10th Notes

Notes By Sonal Anugrah Singh (S.A.
S)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

(CODE NO. 184)
LITERATURE
READER
FIRST
FLIGHT
Notes By Sonal Anugrah Singh (S.A.S)
Name of the chapter
1. A Letter to God (G.L Fuentes)

2. Dust of Snow (Robert Frost)
3. Fire and Ice (Robert Frost)
4. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela)
5. A Tiger in the Zoo (Leslie Norris)
6. Two Stories about Flying
• His First Flight (Liam O’ Flaherty)

• Black Aeroplane (Frederick Forsyth)
7. How to Tell Wild Animals (Carolyn Wells)
8. The Ball Poem (John Berryman)
9. From the Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank)
10. Amanda (Robin Klein)
11. The Hundred Dresses- I/ II (El Bsor Ester)
12. Animals (Walt Whitman)
13. Glimpses of India
• A Baker from Goa (Lucio Rodrigues)

• Coorg (Lokesh Abrol)
• Tea from Assam (Arup Kumar Datta)
14. The Trees (Adrienne Rich)
15. Mijbil the otter (Gavin Maxwell)
16. Fog (Carl Sandburg)
17. Madam Rides the Bus (Vallikkannan)
18. The Tale of Custard the Dragon (Ogden Nash)
19. The Sermon at Benares
20. For Anne Gregory (William Butler Yeats)
21. The Proposal (Anton Chekov)
A Letter to God
By G.L.Fuentes.
Introduction
The story, "A Letter to God" by G.L Fuentes revolves around the idea of having
unquestionable belief in something. The story is set in a Latin American country. Lencho, the
farmer, who is the protagonist of the story, writes a letter to God seeking help from the
almighty after discovering his entire crop yield destroyed by a devastating hailstorm.
Although, his wishes get fulfilled partially, if not completely, he is ungrateful in the end and
questions the honesty and modesty of the post-masters who actually helped him with money
(anonymously) in the name of god.
Summary
The story, "A Letter to God" by G.L. Fuentes depicts unwavering faith of a farmer in God. It
begins with a farmer, named Lencho expecting for a rain shower to nourish his field of corn.
He is confident that his harvest is going to yield him huge profits just like it does every year.
To his utmost excitement, rainfall did happen but sooner, it turned into a hailstorm destroying
his entire crop field. The damage posed a threat to the family's survival as their entire
livelihood was dependent on the year's produce. Although disheartened, the family had robust
belief in the almighty. Lencho, despite having worked day and night at the field, knew how to
write and thus, decided to write a letter to God explaining his situation and asking for help.
He went to town to post his letter addressed "To God". The letter on being noticed by the
postmaster, at first amused him, but then motivated him want to do something for the farmer
so as to keep his immense belief intact. He contributes from his salary and collects money
from his colleagues and friends who willingly contributed for an act of charity. To his
dismay, he could only collect 70 pesos which he wrapped in an envelope to make it seem like
a reply from the deity. On having found the letter, the writer (Lencho) is not at all shocked,
but instead, he gets angry on finding that the amount is less than what he had expected. He
again writes a letter to God conveying his disappointment and distrust in the employees of the
post office who he thought had stolen the remaining amount.
Lesson & Explanation

THE house - the only one in the entire valley - sat on the crest of a low hill. From this height
one could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised
a good harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a downpour or at least a shower.
Throughout the morning Lencho - who knew his fields intimately - had done nothing else but
see the sky towards the north-east.
Crest: Top of a hill
Dotted: Full Of
Downpour: Heavy Rain
Intimately: Closely
Lencho, the farmer, lived on the only house that was there on the top of a hill. The hill
was low-heighted. From there, a river and a ready-to-harvest corn field were visible. The
field belonged to Lencho and he had the utmost confidence that the harvest would reap
great profits. The only thing that he awaited was rainfall. In this hope, he spent an entire
morning gazing at the sky in the north-east direction from where a drizzle was expected to
shower on his field.
"Now we're really going to get some water, woman. The woman who was preparing supper,
replied, "Yes, God willing". The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones
were playing near the house until the woman called to them all, "Come for dinner. It was
during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. In the
north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet.
The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his
body, and when he returned he exclaimed, "These aren't raindrops falling from the sky, they
are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives."
Exclaimed- cry out suddenly in surprise, strong emotion, or pain.
The man, while looking at the sky, confidently tells his wife that they are going to have a
rain-shower to which the lady replies by saying, only if everything happens as they hope
and expect. Their elder children were working at the field and the younger ones were
playing near the house when Lencho's wife calls everyone for dinner. It is during that
time, drops of rain begin to fall, hereby proving the farmer's prediction to be true. The
wind was pleasant and clouds could be seen approaching from the north-east sky. Lencho
goes out of the house to take pleasure in feeling the droplets on his body. He refers to the
drizzle as coins, large droplets being equivalent to ten cents and the smaller ones, five
cents. He says so because these raindrops would ensure a good crop which would
eventually get them a lot of money.
With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a
curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large
hailstones began to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins. The boys, exposing
themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.
Regarded- Consider or Think of In A Specified Way
Draped- Adorn, Cover, Or Wrap (Someone or Something)
Hailstones- A Pellet of Hail
Resemble- Have A Similar Appearance to Or Qualities In Common With (Someone Or
Something); Look Or Seem Like.
Exposing- make (something) visible by uncovering it.; reveal
On seeing everything go as expected, Lencho reflected upon the field and the flowers
covered with droplets which seemed as if they were wrapped in a curtain. Unexpectedly,
strong wind started blowing, leading to a hailstorm. Satirically, the writer refers to these
pellets of frozen rain as "new silver coins. The innocent boys became playful and went out
in the rain to play and collect these hailstones which looked like "frozen pearls".
"It's really getting bad now," exclaimed the man. "I hope it passes quickly. It did not pass
quickly. For an hour the hail rained on the house, the garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on
the whole valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt.
The farmer now starts worrying and hopes that the storm gets over quickly, which, to his
utmost disappointment, didn't. The hailstones covered the entire valley including the house,
garden, hillside, and the cornfield. It made everything look so white that it seemed as if it was
covered in salt.
Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone
from the plants. Lencho's soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood
in the middle of the field and said to his sons, "A plague of locusts would have left more than
this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn." That night was a sorrowful
one. "All our work, for nothing. There's no one who can help us”. “We’ll all go hungry this
year."
plague- a destructively numerous inflows or multiplication of a harmful animal,
infestation
locusts- Insects which fly in big groups and destroy crops
Lencho became stressed and disappointed as everything went against the plan. The trees
had shed their leaves, corns were smashed and the flowers had also fallen from their
plants. While standing in the withered fields, he conveyed his dismay and sorrow to his
sons by commenting that the effect of the storm proved to be worse than that of crop-
destroying insects. All their hard work had gone in vain. He felt helpless as no corn had
been left and feared, that they might have to starve this time.
But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a
single hope: help from God. "Don't be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss.
Remember, no one dies of hunger. “That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger.”
solitary: Existing alone; lonely.
Even after everything had gone southwards (gone wrong), the family still had hope in
their hearts of hearts. They had faith in the almighty even after nothing was left. They gave
each other support and recalled a saying which assures that no one ever dies of starvation.
All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as
he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one's conscience. Lencho was an
ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write. The
following Sunday, at daybreak, he began to write a letter which he himself would carry to
town and place in the mail. It was nothing less than a letter to God.
conscience- an inner sense of right and wrong.

ox of a man- hardworking
daybreak- The time in the morning when daylight first appears
Lencho spent his entire night thinking of the only option left and that was to seek the help
of God, who, he had been informed, has its eyes and ears everywhere. He thought of
writing a letter to God conveying his grievances. Despite spending all these years working
at the farm, he still knew how to write. He started writing on the Sunday morning and
thought of mailing it himself by going to the town.
"God, he wrote, "if you don't help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a
hundred pesos in order to sow my field again and to live until the crop comes, because the
hailstorm...." He wrote 'To God' on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went
to town. At the post office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox.
Pesos- the basic monetary unit of Mexico, several other Latin American countries, and
the Philippines
In his letter to god, he communicated his poverty-stricken situation and mentioned that he
needed 100 pesos to regenerate the crops along with surviving until they are ready to
harvest. On the envelope, He wrote, "To God, Then, at the post office, placed stamp on the
letter and dropped it in the mailbox.
One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post office, went to his boss
laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God. Never in his career as a postman had he
known that address. The postmaster - a fat, amiable fellow - also broke out laughing, but
almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter on his desk, commented, "What
faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence
with God!”
Amiable- Friendly and Pleasant
Correspondence- Communication by exchanging letters with someone.
A postman, who was also an employee of the post office, noticed Lencho's letter and
showed it to the postmaster. They both felt amused, but the postmaster, fat and friendly,
immediately developed a sense of seriousness. He was astounded at the amount of faith
Lencho has in God and wished he had the same.
So, in order not to shake the writer's faith in God, the postmaster came up with an idea:
answer the letter. But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it he needed something
more than goodwill, ink and paper. But he stuck to his resolution: he asked for money from
his employees, he himself gave part of his salary, and several friends of his were obliged to
give something ‘for an act of charity'.
goodwill- friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude
resolution- a firm decision to do or not to do something.
obliged- grateful
With good intentions, the postmaster read the letter and thought of replying to it so as to
keep the writer's belief intact. But the writer expected the reply in a different way that
could not be fulfilled with pen, paper and morals. The farmer had demanded for 100 pesos.
The postmaster along with his colleagues and a few friends, who were more than willing to
donate for a good cause, collected a pool of money to help Lencho.
It was impossible for him to gather together the hundred pesos, so he was able to send the
farmer only a little more than half. He put the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and
with it a letter containing only a single word as a signature: God
Despite his best efforts, he was only able to collect an amount not more than half of what
was required. He then addressed it to Lencho along with a letter which was undersigned by
God.
The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter for
him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while the postmaster,
experiencing the contentment of a man who has performed a good deed, looked on from his
office. Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money; such was his
confidence but he became angry when he counted the money. God could not have made a
mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.
contentment- Satisfaction
Next Sunday, Lencho came looking for the reply a bit earlier than expected. The postman
handed him the letter waiting to see him joyful and surprised while the postmaster, feeling
satisfied, oversaw it from his office. On the contrary, the farmer got disheartened on seeing
that the money was less than what he asked for. His faith is still undeterred and he believed
that God cannot make such a mistake.
Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink. On the public writing-
table, he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow, caused by the effort he had to
make to express his ideas. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he
licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into
the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: "God: Of the money that I asked for, only
seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don't send it to
me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho."
On being disappointed, he started looking for ink and paper to write to God again. While
writing, his eyebrows got curled out of the concentration with which he was drafting a new
request. On completing, he affixed it with a stamp. As soon as he dropped it into the
mailbox, the postmaster took it out to read it. Lencho complained that he had only received
70 pesos and he is really in need of the remaining amount. He doubted the integrity and
honesty of the post office employees and suggested that the money should not be sent via
post because he doubted that the staff at the post office must have stolen the missing
amount.
Question and Answers

Q1. What did Lencho hope for?
A. Lencho hoped for a rain shower for his crop field.
Q2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like 'new coins'?
A. After the rain shower, everything was going as per Lencho's plan and he had immense
confidence that his harvest would yield substantial profits. Thus, he referred to the
droplets as "new coins, the larger ones being equivalent to ten pesos and smaller ones,
five pesos.
Q3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho's fields?
A. Soon after the rainfall had begun, the wind became strong leading to a hailstorm. As a
result of which, Lencho's crop fields got withered, the trees had shed their leaves and the
flowers had fallen.
Q4. What were Lencho's feelings when the hail stopped?
A. Lencho was extremely disheartened and his soul was filled with immense sadness.
Q5. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
A. Lencho had unwavering faith in God. Thus, he decided to write a letter to God conveying
his grievances and asking for 100 pesos for survival and rejuvenation of crops.
Q6. Who reads the letter?
A. A postman who was also an employee of the post office read the letter.
Q7. What did the postmaster do then?
A. The postmaster was amazed at Lencho's unshakeable faith in the deity and thus, to retain
it, he decided to collect money for him from his friends and colleagues.
Q8. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
A. Lencho was not at all surprised on seeing the letter because this is what he was expecting.
Instead, he was angry when he found that the amount was less than what he had asked
for.
Q9. What made him angry?
A. Lencho was displeased when he found that the money was less than what he had asked
for.
Q10. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the
story tell you this?
A. Lencho has immense faith in God. These lines are evident to this fact: "Lencho showed
not the slightest surprise on seeing the money; such was his confidence - but he became
angry when he counted the money. God could not have made a mistake, nor could he
have denied Lencho what he had requested.
Q11. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he
sign the letter 'God'?
A. The postmaster did not want to shake the writer's faith in the almighty, and thus, out of
virtuous intentions, decided to collect money for "an act of charity. He also signed the
letter in the name of God to conceal his identity as he wanted Lencho to think it was
actually a reply from God.
Q12. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him?
Why/Why not?
A. No, Lencho did not try to find out the sender because he was very optimistic about the
existence of almighty and that, his letter is actually received and replied to, by God. It
was his unshakeable faith that made him not question the identity of the sender.
Q13. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is
the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation
is an unexpected aspect of it? An ironic situation is strange or
amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)
A. Lencho thought that it is the postmaster or the employees of the post-office who had
stolen his remaining amount, as is evident from his second letter to God where he
requests the deity not to send money by mail next time. The irony here is that, it was
actually the postmaster and the employees who had collected the money out of their clean
intent to keep Lencho's faith intact, but are the ones who ended up getting blamed for
stealing the missing amount.
Q 14. Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a
person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words
from the box to answer the question.
Greedy, naive, stupid, ungrateful,

Selfish, comical, unquestioning
A. No, it is hard to find people like Lencho in reality. Lencho is naive and unquestioning
because of his lack of judgement about the actual physical existence of God. He did not
question receiving an actual reply from the almighty. Also, he is ungrateful in some
manner because on seeing 70 pesos, he is not happy but instead, complained about the
missing 30 pesos.
Q15. There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and
nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts
illustrated?
A. The story "A Letter to God" depicts two types of conflicts; one between man and nature
and the other among men themselves. In the beginning of the story, the farmer hopes for a
rain shower for the benefit of his corn field. On actually receiving rain, he becomes
overjoyed and starts thinking about all the profit that would come in. Not much later, his
joy is turned into sorrow when the wind becomes strong leading to a hailstorm. This
depicts the disagreement between man and nature wherein humans want the nature to act
according to their aspirations. The second divergence arises when Lencho starts doubting
the honesty of the post-office employees who actually helped him with the money
anonymously. This is the conflict among men themselves, wherein, we are ready to trust
in the idea of God's existence but we are not ready to trust each other.
Dust of Snow
By Robert Frost.
Poem and Explanation
Stanza-1
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Shook- shake
Hemlock- a poisonous tree with small white flowers
The poem is set in a scene where the poet is in a bad mood and is walking by a tree, a
hemlock tree. Hemlock tree is a poisonous tree. As he passes by, a crow happens to throw
some snow dust on him. Whether it falls on his head or shoulders is unknown as there is
no specific mention in the poem. Also, the readers are left in doubt about the bird’s specific
action. Whether the crow was landing, shivering with cold, re adjusting itself on the
branch or taking off, it happened to send some particles of snow upon the author. Here,
the two agents of nature, the hemlock tree and the crow are signifiers of sadness and
gloom just like the poet’s mood was in the opening scene.
Stanza-2
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Rued- held in regret
For reasons unknown, the author was having a terrible day. But the falling of the snow on
his head lifted his mood instantly. He had already spent his day in a bad mood but the rest
of it was saved by the crow and the hemlock tree. Generally, hemlock tree and crow are
used for negative references but the poet used them beautifully to portray that inauspicious
things can bring joy and happiness too. One must not take things for granted and should
be open and accept whichever way the nature chooses to bless us.
Literary Devices
1. Rhyme Scheme- abab cdcd.
2. Alliteration- the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or
closely connected words.
Example
Has given my heart
And saved some part
3. Inversion - When the structure of a sentence is changed by the poet to create rhyme, this
poetic license is called inversion. In stanza 1, inversion can be seen.
4. Assonance - The prominence of a vowel sound throughout a line is called assonance.
In stanza 1, line 2 - “Shook down on me” - ‘o’ sound is prominent.
5. Enjambment - When the same sentence continues to the next line without the use of any
punctuation marks, it is called enjambment. It has been used throughout

the poem.
Summary
The short poem by Robert Frost throws light upon the unimaginable healing power of nature
and tiny things. From a bad mood to ill-health, there is nothing that can’t be cured by nature.
The author was experiencing one such bad day when a crow’s movement near a hemlock tree
dusted snow upon him. The snow instantly makes him happier. His day gets a lot better.
Thus, the supremacy of nature as a whole made him realise how petty his problem was. The
fact that hemlock tree is poisonous combined with crow being the indicator of doom and fear
are used in the poem as the carriers of happiness in the life of narrator is ironical. The poet,
through these objects has tried to highlight that sometimes creatures linked with negative
aspects of life can be the bringer of change and happiness. Being outdoors in nature, with all
its unpredictability can benefit anyone, anywhere at any time.
MORAL: One must not take things for granted and should be open and accept whichever
way the nature chooses to bless us.

Q1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the
poet’s mood changed?
A. “Dust of snow” refers to the tiny particles of snow. The particles are so small that poet
referred to them as “dust”. The poet was in an awful mood when particles of snow had
fallen on him. This changed the poet’s frame of mind instantly and his day got a lot
better.
Q 2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help you to
think of an answer.
(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is often
mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?
A. Birds like sparrow, nightingale and peacock are more than often named in poems. Unlike
these birds, crows are often seen as the indicators of doom and fear. They are often used
for negative references.
(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a more ‘beautiful’ tree
such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?
A. Trees are also seen as mighty creatures imparting wisdom as they’re too old. They give
out oxygen and absorb the carbon dioxide which is connected with absorbing all the
negative energy. But there are trees that are poisonous too, like a hemlock tree. The poet
does not mention a more ‘beautiful’ tree such as maple, oak or pine because he wants to
indicate a sad scene. Being poisonous, a hemlock tree is considered bad and so, he refers
to it.
(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent — joy or sorrow? What does the dust of
snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?
A. Both crow and the hemlock tree represent sorrow. Frost has used both the negative
creatures (crow and the hemlock tree) as the carriers of positivism and strength that
transformed his day for the better. By not using birds like sparrow and nightingale and
trees like maple, oak or a pine, the poet has tried to break down all the preconceived
notions we have about certain agents of nature. He has tried to make us understand that we
see the world not as how it is, but as how we want to see it. Thus, the crow sitting and a
hemlock tree together made his day better. The dust of snow stands for joy.
Fire and Ice
By Robert Frost
Poem Introduction
Robert Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice” expresses the profound idea that the world would end in
either of two ways, either by ice or fire. Both the components are compared with self-
destructing human emotions: hatred and desire. The poem, very artistically, underpins the
philosophy that we let our emotions rule us and if don’t control them they will surely destroy
everything around us. Similarly, he thinks Fire and Ice, both are just as competent in bringing
the world to a catastrophic end.
Stanza-1
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
Desire - a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for

something to happen.
Favour- approval, support.
The poem expresses the profound idea that the world would end in either of two ways,
either by ice or fire. One group is of the opinion that someday the Earth’s core will get so
heated up that it would lead to fire destroying the earth’s surface. On the other hand, the
second group says that if the temperature goes down to an extent that makes life on Earth
impossible, it would have the same catastrophic effect. The poet then compares fire and ice
with the destructive features of human emotions; desire and hatred. He says that from
what he is aware about “fiery desires”, he would favour the ones who say that it would be
fire. By saying so, he brings about the idea that human beings let their emotions rule them
and the consequence of unmonitored longing is chaos.
Stanza-2
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Perish- die
Suffice- be sufficient
Then by not waving off the first option of fire, he considers if the world has to expire twice,
ice would be equally competent in ending it. He brings about a contrast between “ice” and
“hatred”. The human capability of insensitivity and hatred has the potential for inner
destruction. Though slow and steady, it has the same effect that desire has on us. So, if
given an option between fire and ice, ice would be just as good as fire to destroy the world.
Literary devices
1. Rhyming scheme - Aba, abc, bcb.
2. Assonance - it is repetition of vowel (a,e,i,o,u) sounds in same line. The repetition is at
different places in different words.
Example - The long sound of “o” in “I hold with those who favour fire”
3. Alliteration - alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound at the start of
two or more closely placed words.
Example - The sound of “f” in “favour fire”, “w” in “world will”
4. Imagery - Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their

five senses.
Example - “Some say the world will end in fire”

“To say that for destruction ice Is also great”
5. Anaphora - the repetition of a word or expression at the start of two or more
consecutive lines.
Example - “Some say” is repeated at the start of lines 1 and 2.
6. Personification- Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate

objects. In this poem, “fire” and “ice” are capable of
destruction. Thus, the poet personifies fire and ice by giving
them mind and power to destroy anything.
7. Enjambment - it is defined as the thought or clause that does not come to

an end at a line break, rather it moves over to the next line.
Example - “From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire”
Summary
Robert Frost’s poem “Fire and Ice” is a strong symbolic poem where fire is used as the
emotion of desire and ice, that of hatred. He has used the idea of two groups who have their
own possible explanation for the end of the world. One is of the opinion that fire alone, can
destroy each and every possibility of life on Earth while the other thinks that if ice as a result
of extreme low temperatures could cover the earth’s surface, it would lead to the end of the
world. Both the components are compared with self-destructing human emotions: desire and
hatred. The poet is originally of the opinion that he has been very closely associated with the
“fiery desires” and considers it capable of bringing human beings on the verge of destruction.
Thus, he considers fire as more competent for destruction. But then he thinks that “icy
hatred” is just as capable of ruining humans, though slowly and steadily. Therefore, if Earth
was to end twice, ice would be just as good as fire. If fire would lead to rapid destruction, ice
would lead to silent damage. Similarly, if fire is pure passion, ice is pure reason. Thus, the
poem, very artistically, underpins the philosophy that we let our emotions rule us and if don’t
control them they will surely bring us all on the verge of chaos.
Q1. There are many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. Do you think the
world will end some day? Have you ever thought what would happen if
the sun got so hot that it ‘burst’, or grew colder and colder?
A. Unfortunately, the world is going to end one day and there is nothing we
can do about it. There are many ideas as to how it will end but one can’t
say surely. The reason that life exists only on Earth is that the
circumstances and temperature is apt to make it possible. If the sun
gets so hot one day that it is at the verge of bursting, it would lead to
rapid destruction as there would be fire everywhere. Conversely, if it
grows colder and colder, there will be ice everywhere on Earth and life
in any form would not be able to sustain at such low temperatures.
Q2. For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for?

Greed
avarice
cruelty
lust
conflict
fury
intolerance
rigidity
insensitivity
coldness
indifference
hatred
According to Frost, ‘fire’ stands for greed, conflict, fury, cruelty, lust and
avarice whereas ‘Ice’ stands for insensitivity, coldness, intolerance,
indifference, rigidity and hatred.
Q3. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out
the contrasting ideas in the poem?
A. The rhyme scheme of the poem is “aba abc bcb”. The poet has used the
rhyming beautifully to bring about contrasting ideas in the poem. He has
used the ideas of two groups who believe that the world would come to a
catastrophic end either as a result of fire or ice. Simultaneously, he
portrays these two essential components as features of destructive human
emotions: desire and hatred. Just like fiery desires and icy hatred can
cause damage to an individual in an irreparable manner, fire and ice can
lead the world at the verge of chaos and thus, apocalypse.
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela.
Introduction
This chapter is an extract from the autobiography of Nelson Mandela (born- 18 July, 1918),
the first Black President of South Africa. Excerpts from “Long Walk to Freedom” include
description of the inauguration ceremony, citations from his speech, his journey to being a
freedom fighter, the struggle, along with a tribute to other freedom fighters and countless
other people who fought for their freedom. In South Africa, a brutal practice named
“apartheid” was followed. Apartheid refers to the discrimination between people on the basis
of their race. It was one of the most brutal societies where dark-skinned people were deprived
of their basic rights. This lesson gives us an overview as to how Nelson Mandela along with
others, carved their way to a society where there will be no discrimination on the basis of
their colour, caste, race, age or gender.

TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the past few days I had been pleasantly besieged
by dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects before the
inauguration. The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of international leaders on
South African soil. The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed
by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy,
and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the
installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.
Dawned- (of a day) began
Pleasantly- giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment; satisfying
Besieged- to be surrounded by
Dignitaries- a person considered to be important because of high rank or office.
Sandstone- sedimentary rock consisting of sand or quartz grains cemented together,
typically red, yellow, or brown in colour.
Amphitheatre- an open - air theatre
Supremacy- the state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power, or
status
10th May was the day when Nelson Mandela sworn in as the first black Head of State,
South Africa. It was after years of struggle that his anti-racist party came into power. Until
then, the seat had always been occupied by white Presidents. That is why, the author
referred to the day as “bright and clear”. It was a morning full of hope. Days before this
date, many notable personalities started congratulating him for his victory. For the first
time in the country’s history, so many international leaders came together for their
inauguration ceremony. The ceremony took place in an open circular building made of
sandstone consisting of Union buildings in the Pretoria city.
On that lovely autumn day, I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani. On the podium, Mr
de Klerk was first sworn in as second deputy president. Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as
first deputy president. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the Constitution
and to devote myself to the wellbeing of the Republic and its people.
Deputy- Second in command

Sworn- given under oath; determined to stay in the role specified
Pledged- committed (a person or organization) by a solemn promise.
The author was accompanied by his daughter, Zenani on his big day. First, the two Vice-
Presidents took an oath. Then, when his turn came, he committed to respect, protect and
abide by the Constitution and to devote his entire self into the welfare of the country.
To the assembled guests and the watching world, I said: “Today, all of us do, by our presence
here... confer glory and hope to newborn liberty. Out of the experience of an extraordinary
human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be
proud. We, who were outlaws, not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be
host to the nations of the world on our own soil. We thank all of our distinguished
international guests for having come to take possession with the people of our country of
what is, after all, a common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity.”
Assembled- (of people) gather together in one place for a common purpose
Confer- grant
Glory- honour
Outlaws- because of its policy of apartheid, many countries had earlier broken off
diplomatic relations with South Africa
On our own soil- in our own country
Possession- ownership
Dignity- the state or quality of being worthy of respect.
The author also mentions some parts of his speech where he said that everyone, by his
presence was giving rise to hope for a new beginning. Previous rulers were discriminatory
and lasted for long but the ones, who are given the opportunity to rule now (ANC), would
stand up against discrimination. He is glad to host a ceremony with the presence of global
leaders. It is an achievement in itself. There was a time when South Africa, for practicing
apartheid, lost all its international political relationships. Now, when there is no
segregation on the basis of race and gender, other nations are happy to have healthy
democratic relationships. Finally, they have come to power and they pledge to make
everyone proud. He thanked everyone, especially the international leaders for joining them
in celebrating their achievement which is a step towards an equal society where every
human will be treated fairly.
"We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our
people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other
discrimination. Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again
experience the oppression of one by another. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human
achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!"
Emancipation- the fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political
restrictions
Liberate- free; release
Bondage- the state of being a slave
Discrimination- being treated differently or unfavourably
Deprivation- the damaging lack of material benefits considered to be basic necessities in
a society
Oppression- prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority.
Glorious- having, worthy of, or bringing fame or admiration.
Reign- rule; govern
He mentions that after great struggle, they have finally achieved political freedom. His
government promised to free every one of the still existing poverty, hardship and
inequalities of all kind along with assuring everyone of a country where no community will
be considered inferior. He then exclaims that freedom should rule and may god shower his
blessings on their land.
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in awe as a spectacular array of South African
jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union Buildings. It
was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but a demonstration of the
military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had been freely and fairly elected.
Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police,
their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals from days gone by, saluted me and pledged
their loyalty. I was not unmindful of the fact that not so many years before they would not
have saluted but arrested me. Finally, a chevron of Impala jets left a smoke trail of the black,
red, green, blue and gold of the new South African flag.
Awe- amazed
Spectacular- beautiful in a dramatic and an eye-catching way
Array- an impressive display
Troop- soldiers or armed forces
Precision- accuracy
Bedecked- decorate
Unmindful- not conscious or aware
Chevron- a pattern in the shape of a V
Trail- series; chain
Just after the newly elected President’s address to the audience, an impressive
arrangement of fighter jets, helicopter and soldier transporters raised everyone’s heads up
in the sky. It symbolised perfection as well as military’s respect and obedience towards the
free country. The high commanders, who have won medals for their bravery, also saluted
and promised their loyalty. Mandela mentions that he was well aware that these
commanders, who were now saluting him, would have arrested him under the previous
rule as during the oppressive white supremacy, he was considered to be a criminal. The air
show finally ended by making of the South African flag in the sky from smoke beneath the
jets.
The day was symbolised for me by the playing of our two national anthems, and the vision of
whites singing ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and blacks singing ‘Die Stem’, the old anthem of the
Republic. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once despised,
they would soon know the words by heart.
Symbolised- be a symbol of
Lyrics- the words of a song
Despised- hated, had a very low opinion of
The author remembers the day as the playing of two National Anthems of the country; one
of the whites and the other, that of the blacks. On that day, no one knew the wordings of
the anthem of the blacks but Mandela was confident that everyone would soon learn this
anthem that they once hated.
On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first decade
of the twentieth century, a few years after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own
birth, the white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a
system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their own land. The structure
they created formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has
ever known. Now, in the last decade of the twentieth century, and my own eighth decade as a
man, that system had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights
and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
Overwhelmed- have a strong emotional effect

Erected- build; construct
Racial domination- when people of one race have power over another race
Inhumane-cruel, brutal
Overturned- reverse.
On the day of the inaugural ceremony, the author was remembering the days of past when
this whole system of apartheid emerged. It resulted in inequality and inferior treatment of
dark-skinned people. They were deprived of their basic fundamental rights. As a result, one
of the world’s most brutal and inhumane society was born This began even before he was
born. This system created an atmosphere of extreme cruelty and injustice for a particular
part of the community. Now when he is in his eighth decade as a man, he along with
countless others, have changed this entire system that treats humans as humans
irrespective of their colour, caste, gender, or age.
That day had come about through the unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of my people,
people whose suffering and courage can never be counted or repaid. I felt that day, as I have
on so many other days, that I was simply the sum of all those African patriots who had gone
before me. That long and noble line ended and now began again with me. I was pained that I
was not able to thank them and that they were not able to see what their sacrifices had
wrought.
Unimaginable- difficult or impossible to imagine

Patriots- a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it
against enemies
This equal and free country was a result of sacrifices of countless other men and women
who have fought all their lives for this day. The author wishes if he could thank them all
but unfortunately, they didn’t live to see the result of their courage. Nelson Mandela
gathered his courage and power from all these people and thus, wishes to make them
proud.
The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in my country and my people. All
of us will spend many years, if not generations, recovering from that profound hurt. But the
decades of oppression and brutality had another, unintended, effect, and that was that it
produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the Yusuf Dadoos, the
Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our time* — men of such extraordinary courage,
wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known again. Perhaps it requires such
depths of oppression to create such heights of character. My country is rich in the minerals
and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its
people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.
Apartheid- a policy or system of segregation on grounds of race

Profound- very great or intense
Unintended- not planned or meant
The oppression policy scarred many people and it will take a long time for them to move
on. The author mentions that this hard time had its negative impacts but it also exposed a
lot of strong and courageous men who stood up and raised their voice. Thus, it required
that level of unjust treatment to produce such great heroes. South Africa, he says, is rich in
minerals and gems but its greatest strength lies in its people.
It is from these comrades in the struggle that I learned the meaning of courage. Time and
again, I have seen men and women risk and give their lives for an idea. I have seen men stand
up to attacks and torture without breaking, showing a strength and resilience that defies the
imagination. I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The
brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Comrades- a colleague or a fellow member of an organisation

Resilience- the ability to deal with any kind of hardship and recover from its effects
Defies- refuse to obey
Triumph- great victory or achievement
Nelson Mandela gained his strength to stand against the wrong from all the great
nationalists he mentioned above, who have even risked their lives for freedom and
tolerated ill treatment, but never stopped fighting. He learned that “courage” didn’t mean
the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome fear. The man who overcomes his fear is
called brave.
No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or
his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to
love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Even in the
grimmest times in prison, when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits, I would see a
glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for a second, but it was enough to
reassure me and keep me going. Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never
extinguished.
Grimmest- very serious or gloomy

Glimmer- shine faintly with a wavering light
Pushed to our limits- pushed to the last point in our ability to bear pain
Reassure- say or do something to remove the doubts
One is taught by its society to hate humans because of their skin, colour, age, gender and
religion. No one is inborn with hatred. The author’s idea is that if people can be taught
hatred, they can also be taught love and brotherhood. In their most testing times in prison
when they were being treated brutally, Mandela would see a pinch of humanity and
kindness in one of the guards and that was enough to keep him going. He believes that
goodness in human beings can be suppressed but never eliminated.
In life, every man has twin obligations — obligations to his family, to his parents, to his wife
and children; and he has an obligation to his people, his community, his country. In a civil
and humane society, each man is able to fulfil those obligations according to his own
inclinations and abilities. But in a country like South Africa, it was almost impossible for a
man of my birth and colour to fulfil both of those obligations. In South Africa, a man of
colour who attempted to live as a human being was punished and isolated. In South Africa, a
man who tried to fulfil his duty to his people was inevitably ripped from his family and his
home and was forced to live a life apart, a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. I did
not in the beginning choose to place my people above my family, but in attempting to serve
my people, I found that I was prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a
father and a husband.
Obligations- a duty or a commitment

Civil- courteous and polite
Inclination- natural tendencies of behaviour
Inevitably- unavoidably
Twilight- half-light, semi-darkness
Secrecy- the action of keeping something secret
Rebellion- the action or process of resisting authority, convention or control
According to the author, every human being has its responsibility towards the family and
as well as the society. Generally, under normal circumstances, a person can maintain the
balance between the two but in countries like South Africa, it was never so easy. When a
person of colour would come up for his society, he would be arrested and taken away from
his family, thus keeping them from fulfilling both responsibilities. In the beginning,
Mandela did not put his people over his family, but it was only later when he realised that
in order to be there for his people, he was compromising his duties towards his own family.
I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was born free — free in every way that I could
know. Free to run in the fields near my mother’s hut, free to swim in the clear stream that ran
through my village, free to roast mealies under the stars and ride the broad backs of slow-
moving bulls. As long as I obeyed my father and abided by the customs of my tribe, I was not
troubled by the laws of man or God. It was only when I began to learn that my boyhood
freedom was an illusion, when I discovered as a young man that my freedom had already
been taken from me, that I began to hunger for it. At first, as a student, I wanted freedom only
for myself, the transitory freedoms of being able to stay out at night, read what I pleased and
go where I chose. Later, as a young man in Johannesburg, I yearned for the basic and
honourable freedoms of achieving my potential, of earning my keep, of marrying and having
a family — the freedom not to be obstructed in a lawful life.
Stream- a small, narrow river

Mealies- a maize plant
Abided- obeyed
Boyhood- the state or time of being a boy
Illusion- a false idea or belief
Transitory- not permanent
Yearned- have an intense feeling or longing for something
The author did not have the plan to stand against the apartheid system early in life. He
lived his childhood like any normal child in South Africa. He only had to follow the rules
set up by his father or the customs of his tribe. As soon as he grew up and began to learn
the facts as to how people of colour are treated, he decided to stand against it. He had this
urge for freedom from inside, earlier just for himself (staying out at night, etc.) and later
for having a basic life not just for himself, but for everyone. In Johannesburg, they had to
struggle for having a peaceful marriage, family and basic amenities which everyone has
access to where law and order exists.
But then I slowly saw that not only was I not free, but my brothers and sisters were not free. I
saw that it was not just my freedom that was curtailed, but the freedom of everyone who
looked like I did. That is when I joined the African National Congress, and that is when the
hunger for my own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom of my people. It was
this desire for the freedom of my people to live their lives with dignity and selfrespect that
animated my life, that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-
abiding attorney to become a criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man
without a home, that forced a life-loving man to live like a monk. I am no more virtuous or
self-sacrificing than the next man, but I found that I could not even enjoy the poor and
limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not free. Freedom is
indivisible; the chains on anyone of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on
all of my people were the chains on me.
Curtailed- reduce; impose a restriction on

Dignity- the state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect
Frightened- afraid or anxious
Monk- a member of a religious community of men typically living under vows of poverty,
chastity, and obedience
Virtuous- having or showing high moral standards
Indivisible- unable to be divided or separated
Nelson Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC) when he realised it is not
only him whose basic rights were snatched away but of all those who looked like him. He
had this fire inside him to free his people from the injustice. It was this fire that changed
the author completely as a man, from being scared to brave, a lawyer to the one breaking
the law, a family-man to a man without a home and a lively man into being a monk. It was
the knowledge that he and his people have restricted freedom that made him into a selfless
man as opposed to before. According to him, freedom cannot be divided. Snatching it away
from some was equivalent to taking it away from everyone and that meant taking it away
from the author.
I knew that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes
away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice
and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just
as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the
oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.
Prejudice- a strong dislike without any good reason
He mentions that the need to free the oppressor is as high as that of the oppressed because
the oppressor is bounded by the shackles of hatred. He has the weight of all the people who
he has tormented, for he carries the curses of all of their families. For taking away
someone else’s freedom and making them a prisoner, he becomes a prisoner of biasness.
Thus, he is robbed of his humanity and need to be freed.
Summary
This chapter is an extract from the autobiography of Nelson Mandela (born- 18 July, 1918),
the first Black President of South Africa. It begins with the description of their inaugural
ceremony which took place on the 10th of May 1994 where the entire nation along with
many international leaders embraced the victory of a newly and fairly elected government. It
involved speeches by the President and the two Deputy Presidents followed by an impressive
air show of fighter jets and helicopters. Long ago, in the first decade of the twentieth century,
white supremacy introduced the system of apartheid and made life a living hell for the dark-
skinned population. It gave rise to one of the most inhumane societies of the world. Many
people have struggled and sacrificed for basic human rights. The author expressed his desire
to thank all those freedom fighters who couldn’t live to see this autumn day. He referred to
the citizens as the greatest asset of the country. It is these people he gathered his courage
from. Mandela believes that courageous is not the man who is fearless, but the man who has
overcome fear. He also mentioned the two responsibilities every human has and how in order
to fulfil his obligation towards the society, his obligation towards his family was neglected.
He became a man of people when he realised that the idea of freedom was an illusion for him
and people like him. It was then he joined the African National Congress and fought for his
rights till he became the first black President of the nation. According to him, the oppressor is
as much a prisoner as the oppressed. As soon as the former robs the oppressed of their
freedom he, himself gets robbed of his humanity. Thus, the oppressor too, is not free.
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that
are made of sandstone?
A. The ceremonies took place in an amphitheatre which was formed by Union Buildings in
Pretoria. In India, we have many public buildings made of sandstone, some of which are
Rashtrapati Bhavan, Red Fort and the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi.
2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?

A. Since South Africa lies in the Southern Hemisphere, we can say that May falls in the
autumn season.
3. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”.
What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious … human achievement” he speaks of
at the end?
A. By “an extraordinary human disaster”, Mandela is referring to the apartheid system that
was prevalent in South Africa under the previous leadership. People of colour were
treated unfairly and no human being deserves that. He stood against the unjust practices
and finally won the democratic elections to become the first black President of South
Africa. He refers to this win as “glorious human achievement”.
4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?

A. The author thanked the international leaders for joining and supporting them in their
victory of freedom, justice and human dignity. Earlier, many nations had cut ties with
South Africa because of their practice of apartheid.
5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
A. As the newly elected President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela wanted to liberate the
country of all the unjust practices. He set out ideals for a country which was free of
poverty, discrimination and injustice.
6. What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
A. The military generals saluted Nelson Mandela and promised their support to the newly
formed democratic government of South Africa. Their attitude has changed because
earlier they were under the ruke of the white supremacy. During that rule, they would
have
arrested Mandela as he was considered to be a criminal. Now, with the abolition of
Apartheid and the formation of a democratic government, their attitude has also changed.
7. Why were two national anthems sung?

A. The two national anthems, one of the Blacks and other of the Whites were sung
symbolising equality and respect for the entire community irrespective of their colour.
8. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country

(I) In the first decade, and
(ii) In the final decade, of the twentieth century?
A. (i) In the first decade of the twentieth century, white supremacy created a system of racial
domination and made life a living hell for the dark-skinned people. Mandela referred it
as one of the “harshest, inhumane societies” of the world.
(ii) In the final decade of the twentieth century, the system of apartheid has been changed
into one that recognises all humans as equal regardless of their colour, race or gender.
9. What does courage mean to Mandela?

A. To Mandela, “courage” does not mean the absence of fear, but the victory over it. A man
who is courageous is the one who has overcome his fear to fight all the odds.
10. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?

A. He believes love comes more naturally to humans as opposed to hate. No one is born with
hatred in his heart for another.
11. What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?

A. According to Mandela, every person has “twin obligations”, one towards his family and
the other, towards his society.
12. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he contrast
these “transitory freedoms” with “the basic and honourable freedoms”?
A. As a young boy, and a student, Mandela’s idea of freedom was to be able to stay out at
night, read whatever he desired and go wherever he chose. On growing up as a man, he
realised that these were “transitory freedoms” he was looking for because their “basic and
honourable freedoms” had been taken away. There was no liberty to have a peaceful
marriage, family and life. Dark-skinned people were deprived of their fundamental
human rights. For them, freedom was an “illusion”.
13. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?

A. According to Mandela, the oppressor is as much a prisoner as the oppressed. As soon as
the former robs the oppressed of their freedom he, himself gets robbed of his humanity.
Thus, he thinks that the oppressor too, is not free.
14. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it
signify the triumph of?
A. At the inauguration ceremony, there were a large number of international leaders to
celebrate the end of apartheid system and to display their support for South Africa. It
signified the triumph of justice over prejudice, courage over fear and right over wrong.
15. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African
patriots” who had gone before him?
A. Mandela wanted to thank the generations before him who had fought for justice. He
gathered his courage from these brave heroes and it is because of that, he fought
fearlessly for what is right. Thus, he referred to himself as “simply the sum of all those
African patriots” that had gone before him.
16. Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”? How does
Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this argument?
A. Yes, I agree that “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”. Mandela illustrated
this idea by the example of all those who had emerged as great freedom fighters after
years of oppression and brutality. Though unintended, effect of all this was men with
extraordinary courage and strength. One of the greatest examples is of our own country,
where our people were exploited under British rule for about 200 years. As a result of
oppression of such magnitude, India got freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Pt.
Jawaharlal Nehru.
17. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
A. As a young boy, and a student, Mandela’s idea of freedom was to be able to stay out at
night, read whatever he desired and go wherever he chose. On growing up as a man, he
realised that these were “transitory freedoms” he was looking for because their “basic and
honourable freedoms” had been taken away. There was no liberty to have a peaceful
marriage, family and life. Dark-skinned people were deprived of their fundamental human
rights. For them, freedom was an “illusion”.
18. How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
A. Once Mandela realized his hunger for freedom, his life changed forever. It transformed
him from a family-man to a man of his people and a frightened young man into a bold
one. He built his entire life around fighting for the basic fundamental rights for his
community. He was more selfless and virtuous than ever.
A Tiger in the Zoo

by Leslie Norris
About the Poet

George Leslie Norris (1921-2006) was a prize-winning Welsh poet and short story writer.
He is considered as most important Welsh writers of the post war period and his literary
works have won many prizes. His famous works are Finding Gold, The loud winder, phoenix
living poets series: Ransoms, etc.
Introduction
The poem written by Leslie Norris explains the agony and helplessness of a caged tiger that
lives in a zoo. The poet explains what his life could be if he had been a free animal. The poet
has tried to explain about the condition of animals that are caged by human beings for their
own fun.
Summary
The poem begins with a description of a tiger that is very beautiful and is walking in his little
cage. He has beautiful stripes on his skin and has velvet like soft paws. But the tiger is not
happy and is quite angry about being confined in the cage. The poet says that if the tiger was
not confined to the zoo cage, he would have been hiding himself behind the long grass near
some water body, in order to catch its prey that is the deer. Also, he would have terrorised the
residents of the villages around the forest area. But the reality is totally opposite to this. He
was confined in a cage which was made up of strong building material and he was helpless
there. He could not show his power to the visitors, therefore, never tried to terrorize them.
The tiger is described as being powerless and agonized by the poet. He says that during night
also he is alone, hearing the voice of the patrolling vehicles of police and looking at the stars.
The cage life has totally changed the tiger’s personality. The poet is trying to say that the
animal which is famous for its fearlessness and freedom is confined and sad due to the human
beings who want to derive pleasure by looking at him in the zoo cage.
Stanza-1
He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
Stalks: follows
Vivid: bright colored
Pads: paws of tiger
Rage: anger
Here the poet says that the tiger that is confined in the zoo moves around in the cage under
his bright coloured skin. He further says that the tiger can take only a few steps because
the cage is small and it is not easy to move in it. One cannot hear his footsteps because he
has very soft feet, like velvet because of which there is no sound of the tiger’s footsteps.
The tiger tries to control his anger by quietly walking in the limited area of his cage. He is
angry because he is not free.
Literary devices
▪ Rhyme scheme: abcb (cage-rage)
▪ Personification: The tiger is personified because the poet refers him as ‘he’.
▪ Metaphor: Tiger’s paws are compared with velvet (pads of velvet)
▪ Enjambment: Sentence is continuing to next line without any punctuation mark.
▪ Imagery: poet tries to create an image about the tiger (He stalks in his vivid stripes the few
steps of his cage)
▪ Consonance: use of ‘s’ sound (stalks, his, stripes)
▪ Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘I’ (in his vivid stripes)
▪ Oxymoron: use of adjectives opposite in meaning (quiet rage)
Stanza-2
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
Lurking: To be hidden as to wait for your prey
The poet says that if this tiger was free, he would have hid himself behind the long grass
near the water bodies so that he could easily catch a deer in order to have it as its food.
Basically, the poet wants to say that the actual life of a tiger is to live in jungle where he
could catch his prey and eat it but the tiger in the cage cannot do so.
Literary devices
▪ Rhyme: rhyme scheme is abcb (grass-pass)
▪ Enjambment: Line continues to next line without punctuation marks. (Sliding

through…. deer pass)
▪ Alliteration: use of sound ‘p’ at the start of two words (plump pass)
▪ Imagery: The poet has tries to create an image of tiger’s activities (lurking in shadow).
Stanza-3
He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!
Snarling: warning sounds made by animals

Baring: uncovered
Fangs: Sharp tooth of animals
The poet says that if the tiger would have been free, he would have snarled around the
houses located at the outskirts of the forest. He would terrorise people with his sharp tooth
and claws. This would create fear among the people living in the villages.
Literary devices
▪ Rhyme Scheme: abcb rhyme scheme is followed (edge, village)
▪ Enjambment: Line continues to next line without punctuation marks (He should be snarling
around houses at the jungle’s edge,)
▪ Onomatopoeia: using words which denote sound (snarling)
▪ Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘I’ (should, around, houses), (Baring, his, white, his)
▪ Consonance: use of consonant sound ‘s’ (his, fangs, his, claws)
Stanza-4
But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
Concrete: building made of bricks, cement, sand and water
Now the poet comes to the reality of the tiger that is inside the cage. He says that the tiger
is confined in a strong cell which is made of strong building material. He further says that
as the tiger is behind bars, so his ferociousness is also behind the bars. He just stalks in the
cage. He never tries to terrorise the visitors because his power is restricted by the cage.
Therefore, he never tries to terrorise the visitors as he cannot attack them.
Literary devices
▪ Rhyme Scheme: abcb rhyme scheme is followed (bars-visitors)
▪ Personification: The tiger is personified because the poet refers him as ‘he’.
▪ Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘e’ (he, locked, concrete, cell)
▪ Consonance: use of consonant sound ‘s’ (his, strength, bars)
▪ Alliteration: use of sound ‘b’ at the start of two words (behind bars)
Stanza-5
He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
Patrolling: to guard, to vigil
The poet says that in the night, the tiger hears the sounds of the patrolling cars. Patrolling
cars are the vehicles of police which are used to guard at night. So, in the night the tiger
hears the sounds of these cars. He then stares at the shining stars with his shining eyes.
The poet wants to say that the tiger is sad and as he is confined in the cage, so, he cannot
do anything. Therefore, he stares at the stars in the night and tries to divert his thoughts
towards them.
Literary devices:
▪ Rhyme Scheme: abcb rhyme scheme is followed (cars-stars)

▪ Enjambment: Line three continues to line four without any punctuation mark. (And stares
with his brilliant eyes At the brilliant stars.)
▪ Alliteration: use of sound ‘h’ in the starting of two words (he hears)
▪ Assonance: use of ‘I’ sound (with, his, brilliant)

Q1- Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following
tasks.
(i) Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the
cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
(ii) Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two
columns.
Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two
situations.
A1- (1)
In the wild
In the cage
Stalks, quiet rage, ignoring visitors, hears the Lurking in shadow, sliding through the long
sound of patrolling cars, stares at stars grass, snarling around houses, baring his white
fangs, terrorizing the village
(2)
WILD
CAGE
Few steps of his cage Shadow, long grass
Locked in concrete cell Snarling around houses
His Strength behind bars Baring his white fangs, his claws
Terrorising the village Ignoring visitors
Q2- Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:
(i) On pads of velvet quiet, In his quiet rage.

