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Karnataka State Syllabus Class 10 English Supplementary Chapter 4 The Bird of Happiness
The Bird of Happiness Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes
Think about the text:
Question 1.
“Will I ever make it”? Why did Wangjia feel so?
Answer:
When the first monster turned the smooth road into a vast stretch. Travelling first 300 miles on this land he thought that the task was becoming tough. At that moment, this feeling was going in his mind.
Question 2.
What hardships did Wangjia undergo on his way to find the Bird?
Answer:
Wangjia had to suffer a lot on his way to success. In the beginning, the road was full of stones as sharp as a knife, when he completed his way on that screen, his feet, hand, the knee was wounded when the second, monster made him to starve, he continued his journey without food. After this, he was nothing but skin and bone. When the third monster took his eyesight, he suffered and his journey was entirely different. Here he crawled 900 miles and clambered to the peak, these were the hardships Wangjia underwent on his way to find the bird.
Question 3.
What changes came over Wangjia as the Bird of Happiness caressed him?
Answer:
When the bird of Happiness caressed Wangjia gently with its wings and sang for him. The eyeballs came back and he got the vision which was brighter than before. All his wounds disappeared and he got strength.
Question 4.
Wangjia was face-to-face with three monsters. Each monster had his own wish. Wangjia too had a wish. What contrast do you draw between the wishes of the monster and the wish of Wangjia? What does the folktale suggest with this contrast?
Answer:
Each monster had a wish to kill their enemies, and bring sorrow and misery to them. But Wangjia had a wish that brings happiness to others. The monster’s wishes are selfish and Wangjia’s wish is selfless. The folktale suggests that if we have the selfless wish, definitely it should be fulfilled through it had many hardships. In the end, success should be obtained to selfless people only. These people were remembered forever.
Question 5.
Read paragraph 1 and paragraphs 28 and 29. What do you understand from them about the meaning of real happiness?
Answer:
According to that para, we can understand that real happiness depends upon the surrounding which we live. Nature gives warm breeze, forest, trees, flowers, fruits, etc., The land gives good crops if the rivers flow. The bird’s song, rabbits dancing gives pleasure the people can lead their life happily. If people get what they want, then they will feel happy.
Question 6.
What do you like the most in the story? Support your answer by giving reasons.
Answer:
The most appealing aspect of the story is Wangjia’s determination to help his people. Not even once did he waiver in his determination. Even when the three terrifying monsters tried to break his resolve, he remained strong and unwavering. All this he does without selfishness.
OR
The most striking aspect of the story is that it shows that happiness lies in ordinary things that we take for granted. The story shows that when we have the grace of nature upon us, we don’t realize its value. Only when we are denied it, like the people of the poor area of Tibet are, do we realize that nature is the source of happiness.
Question 7.
Read the story. Discuss with your partner and fill in the table given below.
Answer:
Question 8.
We want to lead a happy life. What, according to you, can make us happy? Some ways are suggested below. Think whether they are practicable or impracticable. Discuss and write them under the two columns appropriately.
a) working hard to satisfy everybody’s wants
b) giving up all selfish desires
c) striking a balance between selfishness and sacrifice
d) working together for the good of all
e) leading a simple contented life
f) devoting some time of the day for the good of others.
Answer:
The Bird of Happiness Additional Questions and Answers
Answer the following questions:
Question 1.
Why did none of the people who went in search of the Bird of Happiness return?
Answer:
The Bird of Happiness was guarded by three monsters who could kill a man by simply blowing through their long beards. They made the journey too tough for the people.
Question 2.
What was the reaction of the first monster when Wangjia revealed to him the purpose of his journey?
Answer:
The first monster ridiculed Wangjia asking how a little child like him, no longer than an egg, could dare to set foot there. He also warned Wangjia that if Wangjia did not carry out his wish he would make Wangjia walk nine hundred miles across a screen.
Question 3.
What sustained Wangjia in the second phase of the journey?
Answer:
When Wangjia had nothing to eat, he went to a river, drank plenty of water and continued on his way and continued with determination.
Question 4.
Why did the people of the area in Tibet not know what happiness was?
OR
What did the people of the area in Tibet suffer from?
OR
How can you say that the people of the area in Tibet were unhappy?
Answer:
The area had no rivers or good land, no warmth or fresh flowers, no trees or green grass. The people suffered from hunger and cold all year-round. Hence they did not know what happiness was like.
Question 5.
What did the old folk of Tibet say about happiness?
