Chapter 5 Princess September at Work Important Questions Class 8 It So Happened English
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. What happened to Princess September’s parrot one day? How did the princess react to it?
Answer
One day, Princess September found her parrot lying dead at the bottom of its golden cage. She burst into tears suddenly. She cried so much that the Queen got angry and told her to go to bed without any supper.
Question 2. What was the idea that the eight sisters try to put into September’s mind?
Answer
The eight princesses were jealous, September roamed about with her bird in the palace. They wanted her to put her bird into the cage.
Question 3. “How can I sing?” Answered the bird. Why couldn’t she sing?
Answer
She could not sing because she was in a cage and could not see the trees, the lake and the green rice growing in the fields.
Question 4. Why did the King decide to call his daughters by the names of months?
Answer
The King decided to call his daughters by the names of months because he had so many daughters and the Queen got confused in their names.
Question 5. How was Princess September married and to whom?
Answer
When Princess September was old enough she married the king of Cambodia and was carried on a white elephant all the way to the city in which the king lived.
Question 6. What thoughts had haunt the mind of the princess when the bird took too long to return?
Answer
The princess thought that something might have happened to him. He might be in trouble because of hawks with snares or he might have forgotten her.
Question 7. What was a very unfortunate remark made by the little bird?
Answer
The unfortunate remark given by the bird was that she had not come back that night as her father-in-law had given a party and they all wanted her to stay.
Question 8. What was not liked by the king about the councilors?
Answer
The king said that they say same thing in seven different ways. He said that they say pleasing words with having genuine feelings.
Question 9. What did the King of Siam give his daughters one year on his birthday?
Answer
One year on his birthday, the King of Siam gave each of his daughters a green parrot in a golden cage.
Question 10. What was the offer of the eight princesses?
Answer
The eight princesses offered that they would put their pocket money and buy her a lovely green and yellow parrot.
Question 11. Who was Princess September married to? Why?
Answer
Princess September was married to the King of Cambodia, because she was extremely beautiful.
Question 12. What words of the King vexed the eight princesses?
Answer
The princesses were vexed when the King said that the parrots said the same thing again and again in seven different languages and it reminded him of his councillors. He liked the song of the bird of Princess September.
Question 13. Why was the little song bird surprised?
Answer
The little song bird was surprised to see how ruthlessly Princess September treated him one day. She carried him over to a cage, popped him in and shut the door on him. He became speechless. For a moment he could think of nothing to say.
Question 14. What made September wipe her tears?
Answer
Princess September was crying over the death of her parrot. Then entered a little bird hopping into her room. He sang a beautiful song for her and that made her wipe her tears.
Question 15. What song did the little bird sing?
Answer
The little bird sang a beautiful song, all about the lake in the king’s garden, the willow trees and the goldfish.
Question 16. What did the sisters advise the Princess to do about her bird?
Answer
The sister advised the Princess to keep her bird in a cage so that she could be sure of having it all the time.
Question 17. How was Princess September married and to whom?
Answer
When Princess September was old enough she married the king of Cambodia and was carried on a white elephant all the way to the city in which the king lived.
Question 18. What is the king’s opinion about his councillors? Why did he form that opinion?
Answer
The king believed that his councillors were same like the parrots. They could say that same thing in seven different ways but it made no sense. This was similar to the way the parrots kept repeating ‘Pretty Polly’ in seven different languages.
Question 19. What was the gift given to the princess by the king?
Answer
The king gave away the green parrots in a golden cage.
Question 20. What was a very unfortunate remark made by the little bird?
Answer
The unfortunate remark given by the bird was that she had not come back that night as her father-in-law had given a party and they all wanted her to stay.
Question 21. What was the reaction of the Queen?
Answer
The queen did not go to comfort the princess. On the contrary, she called it nonsense and ignored it.
Question 22. ‘The new bird was full of new songs but the old parrots always repeated themselves’. What did they say?
Answer
All the old parrots could say ‘God save the king” and some of them could even say ‘Pretty Polly’ in seven languages.
Question 23. What did the King of Siam give his daughters one year on his birthday?
Answer
One year on his birthday, the King of Siam gave each of his daughters a green parrot in a golden cage.
Question 24. What did the Maids of Honour do to comfort the princess?