(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes At the brilliant stars.
Q2- What do you think is the effect of this repetition?
A2- The poet has repeated the words to give a nice impact to his poem. Like
the use of quiet with velvet pads describes that the tiger has to walk in the
limited area of his cage. He cannot run as he would have done had it
been in the forest. Whereas ‘quiet rage’ shows the hidden anger inside
him which has grown stronger because of his confinement in the cage.
The next word he used is ‘brilliant’. The word brilliant in the first line
means the twinkling bright stars and the brilliant words used for the
tiger’s eyes show the sadness of the tiger who would have led a free
and fearless life if it were in the jungle.
Two Stories about Flying
His First Flight

Introduction
The story by “Liam O’ Flaherty” is an account of a young bird that is afraid to fly for the first
time. He believes that his wings would not support him. Despite his younger siblings flying
fearlessly with much shorter wings, he could not gather the courage to do the same. He was
punished to stay hungry if he did not try. Thus, it was his mother that compelled him to fly by
using food as a trap. The lesson reflects how one hesitates to take the first step and that fear is
all in the mind. One should trust one’s abilities because “the fear of suffering is worse than
the suffering itself”.
Summary
The story “His First Flight” by “Liam O’ Flaherty” is about a young seagull who is afraid to
fly. All his younger siblings despite their much shorter wings flew fearlessly while he could
not gather the courage to trust his own wings. The young seagull became sad when he saw
his parents perfecting his younger siblings in the art of flying. His parents scold and taunt him
for not even trying. They even call him a “coward”. They tell him a lot to at least try and also
threaten him to leave him alone and hungry if he does not. The following day, he is left in
isolation and upon feeling hungry; he tries to seek the attention of his family members. Only
his mother, who is withering a fish in an attempt to eat it, notices his son. The young seagull
cries out of starvation hoping his mother would help. On seeing his mother come to him with
the fish, he gets excited. But on noticing that his mother stopped mid-way, he gets maddened
out of hunger and takes a dive at the fish, forgetting for a moment that he is afraid to fly.
Finally, he took his first flight. All the family members celebrate his victory by cheering and
dancing around him. He also attempts at floating in the sea that he was once afraid of. Thus,
he overcomes his fear and realises that it is all in the mind.
Lesson Explanation
THE young seagull was alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his sister had already flown
away the day before. He had been afraid to fly with them. Somehow when he had taken a
little run forward to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his wings he became afraid.
The great expanse of sea stretched down beneath, and it was such a long way down — miles
down. He felt certain that his wings would never support him; so he bent his head and ran
away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night.
Seagull- a bird that lives near the sea and has short legs, long wings, and white and grey
feathers
Ledge- a narrow horizontal shelf projecting from a wall (or here) a cliff
Brink- the extreme edge of land before a steep slope or a body or water
Expanse- a wide continuous area of something
The story is about a young seagull who is at that stage of life where he has to learn to fly.
Unlike his younger brothers and sisters, he is too afraid to fly. When all of them went for
flying for the first time near the edge of the sea, all of them except him, succeeded. He could
not trust his wings. He got terrified by the vast sea and got convinced that he could never fly.
As a result, he was ashamed and disheartened and thus, went inside the ledge where usually
he slept.
Even when each of his brothers and his little sister, whose wings were far shorter than his
own, ran to the brink, flapped their wings, and flew away, he failed to muster up courage to
take that plunge which appeared to him so desperate. His father and mother had come around
calling to him shrilly, upbraiding him, threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he
flew away. But for the life of him he could not move.
Flapped- (of a bird) move (its wings) up and down when flying or preparing to fly
Muster- gather
Plunge- jump or dive
Shrilly- with a high pitched and piercing voice or sound
Upbraiding- scold
His younger siblings managed to take their first flight despite their wings being shorter than
his, but he could not summon the courage though he tried so desperately. He was scolded by
his parents for not trying again but he was so afraid, that he could not even move.
That was twenty-four hours ago. Since then nobody had come near him. The day before, all
day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister, perfecting
them in the art of flight, teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish. He
had, in fact, seen his older brother catch his first herring and devour it, standing on a rock,
while his parents circled around raising a proud cackle. And all the morning the whole family
had walked about on the big plateau midway down the opposite cliff taunting him with his
cowardice.
Herring- a soft-finned sea fish

Devour- eat quickly
Cackle- laugh in a loud, harsh way
Cowardice- lack of bravery
Now, he had been alone for a day after he tried because his parents were busy focussing on
his siblings. They helped his siblings master the art of flying and diving for food (fish). His
older sibling even caught his first fish which he proudly ate at a rock while his parents
celebrated it. That morning, his parents taunted him all the way for being a coward.
The sun was now ascending the sky, blazing on his ledge that faced the south. He felt the heat
because he had not eaten since the previous nightfall. He stepped slowly out to the brink of
the ledge, and standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing, he closed one
eye, then the other, and pretended to be falling asleep. Still they took no notice of him. He
saw his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau dozing with their heads sunk into their
necks. His father was preening the feathers on his white back. Only his mother was looking at
him. She was standing on a little high hump on the plateau, her white breast thrust forward.
Now and again, she tore at a piece of fish that lay at her feet and then scrapped each side of
her beak on the rock. The sight of the food maddened him. How he loved to tear food that
way, scrapping his beak now and again to whet it.
Ascending the sky- the act of rising up through the air
Preening-to tidy and clean its feathers
Hump- a rounded raised mass of earth or land
Scrapped- discard
The sun had now risen and he was feeling the heat more than ever because he was empty-
stomach since the night before. He stepped out of his ledge and pretended to sleep on one leg
to gain the attention of his family. Still, no one noticed him. His siblings were sleeping, his
father was cleaning his feathers with his beak and his mother was standing on another
plateau eating fish while she noticed him. The seagull got mad on seeing the fish because he
was very hungry. He loved to tear away fish and scrape his beak now and then.
“Ga, ga, ga,” he cried begging her to bring him some food. “Gaw-col-ah,” she screamed back
derisively. But he kept calling plaintively, and after a minute or so he uttered a joyful scream.
His mother had picked up a piece of the fish and was flying across to him with it. He leaned
out eagerly, tapping the rock with his feet, trying to get nearer to her as she flew across. But
when she was just opposite to him, she halted, her wings motionless, the piece of fish in her
beak almost within reach of his beak. He waited a moment in surprise, wondering why she
did not come nearer, and then, maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish.
Derisively- in a manner expressing contempt or ridicule.

Plaintively- sad
Uttered- make a sound with one’s voice
Halted- stopped
He cried in hunger to his mom while his mother screamed back angrily but he kept crying
which soon turned into a joyful scream at the sight of his mother flying towards him with the
piece of fish. He got excited as she came nearer and thus, leaned forward. Suddenly, she
stopped not too far from him. Out of excitement and hunger, he dived at the fish without
realising for a moment, that he was afraid to fly.
With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards into space. Then a monstrous terror
seized him and his heart stood still. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted a minute. The
next moment he felt his wings spread outwards. The wind rushed against his breast feathers,
then under his stomach, and against his wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting
through the air. He was not falling headlong now. He was soaring gradually downwards and
outwards. He was no longer afraid. He just felt a bit dizzy. Then he flapped his wings once
and he soared upwards. “Ga, ga, ga, Ga, ga, ga, Gaw-col-ah,” his mother swooped past him,
her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another scream. Then his father flew
over him screaming. He saw his two brothers and his sister flying around him curveting and
banking and soaring and diving.
Monstrous- horrible
Seized- grab
Headlong- with the head foremost
Soaring- flying or rising high in the air
Swooped- (especially of a bird) move rapidly downwards through the air
Curvetting- perform a series of jumps on the hind legs
He got so excited that he fell as soon as he tried. For a moment, he was in shock and stood
still out of terror. All this lasted only for a moment and soon, his feathers opened as he flied.
He could feel the wind against his breast feathers, stomach and his wings. He could feel
himself cutting through the air. He was not afraid anymore. He was just a bit nervous but
then his mother accompanied him. The whole family screamed out of excitement, thus,
celebrating his victory over fear.
Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly, and commended himself
to dive and soar and curve, shrieking shrilly. He was near the sea now, flying straight over it,
facing straight out over the ocean. He saw a vast green sea beneath him, with little ridges
moving over it and he turned his beak sideways and cawed amusedly.
Shrieking- making a high-pitched piercing cry or sound

Shrilly- loudly and forcefully
Ridges- a long, narrow hilltop, mountain range, or watershed
Cawed- utter a caw
Once he overcame his fear, he forgot that he was once afraid of it. He did all those things he
once feared. He flied straight over the sea and could see the greenery and the mountains
beneath him. He screamed out of joy as he enjoyed the victory.
His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green flooring ahead of him. They
were beckoning to him, calling shrilly. He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. His legs
sank into it. He screamed with fright and attempted to rise again flapping his wings. But he
was tired and weak with hunger and he could not rise, exhausted by the strange exercise. His
feet sank into the green sea, and then his belly touched it and he sank no farther. He was
floating on it, and around him his family was screaming, praising him and their beaks were
offering him scraps of dog-fish. He had made his first flight.
Beckoning- gesture
When he landed, his family landed along with him as a gesture that they were proud. They
were screaming and shouting in excitement in their high-pitched voices. He then went into
the sea where at first, he got scared and thus, panicked. He tried escaping but got tired and
weak because of hunger. Thus, when he calmed down, he started floating in the sea he was
once afraid of. His family was celebrating in excitement and offered him food as praise.
Finally, he had overcome his fear and had made his first flight.
Questions and Answers

Q1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make
their first flight, or are some birds more timid than others? Do you think a human baby
also finds it a challenge to take its first steps?
A. The young seagull was afraid to fly because it was his first flight. He doubted that his
wings would not be able to support him. We are well aware that “Journey to a thousand
miles begins with a single step” and it is very difficult to take that first step. Thus, I think
all birds must be hesitating before taking their first flight, some more than others. Yes,
just like young birds, human babies also hesitate while taking their first step.
Q2. “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the
young seagull to finally fly?
A. On not being able to gather courage to fly and acting like a coward, the young seagull’s
family left him alone. As a result, he was starving since he could not fly to get his own
food. When he saw his mother coming near him with fish, he got excited and dived
straight at the fish, forgetting for a moment that he was afraid of flying. Thus, he got so
maddened by the sight of food because he was starving, which compelled him to take his
first flight.
Q3. “They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother
threaten him and cajole him to fly?
A. Unlike his younger siblings, the poor seagull could not gather enough courage to take his
first flight. Thus, his parents taunted him for being a coward. They even threatened it to
let it starve if he did not try. They thought hunger would make him fly looking for his
food. They did all of this because they wanted him to fly.
Black Aeroplane
Introduction
The lesson “Black Aeroplane” by Frederick Forsyth reflects on how one’s judgement gets
distorted due to fantasizing and how it creates problems. In this chapter, the narrator is a pilot
who is so eager to meet his family and have a good breakfast that he takes the wrong decision
of facing the storm instead of doing the right thing. Miraculously, he somehow manages to
escape with the help of a mysterious aeroplane.
Summary
The story “Black Aeroplane” is about a pilot who feels happy and contended to fly over a city
that is sleeping (at the night time). He is flying from Paris to London. While taking his flight,
he dreams about the long holiday with his family. He also fantasizes about the scrumptious
breakfast he would have upon landing. As soon as he crosses Paris, he gets a look of the dark
clouds that were a sign of the upcoming storm. The right decision would have been to turn
back to Paris for the sake of safety. But he being overshadowed by his dreams and not
wanting to delay them, risks the life of his passengers and heads straight into the storm.
Everything gets dark, he is unable to see, all his direction instruments stopped functioning
and he lost control of the plane. When all hope was lost, he saw another plane whose pilot
was more than willing to rescue them. The author was panicking as there was very less
amount of fuel left. The anonymous pilot guided them out of the storm and disappeared as
soon as they saw light. Upon landing, when he asks the lady in the control room about the
other pilot, he is left in shock when she says that his was the only plane in the sky.
Explanation
THE moon was coming up in the east, behind me, and stars were shining in the clear sky
above me. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I was happy to be alone high up above the
sleeping countryside. I was flying my old Dakota aeroplane over France back to England. I
was dreaming of my holiday and looking forward to being with my family. I looked at my
watch: one thirty in the morning.
It was night time when the sky was clear and the stars could be seen twinkling. The pilot
felt peace in being above a country that had fallen asleep while he was flying over France
to England. It was half-past one in the morning and he was fantasizing about holidaying
with his family.
‘I should call Paris Control soon,’ I thought. As I looked down past the nose of the aeroplane,
I saw the lights of a big city in front of me. I switched on the radio and said, “Paris Control,
Dakota DS 088 here. Can you hear me? I’m on my way to England. Over.” The voice from
the radio answered me immediately: “DS 088, I can hear you. You ought to turn twelve
degrees west now, DS 088. Over.”
When the aeroplane was in France, the pilot thought of informing the Paris Control
personnel about its presence and for instructions. At that time, lights from the Paris city
were blaring at him. He informed the Control Agency to which they replied with further
instruction on directions. The control room at Paris instructed him to turn 12 degrees
towards the west.
I checked the map and the compass, switched over to my second and last fuel tank, and
turned the Dakota twelve degrees west towards England. ‘I’ll be in time for breakfast,’ I
thought. A good big English breakfast! Everything was going well — it was an easy flight.
Compass- instrument for telling direction

After receiving the instructions, the pilot geared up and followed them while putting the
last fuel tank into operation. All this time, he was dreaming about his time with his family
and then, he started thinking about having a satisfactory breakfast at the destination point.
He was calm as everything was going as planned.
Paris was about 150 kilometres behind me when I saw the clouds. Storm clouds. They were
huge. They looked like black mountains standing in front of me across the sky. I knew I
could not fly up and over them, and I did not have enough fuel to fly around them to the north
or south. “I ought to go back to Paris,” I thought, but I wanted to get home. I wanted that
breakfast. ‘I’ll take the risk,’ I thought, and flew that old Dakota straight into the storm.
Now, the plane had crossed Paris when he started seeing clouds in the sky. The presence of
clouds made it unsafe to travel by air because there were chances of a storm. They were so
huge and dark that the pilot compared them with “black mountains”. He knew he couldn’t
pass them as it was impossible to go above them or escape them with the amount of fuel
that was left in the last tank. The right decision would have been to fly back to Paris safely.
But the pilot’s decision making was clouded by his wish to meet his family. He so
desperately wanted to be with his family and have that English breakfast he had been
dreaming of all day, that he took the risk of not going back. Thus, he headed the plane
right into the storm.
Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black. It was impossible to see anything outside
the aeroplane. The old aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air. I looked at the compass. I
couldn’t believe my eyes: the compass was turning round and round and round. It was dead.
It would not work! The other instruments were suddenly dead, too. I tried the radio.
It was so dark because of the storm that nothing was visible outside the plane. He started
losing control of the aeroplane. The compass and other instruments had also stopped
working because of the bad weather. He became helpless.
“Paris Control? Paris Control? Can you hear me?” There was no answer. The radio was dead
too. I had no radio, no compass, and I could not see where I was. I was lost in the storm.
Then, in the black clouds quite near me, I saw another aeroplane. It had no lights on its
wings, but I could see it flying next to me through the storm. I could see the pilot’s face —
turned towards me. I was very glad to see another person. He lifted one hand and waved.
“Follow me,” he was saying. “Follow me.” ‘He knows that I am lost,’ I thought. ‘He’s trying
to help me.’
He tried calling the Paris Control Agency who had helped him earlier but couldn’t connect
because of the weather. In the midst of nowhere, when everything failed, he saw a ray of
hope when he saw another aeroplane. He felt relieved when he saw another pilot’s face
and willingness to help him escape the storm. He thought to himself that the other pilot is
very kind as he knew that they were lost and was trying to help him.
He turned his aeroplane slowly to the north, in front of my Dakota, so that it would be easier
for me to follow him. I was very happy to go behind the strange aeroplane like an obedient
child. After half an hour the strange black aeroplane was still there in front of me in the
clouds. Now there was only enough fuel in the old Dakota’s last tank to fly for five or ten
minutes more. I was starting to feel frightened again. But then he started to go down and I
followed through the storm. Suddenly I came out of the clouds and saw two long straight
lines of lights in front of me. It was a runway! An airport! I was safe! I turned to look for my
friend in the black aeroplane, but the sky was empty. There was nothing there. The black
aeroplane was gone. I could not see it anywhere.
Runway- a strip of hard ground along which aircraft take off and land
Frightened- terrified
Followed- chased
Obedient- one who obeys
Glad- happy
The other pilot took his plane ahead of the lost aeroplane to make it easier for them to
follow while the author followed him like an “obedient child”. He was also panicking
because there was very less amount of fuel left. It was only then that he started coming out
of the storm and could see the runway to land his plane safely. When he turned to thank
the other pilot, he realised that the plane that helped him, had disappeared as soon as he
came out of the storm.
I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota near the control tower. I went
and asked a woman in the control centre where I was and who the other pilot was. I wanted to
say ‘Thank you’. She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed. “Another aeroplane? Up
there in this storm? No other aeroplanes were flying tonight. Yours was the only one I could
see on the radar.” So, who helped me to arrive there safely without a compass or a radio, and
without any more fuel in my tanks? Who was the pilot on the strange black aeroplane, flying
in the storm, without lights?
Radar- a system for detecting the presence, direction, distance, and speed of aircraft,
ships, and other objects, by sending out pulses of radio waves which are reflected
off the object back to the source
Strangely- in a strange manner
The author did not know where he had landed but was not afraid of leaving his plane
unattended. He headed straight into the control room to ask about the other pilot. To his
utmost surprise, the lady informed him that there was no other plane in the sky except his
because of the bad weather. He is left astonished with a lot of questions unanswered in his
mind.
Q1. “I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
A. The “risk” here refers to not doing the right thing, which is flying back to Paris when he
came to know about the storm. Despite being aware of the bad weather, the pilot headed
straight into the storm and risked the lives of his fellow passengers. The pilot’s decision
making was clouded by his wish to meet his family. He so desperately wanted to be with
his family and have that English breakfast he had been dreaming of all day, that he took
the risk of not going back.
Q2. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
A. The narrator was frightened as he lost control of the plane. He felt helpless as the
compass and other instruments had stopped working. Nothing outside the aeroplane was
visible when suddenly in the midst of nowhere, an unknown plane was visible and the
pilot was eager to help him. The narrator was panicking because there was very less fuel
left but somehow, he managed to escape the storm with the help of the strange pilot who
he could not thank.
Q3. Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old
Dakota…”?
A. The narrator had landed at an unknown place as his compass and radar had stopped
functioning in the storm. He was not scared to leave the plane unattended and go to the
control centre to inquire about the mysterious plane which had helped him out of the
storm.
Q4. What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
A. The woman in the control centre looked at the narrator strangely when he asked about the
other pilot that helped him escape the storm. This is because there was no other plane in
the sky during such bad weather.
Q5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves
and give reasons for your answer.
A. It was the pilot’s own conscience which helped him out of the storm. There was no other
plane out on that stormy night. So, probably, he was hallucinating. It was his own
capability as a pilot which led him out of that black cloud.
How to Tell Wild Animals

About the Poet
Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was an American writer who was famous for books based on
mystery. Her famous works are at the sign of the Sphinx (1896), The Jingle book (1899), the
story of Betty (1899) etc.
Introduction
In the poem, the poet has explained the characteristics of various wild animals in a very
funny way. She has used language in a way that it generates humour. She is introducing the
reader to various kinds of wild animals like Asian lion, Bengal tiger, bear, etc. Explaining
each of the animals in a very humorous way.
Summary
The poet is describing the various wild animals. These animals are very dangerous and she
has introduced them one by one in a very funny way. First of all, she tells us about an Asian
lion. She says that if you are visiting the jungles of the east and there you see an animal
which has tawny skin and he roars so loudly that you will die out of fear. This means that you
have seen an Asian lion. Next in the line is the Bengal tiger that she has explained to be a
royal animal that at once attacks and kills a man. She says by adding humour that if this
beautiful black striped animal kills you and eats you, then you have surely met a Bengal tiger.
After this, she says that if the reader met an animal that has black spotted skin and it at once
jumps on him, then it means that the reader has met a leopard. Moreover, she says that if one
will cry out in pain, it may be of no use as the leopard will not stop attacking him. Then she
moves on to the bear that she says will hug very tightly. This is the way to recognize a bear as
it kills a person by hugging him very tightly. So, she says that the bear will continue to hug us
tightly and that is the only way to recognize him. After this, she asks a question to the readers
that do they know how to recognize beasts that hunt their prey. Here she explains about
hyenas which she thinks have a smiling face and the crocodiles that have tears in their eyes.
This can be seen when they are killing their prey. The last one in the list is the Chameleon.
She says that it is a lizard - like creature which doesn’t have ears and wings just like a lizard.
Only this can help you differentiate between a lizard and chameleon. She further says that the
chameleon has a quality of changing its color according to the colour of the surface. So, to
explain this she says that if the reader looks at the tree and if he can only see the tree, this
means that there is a chameleon sitting on it which has already turned its color to brown just
like the branch of the tree.

Stanza-1
If ever you should go by chance
To jungles in the east;
And if there should to you advance
A large and tawny beast,
If he roars at you as you’re dyin’
You’ll know it is the Asian Lion...
Tawny: yellowish brown color

The poet is telling the readers that how they can recognize various animals in the jungles
of the east. So, in first stanza she says that if the reader comes across an animal whose skin
is yellowish brown in colour and if it roars at him so strongly that he can die out of fear, it
means that he has encountered an Asian Lion. She has humorously explained the Asian
Lion which could kill a person with its roar.
Literary Devices
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (chance-advance, east-beast, dyin-lion)

Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line (and if there…..tawny beast)
Inversion: Change in the format of a sentence (if there should to you advance)
Assonance: use of vowel sound ’o’ (you should go, should to you, roars,)
Allusion: Reference to a famous thing, place, species of animal, etc (Asian Lion)
Stanza-2
Or if some time when roaming round,
A noble wild beast greets you,
With black stripes on a yellow ground,
Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn
The Bengal Tiger to discern.
Noble: high born, aristocratic

Discern: recognize
She explains an animal that roams in the jungle and belongs to a royal clan. The colour of
its skin is yellowish with black stripes. She says that if you notice that he kills you and eats
you up, then this means that you have surely seen a Bengal Tiger. This time also she has
used dark humour to explain how a tiger looks like because once a person has been eaten
up by a wild animal, there is no use in determining which wild animal it is.
Literary Devices
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (round-ground, you-you learn-discern)

Alliteration: repetition of consonant sound ‘r’ at start of two or more closely connected
words (roaming round)
Inversion: Change in the format of a sentence (The Bengal Tiger to discern)
Allusion: Reference to a famous thing, place, species of animal, etc (Bengal Tiger)
Assonance: Use of vowel sound ’o’ (or if some time when roaming round)
Stanza-3
If strolling forth, a beast you view,
Whose hide with spots is peppered,
As soon as he has lept on you,
You’ll know it is the Leopard.
’Twill do no good to roar with pain,
He’ll only lep and lep again.
Strolling: walking casually

Forth: forward
Hide: skin of animal
Peppered: Here it means the spots
Lept (Leapt): jump towards someone
The poet says that if you are casually walking in a jungle, you will meet an animal who has
a skin with spots on it. This animal is so fast that it will leap on you at once which means
that it will jump on you. This jumping is an indication that it is none other than the
Leopard. Moreover, she adds that if you will cry out in pain, it is not going to be of any use
as it will keep on jumping on you. So, in this stanza the poet has explained the
characteristic of a leopard.
Literary Devices
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (view- you, peppered- Leopard, pain-again)
Alliteration: use of consonant sound ‘h’ in the beginning of two words (he has)
Poetic license: A liberty to the poet to change the spellings in order to create rhyme or
rhythm in a poem (use of lept instead of leapt)
Repetition: use of ‘lep’ word in the last line.
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ (strolling-forth-you, whose-spot, do no good to roar)
Consonance: use of ‘l’ sound (he’ll only lep lep)
Stanza-4
If when you’re walking round your yard
You meet a creature there,
Who hugs you very, very hard,
Be sure it is a Bear.
If you have any doubts, I guess
He’ll give you just one more caress.
Yard: backyard or the lawn area of a house

Caress: A gentle touch
If you are walking in the lawn area of your house and you meet a creature which hugs you
tightly, it is a bear. She further adds that if you are still in doubt regarding the animal, the
easiest way is that he will keep hugging and touching you very gently. This act of his will
make you sure about its identity. You will come to know that it is a bear.
Literary Devices
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (yard-hard, there- bear, guess-caress)

Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line (if you were walking….creature
there)
Alliteration: use of ‘w’ sound (when-walking), use of ‘h’ sound (who- hugs), use of ‘b’
sound (be-bear)
Assonance: use of vowel ‘e’ (meet a creature there)
Stanza-5
Though to distinguish beasts of prey

A novice might nonplus,
The Crocodile you always may
Tell from the Hyena thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.

Distinguish: Differentiate
Beast of Prey: Any animals that hunts other animals for food
Novice: Someone new to a job
Nonplus: be confused
The poet says that for someone who is new to the job of recognizing animals, it will be like
a puzzle to recognize animals that hunt other animals for their food. So here the poet tries
to help out the readers by telling the difference between two animals. He says that Hyenas
will be smiling whereas if it is a crocodile, it is always in tears. Both of these animals are
dangerous.
Literary Devices
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (prey-may, nonplus-thus, smiles-crocodiles)

Alliteration: use of consonant sound ‘n’ (novice-nonplus), use of ‘th’ sound (the-thus)
Enjambment: continuation of sentence to the next line (though to distinguish….might
nonplus, The crocodile…..hyena thus)
Stanza-6
The true Chameleon is small,
A lizard sort of thing;
He hasn’t any ears at all,
And not a single wing.
If there is nothing on the tree,
’Tis the chameleon you see.
The poet says that the next is Chameleon which is a small creature. It looks like a lizard
but the difference between the two is that chameleon does not have ears and wings.
Moreover, she says that chameleon has the ability to change its color according to the
surface on which it is sitting. Therefore, if you see a tree and find nothing else on it, then it
must be a chameleon sitting on it. It has changed its colour into the color of tree.
Literary Devices
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (small-all, thing-wing, tree-see)

Alliteration: use of ‘h’ sound (he hasn’t)
Consonance: use of ‘g’ sound (single wing)
Q1-Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
A1-The actual word is dying which does not rhyme with lion. In order to create rhyme, it is
written as ‘dyin’ in the poem.
Q2- How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so,
according to him?
A2-The poet differentiates between the two in the following manner-
He says that if the beast is of yellow- brown colour that is tawny colour and it roars out
so fiercely that you may die out of fear, then this is an Asian lion.
Whereas, if the animal has black stripes on yellow background of skin and he
attacks to kill you, then it is a Bengal tiger.
Q3- Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does
the poet spell them like this?
A3-The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ have not been spelled correctly. It is a poetic device known as
poetic license which is used by the poet to lay emphasis on the actions of the leopard.
Q4- Look at the line “A novice might nonplus”. How would you write this ‘correctly’? Why
is the poet’s ‘incorrect’ line better in the poem?
A4-The correct order of the sentence is ‘a novice might be nonplussed’. The poet wrote it in
order to bring rhyme to her poem. nonplus rhymes with thus.
Q5- Much of the humour in the poem arises from the way language is used, although the
ideas are funny as well. If there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like,
share these with the class, speaking briefly about what it is about the ideas or the
language that you like or find funny?
A5- Yes, it is true that the poet has used the language in a way that it arises humour. The poet
has used many lines that are funny. One such is ‘If he roars at you as you’re dyin’.You’ll
know it is the Asian Lion...’ or the other one is ‘A noble wild beast greets you’. So his
idea of explaining the characteristics of the wild animals is quite funny.
The Ball Poem

by John Berryman
About the Poet

John Berryman was an American poet and scholar. He is best known for the Dream Songs
(1969) which was a sequence of 385 poems. He won Pulitzer Prize for the dream songs. He
also won National book award.
Introduction to the lesson
The poet John Berryman through his poem, ‘The ball poem’ has described the reality of life
which everyone has to face one day. He has touched the topic of how to stand up against the
miseries and sorrows of life.
Summary
The poet is talking about a little boy who has lost his ball. He was playing with his ball. The
ball skipped from his hand and went into the nearby water body. The poet says that this sight
of the boy losing his favourite ball made him think about the boy and his reaction to this
situation. He further says that the boy was helplessly looking into the water where his ball
had gone. He was sad and was trembling with fear. He got so immersed in his sorrow that he
kept standing near the harbour for a very long time and kept on looking for his ball. The poet
says that he could console him that he may get new balls or he could also give him some
money to buy another ball. But he stops himself from doing so because he thinks that the
money may bring a new ball but will not bring the memories and feelings attached to the lost
ball. He further says that the time has come for the boy to learn his responsibilities. Here the
poet wants to say that now the boy will learn the toughest lesson of life. The lesson of
accepting the harsh realities of life that one day we will lose our loved ones and our loved
things.
Poem and explanation
Stanza-1
What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then
Merrily over — there it is in the water!
Merrily: cheerful
Bouncing: jumping up and down
The poet is talking about a boy who has lost his ball. He wants to know about him and his
reaction because he has lost his ball. Further, he asks to himself that what this boy will do
after losing his ball. The poet has seen the ball going away from the boy. He says that the
ball was cheerfully jumping up and down in the street. This means that when the ball
skipped from boy’s hand it went into the street and later on, it fell into the nearby river.
Literary devices:
Anaphora: use of repeated words in two or more lines (What is the boy… what, what and
merrily bouncing… merrily over)
Assonance: repeated use of vowel ‘o’ (boy, now, who, lost)
Imagery: when poet says merrily bouncing down the street
repetition: ‘what’ is repeated
Stanza-2
No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility
Grief: sorrow
Rigid: fixed
Trembling: shaking
Harbour: dock, port
Intrude: invader
Dime: 10 cents (U.S)
Worthless: valueless, useless
The poet says that there is no benefit of consoling the boy by saying that he will get another
ball because he has other balls too. He says so because the boy is feeling very sad. He is
completely surrounded by sorrow. He is sad because all the memories of the childhood
days went down the harbour with the ball. Here the poet says that the boy is very sad as the
ball which has now gone into the water reminds him of those sweet memories, of the times
when he owned it. This loss is unbearable for him and he is grief stricken. The poet says
that he can’t even tell the boy to take some money from him in order to buy another ball.
He says so because the new ball will not bring the sense of belonging to the boy. Further,
the poet says that the time has come for the boy to learn the responsibility of taking care of
his things.
Literary devices:
Repetition: use of word ‘ball’
Asyndeton: no use of conjunction in a sentence (A dime, another ball, is worthless)
Stanza-3
In a world of possessions. People will take
Balls, balls will be lost always, little boy.
And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.
He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,

The epistemology of loss, how to stand up
Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up.
Possessions: ownership
External: Here, things with which feelings are not attached
Desperate: hopeless
Epistemology: The Greek word episteme means ‘knowledge’
Here the poet says that the boy has to learn that in this materialistic world, many of his
belongings will be lost. He personifies the ball as his belongings, be it the worldly things or
the relationships he is in possession of. So, he says that he has to learn to live without them
no matter what. He says no one can buy back such things for him. The poet said so
because according to him money can’t buy you everything. If it does buy you some
materialistic thing, still, it will not be able to buy the sense of belongingness. He says that
the boy is learning how to stand up against the sense of lost things. This means that the
boy is trying to learn the real truth of life which states that you have to accept the miseries
of life and stand up again. This is the truth which everyone has to learn in his or her life.
The harsh truth of standing up against the odd miseries of life that everyone has to bear.
Literary devices:
Alliteration: use of sound ‘b’ at the start of two consecutive words (buys a ball back)
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘e’ (He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes)
Repetition: ‘ball’ word is repeated
Rhyme scheme: There is no rhyme scheme followed in the poem.

Q1-Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him”? Why doesn’t he offer him money
to buy another ball?
A1- The poet does not want to intrude so that the boy can get a chance to learn the real truth
of life. He has to learn to accept the loss. The loss here means the most important thing
or relationship.
Q2- “… staring down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went …” Do you
think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories of days when
he played with it?
A2- Yes we can say that the boy had the ball for a very long time. The line itself describes
how the boy recalls those days when he used to play with the ball. The ball was surely
linked to some sweet memories of his playing with the ball.
Q3- What does “in the world of possessions” mean?

A3-In the world of possessions means that the world is full of materialistic things.
Materialistic things are those things which bring comfort and luxury in our life.
Q4- Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the
answer?
A4- The line in the poem “now he senses his first responsibility’ helps us to know that the
boy has not lost anything before.
Q5- What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this
in your own words?
A5- The poet means that the boy will learn the real truth of life. He will learn how to move
on in life despite of incurring heavy losses. Everyone experiences this in his/ her life
when they lose either something or someone. This harsh reality that lost things never
come back make people strong enough to live their life by accepting this truth of life.
From the Diary of Anne Frank
“Laziness might be attractive, but work gives satisfaction.”
-Anne Frank
Introduction
This lesson is an excerpt from “Diary of a Young Girl” or “The Diary of Anne Frank”. It is
an autobiography that was first published in 1947. In this, Anne expresses her thoughts in a
diary which was gifted to her on her thirteenth birthday. She names the diary “kitty” which
she considers as her only true friend. She mentions about her childhood, her family and a lot
other things that she told no one else.
WRITING in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because
I’ve never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor
anyone else will be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year -old schoolgirl. Oh well, it
doesn’t matter. I feel like writing, and I have an even greater need to get all kinds of things
off my chest.
Musings- a period of reflection or thought
The author feels that it is strange and unusual for her to write in a diary about her feelings
and experiences because it was the first time she was doing it. She feels this because she
thinks that in the future, no one would be interested in reading about a young school going
girl’s past. She thinks that later, even she will not be interested in reading it. But then she
puts these thoughts away and decides that she should write if she feels like doing so. She feels
the need to write because there were a lot of thoughts she had been holding on to lately and
she needed to get them off her mind. It is known that writing one’s thoughts act as therapy;
she makes the decision of writing a diary.
‘Paper has more patience than people.’ I thought of this saying on one of those days when I
was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and
listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out. I finally stayed where I was, brooding: Yes,
paper does have more patience, and since I’m not planning to let anyone else read this stiff-
backed notebook grandly referred to as a ‘diary’, unless I should ever find a real friend, it
probably won’t make a bit of difference. Now I’m back to the point that prompted me to keep
a diary in the first place: I don’t have a friend.
Listless- with no energy or interest

Brooding- engaged in or showing deep thought about something that makes one sad, angry,
or worried.
Prompted- provoke
The author feels that paper has much more capacity to absorb thoughts than people. People
have low patience levels but a piece of paper, being a non-living thing would not refuse from
absorbing her thoughts. This realisation came to her one day when she was feeling sadder
and more confused than usual. She could not even decide whether to go out or stay at home
at that time. When she finally decided to stay at home, she sat being depressed and in deep
thought. Again, she thought that paper had more patience and she decided to write
everything that came in her mind because she did not intend on making someone read it
unless she found a “real friend”. By “real friend”, she meant a friend with whom she could
share all her secrets. The author then comes back to the point where she thought of beginning
to write. It is because she is lonely and has no friend to talk to.
Let me put it more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteen-year-old girl is completely
alone in the world. And I’m not. I have loving parents and a sixteen-year-old sister, and there
are about thirty people I can call friends. I have a family, loving aunts and a good home. No,
on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend. All I think about when
I’m with friends is having a good time. I can’t bring myself to talk about anything but
ordinary everyday things. We don’t seem to be able to get any closer, and that’s the problem.
Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t confide in each other. In any case, that’s just how things
are, and unfortunately they’re not liable to change. This is why I’ve started the diary.
Confide- to tell personal things privately to a person that one trusts
Liable- likely (here)
She then goes on explaining why she feels the need for a friend. She feels that no one is going
to believe that a young girl like her is so alone, which practically, she is not because she has
a loving family, near about 30 people that can be called “friends”, loving aunts and a good
place to stay. This depicts a clear picture of a happy family but the one thing that lacks in her
life is the presence of a true friend with whom she can share everything. She does have a
good time with friends; they talk about stuff but not real stuff that is actually going on in their
lives. Despite trying hard, they are unable to get closer. She feels that maybe it is her who is
not able to trust anyone with her private stuff that she is not able to come any close to her
friends. She feels that the current situation cannot be changed and thus, she needs to write
her feelings in the diary.
To enhance the image of this long-awaited friend in my imagination, I don’t want to jot down
the facts in this diary the way most people would do, but I want the diary to be my friend, and
I’m going to call this friend ‘Kitty’. Since no one would understand a word of my stories to
Kitty if I were to plunge right in, I’d better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike
doing so.
Enhance- intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of.
Plunge- jump or dive quickly
Usually, when someone is writing in a diary, they list down all the facts about them in a
formal manner which the author does not want to do. This is because she wanted to give her
need for a friend a shape and thus, decides to name the diary as “kitty”. Hoping that
someone would read her diary one day, she thinks that writing without giving details about
the background story would be ineffective. So, despite not wanting to do so, she gives brief
details about her life.
My father, the most adorable father I’ve ever seen, didn’t marry my mother until he was
thirty-six and she was twenty-five. My sister, Margot, was born in Frankfurt in Germany in
1926. I was born on 12 June 1929. I lived in Frankfurt until I was four. My father emigrated
to Holland in 1933. My mother, Edith Hollander Frank, went with him to Holland in
September, while Margot and I were sent to Aachen to stay with our grandmother. Margot
went to Holland in December, and I followed in February, when I was plunked down on the
table as a birthday present for Margot.
Adorable- lovable, cute

Emigrated- leave one's own country in order to settle permanently in another.
Plunked- to put down
She refers to her father as the most lovable father one could get. He father married her
mother when he was at the age of 36 and she was 25. She and her sister Margot were both
born in Frankfurt. As soon as Anne turned 4, her father moved to Holland followed by her
mother in September while both the sisters stayed with their grandmother in Aachen. Margot
was also sent to Holland in December followed by Anne in February who was brought as a
birthday present for Margot.
I started right away at the Montessori nursery school. I stayed there until I was six, at which
time I started in the first form. In the sixth form my teacher was Mrs Kuperus, the
headmistress. At the end of the year we were both in tears as we said a heartbreaking
farewell. In the summer of 1941 Grandma fell ill and had to have an operation, so my
birthday passed with little celebration.
Farewell- an act of parting or of making someone’s departure
In Holland, Anne was sent to Montessori nursery school. (It was her first school) She started
from first form. She had Mrs Kuperus, the headmistress, as her teacher in sixth form who
even cried at the time of farewell. In 1941, the author’s birthday could not be celebrated well
because her grandmother fell ill and underwent an operation.
Grandma died in January 1942. No one knows how often I think of her and still love her.
This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the other, and Grandma’s
candle was lit along with the rest. The four of us are still doing well, and that brings me to the
present date of 20 June 1942, and the solemn dedication of my diary.
Intended- planned
Solemn- characterised by deep sincerity
Dedication- commitment
Unfortunately, her grandmother left them in January, 1942. Anne misses her grandmother
more than anyone knows. This year’s birthday was to be celebrated with great zeal so as to
compensate for last year’s. She then mentions that her family is doing well which sums up her
background and brings her to the present date of June 20, 1942 when she is writing her
diary.
Saturday, 20 June 1942

Dearest Kitty,
Our entire class is quaking in its boots. The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in
which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back. Half the
class is making bets. G.N. and I laugh ourselves silly at the two boys behind us, C.N. and
Jacques, who have staked their entire holiday savings on their bet. From morning to night,
it’s “You’re going to pass”, “No, I’m not”, “Yes, you are”, “No, I’m not”. Even G.’s pleading
glances and my angry outbursts can’t calm them down. If you ask me, there are so many
dummies that about a quarter of the class should be kept back, but teachers are the most
unpredictable creatures on earth.
Quaking- shake or tremble
Staked- bet, chanced
Pleading- to make an emotional appeal
Glances- take a brief or hurried look
Outbursts- a sudden release of strong emotion
Dummies- an object designed to resemble and serve as a substitute for the real or usual one
Unpredictable- not able to be predicted; changeable
On June 20, 1942, Anne begins writing in her diary addressing it as her friend “kitty”. She
mentions how her entire class is nervous about their results. It is unpredictable and will be
decided by a meeting of teachers in which they will select students to be moved to next class
or kept back. Many students were making bets. Some had put in their entire summer savings
at stake. She and her friend, G, also made fun of the nervous boys. They kept on saying to
each other that “I am not going to pass!” while others would console them and say, “Yes,
you would”. G was polite as she tried to stop them from making noise while Anne scolded
them, but none of it worked. According to Anne, about a quarter of class should not be
allowed to pass because they hardly respond or take part in any of the activities. She refers to
them as “dummies”. But this may not be the case because teachers’ decisions can’t be
predicted.
I’m not so worried about my girlfriends and myself. We’ll make it. The only subject I’m not
sure about is maths. Anyway, all we can do is wait. Until then, we keep telling each other not
to lose heart.
Not to lose heart- not be discouraged
The author says that she is not bothered about her friends because she is sure that they will
pass. The only thing subject that she is unsure about is mathematics. She seems to be having
a tough time with the subject. But all they could do was wait for the results and not lose their
hope.
I get along pretty well with all my teachers. There are nine of them, seven men and two
women. Mr Keesing, the old fogey who teaches maths, was annoyed with me for ages
because I talked so much. After several warnings, he assigned me extra homework. An essay
on the subject, ‘A Chatterbox’. A chatterbox — what can you write about that? I’d worry
about that later, I decided. I jotted down the title in my notebook, tucked it in my bag and
tried to keep quiet.
Old fogey- an old-fashioned person
Annoyed- slightly angry; irritated
Chatterbox- a person who likes to chatter; talkative
Jotted- write (something) quickly
She tells how she has a great relationship with all her teachers except the maths professor.
He was constantly irritated by the author’s talkativeness. Despite several warnings, Anne did
not stop talking in his classes which prompted him to give her extra homework as
punishment. The first one was to write an essay on “Chatterbox” which she thought was a
weird topic to write on because what could one write about that.
For the moment, she wrote the topic in her notebook, kept it in her bag and focussed on
staying quiet.
That evening, after I’d finished the rest of my homework, the note about the essay caught my
eye. I began thinking about the subject while chewing the tip of my fountain pen. Anyone
could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with
convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking. I thought and thought, and suddenly I
had an idea. I wrote the three pages Mr Keesing had assigned me and was satisfied. I argued
that talking is a student’s trait and that I would do my best to keep it under control, but that I
would never be able to cure myself of the habit since my mother talked as much as I did if
not more, and that there’s not much you can do about inherited traits.
Ramble- to talk or write at length in a confused or inconsequential way
Convincing- capable of causing someone to believe that something is true or real; powerful
Trait- quality
Inherited- derived genetically from one's parents or ancestors.
The author came across the note she made as reminder for the essay after she had finished
the rest of her homework. She began thinking about the topic. “While chewing the tip of my
fountain pen” is a gesture that signifies a person is in deep thinking. While anyone could
mention random stuff written for the sake of filling pages, she wanted to present concrete
arguments in support of talking. She mentioned that she will try to better herself as a student
but talking is something that cannot be eliminated completely. This is because she got it as an
inherited trait from her mother and this is how she ended up writing 3 pages on the topic.
Mr Keesing had a good laugh at my arguments, but when I proceeded to talk my way through
the 2next lesson, he assigned me a second essay. This time it was supposed to be on ‘An
Incorrigible Chatterbox’. I handed it in, and Mr Keesing had nothing to complain about for
two whole lessons. However, during the third lesson he’d finally had enough. “Anne Frank,
as punishment for talking in class, write an essay entitled — ‘Quack, Quack, Quack, Said
Mistress Chatterbox’.”
Proceeded- to begin a course of action
Incorrigible- not able to be changed
Mistress- a woman in a position of authority or control
The professor found Anne’s arguments to be amusing but when she did not stop talking in the
next lesson also, he gave her yet another assignment as punishment. The topic was “An
incorrigible chatterbox”. Incorrigible refers to a bad habit that is difficult to change. He
gave her this topic because he was annoyed of her unstoppable chattering during his lessons.
On receiving this assignment, the professor did not say anything to her for a while but when
he lost his patience, he handed her yet another assignment as punishment on the topic
‘Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox’.
The class roared. I had to laugh too, though I’d nearly exhausted my ingenuity on the topic of
chatterboxes. It was time to come up with something else, something original. My friend,
Sanne, who’s good at poetry, offered to help me write the essay from beginning to end in
verse and I jumped for joy. Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous
subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him.
Roared- laughed (here)

Exhausted- completely used up
Ingenuity- the quality of being clever, original and inventive
Verse- writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme
Ridiculous- deserving or inviting derision or mockery; absurd
When the professor scolded her for the third time and punished her, the whole class started
laughing. As a result, she had to pretend to be amused too. After writing twice on similar
topics, she ran out of thoughts. Thus, her friend Sanne who was good at poetry offered to
help her write in rhyme. This whole assignment scenario was to make Anne feel ashamed but
she made sure that she gave an effective reply.
I finished my poem, and it was beautiful! It was about a mother duck and a father swan with
three baby ducklings who were bitten to death by the father because they quacked too much.
Luckily, Mr Keesing took the joke the right way. He read the poem to the class, adding his
own comments, and to several other classes as well. Since then I’ve been allowed to talk and
haven’t been assigned any extra homework. On the contrary, Mr Keesing’s always making
jokes these days.
Yours,
Anne
[Extracted from The Diary of a Young Girl,
with slight adaptation]
Contrary- opposite in nature, direction, or meaning
She finally wrote her third assignment in the form of a poem which turned out to be great.
She wrote a satire that a father swan bit his three baby ducklings to death because of their
noisy nature. To her good luck, the professor took it lightly. The professor recited the entire
poem in front of the class while giving his own remarks simultaneously. The author being
fortunate enough, talked uninterruptedly after this incident without any further homework as
punishment. Also, Mr keesing, the professor started cracking jokes every now and then in
front of the class.
Summary
In this lesson, Anne talks about being lonely and having no one to talk to despite being
surrounded by family and around 30 people whom she called her “friends”. Thus, she takes
the decision of writing her feelings in a diary. It is unusual for her to write in a diary but she
is really in need of a true friend. Thus, she decides to name her diary “kitty” and unlike other
people, she is not going to mention just facts in it. She starts with writing her background, to
make it easier to understand for anyone who reads it later. She describes her family and early
childhood when they all migrated, her early schooling. After giving a brief account of her
background, she comes to the present day where she tells us about the result day. Everyone in
the class is nervous about their result and boys are even making bets. Anne was quite sure
about herself and her friends. She had a good equation with all the teachers except her maths’
professor, who was constantly annoyed at her for her talking habits. Thus, he started giving
her punishments in the form of essays on weird topics such as “Chatterbox” to which she
replied with full wit. She wrote essays that were funny and explained that this was a trait that
she inherited from her mother and not much could be done about it. He kept on giving her
essays until she wrote a satire. After that third and last assignment, Mr Keesing never
pointed her out for talking.
Q1. What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank?
A. It was the first time Anne was writing in a diary. She felt that later no one would be
interested in reading about the thoughts of a young girl. Both these facts made it a strange
experience for her.
Q2. Why does Anne want to keep a diary?

