Chapter 5 – Princess September Solutions

Content Structure

  • 1. About the author – (William Somerset Maugham)
  • 2. Theme
  • 3. Summary
  • 4. Unit wise explanation
    • Unit – I
    • Unit – II
  • 5. Word meanings
  • 6. Comprehension Check
    • Unit – I
    • Unit – II
  • 7. Exercise questions & answers
  • 8. Additional questions & answers
    • Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
      • Unit – I
      • Unit – II
    • Fill in the blanks
    • True or false
    • Match the following
    • Short-type questions & answers
      • Unit – I
      • Unit – II
    • Long-type questions & answers

1. About the author – (William Somerset Maugham)

William Somerset Maugham was born on 25th January 1874 in Paris, France. He was a famous British writer known for his stories about human emotions, struggles, and society. He first worked in medicine but later realized that he loved writing. So, he became a full-time writer and gained popularity. His most famous books are Of Human Bondage, The Moon and Sixpence, and The Painted Veil. He also wrote many short stories, such as Princess September, which teaches the importance of love and freedom. He died on 16th December 1965, at the age of 91.

2. Theme

  • Firstly, the story teaches that true happiness comes from freedom. When people have the freedom to make their own choices and live the way they want, they feel happy and satisfied. On the other hand, being controlled makes them feel trapped, which makes them sad and unhappy.
  • Secondly, the story teaches that real love means giving others the freedom to do things that make them happy, even if they go away. Trying to control someone or make them stay with you doesn’t create true love or friendship. Real love grows when you give people space, trust them, and respect their choices.

3. Summary

In the story Princess September, the author shares an important lesson about true love, freedom, and happiness. The King of Siam had many daughters, and he named them after the months of the year: January, February, March, and the other months, until the youngest, Princess September. On his birthday, the king gave each daughter a green parrot in a golden cage. The princesses were excited and taught their parrots to talk. After some time, Princess September’s parrot died, which made her very sad. That night, while she was crying, a beautiful bird flew into her room and sang a sweet song. His singing made her feel better, and she decided to take care of him as a pet. Her jealous sisters told her to lock the bird in a cage. At first, she thought the bird should be free. When it didn’t come back for a few days, she got worried and decided to keep it in a cage the next time it returned. When the bird came back and sat on her shoulder, she locked it in the cage. This made the bird very sad because it wanted to fly outside and see the sky, the trees, and the rice fields. He stopped singing and refused to eat because he missed flying and being free. Princess September noticed the bird was unhappy and realized that keeping him in a cage was wrong. She cared about the bird so much that she freed him, even though it was difficult for her. The bird was thankful and promised to come back every day to sing for her. This made Princess September happy, while her sisters were still jealous. Later, Princess September married a king and lived happily.

Moral of the Story: The story teaches us that true love and happiness come from kindness, not control.

4. Unit wise explanation

Unit – I

The King and Queen of Siam had many daughters, so they were confused about how to name them. One day, the king decided to name them January, February, March, and the other months of the year, until the youngest daughters. On his birthday, the king gifted all his daughters a green parrot in a golden cage. When the daughters saw their father’s gift, they were very happy and decided to teach the parrots to speak, saying words like “God save the King.” After a few days, Princess September’s parrot died, and she was very sad. That night, she heard a small bird singing as it flew into her room, and she loved its song, so she decided to keep it. When the other princesses heard the bird’s song, they felt jealous because September’s bird sang beautifully, while their parrots only repeated a single word. Out of jealousy, the other princesses advised her to lock the bird in a cage; otherwise, it would fly away. At first, Princess September refused to follow their advice because she wanted the bird to stay happy and free. Later, she became worried the bird might not come back, so she decided to lock it in a cage to keep it with her.