Answer:
The old folk used to say that happiness was a beautiful bird. It lived far away, on a snowy mountain in the east. Wherever the bird flew, happiness went with it. The bird was said to be guarded by three monsters.
Question 6.
How was Wangjia made to suffer by the second monster?
Answer:
When Wangjia refused to kill old gaffer Silong, in a fit of fury the second monster blew through his beard and Wangjia’s bread bag flew into the sky. The blue mountains and green rivers turned into a desert with not a scrap of food to be found. Wangjia was so hungry that his stomach rumbled with hunger, his head swam and there was a sharp pain in his guts.
Question 7.
Why did Wangjia decide not to go back?
Answer:
Though the journey was very tough, Wangjia decided not to go back. He knew that the people at home were waiting for him to bring back happiness.
Question 8.
What was the result of Wangjia’s journey of the first three hundred miles?
Answer:
After the first hundred miles, the soles of Wangjia’s boots were ripped apart by the stones. After the second hundred miles, his feet were cut to pieces. After the third hundred miles, his hands were torn to shreds.
Question 9.
What was the result of Wangjia’s journey to find the bird of happiness?
Answer:
Wangjia was able to achieve what no one else from his village was able to achieve. He was able to find the Bird of Happiness. He was able to make the bird come to his village with him. Since the bird took happiness wherever it went, he was able to make his people happy.
Question 10.
Describe Wangjia’s journey across the scree.
Answer:
The scree had sharp stones and after the first hundred miles, the soles of Wangjia’s boots were ripped apart by the stones; after the second hundred miles, his feet were cut to pieces; and after the third hundred miles his hands were torn to shreds. Wangjia was brought to such a pitiable state that for the rest of the journey he had to crawl on the ground. His clothes got torn and his knees and shoulders were bruised. However, Wangjia’s determination not to disappoint his people made him complete this phase of the journey.
Question 11.
If the monsters are designated to guard the Bird of Happiness, why are they so cruel when the bird itself is so gentle?
Answer:
The three monsters pose to Wangjia three tests to see if Wangjia would kill and harm others to gain his own end. The monsters pose hardships to see if Wangjia would give up his goal easily or not. Since Wangjia wins the tests given by three different monsters, he gets to see the Bird of Happiness. Thus the monsters, in reality, are the trick used by the Bird of Happiness to determine whether Wangjia is genuinely interested in helping his people out.
Question 12.
How did the monsters try to prevent Wangjia from seeing the bird of happiness?
OR
What difficulties did Wangjia face in his efforts to see the bird of happiness?
Answer:
When Wangjia started on his journey looking for the bird of happiness he first met a monster who asked him to kill Lousang’s mother. When Wangjia refused to carry out the command, the smooth road turned into a vast scree and every stone on it was as sharp as a knife. After the first hundred miles, the soles of Wangjia’s boots were ripped apart by the stones; after the second hundred miles, his feet were cut to pieces; and after the third hundred miles, his hands were torn to shreds.
Next, when Wangjia refused to obey the second monster’s command to poison old gaffer Silong, the monster blew away Wangjia’s bread-bag and turned the blue mountains and green rivers into a boundless desert with no food to be found anywhere. Wangjia traveled 300 miles without food with his head reeling and with sharp pain in his guts. The last phase of his journey was even worse. When Wangjia refused to carry out the command of the third monster to bring Bhima’s eyeballs, the monster gouged out Wangjia’s eyeballs.
The rest of the journey had to be carried on by Wangjia in his blind state. He groped his way with his hands on the ground. Yet he continued his journey resolutely in the direction of the rising sun as he believed that the bird must be in a place in that direction. At last Wangjia’s determination and goodness were answered when he found the Bird of Happiness.
Question 13.
How did, the bird of happiness relieve the poor people of their hardships?
OR
How did the bird bring happiness in the lives of the poor people of the village?
OR
How did the bird of happiness bring happiness to the Tibetan villagers?
Answer:
Wangjia asked of the bird of happiness for warmth and happiness, forests and flowers, fields and rivers. Standing on the mountain top, the bird gave three loud cries. At the first cry, the golden sun broke through the clouds and a warm breeze came down from the sky. At the second cry, stretch upon stretch of forest appeared all over the mountain. Mountain peach and other mountain flowers bloomed together and thrushes and larks led a chorus of birdsong. At the third cry, green rivers and fields came into view and little white rabbits danced merrily on the grass. The people, who had until then suffered from hunger and cold all the year round, were relieved of their hardships.