A. Anne wanted to keep a diary and write in it because she had a lot going on in her head.
She had no friend with whom she could talk about such personal stuff. Thus, she decided
to maintain a diary.
Q3. Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people?
A. According to Anne Frank, “paper has more patience than people”. She chose to confide
more in her diary because she felt there was no friend who could listen to her with enough
patience.
Q4. Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life?

A. Anne feels it would be weird to just simply jot down facts without giving her background.
In case someone might read it in future, he/she won’t be able to understand vaguely stated
facts. Thus, she decided to provide a brief sketch of her life.
Q5. What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?

A. The fact that Anne spent some part of her childhood with her grandmother is self-
sufficient to imply connection between the two. Also, she explicitly mentioned in her
diary that she misses her grandmother more than anyone is aware of is evident enough
that she loved her grandmother.
Q6. Why was Mr Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he ask her to do?
A. Mr Keesing, Anne’s maths professor was annoyed with her because she would not stop
talking during his lectures as a result of which, he gave her assignments as punishments.
Q7. How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?
A. Anne explained that she got this habit of speaking too much from her mother, mentioning
that it was inherited.
Q8. What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?

A. On being given the third assignment as punishment, Anne wrote a satirical piece which
was quite promising. Thus, finally, the professor allowed her to talk.
Q9. Was Anne right when she said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a
thirteen-year-old girl?
A. Yes, Anne was right in thinking that the world would not be interested in the musings of a
thirteen - year - old girl. As she was a common girl, no one would want to know her
feelings and so, no one would read her diary.
Q10. There are some examples of diary or journal entries in the ‘Before You Read’ section.
Compare these with what Anne writes in her diary. What language was the diary
originally written in? In what way is Anne’s diary different?
A. Anne’s diary was actually written in Dutch. Her diary is different from that of others on
various aspects. She had named her diary “Kitty”. She thought of it as her only true
friend. She could confide in Kitty. She treated it as another person because according to
her, “Paper has more patience than people”. She started by writing “Dearest kitty” and
ended the account by writing, “Yours Anne”.
Q11. Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch about her family? Does she treat ‘Kitty’ as
an insider or an outsider?
A. Anne feels it would be weird to just simply jot down facts without giving her background.
In case someone might read it in future, he/she won’t be able to understand vaguely stated
facts. Thus, she decided to provide a brief sketch of her life. She treates “kitty” as an
insider as it was her only true friend with whom she could share each and everything.
Q12. How does Anne feel about her father, her grandmother, Mrs Kuperus and Mr Keesing?
What do these tell you about her?
A. According to Anne, her father is the most lovable man one could ever come across. She
loved and missed her grandmother more than she showed. She was on good terms with
her teachers except the old fogey, Mr Keesing who taught them mathematics. The
headmistress, Mrs Kuperus was her class teacher and both were very close to each other.
Mr Keesing often punished Anne with extra assignments as a punishment for her talkative
nature. These indicate that Anne was affectinate and a loving person.
Q13. What does Anne write in her first essay?

A. In her essay, Anne mentions that she will try her best to minimise talking between
lectures but this is a trait she inherited from her mother and it is difficult to eliminate an
inherited trait. Also, her mother talks as much as she does, if not more. She also stressed
that talking was a necessary quality for a good student.
Q14. Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr Keesing unpredictable? How?
A. Yes, Mr Keesing is an unpredictable person. He is angry with Anne for being talkative in
class and gives her extra assignments as a punishment. But later, he finds her essays to be
witty and amusing. This brings a change in him and he accepts her arguements. He
develops a funny bone too and starts cracking jokes in the class. This change in Mr
Keesing’s nature shows that he is unpredictable.
Q15. What do these statements tell you about Anne Frank as a person?
i. We don’t seem to be able to get any closer, and that’s the problem. Maybe it’s my fault that
we don’t confide in each other.
A. This shows that Anne does not confide in people very easily. It is difficult for her to make
personal relations where she could share what’s going on in her mind.
i.I don’t want to jot down the facts in this diary the way most people would, but I want the
diary to be my friend.
A. This statement indicates that Anne does not have a close friend she could confide in. She
was lonely despite having family and friends. Thus, she wanted the diary to be her only
true friend.
ii.Margot went to Holland in December, and I followed in February, when I was plunked down
on the table as a birthday present for Margot.
A. This statement is indicative of the love between the sisters. On migration, Anne was the
last one to be brought to Holland and it was done on the birthday of her elder sister to
surprise her.
iii.If you ask me, there are so many dummies that about a quarter of the class should be kept
back, but teachers are the most unpredictable creatures on earth.
A. Anne feels that there are many weak students in the class who should be detained. Almost
one - fourth of the class did not deserve promotion but the teachers, decision could not be
predicted.
iv.Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come
up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
A. Anyone could write senseless stuff while leaving big gaps in order to fill up a number of
pages and submit the assignment easily. But Anne wanted to give such agreements which
could prove that it was necessary for her to talk. She wanted to write sensible stuff.
From the diary of Anne Frank Grammar Exercises

Match the compound words under ‘A’ with their meanings under ‘B’. Use each in a sentence.
A B
Heartbreaking -obeying and respecting the law
Homesick -thinking about pleasant things, forgetting about the present
Blockhead -something produced by a person, machine or an organisation
Law-abiding -producing great sadness
Overdo -An occasion where vehicles/machines stop working
Daydream -an informal word which means a very stupid person
Breakdown -missing home and family very much
Output -do something to an excessive degree
Answers-
A B Sentences
Heartbreaking -producing great sadness It would be heartbreaking to see it all

collapse.
Homesick -missing home and family very He was homesick for America after five
much weeks in Europe.
Blockhead -an informal word which means a He did not understand the lecture as he
very stupid person is a blockhead.
Law-abiding -obeying and respecting the law The spirit of freedom turned Nelson
Mandela from a law-abiding attorney
into a criminal.
Overdo -do something to an excessive I’d simply overdone it in the gym.

degree
Daydream -thinking about pleasant things, He was lost in a daydream.

forgetting about the present
Breakdown -An occasion where Breakdowns could totally disrupt

vehicles/machines stop working production.
Output -something produced by a This machine gives a good output.

person, machine or an
organisation
Now find the sentences in the lesson that have the phrasal verbs given below. Match them
with their meanings. (You have already found out the meanings of some of them.) Are their
meanings the same as that of their parts? (Note that two parts of a phrasal verb may occur
separated in the text.)
i. plunge in – speak or write without focus

ii. kept back – stay indoors
iii. move up – make (them) remain quiet
iv. ramble on – have a good relationship with
v. get along with – give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
vi. calm down – compensate
vii. stay in – go straight to the topic
viii. make up for – go to the next grade
ix. hand in – not promoted
Answers-
i.plunge in – go straight to the topic
ii.kept back – not promoted
iii.move up – go to the next grade
iv.ramble on – speak or write without focus
v.get along with - – have a good relationship with
vi.calm down – make (them) remain quiet
vii.stay in – stay indoors
viii.make up for – compensate
ix.hand in – give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can you say what
each means? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)
i.Our entire class is quaking in its boots.

ii. Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart.
iii. Mr Keesing was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much.
iv. Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make
sure the joke was on him.
Answers:
i.Our entire class is quaking in its boots- Shaking with fear and nervousness
ii. Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart- not to lose hope
iii. Mr Keesing was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much- Since a long time
iv. Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make
sure the joke was on him.- He was outwitted by her
Try to use them in sentences of your own.
i.caught my eye
ii. laugh ourselves silly
iii. he’d had enough
iv. can’t bring myself to
Answers-
i.Caught my eye- The scenic beauty of Taj Mahal caught my eye.
ii.Laugh ourselves silly- On hearing the joke, the audiences laughed themselves silly.
iii.He’d had enough- The teacher said that he’d had enough, and he wanted all the notebooks by
Wednesday.
iv.Can’t bring myself to- After yesterday’s embarrassing incident, I can’t bring myself to face
him.
You have read the expression ‘not to lose heart’ in this text. Now find out the meanings of the
following expressions using the word ‘heart’. Use each of them in a sentence of your own.
i.Break somebody’s heart.

ii. close/dear to heart
iii. from the (bottom of your) heart
iv. have a heart
v. have a heart of stone
vi. your heart goes out to somebody
Answers-
1. Break somebody’s heart
Meaning- to upset somebody deeply
Sentence- It is not good to break somebody’s heart by lying to them.
2.close/dear to heart
Meaning- something/ someone who is near to you
Sentence- The watch gifted by mother is close to my heart
3.from the (bottom of your) heart

Meaning- to genuinely mean or feel something
Sentence- I apologise from the bottom of my heart
4.have a heart
Meaning- to evoke the feeling to help someone in distress
Sentence- The poor beggar asked the rich man to have a heart get him something to eat
5. have a heart of stone

Meaning- to not feel anything or any sentiment
Sentence- He is so cruel that it feels like he has a heart of stone.
6. your heart goes out to somebody

Meaning- to sympathise with someone else and to understand his/her feelings or distress
Sentence- My heart goes out to all those who are fighting the odds to come out victorious.
Make a list of the contracted forms in the text. Rewrite them as full forms of two words.
For example: I’ve = I have
i.I’ve – I have
ii.Doesn’t- Does not
iii.Won’t- Would not
iv.I’m – I am
v.Don’t- Do not
vi.Can’t – Can not
vii.It’s- It is
viii.That’s- That is
ix.I’d- I would
x. Didn’t- Did not
xi.Who’ll- who will
xii.You’re- You are
xiii.We’ll- We will
xiv.There’s – There is
xv.He’d- He had
xvi.Who’s- Who is
xvii.Haven’t- Have not
We have seen that some contracted forms can stand for two different full forms:
I’d = I had or I would

He’d – He had or He would
Amanda
By Robin Klein
About the Poet
Robin Mc Maugh Klein is an Australian author of books for children. She writes Children’s
and young adult fiction. Some of her famous books are Hating Alison Ashley, People might
hear you, etc.
Introduction
Robin Klein has expressed the views of a little girl, Amanda who is constantly pointed out by
her mother for making mistakes. Mistakes which she considers so as they are not part of the
code of good conduct laid out by the society in which we live.
Summary
The poem describes a girl named Amanda and her mother who is nagging her for her
mistakes. She is first pointed out most probably by her mother for biting her nails and for not
sitting in the right posture. The mother also feels that Amanda sits in a very lazy manner. To
this, Amanda imagines herself as a mermaid who lives a calm and relaxing life in the
beautiful green sea. Further, she is nagged for not cleaning her room and shoes and also for
not doing her homework. She then imagines herself to be an orphan because she is now fed
up of being watched by her parents continuously. She says that she would have enjoyed her
freedom then, by making the patterns of her bare feet on the sand and would live a peaceful
life. Next, Amanda is scolded for eating too many chocolates as this causes pimples. She is
also scolded for not listening to her mother. So, now Amanda thinks of being Rapunzel, a
character from a fairy tale and wants to live in a huge tower like her. In the tower she will be
alone and will live a peaceful life and will never allow anyone to come in. Finally, the mother
asks her to stop being moody because she doesn’t want anyone to blame her for harassing her
daughter. At this time the poet has not written any reaction from Amanda’s side. This
constant nagging has made her so sad that she has even stopped to imagine herself as
someone else. She used to do so in order to escape from the continuous harassment and
dominance of her parents.
Poem and explanation
Stanza-1
Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!
Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda!
Stop that slouching and sit up straight,
Amanda!
(There is a languid, emerald sea,
where the sole inhabitant is me—
a mermaid, drifting blissfully.)
Hunch: bend
Slouching: sitting in a lazy way
Languid: relaxed
Emerald: here, green color
Inhabitant: resident
Drifting: carried slowly by the water
Blissfully: happily
The poet is describing Amanda, a little girl who is always pointed out by her mother for her
mistakes and how she imagines her life to be. The poet says that the mother is pointing out
Amanda for biting nails which is a bad habit. Next, she asks her to sit straight without
bending her shoulders. Amanda who has habit of bending her shoulders and sitting lazily
is being pointed out because her mother wants her to sit in the right posture. At this point
of time, when she is being scolded by her mother, she imagines herself to be in a deep
green sea. She says that she wants to be the only resident of this beautiful green sea. She
imagines herself like a mermaid who is alone there and leads her life in a very relaxing
way. She says that she wants to be carried away by the current of water and feel the
relaxing environment there.
Literary devices:
Anaphora: Repeated use of a word at start of two or more lines (don’t bite… don’t hunch)
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ (don’t hunch your shoulders)
Rhyme: aaba ccc (Amanda, Amanda, straight, Amanda, sea, me, blissfully)
Metaphor: use of word emerald sea for green colour of sea being similar to the colour of
emrald
Repetition: use of word ‘Amanda’
Imagery: drifting blissfully
Alliteration: ‘Stop that slouching and sit up straight’ - ‘s’ sound is being repeated at the start
of closely placed words.
Allusion: ‘mermaid’ is a well-known imaginary creature.
Stanza-2
Did you finish your homework, Amanda?
Did you tidy your room, Amanda?
I thought I told you to clean your shoes,
Amanda!
(I am an orphan, roaming the street.
I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet.
The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet.)
Orphan: A child whose parents are dead
Hushed: quiet and still place
Here the poet says that Amanda’s mother is inquiring her about whether she has done her
homework or not? And then she asks her whether she has cleaned her room or not.
Moreover, she is also reminded to clean her shoes. So, here we can see that the mother is
constantly asking her questions regarding her homework being done or not or whether she
had cleaned up her room and shoes or not. But on the other hand, while Amanda is
listening to her mother’s instructions, she imagines herself to be an orphan who is
roaming in the streets. This means that she imagines if she would have been without
parents she would have walked freely in the streets. She would have drawn designs on the
soft dust with her uncovered feet very quietly. So, we can see that she thinks opposite to her
mother. Her mother wants her to keep everything neat and clean. But Amanda wants to
play in dust with her bare feet. Moreover, she is so fed up of these constant instructions
from her mother, that she says silence is golden which means that silence is very crucial
and precious. She further says that freedom is sweet. This means she never feels free when
she is with her mother.
Literary devices:
Anaphora: Repeated use of a word at start of two or more lines (did you finish…. did you
tidy)
Rhyme: Rhyme scheme is aada eee (Amanda, Amanda, shoes, Amanda, street, feet, sweet)
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ (Thought, told, you, your, shoes)
Metaphor: silence is golden - silence is said to be glorious like golden colour
freedom is sweet - freedom is said to be sweet in taste.
Stanza-3
Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!
Remember your acne, Amanda!
Will you please look at me when I’m speaking to you,
Amanda!
(I am Rapunzel; I have not a care;
life in a tower is tranquil and rare;
I’ll certainly never let down my bright hair!)
Acne: Pimples
Rapunzel: A girl in the fairy tale by Brothers Grimm
Tranquil: calm, quiet
Rare: uncommon
Next, Amanda’s mother is disallowing her to eat chocolates. She reminds her of pimples
that Amanda faces due to eating chocolates. At last she scolds her for not paying attention
to what her mother says. At this moment Amanda imagines herself to be Rapunzel.
Rapunzel was a character from a fairy tale that was captured in tower by a witch. The
witch used to climb the tower with the help of long hair of Rapunzel that were let down by
her through the window. So, now Amanda wants to be Rapunzel because she feels that life
in the tower will be peaceful and unusual. She thinks she will be free and live in a peaceful
environment in the tower. She also confirms to herself that she will never let her hair down
to anyone so that nobody could come to her in the tower.
Literary devices:
Allusion: use of famous fairy tale character Rapunzel
Rhyme: rhyme scheme aafa ggg (Amanda, Amanda, you, Amanda, care, rare, hair)
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘e’ and ‘o’ (Will you please look at me when I’m speaking to
you
Consonance: use of sound ‘r’ (I am Rapunzel; I have not a care …..Bright hair)
Stanza-4
Stop that sulking at once, Amanda!
You’re always so moody, Amanda!
Anyone would think that I nagged at you,
Amanda!
Sulking: be in a bad mood
Moody: unstable
Nagged: harass
Amanda’s mother now warns her for behaving in a very odd manner. She asks her to stop
being in a bad mood. Moreover, she blames her of having such an unstable mood. She also
scolds her by saying that her behavior will one day make people think that Amanda was
constantly being harassed by her mother. So, here we can say that though Amanda is
always pointed out by her mother on every small thing but she can’t react to this. If she
reacts towards this by getting emotional her mother takes this against her sense of pride
and scolds her that she should not behave like this as others would think that Amanda’s
mother is very dominating towards her child.
Literary Devices:
Alliteration: ‘Stop that sulking’ - ‘s’ sound is repeated at the start of closely placed words
Rhyme scheme: aaha (Amanda, Amanda, you, Amanda)

Q1- How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?
A1- Amanda’s age could be between 10-12 years old. We can guess this because of the
reference to mermaid or Rapunzel. These stories are read by children of age group of 10-
12 years.
Q2- Who do you think is speaking to her?

A2- One of her parents is speaking to her. We think that probably it could be her mother. We
think this because it’s a general perception that children are taken care of by their
mothers at home.
Q3- Why are Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?

A3-Parenthesis is a remark that is added to a sentence, often to provide an explanation. So, in
stanzas 2, 4 and 6 parenthesis is used to describe the reaction of child Amanda towards
her mother’s continuous nagging.
Q4- Who is the speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to the
speaker in Stanzas 1, 3, 5, and 7?
A4- The speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 is Amanda. No, she is not paying any attention to what
her mother says. She is lost in her own thoughts. She imagines herself as a mermaid, an
orphan and Rapunzel.
Q5- What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

A5- The little girl Amanda wants to be a mermaid and the only resident of the beautiful green
sea. She thinks that her life will be very relaxing in the sea and she will be taken away
with the currents of water. She will be able to enjoy her freedom.
Q6- Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?

A6- No, Amanda is not an orphan as she is constantly being pointed out by one of her parents
in the poem. She said so because she is sad and depressed because of the continuous
scolding and nagging which she faces because of her parents. Therefore, she feels that it
would have been much better and peaceful if she would have been an orphan.
Q7- Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?
A7- The story of Rapunzel is of a girl who is captured by an old witch in a tower. The old
witch climbs up the tower with the help of Rapunzel’s very long hair which she lets
down for her through a window of the tower. One day, a Prince visits her by climbing
the tower with the help of her long hair. When the witch comes to know this, she
separates both of them. But both Rapunzel and Prince meet after a gap of many years
and then live their life happily. Amanda wants to be Rapunzel because she knew that in
the story, there was no staircase to enter the tower. It was only possible with the help of
Rapunzel’s long hair that she would let down to help others to climb. Amanda feels that
life in the tower will be very calm and nice and also makes it a point to never let her hair
down for anyone as she doesn’t want to get disturbed by visitors.
Q8- What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
A8- The girl Amanda yearns for freedom and peace in her life. She is constantly reminded of
her mistakes. Her parents want her to follow the code of conduct of good behavior. They
are doing so because they want their child to be well mannered and obedient. But while
doing this they forget that she is a child and should be allowed some freedom. The poet
has drawn the reader’s attention towards the condition of children who are constantly
oppressed by their elders in the name of good behaviour.
Q9- Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?
A9- In our sense, Amanda is not moody. She feels oppressed because of her mother’s
constant nagging. She doesn’t want to be pointed out for such small things like cleaning
the room, sitting straight, cleaning her shoes, completing her homework, etc. She feels
that she is not free and is under a constant pressure of trying to be a well behaved girl as
per her parent’s demand.
The Hundred Dresses - I
by El Bsor Ester
Introduction
The lesson “The Hundred Dresses I” is about a girl named Wanda who claims to have one
hundred dresses. Her classmates made fun of her because what she claims is in contradiction
to the fact that she was always seen wearing the same dress. Her classmates found her name
to be “funny”. It was because everyone had “easier” names than ‘Wanda Petronski’. Her
name was different because she was a Polish immigrant who had come to an American town
with her family. She was poor and did not have many friends. She was quiet and was always
seen sitting in the corner of the classroom. The truth about the hundred dresses unveiled
when she submitted her hundred drawings in a drawing contest. They were the same hundred
dresses she used to talk about. All of them were immensely beautiful.
Summary
The story is about a quiet and shy girl named Wanda Petronski, a Polish immigrant, who had
come to America with her family. She attended school with American children who found
her name to be strange and probably, the weirdest in the classroom. This is because they all
had easier names. She was poor and was always seen wearing a faded blue dress. Her
classmates teased her because she claimed to have a hundred dresses “all lined up” in her
closet albeit, always being seen wearing one. The ones who mainly teased her were the two
best friends, Peggy and Maddie. Peggy was the most famous girl in school while anyone
barely knew Wanda.
Peggy and Maddie used to wait for Wanda before school even if it meant getting late.
Maddie, a poor girl herself did not like when Peggy made fun of Wanda. She feared that she
could be next. She wanted Peggy to stop making fun of Wanda, but could not summon
courage to face her as she feared she’d lose her best friend. However, Peggy’s intention was
never to hurt Wanda but she was curious as to why Wanda had to lie that she had a hundred
dresses in her closet.
Truth about the same hundred dresses unveiled on the result day of the drawing competition.
The room was lined with one hundred drawings portraying different dresses, each so
beautiful. That day, she truly had “a hundred dresses all lined up”, but in the classroom. At
that moment, Peggy and Maddie, who were awestruck realised the theory of a hundred
dresses and felt guilty about having treated her badly
Lesson and Explanation

TODAY, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat. But nobody, not even Peggy and
Madeline, the girls who started all the fun, noticed her absence. Usually Wanda sat in the seat
next to the last seat in the last row in Room Thirteen. She sat in the corner of the room where
the rough boys who did not make good marks sat, the corner of the room where there was
most scuffling of feet, most roars of laughter when anything funny was said, and most mud
and dirt on the floor.
Wanda did not sit there because she was rough and noisy. On the contrary, she was very quiet
and rarely said anything at all. And nobody had ever heard her laugh out loud. Sometimes she
twisted her mouth into a crooked sort of smile, but that was all.
Scuffling of feet- noisy, dragging movements of the feet on the ground
This story revolves around a girl named Wanda Petronski and her classmates, Peggy and
Madeline who made fun of her. The plot of the story opens up on Monday. Even Peggy
and Madeline did not notice that Wanda was not present. These were the girls who began
all the teasing. Wanda generally used to sit in the corner of the classroom where the not-
so-academically brilliant and loud guys sat. It was that part of the classroom which was the
dirtiest but Wanda was not like those boys. She was silent to the extent that nobody had
ever seen her laugh.
Nobody knew exactly why Wanda sat in that seat, unless it was because she came all the way
from Boggins Heights and her feet were usually caked with dry mud. But no one really
thought much about Wanda Petronski, once she sat in the corner of the room.
The time when they thought about Wanda was outside of school hours — at noon-time when
they were coming back to school or in the morning early before school began, when groups
of two or three, or even more, would be talking and laughing on their way to the school yard.
Then, sometimes, they waited for Wanda — to have fun with her.
Since Wanda was nothing like those boys, no one ever understood why she sat there. There
were only guesses that it is because she came from Boggins Heights and her shoes were
usually dirty with all the mud. People hardly noticed her in the classroom as she was silent
and alone all the time. It was only before or after school hours when groups of kids used to
wait for her to mock her that they thought of her. Some used to wait even at the cost of
getting late for school.
The next day, Tuesday, Wanda was not in school, either. And nobody noticed her absence
again. But on Wednesday, Peggy and Maddie, who sat down front with other children who
got good marks and who didn’t track in a whole lot of mud, did notice that Wanda wasn’t
there. Peggy was the most popular girl in school. She was pretty, she had many pretty clothes
and her hair was curly. Maddie was her closest friend. The reason Peggy and Maddie noticed
Wanda’s absence was because Wanda had made them late to school. They had waited and
waited for Wanda, to have some fun with her, and she just hadn’t come. They often waited
for Wanda Petronski — to have fun with her.
The fact that Wanda was not present on Tuesday as well, got unnoticed. But it was on
Wednesday when Maddie and Peggy noticed her absence. It was also then when they
waited before school to make fun of her but instead ended up getting late because she
didn’t show up. Peggy was the most famous girl who wore good and tidy clothes. She sat
with the toppers of the class. No one ever got curious about why Wanda was no longer
coming to school. All they cared was, they couldn’t make fun of her.
Wanda Petronski. Most of the children in Room Thirteen didn’t have names like that. They
had names easy to say, like Thomas, Smith or Allen. There was one boy named Bounce,
Willie Bounce, and people thought that was funny, but not funny in the same way that
Petronski was.
Wanda was a Pole who had immigrated to America. Her fellow classmates thought that
“Wanda Petronski” was a strange name because they had simpler and easier “American”
names except a guy named Willie Bounce which they thought sounded funny but still
lesser than “Petronski”. They found her name to be long and unfamiliar. This shows that
those children didn’t understand diversity and whatever they did was done out of
thoughtlessness.
Wanda didn’t have any friends. She came to school alone and went home alone. She always
wore a faded blue dress that didn’t hang right. It was clean, but it looked as though it had
never been ironed properly. She didn’t have any friends, but a lot of girls talked to her.
Sometimes, they surrounded her in the school yard as she stood watching the little girls play
hopscotch on the worn hard ground.
Didn’t hang right- didn’t fit properly
Hopscotch- a game in which children hop into and over squares marked on the ground
Wanda was usually seen wearing a faded blue dress that did not fit her properly. Though
clean, it used to look un-ironed. This shows that Wanda belonged to a poor family who
could not afford too many dresses. Ironically, a lot of people talked to her but she didn’t
have any friends because all of them talked to her in order to make fun of her. From her
tale about a hundred dresses to her unfamiliar name, they found it all amusing. When she
used to watch little girls play in the ground, it was at that time other students surrounded
her to mock her.
“Wanda,” Peggy would say in a most courteous manner as though she were talking to Miss
Mason. “Wanda,” she’d say, giving one of her friends a nudge, “tell us. How many dresses
did you say you had hanging up in your closet?” “A hundred,” Wanda would say. “A
hundred!” exclaimed all the little girls incredulously, and the little ones would stop playing
hopscotch and listen.
“Yeah, a hundred, all lined up,” said Wanda. Then her thin lips drew together in silence.
“What are they like? All silk, I bet,” said Peggy.
“Yeah, all silk, all colours.”
“Velvet, too?”
“Yeah, velvet too. A hundred dresses,” Wanda
would repeat stolidly. “All lined up in my closet.” Then they’d let her go. And then before
she’d gone very far, they couldn’t help bursting into shrieks and peals of laughter.
Nudge- a gentle push

Incredulously- showing unwillingness to believe
Courteous- polite, respectful
Stolidly- calm, dependable, and showing little emotion and animation
Shrieks- scream
With no intentions of hurting her, Peggy used to ask the number of dresses Wanda has in a
very polite and respectful tone. They made fun of her because they couldn’t understand
why she made up that story about a hundred dresses. They did all this while being ignorant
of the fact that it could hurt her. No one would believe her when she said she possessed a
hundred dresses, all lined up in her closet. As the other girls screamed in astonishment,the
little girls would stop playing in order to see what was going on. Wanda would affirm their
queries that she had dresses made of velvet and silk too. Sadly, after she left, they all used
to laugh at her.
A hundred dresses! Obviously, the only dress Wanda had was the blue one she wore every
day. So why did she say she had a hundred? What a story! “How many shoes did you say you
had?” “Sixty pairs. All lined up in my closet.”
Cries of exaggerated politeness greeted this.
“All alike?”
“Oh, no. Every pair is different. All colours. All lined up.”
Peggy, who had thought up this game, and Maddie, her inseparable friend, were always the
last to leave. Finally, Wanda would move up the street, her eyes dull and her mouth closed,
hitching her left shoulder every now and then in the funny way she had, finishing the walk to
school alone.
Exaggerated- overemphasise
Her eyes dull- having eyes wanting brightness, liveliness, and vivacity
It was hard to believe what Wanda said because the only dress she was seen wearing was
the blue one that was faded. No one was sure as to why she lied. Although they were
teasing her, they were never rude to her. Thus, in the same tone they continued asking her
about the number of shoes she said she had to which, she replied “sixty”, each pair
different. It was Peggy’s idea to embarrass her like that, though she was polite. Peggy and
Maddie, the inseparable friends were the last ones to leave school while Wanda would go
back all alone with her dull eyes and behaved in a strange way.
Peggy was not really cruel. She protected small children from bullies. And she cried for hours
if she saw an animal mistreated. If anybody had said to her, “Don’t you think that is a cruel
way to treat Wanda?” she would have been very surprised. Cruel? Why did the girl say she
had a hundred dresses? Anybody could tell that that was a lie. Why did she want to lie? And
she wasn’t just an ordinary person, else why did she have a name like that? Anyway, they
never made her cry.
Bullies- someone who hurts or frightens someone else, often over a period of time, and
forcing them to do something that they do not want to do.
Mistreated- to treat someone badly

Peggy was not the mean girl she had been portrayed as until now. She saved kids from
whoever was hurting them and couldn’t stand animals getting badly treated. According to
her, she was not being rude to Wanda. She thought it was very weird of Wanda to lie about
the number of dresses she possessed and if anything was weirder, it was her name. No
matter how much they teased Wanda, they never made her cry.
As for Maddie, this business of asking Wanda every day how many dresses and how many
hats, and how many this and that she had was bothering her. Maddie was poor herself. She
usually wore somebody’s hand-me-down clothes. Thank goodness, she didn’t live up on
Boggins Heights or have a funny name.
Maddie did not like the idea of making fun of the number of clothes and accessories
Wanda possessed not because she cared about her, but because she was poor herself. She
wore clothes that were given to her by someone else but she was not as poor as Wanda, she
did not live in Boggins Heights and did not even have a weird name.
Sometimes, when Peggy was asking Wanda those questions in that mocking polite voice,
Maddie felt embarrassed and studied the marbles in the palm of her hand, rolling them
around and saying nothing herself. Not that she felt sorry for Wanda, exactly. She would
never have paid any attention to Wanda if Peggy hadn’t invented the dresses game. But
suppose Peggy and all the others started in on her next? She wasn’t as poor as Wanda,
perhaps, but she was poor. Of course, she would have more sense than to say she had a
hundred dresses. Still she would not like for them to begin on her. She wished Peggy would
stop teasing Wanda Petronski.
Maddie didn’t feel very comfortable teasing Wanda and when Peggy used to ask Wanda
those questions, she would silently count the marbles in her hand pretending to play with
them. If that dress game hadn’t been invented, Maddie would have never known about the
very existence of Wanda. She felt uncomfortable not because she cared about Wanda but
because she was worried she could be next. Although she was not senseless enough to say
she had hundred dresses, she still wished that Peggy did not tease Wanda.
Today, even though they had been late to school, Maddie was glad she had not had to make
fun of Wanda. She worked her arithmetic problems absentmindedly. “Eight times eight —
let’s see…” She wished she had the nerve to write Peggy a note, because she knew she never
would have the courage to speak right out to Peggy, to say, “Hey, Peg, let’s stop asking
Wanda how many dresses she has.” When she finished her arithmetic, she did start a note to
Peggy.
Absentmindedly- distracted
Wanda didn’t come that day and after having waited for her so long, Maddie and Peggy
got late for school. Maddie was secretly happy that they could not get a chance to make fun
of Wanda. She was lost in her own thoughts and couldn’t study properly. All this time, she
kept thinking about writing a note to Peggy telling her to stop making fun of Wanda which
she did write, after finishing arithmetic. She wanted to write a note because she knew she
did not have the guts to say it on her face.
Suddenly she paused and shuddered. She pictured herself in the school yard, a new target for
Peggy and the girls. Peggy might ask her where she got the dress that she had on, and Maddie
would have to say it was one of Peggy’s old ones that Maddie’s mother had tried to disguise
with new trimmings so no one in Room Thirteen would recognise it.
Shuddered- shake, tremble
Disguise- to give a different appearance to conceal its identity
While writing the note to Peggy, Maddie shook at the imagination of her being a new
target for Peggy and the girls. She was afraid that they would ask where she got that dress
from, which was actually Peggy’s. Maddie’s mother got it transformed with new laces and
ribbons so that none of her classmates could identify it.
If only Peggy would decide of her own accord to stop having fun with Wanda. Oh, well!
Maddie ran her hand through her short blonde hair as though to push the uncomfortable
thoughts away. What difference did it make? Slowly Maddie tore into bits the note she had
started. She was Peggy’s best friend, and Peggy was the best-liked girl in the whole room.
Peggy could not possibly do anything that was really wrong, she thought.
She wished Peggy stopped having fun with Wanda on her own. Suddenly she “ran her
hand through her hair” as a gesture to drive away all those thoughts. She said to herself,
Peggy is the most-liked girl in the room, her best friend and so, she couldn’t be wrong.
Thus, she tore and threw that note away. She was also afraid of losing her friend Peggy.
As for Wanda, she was just some girl who lived up on Boggins Heights and stood alone in
the school yard. She scarcely ever said anything to anybody. The only time she talked was in
the school yard about her hundred dresses. Maddie remembered her telling about one of her
dresses, pale blue with coloured trimmings. And she remembered another that was brilliant
jungle green with a red sash.
“You’d look like a Christmas tree in that,” the girls had said in pretended admiration.
Scarcely- hardly; barely
Trimmings- decoration
Sash- a long strip or loop of cloth worn over one shoulder or round the waist, especially
as part of a uniform or official dress
Pretended- not genuine
Admiration- respect and warm approval
After Maddie had cleared her thoughts about confessing to Peggy, she started thinking
about Wanda. She thought that Wanda was just another girl living in Boggins Heights
who hardly spoke to anybody. She remembers when Wanda talked about her pale blue
dress and jungle green dress paired with a red sash. The girls made fun of her by saying
that she’d rather look like a Christmas tree in that dress.
Thinking about Wanda and her hundred dresses all lined up in the closet, Maddie began to
wonder who was going to win the drawing and colouring contest. For girls, this contest
consisted of designing dresses and for boys, of designing motorboats. Probably Peggy would
win the girls’ medal. Peggy drew better than anyone else in the room. At least, that’s what
everybody thought. She could copy a picture in a magazine or some film star’s head so that
you could almost tell who it was. Oh, Maddie was sure Peggy would win. Well, tomorrow
the teacher was going to announce the winners. Then they’d know.
While thinking about Wanda, Maddie began thinking about the drawing contest in which
the boys had to design motorboats and girls had to design dresses. Peggy was the obvious
winner of that competition because she was the best artist in the room. She could copy
exact pictures and recognizable portraits. She was sure that Peggy would win and results
were to be announced the next day when everyone would know what’s what.
The next day it was drizzling. Maddie and Peggy hurried to school under Peggy’s umbrella.
Naturally, on a day like this, they didn’t wait for Wanda Petronski on the corner of Oliver
Street, the street that far, far away, under the railroad tracks and up the hill, led to Boggins
Heights. Anyway, they weren’t taking chances on being late today, because today was
important.
Drizzling- rain lightly
Hurried- quick
The day when the results were to be announced, it was raining lightly and thus, the two
best friends ran quickly to school without waiting for Wanda. Generally, they used to wait
for her at the Oliver Street that led to Boggins Heights, the place where Wanda lived but
they didn’t wait that day. Even if it wasn’t raining that day, they wouldn’t have waited for
her because the day was crucial as the results were to be announced.
“Do you think Miss Mason will announce the winners today?” asked Peggy. “Oh, I hope so,
the minute we get in,” said Maddie. “Of course, you’ll win, Peg.” “Hope so,” said Peggy
eagerly. The minute they entered the classroom, they stopped short and gasped. There were
drawings all over the room, on every ledge and windowsill, dazzling colours and brilliant,
lavish designs, all drawn on great sheets of wrapping paper. There must have been a hundred
of them, all lined up. These must be the drawings for the contest. They were! Everybody
stopped and whistled or murmured admiringly.
Gasped- catch one's breath with an open mouth, owing to pain or astonishment.
Ledge- shelf
Windowsill- ledge or sill forming the bottom part of a window
Dazzling- extremely impressive, beautiful, or skilful
Lavish- gorgeous
Murmured- say something in a low or distinct voice
Admiringly- in a way that shows respect or warm approval
When the best friends entered the classroom, Peggy asked Maddie if Miss Mason would
announce the results or not, to which Maddie said ‘yes’. Maddie told her that she believed
Peggy would win but to their utmost surprise, when they entered the class, there were
drawings all over the room. Bright and brilliant, they left everyone in awe. These were the
drawings for the contest.
As soon as the class had assembled, Miss Mason announced the winners. Jack Beggles had
won for the boys, she said, and his design for an outboard motor was on exhibition in Room
Twelve, along with the sketches by all the other boys.
Assembled- gather together in one place for a common purpose
Miss Mason announced the winners after everyone had settled. Amongst the boys, Jack
Beggles had won. He drew an outboard motor which was displayed in Room No. 12 along
with drawings made by other boys.
“As for the girls,” she said, “although just one or two sketches were submitted by most, one
girl — and Room Thirteen should be proud of her — this one girl actually drew one hundred
designs — all different and all beautiful. In the opinion of the judges, any one of the drawings
is worthy of winning the prize. I am very happy to say that Wanda Petronski is the winner of
the girls’ medal.
She then talked about girls’ submissions. She mentioned that there was one such girl who
had submitted a hundred designs, each so beautiful that the judges felt that any out of
them was worthy of the gold medal. Miss Mason very proudly announced Wanda as the
winner of the competition.
Unfortunately, Wanda has been absent from school for some days and is not here to receive
the applause that is due to her. Let us hope she will be back tomorrow. Now class, you may
file around the room quietly and look at her exquisite drawings.” The children burst into
applause, and even the boys were glad to have a chance to stamp on the floor, put their
fingers in their mouths and whistle, though they were not interested in dresses. “Look, Peg,”
whispered Maddie. “There’s that blue one she told us about. Isn’t it beautiful?” “Yes,” said
Peggy, “And here’s that green one. Boy, and I thought I could draw.”
She continued and sadly mentioned that Wanda has not been coming since days, hoping
she’d be there the next day. She instructed everyone to look at the flawless collection to
which everyone applauded and whistled. Maddie and Peggy even saw the blue dress that
Wanda had talked about, it was beautiful. Peggy sighed, “I thought I could draw” which
means that the drawings left her in immense admiration.
Question & Answers

Q1. Where in the classroom does Wanda sit and why?
A. Wanda used to sit in that corner of the classroom where the rough boys sat, the boys who
got the lowest marks and had the loudest laughter. No one ever knew why she really sat
there but there were guesses that it was because of the dirt her shoes carried from all the
mud.
Q2. Where does Wanda live? What kind of a place do you think it is?
A. Wanda lived in Boggins Heights. According to the description given in the chapter, it was
that part of the city or town where poor people lived. The place was filled with mud
which is where Wanda got the dirt on her shoes from.
Q3. When and why do Peggy and Maddie notice Wanda’s absence?
A. On Wednesday, Peggy and Maddie noticed that Wanda was missing. They had been
waiting for her outside school, before school began. As she did not come, they even got
late for school. It was then that they realized her absence from school.
Q4. What do you think “to have fun with her” means?
A. “To have fun with her” means to tease her about the hundred dresses she claimed to have
which is contradictory to the fact that she always wore the same faded blue dress.
Q5. In what way was Wanda different from the other children?
A. Wanda was a quiet and shy girl who had no friends. She had the weirdest name in her
class which differentiated her from everyone else.
Q6. Did Wanda have a hundred dresses? Why do you think she said she did?
A. No, Wanda did not actually have a hundred dresses; she only had drawings of them. She
was a poor girl who would have desired to have a closet full of hundred dresses, all lined
up. That is why, she said that she did have them.
Q7. Why is Maddie embarrassed by the questions Peggy asks Wanda? Is she also like
Wanda, or is she different?
A. Maddie is embarrassed by how Peggy deals with Wanda not because she cares about
Wanda, but because she was poor herself and feared that one day, they would treat her the
same way. Maddie is a poor girl but not as poor as Wanda and unlike Wanda, she had a
lot of friends.
Q8. Why didn’t Maddie ask Peggie to stop teasing Wanda? What was she afraid of?
A. Maddie did not ask Peggy to stop teasing Wanda because as she too was poor, she feared
that she could be the next target for the girls. As Maddie wore hands down clothes given
by Peggy, she was afraid that if they did not tease Wanda, then probably, they would start
teasing her.
Q9. Who did Maddie think would win the drawing contest? Why?
A. Maddie thought that her best friend Peggie would win the Drawing contest because she
was the best artist in the room.
Q10. Who won the drawing contest? What had the winner drawn?
A. Wanda had won the drawing contest. She had flawlessly drawn a hundred different
dresses.
Q11. How is Wanda seen as different by the other girls? How do they treat her?
A. Other girls saw Wanda as poor and vulnerable. She had a strange name, did not make
friends and remained quiet. She sat in the corner with the rough and noisy boys. Wanda
always wore the same dress and came from a place full of mud on the roads. The other
girls treated her badly and belittled her. They made fun of Wanda.
Q12. How does Wanda feel about the dresses game? Why does she say that she has a
hundred dresses?
A. Wanda felt embarrassed and insulted when other girls played the dresses game on her.
She claimed to have a hundred dresses in order to put those insults and jokes away.
Actually, she was preparing drawings of a hundred dresses for the drawing competition
and she referred to them when the girls asked her that how many dresses did she have.
Q13. Why does Maddie stand by and not do anything? How is she different from Peggy?
(Was Peggy’s friendship important to Maddie? Why? Which lines in the text tell you
this?)
A. Maddie stands quietly and watches as Peggy humiliates Wanda because she felt that
Peggy was high and mighty. Thus, Peggy could never be wrong. As Maddie was poor
herself, she feared that she could be the next target for the girls to mock at. Also, Maddie
did not tease Wanda while Peggy did. Yes, Peggy’s friendship was important to Maddie.
The lines which indicate this are -
“Peggy was the most popular girl in school. She was pretty, she had many pretty clothes
and her hair was curly. Maddie was her closest friend.”
Q14. What does Miss Mason think of Wanda’s drawings? What do the children think of
them? How do you know?
A. Miss Mason thought of Wanda’s drawings to be wonderful. She even said that judges
liked it so much and thought any one of them to be worthy of winning. The children too,
were awestruck at the sight of such beautiful paintings. It is evident from the fact that the
boys, who had no interest in dresses, were whistling and Peggy who thought of herself to
be the best artist, accepted that Wanda’s drawings were amazing.
Grammar Exercises
Combine the following to make sentences like those above.
i.This is the bus (what kind of bus?). It goes to Agra. (use which or that)
ii. I would like to buy (a) shirt (which shirt?). (The) shirt is in the shop window. (use which
or that)
iii. You must break your fast at a particular time (when?). You see the moon in the sky. (use
when)
iv. Find a word (what kind of word?). It begins with the letter Z. (use which or that)
v. Now find a person (what kind of person). His or her name begins with the letter Z. (use
whose)
vi. Then go to a place (what place?). There are no people whose name begins with Z in that
place. (use where)
Answers
i.This is the bus which goes to Agra.
ii.I would like to buy the shirt that is in the shop window.
iii.You must break your fast at a particular time when you see the moon in the sky.
iv.Find a word that begins with the letter Z.
v.Now find a person whose name begins with the letter Z.
vi.Then go to a place where there are no people whose name begins with Z.
Here are two other sentences from the story. Can you say whose point of view the
italicised words express?
(i) But on Wednesday, Peggy and Maddie, who sat down front with other children who got
good marks and who didn’t track in a whole lot of mud, did notice that Wanda wasn’t there.
(ii) Wanda Petronski. Most of the children in Room Thirteen didn’t have names like that.
They had names easy to say, like Thomas, Smith or Allen.
Answers-
(i) The italicised words express the point of view of Peggy and Maddie.
(ii)The italicised words express the point of view of the narrator.
Other such adverbs are apparently, evidently, surprisingly, possibly, hopefully,

incredibly, luckily. Use these words appropriately in the blanks in the sentences below.
(You may use a word more than once, and more than one word may be appropriate for
a given blank.)
1. _____________ , he finished his work on time.
2. _____________, it will not rain on the day of the match.
3. _____________, he had been stealing money from his employer.
4. Television is _____________ to blame for the increase in violence in society.
5. The children will _____________learn from their mistakes.
6. I can’t _____________lend you that much money.
7. The thief _____________ had been watching the house for many days.
8. The thief _____________escaped by bribing the jailor.
9. _____________, no one had suggested this before.
10. The water was _____________hot
Answer:
1. Surprisingly, he finished his work on time.
2. Hopefully, it will not rain on the day of the match.
3. Evidently, he had been stealing money from his employer.
4. Television is possibly to blame for the increase in violence in society.
5. The children will hopefully, learn from their mistakes.
6. I can’t possibly lend you that much money.
7. The thief apparently had been watching the house for many days.
8. The thief possibly escaped by bribing the jailor.
9. Surprisingly, no one had suggested this before.
10. The water was incredibly hot.
The Hundred Dresses- II

by El Bsor Ester
Introduction
In continuation of the previous lesson, “The Hundred Dresses II” reveals why Wanda
Petronski had not been coming to school. The Petronski family decided to move to a big city
where no one would care about their unfamiliar name. On hearing the note, Maddie and
Peggy got anxious as they realised that they would never get a chance for making amends for
all the teasing they had done. Both the girls get relieved only on learning that Wanda liked
them and had dedicated one of the hundred dresses (drawings) to each one of them.
Summary
The lesson begins with all the students of Room no. 13 having a look at the wonderful
drawings of Wanda Petronski. Only then, a note is received by Miss Mason from Wanda’s
father informing that none of his two children will attend the school as they are moving to a
big city where no one would judge them for their names. Miss Mason was left shocked and
conveyed her disappointment to the class. Maddie was affected by this letter of Wanda’s
father. She instantly developed an urge to apologise to Wanda. Peggy and Maddie, the two
best friends rush to Boggins Heights hoping that the family hadn’t moved yet. But to their
dismay, there was no sign of life in and around the house. Maddie lost her sleep thinking
what a coward she is who couldn’t stand against the wrong. That day she decided that she’ll
never let anyone tease someone like that again. That weekend Peggy and Maddie decided to
write a letter to Wanda that was originally meant to be apologetic but they ended up writing a
friendly note asking her how did she like the new place. Weeks passed by and there was no
reply until one day near Christmas, Miss Mason announces that she heard from Wanda. In
that letter, Wanda wrote she misses everyone and conveyed her intention of gifting one dress
each to Maddie and Peggy because she has a whole new lot of hundred dresses lined up in
her new house. Both of them were happy to receive it and later realised that it was their faces
she had drawn along with the dresses. Thus, they both concluded that Wanda did like them.