Unit – II

Princess September had a beautiful little bird, but she was always afraid that it would fly away and never return. So, she thought about locking it in a cage. Many days passed, and the bird did not return, which made September worried. One day, she finally saw the little bird come and sit on her shoulder. At that moment, Princess September decided not to take any risks, so she locked the bird in a cage and told it that it was safe. At first, the little bird sang weakly, but later it stopped eating and singing because it wanted to see the sky, rice fields, and forest. The next morning, September saw the bird lying in the cage, very weak, almost like it was dead. This made her very sad, and she realized that the bird was unhappy in the cage, so she decided to release it. The bird promised her that it would return every day and sing for her because of her kindness and love. This made September truly happy. Later on, Princess September married the King of Cambodia, who arrived with a white elephant, and they lived happily together. On the other hand, her sisters married the king’s councillors, who came with their cats.

5. Word meanings

WordMeaning
SiamOld name for Thailand
HandyEasy to use
OrientalFrom Asia
BurstTo break open suddenly with force
Maids of HonourA special group of ladies
WipedCleaned by rubbing
GlidedMoved smoothly
AwokeWoke up
PerchA high place to sit
I dare sayI think so
VexedUpset
LarkA fun adventure
GlumSad and quiet
DreadfulVery bad
PopA small noise
OminouslyIn a scary way
SnaresTraps
AlightedLanded gently
AnxiousWorried
Circumstanceswhat is happening around you
Unfortunate remarkA bad comment
Ivory perchA white high seat
ProwlingSneaking around
SupperNight meal
Dawn brokeThe sun came up
Better offIn a good situation
SulkingPouting and upset
ObstinateStubborn
Startled cryA sudden, scared shout
GraciousKind and polite
MockedMade fun of
InclinedWanting to do something
DisagreeableNot nice

6. Comprehension Check

Unit – I

1. How many daughters did the royal couple have?
Ans: The King and Queen of Siam had nine daughters. They loved them a lot, but it was hard to choose a different name for each one.

2. Why were they named after the months of the year?
Ans: The King of Siam had nine daughters, and he found it hard to remember all their names. So, he chose names like January, February, March, and the other months to make it easier for himself.

3. The king had a peculiar habit. What was it? Why is it called peculiar?
Ans: The King of Siam had a peculiar habit. On his birthday, he gave gifts to other people. This is called peculiar because most people get gifts on their birthday, but the king did the opposite and gave things to others.

4. (i) What was Princess September’s reaction to the loss of her parrot?
(ii) What was her mother’s reaction?
(iii) What do these reactions tell us about their nature?
Ans:
(i) Princess September was very upset when her parrot died. She loved it very much and cried loudly because she felt lonely and sad.
(ii) Her mother did not think it was a big problem. She told Princess September to stop crying and go to bed.
(iii) These reactions show that the queen was strict and wanted her daughter to be strong. She didn’t show her feelings. On the other hand, Princess September was gentle and caring. She felt sad because she really loved her parrot.

5. What pulled the princess out of her gloom?
Ans: Princess September was feeling very sad after her parrot died. Then, a small bird flew into her room and started singing a sweet song. The bird’s beautiful singing made her feel happy again and helped her forget her sadness.

6. How did the Maids of Honour know that the Princess and the bird had become close friends?
Ans: The Maids of Honour saw that the bird came to visit Princess September every day. It sat near her, sang sweet songs, and made her smile. They could see that the princess really liked the bird and that they enjoyed spending time together.

7. The new bird sang different songs, but the old parrots always repeated themselves. What did they say?
Ans: The old parrots said the same things again and again, like “God save the King” and “Pretty Polly.” They didn’t know any new songs. On the other hand, the new bird sang different songs each time, and the songs were soft, nice, and full of feelings.

8. What was the King’s opinion about his Councillors? Why did he form that opinion?
Ans: The king thought that his councillors were boring and not very smart. They always gave the same advice and never shared any new ideas. This made the king feel they were just like the parrots, always saying the same things without using their own thoughts.

