Summary: The Bird with the Broken Wing
In this play, Little Bird is flying south with his flock. He is tired, hungry and has a
broken wing. He decides to rest in the forest overnight. He approaches Oak
Tree, Maple Tree and Willow Tree one by one, but they all turn him down. Oak
Tree says that his branches are occupied by squirrels. Maple and Willow don’t
want to take in a strange bird and mess up their leaves. Little Bird is very sad to
have no place to eat or stay warm. Just then Spruce Tree offers to keep him
warm in her leaves. Pine Tree promises to keep the cold north wind away from
Little Bird. Juniper Tree offers her berries to the hungry bird. Little Bird is
overcome with gratitude, and thanks them all for their kindness. He eats
berries, and stays warm through the night.
At midnight, Jack Frost and Forest Fairy meet. Jack Frost is spreading frost on
leaves to mark the beginning of winter. Forest Fairy tells him what had
happened. Jack Frost is very disappointed to hear that three strong trees
refused to help a poor little bird. He decides to reward Spruce Tree, Pine Tree
and Juniper Tree for their helpfulness and kindness. “Their leaves will never
fall, even during winters,” he says, and calls them Evergreen Trees.
This play is based on a folktale. Folktales are stories, myths or legends that are
passed on in the form of stories from generation to generation. They could be
about fairy tales or animals fables. In this story, we are told how evergreen
trees got their name, and why these trees and their leaves survive even the
cold winters.
UNIT 8:
Embedded questions
1. (Suggested answer. Accept all logical answers.)
Maybe Little Bird fell down, or got attacked by an animal.
2. (Suggested answers. Accept all logical answers.)
Although we know Little Bird was harmless, Willow Tree did not know anything about the bird. He
might be right not to let strangers on his tree.
OR
Little Bird is a small bird with broken wing. It’s clear that he needed help. Just because someone is
a stranger, does not mean that we do not help the ones in need.
3. Jack Frost dislikes ‘touching’ the beautiful leaves, because his touch covers the leaves with frost,
making them wither.
Comprehension
A. 1. it’s warmer in the south.
2. his wing was broken, and he was tired and cold.
3. he didn’t know anything about Little Bird.
4. his branches were already occupied by the squirrels.
5. cover them with frost and bring about winter.
B. 1. a. Jack Frost says these words to Forest Fairy.
b. Jack Frost and Forest Fairy are discussing the kindness shown by Spruce Tree, Juniper Tree and
Pine Tree to Little Bird. Spruce Tree lets the bird stay the night, Pine Tree blocks the north wind
and keep the bird warm, while Juniper Tree lets the bird eat her berries.
c. Spruce Tree, Pine Tree and Juniper Tree are rewarded that their leaves will never fall off even in
winters.
2. a. Jack Frost says these words to Forest Fairy.
b. ‘They’ refers to Pine Tree, Spruce Tree and Juniper Tree and their families.
3. Jack Frost obeys the orders of King Winter, the god of winter. Before King Winter comes along, Jack
Frost covers the leaves of all trees with frost. The leaves turn brown and red, marking the coming
of winter.
Forest Fairy takes care of the trees in her forest. She probably protects all the living beings that
stay in the forest.
4. Spruce Tree, Juniper Tree and Pine Tree helped Little Bird. Spruce Tree let the bird stay the night in
her thick, warm branches. Pine Tree blocked the cold north wind and kept the bird warm. Juniper
Tree offered Little Bird the berries from her tree.
5. Spruce Tree, Pine Tree and Juniper Tree and their families are called Evergreen Trees. Jack Frost
gave them this name as a reward for their kindness to Little Bird. As per the reward, their leaves will
never fall, even in winter. The trees will remain green throughout the year.
C. (Suggested answer. Accept all logical answers.)
1. We should be kind to each other, because we all need each other to live a happy life. At times, we
need other people’s help and guidance to survive too.
2. Yes, I would still like it. Scene 1 ends with Little Bird happy and cosy with his new friends. Scene 2
only tells us about how the trees are rewarded. Even without the reward, Little Bird and his tree
friends would be happy.
3. Yes, they might have behaved very differently. Because then they would have something to gain
from the situation. They would have helped Little Bird, but not because of their kindness or Little
Bird’s helplessness.
Grammar
A. 1. Rashi is meeting them here. (adverb of place)
2. We should leave for the bus stop now. (adverb of time)
3. Meera and her friends will join us later. (adverb of time)
4. Yesterday, I met my friend Adil. (adverb of time)
5. Is somebody waiting for you outside? (adverb of place)
6. You should chew your food slowly. (adverb of manner)
7. My grandparents live nearby. (adverb of place)
8. The cab is waiting for us downstairs. (adverb of place)
B. 1. hardly 2. today 3. loudly 4. yesterday 5. upstairs 6. anxiously
Vocabulary
1. take up 2. take off 3. takes down 4. took over 5. take on
Writing
(Suggested answer. Accept all logical answers.)
Winter was near. All the birds were flying south for warmth and food. Maple Tree, Willow Tree and Oak
Tree were watching a flock of birds fly over them. “I hope they don’t land on my branches,” said Maple
Tree, who liked to keep his leaves in order. Willow Tree agreed, “These birds will break my tender twigs.
I do not want them here either.”
Little Bird was part of this flock. He was tired, cold and hungry, and his wing was broken. He decided
to rest the night in the forest. He approached Oak Tree and asked politely, “May I rest in your branches,
great Oak Tree? I am a poor little bird with a broken wing. I am cold, tired and hungry.”