WHILE the class was circling the room, the monitor from the principal’s office brought Miss
Mason a note. Miss Mason read it several times and studied it thoughtfully for a while. Then
she clapped her hands. “Attention, class. Everyone back to their seat.” When the shuffling of
feet had stopped and the room was still and quiet, Miss Mason said, “I have a letter from
Wanda’s father that I want to read to you.” Miss Mason stood there a moment and the silence
in the room grew tense and expectant. The teacher adjusted her glasses slowly and
deliberately. Her manner indicated that what was coming — this letter from Wanda’s father
— was a matter of great importance. Everybody listened closely as Miss Mason read the brief
note.
Listened closely- listened with attention

Everyone was having a look at the amazing drawings Wanda had drawn and admiring it
when the monitor of the class brought a piece of note for Miss Mason. Miss Mason read
that note multiple times as she couldn’t believe what was written in it. Finally, she decided
to gather the class to read it loud and clear. It was a letter from Wanda Petronski’s dad.
She silenced for a while which created tension in the minds of her students. She adjusted
her spectacles which made it clear how important that note is. She began reading it and
everyone listened carefully.
Dear Teacher:
My Wanda will not come to your school any more. Jake also. Now we move away to big city.
No more holler ‘Pollack’. No more ask why funny name. Plenty of funny names in the big
city.
Yours truly,
Jan Petronski
The letter began with a salutation to Miss Mason. Wanda’s father conveyed his intention of
not sending both of his children, Wanda and Jake, to school anymore. He mentioned that they
were shifting to another city, a big one where no one would care enough about their strange
name, a big city with a lot of people having weird names. (Wanda’s classmates thought her
name was weird and funny. Wanda was a Polish immigrant to America and thus, had an
unfamiliar name)
A deep silence met the reading of this letter. Miss Mason took off her glasses, blew on them
and wiped them on her soft white handkerchief. Then she put them on again and looked at the
class. When she spoke her voice was very low. “I am sure that none of the boys and girls in
Room Thirteen would purposely and deliberately hurt anyone’s feelings because his or her
name happened to be a long, unfamiliar one. I prefer to think that what was said was said in
thoughtlessness. I know that all of you feel the way I do, that this is a very unfortunate thing
to have happened — unfortunate and sad, both. And I want you all to think about it.”
After hearing what was there in that letter, everyone was left speechless. Miss Mason, too,
was stunned and thus, she cleaned her glasses, wore them again and spoke to the class in a
low voice. She conveyed her disappointment to the class and asked them to ensure her that
nothing was done purposefully to hurt Wanda. She gave the children benefit of doubt that
everything they did, was done unintentionally. She said whatever happened was “sad” and
“unfortunate”. She advised the students to introspect about it too.
The first period was a study period. Maddie tried to prepare her lessons, but she could not put
her mind on her work. She had a very sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach. True, she
had not enjoyed listening to Peggy ask Wanda how many dresses she had in her closet, but
she had said nothing. She had stood by silently, and that was just as bad as what Peggy had
done. Worse. She was a coward. At least Peggy hadn’t considered they were being mean but
she, Maddie, had thought they were doing wrong. She could put herself in Wanda’s shoes.
Everyone began thinking about what was written in that letter and how each one of them
made Wanda feel. In their first period, Maddie couldn’t concentrate on her studies as she
felt sick for not stopping Peggy at the right time. Had she stopped Peggy from playing that
dress game with Wanda, things could have been different. Although Maddie never teased
Wanda, but nor did she stop Peggy from doing it, which makes her just as bad or maybe,
worse. Peggy’s intentions were never to hurt Wanda and she was not aware that her game
hurt her feelings. Maddie, on the other hand was aware of its impact, yet, she stood silent
which made her a coward for not standing against what’s wrong.
Goodness! Wasn’t there anything she could do? If only she could tell Wanda she hadn’t
meant to hurt her feelings. She turned around and stole a glance at Peggy, but Peggy did not
look up. She seemed to be studying hard. Well, whether Peggy felt badly or not, she, Maddie,
had to do something. She had to find Wanda Petronski. Maybe she had not yet moved away.
Maybe Peggy would climb the Heights with her, and they would tell Wanda she had won the
contest, that they thought she was smart and the hundred dresses were beautiful.
Filled with guilt and regret, Maddie wished for a chance to apologise to Wanda. Hoping
Peggy would be thinking about Wanda too, she takes a look at Peg but she was busy
studying. Regardless of what Peggy was thinking, Maddie decided to take some action. She
hoped Wanda hadn’t yet moved away and she could tell her how sorry she was and
appreciate her hundred dresses.
When school was dismissed in the afternoon, Peggy said, with pretended casualness, “Hey,
let’s go and see if that kid has left town or not.” So Peggy had had the same idea! Maddie
glowed. Peg was really all right. The two girls hurried out of the building, up the street
toward Boggins Heights, the part of town that wore such a forbidding air on this kind of a
November afternoon, drizzly, damp and dismal.
Damp and dismal- wet and sad (here, expressing a state of hopelessness)
Forbidding- Unfriendly or threatening in nature
That day, after the school had ended, Peggy asked Maddie if they could go and check if
Wanda has moved or not. Maddie was satisfied at the thought that they both had same
plans of apologizing to Wanda. Both of them hurried to Boggins Heights, the place where
Wanda lived in order to find her. During this season, the place was generally wet and the
atmosphere was sad and hopeless.
“Well, at least,” said Peggy gruffly, “I never did call her a foreigner or make fun of her name.
I never thought she had the sense to know we were making fun of her anyway. I thought she
was too dumb. And gee, look how she can draw!” Maddie could say nothing. All she hoped
was that they would find Wanda. She wanted to tell her that they were sorry they had picked
on her, and how wonderful the whole school thought she was, and please, not to move away
and everybody would be nice. She and Peggy would fight anybody who was not nice. The
two girls hurried on. They hoped to get to the top of the hill before dark.
Peggy tries to comfort herself by murmuring that at least she didn’t call her a foreigner
because she was an immigrant. Neither did she make her feel different for having an
unfamiliar name. She was always in this delusion that Wanda had no idea that those girls
were making fun of her. Above all, Wanda is such a great artist too. Maddie, on the other
hand, couldn’t say a word. What she hoped for is a chance to confess, make amends,
appreciate her and try to stop her from moving away. In fact, she even thought of
conveying her idea to protect Wanda if anyone tried to trouble her in any way. In order to
reach the place before night, they hurried.
“I think that’s where the Petronskis live,” said Maddie, pointing to a little white house. Wisps
of old grass stuck up here and there along the pathway like thin kittens. The house and its
sparse little yard looked shabby but clean. It reminded Maddie of Wanda’s one dress, her
faded blue cotton dress, shabby but clean. There was not a sign of life about the house. Peggy
knocked firmly on the door, but there was no answer. She and Maddie went around to the
back yard and knocked there. Still there was no answer.
They saw a white little house up there which they thought was the place where Wanda
Petronski lived. The house and its surroundings were “shabby but clean” just like Wanda’s
worn-out blue dress. Thin bunches of grass grew along the path that led to the house. They
resembled thin kittens. No one could be seen around the house. They knocked both at the
front and backyard doors, but to their disappointment, there was no answer.
There was no doubt about it. The Petronskis were gone. How could they ever make amends?
They turned slowly and made their way back down the hill. “Well, anyway,” said Peggy,
“she’s gone now, so what can we do? Besides, when I was asking her about all her dresses,
she probably was getting good ideas for her drawings. She might not even have won the
contest, otherwise.”
(To) make amends- to show that one is sorry by doing something else
Now, the Petronski’s had gone and along with them, Maddie and Peggy’s last chance to
make amends too. In order to comfort herself, Peggy started saying that Wanda must have
looked for drawing inspiration only after she started her dresses game. And hadn’t she
done that, Wanda would have never won the drawing competition.
Maddie turned this idea carefully over in her head, for if there were anything in it she would
not have to feel so badly. But that night she could not get to sleep. She thought about Wanda
and her faded blue dress and the little house she had lived in. And she thought of the glowing
picture those hundred dresses made — all lined up in the classroom. At last Maddie sat up in
bed and pressed her forehead tight in her hands and really thought. This was the hardest
thinking she had ever done. After a long, long time, she reached an important conclusion. She
was never going to stand by and say nothing again.
Maddie also tried to convince her after what Peggy said and that if this is the case, she
doesn’t have to feel so bad. But later that night, she couldn’t sleep as she was thinking
constantly about Wanda’s little house, her faded blue dress, both shabby but clean and her
glorious hundred dresses that were all lined up in the classroom, instead of the “closet”.
Finally, she sat in her bed and started thinking deeply, the hardest she’d ever done. She
pressed her forehead tight in her hands which indicated that she was really trying to
concentrate. After thinking so much and so deeply, she concluded that she will always
stand against the wrongs and will never say nothing when she has to.
If she ever heard anybody picking on someone because they were funny looking or because
they had strange names, she’d speak up. Even if it meant losing Peggy’s friendship. She had
no way of making things right with Wanda, but from now on she would never make anybody
else that unhappy again.
Picking on someone- criticising someone
She decided that she’d never let anyone make fun of others because of their appearance,
name, clothes or where they come from. She would not shy to speak up against Peggy, even
if it meant losing her friendship. She could not go in the past to make amends with Wanda
no matter how much she wanted to but from now on, she is never going to let another
person feel embarrassed or unhappy again.
On Saturday Maddie spent the afternoon with Peggy. They were writing a letter to Wanda
Petronski. It was just a friendly letter telling about the contest and telling Wanda she had
won. They told her how pretty her drawings were. And they asked her if she liked where she
was living and if she liked her new teacher. They had meant to say they were sorry, but it
ended up with their just writing a friendly letter, the kind they would have written to any
good friend, and they signed it with lots of X’s for love. They mailed the letter to Boggins
Heights, writing ‘Please Forward’ on the envelope.
On Saturday, both of them sat together and decided to write a letter to Wanda telling her
about the contest, asking her where she is living now and how that place is. No matter how
much they wanted to apologise, they couldn’t summon the courage to do so and thus,
ended up writing a friendly letter as if Wanda was their good friend. They mailed it to
Boggins Heights with ‘Please forward’ written on it because they didn’t know her new
address.
Days passed and there was no answer, but the letter did not come back, so maybe Wanda had
received it. Perhaps she was so hurt and angry she was not going to answer. You could not
blame her. Weeks went by and still Wanda did not answer. Peggy had begun to forget the
whole business, and Maddie put herself to sleep at night making speeches about Wanda,
defending her from great crowds of girls who were trying to tease her with, “How many
dresses have you got?” And before Wanda could press her lips together in a tight line, the
way she did before answering, Maddie would cry out, “Stop!” Then everybody would feel
ashamed the way she used to feel.
There was no reply from Wanda but they didn’t also receive the letter back, thus they
concluded that it must have reached Wanda but she was so upset that she didn’t answer.
They waited for weeks, but still, no answer. Peggy began to forget about this whole thing
while Maddie used to make scenarios in her head before sleeping where she defended
Wanda. She thought of scenarios where large groups of girls surrounded Wanda and
would ask her, “How many dresses have you got?”, and as soon as anyone could say more,
Wanda would interrupt and say “stop” so that all of them could end up ashamed.
Now it was Christmas time and there was snow on the ground. Christmas bells and a small
tree decorated the classroom. On the last day of school before the holidays, the teacher
showed the class a letter she had received that morning.
“You remember Wanda Petronski, the gifted little artist who won the drawing contest? Well,
she has written me, and I am glad to know where she lives, because now I can send her
medal. I want to read her letter to you.”
It was winter season and there was snow everywhere on the ground. Christmas had come.
They decorated their classrooms with bells and a small tree. That day, Miss Mason told the
students that she had received a letter from Wanda Petronski. She is very happy to receive
it because now she can send her the medal too.
Dear Miss Mason,
How are you and Room Thirteen? Please tell the girls they can keep those hundred
dresses, because in my new house I have a hundred new ones, all lined up in my closet. I’d
like that girlPeggy to have the drawing of the green dress with the red trimming, and her
friend Maddie to have the blue one. For Christmas, I miss that school and my new teacher
does not equalise with you. Merry Christmas to you and everybody.
Yours truly,
Wanda Petronski
The letter began in a very friendly tone. Wanda asked how everyone was and that they
could keep her hundred dresses because in her new house, she has another lot of hundred
dresses “lined up in her closet”. She specifically mentioned the dress she wanted Maddie
and Peggy to take home. The green dress with red trimmings was for Peggy while the blue
one was forMaddie. She expressed her affection towards Miss Mason and wrote her new
teacher could never replace Miss Mason. She winded up the letter by wishing everyone
Merry Christmas and also wrote that she missed everyone in Room Number 13.
On the way home from school Maddie and Peggy held their drawings very carefully. All the
houses had wreaths and holly in the windows. Outside the grocery store, hundreds of
Christmas trees were stacked, and in the window, candy peppermint sticks and cornucopias
of shiny transparent paper were strung. The air smelled like Christmas and light shining
everywhere reflected different colours on the snow. “Boy!” said Peggy, “this shows she
really likes us. It shows she got our letter and this is her way of saying that everything’s all
right. And that’s that.” “I hope so,” said Maddie sadly. She felt sad because she knew she
would never see the little tight-lipped Polish girl again and couldn’t ever really make things
right between them.
Cornucopias- decorative containers (usually containing flowers and fruits)
Holly- a shrub having prickly dark green leaves, small white flowers, and red berries. It
is used in Christmas decorations.
It was Christmas season and all the houses were decorated. Grocery stores were stocked
with Christmas trees, candy peppermint sticks and other Christmas stuff. The atmosphere
was colourful and joyful. Maddie and Peggy took home the drawings very carefully when
Peggy realised that this gesture implied that Wanda liked them. They also assumed that she
got their letter and everything was peaceful between them. Maddie, on the other hand, was
quite sad because she would never be able to see that Polish, tight-lipped girl again. She’d
never get a chance to make amends.
She went home and she pinned her drawing over a torn place in the pink-flowered wallpaper
in the bedroom. The shabby room came alive from the brilliancy of the colours. Maddie sat
down on her bed and looked at the drawing. She had stood by and said nothing, but Wanda
had been nice to her, anyway.
As soon as Maddie reached home, she displayed her drawing on that part of the wall from
where her pink-flowered wallpaper was slightly torn. Maddie’s room was shabby too but
the drawing made it lively. She stared at the drawing constantly and thought how nice
Wanda had been to them.
Tears blurred her eyes and she gazed for a long time at the picture. Then hastily she rubbed
her eyes and studied it intently. The colours in the dress were so vivid that she had scarcely
noticed the face and head of the drawing. But it looked like her, Maddie! It really looked like
her own mouth. Why it really looked like her own self! Wanda had really drawn this for her.
Excitedly, she ran over to Peggy’s
While staring at the drawing Wanda had given her, Maddie’s vision got blurred from tears.
She rubbed her eyes and noticed, that Wanda had actually drawn Maddie’s face along with
the dress. The colours of the dress were so bright and vibrant, that the face was hardly
visible. Maddie got excited and ran towards Peggy to check if she had noticed it too.
“Peg!” she said, “let me see your picture.” “What’s the matter?” asked Peggy, as they
clattered up to her room where Wanda’s drawing was lying face down on the bed. Maddie
carefully raised it. “Look! She drew you. That’s you!” she exclaimed. And the head and face
of this picture did look like Peggy.
As soon as she reached Peggy’s house, she asked her for the picture. The drawing was
lying upside down on the bed. Maddie raised it and yes, it was Peggy in that drawing. Both
were left in shock and awe at the same time.
“What did I say!” said Peggy, “She must have really liked us, anyway.” “Yes, she must
have,” agreed Maddie, and she blinked away the tears that came every time she thought of
Wanda standing alone in that sunny spot in the school yard, looking stolidly over at the group
of laughing girls after she had walked off, after she had said, “Sure, a hundred of them, all
lined up.”
Peggy exclaims that she was right about the thought that Wanda liked them. Maddie,
whose eyes get filled with tears every time she recalled that scene where Wanda would look
at the girls laughing at her, also agreed with Peggy.

Q1. What did Mr Petronski’s letter say?
A. The letter began with a salutation to Miss Mason. Wanda’s father conveyed his intention
of not sending both of his children, Wanda and Jake, to school anymore. He mentioned
that they were now being shifted to another city, a big one where no one would care
enough about their strange name, a big city with a lot of people having weird names.
Q2. Is Miss Mason angry with the class, or is she unhappy and upset?
A. Miss Mason is amazed after reading the letter. She is upset about the fact that her students
have treated someone badly because they came from a different place and had an unusual
name. Even though she was unhappy, she gave the children benefit of the doubt that
whatever happened must have happened in thoughtlessness.
Q3. How does Maddie feel after listening to the note from Wanda’s father?
A. Maddie gets sad and feels extremely bad after listening to the note from Wanda’s
father.She felt like a coward for not standing up against other girls who were teasing
Wanda. All she could think about is how they made Wanda feel and hoped for a chance
to make amends.
Q4. What does Maddie want to do?

A. Maddie, who is sad wanted to make everything right with Wanda. She hoped for one last
chance to make amends and tell her how sorry she was.
Q5. What excuses does Peggy think up for her behaviour? Why?
A. In order to free herself of the guilt, Peggy exclaims that she is thankful that she never
made fun of her because she was a Polish immigrant and had an unfamiliar name. She
only asked her about the number of dresses she had. Peggy said that Wanda should not
have lied that she had a hundred dresses and sixty pairs of shoes.
Q6. What are Maddie’s thoughts as they go to Boggins Heights?

A. Maddie could only think about making amends with Wanda. She hoped the Petronski’s
hadn’t left the town. All she could think of was a chance to meet her and stop her from
moving. She wanted to tell her that everyone at the school admired her and her drawings.
Q7. Why does Wanda’s house remind Maddie of Wanda’s blue dress?
A. Wanda’s house was a little one up on the hill. There were dry grasses all around it but no
sign of life could be seen near it. The surroundings looked shabby but clean. This
reminded Maddie of Wanda’s faded blue dress which looked clean but shabby as if it was
never ironed.
Q8. What does Maddie think hard about? What important decision does she come to?
A. When they learned that the Petronski’s have finally moved away, Maddie couldn’t stop
thinking about never being able to say sorry. She couldn’t sleep that night as she was
thinking too deeply. As a result of deep thinking, she concluded that she will never let
anyone tease someone because they have an unfamiliar and long name. She decided to
stand against all the wrongs.
Q9. What did the girls write to Wanda?
A. Peggy and Maddie decided to write an apology letter to Wanda but somehow, they ended
up writing a friendly note telling her that she won the contest, asking her how is she
liking the new place and that they missed her a lot.
Q10. Did they get a reply? Who was more anxious for a reply, Peggy or Maddie? How do
you know?
A. No, they didn’t get a reply but the letter didn’t come back also, so they concluded that she
must have received it but was too furious to have replied to it. Out of the two girls,
Maddie was more curious for a reply. She desperately wanted to make everything right
with Wanda. This is evident as weeks after sending the letter, Peggy almost forget about
the business while Maddie used to make scenarios in her head where she would defend
Wanda from the mean girls.
Q11. How did the girls know that Wanda liked them even though they had teased her?
A. During Christmas time, Miss Mason received a note from Wanda saying how much she
missed everyone. She asked the teacher to give the drawing of the blue dress to Maddie
and the one with a green dress to Peggy. This implied that Wanda liked them even after
they teased her.
Q12. Why do you think Wanda’s family moved to a different city? Do you think life there
was going to be different for their family?
A. Wanda’s family moved to a different city because in a big city there were many Polish
immigrants. So, the natives would not find them strange and would not make fun of them.
Wanda and her brother Jake could attend school without feeling bad. Yes, life in the big
city would be different for the family because there would be more people of their
community over there. They would feel comfortable there.
Q13. Maddie thought her silence was as bad as Peggy’s teasing. Was she right?
A. Yes, Maddie was right when she realized that remaining silent while Peggy teased Wanda
was a mistake. She too was a part of it because she remained silent and let Peggy tease
Wanda.
Q14. Peggy says, “I never thought she had the sense to know we were making fun of her
anyway. I thought she was too dumb. And gee, look how she can draw!” What led
Peggy to believe that Wanda was dumb? Did she change her opinion later?
A. As Wanda remained silent when Peggy teased her, Peggy thought that she was too dumb
to realize that she was being mocked at. When she saw the beautiful drawings made by
Wanda, she changed her mind and realized that Wanda was a talented girl.
Q15. What important decision did Maddie make? Why did she have to think hard to do so?
A. When they learned that the Petronski’s had finally moved away, Maddie couldn’t stop
thinking about never being able to say sorry. She couldn’t sleep that night as she was
thinking too deeply. As a result of deep thinking, she concluded that she will never let
anyone tease someone because they have an unfamiliar and long name. She decided to
stand against all the wrongs.
Q16. Why do you think Wanda gave Maddie and Peggy the drawings of the dresses? Why
are they surprised?
A. Wanda gave the drawings of the dresses to Maddie and Peggy because she had drawn
their faces on them. The girls are surprised when they discover that the faces on the
drawings were there. The also realize that Wanda liked them although they made fun of
her.
Q17. Do you think Wanda really thought the girls were teasing her? Why or Why not?
A. Yes, Wanda thought that the girls were teasing her. The note from her father indicated
that the students made fun of her name.
Grammar Exercises
Here are thirty adjectives describing human qualities. Discuss them with your partner
and put them in the two-word webs (given below) according to whether you think they
show positive or negative qualities. You can consult a dictionary if you are not sure of
the meanings of some of the words. You may also add to the list the positive or negative
‘pair’ of a given word.
kind, sarcastic, courteous, arrogant, insipid, timid, placid, cruel, haughty, proud, zealous,
intrepid, sensitive, compassionate, introverted, stolid, cheerful, contented, thoughtless, vain,
friendly, unforgiving, fashionable, generous, talented, lonely, determined, creative,
miserable, complacent
Answers
Positive-
Kind, sarcastic, courteous, placid, zealous, intrepid, sensitive, compassionate, cheerful,

contended, friendly, fashionable, generous, talented, determined, creative
Negative-
Miserable, complacent, arrogant, insipid, timid, cruel, haughty, proud, introverted, stolid,
thoughtless, vain, unforgiving, lonely
1. What adjectives can we use to describe Peggy, Wanda and Maddie? You can choose
adjectives from the list above. You can also add some of your own.
i. Peggy
ii. Wanda
iii. Maddie
Answers-
i. Peggy- cheerful, contended, talented, fashionable
ii. Wanda- kind, timid, introverted, generous, talented, lonely, creative, stolid
iii. Maddie- timid, sensitive, miserable, kind, generous
2. Find the sentences in the story with the following phrasal verbs.
lined up thought up took off stood by
Answers-
i.lined up - And she thought of the glowing picture those hundred dresses made — all lined
up in the classroom.
ii.thought up - Peggy, who had thought up this game, and Maddie, her inseparable friend, were
always the last to leave.
iii.took off - Miss Mason took off her glasses, blew on them and wiped them on her soft white
handkerchief.
iv.stood by - She had stood by silently, and that was just as bad as what Peggy had done.
3. Colours are used to describe feelings, moods and emotions. Match the following
‘colour expressions’ with a suggested paraphrase.
The Monday morning blues Feel angry/ embarrassed/ ashamed
Go red in the face Feel very sick, as if about to vomit
Look green Sadness or depression after a weekend

of fun
The red carpet The sign or permission to begin action
Blue blooded A sign of surrender or

acceptance of defeat; a wish to stop fighting
A green belt In an unlawful act; while doing

something wrong
A blackguard A photographic print of building

plans; a detailed plan or scheme
A grey area Land around a town or city where

construction is prohibited by law
A white flag An area of a subject or a situation
where matters are not very clear
A blueprint A dishonest person with no

sense of right or wrong
Red-handed A special welcome
The green light A noble birth or from a royal family
Answers-
The Monday morning blues Sadness or depression after a

weekend of fun
Go red in the face Feel angry/ embarrassed/ ashamed
Look green Feel very sick, as if about to vomit
The red carpet A special welcome
Blue blooded A noble birth or from a royal family
A green belt Land around a town or city where

construction is prohibited by law
A blackguard A dishonest person with

no sense of right or wrong
A grey area An area of a subject or a

situation where matters are not very clear
A white flag A sign of surrender or

acceptance of defeat; a wish to stop
fighting
A blueprint A photographic print of

building plans; a detailed plan or scheme
Red-handed In an unlawful act; while doing

something wrong
The green light The sign or permission to begin

action
Animals
by Walt Whitman
About the Poet

Walt Whitman (1819-1892) is a major figure in early American poetry. He broke the tradition
of rhymed and metrical poetry. He was famous for writing a revolutionary new kind of poetry
which was in free verse. The poem ‘animals’ is from his work ‘Song of Myself’ in Leaves of
grass.
Introduction
Walt Whitman has shown the comparison between human beings and animals in his poem.
He has pointed out the evils present inside the human brain which he thinks animals don’t
have. That is why he thinks that animals are much better than human beings.
Summary
In the poem animals, the poet has described his will to become an animal because he thinks
animals are far better than human beings. Human beings are greedy and full of jealousy
against each other. But animals are calm and self-contained. The animals are happy with
what they have. They never complain about miseries and sorrows. On the other hand, human
beings complain about their miseries. They give more importance to the rich and strong
people, stay restless because of their wrongdoings and run behind the luxurious things of this
world. Whereas animals are honest about their relations and don’t give importance to a
particular class. They live a life which is full of honesty and less of greed and jealousy.

Stanza-1
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are
so placid and self-contain’d,
I stand and look at them long and long.
Placid: calm, peaceful
Contained; keep up control
The poet says that he wants to live in the world of animals. Here we can say that the poet
finds the world of animals better than that of human beings. He further says that he finds
animals more peaceful than humans. He says so because animals are not running after
worldly things like human beings. They are calm and have no greed for worldly things or any
kind of achievements. They are self-contained means they are happy with life and never
interfere in the lives of others. Humans have the habit of interfering in the lives of others. So,
poet thinks that animals are better than humans for being calm and not interfering in the
matters of others. The poet further says that these are the reasons why he stands still and
looks at the animals for a very long time.
Literary Devices:
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘I’ (I, think, I, live, with, animals)
Repetition: use of the word ‘long’
Anaphora: ‘I’ word used at the start of two consecutive lines
Stanza-2
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with
the mania of owning things,
Sweat: here it means complaint

Whine: cry
Sins: wrongdoing
Demented: mad, disturbed
The poet says that unlike humans, animals don’t complain of any misery. They never cry out
loud like humans do, to show what they have lost. They never stay awake in the night, crying
in repentance for their wrongdoings. This means that animals are different from human
beings because they don’t show anger or grief if something wrong happens with them. He
further says that animals are very truthful because they never boast of their good deeds done
in the name of god. He says so because most of the human beings do this. They try to show
their good deeds and religiousness to others. They do so in order to gain popularity among
their fellows. So, the poet thinks that animals never irritate him by doing such things just to
gain some praise from their fellow people. He feels that the animals are not dissatisfied like
humans. They stay happy with whatever they have. They never run behind worldly things.
They never try to possess things of comfort or luxury. He says that none of them is mad
behind owning the worldly things.
Literary Devices:
Anaphora: use of repeated words at the beginning of two or more consecutive lines (use of
“they do not”)
Metaphor: sweat and whine refer to the cries and complaints of human beings
Stanza-3
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that
lived thousands of years ago,
Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
So, they show their relations to me and I accept them,
They bring me tokens of myself, they evince
them plainly in their possession
Kneels: bow down

Evince: show, reveal
Possession: ownership of something
Tokens: here, the qualities
Here the poet says that he has never seen any animal showing his devotion to anyone by
bowing down in front of the person. They never do so even for their ancestors. They do not
show devotion towards God like humans do. No one among them is more respectable or
important as we have in human society. In human beings, rich people are generally given
more importance and are treated with more respect as compared to the poor. But in the
society of animals, they never do so. They never give more or less importance to any other
animal. Everyone in the animal world is happy. They are not like human beings who find
themselves the happiest or the saddest person on earth. Further the poet says that animals
are more honest in showing their relations with other animals. Here he wants to say that
animals use other animals as their food and they never try to hide this. Whereas human
beings show that they have nice and friendly relations with others, though the reality is
opposite. The poet says that he accepts the fact that animals are true towards showing their
relation with other animals.
Literary Devices:
Metaphor: The inner qualities of humans are referred to as tokens
I wonder where they get those tokens,
Did I pass that way huge times ago and negligently drop them?
Negligently: Carelessly
So, at last the poet introspects himself and says that from where the animals got those good
qualities. He further questions himself that where his own good qualities are gone? Did he
left them or had carelessly lost them somewhere? The qualities that were found in human
beings in the past, like innocence, kindness, truthfulness is now seen in animals. He wonders
that humans gave up these qualities and they have been passed on to the animals.
Animals Poem Rhyme Scheme

There is no rhyme scheme followed in the poem.

Q1- Notice the use of the word ‘turn’ in the first line, “I think I could turn and live with
animals…” What is the poet turning from?
A1- The poet is turning away from living in the world of human beings. He finds animals
more placid and self-contained and therefore, he wants to live with them.
Q2- Mention three things that humans do and animals don’t?

A2- The three things that humans do and animals don’t are as follows:
Humans complain and cry about the miseries and sorrows they face.
Humans lie awake in the night thinking about their wrongdoings.
Humans also keep telling others about their religiousness and duties towards God.
Q3- Do humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago? Discuss this in
groups?
A3- Yes humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago. They could be
some ancestors, saints or the preachers whom they follow religiously. They worship
them and follow their preaching.
Q4- What are the ‘tokens’ that the poet says he may have dropped long ago, and which the
animals have kept for him? Discuss this in class. (Hint: Whitman belongs to the
Romantic tradition that includes Rousseau and Wordsworth, which holds that civilisation
has made humans false to their own true nature. What could be the basic aspects of our
nature as living beings that humans choose to ignore or deny?)
A4- The word tokens according to the poet is the good qualities in human beings. The poet
feels that nowadays good qualities do not exist in human beings. They have lost them
for
the sake of worldly things which they want to achieve at any cost.
- Glimpses of India (Part 1) A Baker from Goa
By Lucio Rodrigues
This is a pen-portrait of a traditional Goan village baker who still has
an important place in his society
Introduction
‘A Baker from Goa’ revolves around the relevance of a baker in the Goan culture which dates
back to the time when Portuguese ruled over the city of Goa. The Portuguese may have left
but the bread-makers continue to have an inevitable stature. In this story, the author recalls
his childhood days and their excitement on seeing the baker. They were enthusiastic to the
point that they would run to him as soon as they woke up without even brushing their teeth.
Summary
The lesson begins with how narrator’s elders often recall the time when Goa was under the
rule of the Portuguese. They talk how the importance of bakers is still maintained in their
villages even after the Portuguese have left. They are known as ‘Paders’ in Goa. The mixers,
moulders and their time-tested furnaces continue to serve the people of Goa with their
famous bread loaves. It is possible that the original ones may not exist, but their profession is
being continued by their sons. The thud of their bamboo stick can still be heard in some parts
of the village. The same jingling thud would wake the narrator and his friends during their
childhood days who would go running to him without brushing or washing their mouth
properly. It was the maid-servant of the house who collected the loaves while children sorted
out the bread bangles for themselves. Bakery products have importance in the culture and
traditions of Goa. Bol or sweet bread is a part of marriage gifts, cakes and Bolinhas or
coconut cookies are eaten at every festival and the lady of the house prepares sandwiches at
her daughter’s engagement. Earlier bakers wore a unique frock of knee-length known as
‘kabai’ but during the narrator’s childhood days, they wore a shirt and trousers of length
slightly shorter than the usual ones. They generally collected their bills at the end of every
month. Bakery has continued to be a profitable profession, managing to keep their families
joyous and prosperous.

OUR elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese days,
the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might have vanished
but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those
who bake the loaves. Those age-old, time-tested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces
has not yet been extinguished. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo,
heralding his arrival in the morning, can still be heard in some places. Maybe the father is not
alive but the son still carries on the family profession. These bakers are, even today, known
as pader in Goa.
Reminiscing nostalgically- thinking fondly of the past

Loaves- (plural form of loaf) bread that is shaped and baked in a single piece and can
be sliced for eating
Vanished- disappear suddenly and completely
Moulders- a person who moulds dough into a shape
Furnaces- an enclosed structure in which materials can be heated to very high
temperatures
Extinguished- cause a fire to cease to burn
Heralding- announcing
Pader- word for baker in Portuguese language
The story takes us back to the time when Portuguese ruled Goa. They were immensely famous
for their breads. The narrator often finds his elders thinking about ‘those good old days’ and
telling them that the famous breads date back to the time when Portuguese ruled over Goa.
They ponder over the past and tell them that though the Portuguese have left Goa but the
bakers of bread still exist, if not the original ones, their legacy is being continued by their
sons. The bakers are still being referred to as ‘Paders’. Everything about baking is still the
same; ranging from those who mould the bread loaves, to the furnaces which have survived
the ravages of time. The sound of their arrival and the thud of their bamboo stick can still be
heard just like the olden times.
During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide. He used
to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the morning on his selling round, and
then again, when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo
woke us up from sleep and we ran to meet and greet him. Why was it so? Was it for the love
of the loaf? Not at all. The loaves were bought by some Paskine or Bastine, the maid-servant
of the house! What we longed for were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully.
Sometimes it was sweet bread of special make.
Companion- a person with whom one spends a lot of time

Jingling- make or cause to make a light metallic ringing sound
The narrator recalls that the baker acted as their friend and companion during their
childhood days in Goa. The baker used to visit twice a day; once, while he was on the round
to sell his loaves and the other time, while returning back with his empty basket, having sold
all the loaves. It was the sound of his bamboo stick that woke the children up. The children
were so excited to meet him and choose from the bread bangles or Kankon he made
especially for them. While the bangles were for children, loaves were for the adults that were
generally collected by the maid-servant of the household.
The baker made his musical entry on the scene with the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his specially
made bamboo staff. One hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the
bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house with “Good morning” and then
place his basket on the vertical bamboo. We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke
and the loaves would be delivered to the servant. But we would not give up. We would climb
a bench or the parapet and peep into the basket, somehow. I can still recall the typical
fragrance of those loaves. Loaves for the elders and the bangles for the children. Then we did
not even care to brush our teeth or wash our mouths properly. And why should we? Who
would take the trouble of plucking the mango-leaf for the toothbrush? And why was it
necessary at all? The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up
everything so nicely, after all!
staff - stick
Rebuke- an expression of disapproval; a scolding
Fragrance- a pleasant, sweet smell
Parapet- railing, a low protective wall
bangles- here, refers to the bread in the shape of a bangle called ‘Kankon’
The baker often made a musical entry with his bamboo stick. His one hand supported the
basket on his head while the other banged the bamboo on the ground. He would go house to
house and greet the ladies before handing them over the loaves. The parents would scold the
children and make them stand aside. But as eager as they were, they would climb a bench or
the wall to peep into the basket. They did not even bother to brush their teeth before having
those bread bangles because it seemed unnecessary effort for them to pluck mango leaves
from the branches to use them for brushing the teeth. They considered brushing unnecessary
because the hot tea could effortlessly wash their mouth and they thought that animals like the
tiger never brushed their teeth.
Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol, just as a party or a
feast loses its charm without bread. Not enough can be said to show how important a baker
can be for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her
daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other
festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential.
Feast- a large meal, typically a celebratory one
bolinhas - another name for coconut cookies
Bread is an important part of the Goan culture and it is evident from its presence at every
important occasion. From sweet breads at marriages to sandwiches at engagement parties
and cakes and coconut cookies at Christmas as well as other occasions, makes the presence
of a baker in every village, very essential.
The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the kabai. It was a
single piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In our childhood we saw bakers wearing
shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. Even
today, anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment
that he is dressed like a pader!
Bakers were known to have worn unique knee-length frock dresses typically known as
‘kabai’. In the narrator’s childhood days, he had seen them wearing shirts and pants whose
length was shorter than the usual ones. It was a part of their identity so much so that even if
someone wears that trouser length now, he is said to have dressed like a baker, or ‘pader’ as
was said in olden times.
The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be
recorded on some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days.
The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy
and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this. Even today any person
with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker.
Plump physique- pleasantly fat body

Open testimony- public statement about a character or quality
The baker had a way of making monthly record of bills on a wall using a pencil and then,
collecting the money at the end of the month. Baking has always been a profitable profession.
The baker’s family and workers have always been happy and joyous. The baker was usually
fat which was proof that he had a lot to eat and hence, was a proof of his richness. Even to
this day, someone with a well-built body is compared to a baker.
Q1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
A. The narrator often finds his elders thinking about ‘those good old days’ and telling them
about the famous breads that date back to the time when Portuguese ruled over Goa. They
ponder over the past and tell them that though the Portuguese have left Goa but the bakers
still exist, if not the original ones, their legacy is being continued by their sons.
Q2. Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?
A. Yes, bread-making is still popular in the city of Goa. It is evident from the existence of
time-tested furnaces, mixers and moulders. The legacy of bakers is being continued by
their sons. You will find a bakery in every Goan village as bread is an important part of the
Goan culture.
Q3. What is the baker called?
A. The baker is referred to as ‘Pader’ in the city of Goa.
Q4. When would the baker come every day? Why did the children run to meet him?
A. The baker would come twice every day during the narrator’s childhood days. Once in the
morning to deliver the loaves of bread and secondly, in the evening on his return after
selling his stock. The children would go running to him to take the special bread bangles
he had made for them.
Q5. Match the following. What is a must

i. as marriage gifts? – cakes and bolinhas
ii. for a party or a feast? – sweet bread called bol
iii. for a daughter’s engagement? – bread
iv. for Christmas? – sandwiches
Answer: -
Sweet bread called bol

As marriage gifts
For a party or a feast Bread
For daughter’s engagement Sandwiches
For Christmas Cakes and bolinhas
Q6. What did the bakers wear:
i.In the Portuguese days?

ii.When the author was young?
A.
(i) In the Portuguese days, the bakers wore a unique knee-length frock dress typically known
as ‘kabai’.
(ii) In the narrator’s childhood days, he had seen them wearing shirts and shorter than usual
pants.
Q7. Who invites the comment — “he is dressed like a pader”? Why?
A. During the narrator’s childhood days, the bakers had a peculiar dress. They wore shirts
and shorter than usual pants. Thus, if someone is seen wearing pants of this much length,
they invite the comment – “he is dressed like a pader”.
Q8. Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?

A. The monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on some wall with a pencil.
Q9. What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?

A. ‘Jackfruit-like appearance’ means a well-built or plump physique, similar to a jackfruit. In
those days, bakers had plump physique because baking was a profitable profession. His
family and servants never starved and were prosperous.
Q. Which of these statements are correct?
i.The pader was an important person in the village in old times.
True
ii.Paders still exist in Goan villages.
True
iii.The paders went away with the Portuguese.
False, they still exist in Goan villages.
iv.The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock.
False, they wear shirts and trousers that are shorter than the usual ones and longer than the
half-pants.
v.Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.
False, they are still an integral part of Goan culture.
vi.Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.
True
vii.Paders and their families starve in the present times.
False, it is still a very profitable business and their families are happy and prosperous.
Q. Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?

