Princess September, Comprehension Level Questions and Answers

Princess September

Extract I

He cried bitterly.......ever had.

1.    What did the King say, which made him cry bitterly in the company of the queen? What do you find strange in the way he treated the queen? Why was the queen uneasy?

He said that after the birth of their twelfth daughter, he would have her head cut off.

The king is rather a mysterious character. While on the one hand, he is extremely fond of  the queen, on the other hand, he decides to cut off the queen’s  head after the birth of his twelfth  daughter, for he thinks that twelve daughters are enough for any man.

The queen would be uneasy more because the king would be distressed to have her executed.

2.    How many daughters did the king and queen have ? Why were they named after the months of the year? How were the king’s daughters named earlier?

They had nine daughters. First, the king had two daughters, so they were named Night and Day. When they had two more daughters, the king named them after the four seasons- Summer, Winter, Spring and Autumn. When their number further increased, their names changed to the days of the week, and finally to the months in a year.

3.    How was September different from her elder sisters? What was the reason for this difference? Give examples to show that the elder sisters of Princess September were jealous of her.

The elder daughters, whose names had been changed many times, had embittered character. On the other hand, Princess September had very sweet and charming nature.

The nightingale sings beautifully and much better than the parrots, which her sisters have as their pets and therefore, all the elder princesses get jealous of  princess September.

The sisters out of jealousy , advised Princess September to keep the nightingale in the cage.

4.    The king of Siam had an odd character. Show how this is shown in the following situations:

a)    His liking for the parrot’s greeting

The king loves flattery. When the queen says that he must have got tired of people saying ‘God save the king,’ the king replies that, ‘the sentiment is admirable, and  I never mind how often I hear it.’ Thus, he loves the parrots repeating the phrase, ‘God save the king,’ but he does get tired of hearing them say ‘Pretty Polly.’

b)    His act of giving presents on his birth day celebrations.

The king likes to give presents, instead of receiving them, on his birthday. His giving away his wedding presents to the people as gifts, shows that he does not value the feelings or sentiments of the donors. He even gives away his old crowns as gifts to people.

5.    We are told that the king was extremely fond of the queen. Still, he would have her head cut off. What does this tell us about him? How was the queen finally saved from this situation?

The king is rather a mysterious character. While on the one hand, he is extremely fond of  the queen, on the other hand, he decides to cut off the queen’s  head after the birth of his twelfth  daughter, for he thinks that twelve daughters are enough for any man.

The queen saved herself  because after the birth of princess September, the queen had only sons who were named after the letters of the alphabet.

Extract II

The nine princesses..............oriental languages.

1.    Compare the parrots to the nightingale. How does the author show that the nightingale represents an artist?

The nightingale is quite accomplished: he sings a variety of songs about the lake in the king’s garden, the willow trees and the goldfish. Besides, he sings a different song for each of the eight elder princesses. The bird is much confident of his talents, for it tells the princess, ‘It is true that I am not so pretty to look at, but on the other hand  I have  a much better voice.’ The king and the queen are delighted at the bird’s special skills.

The parrots could repeat only ‘ God save the king’ and ‘Pretty Poly.’

When the nightingale is imprisoned in the cage for long, he gets restless. Deprived of artistic freedom, he cannot sing, he stops eating, and is almost near his death, when the princess sets him free.

2.    What was the king’s opinion about the phrases ‘God save the king’ and ‘Pretty Poly’ which the parrots repeated?

The king loves flattery. When the queen says that he must have got tired of people saying ‘God save the king,’ the king replies that, ‘the sentiment is admirable, and  I never mind how often I hear it.’ Thus, he loves the parrots repeating the phrase, ‘God save the king,’ but he does get tired of hearing them say ‘Pretty Polly.’

3.    What happened to princess September’s parrot? How did she react to it?

One day princess September found her parrot lying dead at the bottom of its golden cage. She was so grieved, that she burst into tears. When nothing could comfort the princess, the queen got very annoyed and sent her little child to bed, without supper.

4.    How did the queen react to it?

When nothing could comfort the princess, the queen got very annoyed and sent her little child to bed, without supper.

5.    What did the Maids of Honour do with the Princess?

She burst into a flood of tears, and nothing that her Maids of Honour could say comforted her. She cried so much that the Maids of Honour, not knowing what to do, told the queen.

6.    What pulled the princess out of her gloom?

As the princess lay all by herself in her bed, hungry and crying, a little bird hopped into her room. Then the little bird began to sing beautifully. The melodious songs of the little bird pulled the princess out of her gloom.

Extract III

“ That was a very nice..........better voice.’

1.    What did the little bird sing about?

He sang a variety of songs about the lake in the king’s  garden, the willow trees and the goldfish.

2.    What effect did it have on the princess?

His beautiful songs pulled the princess out of her gloom. She soon forgot about her pet parrot who was found dead at the bottom of its golden cage.

3.    Why did the bird give the princess a bow? What does it tell us about him?

When the bird had finished singing, the princess appreciated his song. The little bird gave her a bow, like a good-mannered artist, expressing his gratitude.

4.    Why does the little bird offer to take the place f the princess’ parrot?

                It is because of her charming nature that the nightingale offers to stay with                   her. He does not  leave  her even though she has kept him in the cage for some time.

5.    How did the princess react to the bird’s offer?

The nightingale asked princess September if she would have him in place of her parrot. Princess September was delighted at the offer and accepted it.

