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Freedom

NCERT Class 5 · English Based on NCERT Class 5 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter is a story about a clever parrot who longs for freedom from its golden cage. The parrot uses its intelligence to trick its master into letting it go, showing that wisdom can be more powerful than physical strength. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that true happiness comes from freedom, and intelligence can help achieve it even in difficult situations.
Key Concepts (14)
merchant
A person who buys and sells goods for business.
e.g. The rich merchant kept a parrot in a cage of gold.
tender
Soft and easy to chew or cut; also means gentle or loving.
e.g. The parrot had tasted all the tender fruits and chillies.
distressed
Very upset, worried, or sad because of something bad that happened.
e.g. The merchant was distressed when the parrot fell from the tree.
perch
A branch or bar where a bird sits or rests.
e.g. The parrot fell from the perch to the floor of the cage.
windowsill
A flat shelf at the bottom of a window, inside or outside.
e.g. The merchant placed the bird on the windowsill.
sighed
Breathed out loudly to show sadness, tiredness, or relief.
e.g. The bird sighed when the merchant refused to let it fly.
freedom
The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without being controlled.
e.g. The parrot longed for the freedom of the open skies.
cage of gold
A cage made of gold, meaning a very beautiful and expensive prison.
e.g. The merchant kept the parrot in a cage of gold, but the bird was not happy.
greetings
Words or actions used to welcome or send good wishes to someone.
e.g. The parrot asked the merchant to send greetings to its friends in the jungle.
flight of parrots
A group of parrots flying together.
e.g. The merchant saw a flight of parrots in the forest.
collective noun
A word that names a group of people, animals, or things as a single unit.
e.g. Flight, flock, swarm, and army are collective nouns.
present perfect tense
A tense used to talk about actions that were completed in the recent past or actions that happened in the past but affect the present. Form: Subject + has/have + past participle of verb.
e.g. I have visited Delhi many times.
bird sanctuary
A protected area where birds can live safely without being hunted or disturbed.
e.g. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu is the oldest bird sanctuary in India.
bird feeder
An object used to keep food for birds, usually placed outdoors.
e.g. You can make a bird feeder using a plastic bottle or coconut shell.
How It Works
How the parrot tricked the merchant into freeing it
  1. Step 1: The parrot asked the merchant to send greetings to its friends in the jungle.
  2. Step 2: The merchant went to the forest and gave the message to a flight of parrots.
  3. Step 3: One wild parrot immediately fell from the tree as if dead.
  4. Step 4: The merchant returned home and told his pet parrot about the incident.
  5. Step 5: The pet parrot also fell from its perch as if dead.
  6. Step 6: The merchant, thinking the parrot was dead, placed it on the windowsill.
  7. Step 7: The parrot stirred, stretched its wings, and flew away to freedom.
💡 Students often think the wild parrot actually died. It was a trick — the wild parrot pretended to die to show the caged parrot how to escape.
How to form the present perfect tense
  1. Step 1: Identify the subject of the sentence (I, you, we, they, he, she, it, or a noun).
  2. Step 2: Use 'have' with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns. Use 'has' with he, she, it, and singular nouns.
  3. Step 3: Add the past participle form of the main verb (e.g., visited, drawn, bought, completed, written).
  4. Step 4: Place the object or remaining part of the sentence after the verb.
  5. Step 5: Check that the action is either recently completed or has relevance to the present.
💡 Students often forget to use the past participle form. For example, they write 'I have visit' instead of 'I have visited'. Also, they confuse present perfect with simple past — present perfect connects to the present, simple past does not.
How to use collective nouns correctly
  1. Step 1: Identify the group of people, animals, or things you want to name.
  2. Step 2: Choose the correct collective noun from the given list (e.g., flock for sheep, swarm for bees, army for ants, flight for parrots, bunch for keys, bouquet for flowers, pack for wolves).
  3. Step 3: Use the collective noun as a singular noun in the sentence.
  4. Step 4: Add the preposition 'of' followed by the plural noun (e.g., a flock of sheep, a swarm of bees).
💡 Students often write 'a flock of sheeps' instead of 'a flock of sheep'. 'Sheep' is both singular and plural. Also, they may use the wrong collective noun, like 'a pack of bees' instead of 'a swarm of bees'.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Thinking the wild parrot actually died