A. Bread is an important part of the Goan culture and it is evident from its presence at every
important occasion. From sweet breads at marriages to sandwiches at engagement parties
and cakes and Bolinhas at Christmas as well as other occasions, makes the presence of a
baker in every village, very essential.
Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?
i.The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard in some places.
(nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
ii. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession.
(nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
iii. I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)
iv. The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely,
after all. (naughty, angry, funny)
v. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals.
(sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)
vi. The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous.
(matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)
Answers-
i.Nostalgic
ii.Nostalgic
iii.Nostalgic
iv.Funny
v.Matter-of-fact
vi.Matter-of-fact
- Glimpses of India (Part 2) Coorg
By Lokesh Abrol
Coorg is coffee country, famous for its rainforests and spices
Introduction
The lesson gives us a beautiful insight of the smallest district of Karnataka and its people.
The place has an amazing weather throughout the year with enough rain during the monsoon
season. The people of Coorg are known to be one of the bravest. Coffee is the main crop
grown in this region. A variety of animals can be found here while the place is surrounded by
beautiful Brahmagiri hills, islands and Tibetan settlements.
Summary
The writer describes the hill station of Coorg located in the western ghats in the state of
Karnataka. It is located midway between Bengalore and Mangalore. The suitable time to visit
Coorg is from September to March. The place is famous for coffee plantations and spices.
There are abundant rainforests which cover 30 percent of the area. The Coorgi men are brave
warriors who are permitted to keep firearms without a licence due to their trustworthiness.
The women of Coorg are pretty. Coorg is also known as Kodavu and the Kodavus, though
are Hindus by religion but their customs differ from those of mainstream Hindus. They marry
within their community. Kodavus are said to be of Greek or Arabic descent. Some soldiers of
Alexander’s army settled there. Also, as the ethnic dress of the Kodavus, Kuppia is similar to
the Arab garment Kuffia, it is said that maybe their ancestors were Arabs or Kurds. The river
Kaveri originates from Coorg. The fish named Mahaseer is found in the river. Many animals
and birds like kingfisher, langur, squirrels and elephants can be spotted along the river.
Tourists relax in the serene atmosphere and also enjoy adventure sports like river rafting,
canoeing, rappelling, mountain biking, rock climbing and trekking. While trekking on the
nature trails, animals like Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris can be
spotted on the trees. The major tourist attractions are Brahmagiri hills, Nisargdham island and
Bylakuppe Tibetan settlements. Coorg gives visitors a feel of India’s diverse cultures.

MIDWAY between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore sits a piece of heaven that
must have drifted from the kingdom of god. This land of rolling hills is inhabited by a proud
race of martial men, beautiful women and wild creatures.
Drifted from- been carried along gently by hair

Martial- having to do with war
Coorg, a place so beautiful that it seems like a piece of heaven has drifted away from God’s
kingdom and has settled on the Earth. It is somewhere between Mysore and Mangalore. It is
an area with low hills of unequal height. The men are brave warrior, the women of Coorg are
pretty. The place has a variety of wild animals too.
Coorg, or Kodagu, the smallest district of Karnataka, is home to evergreen rainforests, spices
and coffee plantations. Evergreen rainforests cover thirty percent of this district. During the
monsoons, it pours enough to keep many visitors away. The season of joy commences from
September and continues till March. The weather is perfect, with some showers thrown in for
good measure. The air breathes of invigorating coffee. Coffee estates and colonial bungalows
stand tucked under tree canopies in prime corners.
Canopies- roof-like coverings made of trees that form a shelter

Prime- here, best
Invigorating- strong (here)
Also known as Kodagu, it is one of the smallest districts of Karnataka. 30% of the area of
Coorg is covered with evergreen rainforests and the place receives rain for most part of the
year, especially during the monsoon season. The period from September to March is ideal for
visiting Coorg. The weather is pleasant and there is some rain which makes it
worthwhile. The air is filled with the strong fragrance of coffee due to the abundant coffee
plantations.
The fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. As one
story goes, a part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled here when
return became impractical. These people married amongst the locals and their culture is
apparent in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which are distinct from the
Hindu mainstream. The theory of Arab origin draws support from the long, black coat with
an embroidered waist-belt worn by the Kodavus. Known as kuppia, it resembles the kuffia
worn by the Arabs and the Kurds.
Mainstream- a tradition which most people follow

Tales of Valour- stories of courage and bravery, usually in a war
Descent- origin
The people of Coorg are believed to be of Greek or Arabic background and are generally
ferocious. This theory came into being because of their dressing style. They are generally
seen wearing long and black coat with embroidered waist belt known as Kuppia. Kuppia is
similar to the kuffia worn by Arabs and Kurds. It is also rumoured that some people of
Alexander’s army could not return to their homeland and so, settled here while returning
from the south. The people of Coorg marry each other and their cultures as well as rituals
are very different from the ones followed by Hindus.
Coorgi homes have a tradition of hospitality, and they are more than willing to recount
numerous tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. The Coorg Regiment is one of the
most decorated in the Indian Army, and the first Chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa,
was a Coorgi. Even now, Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms
without a licence.
Most decorated- having received the maximum number of awards for bravery in a war
The people are very welcoming and warm in nature. They are always ready to entertain with
stories of their ancestors. They are known to be independent, ferocious and brave which is
evident from the fact that the Coorg regiment in the Indian army has received the maximum
number of awards for bravery. The first chief of the Indian Army named General Cariappa
belonged to Coorg. Also, these are the only people permitted to carry firearms freely unlike
others who need a licence. This shows that the Coorgis are reliable too.
The river, Kaveri, obtains its water from the hills and forests of Coorg. Mahaseer — a large
freshwater fish — abound in these waters. Kingfishers dive for their catch, while squirrels
and langurs drop partially eaten fruit for the mischief of enjoying the splash and the ripple
effect in the clear water. Elephants enjoy being bathed and scrubbed in the river by their
mahouts.
Mischief- playful behaviour

Ripple effect- a small wave or series of waves on the surface of water, especially as caused
by a slight breeze or an object dropping into it
Mahouts- a person who works with, rides, and tends an elephant
The evergreen forests and hills of Coorg provide water to river Kaveri, a major river in
South India. A large freshwater fish called Mahaseer is found in these waters and is looked
for by the birds. Squirrels and langurs play in these waters by throwing half-eaten fruits
whereas elephants enjoy bathing in it.
The most laidback individuals become converts to the life of high-energy adventure with
river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking. Numerous walking
trails in this region are a favourite with trekkers.
Laidback-relaxed, not in a hurry

Rafting- travelling in a river in a raft (a floating platform made by tying planks together)
Canoeing- travelling in a river in a canoe (a large, narrow boat)
Rappelling- going down a cliff by sliding down a rope
Trails- paths created by walking
The tourists who visit Coorg to relax in the natural beauty of the place also get attracted
towards the various adventure sports activities available like river rafting, canoeing,
rappelling, rock climbing and mountain climbing. The hills have various paths formed by
footsteps of walkers who trek there.
Birds, bees and butterflies are there to give you company. Macaques, Malabar squirrels,
langurs and slender loris keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy. I do, however, prefer to
step aside for wild elephants.
While taking a walk in their region, one may find a variety of animals around them. Birds,
bees and butterflies fly around you while squirrels and langurs keep an eye on you from the
trees. Wild elephants can also be found in Coorg.
The climb to the Brahmagiri hills brings you into a panoramic view of the entire misty
landscape of Coorg. A walk across the rope bridge leads to the sixty-four-acre island of
Nisargadhama. Running into Buddhist monks from India’s largest Tibetan settlement, at
nearby Bylakuppe, is a bonus. The monks, in red, ochre and yellow robes, are amongst the
many surprises that wait to be discovered by visitors searching for the heart and soul of India,
right here in Coorg.
Panoramic view- a view of a wide area of land
To have an overall look at the beautiful city of Coorg, one must climb up to the Brahmagiri
hills. Coorg is surrounded by astounding places of beauty like the island of Nisargadhama
and Bylakuppe which is India’s largest Tibetan settlement. Monks wearing red, orange and
yellow coloured garments can also be found in the district of Coorg where their lifestyle is a
fascinating view for the travellers. A mix of diverse cultures can be seen here which
represent the heart and soul of India.

Q1. Where is Coorg?
A. Coorg is the smallest district of Karnataka and is located somewhere between Mysore and
the coastal city of Mangalore.
Q2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?
A. It is said that the Kodavus are of either Greek or Arabic descent. According to one story, a
part of Alexander’s army could not return to its homeland and so, settled there. As the
traditional dress of the Kodavus, Kuppia is similar to the dress of the Arabs and Kurds,
the Kuffia, it is said that probably the Kodavus are descendants of the Arabs.
Q3. What are some of the things you now know about
i.The people of Coorg?
A. People of Coorg are known to be descendents of the Greeks or the Arabs. This is because
of their dressing style. They are independent and ferocious. They are the bravest soldiers
in the Indian Army. At the same time, they are welcoming and are known for their
hospitality. They have married amongst their locals and their culture is very different
from what is seen in mainstream Hindus.
ii.The main crop of Coorg?
A. Coffee is the main crop of Coorg. During the monsoon season, when the weather is
pleasant and the wind is blowing, it carries with it the strong fragrance of coffee. Coffee
estates with colonial bungalows are abundant and even provide homestays for visitors to
experience the Coorgi way of life.
iii.The sports it offers to tourists?
A. A variety of high-energy adventure activities are offered to tourists like river rafting,
canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking. Trekking is also one of the
famous activities.
iv.The animals you are likely to see in Coorg?
A. Fishes like Mahaseer are found in the waters of the river Kaveri. Birds like Kingfisher
and other animals like squirrels, langurs, butterflies, bees accompany you in this area
while wild elephants can be seen enjoying bathing in the rivers. If you are on a trek,
Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris can be spotted on the trees.
v.Its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there?
A. Coorg is at a distance of 260 kms from Bangalore. The nearest airports are Mangalore
(135 km) and Bangalore (260 km). There are flights to Mangalore from Mumbai, and to
Bangalore from Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai
and Pune. The nearest railheads are at Mysore, Mangalore and Hassan. There are two
routes to Coorg from Bangalore. Both are almost the same distance (around 250-260 km).
The route via Mysore is the most frequented one. The other route is via Neelamangal,
Kunigal, Chanrayanapatna.
Q4. Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have
the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
i.During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2)
ii. Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there.
(para 3)
iii. The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons’ and fathers’ valour. (para
4)
iv. Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy
adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6)
v. The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt
they wear. (para 3)
vi. Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (para 7)
A.
(i) Keep many visitors away
(ii)As one story goes
(iii) Are more than willing to recount
(iv) The most laidback individuals become converts to
(v) Draws support from
(vi) Keep a watchful eye.
Grammar Exercises
1. Here are some nouns from the text.
Culture, monks, surprise, experience, weather, tradition
Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the
adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you.
Unique, terrible, unforgettable, serious, ancient, wide, sudden
i.culture: unique culture, ancient culture
ii. monks:
iii. surprise:
iv. experience:
v. weather:
vi. tradition:
Answers-
i.culture: unique culture, ancient culture

ii.monks: ancient monks
iii.surprise: Unique surprise, terrible surprise, unforgettable surprise
iv.experience: Unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience, sudden
experience
v.weather: terrible weather, sudden weather
vi.tradition: unique tradition, ancient tradition
2. Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one
other word that would fit into the blank?
i. tales of ________
ii. coastal ________
iii. a piece of ________
iv. evergreen ________
v. ________ plantations
vi. ________ bridge
vii. wild ________
You may add your own examples to this list.

Answers-
i.tales of valour
ii.coastal town
iii.a piece of heaven
iv.evergreen rainforests
v.Coffee plantations
vi.Rope bridge
vii.wild animal
- Glimpses of India (Part 3) Tea from Assam
By Arup Kumar Dutta
Pranjol, a youngster from Assam, is Rajvir’s classmate at school in
Delhi. Pranjol’s father is
the manager of a tea-garden in Upper Assam and Pranjol has
invited Rajvir to visit his home
during the summer vacation
Introduction
The lesson is about two friends- Pranjol and Rajvir who are travelling to Pranjol’s hometown
Assam for the summer vacation. Assam is known as the ‘tea country’. It has the largest
concentration of plantations in the world. During their journey they discuss about the various
‘legends’ that are known to have discovered tea. The story tells us about the popularity of tea
as a beverage.
Summary
The story revolves around the infamous beverage ‘tea’ telling us more about its history and
discovery. It begins from the scene where two friends, Pranjol and Rajvir are set to go to
Assam, Pranjol’s hometown when a tea vendor asks them if they would like to have some
freshly made tea. They buy two cups joining almost every other person in their compartment.
From there, the journey begins and Pranjol starts reading his detective book while Rajvir
decides to enjoy the scenic beauty. There were soft green paddy fields followed by tea
bushes. Rajvir is very excited on seeing such large plantations of tea but Pranjol is unable to
match the same level because he was born and brought up in Assam, famously known as the
‘Tea country’. Visiting there for the first time, Rajvir did a lot of study about how tea was
discovered and that it dates back to 2700 B.C. According to what he read, it was first
consumed in China and reached Europe in the 16th century, where it was mostly popular for
it’s medicinal properties. There are numerous stories as to how it was discovered, one about a
Chinese Emperor and the other about a Buddhist monk. The former liked the taste of it while
the latter, used it to get rid of sleep. As they were having this discussion, they reached their
destination where Pranjol’s parents had come to receive them and take them to their tea
garden. On their way, they passed a cattle bridge and gave way to a truck filled with tea
leaves which drew their attention to the fact that it was the second sprouting season. Rajvir,
indeed did a lot of study before coming which impressed Pranjol’s father and he intended to
learn a lot more.
“CHAI-GARAM... garam-chai,” a vendor called out in a high-pitched voice. He came up to
their window and asked,”Chai, sa’ab?” “Give us two cups,” Pranjol said. They sipped the
steaming hot liquid. Almost everyone in their compartment was drinking tea too. “Do you
know that over eighty crore cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world?” Rajvir
said. “Whew!” exclaimed Pranjol. “Tea really is very popular.”
Chai- Tea
Garam- hot
Sa’ab- Sahab or Sir
Steaming- extremely hot
Exclaimed- cry out suddenly in surprise
The scene is set on a train station where a tea vendor asks the two friends if they would like
to buy some freshly-made hot tea. They decide to have two cups of tea joining almost
everyone else in their compartment. With this, Pranjol highlights the fact that “almost eighty
crore cups of tea are consumed everyday throughout the world” while Rajvir remains
surprised on listening to it. Indeed, tea is a popular beverage all over the world.
The train pulled out of the station. Pranjol buried his nose in his detective book again. Rajvir
too was an ardent fan of detective stories, but at the moment he was keener on looking at the
beautiful scenery. It was green, green everywhere. Rajvir had never seen so much greenery
before. Then the soft green paddy fields gave way to tea bushes. It was a magnificent view.
Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills a sea of tea bushes stretched as far as the eye
could see. Dwarfing the tiny tea plants were tall sturdy shade-trees and amidst the orderly
rows of bushes busily moved doll-like figures.
Paddy fields- a field where rice is grown
Backdrop- lie behind or beyond; serve as a background to
As far as eye could see- for a long distance until something is so far away and small it cannot
be seen anymore
Dwarfing- cause to seem small or insignificant in comparison
Sturdy- strong
Amidst- in the middle of
As soon as the train started moving, Pranjol got engaged in reading his detective book. Both
the friends were huge fans of detective books but Rajvir chose to look at the scenic beauty at
the moment. There was greenery all around, something Rajvir had never seen before. After
the green paddy fields, came tea plantations. As far as he was able to look, only tea bushes
were visible so much so that the narrator compared it to a ‘sea’ of tea bushes. In the
background, there were hills with dense forests. In between the tea plantations, there were
orderly rows of tall and strong trees that were moving because of the wind. It was an
amazing view.
In the distance was an ugly building with smoke billowing out of tall chimneys. “Hey, a tea
garden!” Rajvir cried excitedly. Pranjol, who had been born and brought up on a plantation,
didn’t share Rajvir’s excitement. “Oh, this is tea country now,” he said. “Assam has the
largest concentration of plantations in the world. You will see enough gardens to last you a
lifetime!”
Billowing- moving or flowing outwards
Concentration- cluster
As the train was moving, next Rajvir saw was an ugly looking building with smoke coming
out of it. It was a tea garden! Rajvir got excited but Pranjol who had seen all of it during his
childhood didn’t match up to his friend’s level of enthusiasm. Pranjol tells him that they have
entered Assam, which is known as the ‘tea country’. The state has the maximum number of
tea plantations in the world.
“I have been reading as much as I could about tea,” Rajvir said. “No one really knows who
discovered tea but there are many legends.” “What legends?” “Well, there’s the one about the
Chinese emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the
twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavour. It is said they
were tea leaves.”
Before visiting the Tea country, Rajvir read a lot about tea and how it was discovered. There
were numerous theories and one of which was about a Chinese Emperor who had a habit of
drinking boiled water. Once upon a time when he was boiling that water, few leaves fell into
it and it tasted delicious. It is said that those leaves were tea leaves.
“Tell me another!” scoffed Pranjol. “We have an Indian legend too. Bodhidharma, an ancient
Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants
grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished
sleep. “Tea was first drunk in China,” Rajvir added, “as far back as 2700 B.C.! In fact words
such as tea, ‘chai’ and ‘chini’ are from Chinese. Tea came to Europe only in the sixteenth
century and was drunk more as medicine than as beverage.”
Ascetic- characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence,
typically for religious reasons.
Banished- get rid of
On being asked by Pranjol, Rajvir told another story about an Indian legend named
Bodhidharma. He was a Buddhist monk who had cut his eyelids because he used to feel
sleepy while meditating. Eventually, tea plants grew out of his eyelids which upon consuming
after boiling with water helped in getting rid of sleep. Further, Rajvir highlighted a few facts
that stated that tea dates back to 2700 B.C. and was first consumed in China. All such words
such as ‘chai and ‘chini’ have originated from Chinese language. Tea was introduced to
Europe quite late- in the sixteenth century where it was considered to have medicinal
properties.
The train clattered into Mariani junction. The boys collected their luggage and pushed their
way to the crowded platform. Pranjol’s parents were waiting for them. Soon they were
driving towards Dhekiabari, the tea-garden managed by Pranjol’s father . An hour later the
car veered sharply off the main road. They crossed a cattle-bridge and entered Dhekiabari
Tea Estate.
Clattered- (loud noise made by the train brakes)
Veered- change direction
The train had stopped and the boys reached their destination where they gathered their
luggage and de-boarded the train only to find a platform that was too crowded. Pranjol’s
parents had come to receive them. After almost an hour, they reached Dhekiabari, Pranjol’s
tea garden after taking a turn and making their way through a cattle-bridge.
On both sides of the gravel-road were acre upon acre of tea bushes, all neatly pruned to the
same height. Groups of tea-pluckers, with bamboo baskets on their backs, wearing plastic
aprons, were plucking the newly sprouted leaves.
Gravel- small, rounded stones often mixed with sand
Pruned- cut away from a tree
Their tea garden was stretched upon a vast area of land. All the bushes were cut to the same
height and they had been taken care of. On the fields, tea pluckers were seen wearing an
apron and carrying the bamboo baskets in order to pluck the freshly-sprouted leaves.
Pranjol’s father slowed down to allow a tractor, pulling a trailer-load of tea leaves, to pass.
“This is the second-flush or sprouting period, isn’t it, Mr Barua?” Rajvir asked. “It lasts from
May to July and yields the best tea.” “You seem to have done your homework before
coming,” Pranjol’s father said in surprise. “Yes, Mr Barua,” Rajvir admitted. “But I hope to
learn much more while I’m here.”
Sprouting period- when a plant sends out new growth (second harvest of tea leaves in a
season)
On their way to the fields, Pranjol’s father gave way to a tractor that was loaded with tea
leaves. On seeing this, Rajvir flaunts his knowledge by mentioning that this is the second
sprouting period of the year that lasts from May to July and gives excellent yield. Pranjol’s
father, who seems impressed, replies that he seems to have done a lot of research before
coming. Pranjol, who was excited about learning more about the amazing beverage showed
his intention for the same.
Grammar Exercises
1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from
a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a particle (up, down, under, out, in). Use
these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.
i.A heavy __________ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
ii. Rakesh will __________ major surgery tomorrow morning.
iii. My brother is responsible for the __________ of our family property.
iv. The __________ rate for this accountancy course is very high.
v. She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a __________ interview.
Answers-
i.A heavy downpour has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
ii.Rakesh will undergo major surgery tomorrow morning.
iii.My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property.
iv.The dropout rate for this accountancy course is very high.
v.She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-in interview.
3. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in
brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.
Over, by, through, out, up, down
i.The Army attempted unsuccessfully to __________ the Government. (throw)

ii. Scientists are on the brink of a major __________ in cancer research. (break)
iii. The State Government plans to build a __________ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic
on the main highway. (pass)
iv. Gautama’s__________ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow.
(look)
v. Rakesh seemed unusually__________ after the game. (cast)
Answers-
i.The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Government. (throw)
ii.Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research. (break)
iii.The State Government plans to build a by-pass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the
main highway. (pass)
iv.Gautama’s outlook on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow. (look)
v.Rakesh seemed unusually downcast after the game. (cast)
4. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also
use words from those given above. How would you describe
i. a good detective serial on television?
ii. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’?
iii. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain?
iv. how you feel when you open a present?
v. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television?
vi. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue?
vii. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest?
viii. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen?
Answers-
i. a good detective serial on television? Interesting
ii. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? Exciting
iii. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? Bored
iv. how you feel when you open a present? Excited
v. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? Interested
vi. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? Tired
vii. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? Thrilled
viii. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? Boring
The Trees
by Adrienne Rich
About the Poet

Adrienne Rich (1929-2012) was born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was a famous poet,
essayist and feminist. She has published nineteen volumes of poetry, three collections of
essays and other writings.
Introduction
The poem has a symbolic meaning, the trees are an extended metaphor for women. The poet
says that the women have rested, healed and recovered and are ready for their primary
purpose - to renew the empty forest of mankind.
Summary
The poet talks about trees symbolically. They refer to women who have been healed and are
ready to move out of their houses to fulfil their primary purpose - to renew the forest of
mankind. As women have remained indoors, the forest has become empty, the birds and
insects rendered shelter less. The Sun’s rays do not have the tree trucks and leaves to fall
upon and thus, reach the earth. She says that the forest will be full of trees the next morning.
The roots of the trees are working hard to separate from the floor of the veranda where they
have remained fixed. The leaves and branches are moving towards the glass windows. They
are desperate to move out just like a newly discharged patient who has not recovered
completely, moves to the exit door of the hospital in a hurry. The poet is sitting in her house
with the doors of the veranda open. She is writing letters but does not mention this movement
of the trees. It is night time; the sky is clear and a bright moon is visible. She can smell the
leaves and lichen which seem to be calling out desperately. She hears the glass of the window
pane breaking. The trees are moving out and the fast blowing wind embraces them. As the
trees have reached the forest, the tall and strong oak tree overshadows the moon and it seems
that the moon has been broken into several pieces.
STANZA-1
The trees inside are moving out into the forest,
the forest that was empty all these days
where no bird could sit
no insect hide
no sun bury its feet in shadow
the forest that was empty all these nights
will be full of trees by morning.
The poet says that the trees are moving out of the confines of the houses, into the open
forest. This is unrealistic as trees are immoveable and hence, we realize that the poem has
a symbolic meaning. We interpret that trees refer to females who have healed themselves
and are ready to move out of their homes, into the forests to fulfil their primary purpose of
filling the world with mankind. Further she adds that the forest has been empty for the
past many days and so, no birds can be seen as they do not have any trees to sit on, on
insects can be seen as they do not have any shelter and the Sunlight cannot form any
shadows. The forest of humanity has remained empty for many days but will soon be full
and bright.
Literary Devices:
Personification: Sun bury its feet. Sun has been personified.
Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line (the forest that was…… trees by
morning).
Anaphora: 2 lines begin with ‘no’
imagery: “The trees inside are moving out into the forest” - shows kinesthetic imagery
STANZA-2
All night the roots work
to disengage themselves from the cracks
in the veranda floor.
The leaves strain toward the glass
small twigs stiff with exertion
long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof
like newly discharged patients
half-dazed, moving
to the clinic doors.
Disengage: remove
Strain: pressure
Twigs: small stem
Exertion: effort
Cramped: restricted
Boughs: branch
Shuffling: mixing
Discharged: send out
Dazed: stun
The poet explains the struggle done by the plants to reach the forest. She says that the roots
worked for the whole night to separate themselves from the veranda floor. The leaves tried
hard to reach the window of glass so that they could go outside. Even the small stems of
the trees put much of their effort in order to set themselves free. The big branches were
also trying a lot to go out from the roof of the room. We can say that women are desperate
for a change and their effort is compared to that made by a patient who has been released
from the hospital and he tries to move out in a hurry although he is confused. Maybe
because they are half conscious and are under the influence of some medication, they are
unsteady but, in a hurry, to leave the clinic.
Literary Devices:
Enjambment: continuation of sentence to the next line (the leaves strain……. Half dazed)
Simile: trees compared to patients (like newly discharged patients)
personification: twigs and boughs have been personified.
STANZA-3
I sit inside, doors open to the veranda

writing long letters
in which I scarcely mention the departure
of the forest from the house.
The night is fresh, the whole moon shines
in a sky still open
the smell of leaves and lichen
still reaches like a voice into the rooms
Scarcely: barely
Departure: leaving
Lichen: crusty patches of bushes of fungus and algae on tree trunks, having a distinct
smell
The poet says that she is sitting in her veranda, writing long letters. She does not mention
about the trees leaving her house in her letters. She says that the night is very clear. She
can see the complete moon which is shining. The smell of leaves and lichens is like a voice
which is yelling and expressing a desire for freedom from the confines of the house.
Literary Devices:
Alliteration: ‘long letters’ forest from’ ‘sky still’ ‘leaves and lichen’
Enjambment: continuation of sentence to the next line (doors open…. the house)
Imagery: the poet has tried to create a scene in which she is observing all the things
happening (the night is fresh……into the rooms)
STANZA-4
My head is full of whispers

which tomorrow will be silent
Listen. The glass is breaking.
The trees are stumbling forward
into the night. Winds rush to meet them.
The moon is broken like a mirror,
its pieces flash now in the crown
of the tallest oak.
Whispers: murmur
Stumbling: trip over
Flash: glare, shine
Oak: A large, strong tree generally used for making furniture
Her head is full of the slow sounds made by the trees which are desperate to move out.
These sounds will not be heard the next day. The poet asks the reader to listen carefully as
a change is about to take place. She hears the glass window breaking and the trees stumble
out into the night. The wind is blowing outside. It meets the trees. The moon is like a
mirror and it appears to have been broken into pieces as the shadow of the oak tree divides
the moon into many fragments.
Literary devices:
Simile: The moon is compared to a mirror (Moon is broken like a mirror)
Q1-(1) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest?
Ans: The three things mentioned in the first stanza that cannot happen in a treeless forest are:
i. Birds sitting on the tree branches.
ii. The hiding of insects in the branches of trees
iii. The sun burying its feet in the shadow of the trees in the forest.
(2) What picture do these words create in your mind: “… sun bury its feet in
shadow…”? What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet?’
Ans: The sun’s feet are the rays of sun that reach the earth after falling on the leaves of the
trees and finally, reach the earth’s surface.
Q2- (1) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs
do?
Ans: The trees are in the poet’s house. The roots are working hard to remove themselves
from the cracks of veranda. The leaves are trying to reach towards the glass
in order to come out and the twigs are making attempts to set themselves free and reach
the forest.
(2) What does the poet compare their branches to?
Ans: The poet uses the word long cramped for the branches. She says that the branches are
trying hard to come out of the roof. She then compares them with newly discharged
patients who are trying to move out in their half consciousness.
Q3- (1) How does the poet describe the moon: (a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and (b)
at its end? What causes this change?
Ans: The poet describes the moon as a full moon in the beginning of the third stanza but at
the end of the stanza, she describes it to be broken into pieces. The change in the moon
is because of the trees. The trees that earlier were in the poet’s house have now reached
the forest. Their long branches have cast a shadow on the full moon and now it appears
to be broken into pieces like a mirror.
(2) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?
Ans: The house becomes silent as the fragrance of the leaves and lichens which was like a
voice urging for a change can no longer be smelt.
(3) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house”
in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so
unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set
of questions.)?
Ans: The poet did not mention the departure of the forest from her house because it is a part
of human nature to ignore the important matters of their life. We all know that trees are
so important for our survival on earth. But still human beings are cutting them for
making profits without even thinking of the aftermath.
Q4- Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might
mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others?
(1) Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in
the zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in
cities while forests are cut down, are ’imprisoned’ and need to ‘break out’?
Ans: Yes, the poem presents a conflict between man and nature. Man is causing deforestation
by cutting down the trees for his own use. On the other hand, he decorates his house
with the trees. We are damaging our environment without even thinking about the end
results. By clearing up the forests, we are endangering ourselves. So is with the animals
too. We are ruining their natural habitat and killing them for our fun or food but on the
other hand, we are keeping them in the cages on the pretext of safeguarding them by
making sanctuaries and zoos. So, it is true that we are in a direct conflict with nature
and making the other living beings’ prisoners, be it the trees or animals.
(2) On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for
human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge
from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning?
Ans: If trees are to be taken as a symbol for human beings, then the poem will define the
efforts of humans to free themselves from the clutches of the desire to achieve
everything. All the human beings are under a constant pressure of being at the top in
every field. Either they are forced by their own desire of doing so or there is a constant
peer pressure on them. So, the human beings will set themselves free from this race and
try to live a happy and peaceful life.
Mijbil the Otter
by Gavin Maxwell
Otter
Gavin Maxwell lives in a cottage in Camusfearna, in the West Highlands in Scotland. When
his dog Jonnie died, Maxwell was too sad to think of keeping a dog again. But life without a
pet was lonely...
Introduction
In this lesson, the author tells us how his life changed after he decided to domesticate an otter
after he lost his pet dog. He takes us through his journey of adjusting, playing and travelling
with Mijbil (or Mij) the otter, from Iraq to London and how during this journey, he developed
an inseparable bond with him.
Summary
The story begins with the author travelling to Basra along with his friend. During their
journey, the author expresses his desire to domesticate an otter because after he had lost his
pet dog, life had become lonely for him. His friend suggested that he should get one from the
Marshes along river Tigris in Iraq. When they reached the destination, they found that only
the friend’s mail had arrived. After a few days, the friend left while the narrator was still
waiting to receive his mail. Upon receiving it, he went to his room only to find an otter
(brought to him in a sack), accompanied by two Arabs with a note. It was a gift from his
friend. He named the otter Mijbil or shortly, Mij. It took some time for Mij to open up and
get acquainted with his surroundings. He was covered in mud to an extent that it took almost
a month of cleaning and washing to reveal his actual colour. Mij loved playing with water so
much so that he even learned to open the tap on his own. He believed that each drop of water
should be squished and splashed till the bowl had been emptied. Everything was going
smoothly in Basra, but now it was time to fly back to London. British airlines did not allow
animals, so he had to book another flight that allowed Mij with a condition that he had to be
carried in a box. The narrator put him in a box an hour before the flight so that Mij could get
accustomed to it and then left for a quick meal. When he returned, he found that the box was
still and Mij had created a mess by destroying the inner lining. As a result, blood was
dripping out of the holes. Scared as he was, he hurried. They were far away from the airport
and there were only ten minutes left for the flight to take off. He cleaned it all, hurried in a
cab and managed to reach just in time. He explained the series of events to a very kind and
generous air hostess who advised him to keep the box on his lap. Gavin developed extreme
admiration for the air hostess for she was very kind to him. As soon as he opened the box, the
otter leaped out and disappeared thereby creating a chaos. Passengers were frightened. A lady
climbed up her chair and, in an attempt, to get a hold of Mij, the author got himself covered
in curry. The air hostess offered help and brought him back to Gavin and finally, they
reached London. Mij was fond of playing with ping-pong balls and marbles. He even
developed a game with the author’s damaged suitcase. It could keep him engrossed for a long
period of time. Narrator took him for walks while taking the lead and played with him.
People of London, being unfamiliar with otters, had wild guesses about what Mij was. Some
thought it to be a baby seal, squirrel or even a hippo. The most shocking reaction came when
a labourer digging the hole asked the author, “what is that supposed to be?”
EARLY in the New Year of 1956 I travelled to Southern Iraq. By then it had crossed my
mind that I should like to keep an otter instead of a dog, and that Camusfearna, ringed by
water a stone’s throw from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment.
Crossed my mind- (a thought) came into my mind
A stone’s throw- a very short distance
Otter- a semi aquatic fish-eating mammal of the weasel family, with an elongated body,
dense fur, and webbed feet
Eminently- highly; very
In the beginning of 1956, soon after the author’s dog passed away, he travelled to
Southern Iraq. He was too lonely without a pet but wanted to keep an otter instead of a dog
this time. He thought that keeping an otter at Camusfearna was a good idea because the
otter's loved water. As Camusfearna was surrounded by water which was close by, it was
the perfect place to try this new idea of domesticating an otter.
When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he as casually replied that I had better get one in
the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by
the Arabs. We were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer our mail
from Europe. At the Consulate-General we found that my friend’s mail had arrived but that
mine had not.
As common as mosquitoes- easily found
Tamed- domesticate (an animal)
On sharing his intention of domesticating an otter with a friend, the latter suggested that
the author should get one from the marshes along the river Tigris as otters were very
commonly found there and were generally tamed by the Arabs. They had this conversation
when the narrator and his friend were going to Basra. Upon reaching, they discovered that
only the friend’s mail had arrived.
I cabled to England, and when, three days later, nothing had happened, I tried to telephone.
The call had to be booked twenty-four hours in advance. On the first day the line was out of
order; on the second the exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day there
was another breakdown. My friend left, and I arranged to meet him in a week’s time. Five
days later, my mail arrived.
Cabled- sent a message by telegraph (an old method of communication)
Breakdown- a mechanical failure
Author tried connecting to England via telegraph and when there was no response, tried
connecting through a call which demanded to be booked a day in advance. He could not
connect with them because of a holiday and technical glitches for another 3 days. Finally,
his friend left and they both decided to meet after a week. His mail arrived after waiting for
5 more days.
I carried it to my bedroom to read, and there, squatting on the floor, were two Arabs; beside
them lay a sack that squirmed from time to time. They handed me a note from my friend:
“Here is your otter...”
Squatting- crouch or sit with one's knees bent and one's heels close to or touching one's
buttocks or the back of one's thighs
Squirmed- twisted about
As soon as the narrator received the mail, he went to the bedroom to read it, only to find
two Arab men with a sack which twisted itself again and again. They handed him a note
sent by his friend which stated that the otter was a gift from him. The otter was packed in
the sack.
With the opening of that sack began a phase of my life that has not yet ended, and may, for
all I know, not end before I do. It is, in effect, a thraldom to otters, an otter fixation, that I
have since found to be shared by most other people, who have ever owned one.
Thraldom- (old fashioned) being under the control of
Fixation- a very strong attachment or feeling
The author considered domesticating an otter as the beginning of a new phase of his life
that is still continuing. He developed deep affection and a unique bond with the otter that
could only be understood by others who have ever owned an otter.
The creature that emerged from this sack on to the spacious tiled floor of the Consulate
bedroom resembled most of all a very small, medievally-conceived, dragon. From the head to
the tip of the tail he was coated with symmetrical pointed scales of mud armour, between
whose tips was visible a soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown mole. He shook
himself, and I half expected a cloud of dust, but in fact it was not for another month that I
managed to remove the last of the mud and see the otter, as it were, in his true colours.
Medievally conceived- an imagination of the middle ages

As soon as the narrator opened the sack, the otter came out on the tiled floor. He looked
like a small version of the ancient imaginary creature - the dragon. He was completely
covered in mud and from beneath it, small patches of soft velvet fur could be seen. The fur
resembled the skin of a chocolate brown coloured mole. He shook himself to get rid of most
of it but it took another month of continuous cleaning and washing to bring out his actual
colour.
Mijbil, as I called the otter, was, in fact, of a race previously unknown to science, and was at
length christened by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell’s otter. For the
first twentyfour hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly; he was simply aloof and
indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from my bed as possible. The second night
Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of my knees
until the servant brought tea in the morning, and during the day he began to lose his apathy
and take a keen, much too keen, interest in his surroundings.
Christened- named
Hostile- unfriendly
Aloof and indifferent- keeping a distance
Apathy- absence of interest
Crook of my knees- soft inside part where you bend your knee
The author named his pet ‘Mijbil’ or in short, ‘Mij’. Mijbil belonged to a race of otters that
had been recently discovered by a zoologist named Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli and
was thus known as Maxwell’s otter. It took the otter a little time to open up and get
comfortable in his new surroundings. He was at a distance on the first day, slept with
narrator in his bed lying on the crook of his knees on the second and began to know his
surroundings better on the third day.
I made a body-belt for him and took him on a lead to the bathroom, where for half an hour he
went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length
of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo. This, I was to
learn, is a characteristic of otters; every drop of water must be, so to speak, extended and
spread about the place; a bowl must at once be overturned, or, if it will not be overturned, be
sat in and sploshed in until it overflows. Water must be kept on the move and made to do
things; when static it is wasted and provoking.
So as to speak- as it were (one could say this)
Provoking- causing anger or some other reaction
Plunging- falling; sinking
Sploshed- splashed
Static- motionless
Gavin made a belt for the otter just like dogs have, to take on the lead wherever they went.
When he first took the otter into the bathroom, he discovered that Mij liked playing with
water. He would jump and roll in water like a hippopotamus did. This was a characteristic
of otters to get infuriated with still water, so they played with it and splashed it till the last
drop in the bowl/bucket. Otters liked moving water and when Mijbil saw still water, it
seemed that he got angry and would sit in it, splash it and try to overturn it from the bowl.
Two days later, Mijbil escaped from my bedroom as I entered it, and I turned to see his tail
disappearing round the bend of the corridor that led to the bathroom. By the time I got there
he was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium taps with his paws. I
watched, amazed; in less than a minute he had turned the tap far enough to produce a trickle
of water, and after a moment or two achieved the full flow. (He had been lucky to turn the tap
the right way; on later occasions he would sometimes screw it up still tighter, chittering with
irritation and disappointment at the tap’s failure to cooperate.)
Fumbling- trying to do something in a clumsy manner
Trickle- flow in a small stream
Chittering- make a twittering or chattering sound
chromium- a hard white metal used to make taps
Soon after, the otter became acquainted with the place, he escaped alone to the bathroom
and tried opening the tap with his paws. Surprisingly enough, he managed to open the tap
enough to get a trickle of water and then more to get the full flow since he started by
turning it in the right direction. On other occasions, he would twist it tighter by moving it
in the wrong direction and ended up being disappointed when water did not flow from it.
Very soon Mij would follow me without a lead and come to me when I called his name. He
spent most of his time in play. He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball round the room like a
four-footed soccer player using all four feet to dribble the ball, and he could also throw it,
with a powerful flick of the neck, to a surprising height and distance. But the real play of an
otter is when he lies on his back and juggles with small objects between his paws. Marbles
were Mij’s favourite toys for this pastime: he would lie on his back rolling two or more of
them up and down his wide, flat belly without ever dropping one to the floor.
Flick- a quick, light movement
Shuffling- dragging (here)
Dribble- repeated hits on a ball to make it go ahead
Pastime- distraction; entertainment
Soon the otter learned to follow the author without a lead. It used to come to him when he
called its name. Mij was very fond of playing. He would spend most of his time playing
with a ball, dragging and pushing it throughout the room and going after it. Otters are
generally known to be fond of lying on their backs and juggle with objects between the
paws. Similarly, Mij loved engaging himself with marbles and never dropped one on the
floor. He would take two or more marbles and roll them on his wide flat stomach.
The days passed peacefully at Basra, but I dreaded the prospect of transporting Mij to
England, and to Camusfearna. The British airline to London would not fly animals, so I
booked a flight to Paris on another airline, and from there to London. The airline insisted that
Mij should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, to be carried on the
floor at my feet. I had a box made, and an hour before we started, I put Mij into the box so
that he would become accustomed to it, and left for a hurried meal.
Accustomed- familiar
Dreaded the prospect- was in great fear of something that would happen in the future
After a peaceful time at Basra, it was now time to take Mijbil to England and the author
was anxious even at the thought of travelling with him. British airline refused to allow
animals along with, so he booked with another airline which insisted on Mij being carried
in a box not more than eighteen inches square. It was not a direct flight from Basra to
England. They had to first fly to Paris and then to London. Just as the airline demanded,
narrator put Mij in a box, an hour before so that it got enough time to be comfortable and
left for a quick meal.
When I returned, there was an appalling spectacle. There was complete silence from the box,
but from its airholes and chinks around the lid, blood had trickled and dried. I whipped off
the lock and tore open the lid, and Mij, exhausted and blood spattered, whimpered and caught
at my leg. He had torn the lining of the box to shreds; when I removed the last of it so that
there were no cutting edges left, it was just ten minutes until the time of the flight, and the
airport was five miles distant. I put the miserable Mij back into the box, holding down the lid
with my hand.
An appalling spectacle- a shocking scene

Whipped off- quickly took off
Trickled- drip, flow
Shreds- pieces
After the meal, narrator faced what he feared the most. The box was still and blood was
dripping out of its air holes. He panicked and opened the box only to find the inner lining
torn by frightened Mij. The narrator removed every piece of the sharp metal lining and
cleaned the box. Till the time everything was back in place, it was only ten minutes left for
the flight to take off and they had to cover a distance of five miles. Gavin placed Mij in the
box and closed the lid with his hand, lest he should escape.
I sat in the back of the car with the box beside me as the driver tore through the streets of
Basra like a ricochetting bullet. The aircraft was waiting to take off; I was rushed through to
it by infuriated officials. Luckily, the seat booked for me was at the extreme front. I covered
the floor around my feet with newspapers, rang for the air hostess, and gave her a parcel of
fish (for Mij) to keep in a cool place. I took her into my confidence about the events of the
last half hour. I have retained the most profound admiration for that air hostess; she was the
very queen of her kind. She suggested that I might prefer to have my pet on my knee, and I
could have kissed her hand in the depth of my gratitude. But, not knowing otters, I was quite
unprepared for what followed.
Ricocheting bullet- a bullet with changes direction after hitting a surface

Infuriated- very angry
Took her into my confidence- here, shared with her my experiences or secrets
The narrator cleaned the mess and hurried in a cab. The cab went extremely fast,
negotiating the turns like a ricocheting bullet. He somehow managed to reach just before
the flight took off, thereby annoying the officials. He got in his seat and gave Mijbil’s food
package of fish to the air hostess for refrigeration. He told her the incident which had
delayed them and she gladly understood while explaining him what to do next. Gavin
developed extreme admiration for the air hostess as she was very helpful. He took her
advice and kept the box on his lap. He felt like kissing her hand as a token of thanks for
her help.
Mij was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There were
squawks and shrieks, and a woman stood up on her seat screaming out, “A rat! A rat!” I
caught sight of Mij’s tail disappearing beneath the legs of a portly white turbaned Indian.
Diving for it, I missed, but found my face covered in curry. “Perhaps,” said the air hostess
with the most charming smile, “it would be better if you resumed your seat, and I will find
the animal and bring it to you.”
Portly- stout
As soon as the author opened the box, Mij jumped out of it and disappeared. There was
chaos all around, passengers were getting scared, a lady climbed upon her chair. When he
saw Mij beneath the seat of a white-turbaned man, he attempted to catch Mij, and ended
up getting his face covered in curry only to find that Mij had vanished again. Just then the
air hostess extended the offer to help find Mij and advised him to go back to his seat.
I returned to my seat. I was craning my neck trying to follow the hunt when suddenly I heard
from my feet a distressed chitter of recognition and welcome, and Mij bounded on to my
knee and began to nuzzle my face and my neck.
Craning- stretch out one’s body or neck in order to see something

Distressed- troubled
Recognition- identification; acknowledgement
Nuzzle- to rub gently with the nose
Bounded on to- climbed up quickly
On being requested by the air hostess, the narrator came back to his seat and his eyes
started looking for Mij. It was only then he heard some chitter while Mij climbed up his
knee to reach his face. Mij had returned.
After an eventful journey, Maxwell and his otter reach London, where he has a flat
Mij and I remained in London for nearly a month. He would play for hours with a selection
of toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell that I had brought back
from his native marshes. With the ping-pong ball he invented a game of his own which could
keep him engrossed for up to half an hour at a time. A suitcase that I had taken to Iraq had
become damaged on the journey home, so that the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from
one end to the other. Mij discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run
down the length of the suitcase. He would dash around to the other end to ambush its arrival,
hide from it, crouching, to spring up and take it by surprise, grab it and trot off with it to the
high end once more.
Terrapin shell- the shell of small turtle found in North America
Engrossed- completely interested in
Ambush- to attack suddenly from a hidden position
Crouching- squat; adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is
brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself
Trot off- to leave
They stayed in London for a month while Mij had learned to engross himself with tons of
games. He used to play with ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell.
Ping-pong ball kept him engaged for about half an hour. Gavin’s suitcase had got
damaged on the journey. It had a slope from one end to the other. Mij would roll the ball
from the higher end towards the lower end. Then he would rush to the lower end and hide,
waiting for the ball to reach. He would jump up in time and surprise the ball. Then he
would catch the ball and rush once again to the higher end of the suitcase. Very excitingly,
he would again hit the ball from the other end.
Outside the house I exercised him on a lead, precisely as if he had been a dog. Mij quickly
developed certain compulsive habits on these walks in the London streets, like the rituals of
children who on their way to and from school must place their feet squarely on the centre of
each paving block; must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the
outside of every second lamp post. Opposite to my flat was a single-storied primary school,
along whose frontage ran a low wall some two feet high. On his way home, but never on his
way out, Mij would tug me to this wall, jump on to it, and gallop the full length of its thirty
yards, to the hopeless distraction both of pupils and of staff within.
compulsive: irresistable
rituals: a religious ceremony
tug: pull
gallop: run fast
Gavin would take Mij for a walk and exercise just like a pet dog. Mij ran around the streets
in a particular fashion just like school kids did. Like children formed different habits of
placing their feet in the centre of each block that came their way, or of touching every
seventh pole of the railing, or crisscrossing out of the street light poles. There was a
primary school with only the ground floor being constructed, opposite the author’s flat.
There was a low height wall - almost two feet high that ran along the school’s boundary.
On their way back home only, Mij would pull Gavin towards the wall, jump on it and run
on its entire length at a high speed. He would attract the attention of the students and staff
inside the school.
It is not, I suppose, in any way strange that the average Londoner should not recognise an
otter, but the variety of guesses as to what kind of animal this might be came as a surprise to
me. Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by
the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others. I faced a continuous barrage of
conjectural questions that sprayed all the Mustellines but the otter; more random guesses hit
on ‘a baby seal’ and ‘a squirrel.’ ‘Is that a walrus, mister?’ reduced me to giggles, and outside
a dog show I heard ‘a hippo’. A beaver, a bear cub, a leopard — one, apparently, that had
changed its spots — and a ‘brontosaur’; Mij was anything but an otter.
Barrage of conjectural questions- a stream of questions filled with guesses
As an otter is not a very common animal in London, the author found it strange that the
residents were unable to recognize one. People had wild guesses as to what Mij was. Otters
belong to a group of animals called Mustellines, shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel,
stoat, mink and others. People could guess all animals of the group but Otter. Most famous
guesses were, a baby seal or a squirrel. Some guessed that Mijbil was a hippo, beaver,
leopard, walrus, etc.
But the question for which I awarded the highest score came from a labourer digging a hole
in the street. I was still far from him when he laid down his tool, put his hands on his hips,
and began to stare. As I drew nearer I saw his expression of surprise and affront, as though he
would have me know that he was not one upon whom to play jokes. I came abreast of him; he
spat, glared, and then growled out, “Here, Mister — what is that supposed to be?”
affront: insult
spat: past tense of spit
The most shocking reply came from a labourer digging a hole who paused working while
observing Mij. The man kept his tool aside, placed his hands on his back and stared at Mij.
His expressions of surprise and affront signalled that he would not tolerate any nonsense.
He spat, stared at them and asked the author in a loud voice that what was that (Mijbil)
supposed to be.