Question 14.
What did the first monster ask Wangjia to do? How did Wangjia react to it?
Answer:
The first monster, whose beard was black, had voice like that of a crow. He commanded Wangjia to kill Lousang’s mother. Wangjia refused to do so saying that he loved his own mother and would never kill another’s mother. The monster made Wangjia suffer by making him walk 900 miles across the scree as punishment.
The Bird of Happiness Summary in English
‘The Bird of Happiness’ is a folktale about the people of a poor area in Tibet who despite their unimaginable hardships firmly believed that happiness existed somewhere in the world. The old folks believed that happiness was a beautiful bird living on a snowy mountain, far away in the east. However, many people who went in search of the bird never returned, increasing the mystery surrounding the bird. It was said that the bird was guarded by three old monsters who could kill a man by simply blowing through their long beards.
So, when Wangjia, a bright boy, was chosen to undertake the task, people wished him by offering him a number of things for the way. Wangjia started his journey walking eastwards. There were three phases to his journey and in every phase Wangjia’s hardships increased. In the first phase when Wangjia refused to carry out the command of the first monster to kill Lousang’s mother, the smooth road turned into a vast scree and every stone on it was as sharp as a knife.
After the first hundred miles, the soles of Wangjia’s boots were ripped apart by the stones; after the second hundred miles, his feet were cut to pieces; and after the third hundred miles, his hands were torn to shreds. Since the going was so tough, Wangjia had moments of doubt and he wondered if he would ever make it. In the second phase, when Wangjia refused to obey the second monster’s command-to poison old gaffer Silong, the monster blew away Wangjia’s bread-bag and turned the blue mountains and green rivers into a boundless desert with no food to be found anywhere.
Wangjia travelled 300 miles without food with his head reeling and with sharp pain in his guts, as if they were being cut by a knife. This was not all. The last phase of his journey was even worse. When Wangjia refused to carry out the command of the third monster to bring Bhima’s eyeballs, the monster gouged out Wangjia’s eyeballs. The rest of the journey had to be carried on by Wangjia in his blind state. He groped his way with his hands on the ground. Yet he continued his journey resolutely in the direction of the sun as he believed that the bird must be in a place in that direction.
All this Wangjia did because he honoured his promise to his people and he remembered the hope of his people that he would bring with him the bird of happiness. At last Wangjia’s determination and goodness were answered when he found the Bird of Happiness and the bird spoke gently to him. As soon as the Bird of Happiness caressed Wangjia gently, his eyeballs flew back to their sockets, and he could see much more brightly than before. All his wounds were healed and he was stronger than ever.
Thus magical changes came over Wangjia as the Bird of Happiness caressed him. It took him back to his place and asked him what he wanted. Instead of asking anything for himself, Wangjia replied that his people wanted warmth and happiness, forests and flowers and rivers. The Bird of Happiness gave three cries and with the first cry, the golden sun broke through the clouds and a warm breeze came down from the sky.
At the second cry, stretch upon stretch of forest appeared all over the mountains, mountain peach and other mountain flowers bloomed together and thrushes and larks led a chorus of birdsong. At the third cry, green rivers and fields came into view and little white rabbits danced merrily on the grass. The people of the place never suffered hardships again. From all this it’s clear that happiness means being blessed by nature to enjoy the natural pleasures of nature.
The Bird of Happiness Summary in Kannada
Glossary:
- despite: in spite of
- puny: small
- rang: anger
- will be done for: will be dead
- ripped apart: pulled apart
- departure: leaving
- scree: an area of small loose stones, especially on a mountain
- sole: the bottom surface of the foot
- shreds: thin torn pieces
- Will I ever make it?: Will I succeed?
- crawl: move slowly
- old gaffer: old man in charge
- defiantly: refusing to obey
- rumbling with hunger: feeling very hungry
- set off: start
- howled: cried like a wolf
- boundless: having no limit
- old gaffer Silong: an enemy of the second monster
- not a scrap of food: not a bit of food
- bruised: hurt
- head swam: felt as if everything was spinning around
- reckless: unmindful of the risk
- gouge out: to force out the eye of (a person) with one’s thumb
- ordeal: suffering
- overwhelmed: filled with strong emotion
- caressed: touched gently with love
- Bhima: a girl’s name
- at once: with no loss of time
- clambered: climbed up
- groping: moving as if in the dark
- to set foot: to enter into some place
- Mountain peach: mountain fruit
- lark: a kind of bird