Answer
The princess was burst into tears at the loss of the parrot. Maids of honour tried to comfort her. Later they informed the queen.
Question 25. Why couldn’t the bird sing that day?
Answer
The bird couldn’t sing because it was caged against his wishes.
Question 26. Why were they named after the months of the years?
Answer
They were named after the months of the year because the queen could not recall their names easily.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1. Why was the little song bird surprised?
Answer
The little song bird was surprised to see how ruthlessly Princess September treated him one day. She carried him over to a cage, popped him in and shut the door on him. He became speechless. For a moment he could think of nothing to say.
Question 2. (i) What was Princess September’s reaction to the loss of her parrot?
(ii) What was her mother’s reaction to it?
(iii) What do the reactions indicate about the nature and temperament of each?
Answer
(i) Princess September burst into a flood of tears at the loss of her parrot. She kept crying and nothing comforted her.
(ii) Her mother declared it as nonsense, and said that she should go to bed without any supper.
(iii) The Princess reaction indicates that she was a young, sensitive child. That is why she cried over the loss of her parrot. It was a very important thing for her. The loss of her parrot filled her with grief. Her mothers reactions indicates that she was little harsh. She did not understand her daughter’s grief and consoled her. She did not think that the dying of the parrot was in any way a significant incident to shed tears.
Question 3. To earn respect you must give respect. How has September valued her relationship with the bird?
Answer
September was caring and loving towards her pets. She took care of emotions of the bird. Although she was influenced by her sisters but later she realized the value of life and freedom. It is necessary to give freedom to the loved ones. Care and attention is what one desire in a relationship. The one who showers love, get manifold in return, as does the princess. She was beautiful from inside and got married to a prince whereas her own sisters were jealous by nature and they had to suffer.
Question 4. How did the Maids of Honour come to know that the princess and the bird had become intimate friends?
Answer
The Maids-of-Honour brought in September’s breakfast the following day. They noticed that the little bird ate out of her hand and bathed in her saucer. Then he revived her with his song. The Maids were quite surprised. They now knew how close friends the two had become.
Question 5. Nature offer bounties to everyone. How has its affected the bird?
Answer
The bird sings beautiful songs for the princess. He sang song inspired by beautiful things, of nature. Once he was stopped from moving about as he cages by the princess, he couldn’t sing. He became so quiet and laid down as if he was dead. The princess realized her mistake and set him free. She took the right decision and could prolong the bliss of listening to wonderful music. Thus nature offer its gifts to everyone.
Question 6. What is the King’s opinion about his councillors? Why did he form that opinion?
Answer
The king found the little bird’s song as unique and pleasing. He was tired of listening the same old repetitions of the parrot “God save the King” and “Pretty Polly” each day. They reminded him of his councillors who spoke the same words in seven different ways but it was just flattery. They did not mean what they recited and did not offer any sincere advice.
Question 7. Compare and contrast the characters of Princess September and her other eight sisters.
Answer
Princess September was different from her elder sisters. She was sweet-natured and simple-hearted. She cried bitterly when her parrot died. A little bird made her happy with his song. Her sisters were jealous, mean and wicked. They made a plan to rob her of her happiness. They told her to put the bird in a cage. Their wicked plan worked for a while. The bird stopped singing in captivity. Princess September cared more for the bird’s life than her own happiness. So she let him off. She was duly rewarded for her goodness.
Question 8. Why was it difficult to put the happiness of someone you love before your own’?
Answer
When we love a thing or person, we want to own it. We look to keep it with. We don’t want to let it go. When our happiness comes in between the relation and the bond, then only we reconsider our approach. September wanted to keep the bird with her and thus caged it. She was almost on the verge of loosing him. Then she set her free although that made her sad. But happiness increases when we share it with open arms.
Question 9. What pulled the Princess out of her gloom?
Answer
The Princess came out of her gloom when she heard the song of a little bird. She made the Princess forget her sorrow, and stopped crying while sitting up. She heard the bird’s song about the lake and gold fish in the king’s garden with rapt attention. In the bird she found a good friend indeed.
Question 10. What made Princess September act upon her sister’s advice?
Answer
After the death of her lovely parrot; Princess September got the company of a little song bird. He comforted her with his sweet songs. One day, her sisters advised her to put the bird into a cage lest he should fly. Princess September loved the bird too much to take chances. So, she acted upon their advice.