✗ The wild parrot died because it was shocked by the message.
→ The wild parrot did not die. It pretended to fall dead to show the caged parrot how to escape. This is clear from the ending where the pet parrot also pretends to die and then flies away.
✓ The wild parrot pretended to fall dead to teach the caged parrot a trick to escape.
⚠ Confusing 'flight' as only meaning flying
✗ A flight of parrots means parrots that are flying.
→ While 'flight' can mean the act of flying, in this context 'a flight of parrots' is a collective noun meaning a group of parrots, whether they are flying or sitting.
✓ A flight of parrots is a collective noun meaning a group of parrots.
⚠ Using simple past instead of present perfect tense
✗ I visited Delhi many times. It is a city with many historical sites.
→ The sentence 'I visited Delhi many times' is in simple past tense. It does not show the connection to the present. The present perfect tense 'I have visited Delhi many times' is correct because the experience is still relevant now.
✓ I have visited Delhi many times. It is a city with many historical sites.
⚠ Misusing 'has' and 'have' in present perfect
✗ She have drawn pictures of ten monuments.
→ With singular subjects like 'she', 'he', or 'it', we must use 'has', not 'have'. 'Have' is used with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns.
✓ She has drawn pictures of ten monuments.
⚠ Thinking the merchant was kind to let the parrot go
✗ The merchant was kind because he let the parrot fly away.
→ The merchant did not willingly let the parrot go. He was tricked. He thought the parrot was dead and placed it on the windowsill. The parrot escaped on its own.
✓ The merchant was tricked by the parrot. He did not willingly give it freedom.
Compare & Contrast
Connection to the present
Simple Past Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Simple past tense describes an action that happened and ended in the past with no connection to the present (e.g., 'I visited Delhi last year'). Present perfect tense describes an action that happened in the past but is still relevant or connected to the present (e.g., 'I have visited Delhi many times' — the experience is still important now).
Role in the story
Caged Parrot (pet)
Wild Parrot (friend in jungle)
The caged parrot is the main character who longs for freedom and uses intelligence to escape. The wild parrot is the friend who shows the caged parrot how to escape by pretending to die. Both are wise, but the wild parrot gives the idea, and the caged parrot executes it.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each) on vocabulary or comprehension, 1 short answer question (2-3 marks) on character or plot, 1 long answer question (5 marks) on moral or theme, 1 grammar question (3 marks) on present perfect tense or collective nouns.
Most asked: Theme of freedom and intelligence · Use of present perfect tense · Collective nouns · Character analysis of the parrot and the merchant · Moral of the story
Don't skip: Long answer question on the moral of the story and how the parrot showed intelligence; Grammar question on forming sentences in present perfect tense; Question on collective nouns with fill-in-the-blanks
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. The parrot was kept in a cage of gold but longed for the open skies and green trees.
  2. The merchant refused to let the parrot fly because he could not bear to lose it.
  3. The parrot asked the merchant to send greetings to its friends in the jungle.
  4. When the merchant gave the message, one wild parrot fell from the tree as if dead.
  5. The pet parrot also fell from its perch when it heard the story.
  6. The merchant placed the 'dead' parrot on the windowsill.
  7. The parrot stirred, stretched its wings, and flew away to freedom.
  8. The wild parrot showed the caged parrot how to escape by pretending to die.
  9. A collective noun names a group of people, animals, or things as a single unit.
  10. Examples of collective nouns: flight of parrots, flock of sheep, swarm of bees, army of ants.
  11. Present perfect tense is formed using subject + has/have + past participle of verb.
  12. Use 'has' with he, she, it and singular nouns; use 'have' with I, you, we, they and plural nouns.
  13. The oldest bird sanctuary in India is Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.
  14. The largest bird sanctuary in India is Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan.
  15. A bird feeder is an object used to keep food for birds, placed outdoors.
  16. The moral of the story is that intelligence can achieve what strength cannot.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Why did the merchant keep the parrot in a cage of gold?

