showed kindness by staying with the Prince and helping him, even though it meant risking his own life. The story shows that true happiness comes from caring for others and making a difference in their lives.

14. Why did the swallow decide to stay with the Happy Prince until the very end?
Answer: The swallow stayed with the Happy Prince because he saw how much the Prince cared for the poor and how much good they were doing together. Even though the swallow knew he was getting weaker from the cold, he couldn’t leave the Prince after he became blind. The swallow loved the Happy Prince and chose to stay with him until the very end, helping him give away the last of his gold. The swallow’s loyalty and love for the Prince were stronger than his desire to go to Egypt.

15. What did the townspeople and the Mayor do when they saw the statue of the Happy Prince without its gold and jewels?
Answer: The townspeople and the Mayor thought the statue of the Happy Prince looked shabby because all the gold and jewels were gone. They didn’t understand that the Happy Prince had given everything to help the poor. Since they believed the statue was no longer useful or beautiful, they decided to pull it down and melt it. However, the lead heart of the Prince didn’t melt, and it was thrown on a dust heap with the dead swallow.

16. Why did the Happy Prince give away all his treasures, even though he couldn’t move?
Answer: The Happy Prince gave away all his treasures because he cared deeply about the suffering of the people in the city. Even though he couldn’t physically move, he used the swallow to deliver his jewels and gold to those in need. The Prince wanted to help as much as he could because, from his high position, he could see all the pain and poverty that he never noticed when he was alive. His heart was full of kindness and love for the people, so he sacrificed everything.

17. Why didn’t the swallow leave for Egypt, even when it became too cold for him to survive?
Answer: The swallow didn’t leave for Egypt because he cared too much for the Happy Prince. He was touched by how much the Prince wanted to help others, and he felt warm inside after helping the poor. Even though it was getting colder and he knew he might not survive, the swallow stayed with the Prince out of love and loyalty. He wanted to be there for the Prince, especially after he became blind.

18. What does the story show about the true meaning of happiness?
Answer: The story shows that true happiness doesn’t come from wealth, beauty, or comfort. The Happy Prince was called "happy" when he was alive because he lived in luxury and didn’t know about the suffering of others. But real happiness came when he started helping the poor and giving away his gold and jewels. The swallow also found happiness by helping the Prince and doing good deeds for others, even though it meant sacrificing his own comfort. The story teaches us that real happiness comes from kindness and helping those in need.

19. What message does the story give about the importance of compassion?
Answer: The story gives a strong message about the importance of compassion. The Happy Prince couldn’t bear to see the suffering in his city, and he gave away all his treasures to help others. The swallow, too, showed compassion by staying with the Prince and delivering his gifts to those in need. Both the Prince and the swallow teach us that compassion means caring for others and being willing to make sacrifices to help them, even if it’s difficult.

20. Why did God choose the lead heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow as the most precious things in the city?
Answer: God chose the lead heart of the Happy Prince and the dead swallow as the most precious things in the city because they represented true love and sacrifice. The Happy Prince gave away everything to help the poor, and his lead heart broke from sadness when the swallow died. The swallow stayed loyal to the Prince, helping him and sacrificing his own life. These acts of kindness and loyalty made them the most precious things, even though they were not rich or beautiful anymore.

21. Why did the Happy Prince cry when the swallow first met him?
Answer: The Happy Prince cried because he could see all the sadness and suffering in his city. From his high position, he saw the poor people struggling, and even though he was just a statue, his heart was full of sadness for them.

22. What did the swallow do with the gold leaves from the Happy Prince?
Answer: The swallow took the gold leaves from the Happy Prince’s body and gave them to the poor people in the city. The gold helped the poor children and families, making them happier and giving them food to eat.

23. Why did the swallow die at the end of the story?
Answer: The swallow died because it had stayed too long in the cold city and didn’t fly to Egypt as it had planned. Even though it was too cold for him, the swallow stayed with the Happy Prince out of love and loyalty, and he died after helping the Prince.

24. What happened to the statue of the Happy Prince after it lost its beauty?
Answer: After the statue lost its gold and jewels, the townspeople thought it looked ugly and useless. They pulled it down and melted it, but the Prince’s lead heart didn’t melt, so they threw it away on a dust heap.

25. What does the story teach us about beauty and usefulness?
Answer: The story teaches that real beauty and usefulness don’t come from how something looks on the outside. The Happy Prince looked beautiful when he had gold and jewels, but his true beauty came from his kindness and his willingness to help others. Even though the townspeople thought he was useless without his gold, the Happy Prince’s true value was in his compassion.

Benefits of Important Questions for Class 9 English (Moments) Chapter 5 - The Happy Prince

• The PDF provides a curated list of important questions, ensuring students focus on key areas likely to appear in exams, saving time and effort.

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Conclusion

The Happy Prince ends on a touching note, showing the power of kindness and sacrifice. Even though the Happy Prince and the swallow give away everything they have, they find a special place in God’s heart for their selflessness. This story reminds us that true beauty lies in helping others and caring for those in need. Vedantu provides a FREE PDF of Important Questions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 5, prepared by master teachers and matching the current syllabus. You can download it for FREE and study anytime, ensuring you’re well-prepared for your exams!

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