9. (i) What offer did the eight princesses make to Princess September?
(ii) Why did they give this advice?
Ans:
(i) The eight princesses told Princess September to keep the bird in a cage. They said it would be safer and would stop the bird from flying away.
(ii) They gave this advice because they were jealous. They saw that September’s bird was special and could sing beautiful songs, while their parrots only repeated the same word. The bird also looked pretty and made September very happy.

10. What advice did the sisters give to Princess September about her bird?
Ans: The sisters told Princess September to keep the bird in a cage. They said if she did that, the bird wouldn’t fly away and would always stay with her.

Unit – II

1. Explain the meaning of the bold parts in the sentence: “Under the circumstances, it was a very unfortunate remark for the bird to make.”
Ans:

  • Under the circumstances – Considering the situation, Princess September was already worried that the bird might leave her.
  • A very unfortunate remark – The bird’s comment about almost not returning made her even more insecure.

2. (i) What did Princess September do to keep her pet safe?
(ii) How did the bird react?
Ans
(i) Princess September was scared that the little bird might fly away and never come back. So when it came to sit on her shoulder one day, she gently put it inside a golden cage, thinking it would be safe there and stay with her.
(ii) The bird was not happy inside the cage. It missed flying in the sky and seeing the trees and rice fields. It felt sad, stopped singing, and didn’t want to eat anything.

3. Why did the bird refuse to be taken outside in the cage?
Ans: The bird told Princess September that looking at the world from inside the cage didn’t feel the same as being free. It wanted to fly in the open sky, feel the wind, and go wherever it liked. The bird said that without freedom, it could not sing, and if it could not sing, it would die. So, it wanted freedom.

4. (i) What convinced Princess September to set the bird free?
(ii) How did the bird react?
Ans:
(i) The bird told Princess September that if it couldn’t sing, it would feel very sad and might even die. It said it couldn’t sing while being kept in a cage. This made Princess September understand that the bird needed to be free, so she opened the cage and let it go.
(ii) The bird felt happy and free. It thanked Princess September and promised to come back every day to sing for her.

5. Princess September kept her window open day and night.
(i) How did it help the bird?
(ii) How did it help the princess?
Ans:
(i) The open window helped the bird feel free. The bird could fly outside whenever it wanted to enjoy the sky, trees, and rice fields. It could also come back to visit Princess September anytime. This freedom made the bird very happy, not trapped.
(ii) The open window made Princess September happy too. The bird came to visit her every day and sang lovely songs for her. Hearing the bird’s sweet voice made her feel peaceful and loved, and she didn’t feel lonely anymore.

6. The eight sisters kept their windows shut. How did this affect them?
Ans: The eight sisters never opened their windows, so no birds came to visit them. The sisters kept their windows closed for many days, and they slowly became unhappy, unfriendly, and not very kind. People said they looked dull and were not pleasant to be around.

7. Exercise questions & answers

Discuss the following questions in small groups. Write their answers later.

1. Were the sisters unkind and cruel? Give evidence.
Ans: Yes, the sisters were unkind and jealous.

  • They were envious of Princess September’s beauty and happiness.
  • They disliked her bird and suggested locking it in a cage.
  • They made fun of her when she set the bird free.
  • They mocked her, saying the bird would never return.

2. Which is the most important idea in this story?
(i) Importance of music
(ii) Value of freedom
(iii) Beauty of nature
Ans:
(ii) Value of freedom
The story teaches us that real happiness comes from giving freedom, not from keeping someone all to ourselves. The bird was happy when it could fly free, and Princess September understood that truly caring about someone means allowing them be free and happy.

8. Additional questions & answers

Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

Unit – I

1. What could the parrots say?
(a) Beautiful songs
(b) “God save the king.”
(c) Stories
(d) “Good morning”

Ans: (b) “God save the king.”