Oak Tree told Little Bird that he had no space for him, as his leaves were occupied by the squirrels.
“I have no room for strange birds,” he said to Little Bird, rudely. Disappointed, Little Bird then asked
Maple Tree if he would take him in.
“Kind, handsome Maple Tree, may I rest tonight in your branches?” asked Little Bird, “I am a poor little
bird with a broken wing. I will not harm your pretty leaves.”
Maple Tree replied with scorn, “My leaves tremble to think of taking in strange birds! My house is in
perfect order and I cannot think of disturbing it. Please go away!”
Cold and weak with hunger, Little Bird wondered what to do next. “Surely some tree must be kind,” he
thought. He begged Willow Tree to take him in. But Willow Tree refused too because she did not know
anything about Little Bird. “Besides, I am very sleepy, so, good night!” Willow Tree said.
Just when Little Bird was wondering if he was going to die on the ground, Spruce Tree invited him to
keep himself warm in her thick branches. “I am not as handsome as the Maple, but my leaves grow
thick and will keep you warm through the night,” offered Spruce Tree.
Little Bird immediately hopped onto one of her branches and expressed his gratitude, “Dear Spruce
Tree, how kind you are! Yes, here I am, on your lowest branch. It is so cosy and warm here. How can
I thank you enough for your kindness!”
“Do not speak of that, dear Little Bird! I am sorry that the other trees did not give you shelter,” replied
Spruce Tree.
As Little Bird got comfortable in Spruce Tree’s leaves, Pine Tree offered to keep Little Bird warm by
blocking the cold north wind. Little Bird thanked Pine Tree for his kindness.
Just then, Juniper Tree addressed Little Bird, “I cannot keep the strong north wind from you, Little Bird
with the broken wing, but if you are hungry, you may eat my berries.”
Little Bird was happy and grateful to the trees for their kindness. “You are all so kind to me! Your
berries are good, and now I am cold and hungry no longer. I’ll go to sleep. Good night, dear trees!” The
trees wished him a good night too.
As the trees and Little Bird slept peacefully, Forest Fairy and Jack Frost visited the forest. Jack Frost
had been given order by King Winter to cover all leaves with frost and bring about winter. Forest Fairy
addressed Jack Frost and told him what had happened in the forest that day.
Jack Frost was shocked to hear that. “What!” he asked, “Did all the trees refuse to help a poor, tired
little bird?”
Forest Fairy replied, “Just as I was about to speak to the trees, I heard Spruce Tree tell him to come to
her branches and that she would give him shelter. Then, Pine Tree kept the north wind from him, and
Juniper Tree gave him her berries to eat. Could you, dear Jack Frost—”
Jack Frost immediately understood what was on Forest Fairy’s mind. “Such kindness should be
rewarded,” he said. “The leaves of the proud Oak, Maple, and Willow Trees shall fall to the ground
when the cold winter comes; but Spruce, Pine, Juniper, and all their family trees shall keep their leaves,
and they shall be green all through the year. They shall be called Evergreen Trees.”
This is how Spruce Tree, Pine Tree and Juniper Tree and their families are called Evergreen Trees.
THE BIRD WITH THE BROKEN WING
A. Answer in brief.
1. Which trees turned the little bird away and which trees helped him?
Ans: The Oak tree, the Maple tree and the Willow tree turned the little bird away and the Spruce
tree, the Pine tree and the Juniper tree helped him.
2. What did the Spruce tree tell the little bird when the other trees refused to help him?
Ans: The Spruce tree told the bird to hop on to its branches and said that it was not as handsome
as the Maple, but its leaves grew thick and could keep him warm through the night.
B. Answer in detail.
How did Jack Frost reward the helpful trees and punish the selfish ones?
Ans: Jack Frost rewarded the helpful Spruce, Pine, Juniper and all their family trees by letting them
keep their leaves and be green all through the year. They were called Evergreen trees. He punished
the selfish and proud Oak, Maple and Willow trees by making them shed their leaves in cold winter.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. “May I rest in your branches tonight, great Oak Tree?”
a. Why did the little bird want to rest?
b. What did the Oak tree reply?
c. Who occupied its branches?
Ans: a. The little bird had broken its wing and was tired, cold and hungry. So he wanted to rest
that night.
b. The Oak tree refused to let the bird rest on its branches and said that they were occupied.
c. The squirrels getting their acorns for the winter, occupied its branches.
2. “Here I am in the great forest.”
a. Who was in the great forest?
b. Whose orders was he obeying?
c. What were the orders?
Ans: a. Jack Frost was in the great forest.
b. He was obeying the orders of King Winter.
c. The orders were to touch all the leaves and turn them into shades of gold and brown.
D. Answer in brief. (Think and answer)
1. The characters of the trees in this play are opposite in nature. Write some adjectives that describe
these trees.
Ans: Some adjectives that can be used to describe the opposite nature of these trees are:
good – bad, cruel – kind, selfish – unselfish, generous – mean.
2. What did Jack Frost and Forest Fairy both agree to?
Ans: Jack Frost and Forest Fairy both agreed to reward the kindness of some trees and punish the
other trees for being selfish and unkind to the injured bird.
E. Answer in detail. (Think and answer)
List two things you learnt from the story. Use details from the lesson to support your statement.
Ans: Good is always rewarded and evil is punished: The trees Spruce, Pine and Juniper become
evergreen trees. They are rewarded for their kindness to the bird. The trees, Oak, Maple and Willow are
punished as they refused to help the bird.
If you are patient you will succeed. The bird did not give up after asking the first three trees. The bird
would have died of cold if he had flown away.
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