Princess September Flashcards
What did the King of Siam give his daughters on his birthday?
One year on his birthday, the King of Siam gave each of his daughters a green parrot in a golden cage.
What happened to Princess September’s parrot one day? How did she react to it?
One day, Princess September found her parrot lying dead at the bottom of its golden cage. She burst into tears and cried so much that the Queen got angry and told her to go to bed without supper.
What made Princess September act upon her sisters’ advice?
After the death of her lovely parrot, Princess September was comforted by a little songbird that sang sweetly. One day, her sisters advised her to put the bird in a cage so it wouldn’t fly away. Princess September loved the bird too much to take any chances, so she acted upon their advice.
Why was the little bird surprised?
The little bird was surprised to see how ruthlessly Princess September treated him one day. She carried him over to the cage, popped him in, and shut the door. He became speechless and could think of nothing to say for a moment.
Who was Princess September married to? Why?
Princess September was married to the King of Cambodia because she was extremely beautiful.
Suppose you are Princess September. Give a brief account of your heartbreak, suffering, and eventual happiness.
I am the ninth daughter of the royal couple of Siam. My father, the King, used to give us gifts on his birthday. One year on his birthday, he gave each of us princesses a green parrot in a golden cage. I also received a parrot in a golden cage. All the other sisters taught their parrots to say, “God save the King” and “Pretty folly,” but I was different. Unfortunately, my parrot died one day, and I wept and wept. I even went to sleep without supper. That night, a small songbird flew into the room and sang so sweetly that I forgot the loss of my parrot. I showed it to my sisters, but they grew jealous of my happiness. They advised me to put the bird in a cage, and I foolishly followed their advice. The bird stopped singing, and it seemed dead. Realizing my mistake, I set it free. In the end, I was married to the King of Cambodia, while my sisters, who were ugly and mean, had to marry my father’s counsellor.
Compare and contrast the characters of Princess September and her eight sisters.
Princess September was different from her eight elder sisters. She was sweet-natured and simple-hearted, finding joy in the little things like the song of a bird. Her sisters, however, were jealous, mean, and wicked. They plotted to rob her of her happiness by advising her to put the bird in a cage. While their wicked plan worked for a while and the bird stopped singing, Princess September cared more for the bird’s well-being than her own happiness, and she let it go free. For her goodness, she was eventually rewarded. The end.