  • A. Because the parrot was a gift from a friend
  • B. Because he wanted to keep it safe and show it was precious ✓
  • C. Because the parrot loved shiny things
  • D. Because the gold cage was the only cage available

Answer: B — The merchant kept the parrot in a gold cage to show that it was very dear to him and valuable, even though this comfort did not make the parrot truly happy.

Q2. What does the word 'distressed' mean in the sentence 'The merchant was distressed at this'?

  • A. Very happy and excited
  • B. Very sad and worried ✓
  • C. Very surprised and shocked
  • D. Very confused and lost

Answer: B — Distressed means feeling very sad, worried, or upset; in the story, the merchant was distressed when he saw the parrot fall from the tree.

Q3. What message did the caged parrot ask the merchant to give to the wild parrots?

  • A. That it wanted to escape and needed help
  • B. That it was happy and content in the cage
  • C. That it sends greetings from its cage ✓
  • D. That it had forgotten them completely

Answer: C — The parrot asked the merchant to tell the wild parrots that it sends them greetings from inside the cage where it lived.

Q4. Why did the wild parrot in the jungle fall to the ground when the merchant told it about the caged parrot?

  • A. Because it was sick and tired
  • B. Because it wanted to show the merchant's parrot how to escape ✓
  • C. Because it was angry with the merchant
  • D. Because the tree branch broke

Answer: B — The wild parrot was wise and clever—it fell to show the merchant's parrot that pretending to fall was a way to escape from the cage.

Q5. Fill in the blank: The parrot _____________ (want) to taste the joy of flying in the sky.

  • A. have wanted
  • B. has wanted
  • C. wanted ✓
  • D. will want

Answer: C — The simple past tense 'wanted' is correct because this is a past action that the parrot expressed during their conversation.

Q6. What is the correct collective noun for a group of parrots?

  • A. Pack of parrots
  • B. Flight of parrots ✓
  • C. Army of parrots
  • D. Bouquet of parrots

Answer: B — A flight of parrots is the correct collective noun used in the story when the merchant saw the parrots in the forest together.

Q7. How did the merchant's own parrot finally escape from the cage?

  • A. The merchant left the cage door open by mistake
  • B. Another parrot broke the cage from outside
  • C. It pretended to fall and die, then flew away from the windowsill ✓
  • D. The merchant took it out and gave it to the wild parrots

Answer: C — The clever parrot pretended to die like the wild parrot had, and when the merchant placed it on the windowsill, it flew away to freedom.

Q8. Which parrot in the story showed real wisdom and why?

  • A. The merchant's parrot because it was talkative and smart
  • B. The wild parrot because it taught without words by falling and showing the way ✓
  • C. Both parrots were equally wise
  • D. Neither parrot was wise

Answer: B — The wild parrot was wise because instead of telling the merchant's parrot what to do, it showed through its own example how to escape cleverly.

Q9. What does 'windowsill' mean in the sentence 'placed it on the windowsill'?

  • A. The glass part of the window
  • B. The flat part at the bottom of a window ✓
  • C. The frame around the window
  • D. A shelf inside the room

Answer: B — The windowsill is the flat horizontal part at the bottom of a window, where the merchant placed the parrot before it flew away.

Q10. What is the main lesson or value we learn from this story?

  • A. Gold cages are more beautiful than freedom
  • B. Parrots are cleverer than human beings
  • C. True love means wanting someone's happiness, even if it means letting them go ✓
  • D. Merchants should never travel away from their homes

Answer: C — The story teaches us that the merchant truly loved the parrot but had to learn that real love means letting it be free and happy, not keeping it trapped in a beautiful cage.

Flashcards

Where did the merchant keep his parrot?

The merchant kept the parrot in a cage of gold in his home.

What did the parrot really want from the merchant?

The parrot wanted to be free and fly in the open sky.

What message did the parrot send to the wild parrots?

The parrot asked the merchant to tell the wild parrots that it sends greetings from its cage.

What happened when the merchant told the wild parrots about the caged parrot?

One wild parrot dropped like a stone from the tree and fell to the ground.