Q1. What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
A. Maxwell thought that as Camusfearna was close to water, it was suitable for an
experiment to domesticate an otter.
Q2. Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
A. He had gone to Basra to the Consulate-General to receive and answer his mail from
Europe. Unfortunately, only his friend’s mail had arrived. Therefore, he tried connecting
to England via telegraph and telephone but could not associate due to waiting period,
holidays and technical glitches for another couple of days. His mail arrived after waiting
for 5 days.
Q3. How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.
A. When the author came to his room to read the mail, he found two Arabs with a sack that
was twisting again and again. One of them handed the author a note from his friend that
said the otter was a gift from him.
The author liked the otter very much. This is evident from the fact that he later uses words
like “otter fixation” which means a strong connection between the otter and the owner.
This feeling is shared by other otter owners as well.
Q4. Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?
A. Otters are of a race previously unknown to science, and were at length named by
zoologists as Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell’s otter.
Q5. Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was
• Aloof and indifferent
• friendly
• hostile
A. In the beginning, the otter was aloof and indifferent.
Q6. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days
after that?
A. When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, for half an hour he went wild with joy in the
water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub
underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo. Two days later, it escaped
into the bathroom and Maxwell saw it opening the tap, all by itself.
Q7. How was Mij to be transported to England?
A. Mij was to be carried in a box, not more than eighteen inches square, to be kept on the
floor at the author’s feet. British airlines did not allow transporting animals, so they
booked another flight to Paris and from there to London.
Q8. What did Mij do to the box?
A. Mij had torn the inner lining of the box to shreds. The lining was made of metal, thus, in
the process of tearing off the lining, he hurt himself and started bleeding.
Q9. Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did
this?
A. Maxwell removed every bit of the shredded inner lining so that Mij won’t hurt himself. He
then kept the otter back in the box as they had to reach the flight on time. He must have felt
pity and be worried about Mij.
Q10. Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind”?
A. When Maxwell boarded the flight, he took the air hostess into confidence about the latest
incidents. Being understanding, friendly and kind, she advised him to keep the box on his
lap. Thus, the way she listened and helped him, led to an admiration that made the
narrator say that she was “the very queen of her kind”.
Q11. What happened when the box was opened?
A. As soon as he opened the box, Mij flashed out of it and disappeared. Everyone in the flight
panicked and a lady even climbed her chair. Finally, when he saw Mij’s tail disappearing
beneath a turbaned man, he tried to catch hold of him and in the process, ended up
covering his face with curry. After having created such a chaos, the air hostess advised him
to go to his seat while she brought Mij back to him.
Fog
by Carl Sandburg
About the Poet
Carl August Sandburg (1878-1967) was an American poet, writer and editor. He won three
Pulitzer Prizes- two for his poetry and one for his biography of Abraham Lincoln. He wrote
poems like grass, analysis, Chicago, etc.
Introduction
Fog is a very small poem written by Carl Sandburg. He has described the process of arrival of
the fog into a city and the harbour. He has very beautifully compared it to a cat.
Summary
The poet says that the fog which is generally seen during the winter season is coming towards
the city and the harbour just like a cat. This means that it is approaching the city in a very
silent manner so that no one can notice its arrival. He has compared its arrival to that of a cat
because a cat always enters a place silently. Next, he says that the fog has covered the whole
of the city and harbour and it appears as if it is sitting by folding its legs and looking around
just the way a cat does when it sits on the haunches and looks around. At the end, he
describes the departure of the fog which very silently and unpredictably, again, similar to the
departure of the cat, vanishes.
STANZA-1
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbour and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Fog: It is a thick cloud of tiny water droplets present in the atmosphere, especially in
winter.
Harbour; Port, dock
on haunches: sitting with knees bent
The poet is describing fog. Fog is a thick cloud of tiny water droplets present in the
atmosphere. It is generally seen during the winter season. Here the poet describes the
advancement of fog towards the city and the harbour. He says the fog comes like a cat
comes on its little feet. This means the fog advances towards the city very slowly and calmly
just like a cat. One never knows how and when the fog will enter the city. Therefore, fog is
compared to the cat which enters our home in an unpredictable manner. Next, he says that
the fog sits over the whole of the city as a cat sits silently by folding her legs behind itself
and looks around the nearby places and things. Similarly, it seems that the fog silently
covers the whole of the city and the harbour and is sitting over them looking around like a
cat. After a while the fog leaves the city and moves on. The poet says so because it is a
natural phenomenon that fog does not stay at a place for long and leaves the place after a
few hours. So, here also the poet says that just like a cat, the fog leaves the place very
silently without being noticed by anyone.
Literary devices:
Metaphor: Fog is compared to cat (On little cat feet)
Rhyme scheme: There is no rhyme scheme followed. Poem is in free verse
Enjambment: When a sentence continues to next line (It sits looking…. then moves on)
Personification: fog has been personified - Fog comes, it sits

Q1-What does Sandburg think the fog is like?
Ans- Sandburg thinks the fog is like a cat that comes silently so that no one can sense it
arrival.
2. How does the fog come?
Ans- As per the poet the fog comes very silently like a cat.
3. What does ‘it’ in the third line refer to?
Ans- ‘It’ refers to the fog
4. Does the poet actually say that the fog is like a cat? Find three things that tell us that the
fog is like a cat.
Ans- The three things that tell us that the fog is like a cat are as follows:
i.The fog comes on its little cat feet: This means that the fog enters silently just like cat.
ii.It sits looking over harbour and city: The fog is compared to cat as cats also like to sit and
look here and there and fog is also looking while it sits over the city.
iii. On silent haunches and then moves on: The fog sits on her bended legs just like cat and then
moves away very quickly and silently, just like a cat.
Q2- Does this poem have a rhyme scheme? Poetry that does not have and obvious rhythm or
rhyme is called ‘free verse’.
Ans- There is no rhyme scheme in the poem. It has neither internal nor external rhyme
scheme. Hence, we can say that it is in free verse.
Madam Rides the Bus
By Vallikkannan
Introduction
The lesson “Madam Rides the Bus” is about a brave eight-year-old who had a strong desire
and along with it, the courage to fulfil it. She liked gazing at the hustle and bustle of the street
and her favourite part was the sight of a bus arriving and departing. Thus, she developed a
deep desire to travel by bus. For that, she needed all sorts of information about the bus
journey, collect the bus fare and then plan it so that she could be back at home before her
mother woke up from her afternoon nap. Thus, the story brings us recounts of how innocently
but responsibly she fulfilled her deepest desire and her experiences on the bus ride. How an
incident makes her realize the reality of death.
Summary
The lesson is about an eight-year-old girl named Valli, who did not have friends to play with
and so she would spend her time by looking at the outside affairs going on the street. Her
favourite part was to look at the bus that passed by her village every hour. It gave her endless
joy to look at the new set of passengers each time the bus crossed by. Gradually, even she
wished to travel by bus. Soon, the wish turned into a desire and therefore, she made it her
mission to fulfil it. She started listening to the conversations between her neighbours who
frequently travelled by bus and in the process, would ask a few careful questions here and
there to collect more information. Just like this, she knew that the town is six miles away
from her village and it took the bus forty-five minutes to travel one side. One-sided fare was
thirty paisa making it sixty for a back and forth ride. Therefore, she started planning and re-
planning so that she could sneak out during her mother’s afternoon nap and come back
without her knowing anything. She needed to save the money which was not easy as she had
to resist the temptation of candy, peppermint and merry-go-round. Finally, she saved enough
money and one fine day, the brave eight-year-old took the bus during it’s not very busy
hours. She refused to take any help from the conductor or fellow passengers. It was an
amusing sight for everyone to see such a small girl all alone acting like an adult. The
conductor was of the joking sort and thus, referred to Valli as a grown up ‘madam’. Short-
heighted Valli would stand on her seat to be able to see clearly from the window while
everyone advised her to sit for her own safety. Each time someone would poke their nose in
her business, Valli would get annoyed as she did not consider herself a child. She did not
want to be friends with an elderly lady who was worried about her because she thought she
was not socially-capable enough. She enjoyed seeing what was going on outside and the sight
of a running cow in the middle of a road was abruptly a funny scenario for her. Upon
reaching the town, she refused to get down the bus because she was too afraid to do so alone.
While returning, she carried extreme enthusiasm until she saw a cow lying lifeless on the
road. It was the same cow that was so joyous previously. Valli got terrified at the fact that
how a creature so full of life can instantly turn into something horrible. She sat down silently
for rest of the journey. Upon reaching home, she found her mother and aunt talking about the
endless possibilities in the world outside. Valli affirmed to what her mother was saying
leaving both of them astonished. She then justified her reaction by mentioning that she was
casually agreeing to what her mother was saying. Her aunt then referred to Valli as a nose-
poking child who acts like a grown-up lady but only Valli knew what she was referring to
because, after all, no one knew about her bus journey.

I.
THERE was a girl named Valliammai who was called Valli for short. She was eight years old
and very curious about things. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her
house, watching what was happening in the street outside. There were no playmates of her
own age on her street, and this was about all she had to do.
Curious- eager to know or learn something
The story is about an eight-year-old girl named Valliammai, or preferrably Valli. Just like
every child, Valli is eager to know about new and unknown things because of which she
can spend all day looking at the hustle and bustle of the street. Moreover, she has no
friends to play with, so the only option she has is to look at what is going on outside.
But for Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as any of the elaborate
games other children played. Watching the street gave her many new unusual
experiences.The most fascinating thing of all was the bus that travelled between her village
and the nearest town. It passed through her street each hour, once going to the town and once
coming back. The sight of the bus, filled each time with a new set of passengers, was a source
of unending joy for Valli.
Even though she couldn’t play with friends, looking at the outside affairs was just as
entertaining. She learned a lot of new things in the process and the best part was the
arrival and departure of the bus that routed from her village to a nearby town. The bus
crossed the village street at hourly intervals, once while going to the town and the other,
while coming back. Just gazing at the bus filled with a new set of passengers every time it
crossed the street, gave Valli lasting excitement and joy.
Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew
there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This wish became stronger and
stronger, until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who
got on or off the bus when it stopped at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her
longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to
describe the sights of the town to her, Valli would be too jealous to listen and would shout, in
English: “Proud! proud!” Neither she nor her friends really understood the meaning of the
word, but they used it often as a slang expression of disapproval.
Wistfully- longingly
Kindle- set alight (fire), here, feelings
A slang expression- informal words, often used within a close group
After continuously watching the bus arrive and depart for a couple of days, even she
wished to take a ride on it just once. Soon, the wish grew stronger and became a desire
which means that there was now more longing to travel in the bus. She would be
fascinated by looking at people's faces who would step out of the bus. Her desire grew to
the extent that she would be jealous if any of her friends would go by bus and recite their
experiences. Upon listening to them, she would exclaim, “Proud! Proud!”. Neither she nor
her friends knew the actual meaning of the word ‘proud’, but would use it in order to
express disapproval.
Over many days and months Valli listened carefully to conversations between her neighbours
and people who regularly used the bus, and she also asked a few discreet questions here and
there. This way she picked up various small details about the bus journey. The town was six
miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise one way — “which is almost nothing at all,”
she heard one well-dressed man say, but to Valli, who scarcely saw that much money from
one month to the next, it seemed a fortune. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes. On
reaching town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home
on the same bus. This meant that she could take the one-o’clock afternoon bus, reach the
town at one forty-five, and be back home by about two forty-five…
On and on went her thoughts as she calculated and recalculated, planned and replanned.
Discreet questions- careful questions
In order to fulfil her desire of travelling by bus alone, she needed to be prepared with all
sorts of information. Therefore, she started paying attention to conversations between her
neighbours who were used to travelling by bus and in the process, would ask a few more
careful questions to gain further information. This way she prepared a plan and knew that
the town was six miles from the village, one-sided fare was thirty paisa which was nothing
for a well-dressed man, but was too much for Valli and the trip duration on one side was
forty-five minutes. The same bus upon finishing its trip till town would bring Valli back, if
she paid thirty more paisa. Thus, if she could get on the bus by one o’clock in the
afternoon and reach there by one forty-five, the same bus could bring her back to the
village by two-forty-five. This way she calculated to save that much amount and time to
sneak out without anyone noticing.
II.
Well, one fine spring day the afternoon bus was just on the point of leaving the village and
turning into the main highway when a small voice was heard shouting: “Stop the bus! Stop
the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly
After re-planning and re-calculating, finally came the riding day. Bus was on its usual
route to the main highway when they heard a shouting voice commanding them to stop the
bus.
The bus slowed down to a crawl, and the conductor, sticking his head out the door, said,
“Hurry then! Tell whoever it is to come quickly.” “It’s me,” shouted Valli. “I’m the one who
has to get on.” By now the bus had come to a stop, and the conductor said, “Oh, really! You
don’t say so!” “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus,
“and here’s my money.” She showed him some coins. “Okay, okay, but first you must get on
the bus,” said the conductor, and he stretched out a hand to help her up. “Never mind,” she
said, “I can get on by myself. You don’t have to help me.”
On hearing the voice, the bus slowed down and on seeing Valli, a small girl, the conductor
asked her to tell the one supposed to travel to hurry up. When Valli told him that she was
the passenger, he was shocked to see such a young girl and thus, stopped the bus. It was
hard for the conductor to believe that she was about to travel alone. Then she handed him
her bus fare. The conductor offered her help to climb up the bus, but responsible and
proud as she was, she made her intentions clear that she needed no help.
The conductor was a jolly sort, fond of joking. “Oh, please don’t be angry with me, my fine
madam,” he said. “Here, have a seat right up there in front. Everybody move aside please —
make way for madam.” It was the slack time of day, and there were only six or seven
passengers on the bus. They were all looking at Valli and laughing with the conductor. Valli
was overcome with shyness. Avoiding everyone’s eyes, she walked quickly to an empty seat
and sat down
Slack time-a time when there is not much work

When little Valli refused to take any help, the conductor sarcastically asked her not to be
angry with him and that he is just trying to help. In a light tone, he addressed her ‘madam’
and escorted her to the seat while telling other passengers to make way for the ‘madam’.
Since it was afternoon, not many people travelled during this time and thus, everyone’s
eyes were at Valli. All of them adored her along with the conductor. While everyone was
laughing, it made Valli shy and thus, she hurried to her seat.
“May we start now, madam?” the conductor asked, smiling. Then he blew his whistle twice,
and the bus moved forward with a roar. It was a new bus, its outside painted a gleaming
white with some green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver.
Directly in front of Valli, above the windshield, there was a beautiful clock. The seats were
soft and luxurious.
Again, in a sarcastic tone, the conductor seeks the approval of ‘madam’ before beginning
the journey and then blows his whistle twice to signal the driver to start the bus. The bus
was new as was evident from the overhead silver bars that were shining. There was a clock
just in front of Valli and the seats were extremely comfortable. The outside was painted in
glowing white with stripes of green along the sides.
Valli devoured everything with her eyes. But when she started to look outside, she found her
view cut off by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. So she stood up on
the seat and peered over the blind.
Devoured- read quickly and eagerly (here)
Canvas- a coarse fabric
Blind- a partition
She quickly glanced at the insides of the bus and turned towards the window to have a view
of the outside but couldn’t have the complete view for she was too short and the window
blinds were obstructing her view. Thus, she decided to stand up to be able to look properly.
The bus was now going along the bank of a canal. The road was very narrow. On one side
there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue,
blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields — green,
green, green, as far as the eye could see.
The bus was on a very narrow road. On one side, there was a canal and beyond it, trees,
distant mountains and a large blue sky could be seen. Whereas on the other hand, there
was greenery all around.
Oh, it was all so wonderful! Suddenly she was startled by a voice. “Listen, child,” said the
voice, “you shouldn’t stand like that. Sit down.” Sitting down, she looked to see who had
spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned for her, but she was annoyed
by his attention.
Valli was enjoying a lot when suddenly someone asked her to sit down. While sitting down
to see who told her so, she saw an old man showing concern for her. Still in no mood for
anyone’s help or advice, it made Valli annoyed.
“There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like
everyone else.” The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do
you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone?” Valli shot an
angry glance at the conductor and said, “I am not a madam. Please remember that. And
you’ve not yet given me my ticket.” “I’ll remember,” the conductor said, mimicking her tone.
Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter. The conductor punched a
ticket and handed it to her. “Just sit back and make yourself comfortable. Why should you
stand when you’ve paid for a seat?” “Because I want to,” she answered, standing up again.
Haughtily- proudly
Valli was too proud to take anyone’s help and thus, told the old man that she was not a
child. She said that she was just like everyone else travelling in the bus and could take care
of herself. She had paid the full fare just like everyone else. The conductor made a remark
that she is a ‘grown up madam’ because a child could never pay for his or her bus ticket.
Valli annoyingly told the conductor not to call her madam and reminded him that she has
not yet received the ticket. The conductor then responded by mimicking her tone, thereby
making everyone laugh. Valli ended up laughing too. The conductor then handed her the
ticket and asked her, “Just sit back and make yourself comfortable. Why should you stand
when you’ve paid for a seat?” to which Valli proudly replied, that she’d do whatever she
wanted to.
“But if you stand on the seat, you may fall and hurt yourself when the bus makes a sharp turn
or hits a bump. That’s why we want you to sit down, child.” “I’m not a child, I tell you,” she
said irritably. “I’m eight years old.” “Of course, of course. How stupid of me! Eight years —
my!” The bus stopped, some new passengers got on, and the conductor got busy for a time.
Afraid of losing her seat, Valli finally sat down. An elderly woman came and sat beside her.
“Are you all alone, dear?” she asked Valli as the bus started again. Valli found the woman
absolutely repulsive — such big holes she had in her ear lobes, and such ugly earrings in
them! And she could smell the betel nut the woman was chewing and see the betel juice that
was threatening to spill over her lips at any moment. Ugh! — who could be sociable with
such a person?
Repulsive- causing strong dislike
They further tried on explaining her that they were genuinely concerned about her and she
may hurt herself is she continued to stand. She again made it clear that she was eight years
old and hence, not a child. The conductor did not leave this chance to have a good laugh
too. The bus stopped and more passengers boarded the bus and in order to preserve her
seat, she quickly sat down when an old woman sat near her. The lady was staring at Valli
before asking her if she was all alone. Valli developed a strong dislike for the lady whose
earlobes had big holes. She did not like her earrings too and looking at how she was
chewing betel nut, she was the last person Valli would like to socialize with.
“Yes, I’m travelling alone,” she answered curtly. “And I’ve got a ticket too.” “Yes, she’s on
her way to town,” said the conductor. “With a thirty-paise ticket.” “Oh, why don’t you mind
your own business,” said Valli. But she laughed all the same, and the conductor laughed too.
But the old woman went on with her drivel. “Is it proper for such a young person to travel
alone? Do you know exactly where you’re going in town? What’s the street? What’s the
house number?” “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning
her face towards the window and staring out.
Curtly- rudely brief or abrupt
Drivel- silly nonsense
Though annoyed by the elderly lady, Valli replied to her by saying that yes, she was
travelling alone and that too, with a ticket of her own. Evidently, the conductor spared no
chance to tease Valli and have a good laugh. Now, Valli laughed with him too while the
old lady continued to interrupt by asking abrupt questions out of concern. She was
bothered about Valli’s security and that if she could reach her destination safely all alone.
Valli assured her that she can travel alone and started looking outside the window to avoid
further conversation.
III.
Her first journey — what careful, painstaking, elaborate plans she had had to make for it! She
had thriftily saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy
peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like, and finally she had saved a total of sixty paise. How
difficult it had been, particularly that day at the village fair, but she had resolutely stifled a
strong desire to ride the merry go-round, even though she had the money.
Thriftily- spend money carefully
Resolutely stifled- suppressed/ controlled with determination
Undoubtedly, she had put innumerable amount of effort in planning and saving for her
first ever bus journey. It was a dream ride for her. She resisted every temptation ranging
from peppermints, toys, balloons to merry-go-round at the village fair. After so many
efforts, she finally saved sixty paise.
After she had enough money saved, her next problem was how to slip out of the house
without her mother’s knowledge. But she managed this without too much difficulty. Every
day after lunch her mother would nap from about one to four or so. Valli always used these
hours for her ‘excursions’ as she stood looking from the doorway of her house or sometimes
even ventured out into the village; today, these same hours could be used for her first
excursion outside the village.
Ventured out- went cautiously, courageously
When the financial obstacle had been dealt with, the next problem was to be able to sneak
out without anyone noticing. Usually, Valli’s mother used to sleep from one to four every
afternoon. Valli used to benefit from this and used to go for excursions in the village. This
time it could be used for an excursion outside the village.
The bus rolled on now cutting across a bare landscape, now rushing through a tiny hamlet or
past an odd wayside shop. Sometimes the bus seemed on the point of gobbling up another
vehicle that was coming towards them or a pedestrian crossing the road. But lo! somehow it
passed on smoothly, leaving all obstacles safely behind. Trees came running towards them
but then stopped as the bus reached them and simply stood there helpless for a moment by the
side of the road before rushing away in the other direction.
Hamlet: a small settlement with a few houses.
Gobbling up: to swallow or eat hastily
Now the bus reached an area which did not have trees. It was barren land with a few
shrubs here and there. It crossed a small settlement and a shop by the road. As the bus
went with high speed, Valli thought that it would swallow the oncoing vehicles and
pedestrians but it passed safely, crossing all hurdles. When the bus was moving, it seemed
as if trees were rushing towards the bus and would stop as soon as the bus reached them.
As the bus crossed them, it appeared as if the trees were running away from the bus.
Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee. A young cow, tail high in the air, was running
very fast, right in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus. The bus slowed to a crawl,
and the driver sounded his horn loudly again and again. But the more he honked, the more
frightened the animal became and the faster it galloped — always right in front of the bus.
Glee- happiness and joy
Valli was filled with happiness and joy. Suddenly, a cow came running in the middle of the
road right in front of the bus. The bus slowed down to give her way and honked repeatedly.
Unfortunately, it became more terrified and ran in front of the bus. As the driver blew
more horns, the cow became wild and kept on running faster and faster.
Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her
eyes. “Hey, lady, haven’t you laughed enough?” called, the conductor. “Better save some for
tomorrow.” At last the cow moved off the road. And soon the bus came to a railroad crossing.
A speck of a train could be seen in the distance, growing bigger and bigger as it drew near.
Then it rushed past the crossing gate with a tremendous roar and rattle, shaking the bus. Then
the bus went on and passed the train station. From there it traversed a busy, well-laid-out
shopping street and, turning, entered a wider thoroughfare. Such big, bright-looking shops!
What glittering displays of clothes and other merchandise! Such big crowds! Struck dumb
with wonder, Valli gaped at everything.
Thoroughfare- a busy public road
Merchandise- things for sale
Railroad crossing- an intersection where a railway line crosses a road or path
Valli found the cow incident extremely humorous and laughed to the extent that brought
tears to her eyes. Again, the conductor teased her by telling her that it was enough for the
day and she should save some laughter for the next day. Somehow, the cow went off the
road on its own and the bus stopped at a level crossing from where the train was visible as
a tiny dot. As the train came nearer, it grew larger. The train passed with a huge roar thus,
shaking the entire road and the bus along with it. The bus started moving and reached a
narrow street. On taking a turn, it reached a wider road. There were big and brightly lit
shops on the road that displayed merchandise for sale. Valli was attracted towards all the
lights and decorations. She glanced at each and every thing.
Then the bus stopped and everyone got off except Valli. “Hey, lady,” said the conductor,
“aren’t you ready to get off? This is as far as your thirty paise takes you.” “No,” Valli said,
“I’m going back on this same bus.” She took another thirty paise from her pocket and handed
the coins to the conductor. “Why, is something the matter?” “No, nothing’s the matter. I just
felt like having a bus ride, that’s all.” “Don’t you want to have a look at the sights, now that
you’re here?” “All by myself? Oh, I’d be much too afraid.” Greatly amused by the girl’s way
of speaking, the conductor said, “But you weren’t afraid to come in the bus.” “Nothing to be
afraid of about that,” she answered.
The bus arrived at its destination and everyone except Valli, deboarded the bus. The
conductor informed her that this was the last stop and just then she took out another thirty
paisa from her pocket to buy a ticket back to village. She expressed that she only intended
to take a bus ride and upon being asked to wander nearby, she told him that she was too
afraid for that. Conductor, while maintaining his nature all throughout the journey replied
by saying that she wasn’t afraid to travel alone in the bus without anyone’s help, then why
was she afraid of roaming in the town. To this, Valli replied confidently as far as the bus
ride was concerned, there was nothing to be afraid of in that.
“Well, then, why not go to that stall over there and have something to drink? Nothing to be
afraid of about that either." “Oh, no, I couldn’t do that.” “Well, then, let me bring you a cold
drink.” “No, I don’t have enough money. Just give me my ticket, that’s all.” “It’ll be my treat
and not cost you anything.” “No, no,” she said firmly, “please, no.” The conductor shrugged,
and they waited until it was time for the bus to begin the return journey. Again there weren’t
many passengers.
The conductor asked her if she wished to have a drink at the nearby stall or if he could
bring her a drink if she was afraid to go out of the bus but Valli told her that she didn’t
have enough money. The conductor insisted on it being his treat but Valli denied and both
of them waited for a new set of passengers to board. This time too, there were fewer
passengers.
IV.
Won’t your mother be looking for you?” the conductor asked when he gave the girl her
ticket. “No, no one will be looking for me,” she said.
Concerned about Valli, the conductor asked if her mother would be looking for her as she
was all alone. Valli instantly replied by saying that no one was waiting on her.
The bus started, and again there were the same wonderful sights. Valli wasn’t bored in the
slightest and greeted everything with the same excitement she’d felt the first time. But
suddenly she saw a young cow lying dead by the roadside, just where it had been struck by
some fast-moving vehicle. “Isn’t that the same cow that ran in front of the bus on our trip to
town?” she asked the conductor. The conductor nodded, and she was overcome with sadness.
What had been a lovable, beautiful creature just a little while ago had now suddenly lost its
charm and its life and looked so horrible, so frightening as it lay there, legs spreadeagled, a
fixed stare in its
lifeless eyes, blood all over…

Spreadeagled- spread out
The return journey began and Valli was just as excited as the first time. She was looking at
everything enthusiastically when she suddenly noticed a cow lying dead by the roadside. It
must have been hit by a fast-moving vehicle. Valli confirmed with the conductor that it was
the same cow they had seen earlier. Her mood experienced a shift towards sadness. She
wondered how a lovable and playful creature instantly transformed into a horrible and
lifeless one.
The bus moved on. The memory of the dead cow haunted her, dampening her enthusiasm.
She no longer wanted to look out the window. She sat thus, glued to her seat, until the bus
reached her village at three forty. She stood up and stretched herself. Then she turned to the
conductor and said, “Well, sir, 1 hope to see you again.” “Okay, madam,” he answered her,
smiling. “Whenever you feel like a bus ride, come and join us. And don’t forget to bring your
fare.” She laughed and jumped down from the bus. Then away she went, running straight for
home.
Haunted- returned repeatedly to her mind; was impossible to forget
The sight of the dead cow robbed Valli of her enthusiasm and thus, she stopped looking
out of the window. She sat silently on her seat until she reached home at around three-
forty. While deboarding, she conveyed her intention of seeing the conductor again to
which the conductor replied in a sarcastic manner, he told her not to forget her fare the
next time she intended to travel. Valli went home.
When she entered her house she found her mother awake and talking to one of Valli’s aunts,
the one from South Street. This aunt was a real chatterbox, never closing her mouth once she
started talking. “And where have you been?” said her aunt when Valli came in. She spoke
very casually, not expecting a reply. So Valli just smiled, and her mother and aunt went on
with their conversation.
Valli found her mother awake from her afternoon nap when she returned home. Her
mother was talking to one of her aunts who lived in the South street. The aunt spoke so
much that Valli called her ‘a real chatterbox’. It was difficult to make her stop talking. She
even asked Valli a question and without giving her enough time to reply, resumed talking.
Valli also took the benefit of the moment and avoided any conversation regarding where
she had been.
“Yes, you’re right,” her mother said. “So many things in our midst and in the world outside.
How can we possibly know about everything? And even when we do know about something,
we often can’t understand it completely, can we?” “Oh, yes!” breathed Valli. “What?” asked
her mother. “What’s that you say?” “Oh,” said Valli, “I was just agreeing with what you said
about things happening without our knowledge.” “Just a chit of a girl, she is,” said her aunt,
“and yet look how she pokes her nose into our conversation, just as though she were a grown
lady.” Valli smiled to herself. She didn’t want them to understand her smile. But, then, there
wasn’t much chance of that, was there?
Pokes her nose- takes an interest in something that doesn’t concern her
While her mother and aunt were conversing, her mother was heard talking about the
endless possibilities in the world one was unaware about and even if one knew, it was
another thing to understand it. Valli affirmed to what her mother was saying, leaving both
of them astonished. She then justified her reaction by mentioning that she was casually
agreeing to what her mother was saying. Her aunt then referred to Valli as a nose-poking
child who acted like a grown-up lady but only Valli knew what she was referring to
because, after all, no one knew about her bus journey.

1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
A. Valli’s favourite pastime was to gaze at the hustle and bustle of the street.
2. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
A. Valli enjoyed watching the bus and its new set of passengers every time it crossed the
village. It gave her a never-ending joy. Her strongest desire was to travel in the bus and
take a ride to the nearby town and back.
3. What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?
A. Valli found out that the town was six miles from the village and it cost thirty paisa to
travel one side. It took forty-five minutes to reach town and the same bus could bring you
back as well. Once she decided to travel by bus, even if just once, she started listening to
her neighbour’s conversations about their bus rides very carefully. In the process, she
would herself ask some careful questions here and there in order to enhance her knowledge
about the journey.
4. What do you think Valli was planning to do?
A. Valli was planning secretively to fulfil her desire of travelling by bus without her mother
noticing.
5. Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?
A. Well prepared and proud Valli got annoyed if someone called her a child or treated her
like one. On the other hand, the bus conductor was of the joking sort and began addressing
her ‘madam’ as she was grown enough, bought her ticket and could take care of herself.
6. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
A. Valli was short in height and thus, when she tried looking out of the window, the window
blinds would come her way obstructing her outside view. Thus, she decided to stand on
her seat. She saw that the bus was moving on a very narrow road. It had a canal on one
side, beyond which palm trees, mountains and blue sky could be seen. On the other side,
there was a deep ditch followed by greenery as far as one could see.
7. What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?
A. On being advised by a concerned old man to sit down, Valli told him that she was not a
child and she could take care of herself. She told him that she was just as capable and
responsible like other passengers as she had paid the fare of thirty paisa for the ticket.
8. Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
A. Valli was already annoyed with how everyone was treating her like a child. When that
elderly woman came and showed concern about her, it irritated her further. Moreover, she
had large holes in her earlobes with ugly earrings that Valli developed strong dislike for.
The lady was chewing betel nut and its juice could have spilled any moment,
automatically making her a less socially desirable person according to Valli.
9. How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?
A. Undoubtedly, she had put innumerable amount of effort in planning and saving for her
first ever bus journey. It was a dream ride for her. She resisted every temptation ranging
from peppermints, toys, balloons to merry-go-round at the village fair. After so many
efforts, she finally saved sixty paisa. No, it was not easy for her.
10. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
A. Valli saw a cow that was running along the road and came in front of the bus. As the
driver honked, it started running in front of the bus. The more the driver blew the horn,
faster did it run but did not get out of the way. This was funny for Valli and she kept on
laughing till she had tears in her eyes.
11. Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?
A. Valli didn’t get off the bus on reaching the town because she only boarded the bus with
the intention of taking a ride to and from the nearby town. Moreover, she was too afraid
to even casually have a look at her surroundings as she was all alone.
12. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about
her?
A. Valli was too afraid to get off the bus alone. Moreover, she didn’t have enough money to
buy herself a drink. Therefore, she didn’t intend on going to the stall for a drink. This
shows that Valli was a responsible and careful child who was aware that getting off the
bus without an adult could get her in trouble. Moreover, as she did not have the money,
she denied the treat offered by the conductor which showed that she was a mature child.
13. What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you
this.
A. Valli’s deepest desire was to travel by bus. Words and phrases like “the most fascinating
thing of all” and “source of unending joy” have been used to describe Valli’s deepest
desire.
14. How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she
save up the fare?
A. Once she decided to travel by bus, she started listening to her neighbour’s conversations
about their bus rides very carefully. In the process, she would herself ask some careful
questions here and there in order to enhance her knowledge about the journey. Valli
found out that the town was six miles from the village and it cost thirty paisa to travel one
side. It took forty-five minutes to reach town and the same bus could bring you back as
well. She collected the money with utmost determination. She resisted every temptation
ranging from peppermints, toys, balloons to merry-go-round at the village fair. After so
many efforts, she finally saved sixty paisa.
15. What kind of a person is Valli? To answer this question, pick out the following
sentences from the text and fill in the blanks. The words you fill in are the clues to
your answer.
ii. “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised ________.
iii. “Yes, I ______ go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
iv. “There’s nobody here _________ ,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like
everyone else.”
v. “Never mind,” she said, “I can _______. You don’t have to help me. ”I’m not a child, I
tell you,” she said, .
vi. “You needn’t bother about me. I ________,” Valli said, turning her face toward the
window and staring out.
vii. Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope ________.”
A.
i. “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.
ii. “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
iii. “There’s nobody here who’s a child ,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like
everyone else.”
iv. “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself. You don’t have to help me. I’m not a
child, I tell you,” she said, .
v. “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face
toward the window and staring out.
vi. Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”
These words show that Valli is a mature, determined and independent girl. Although she is
only eight years of age, she has confidence and can take care of herself.
16. Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?
A. When the conductor gave Valli a hand in order to help her climb the bus, Valli denied. She
further denied all the help that she was being offered, because she considered herself not
to be a child. Moreover, the conductor was of the joking sort and thus, started addressing
Valli as a grown up ‘madam’.
17 Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.
A. The text which tells that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus is as follows-
i. Oh, it was all so wonderful!

ii. Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee.
iii. Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were
tears in her eyes.
iv. Struck dumb with wonder, Valli gaped at everything.
18. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?
A. On her way back to the village, Valli saw a lifeless cow lying on the road. It was the same
cow that was so joyful on their journey to the town. She got devastated as to how
something that was so full of life at one moment can turn into something horrible in just a
blink of an eye. Thus, she sat on her seat silently after this and refused to look out of the
window.
19. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about
things happening without our knowledge.”
A. Valli agreed to her mother’s statement that things happened without our knowing about
them. She meant to say that her mother was ignorant about her bus ride.
The Tale of Custard the Dragon
by Ogden Nash
About the Poet

Frederic Ogden Nash (1902-1971) was an American poet was an American poet famous for
his light verse. He was known as the producer of humorous poetry. He received Sarah
Josepha Hale Award in 1964.
Introduction
Ogden Nash has written a poem about a little girl Belinda who owns many pets, namely, a
black kitten named ink, grey mouse named blink, yellow dog named mustard and a coward
dragon named custard. The poet has described every character to be brave except the dragon
who is a coward. But the whole situation changes when a pirate attacked Belinda’s house. No
one else had the guts to face him, it was the dragon that killed the pirate. All the characters
are happy because they are saved by the dragon but quickly change their thoughts and
describe themselves to be more powerful had the situation not been so confusing for all of
them.
Summary
The tale of custard the dragon is a ballad. It is a humorous poem about a cowardly dragon
named custard. Custard is a pet of Belinda, a little girl who lives in a little white house with
her pets. She had a black kitten named ink, a grey mouse named blink, a yellow dog mustard
and a cowardly dragon custard. The poet says that all of them are very brave except the
dragon. Others were described as brave and are compared with animals like bear, tiger or lion
but the dragon is very timid. He always demands a safe place for himself. All the other
characters make fun of him. But one night they are surprised by the entry of a pirate in the
house. All of them get frightened and start hiding here and there. But to everyone’s surprise,
the dragon not only tackles him but also eats him up. As all of them are saved by custard,
they thank him. But at the end, they realize that they used to make fun of the dragon because
of his being timid. So, all of them suddenly start saying that they are braver and could have
handled the situation in a much better way. Here the poet has tried to say that sometimes a
timid person is the actual hero in the toughest situations of life.
Ballad = The ballad that is typically arranged in quatrains with the rhyme scheme
ABAB. Ballads are usually narrative, which means they tell a story. Ballads
began as folks’ songs and continue to be used today in modern music.
Quatrains = Is a stanza in a poem that has exactly four lines. Quatrains usually use
some form of rhyme scheme, especially the following forms: AAAA,
AABB, ABAB, and ABBA.
Timid = showing a lack of courage or confidence.
Tackles = make determined efforts to deal with (a problem or difficult task)
Stanza-1
Belinda lived in a little white house,

With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio(really), trulio,(truly) little pet dragon.
Wagon: a vehicle used for transporting goods or another specified purpose.

The poet says that once there was a little girl named Belinda. She lived in a little white
house. She lived with some creatures who were her pets. They were a black kitten, a grey
mouse, a yellow dog, a little red wagon and a creature that the poet says was really and
truly a dragon.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (house-mouse, wagon-dragon)

Repetition: use of the word ‘little’
oxymoron: use of two words with opposite meanings ‘“pet dragon”
Anaphora: repeated use of word at the start of two consecutive lines. (And a little …. And a
realio)
Refrain: Repetition of a sentence again and again (And a realio, trulio,)
poetic license: realio, trulio for real, true. The spellings have been changed to create
a musical effect
Stanza-2
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,

And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
Mustard: a yellow coloured flower

Coward: weakling
The poet explains the name of all the animals that are tamed by Belinda. He says that the
name of black kitten is ink. The name of grey mouse is blink. The little yellow dog had
yellow colour and so she calls him mustard and the dragon that was a coward means was a
weakling was called custard.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (ink-blink, mustard-custard)

simile: dog compared to mustard “And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard”
Alliteration: “coward, and she called him Custard” - “c” sound
Anaphora: repeated use of word at the start of two consecutive lines (And the little
grey…And the little yellow)
Repetition: use of word little
Stanza-3
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,

And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.
Spikes: thin pointed surface

Scales: Thin bony plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles.
Underneath: situated directly below
Fire place: An outdoor structure of brick, stone or metal for an open fire
Dagger: A sharp knife
The poet describes the dragon that it had big sharp teeth and spikes on top. This means
that its skin was pointed on the top. On the lower part it had scales which were bony plates
to protect the skin. His mouth has been compared to a fireplace because it is assumed that
dragons can release fire from the mouth. Even his nose is compared to a chimney which is
used to pass out smoke. His feet are like a sharp knife i.e. a dagger.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (teeth-underneath, nose-toes)

Simile: Dragon’s mouth is compared with fireplace (mouth like a fireplace)
Metaphor: “chimney for a nose”. The nose is like a chimney.
Stanza-4
Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,

And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Barrel: drum
Chased: hunt, follow
Rage: anger
So, now the poet explains the inner strength or the bravery of various characters of the
poem. He says that Belinda was as brave as a group of bears and ink and blink were so
brave that they could hunt lions. So here he has shown the bravery of the kitten and the
little mouse that could hunt even a lion. The dog was very brave just like an angry tiger.
But to contrast of all of them was Custard. Custard, the dragon was not brave he was so
afraid of everything that he always demanded a safe cage.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (bears-stairs, rage-cage)

Alliteration: Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears “b” sound is repeated
Simile: Belinda’s bravery is compared to that of a barrel full of bears (as a barrel full of
bears), Mustard’s bravery is compared to that of an angry tiger (Mustard was as
brave
as a tiger in a rage)
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘a’ (Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears)
Stanza-5
Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,

Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon
At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.
Tickled: stroke, here it means to tease

Unmerciful: cruel
Percival: A knight in King Arthur’s court
Belinda used to stroke the dragon in a very cruel way. Ink, blink and mustard made fun of
him by comparing him to a knight named Percival who was thought to be brave but ran
away due to lack of courage. They used to tease the dragon while sitting in their little red
wagon.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (unmerciful-Percival, wagon-dragon)

Repetition: use of the word ‘tickled him’
Allusion: reference to any person or place (Percival)
Personification: Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival
Stanza-6
Belinda giggled till she shook the house,

And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Giggled: to laugh
Weeck: Here it is the sound made by the mouse
The poet says that Belinda used to laugh so loudly that her voice echoed in the house.
Blink, the mouse used to laugh and make a sound of weeck. On the other hand, ink and
mustard would tease him by asking the dragon his age whenever he used to demand for a
nice safe cage.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (house-mouse, rage-cage)

Onomatopoeia: usage of sound words to create a dramatic effect (giggled, weeck)
Repetition: Custard cried for a nice safe cage
Stanza-7
Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,

And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda
Nasty: bad or unpleasant

Growled: bark
Pirate: A person who robs ship in the sea
Winda: it is used for window
So, while all of them were making fun of the dragon, they heard a sound of someone
entering the house. When they looked towards the window they saw a pirate climbing up
the wall. The dog barked at him and the kitten meowed to him. Belinda cried ‘ooh’ because
all of them were scared of the pirate (who robs ships).
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (sound-around, Belinda-winda)

Consonance: use of consonant sound ‘s’ (Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound)
Onomatopoeia: usage of sound words to create a dramatic effect (Mustard growled,
Meowch, cried ink)
Poetic license: window is written as ‘winda’ to create rhyme.
Stanza-8
Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,

And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good
Pistol: a handgun
Cutlass: a short sword with a curved blade.
The poet describes the appearance of the pirate. He says that the pirate was holding
handguns in both his hands and had a little sword too. He was holding his sword with his
teeth. He had a black beard and his one leg was made of wood. This means that though the
pirate was a disabled person but still he was frightening all the other characters. Moreover,
he intended to harm them.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (right- bright, wood- good)

Alliteration: beard was black “b”, he held his “h”
Imagery: An image is created about the appearance of the pirate.
Stanza-9
Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!