2. How many languages did some parrots speak?
(a) 5
(b) 17
(c) 7
(d) 3

Ans: (c) 7

3. Why did the Maids of Honour rush?
(a) They were tired
(b) They had a party
(c) They had work
(d) They wanted to sleep

Ans: (b) They had a party

4. What did the sisters say to do?
(a) Keep the bird in a cage
(b) Set the bird free
(c) Teach the bird tricks
(d) Give the bird to the King

Ans: (a) Keep the bird in a cage

5. What did the bird sing about?
(a) A big storm
(b) The King’s palace
(c) A golden cage
(d) A lake and trees

Ans: (d) A lake and trees

6. What did the bird eat?
(a) Bread
(b) Fruits
(c) Rice
(d) Worms

Ans: (c) Rice

7. Where did the bird take a bath?
(a) Pond
(b) Fountain
(c) Saucer
(d) Cage

Ans: (c) Saucer

8. How did the parrots feel after the king’s words?
(a) Sad
(b) Excited
(c) Happy
(d) Angry

Ans: (a) Sad

9. Why did the sisters think the bird wouldn’t return?
(a) It liked freedom
(b) It found a new home
(c) It might forget September
(d) All of the above

Ans: (d) All of the above

10. How did September feel after hearing her sister’s words?
(a) Happy
(b) Excited
(c) Angry
(d) Worried

Ans: (d) Worried

Unit – II

1. Why did she put the bird in a cage?
(a) To make him sing more
(b) To keep him safe
(c) To show the King
(d) To teach him tricks

Ans: (b) To keep him safe

2. How did the bird feel in the cage?
(a) Safe
(b) Happy
(c) Trapped
(d) Excited

Ans: (c) Trapped

3. Why did the bird stop eating?
(a) He was full
(b) He was tired
(c) He wanted a new cage
(d) He was sad

Ans: (d) He was sad

4. What was the bird’s want from the princess?
(a) A golden cage
(b) More food
(c) Freedom
(d) A new owner

Ans: (c) Freedom

5. What lesson did September learn?
(a) Birds love cages
(b) True love means freedom
(c) Birds sing in cages
(d) Sisters give the best advice

Ans: (b) True love means freedom

6. What did the sisters say about the bird’s actions?
(a) He would be fine
(b) He was funny
(c) He was tricky
(d) He was ungrateful

Ans: (d) He was ungrateful

7. What did the bird promise?
(a) To find a new home
(b) To stay away forever
(c) To return and sing for her
(d) To stop singing

Ans: (c) To return and sing for her

8. How did September feel when the bird left?
(a) Lonely
(b) Excited
(c) Angry
(d) Brave

Ans: (a) Lonely

9. Why did September keep her window open?
(a) To see the stars
(b) To make the room colder
(c) To hear the wind
(d) To let the bird come anytime

Ans: (d) To let the bird come anytime

10. How was she carried to her new home?
(a) On a white elephant
(b) In a golden carriage
(c) On a horse
(d) In a boat

Ans: (a) On a white elephant

Fill in the blanks

1. This story teaches us the importance of _____________________. (freedom)
2. The bird promised to return because he _______________ the Princess. (loved)
3. The eight sisters advised Princess September to put the bird in a ________________. (cage)
4. Princess September’s pet was a _____________________. (little bird)
5. The daughters were named after the _______________ of the year. (month)
6. Princess September always kept her __________________ open so the bird could visit. (window)
7. September sisters never opened their windows because they were ________________. (ugly)
8. The sisters were married off to the king’s _______________. (councillors)
9. The princess later married the king of ___________________. (Cambodia)
10. The princess was carried to the palace on a white ___________________. (elephant)

True or false

1. King Siam did not love the bird’s song. (False)

2. King Siam only loved her youngest daughter, September. (False)

3. The queen always thought practically so she ignored the September cry for a small bird. (True)

4. Septembers, all sisters loved her for her beauty and kindness. (False)

5. All eight sisters always closed the window because they were ugly. (True)

6. September wanted the small green bird to fly freely. (False)

7. Kings Siam Gave a gift on her daughter’s birthday. (False)

8. The stories show true love, not control. (True)

9. All eight sisters told September birds would never come again. (True)

10. September married a king of Cambodia and lived happily. (True)

Match the following

Column AColumn B
(i) Youngest daughtersa) Kings councillors
(ii) Sing beautiful songb) Kings of Cambodia
(iii) God save the kingc) September
(iv) September marriedd) A yellow small bird
(v) Eight sisters married e) A green parrot