Why did the pet parrot fall to the ground in its cage?

The pet parrot pretended to fall to show the merchant how it could escape by lying still on the ground.

What does the word merchant mean?

A merchant is a person who buys and sells goods to earn money.

What does the word distressed mean?

Distressed means very sad, worried, or upset about something that happened.

How did the parrot finally escape from its cage?

The parrot pretended to fall and die, then when placed on the windowsill, it flew away into the sky.

Why was the other parrot called wise in the story?

The wild parrot was wise because it showed the merchant's parrot how to escape without saying anything directly.

What lesson does this story teach us?

True love means wanting someone's happiness even if it means letting them go free.

Important Board Questions

Name the two main characters in the story 'The Wise Parrot'. [1 mark]

One is a person who travels for business; the other is a bird that wants freedom. Look at the beginning of the story.

The parrot said, 'I want to taste the joy of flying in the sky.' Why did the parrot say this instead of asking for expensive gifts? [2 marks]

The parrot had tasted all fruits and had comfort. What it really needed was freedom and natural joy, not material things.

Explain how the wild parrot in the jungle showed wisdom even without speaking to the merchant's parrot. Give one reason. [3 marks]

The wild parrot used an action (falling) to send a message. This showed the caged parrot how to trick the merchant and escape. Actions teach better than words sometimes.

The merchant thought his parrot had died. But the parrot was actually very clever. Describe what the parrot did to escape and why this was wise. [5 marks]

The parrot learned from the wild parrot's example of falling. It pretended to die so the merchant would place it on the windowsill. From there, it could finally fly to freedom. This shows using intelligence to solve a problem.

Match the words with their meanings: 1. Merchant — a) A person who sells goods 2. Distressed — b) Soft and young 3. Tender — c) Very sad and worried [2 marks]

Look at the New Words section in the chapter. Merchant is a person who trades. Distressed describes how the merchant felt when he saw the bird fall. Tender describes the fruits the parrot ate.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Freedom

Q1. Assertion (A):

The merchant could not let his parrot go free because he loved it very much.

Reason (R):

The merchant said 'You are very dear to me and I cannot bear to let you go away.'

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, and the reason directly explains why the merchant refused to free the parrot—his love made him unable to bear parting with it.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The pet parrot escaped from the cage by pretending to be dead.

Reason (R):

The parrot learned from watching its friend fall from the tree that this was a way to escape.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true. The parrot saw how its friend fell, understood this was a way to escape, and copied the action. The reason correctly explains how it managed to escape.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The wild parrot died because it heard sad news about the pet parrot.

Reason (R):

The parrot was shocked to learn that its relative was kept in a cage.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true—the wild parrot did fall and likely died. However, the reason is not the best explanation. The parrot's message to the wild parrot was a signal meaning 'escape now,' not just sad news. The wild parrot understood and showed the way out.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Freedom

Case Study:

Ravi found a cage bird at his grandmother's house in the village. The bird had beautiful green feathers and could sing many songs. Ravi's grandmother said, 'This bird has been with us for five years. It eats the best seeds and fruit I can find.' But when Ravi looked at the bird sitting silently on its perch, he noticed the bird did not seem happy even though it had everything. One day, Ravi opened the cage door and the bird flew straight out into the blue sky, singing louder than ever before.

Q1. What did Ravi notice about the bird even though it had good food and care?

  • A. The bird did not seem happy ✓
  • B. The bird was sick and weak
  • C. The bird did not like to sing
  • D. The bird wanted to fight with other birds

Answer: A

Q2. What can we understand about the bird from the way it sang after being freed?

  • A. It was grateful to Ravi for the good food
  • B. It truly needed freedom more than comfort ✓
  • C. It wanted to punish Ravi's grandmother
  • D. It forgot how to sing in the cage

Answer: B

Q3. How was Ravi's action different from the merchant's action in the story?

  • A. Ravi gave the bird a better cage
  • B. Ravi understood what the bird needed and gave it freedom ✓
  • C. Ravi made the bird work harder
  • D. Ravi gave the bird more food

Answer: B

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