But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.
Paled: turn yellow due to fear

Yelp: a short sharp cry
Trickled: here, run
Strategically: planned
Mouseholed: here it is the hole where the mouse lives.
When all of them saw the pirate, they got frightened. Belinda was so frightened that she
turned yellow due to fear and started crying for help. Mustard the dog started crying for
help too. The kitten ink ran down towards the bottom of the house as if he had already
planned for it. The mouse ink ran into his little mouse hole in order to save himself.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (help-yelp, household – mousehold)
transferred epithet: terrified yelp
Repetition: help help
Poetic license: use of the word mousehold to rhyme with household
Stanza-10
But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,
Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,

With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
Snorting: make a sudden explosive sound through one’s nose

Clashed: fought
Dungeon: underground prison
Clatter Clank: sound of hard object falling on each other
Jangling squirm: sound of hard object falling on each other
Robin: A bird
When all the other characters that were earlier defined as very brave got frightened, the
dragon did the most unexpected thing. He jumped onto the pirate and made such a strong
sound with his nose as if the engine was producing a sound. Not only this, he hit his tail on
the ground with great force that it produced a heavy sound of metal being rubbed against
each other in the underground prisons. He attacked the pirate just like robin bird that
attacks the worms.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (engine-dungeon, squirm-worm)

Simile: sound of dragon is compared with sound of engine (snorting like an engine), Clashed
his tail like irons in a dungeon, dragon’s attack on pirate is compared to robin bird
(like a robin at a worm)
Onomatopoeia: usage of sound words to create a dramatic effect (clatter, clank, jangling)
Imagery: The attack by the dragon is expressed in a way to make an image in our minds.
Stanza 11
The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon,

And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets, but they didn’t hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.
Gaped: stared with mouth wide open

Gulped: swallow
Grog: a drink
Flagon: a container made of silver in which drink is stored
Gobbled: swallowed hurriedly
The pirate got so shocked by the dragon’s reaction that he opened his mouth wide with
shock. To gather some strength, he drank some alcohol from a container in his pocket.
After gathering some courage, he fired two bullets on the dragon but missed it. Custard the
dragon ate every bit of this fierce looking pirate.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (dragon-flagon, hit-bit)

alliteration: gulped some grog “g”
Imagery: They have shown the reaction and actions made by the pirate on seeing the dragon.
Stanza-12
Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,

No one mourned for his pirate victim.
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate
Around the dragon that ate the pirate.
Embraced: to hug
Mourned: feel sorrow for the death of someone
Victim: sufferer
Glee: delight
Gyrate: danced
When the pirate was dead, Belinda hugged the dragon and mustard licked him. No one
was sad for the death of the pirate, they all were happy. Both ink and blink were running
around the dragon in happiness. So, here the poet says that all the characters were happy
and they were showing their gratitude towards the dragon as he had saved them.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (him-victim, gyrate-pirate)

alliteration: glee did gyrate “g”
Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ (no one mourned for), use of vowel sound ‘I’ (ink and
blink in glee did), use of vowel sound ‘a’ (that ate the pirate)
Stanza-13
But presently up spoke little dog Mustard,

I’d have been twice as brave if I hadn’t been flustered.
And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink,
We’d have been three times as brave, we think,
And Custard said, I quite agree
That everybody is braver than me.
Flustered: upset or confused
After they thanked and showed their love towards the dragon, they changed their mind.
They were reminded of how they used to make fun of this coward dragon and now they all
were praising him. So, at once the dog said that it was just because of some confusion that
he wasn’t able to do anything otherwise he would have been twice as brave as custard.
Both ink and blink also said that they would have been three times braver than custard. To
this, the dragon said that he fully agreed to this that all of them were more powerful and
braver than him.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme scheme: aabb (mustard-flustered, blink-ink, agree-me)
Stanza-14
Belinda still lives in her little white house,

With her little black kitten and her little grey mouse,
And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,
And her realio, trulio little pet dragon.
Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs,
Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage
At last, the poet used the same lines again to show that after this terrific episode in which
the dragon was the hero where all the other characters still undermined him by saying that
they were more powerful than him and could have handled the situation in a much better
way, the poet says that life started again in the same manner. Belinda still lives in that little
white house with ink, blink, mustard and custard and all of them are very brave whereas
the dragon is still a coward who always wants to stay safe in his cage.
Literary Devices
Refrain: Repetition of a sentence again and again (And a realio, trulio)

Repetition: stanza has been repeated

Q1- Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
A1 Following are the characters of the poem:

i. A little girl named Belinda.
ii. A little black kitten whose name is ink.
iii. A little grey mouse named blink.
iv. A dog named mustard because he is yellow in colour.
v. A coward dragon whose name is Custard.
Q2- Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”?
A2- Custard cries for a safe cage because he is A coward. He is called cowardly dragon
because other characters are defined to be very brave in the following manner:
i. Belinda is described to be as brave as a barrel full of bears
ii. Ink and blink can chase lions down the stairs
iii. Mustard was as brave as a tiger in rage.
Q3- “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful...” Why?

A3- Belinda tickled him unmerciful because custard the dragon was a coward. He always
demanded a safe cage. That is why all of them made fun of him.
Q4- The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. For example: “Clashed his tail
like iron in a dungeon” — the poetic device here is a simile. Can you, with your partner,
list some more such poetic devices used in the poem?
A4- The poet has used many poetic devices to enhance the beauty of the poem. Like, to
create rhyme with ‘Belinda’, he used the word ‘winda’ instead of ‘window’. Other such
rhyming words are ‘household’ used with ‘mouseholed’ and ‘wagon’ with ‘dragon’. Not
only this, he also uses poetic device of repetition for example the word ‘little’ is used
many times, to describe her house and her pets. There is also the use of poetic device of
refrain because we can see the repetition of line “And her realio, trulio little pet dragon”
in many stanzas.
Q5- Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon?
A5- The looks of the dragon are explained in a way that it has big sharp teeth and spikes on
top. This means its skin is pointed on the top. On the lower part it has scales which are
bony plates meant to protect the skin. His mouth has been compared to a fireplace
because it is assumed that the dragons can release fire from the mouth. Even his nose is
compared to a chimney which is used to pass out the smoke. His feet are like a sharp
knife i.e. a dagger.
Q6- Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?
A6- Rhyme scheme of the second and third stanza is aabb.
Q7- Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean.
Can you trace some images used in the poem?
A7- Following are the words used to give us picture or image:

i. Mouth like a fireplace
ii. Chimney for nose
iii. Barrel full of bears
iv. Brave as a tiger in the rage
v. He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm
Q8- Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or a light-hearted poem?
Give reasons to support your answer.
A8- The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light-hearted poem. All the characters have names
which are rhyming with each other. They all are defined to be very brave except the
dragon. But in reality, the dragon proves to be the real hero. When they are attacked by
the pirate, the dragon gulps him. Though all the other characters were not brave enough
to handle the pirate but still they define themselves as more powerful than the dragon
after the incident is handled by the dragon alone. Though, the dragon was defined as a
coward by the poet right from the beginning of the poem.
Sermon at Benares
Introduction
The Sermon at Benares throws light upon the early life of Lord Buddha who was originally
born as a prince in the royal family. On being exposed to the sufferings of the world which he
was earlier shielded from, he left his prince hood and went in search of salvation thus leaving
all the worldly pleasures behind. Upon attaining spiritual awakening, he gave his first sermon
in the city of Benares hereby making a lady named Kisa Gotami realise that men are mortal
and a wise person should not grieve at what is bound to happen for it only enhances pain and
suffering.
Summary
Gautama Buddha was born to a North Indian royal family as a prince and was named
Siddhartha Gautama. When he was twelve years old, he was sent to a faraway place to study
Hindu sacred scriptures and upon returning four years later, he got married to a princess.
Soon, they both had a son and they continued to live the royal life for about ten years. The
royals were shielded from all the unpleasant experiences of the world until one day, on his
way to hunt, the Prince met a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession and a monk
begging for alms. These experiences acted as eye-openers for him and thus, he left all the
royalty behind to seek a higher sense of spiritual knowledge. Upon attaining salvation, he
began preaching. He gave his first sermon in the city of Benares. There was a lady named
Kisa Gotami whose son had died. Suffering with unending pain, she went from house to
house looking for a medicine to bring her son back to life. People started thinking that the
lady had lost her senses. One day, she met a man who directed her towards Lord Buddha who
could possibly have a solution for her problem. Buddha asked her to look for mustard seeds
and the seeds must be procured from a house that had seen no death. Reinstated with hope,
Kisa Gotami once again went on a search from house to house but to her dismay, she could
not find mustard seeds from a house that would fulfil Buddha’s condition. Disheartened, she
sat at the edge of the road thus realising how selfish she had been. She became conscious to
the fact that men were mortal and no one could escape the cycle of life. This was exactly
what Buddha wanted her to understand. According to Lord Buddha, feelings of grief and
sorrow only increases man’s pain and suffering thus, deteriorating his health. Therefore, a
wise person fully aware about nature’s functioning must not grieve at something bound to
happen and only then he can be happy and blessed.
GAUTAMA Buddha (563 B.C. – 483 B.C.) began life as a prince named Siddhartha
Gautama, in northern India. At twelve, he was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred
scriptures and four years later he returned home to marry a princess. They had a son and lived
for ten years as befitted royalty. At about the age of twenty-five, the Prince, heretofore
shielded from the sufferings of the world, while out hunting chanced upon a sick man, then
an aged man, then a funeral procession, and finally a monk begging for alms. These sights so
moved him that he at once went out into the world to seek enlightenment concerning the
sorrows he had witnessed.
Sacred- embodying the laws or doctrines of a religion
Scriptures- the sacred writings of a religion
Befitted- be appropriate for; suit
Chanced upon- came across by chance
Alms- money or food given to poor people; charity
Enlightenment- a state of high spiritual knowledge
Gautama Buddha was born to a North Indian royal family as a prince and was named
Siddhartha Gautama. He was sent to a faraway place when he was twelve years old to
study Hindu sacred scriptures and upon returning four years later, he got married to a
princess. Soon, they both had a son and they continued to live the royal life for about ten
years. The royals were shielded from all the unpleasant experiences of the world until the
Prince met a sick man, an aged man, a funeral procession and a monk looking for alms.
These experiences acted as eye-openers for him and thus, he left all the royalty behind to
seek a higher sense of spiritual knowledge.
He wandered for seven years and finally sat down under a peepal tree, where he vowed to
stay until enlightenment came. Enlightened after seven days, he renamed the tree the Bodhi
Tree (Tree of Wisdom) and began to teach and to share his new understandings. At that point
he became known as the Buddha (the Awakened or the Enlightened). The Buddha preached
his first sermon at the city of Benares, most holy of the dipping places on the River Ganges;
that sermon has been preserved and is given here. It reflects the Buddha’s wisdom about one
inscrutable kind of suffering.
Wandered- to move without a fixed course
Vowed- solemnly promise to do a specified thing
Preached- deliver a religious address to an assembled group of people
Sermon- a talk on religious or moral subject
Holy- sacred
Dipping places- bathing
Inscrutable- something which cannot be understood
Gautama Buddha went in search of enlightenment for about seven years before he finally
came across a peepal tree and chose to sit under it till he became awakened. When he
finally attained salvation after 7 days, he decided to retitle the tree as the ‘Bodhi tree’
(which means the Tree of Wisdom) and he himself came to be known as ‘Buddha’ (which
means The Awakened). He even began preaching his new realizations and his first sermon
was given in the city of Benares. The city of Benares is known to be sacred as it resides on
the banks of the river Ganges. The first sermon he gave was preserved and is famous till
date (It is given below as well). It gives a new perspective to man’s unending sufferings.
Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died. In her grief she carried the dead child to all her
neighbours, asking them for medicine, and the people said, “She has lost her senses. The boy
is dead.” At length, Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request, “I cannot give thee
medicine for thy child, but I know a physician who can.” And the girl said, “Pray tell me, sir;
who is it?” And the man replied, "Go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha.” Kisa Gotami repaired to
the Buddha and cried, “Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will cure my boy.”
It talks about a lady named Kisa Gotami whose son had recently died. Struck with
unending pain and sorrow, she took her son door to door requesting for a wonder drug
that could bring his son back to life. Quite obviously, everyone thought that the lady had
lost her ability to think clearly. Going on from door to door, she finally came across a man
who couldn’t offer any medicine but led her to Sakyamuni, the Buddha. Filled with hope,
the lady visited Gautama Buddha and begged him for a cure for her child.
The Buddha answered, “I want a handful of mustard seed.” And when the girl in her joy
promised to procure it, the Buddha added, “The mustard-seed must be taken from a house
where no one has lost a child, husband, parent or friend.”
Just as the man said, Gautama Buddha had a solution. He asked Kisa Gotami to get a
handful of mustard seeds. Restored with hope, Kisa Gotami thought it to be a very simple
task until Lord Buddha instilled a condition that “The mustard-seed must be taken from a
house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent or friend.”
Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house, and the people pitied her and said, “Here is
mustardseed; take it!” But when she asked, “Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in
your family?” they answered her, “Alas! the living are few, but the dead are many. Do not
remind us of our deepest grief.” And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it.
Once again, Kisa Gotami went from door to door, but this time, she was looking for
mustard seeds. Many had mustard seeds to offer but none of them could fulfil Lord
Buddha’s condition of having seen no deaths in the family. Upon being asked, people
requested her not to remind them of their deepest griefs. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find a
suitable home to get mustard seeds for his son.
Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the wayside watching the lights of
the city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again. At last the darkness of the night
reigned everywhere. And she considered the fate of men, that their lives flicker up and are
extinguished again. And she thought to herself, “How selfish am I in my grief! Death is
common to all; yet in this valley of desolation there is a path that leads him to immortality
who has surrendered all selfishness.”
All hope was lost for Kisa Gotami and thus, in extreme anguish and pain, she found
herself a place to ponder at the edge of the road. She continuously watched city lights
blinking and observed them till there was just darkness all around. After deep reflection,
she realised that man’s fate was just like these city lights that flicker and extinguish
repeatedly. The cycle of birth and death is nature’s way of working. Suddenly, she became
conscious as to how selfish she had been in her sorrow and that one who was born must
rest eternally. Men are mortal and the ones that are immortals have covered a path free
from all worldly pleasures.
The Buddha said, ‘‘The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and combined with
pain. For there is not any means by which those that have been born can avoid dying; after
reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings. As ripe fruits are early in
danger of falling, so mortals when born are always in danger of death. As all earthen vessels
made by the potter end in being broken, so is the life of mortals. Both young and adult, both
those who are fools and those who are wise, all fall into the power of death; all are subject to
death.
According to Lord Buddha, the life of mortals is troubled because they have not made
peace with the fact that the one who is born, must rest eternally. There is no way a living
being can avoid facing death. Just like a ripe fruit is more prone to falling, an aged mortal
is bound to die. Just like all earthen vessels break at some point, so do men. Whether old or
young, foolish or wise, death leaves none.
“Of those who, overcome by death, depart from life, a father cannot save his son, nor
kinsmen their relations. Mark! while relatives are looking on and lamenting deeply, one by
one mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter. So the world is afflicted
with death and decay, therefore the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world.
Kinsmen- a man who is one of a person’s blood relations
Lamenting- express regret or disappointment about something
Slaughter- killing of animals for food
Afflicted- affect adversely
The only way death works is by withdrawing the person from the living world i.e., the
person ceases to exist. No one has control over death, neither a father can save his son nor
a kinsmen his relative. Just like an ox is taken to the slaughter house to be killed, so does
death do with mortals, leaving none behind. Thus, the one who knows this truth and
doesn’t grieve at his loss is the one who has been called wise by Lord Buddha.
“Not from weeping nor from grieving will anyone obtain peace of mind; on the contrary, his
pain will be the greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale, yet the
dead are not saved by his lamentation. He who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of
lamentation, and complaint, and grief. He who has drawn out the arrow and has become
composed will obtain peace of mind; he who has overcome all sorrow will become free from
sorrow, and be blessed.”
According to Lord Buddha, one should not grieve, weep or be miserable at something
which is bound to happen for it will keep man away from obtaining peace of mind. It will
only multiply the pain and suffering thus leading to physical weakness and moreover, no
amount of grief would bring back the dead. It is very important to understand that one
must move past feelings like sorrow and grief as it is the only way that leads to the path of
salvation.

1. hen her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does
she get it? Why not?
A. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house requesting for a wonder
drug that could bring her son back to life. No, she could not get it because there is no
medicine that can bring a dead man back to life.
2. Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks with the Buddha. What
does she ask for, the second time around? Does she get it? Why not?
A. Upon seeing the Buddha, Kisa Gotami is refilled with hope and thus, she goes again
from house to house looking for mustard seeds just as Lord Buddha had asked her.
Many had mustard seeds to offer but none of them could fulfil Lord Buddha’s condition
of having seen no deaths in the family. Therefore, she couldn’t find mustard seed for her
son.
3. What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time that she failed to understand the
first time? Was this what the Buddha wanted her to understand?
A. When Kisa Gotami failed to find mustard seeds that could fulfil Lord Buddha’s
condition of having seen no deaths in the family, she became disheartened. After deep
reflection, she realised that the man’s fate was just like the city lights that flickered and
extinguished repeatedly. The cycle of birth and death was nature’s way of working.
Suddenly, she became conscious as to how selfish she had been in her sorrow and that
one who was born must rest eternally. Men are mortal. Yes, this is exactly what Lord
Buddha wanted her to understand.
4. Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did
the Buddha change her understanding?
A. Kisa Gotami was too overwhelmed with sorrow and pain that her ability to think
Clearly got clouded. She couldn’t realise that no one can escape the cycle of death.
When Kisa Gotami failed to find mustard seeds that could fulfil Lord Buddha’s
condition of having seen no deaths in the family, she became disheartened. After deep
reflection, she made peace with the terms of the world. Lord Buddha played a major
role in facilitating the shift in her understanding by teaching her a lesson that one must
not grieve for what is bound to happen for it will only deepen the pain and suffering.
For Anne Gregory
by William Butler Yeats
About the Poet

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was an Irish nationalist. He was educated in London and
Dublin, and was interested in folklore and mythology. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature
in 1923.
Introduction
W.B. Yeats has tried to touch a very important topic through his poem. He says that it is
almost impossible to find a person in your life who loves you truly. By saying truly, he means
the one who loves you for your qualities and not your looks. He says that only God loves us
for what we are from inside.
Summary
The poem is basically a conversation between the poet, Yeats and a young girl named Anne
Gregory. The poet tells her that if she finds a young boy who becomes sad because of her
rejection, it doesn’t mean that he was a true lover. He could have been in love with her
because of her beautiful yellow hair. This means that the boy might be in love with her
because of her attractive looks. He says that a true lover will be the one who will love her for
her inner qualities and not her looks. To this, Anne says that she will change her looks by
dying her hair into some other colour. She will become less attractive and then, maybe, she
will find a true love for herself. So, at last, he explains to her that the previous night, he had
heard some religious man saying that only God loves us for what we are. This means that
God never loves us for our looks but for our inner beauty.
STANZA-1
“Never shall a young man,
Thrown into despair
By those great honey-coloured
Ramparts at your ear,
Love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”
Despair: sadness
Ramparts: The high, wide walls around a castle or fort, for example, the ramparts of
The Red Fort
This poem is a conversation between the poet and a girl named Anne Gregory. The poet
says to the girl that a young man can become hopeless, if you will reject him. But this
doesn’t mean that he had true love for you in his heart. It is because you have beautiful
hair with which he had fallen in love. The girl has very beautiful hair. They fall on her
ears and seemingly protect them just like a boundary wall protects the fort. So, here, the
poet is pointing out at the reality which many people face during their youth, that they are
liked by the opposite gender, not because of their inner beauty but because of their
appearance.
Literary Devices:
Rhyme Scheme: abcbdb

Metaphor: honey-coloured Ramparts at your ear (Anne’s hair is compared to the ramparts of
a fort)
STANZA-2
“But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair
May love me for myself alone
And not my yellow hair.”
Anne replies that she has a nice solution to this situation. She can dye her hair and change
the colour into black, brown or carrot as this will no longer make her look less attractive.
Then maybe she will find the young man who will love her inner beauty and not her
appearance.
Literary Devices:

Alliteration: repetition of consonant ‘s’ sound at the start of two consecutive words. (Set
Such)
STANZA-3
“I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”
Yesternight: the previous night
After hearing Anne Gregory, the poet says that he had heard an old religious man say that
he could prove a fact with a text that he had found in some religious book. The fact was
that it is only God who loves us for what we are and not how we look. He loves us for our
inner qualities. Only God can do this.
Literary Devices:

Anaphora: Repeated use of a word at the beginning of two lines (That he…. That only god)
Alliteration: he had, your yellow

Q1- What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured /Ramparts at your ear?” Why
does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them?
A1- The “great honey coloured/ Rampart at your ear” means the yellow coloured hair of the
girl. They are very beautiful and cover her ears like a protective wall around a fort.
Young men may fall in love with Anne because of such beautiful hair. They may be
thrown into despair if she rejects them.
Q2-What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why
would she want to do so?
A2- The hair of young woman is yellow in colour. She says that she can change them to
brown, black or carrot color by using a hair dye. She wants to do so to get rid of the lover
who loves her for the yellow - coloured hair. She seeks a true lover - one who loves her
for her inner beauty.
The Proposal
By Anton Chekov
Introduction
The Proposal is a one-act play that begins with a young man, Lomov presenting a marriage
proposal to his neighbour’s daughter. Before he could actually convey it to the girl, they enter
into an argument about Oxen Meadows. Chubukov, the lady’s father also joins the heated
discussion. After they end this, they enter into another argument about their dogs and which
one is better than the other. In the midst of all this, proposal gets forgotten until Lomov falls
off due to his palpitations and Chubukov instantly puts her daughter’s hands in Lomov’s.
Unfortunately, the quarrelling still continues.
Summary
The curtain rises with Lomov entering his neighbour Chubukov’s house fully dressed up in
his evening attire. Chubukov is surprised to see him well-dressed and asks him the occasion.
Lomov reveals that he had come to make a request. Chubukov anticipates that he must have
come to ask for money which he doesn’t intend on giving. On being revealed that Lomov had
come to ask for Chubukov’s daughter, Natalya’s hand in marriage, Chubukov gets filled with
excitement and leaves to call Natalya. Lomov is a 35 year- old gentleman who suffers from
palpitations, gets upset very easily and doesn’t sleep well. He thinks it is the best age for him
to get married and he is happy that he has his mind made-up about Natalya. According to
him, Natalya is average-looking and a good housekeeper. When Natalya arrives, Lomov
begins the conversation about how grateful and glad he is that both their families are on good
terms since the very beginning. While continuing to talk about his land, he somehow
mentions about Oxen Meadows which earlier was a disputed property but is now his. Natalya
couldn’t believe a word he was saying because she believes that Oxen Meadows belong to
her family. Both of them enter into a heated discussion and act childishly when Chubukov
enters just to get the conversation more heated. They shout and scream while Lomov suffers
from extreme pounding of the heart, a side pull and a numb foot. They throw Lomov out of
the house and continue cursing him. While speaking ill of him, Chubukov unintentionally
reveals that he had come with a marriage proposal for Natalya which surprises Natalya and
she immediately regrets sending him out. She tells her father to bring him back immediately
and Chubukov curses himself on being a father of a grown-up daughter. When Lomov
returns, Natalya tries to deviate to another topic and starts talking about shooting. Somehow,
they enter into an argument involving their dogs. Natalya feels that her Squeezer is better
than Lomov’s Guess. They continue arguing when Chubukov enters the scene only to make
the situation worse, once again. Everyone gets hyper and Lomov finally falls due to his
palpitations. Even then, the cursing continues when suddenly Natalya notices that he is
unconscious. They try to get water down his throat but end up getting unsuccessful and
declare him dead. It is only when Lomov moves a little bit, they feed him some water and
Chubukov forcefully hands over Natalya’s hands to him, gives his blessings and asks them to
kiss. Lomov, still not fully conscious doesn’t understand what is going on. When he finally
comes to his senses, he expresses his excitement and kisses Natalya’s hands. Natalya, being
childish as she is, manipulates him into accepting that Squeezer is better than Guess but
Lomov, being adamant as he is, refuses to accept it. Thus, once again, the quarrelling
continues.

‘The Proposal’ (originally titled ‘A Marriage Proposal’) is a one-act play, a farce, by the
Russian short story writer and dramatist Anton Chekhov. It was written in 1888–89.
The play is about the tendency of wealthy families to seek ties with other wealthy families,
to increase their estates by encouraging marriages that make good economic sense. Ivan
Lomov, a long-time wealthy neighbour of Stepan Chubukov, also wealthy, comes to seek
the hand of Chubukov’s twenty-five-year-old daughter, Natalya. All three are quarrelsome
people, and they quarrel over petty issues. The proposal is in danger of being forgotten
amidst all this quarrelling. But economic good sense ensures that the proposal is made,
after all — although the quarrelling perhaps continues!
Farce: a comic dramatic work
The play was originally titled ‘A Marriage Proposal’, written by Russian writer Anton
Chekov. He displays how the rich want to marry their children into other wealthy families
with the aim of enhancing their wealth. The characters are quarrelsome and often end up
fighting over trivial matters. Still, they remember the marriage proposal which will bestow
monetary gains and finalise the wedding amidst the fighting.
Characters
STEPAN STEPANOVITCH CHUBUKOV: a landowner
NATALYA STEPANOVNA: his daughter, twenty-five years old
IVAN VASSILEVITCH LOMOV: a neighbour of Chubukov, a large and hearty, but
very suspicious, landowner
A drawing-room in Chubukov‘s house. Lomov enters, wearing a dress-jacket and white
gloves. Chubukov rises to meet him.
The curtain rises in Chubukov’s drawing room where Lomov enters fully dressed up in his
evening attire. Chubukov stands up to greet him.
CHUBUKOV: My dear fellow, whom do I see! Ivan Vassilevitch! I am extremely glad!
[Squeezes his hand] Now this is a surprise, my darling... How are you?
Chubukov welcomes his neighbour Ivan Vassilevitch very politely and asks about his well-
being. While shaking hands, he also asks Lomov the reason for his visit.
LOMOV: Thank you. And how may you be getting on?
While thanking Chubukov for asking about his well-being, Lomov asks him about his
condition.
CHUBUKOV: We just get along somehow, my angel, thanks to your prayers, and so on. Sit
down, please do... Now, you know, you shouldn’t forget all about your neighbours, my
darling. My dear fellow, why are you so formal in your get-up! Evening dress, gloves, and so
on. Can you be going anywhere, my treasure?
Chubukov replies by saying that they somehow manage to survive peacefully with blessings
of people like Lomov himself. He asks him to sit down and be comfortable. Surprised by his
formal evening attire, he questions the occasion. Chubukov has a very polite way of talking
and thus he often refers to Lomov as ‘my angel’, ‘my treasure’, etc.
LOMOV: No. I’ve come only to see you, honoured Stepan Stepanovitch.
Lomov replies by saying that there is no special occasion and he had just come to see the
revered Stepan Stepanovitch.
CHUBUKOV: Then why are you in evening dress, my precious? As if you’re paying a New
Year’s Eve visit!
Still curious, Chubukov asks him the reason behind Lomov’s outfit because to him, it
seems as if Lomov is paying them a New Year Eve’s visit.
LOMOV: Well, you see, it’s like this. [Takes his arm] I’ve come to you, honoured Stepan
Stepanovitch, to trouble you with a request. Not once or twice have I already had the
privilege of applying to you for help, and you have always, so to speak... I must ask your
pardon, I am getting excited. I shall drink some water, honoured Stepan Stepanovitch.
[Drinks.]
Privilege- advantage
With all due respect, Lomov grabs Chubukov’s arm and conveys his intention of troubling
him with a request. With all the gratitude, Lomov mentions the times when Chubukov has
helped him and as he continues talking, he starts getting excited. To calm himself, he
drinks water.
CHUBUKOV: [aside] He’s come to borrow money. Shan’t give him any! [aloud] What is it,
my beauty?
Shan’t- shall not

Chubukov assumes that Lomov had come to ask for money which he is in no intention of
giving to him. He then asks him the matter of concern.
LOMOV: You see, Honoured Stepanitch... I beg pardon Stepan Honouritch... I mean, I’m
awfully excited, as you will please notice... In short, you alone can help me, though I don’t
deserve it, of course... and haven’t any right to count on your assistance…
Pardon- forgive or excuse (a person, error or offence)
Awfully- very; extremely
Assistance- the action of helping someone
Tremendously excited and nervous, Lomov couldn’t even speak properly to the extent that
he was unable to get Chubukov’s name right. He begs Chubukov’s pardon for his clearly
visible excitement. Lomov tells him that he is the only person who could help him in the
situation although he doesn’t deserve it and has no right to ask for it.
CHUBUKOV: Oh, don’t go round and round it, darling! Spit it out! Well?
Go round and round- not coming to the main point
Spit it out- speak out
Chubukov didn’t understand what Lomov was referring to and thus, he told him to talk
directly.
LOMOV: One moment... this very minute. The fact is I’ve come to ask the hand of your
daughter, Natalya Stepanovna, in marriage.
To seek the hand of a girl in marriage- to propose

Lomov finally speaks up only to confess that he had come to ask for his daughter’s hand in
marriage.
CHUBUKOV: [joyfully] By Jove! Ivan Vassilevitch! Say it again — I didn’t hear it all!
By Jove- By God
Chubukov couldn’t believe what he just heard out of delight and thus, asks Lomov to
repeat what he just said.
LOMOV: I have the honour to ask...
As soon as Lomov continues to repeat his words, he is interrupted by Chubukov who is
very excited.
CHUBUKOV: [interrupting] My dear fellow... I’m so glad, and so on... Yes, indeed, and all
that sort of thing. [Embraces and kisses Lomov] I’ve been hoping for it for a long time. It’s
been my continual desire. [Sheds a tear] And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you were
my own son. May God give you both — His help and His love and so on, and so much
hope... What am I behaving in this idiotic way for? I’m off my balance with joy, absolutely
off my balance! Oh, with all my soul... I’ll go and call Natasha, and all that.
Desire- a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to
happen
Idiotic- very stupid; silly
Extremely delighted Chubukov expresses his cheerfulness and contentment. He fell short
of words to express his high spirits. Overwhelmed on seeing his long due desire getting
fulfilled, he kissed Lomov. He couldn’t control but shed a tear on hearing the news. He
offered his blessing to both Lomov and his daughter Natasha before he realises he had
been behaving in a silly way. He then calls Natasha to break her the great news.
LOMOV: [greatly moved] Honoured Stepan Stepanovitch, do you think I may count on her
consent?
Consent- agreement to do something
Lomov asks Chubukov if Natalya will consent for this marriage.
CHUBUKOV: Why, of course, my darling, and... as if she won’t consent! She’s in love;
egad, she’s like a lovesick cat, and so on. Shan’t be long! [Exit.]
Egad- exclamation (expressing surprise, anger, or affirmation)
Lovesick- longing, yearning or desiring
Chubukov expresses that there is no way Natalya won’t consent because she is longing for
his love. He then exits to call her and give the two a chance to talk privately.
LOMOV: It’s cold... I’m trembling all over, just as if I’d got an examination before me. The
great thing is, I must have my mind made up. If I give myself time to think, to hesitate, to talk
a lot, to look for an ideal, or for real love, then I’ll never get married. Brr... It’s cold! Natalya
Stepanovna is an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated. What more do I
want? But I’m getting a noise in my ears from excitement. [Drinks] And it’s impossible for
me not to marry. In the first place, I’m already 35 — a critical age, so to speak. In the second
place, I ought to lead a quiet and regular life. I suffer from palpitations, I’m excitable and
always getting awfully upset; at this very moment my lips are trembling, and there’s a twitch
in my right eyebrow. But the very worst of all is the way I sleep. I no sooner get into bed and
begin to go off, when suddenly something in my left side gives a pull, and I can feel it in my
shoulder and head... I jump up like a lunatic, walk about a bit and lie down again, but as soon
as I begin to get off to sleep there’s another pull! And this may happen twenty times...
[Natalya Stepanovna comes in.]
Trembling- shaking or quivering, typically as a result of excitement, anxiety or frailty
Hesitate- pause in indecision before saying or doing something
Housekeeper- a person who manages a household
Palpitations- a noticeably rapid, strong or irregular heartbeat due to agitation, exertion
or illness
Twitch- a sudden quick moment or feeling
Lunatic- a person who is mentally ill (not in technical use)
Lomov feels nervous and shakes all over just like he’s got an examination before him. He
feels that it is in his favour that he already has his mind made up because if he gave
himself time to ponder upon it, his marriage would end up getting delayed or worse, being
cancelled. He reassures himself that Natalya Stepanovna would make a great partner as
she is average-looking, an excellent housekeeper and well-educated. What else could one
ask for? Still excited, he could feel some noises in his ears. He did not give himself the
option of not marrying after he had reached the critical age of 35 because he wished to live
a normal and ordinary life. He generally suffers from an abnormally high heart rate and
gets upset easily. Even at that moment, his lips were trembling and his eyebrow twitching.
Above all this, he doesn’t sleep well. Whenever he sleeps, he feels a pull in the right side of
his head and shoulder. Then he jumps, walks and lies down, but as soon as he is to get off
to sleep, he experiences another pull. This happens for around 20 times.
NATLYA: Well, there! It’s you, and papa said, “Go; there’s a merchant come for his goods.”
How do you do, Ivan Vassilevitch?
Chubukov’s daughter Natalya enters the scene only to see Ivan Vassilevitch to her
surprise. Her father had told her that some merchant was waiting to get his goods.
LOMOV: How do you do, honoured Natalya Stepanovna?
Lomov asks about her well-being.
NATALYA: You must excuse my apron and neglige. We’re shelling peas for drying. Why
haven’t you been here for such a long time? Sit down... [They seat themselves.] Won’t you
have some lunch?
Neglige- form of nightgown

She apologises for her apron and dress as they had been shelling peas for drying and asks
him to be comfortable. She even offers him lunch.
LOMOV: No, thank you, I’ve had some already.
On being asked for lunch, Lomov tells her that he had already had his.
NATALYA: Then smoke. Here are the matches. The weather is splendid now, but yesterday
it was so wet that the workmen didn’t do anything all day. How much hay have you stacked?
Just think, I felt greedy and had a whole field cut, and now I’m not at all pleased about it
because I’m afraid my hay may rot. I ought to have waited a bit. But what’s this? Why,
you’re in evening dress! Well, I never! Are you going to a ball or what? Though I must say
you look better... Tell me, why are you got up like that?
She then offers Lomov to smoke. She talks about the great weather they were experiencing
that day and how bad it was the previous day that the workmen couldn’t do anything the
entire day. She starts talking about her haystack and how she had been greedy enough to
get the entire field cut which is worrying her now. While talking, she suddenly notices his
dress and guesses if he is going for the ball. She compliments him and asks him the
occasion.
LOMOV: [excited] You see, honoured Natalya Stepanovna... the fact is, I’ve made up my
mind to ask you to hear me out... Of course, you’ll be surprised and perhaps even angry, but
a... [aside] It’s awfully cold!
Lomov begins talking and warns her that she could be surprised or even angry upon
hearing. He feels strangely cold.
NATALYA: What’s the matter? [pause] Well?
Natalya asks him the matter of his concern.
LOMOV: I shall try to be brief. You must know, honoured Natalya Stepanovna, that I have
long, since my childhood, in fact, had the privilege of knowing your family. My late aunt and
her husband, from whom, as you know, I inherited my land, always had the greatest respect
for your father and your late mother. The Lomovs and the Chubukovs have always had the
most friendly, and I might almost say the most affectionate, regard for each other. And, as
you know, my land is a near neighbour of yours. You will remember that my Oxen Meadows
touch your birchwoods.
Inherited- received as an heir at the death of the previous holder
Affectionate- readily feeling or showing fondness or tenderness
Oxen meadows- a land full of grass for animals to graze in
Birchwoods- a wood of birch trees
Lomov tries to be brief in his approach. He begins by recalling the good relations between
both of their families from the beginning. His late aunt and her husband respected
Natalya’s parents. He even mentions that their lands are neighbours to each other and his
Oxen Meadows touches their birchwoods.
NATALYA: Excuse my interrupting you. You say, “my Oxen Meadows”. But are they
yours?
Natalya questions the integrity of Lomov by asking if the Oxen Meadows that he claims to
own are actually his.
LOMOV: Yes, mine.
Lomov affirms.
NATALYA: What are you talking about? Oxen Meadows are ours, not yours!
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing because according to her, the Oxen Meadows
are hers.
LOMOV: No, mine, honoured Natalya Stepanovna.
Lomov exclaims that they are his!
NATALYA: Well, I never knew that before. How do you make that out?
Natalya says that she was not aware of it and asked Lomov for an explanation.
LOMOV: How? I’m speaking of those Oxen Meadows which are wedged in between your
birchwoods and the Burnt Marsh.
Lomov clarifies and points out the exact Oxen Meadows he is talking about, the ones that
are wedged between birchwoods and the Burnt Marsh.
NATALYA: Yes, yes... they’re ours.
Natalya also confirms that she is talking about those particular meadows only.
LOMOV: No, you’re mistaken, honoured Natalya Stepanovna, they’re mine.
Lomov thinks that there is some misunderstanding that Natalya has because he is very sure
that they are his.
NATALYA: Just think, Ivan Vassilevitch! How long have they been yours?
Natlaya tells Lomov to think that for how long have the Oxen Meadows been his.
LOMOV: How long? As long as I can remember.
Lomov replies that they have been his forever.
NATALYA: Really, you won’t get me to believe that!
Natalya commented that she could not believe him.
LOMOV: But you can see from the documents, honoured Natalya Stepanovna. Oxen
Meadows, it’s true, were once the subject of dispute, but now everybody knows that they are
mine. There’s nothing to argue about. You see my aunt’s grandmother gave the free use of
these Meadows in perpetuity to the peasants of your father’s grandfather, in return for which
they were to make bricks for her. The peasants belonging to your father’s grandfather had the
free use of the Meadows for forty years, and had got into the habit of regarding them as their
own, when it happened that...
Perpetuity- the state or quality of lasting forever

Lomov mentions that he has proof that the land belongs to him. He even highlights that
once Oxen Meadows were a disputed property but the issue had been resolved and they are
now his.
He goes back into its history and specifies that his aunt’s grandmother had given the free
use of these Meadows in perpetuity to the peasants of her father’s grandfather. According
to him, it was given for forty years and the peasants got in the habit of regarding it as their
own.
NATALYA: No, it isn’t at all like that! Both grandfather and greatgrandfather reckoned that
their land extended to Burnt Marsh — which means that Oxen Meadows were ours. I don’t
see what there is to argue about. It’s simply silly!
Reckoned- established by calculation
Natalya disagrees! Since childhood, she has heard from her grandfather and great-
grandfather that their land extended till the Burnt Marsh. She completely trusted them and
doesn’t see any point in arguing about its ownership.
LOMOV: I’ll show you the documents, Natalya Stepanovna!
Lomov insists on showing her the proof.
NATALYA: No, you’re simply joking, or making fun of me. What a surprise! We’ve had the
land for nearly three hundred years, and then we’re suddenly told that it isn’t ours! Ivan
Vassilevitch, I can hardly believe my own ears. These Meadows aren’t worth much to me.
They only come to five dessiatins, and are worth perhaps 300 roubles, but I can’t stand
unfairness. Say what you will, I can’t stand unfairness.
Natalya thinks of it as some kind of joke because she believes the land is theirs since past
three hundred years and now someone comes claiming it to be his property. Although the
land isn’t of much worth, only around 300 roubles but Natalya is highly disappointed by
the unfairness.
LOMOV: Hear me out, I implore you! The peasants of your father’s grandfather, as I have
already had the honour of explaining to you, used to bake bricks for my aunt’s grandmother.
Now my aunt’s grandmother, wishing to make them a pleasant...
Implore- Beg someone earnestly to do something
Lomov begs Natalya to at least listen to what he is trying to say. He mentions that her
great-grandfather’s peasants used to bake bricks for his aunt’s grandmother and as he
continued talking, he was interrupted by Natalya.
NATALYA: I can’t make head or tail of all this about aunts and grandfathers and
grandmothers. The Meadows are ours, that’s all.
Natalya expresses her reluctance on listening to any of his tales. She just knows one thing;
the Oxen Meadows are hers!
LOMOV: Mine.
Lomov says that they are his.
NATALYA: Ours! You can go on proving it for two days on end, you can go and put on
fifteen dress jackets, but I tell you they’re ours, ours, ours! I don’t want anything of yours and
I don’t want to give anything of mine. So there!
Natalya disagrees and tells him that he can do anything to prove his theory or wear fifteen
such dress jackets (means that she won’t come under the influence of him being well
dressed) but she will never accept the fact that they are his. She clarifies that she wants
nothing from him and doesn’t intend on giving anything that is hers but the Oxen
Meadows are hers.
LOMOV: Natalya Stepanovna, I don’t want the Meadows, but I am acting on principle. If
you like, I’ll make you a present of them.
Lomov clarifies that even he doesn’t value the Oxen Meadows much but he is just being
fair and acting on principle. He even offered to make a present of the meadows to her.
NATALYA: I can make you a present of them myself, because they’re mine! Your
behaviour, Ivan Vassilevitch, is strange, to say the least! Up to this we have always thought
of you as a good neighbour, a friend; last year we lent you our threshing-machine, although
on that account we had to put off our own threshing till November, but you behave to us as if
we were gypsies. Giving me my own land, indeed! No, really, that’s not at all neighbourly! In
my opinion, it’s even impudent, if you want to know.
Gypsies- a group of nomadic people who travel from one place to another
Impudent- not showing due respect for another person
Natalya offers to make a present of them to him because they are actually hers. She is
shocked at how he is offering to gift her property to her only. She mentions that he had
been acting very strange and till then, they thought of him as a friendly neighbour but now
he is not at all acting neighbourly. Natalya’s family offered him their threshing machine
last year even if it meant delaying their own process but he has been treating them oddly.
She feels that he is not showing due respect to them.
LOMOV: Then you make out that I’m a landgrabber? Madam, never in my life have I
grabbed anybody else’s land and I shan’t allow anybody to accuse me of having done so.
[Quickly steps to the carafe and drinks more water] Oxen Meadows are mine!
Carafe- an open-topped glass flask used for serving wine or water in a restaurant
He takes it as if Natalya is accusing him of being a landgrabber. He gets offended and
mentions that never in his entire life has he grabbed something that is not his. He cannot
stand someone accusing him of the same. While sipping on some water, he mentions that
the Oxen Meadows are his.
NATALYA: It’s not true, they’re ours!

Natalya still insists that they are theirs.
LOMOV: Mine!
Lomov is adamant on his view.
NATALYA: It’s not true! I’ll prove it! I’ll send my mowers out to the Meadows this very
day!
Mowers- a person who cuts grass with a mower
Natalya feels the need to prove her ownership and thus, decides on sending the grass
cutters at the location the same day.
LOMOV: What?
Lomov cannot believe what Natalya says.
NATALYA: My mowers will be there this very day!
Natalya insists that the grass cutters will be there that very day.
LOMOV: I’ll give it to them in the neck!
Lomov threatens that he will hit Natalya’s mowers.
NATALYA: You dare!
Natalya threatens that he should not dare to do such a thing.
LOMOV: [Clutches at his heart] Oxen Meadows are mine! You understand? Mine!
Lomov gets aggressive and mentions in a high tone that the Oxen Meadows are his and his
only.
NATALYA: Please don’t shout! You can shout yourself hoarse in your own house but here I
must ask you to restrain yourself!
Hoarse- sounding rough and harsh
Restrain- prevent from doing something; keep under control or within limits
Natalya asks Lomov to behave and refrain from shouting in her house.
LOMOV: If it wasn’t, madam, for this awful, excruciating palpitation, if my whole inside
wasn’t upset, I’d talk to you in a different way! [Yells] Oxen Meadows are mine!
Excruciating- intensely painful; sever; acute; extreme
Palpitation- heartbeat
He makes a mention of his extremely painful increased heart rate and blames it for his
tone. Even in such a pain, he doesn’t stop claiming the Oxen Meadows.
NATALYA: Ours!
LOMOV: Mine!
NATALYA: Ours!
LOMOV: Mine! [Enter Chubukov]
CHUBUKOV: What’s the matter? What are you shouting for?
On hearing both of them fight, Chubukov enters to check upon them and asks the subject
matter.
NATALYA: Papa, please tell this gentleman who owns Oxen Meadows, we or he?
Natalya asks her father to confirm the ownership of Oxen Meadows.
CHUBUKOV: [to Lomov] Darling, the Meadows are ours!
Chubukov tells Lomov the same thing as Natalya; the Oxen Meadows belong to them!
LOMOV: But, please, Stepan Stepanovitch, how can they be yours? Do be a reasonable man!
My aunt’s grandmother gave the Meadows for the temporary and free use of your
grandfather’s peasants. The peasants used the land for forty years and got accustomed to it as
if it was their own, when it happened that...
Lomov questions the claim made by Chubukov and asks him to be reasonable. He
continues explaining his side of the story to him and gets interrupted by Chubukov.
CHUBUKOV: Excuse me, my precious. You forget just this, that the peasants didn’t pay
your grandmother and all that, because the Meadows were in dispute, and so on. And now
everybody knows that they’re ours. It means that you haven’t seen the plan.
Chubukov interrupts and corrects him by mentioning that the only reason that the
peasants got to use Oxen Meadows for free was because it was a disputed land. But now, it
is very clear to everybody that the Chubukovs own it. He even blames him of not seeing the
plan.
LOMOV: I’ll prove to you that they’re mine!
CHUBUKOV: You won’t prove it, my darling —
Chubukov believes Lomov can’t prove something to be his when it’s not.
LOMOV: I shall
Lomov insists that he would prove them to be his.
CHUBUKOV: Dear one, why yell like that? You won’t prove anything just by yelling. I
don’t want anything of yours, and don’t intend to give up what I have. Why should I? And
you know, my beloved, that if you propose to go on arguing about it, I’d much sooner give up
the Meadows to the peasants than to you. There!
Chubukov also points out that there is no need to yell. Yelling wouldn’t prove anything. He
repeats the same words as Natalya and says that he doesn’t intend on claiming something
that is not his and also doesn’t want to give away what is his. He says it out of anger that if
Lomov keeps on arguing about the land, he would rather give it to his peasants for free
than to him.
LOMOV: I don’t understand! How have you the right to give away somebody else’s
property?
Lomov gets offended and asks him how he can give away something that is someone else’s
property.
CHUBUKOV: You may take it that I know whether I have the right or not. Because, young
man, I’m not used to being spoken to in that tone of voice, and so on. I, young man, am twice
your age, and ask you to speak to me without agitating yourself, and all that.
Chubukov gets irritated by the tone in which Lomov chose to speak to him. He mentions
that he is twice his age and deserves to be spoken with respect, politeness and all that.
LOMOV: No, you just think I’m a fool and want to have me on! You call my land yours, and
then you want me to talk to you calmly and politely! Good neighbours don’t behave like that,
Stepan Stepanovitch! You’re not a neighbour, you’re a grabber!
Lomov insists that his impolite tone is a reaction to what Chubukov has been doing, that is,
claiming Lomov’s land. He calls Chubukov a bad neighbour and a grabber.
CHUBUKOV: What’s that? What did you say?
Feeling highly disrespected, Stepan asks Lomov to repeat his words.
NATALYA: Papa, send the mowers out to the Meadows at once!