6.    What in the story tells us that the princess and the bird had become friends?

The nightingale offers himself as a new companion to the princess in place of her parrot, and the princess readily agrees. It is here that their friendship begins. The princess would take care of the bird. The bird, in return sings beautiful songs to the princess as and when she desires and even sings her to sleep.

Friendship demands sacrifice. The princess loved the nightingale and shuts him in the cage so that she could have him all to herself. But , she soon realises that the real happiness of the bird lies in his freedom. Thus she sacrifices her own wishes and grants the bird freedom.

Extract IV

They say it seven different.......very glum indeed.

1.    Who are they as referred to in the extract? What did they say?

‘They’ refers to the parrots of the princesses. They repeated ‘God save the king’ and ‘Pretty Poly’ in seven different languages.

2.    To what remark made by the king, do the princess say this?

The king said that he got tired of hearing the parrots say Pretty Poly. To this remark of the king, the princesses replied that the parrots say Pretty Poly in seven different languages.

3.    What is the king’s opinion about his councillors? What does it tell us about him?

The king has his own set of fixed principles of administration and he does not readily take in the ideas of his councillors. When the princesses say that their parrots say the phrases in seven different language, the king replies , ‘......but it reminds me too much of my councillors. They say the same thing in seven different ways and it never means anything in any way they say it.’

4.    Why were the princess’ characters naturally embittered?

The elder sisters of princess September had their character naturally embittered because their names had been changed many times.

5.    What do the princess do to avenge themselves on princess September?

The eight princesses were so jealous of  princess September that they decided to do something about it. They went to their youngest sister, and expressing grief over the loss of her dear parrot, offered to buy her another green and yellow parrot. Princess September declined their offer, saying that she was quite happy with the little bird that she had.

Then the elder princesses told the little princess that she  must put her bird in a cage so that he would be more safe. The princess being concerned for his safety does not want to lose him as she had lost her parrot. This makes her keep the little bird in the cage. The result is that the bird stops singing and eating; and nears death, before it is freed.

Extract V

Suddenly September heard.................tonight at all.

1.    Where had the little bird gone? Why did he return so late?

The bird had gone to pay a visit to his father-in-law.  He was late because his father-in-law was giving a party and they all wanted him to stay for the party.

2.    What thoughts troubled the princess when the bird did not come back in time?

She thought that something might have happened to the bird. She was reminded of the danger that could be caused by hawks and men with snares. Besides, he might forget her, or he might take a fancy to somebody else.

3.    Why did the princess finally put the bird in the cage?

The elder princesses told princess September that she must put her bird in a cage so that he would be more safe. September did not quite like the  idea of restricting the bird’s movements. However, that evening, the bird returned to her room a little late. This made September very anxious. Taking hold of the bird, she placed him into the cage and shut the door.

4.    What was the bird’s reaction to the princess’ action?

Though the nightingale is a free bird of the wilds, it frequents the palace for the sake of the princess’ happiness. He doesn’t  mind her putting  him in  a cage when she says it is for  his own safety. However, when he is imprisoned in the cage for long,  he gets restless. Deprived of artistic freedom, he cannot sing, he stops eating,  and is almost near his death, when the princess sets him free.

5.    What reasons did the princess September give for her unusual action? Was the bird satisfied with it? Why?

The princess told the nightingale that the queen’s cats are prowling about that night and it would be unsafe for the nightingale to be outside.

The nightingale doesn’t mind her putting  him in  a cage when she says it is for  his own safety. However, when he is imprisoned in the cage for long,  he gets restless.

Extract VI

I know what’s good ..............forget your troubles?

1.    Did the princess really know what was good for the bird? Give reasons for your answer.

Princess September is quite innocent. Though at first she rules out her sisters’ suggestion to imprison the bird in a cage, she soon gives in because of their false concern for the safety of the bird. Therefore, she puts the little bird in the cage.

The little princess fails to understand the bird’s need for freedom. However, she is quite sensitive, for she does take the bird out in the open air to look at the rice-fields, the lake and the willow trees. When she sees the  act little creature’s life in trouble, she does not act selfishly, but decides to grant the bird freedom for ever.

2.    What reason does the bird give for not singing?

Deprived of artistic freedom, he cannot sing, he stops eating, and is almost near his death, when the princess sets him free.

3.    What did the princess do to satisfy the bird’s wish? Did it help any way?

The little princess fails to understand the bird’s need for freedom. However, she is quite sensitive, for she does take the bird out in the open air to look at the rice-fields, the lake and the willow trees.

It didn’t help the bird in any way. The bird said that the rice-fields and the lake and the willow trees look quite different when you see them through the bars of a cage.

4.    What did the other princesses say, when September informed them that the bird had stopped eating?

They told her to firm. They remarked that it would be ungrateful of him. if  he is obstinate and dies it will serve him right and you will be well rid of him.

5.    When the princess woke up the next morning, what did she see?

She found the little bird lay, at the  bottom, on his side, with his eyes closed, and looked as if he were dead.

6.    What did the princess do then? What did she say to the bird?

She began to cry and her tears fell on the little bird. He opened his eyes and felt that the bars of the cage were no longer round him.

Princess September granted him freedom.

7.    How did her action help the bird? How did  it help the princess herself?

The princess is finally rewarded  for her goodness and tenderness towards the little bird. The bird becomes her lifelong friend, singing beautiful songs for her. Further, as the princess keeps the window of her room open all the time for the bird, it allows sunlight and fresh air to enter her room. Consequently, she gets nature’s nourishment, and grows up to be extremely beautiful. She is married to the king of Cambodia.