Ans:

Column AColumn B
(i) Youngest daughtersc) September
(ii) Sing beautiful songd) A yellow small bird
(iii) God save the kinge) A green parrot
(iv) September marriedb) Kings of Cambodia
(v) Eight sisters marrieda) Kings councillors

Short-type questions & answers

Unit – I

1. Why did September want the small bird as a pet?
Ans: Princess September loved the sound of the little bird’s singing. Its song was sweet and made her feel happy inside. She liked the bird so much that she wanted to keep it as a pet and listen to its singing every day.

2. Why did the king love the yellow bird?
Ans: The king loved the yellow bird because it sang new and beautiful songs every time. He enjoyed listening to its sweet voice. The parrots only repeated the same words again and again, but the yellow bird’s singing felt special and made the king happy.

3. Why did all the sisters advise September to lock the bird in a cage?
Ans: September’s sisters were jealous because her bird was special and sang beautiful songs. They told her to lock it in a golden cage so it wouldn’t fly away. They said that if she didn’t do that, the bird might go and never come back.

Unit – II

1. Why was September worried about the bird?
Ans: September was worried because the bird did not come back for many days. She missed it a lot and was afraid that something had happened or that it might never return.

2. Why did September lock the bird in a cage?
Ans: She thought that if the bird stayed in the cage, it wouldn’t fly away. This way, it would always be near her, and she wouldn’t have to worry about losing it. She believed this would keep the bird safe and make her feel better too.

3. Why didn’t the bird come to meet the princess every day?
Ans: The bird flew far away to see new places and enjoy the world. Because it was flying and exploring, it couldn’t come to visit Princess September every single day.

4. Why did the bird feel sick?
Ans: The bird felt sick because it was not happy in the cage. It missed flying outside and being free. It stopped singing and didn’t want to eat, and that made it feel weak and sad.

5. What did the bird promise the princess after being released from the cage?
Ans: The bird promised the princess that after being set free, it would return every day to meet her and sing for her.

Long-type questions & answers

1. Does Princess September have a beautiful heart? Show the reason for your answer.
Ans: Yes, Princess September has a beautiful heart. She was gentle and kind, unlike her sisters. In the story, a small, lovely yellow bird flew into her room and sang a sweet song that made her feel happy. When her sisters saw the bird, they felt jealous and told her to lock it in a cage so it wouldn’t fly away. At first, Princess September listened to them and put the bird in a golden cage. But the bird became sad inside the cage and stopped singing and eating. This made Princess September worried. One morning, she saw the bird lying weak and still, almost like it was going to die. She cried, and when her tears fell, the bird opened its eyes and told her that if it couldn’t sing, it would die. After hearing this, Princess September understood her mistake. She didn’t want to hurt the bird, so she let it go free. This shows that she had a kind and loving heart and cared more about the bird’s happiness than keeping it for herself.

2. Why did Princess September let the bird go, and what did she learn from it?
Ans: Princess September loved the little bird and wanted to keep it safe with her. At first, she locked it in a golden cage because she was afraid it might fly away and never come back. But soon, she saw that the bird was not happy. It stopped singing and didn’t want to eat. It missed flying in the sky and being free. When Princess September saw the bird lying weak in the cage, she felt very sad. She didn’t want to hurt it. So, even though it was hard, she opened the cage and let the bird go. She cared more about the bird’s happiness than keeping it with her. The bird was so thankful that it promised to visit her every day and sing for her. This made Princess September happy too. The story teaches us that true love brings freedom, not control. When we give freedom to those we care about, it brings joy to both them and us.

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