Natalya interferes and asks her father to send the mowers to Oxen Meadows at once.
CHUBUKOV: What did you say, sir?
Still unable to accept what he just heard about himself, he asks Lomov to repeat his words.
NATALYA: Oxen Meadows are ours, and I shan’t give them up, shan’t give them up, shan’t
give them up!
Natalya claims to possess Oxen Meadows and refuses to let them go just because someone
else is claiming it to be theirs.
LOMOV: We’ll see! I’ll have the matter taken to court, and then I’ll show you!
Lomov threatens to take the matter to court and prove it to them that he is the real owner.
CHUBUKOV: To court? You can take it to court, and all that! You can! I know you; you’re
just on the look-out for a chance to go to court, and all that. You pettifogger! All your people
were like that! All of them!
Pettifogger- an inferior legal practitioner, especially one who deals with petty cases or
employs dubious practices
Chubukov accuses Lomov that he is just looking for a chance to go to court just like all of
the people in his family. He insists that he go on with the proceedings.
LOMOV: Never mind about my people! The Lomovs have all been honourable people, and
not one has ever been tried for embezzlement, like your grandfather!
Embezzlement- theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or belonging to
one's employer
Lomov refuses to listen anything against his family and mentions that they are all
respectable personalities unlike Chubukov’s grandfather who had been tried for
embezzlement.
CHUBUKOV: You Lomovs have had lunacy in your family, all of you!
Lunacy- the state of being a lunatic; insanity (not in technical use)
Chubukov mentions that insanity and irrationality run in the Lomovs.
NATALYA: All, all, all!
Natalya repeats after her father.
CHUBUKOV: Your grandfather was a drunkard, and your younger aunt, Nastasya
Mihailovna, ran away with an architect, and so on...
Drunkard- a person who is habitually drunk
Chubukov calls Lomov’s grandfather an alcohol addict, breaks the news that Lomov’s
younger aunt ran away with an architect.
LOMOV: And your mother was hump-backed. [Clutches at his heart] Something pulling in
my side... My head.... Help! Water!
Hump- A rounded protuberance found as an abnormality on the back of a person
Lomov mentions that Chubukov’s mother was hump-backed. While he was saying this, he
felt a pull on his side and head. Thus, he calls for help and water.
CHUBUKOV: Your father was a guzzling gambler!
Guzzling- greedy (here)
Gambler- a person who gambles; speculator
As the blame game is on, Chubukov calls Lomov’s father a greedy gambler.
NATALYA: And there haven’t been many backbiters to equal your aunt!
Natalya calls Lomov’s aunt a backbiter and that no one could match her level.
LOMOV: My left foot has gone to sleep... You’re an intriguer.... Oh, my heart! And it’s an
open secret that before the last elections you bri... I can see stars... Where’s my hat?
Intriguer- someone who tricks, deceives or cheats
Lomov complains that his foot is numb. Calls Chubukov a plotter. Saya that he has pain in
his heart. He adds that in the last elections, Chubukov was …… he does not complete the
sentence as he feels dizzy. He calls for his hat.
NATALYA: It’s low! It’s dishonest! It’s mean!
Natalya calls his act low, dishonest and mean.
CHUBUKOV: And you’re just a malicious, doublefaced intriguer! Yes!
Malicious-intending or intended to do harm
Chubukov further call him names.
LOMOV: Here’s my hat. My heart! Which way? Where’s the door? Oh I think I’m dying!
My foot’s quite numb... [Goes to the door.]
Numb- deprived of the power of physical sensation
Lomov finally finds his hat and starts asking for direction towards the door. With his heart
pounding and foot numb, he feels that he is dying.
CHUBUKOV: [following him] And don’t set foot in my house again!
Chubukov screams in anger and tells Lomov not to step foot in his house again.
NATALYA: Take it to court! We’ll see! [Lomov staggers out.]
And Natalya tells him to take the matter to court in order to show that they are not afraid.
CHUBUKOV: Devil take him! [Walks about in excitement.]
Chubukov calls for the devils to take Lomov along.
NATALYA: What a rascal! What trust can one have in one’s neighbours after that!
Rascal- devil
Natalya comments that Lomov is a devil and is unreliable.
CHUBUKOV: The villain! The scarecrow!
Chubukov further calls him names.
NATALYA: The monster! First he takes our land and then he has the impudence to abuse us.
Impudence- audacity
Natalya is surprised how Lomov first claimed their land to be his own and then possessed
the audacity to abuse them.
CHUBUKOV: And that blind hen, yes, that turnip-ghost has the confounded cheek to make a
proposal, and so on! What? A proposal!
In the process of cursing him and calling him names, Chubukov reveals the real reason
behind Lomov’s visit that had been overshadowed by the argument related to Oxen
Meadows. He couldn’t believe his audacity to come with a proposal for her daughter.
NATALYA: What proposal?
Unaware about the subject matter, Natalya asks her dad which proposal is he talking
about.
CHUBUKOV: Why, he came here to propose to you.
Chubukov clarifies that Lomov came here to ask for Natalya’s hand in marriage.
NATALYA: To propose? To me? Why didn’t you tell me so before?
Surprised at hearing this, Natalya tells her father that he should have told this to her
earlier.
CHUBUKOV: So he dresses up in evening clothes. The stuffed sausage! The wizen-faced
frump!
He further calls Lomov names and expresses displeasure on seeing his audacity to come
there in the evening dress.
NATALYA: To propose to me? Ah! [Falls into an easy-chair and wails] Bring him back!
Back! Ah! Bring him here.
Natalya is stunned at the news. She falls into the chair and instantly demands to call him
back.
CHUBUKOV: Bring whom here?
Chubukov is not very sure who she is referring to.
NATALYA: Quick, quick! I’m ill! Fetch him! [Hysterics.]
She tells her father to call him back at the very moment.
CHUBUKOV: What’s that? What’s the matter with you? [Clutches at his head] Oh, unhappy
man that I am! I’ll shoot myself! I’ll hang myself! We’ve done for her!
Chubukov couldn’t register Natalya’s change of behaviour towards Lomov and thus, he
calls himself an unhappy man. He intends on shooting himself or hanging himself.
NATALYA: I’m dying! Fetch him!
Natalya says that she is about to die. Lomov be summoned.
CHUBUKOV: Tfoo! At once. Don’t yell! [Runs out. A pause.]
Chubukov asks his daughter to calm down and stop yelling. He runs away to call Lomov.
NATALYA: [Natalya Stepanovna wails.] What have they done to me? Fetch him back! Fetch
him! [A pause. Chubukov runs in.]
Natalya asks her father to hurry. Chubukov returns.
CHUBUKOV: He’s coming, and so on, devil take him! Ouf! Talk to him yourself; I don’t
want to...
He informs Natalya that Lomov is coming. He doesn’t intend on talking to him and thus,
asks her to have a word with him herself.
NATALYA: [wails] Fetch him!
Natalya cries for Lomov.
CHUBUKOV: [yells] He’s coming, I tell you. Oh, what a burden, Lord, to be the father of a
grown-up daughter! I’ll cut my throat I will, indeed! We cursed him, abused him, drove him
out; and it’s all you... you!
He is unable to accept what just happened. He feels that it is both a burden and a curse to
be a grown-up girl’s daughter. He wants to cut his throat off because at one moment they
cursed, abused and threw him out of their house and at the other, they are calling him
back to accept the proposal.
NATALYA: No, it was you!
Natalya blames her father for abusing him.
CHUBUKOV: I tell you it’s not my fault. [Lomov appears at the door] Now you talk to him
yourself. [Exit.]
Chubukov clarifies that it was not his fault when Lomov appears at the door, he tells
Natalya to handle the situation herself.
LOMOV: [Lomov enters, exhausted.] My heart’s palpitating awfully. My foot’s gone to
sleep. There’s something that keeps pulling in my side....
Lomov enters completely exhausted. He doesn’t feel well because of his palpitations, numb
feet and pulls on one side.
NATALYA: Forgive us, Ivan Vassilevitch, we were all a little heated. I remember now:
Oxen Meadows... really are yours.
Natalya, surprisingly in a completely different tone gives clarification for how they treated
him earlier. She suddenly remembers that the Oxen Meadows are his.
LOMOV: My heart’s beating awfully. My Meadows... My eyebrows are both twitching....
While trying to talk about the Meadows, he expresses that his heart is pounding and
eyebrows twitching.
NATALYA: The Meadows are yours, yes, yours. Do sit down. [They sit] We were wrong.
Natalya confirms that the Oxen Meadows are his and asks him to sit down. She accepts her
mistake and says that they were wrong.
LOMOV: I did it on principle. My land is worth little to me, but the principle...
Lomov said that although the land is worth little but he was just acting on principle. He
was just being fair.
NATALYA: Yes, the principle, just so. Now let’s talk of something else.
Natalaya tells him to change the topic in the hope of bringing up the proposal.
LOMOV: The more so as I have evidence. My aunt’s grandmother gave the land to your
father’s grandfather’s peasants...
Lomov doesn’t stop with his clarifications and again mentions that his aunt’s grandmother
gave the land to her father’s grandfather’s peasants.
NATALYA: Yes, yes, let that pass. [aside] I wish I knew how to get him started. [aloud] Are
you going to start shooting soon?
Natalya asks him to change the topic. She thinks how could she bring him to discuss the
marriage proposal. She asks Lomov if he shall resume shooting.
LOMOV: I’m thinking of having a go at the blackcock, honoured Natalya Stepanovna, after
the harvest. Oh, have you heard? Just think, what a misfortune I’ve had! My dog Guess, who
you know, has gone lame.
Lame- unable to walk without difficulty as the result of an injury or illness affecting the
leg or foot; limping
Upon being asked, Lomov shares his plans about shooting. He plans on going to the
blackcock after the harvest. He then shares the news that his dog Guess suffers difficulty
in walking properly.
NATALYA: What a pity! Why?
She shows her sympathy and asks how he had gone lame.
LOMOV: I don’t know. Must have got his leg twisted or bitten by some other dog. [sighs]
My very best dog, to say nothing of the expense. I gave Mironov 125 roubles for him.
Lomov is not sure of the reason but he suspects that he might have got his leg twisted or
bitten by some other dog. He highly regrets it as it was his best dog and he had paid a high
amount, that is, 125 roubles for it.
NATALYA: It was too much, Ivan Vassilevitch.
Natalya thinks he had paid a very high price for such a dog.
LOMOV: I think it was very cheap. He’s a first-rate dog.
He thinks it was very low for a first-rate dog like Guess.
NATALYA: Papa gave 85 roubles for his Squeezer, and Squeezer is heaps better than Guess!
She mentions that he rather gave 85 roubles for her dog Squeezer who is way better than
Guess.
LOMOV: Squeezer better than Guess? What an idea! [laughs] Squeezer better than Guess!
He finds it extremely funny that Squeezer is better than Guess.
NATALYA: Of course he’s better! Of course, Squeezer is young, he may develop a bit, but
on points and pedigree he’s better than anything that even Volchanetsky has got.
Natalya confidently says that Squeezer is any day better. He is young but he may develop a
bit. He is the best when it comes to points and pedigree, even beats what Volchanetsky has
got.
LOMOV: Excuse me, Natalya Stepanovna, but you forget that he is overshot, and an
overshot always means the dog is a bad hunter!
Lomov highlights that her Squeezer is an overshot which means he is bad at hunting.
NATALYA: Overshot, is he? The first time I hear it!
She doesn’t agree with what Lomov is saying about Squeezer being an overshot.
LOMOV: I assure you that his lower jaw is shorter than the upper.
He further confirms by saying that Squeezer’s lower jaw is smaller than the upper jaw.
NATALYA: Have you measured?
LOMOV: Yes. He’s all right at following, of course, but if you want to get hold of anything...
He mentions that Squeezer is fine when it comes to simply following someone but not at
other things like grabbing something.
NATALYA: In the first place, our Squeezer is a thoroughbred animal, the son of Harness and
Chisels while there’s no getting at the pedigree of your dog at all. He’s old and as ugly as a
worn-out cab-horse.
Natalya brags about her dog being a thoroughbred, the son of Harness and Chisels. She
says that Guess, on the other hand, is old and ugly as a worn-out cab-horse.
LOMOV: He is old, but I wouldn’t take five Squeezers for him. Why, how can you? Guess is
a dog; as for Squeezer, well, it’s too funny to argue. Anybody you like has a dog as good as
Squeezer... you may find them under every bush almost. Twenty-five roubles would be a
handsome price to pay for him.
Lomov says that although his dog is old, but is still any day better than Squeezer to the
extent that he won’t exchange Guess for 5 Squeezers. He doesn’t think of Squeezer as an
extra ordinary dog. He can be found almost under every bush and that he is not worth
more than 25 roubles.
NATALYA: There’s some demon of contradition in you today, Ivan Vassilevitch. First you
pretend that the Meadows are yours; now, that Guess is better than Squeezer. I don’t like
people who don’t say what they mean, because you know perfectly well that Squeezer is a
hundred times better than your silly Guess. Why do you want to say he isn’t?
Natalya feels that there is something wrong with Lomov’s judgement. First, he falsely
claimed Meadows to be his and then, he is saying that Guess is better than Squeezer. She
feels that he is out of his mind and does not mean what he is saying which is a trait she
absolutely dislikes. She doesn’t get why he thinks his dog is better than Squeezer.
LOMOV: I see, Natalya Stepanovna, that you consider me either blind or a fool. You must
realise that Squeezer is overshot!
Lomov says that Natalya thinks he is either blind or foolish but iinsists that her dog is
overshot.
NATALYA: It’s not true.
LOMOV : He is!
NATALYA : It’s not true!
LOMOV : Why shout madam?
NATALYA : Why talk rot? It’s awful! It’s time your Guess was shot, and you compare him
with Squeezer!
They start fighting again. Natalya says that Lomov is talking rubbish. Guess must be shot
dead rather than being compared to Squeezer.
LOMOV: Excuse me, I cannot continue this discussion, my heart is palpitating.
Lomov mentions that he is unable to talk on the topic since his heart is pounding very fast.
NATALYA: I’ve noticed that those hunters argue most who know least.
Natalya taunts Lomov and says that those who argue the most know the least.
LOMOV: Madam, please be silent. My heart is going to pieces. [shouts] Shut up!
Lomov tells Natalya to stay quiet as he is not feeling well.
NATALYA: I shan’t shut up until you acknowledge that Squeezer is a hundred times better
than your Guess!
Natalya continues arguing and refuses to stop until he accepts that her dog Squeezer is
better than his Guess.
LOMOV: A hundred times worse! Be hanged to your Squeezer! His head... eyes... shoulder...
Lomov exclaims that it could never be true and that her Squeezer is the worst.
NATALYA: There’s no need to hang your silly Guess; he’s half-dead already!
Natalya says that Guess is old and half dead.
LOMOV: [weeps] Shut up! My heart’s bursting!
He tells her to stop arguing again as his heart is palpitating.
NATALYA: I shan’t shut up. [Enter Chubukov.]
Natalya refuses to be quiet.
CHUBUKOV: What’s the matter now?
Chubukov enters and asks the matter of their argument this time.
NATALYA: Papa, tell us truly, which is the better dog, our Squeezer or his Guess.
Natalya, just like the other time, asks Chubukov who is the better dog, knowing fully well
his answer.
LOMOV: Stepan Stepanovitch, I implore you to tell me just one thing: is your Squeezer
overshot or not? Yes or no?
Lomov, on the other hand, asks him a more direct question. He asks whether his Squeezer
is an overshot or not.
CHUBUKOV: And suppose he is? What does it matter? He’s the best dog in the district for
all that, and so on.
Chubukov replies by saying that it doesn’t matter even if Squeezer is an overshot because
he is the best dog in the district.
LOMOV: But isn’t my Guess better? Really, now?
Lomov, being unshakeable about his opinion, still thinks Guess is better and asks
Chubukov the same.
CHUBUKOV: Don’t excite yourself, my precious one. Allow me. Your Guess certainly has
his good points. He’s purebred, firm on his feet, has well-sprung ribs, and all that. But, my
dear man, if you want to know the truth, that dog has two defects: he’s old and he’s short in
the muzzle.
Chubukov mentions that although Guess has certain good qualities, but he also possesses
some defects. He is purebred, firm on his feet, has well-sprung ribs and all that but on the
other hand, he is old and short in muzzle.
LOMOV: Excuse me, my heart... Let’s take the facts. You will remember that on the
Marusinsky hunt my Guess ran neck-and-neck with the Count’s dog, while your Squeezer
was left a whole verst behind.
Lomov refuses to accept it and starts listing the facts. He begins by referring to the
Marusinsky hunt where Guess gave a good competition to the Count’s dog but Squeezer
was running far behind.
CHUBUKOV: He got left behind because the Count’s whipper-in hit him with his whip.
Chubukov clarifies that it happened because poor Squeezer got hit in his whip by the
Count’s dog.
LOMOV: And with good reason. The dogs are running after a fox, when Squeezer goes and
starts worrying a sheep!
Lomov even mentions that the dogs were running after a fox unlike Squeezer, who began
troubling a sheep.
CHUBUKOV: It’s not true! My dear fellow, I’m very liable to lose my temper, and so, just
because of that, let’s stop arguing. You started because everybody is always jealous of
everybody else’s dogs. Yes, we’re all like that! You too, sir, aren’t blameless! You no sooner
begin with this, that and the other, and all that... I remember everything!
Chubukov refuses to agree and mentions that if they continue to argue, he may very easily
lose his temper, thus, he suggests on ending the heated discussion. He thinks that
everybody is jealous of other’s dogs. Also, he is very well aware how Lomov will carry on
the argument by pointing out stuff but he too, remembers everything.
LOMOV: I remember too!
Lomov exclaims that even he remembers everything.
CHUBUKOV: [teasing him] I remember, too! What do you remember?
Chubukov repeats in a teasing manner, “I remember, too” and then asks him what does he
actually remember.
LOMOV: My heart... my foot’s gone to sleep. I can’t...
He cries that his heart is pounding and foot has gone numb.
NATALYA: [teasing] My heart! What sort of a hunter are you? You ought to go and lie on
the kitchen oven and catch black beetles, not go after foxes! My heart!
Natalya teases Lomov by talking about what kind of a hunter is he who keeps on saying
“My heart! My heart!” He must catch black beetles, not foxes.
CHUBUKOV: Yes really, what sort of a hunter are you, anyway? You ought to sit at home
with your palpitations, and not go tracking animals. You could go hunting, but you only go to
argue with people and interfere with their dogs and so on. Let’s change the subject in case I
lose my temper. You’re not a hunter at all, anyway!
Chubukov agrees with Natalya. He says that Lomov must sit at home with his palpitations.
He must not go tracking animals or rather, he could go and do what he is best at, that is,
arguing whose dog is better. He again insists on deviating the topic or else, he might lose
his temper.
LOMOV: And are you a hunter? You only go hunting to get in with the Count and to
intrigue. Oh, my heart! You’re an intriguer!
He pounces back at Chubukov by insulting him that he is not even an actual hunter. He
only goes there to be included in the count. He repeats about his heart while cursing and
calling him an intriguer.
CHUBUKOV: What? I am an intriguer? [shouts] Shut up!
Chubukov screams and tells him to keep quiet.
LOMOV: Intriguer!
CHUBUKOV: Boy! Pup!
LOMOV: Old rat! Jesuit!
Both of them start calling each other names!
CHUBUKOV: Shut up or I’ll shoot you like a partridge! You fool!
Patridge- a short-tailed game bird with mainly brown plumage, found chiefly in Europe and
Asia
Chubukov threatens Lomov to shoot him like a bird and calls him a fool.
LOMOV: Everybody knows that — oh, my heart! — your late wife used to beat you... My
feet... temples... sparks... I fall, I fall!
Lomov starts getting personal even though his heart and feet hurt. He specifies that it is
well-known that his wife used to beat him.
CHUBUKOV: And you’re under the slipper of your house-keeper!
Chubukov in return says that everyone knows that he is under the control of his
housekeeper.
LOMOV: There, there, there... my heart’s burst! My shoulders come off! Where is my
shoulder? I die. [Falls into an armchair] A doctor!
Lomov’s heart feels like its burst and his shoulder came off. He suddenly falls into a chair
and calls for a doctor.
CHUBUKOV: Boy! Milksop! Fool! I’m sick! [Drinks water] Sick!
Chubukov doesn’t stop cursing him while drinking water.
NATALYA: What sort of a hunter are you? You can’t even sit on a horse! [To her father]
Papa, what’s the matter with him? Papa! Look, Papa! [screams] Ivan Vassilevitch! He’s
dead!
Even Natalya doesn’t stop cursing and she suddenly notices that Lomov is lying still as if
dead.
CHUBUKOV: I’m sick! I can’t breathe! Air!
NATALYA: He’s dead. [Pulls Lomov’s sleeve] Ivan Vassilevitch! Ivan Vassilevitch! What
have you done to me? He’s dead. [Falls into an armchair] A doctor, a doctor! [Hysterics.]
Natalya while holding his sleeve anticipates that he is dead. While panicking and crying,
she asks her father to call a doctor.
CHUBUKOV: Oh! What is it? What’s the matter?
Chubukov asks Natalya what happened.
NATALYA: [wails] He’s dead... dead!
Natalya cries that Lomov is dead.
CHUBUKOV: Who’s dead? [Looks at Lomov] So he is! My word! Water! A doctor! [Lifts a
tumbler to Lomov’s mouth] Drink this! No, he doesn’t drink. It means he’s dead, and all that.
I’m the most unhappy of men! Why don’t I put a bullet into my brain? Why haven’t I cut my
throat yet? What am I waiting for? Give me a knife! Give me a pistol! [Lomov moves] He
seems to be coming round. Drink some water! That’s right.
Chubukov too, gets panicked and tries to get some water down his throat but Lomov
doesn’t drink. He concludes that Lomov’s dead and starts cursing himself. He considers
himself the unhappiest and wonders why he hasn’t cut his throat or pulled a bullet into his
brain yet. He suddenly notices that Lomov is moving and he asks him to drink some water.
LOMOV: I see stars... mist... where am I?
Lomov, as he gains consciousness, is not sure where he is. He is dazed.
CHUBUKOV: Hurry up and get married and — well, to the devil with you! She’s willing!
[He puts Lomov’s hand into his daughter’s] She’s willing and all that. I give you my blessing
and so on. Only leave me in peace!
Chubukov hurriedly asks him to get married to his daughter at that very moment. He puts
Natalya’s hand into Lomov’s and says that she is willing. He gives them his blessings and
asks them to leave him in peace and all that.
LOMOV: [getting up] Eh? What? To whom?
Lomov, still unaware about his surrounding asks Chubukov who is he asking him to
marry.
CHUBUKOV: She’s willing! Well? Kiss and be damned to you!
Chubukov exclaims that Natalya is willing and insists on them kissing each other.
NATALYA: [wails] He’s alive... Yes, yes, I’m willing.
Natalya is happy that he is alive and hurriedly says that she is willing to marry him.
CHUBUKOV: Kiss each other!
He asks them to kiss each other.
LOMOV: Eh? Kiss whom? [They kiss] Very nice, too. Excuse me, what’s it all about? Oh,
now I understand ... my heart... stars... I’m happy. Natalya Stepanovna... [Kisses her hand]
My foot’s gone to sleep.
Lomov still doesn’t understand until Natalya kisses him. He suddenly remembers, gets
excited and then kisses her hand but complains that his foot is numb again.
NATALYA: I... I’m happy too...
Natalya expresses her happiness too.
CHUBUKOV: What a weight off my shoulders, ouf!
Chubukov feels relieved after marrying his daughter.
NATALYA: But, still you will admit now that Guess is worse than Squeezer.
Natalya again resumes the topic about dogs and manipulates him into saying that her
Squeezer is better than his Guess.
LOMOV: Better!
NATALYA: Worse!
CHUBUKOV: Well, that’s a way to start your family bliss! Have some champagne!
LOMOV: He’s better!
NATALYA: Worse! Worse! Worse!
Lomov and Natalya argue while Chubukov offers them a drink.
CHUBUKOV: [trying to shout her down] Champagne! Champagne!
Chubukov, tired of them fighting, shouts that it is time for some Champagne.
CURTAIN
Question & Answers

1. What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he
later says "And I've always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son"? Find
reasons for your answer from the play.
A. Chubukov suspects that Lomov has come to ask for money. He is not sincere when he
says that he has loved him as his son because we notice that Chubukov tries to be
friendly and loving on the face while he is rude and selfish within.
2. Chubukov says of Natalya: "... as if she won't consent! She's in love; egad, she's like a
lovesick cat…"Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
A. I agree with Chubukov's statement because when Natalya comes to know that Lomov
had come with a marrigare proposal, she becomes desperate for him. She starts
wailing and asks her father to bring him back.
3. Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about
each other, and the accusations and insults they hurl at each other. (For example,
Lomov in the end calls Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself
called Lomov a "malicious, doublefaced intriguer." Again, Lomov begins by
describing Natalya as “an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.”)
A. Several words and expressions have been used by the characters to describe each
other. Some of them are as follows -
Chbukov - grabber, intriguer, old rat, Jesuit.
Natalya - a lovesick cat, an excellent housekeeper, not bad looking, well educated.
Lomov - a good neighbour, a friend, impudent, pettifogger, a malicious double - faced
intriguer, rascal, blind hen, turnip ghost, a villian, a scarecrow, monster, stuffed
sausage, wizen faced frump, pup, milksop.
Grammar Exercises
Q. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to find out their meaning, and then use each
in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may take it that
(ii) He seems to be coming round
(iii) My foot’s gone to sleep
A. (i) You may take it that - something maybe taken to be true in the manner as told
You may take it that none of us knows him.
(ii) He seems to be coming round - recovering from unconsciousness
Suddenly Lomov blacked out but he seemed to be coming round after a few
seconds.
(iii) My foot’s gone to sleep - you cannot feel the foot for a short time.
As I kept sitting on the floor, my foot went off to sleep.
Q. Here is an excerpt from an article from the Times of India dated 27 August 2006. Rewrite
it, changing the sentences in direct speech into reported speech. Leave the other sentences
unchanged.
"Why do you want to know my age? If people know I am so old, I won't get work!" laughs
90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema's most famous character actors. For his
age, he is rather energetic. "What's the secret?" we ask. "My intake of everything is in
small quantities. And I walk a lot," he replies. "I joined the industry when people retire. I
was in my 40s. So I don't miss being called a star. I am still respected and given work,
when actors of my age are living in poverty and without work. I don't have any
complaints," he says, adding, "but yes, I have always been underpaid." Recipient of the
Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. "No doubt I
am content today, but money is important. I was a fool not to understand the value of
money earlier," he regrets.
A. 90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors laughed
when he asked us why we wanted to know his age. He felt that nobody would give him
work if they came to know that he was so old. For his age, he is rather energetic. We
asked him what was the secret behind him being energetic. He replied that he eats
everything in small quantities and walks a lot. He was in his forties when he joined the
industry, the age at which many people retire from work. He doesn’t miss being called a
star. He is respected, given work while some actors of his age live in poverty and have no
work to do. He adds that he does not have any complaints but adds that he has always
been underpaid. Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or
materialistic gains. He regrets that no doubt he is content today, but money is important.
He was a fool not to understand the value of money earlier.
SUPPLEMENTARY
READER
FOOTPRINTS
WITHOUT
FEET
Name of the chapter
1. A Triumph of Surgery (James Herriot)

2. The Thief’s Story (Ruskin Bond)
3. The Midnight Visitor (Robert Arthur)
4. A Question of Trust (Victor Canning)
5. Footprints without Feet (H.G Wells)
6. The Making of a Scientist (Robert W. Peterson)
7. The Necklace (Guy De Maupassant)
8. The Hack Driver (Sinclair Lewis)
9. Bholi (K.A Abbas)
10. The Book That Saved the Earth (Claire Boiko)
Chapter 1
A Triumph of Surgery
By- James Herriot
Introduction
Tricki, a small dog, is pampered and overfed by his rich mistress. He falls seriously ill and
his mistress consults a veterinary surgeon. Does he perform an operation? Does the dog
recover?
This story is about Tricki, a dog who is the pet of a rich lady named Mrs. Pumphrey. She
loves her dog very much and is unable to refuse him anything he wants. Tricki, is fond of
eating cream cakes and chocolates. So, one day when Mrs. Pumphrey is out with Tricki for a
walk the narrator sees them and stops to talk. While talking to Mrs. Pumphrey he realises that
she has been overfeeding Tricki and also had been giving him things that he shouldn’t eat due
to which Tricki had started looking like a bloated sausage. Soon Tricki got unwell and Mrs.
Pumphrey has to call Mr. Herriot (narrator) for help. She does not want to send him away but
the only way suggested by Mr. Herriot is to get him hospitalised for 15 days. Then the story
unfolds into how he gets well. Read the description to know more.
About the Author

James Alfred Wight (3 October 1916 – 23 February 1995), known by the pen name James
Herriot, was a British veterinary surgeon and writer, who used his many years of
experiences as a veterinary surgeon to write a series of books each consisting of stories about
animals and their owners. He is best known for these semi-autobiographical works, beginning
with If Only They Could Talk in 1970, which spawned a series of movies and television
series.
Summary
The story starts when Mrs. Pumphrey, a rich lady takes her dog out for a walk. A nearby
veterinary doctor who knows the lady sees the dog and is shocked as he sees that the dog
looks like a bloated sausage with a leg at each end. He advises her to stop giving him
unhealthy things to eat but Mrs. Pumphrey is not able to refuse him. Soon he falls sick and
the doctor is called. The narrator, Mr. Herriot then somehow takes Tricki, the dog to the
hospital even though he knows that Mrs. Pumphrey is not ready to leave her dog and nearly
fainted just by hearing these words. Then he takes the dog along and puts a bed for him in his
surgery. The dog doesn't move much nor eats anything for the first two days. On the second
day he looks around and whimpers a bit. He wanted to go out on the third day and started
playing with the bigger dogs when he was taken out. He also licked the bowls of other dogs
clean on the third day.
Then his condition started improving very fast. He started fighting for his meals with other
dogs. Then when this news reached Mrs. Pumphrey, she started sending him eggs as she
thought that Tricki was recovering from an illness and needed energy foods. Mr. Herriot and
his partners started eating those eggs for morning breakfast. Then for improving Tricki’s
blood, Mrs. Pumphrey started sending in bottles of wine which was again consumed by Mr.
Herriot. He used to take two glasses before lunch and some more glasses while having his
lunch. Then when she started sending in bottles of brandy for Tricki that was the time when
Mr. Herriot thought that he would really like to keep Tricki as a permanent guest in the
surgery. Mr. Herriot used to be really happy someday by having two extra eggs every
morning. Then having few glasses of wine in the afternoon and closing the day by having
brandy at night. But then he took a wise decision and called up Mrs. Pumphrey as she was
really worried and, on this side, Tricki was ready to be taken back home. Tricki was really
happy to see his mistress and jumped into the car. Mrs. Pumphrey said that she won't be able
to ever thank him for what he had done and also, that his surgery had been successful as
Tricki was now cured.
Lesson and explanation
I was really worried about Tricki this time. I had pulled up my car when I saw him in the
street with his mistress and I was shocked at his appearance. He had become hugely fat, like a
bloated sausage with a leg at each corner. His eyes, bloodshot and rheumy, stared straight
ahead and his tongue lolled from his jaws. Mrs Pumphrey hastened to explain, “He was so
listless, Mr Herriot. He seemed to have no energy. I thought he must be suffering from
malnutrition, so I have been giving him some little extras between meals to build him up,
some malt and cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night to make him sleep — nothing
much really.” “And did you cut down on the sweet things as I told you?” “Oh, I did for a bit,
but he seemed to be so weak I had to relent. He does love cream cakes and chocolates so. I
can’t bear to refuse him. “I looked down again at the little dog. That was the trouble. Tricki’s
only fault was greed. He had never been known to refuse food; he would tackle a meal at any
hour of the day or night. And I wondered about all the things Mrs Pumphrey hadn’t
mentioned. “Are you giving him plenty of exercise?” “Well, he has his little walks with me
as you can see, but Hodgkin, the gardener, has been down with lumbago, so there has been no
ring-throwing lately.”
Mistress- a woman in a position of authority or control.

Bloated- excessive in size or amount.
Sausage- an item of food in the form of a cylindrical length of minced pork or other
meat encased in a skin, typically sold raw to be grilled or fried before eating.
Bloodshot- (of the eyes) inflamed or tinged with blood, typically as a result of tiredness.
Rheumy- watery.
Lolled- sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way.
Hastened- be quick to do something.
Listless- lacking energy or enthusiasm.
Malnutrition- lack of proper nutrition
Cod liver oil- oil pressed from the liver of cod
Relent- become less severe or intense.
Lumbago- pain in the muscles and joints of the lower back.
The narrator starts telling us that how he was worried about Tricki, a pet dog. The
narrator, Mr. Herriot stops his car as he sees Tricki with his mistress on the road as the
narrator is shocked to see Tricki because he looks like a bloated sausage. He has become
very fat; his eyes are red and watery. Mrs. Pumphrey, Tricki’s owner starts giving
explanations. She told Mr. Herriot that she thought that Tricki was malnourished because
he did not have any energy and excitement. She told him that she used to give him malt,
cod liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night, apart from his regular meals so that he could
sleep at night. Although she gave him so much to eat, she says that she doesn't give him
much to eat.
Then the narrator asks her if she had cut down on his sweets as he had asked her to do to
which she replies that she did it for a while but she felt that he was getting weaker because
of which she had to stop being so harsh with him. Also, she says that she is unable to
refuse him cakes and chocolates as those were his favourite things. Then the narrator
understood Tricki’s problem. The dog was very greedy and could eat at any time of the day.
He did not know how to say no to food when his stomach was full. The narrator also
thought to himself of all the things that Mrs. Pumphrey would not have mentioned which
she fed Tricki. Again, the narrator asked Mrs. Pumphrey whether Tricki was exercising to
which Mrs. Pumphrey replies that she does take him out for walks once in a while but he is
not playing his ring throwing exercise as the Gardner who takes him out to play is not
coming these days because of pain in his lower back.
I tried to sound severe: “Now I really mean this. If you don’t cut his food right down and give
him more exercise he is going to be really ill. You must harden your heart and keep him on a
very strict diet. “Mrs Pumphrey wrung her hands. “Oh, I will, Mr Herriot. I’m sure you are
right, but it is so difficult, so very difficult.” She set off, head down, along the road, as if
determined to put the new regime into practice immediately. I watched their progress with
growing concern. Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat; he had a whole wardrobe
of these coats —for the cold weather and a raincoat for the wet days. He struggled on,
drooping in his harness.
I thought it wouldn’t be long before I heard from Mrs Pumphrey. The expected call came
within a few days. Mrs Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his
favourite dishes; and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug,
panting. Didn’t want to go for walks, didn’t want to do anything. I had made my plans in
advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be
hospitalised for about a fortnight to be kept under observation. The poor lady almost
swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a
firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him; in fact, I thought it best
to take him without delay and followed by Mrs Pumphrey’s wailings, I marched out to the car
carrying the little dog wrapped in a blanket.
Severe- very great; intense.
Regime- a system or ordered way of doing things.
Tottering- move in a feeble or unsteady way.
Tweed- a rough-surfaced woollen cloth
Wardrobe- a large, tall cupboard or recess in which clothes may be hung or stored.
Harness- a set of straps and fittings
Distraught- very worried and upset.
Bouts- a short period of intense activity of a specified kind.
Rug- a floor covering
Panting- breathing with short, quick breaths; out of breath.
Fortnight- a period of two weeks.
Swooned- a partial or total loss of consciousness
Wailings- crying with pain, grief, or anger.
Marched- walk quickly and with determination.
The narrator tried to talk seriously to Mrs. Pumphrey that if she did not control Tricki’s
eating habits and increased his exercise, he would soon fall ill. He told her that she should
stay strong and strict with him and put him on a diet. Mrs. Pumphrey accepted that
although she knew that Mr. Herriot was right but it was too difficult for her to refuse him
for anything. But then she left the place as if she was now ready to follow the new routine
properly. Mr. Herriot was watching them go and looking at Tricki walking unsteadily. The
narrator was also looking at the tweed coat that Tricki was wearing. He had a wardrobe
full of these coats and also raincoat for the rainy days. This line also suggests that Mrs.
Pumphrey was a rich lady as she had a lot of money to spend on her dog. But the narrator
knew that soon he would be receiving a call about Tricki falling ill and it came. The call
came after a few days. Mrs Pumphrey was very upset as Tricki was not eating anything,
not even his favourite dishes and was vomiting frequently. He didn’t even want to do
anything.
Being a veterinary doctor, the narrator knew that the only way to get Tricki well was to get
him out of the house for a few days. He then suggested to Mrs. Pumphrey that it would be
good to get Tricki hospitalized and keep him under observation for 15 days. Upon hearing
this Mrs. Pamphrey nearly fainted. She was sure that if Tricki did not see her every day, he
would surely die. But the narrator kept his words. He told her that this was the only option
as Tricki was very ill. The narrator thought it would be best to avoid any delays and get
him to the hospital as soon as possible. He went to their house and even though Mrs.
Pumphrey was crying because she did not want her dog to go away from her, he took the
dog, wrapped it in a blanket and put him in the car.
The entire staff was roused and maids rushed in and out bringing his day bed, his night bed,
favourite cushions, toys and rubber rings, breakfast bowl, lunch bowl, super bowl. Realising
that my car would never hold all the stuff, I started to drive away. As I moved off, Mrs
Pumphrey, with a despairing cry, threw an armful of the little coats through the window. I
looked in the mirror before I turned the corner of the drive; everybody was in tears. Out on
the road, I glanced down at the pathetic little animal gasping on the seat by my side. I patted
the head and Tricki made a brave effort to wag his tail. “Poor old lad,” I said. “You haven’t a
kick in you but I think I know a cure for you.”
At the surgery, the household dogs surged round me. Tricki looked down at the noisy
pack with dull eyes and, when put down, lay motionless on the carpet. The other dogs, after
sniffing round him for a few seconds, decided he was an uninteresting object and ignored
him.
I made up a bed for him in a warm loose box next to the one where the other dogs slept. For
two days I kept an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of water. At the end of the
second day he started to show some interest in his surroundings and on the third he began to
whimper when he heard the dogs in the yard. When I opened the door, Tricki trotted out and
was immediately engulfed by Joe, the greyhound, and his friends. After rolling him over and
thoroughly inspecting him, the dogs moved off down the garden. Tricki followed them,
rolling slightly with his surplus fat. Later that day, I was present at feeding time. I watched
while Tristan slopped the food into the bowls. There was the usual headlong rush followed by
the sounds of high-speed eating; every dog knew that if he fell behind the others he was liable
to have some competition for the last part of his meal.
Roused- cause to stop sleeping.
Maids- a female domestic servant.
Rushed- done or completed too hurriedly; hasty.
Supper- an evening meal, typically a light or informal one.
Despairing- showing loss of all hope.
Glanced- take a brief or hurried look.
Patted- touch quickly and gently with the flat of the hand.
Wag- (especially with reference to an animal's tail) move or cause to move rapidly to
and fro.
Surged- move suddenly and powerfully forward or upward.
Motionless- not moving; stationary.
Sniffing- the action of drawing in air audibly through the nose.
Whimper- make a series of low, feeble sounds expressive of fear, pain, or unhappiness.
Trotted- run at a moderate pace with short steps.
Engulfed- sweep over (something) so as to surround or cover it completely.
Slopped- spill or flow over the edge of a container, typically as a result of careless
handling.
Liable- likely to do or to be something.
The maids were then woken up and asked to get out all of Tricki’s stuff. His stuff included
things like his day bed, night bed, favourite cushions, toys, rubber rings, breakfast bowl,
lunch bowl and his snack bowl. Mr. Herriot knew that so much stuff won’t fit in his car, so
he started rushing things. As the doctor was leaving with Tricki, Mrs. Pumphrey threw a
lot of coats that Tricki used to wear in the car. As the narrator was turning the car, on the
turn he saw through the rear mirror that everyone was crying. He patted the little helpless
animal who responded by wagging his tail. The narrator then thought and told Tricki that
he knew that Tricki did not have any energy but he surely had a way to get him better.
As soon as they reached the hospital, all the other dogs gathered around the doctor. Tricki
looked at all of them and when the doctor put him down on the carpet he couldn't even
move. The other dogs then sniffed him and thought to themselves that he was a very
uninteresting object and that there was no use standing there and left. Then the narrator
made the bed for Tricki in a warm box along with the other dogs. For two days the
narrator kept him just on water and nothing else. On the second day, he roamed around
looking at the place around him and on the third day he was also making noise to let the
people in the hospital know that he too wanted to go out with the other dogs. When the
narrator opened the door Tricki quickly came out and was surrounded by Joe who was a
greyhound and his friends. Again, after sniffing him for a moment, all of them left for the
garden where Tricki followed them. Later in the evening, the narrator was present at the
dinner time and was watching all of them, specially Tristan as he was slopping the food.
All of them were eating with great speed because they knew that if they don’t finish
quickly, then the other dog, after finishing his meal would come to eat their meal.
When they had finished, Tricki took a walk round the shining bowls, licking casually inside
one or two of them. Next day, an extra bowl was put out for him and I was pleased to see him
jostling his way towards it. From then on, his progress was rapid. He had no medicinal
treatment of any kind but all day he ran about with the dogs, joining in their friendly
scrimmages. He discovered the joys of being bowled over, trampled on and squashed every
few minutes. He became an accepted member of the gang, an unlikely, silky little object
among the shaggy crew, fighting like a tiger for his share at mealtimes and hunting rats in the
old hen-house at night. He had never had such a time in his life. All the while, Mrs Pumphrey
hovered anxiously in the background, ringing a dozen times a day for the latest bulletins. I
dodged the questions about whether his cushions were being turned regularly or his correct
coat worn according to the weather; but I was able to tell her that the little fellow was out of
danger and convalescing rapidly. The word ‘convalescing’ seemed to do something to Mrs
Pumphrey. She started to bring round fresh eggs, two dozen at a time, to build up Tricki’s
strength. For a happy period, my partners and I had two eggs each for breakfast, but when the
bottles of wine began to arrive, the real possibilities of the situation began to dawn on the
household. It was to enrich Tricki’s blood. Lunch became a ceremonial occasion with two
glasses of wine before and several during the meal.
Licking- pass the tongue over (something) in order to taste, moisten, or clean it.
Pleased- feeling or showing pleasure and satisfaction,
Jostling- push, elbow, or bump against (someone) roughly, typically in a crowd.
Scrimmages- a confused struggle or fight.
Trampled- tread on and crush.
Squashed- flat, soft, or out of shape as a result of being crushed or squeezed with force.
Shaggy- long, thick, and unkempt.
Hovered- remain poised uncertainty in one place or between two states.
Anxiously- feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an
uncertain outcome.
Dozen- 12 in number
Bulletins- a short official statement or broadcast summary of news.
Convalescing- recover one's health and strength over a period of time after an illness or
medical treatment.
When everybody finished their food, Tricki went around looking at the shining bowls and
also licked a few bowls. The very next day, an extra bowl was put for him and the narrator
was happy to see him running towards his bowl. Then he started getting better really quick.
He did not require any medicines and started playing with the other dogs the whole day.
They all used to play with each other, bump into each other, walk over each other and
squash each other. All of the other dogs accepted him as a family member although he was
very different from others as he was very well taken care of by his owner and the others
were not. He also used to fight for his meals with his fellow dogs who were much larger in
size than him. At night, he would also hunt rats in the hen- house. He was enjoying as he
had never done such things before.
All this while, Mrs. Pumphrey used to call more than twelve times a day to inquire about
Tricki. Mr. Herriot used to avoid questions about the coats, beds etc. But he told her that
Tricki was doing very good and was recovering very fast. Mrs. Pumphrey wanted Tricki to
recover fast. She started sending two dozen eggs every day for him but Mr. Herriot and his
partners would have 2 eggs each for Breakfast. Then, to improve the quality of blood, Mrs.
Pumphrey started sending in bottles of wine. Then it became Mr. Herriot’s habit to have
two glasses of wine before lunch and a few along with it.
We could hardly believe it when the brandy came to put a final edge on Tricki’s constitution.
For a few nights the fine spirit was rolled around, inhaled and reverently drunk.
They were days of deep content, starting well with the extra egg in the morning, improved
and sustained by the midday wine and finishing luxuriously round the fire with the brandy. It
was a temptation to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest, but I knew Mrs Pumphrey was
suffering and after a fortnight, felt compelled to phone and tell her that the little dog had
recovered and was awaiting collection.
Within minutes, about thirty feet of gleaming black metal drew up outside the surgery. The
chauffeur opened the door and I could just make out the figure of Mrs Pumphrey almost lost
in the interior. Her hands were tightly clasped in front of her; her lips trembled. “Oh, Mr
Herriot, do tell me the truth. Is he really better?” “Yes, he’s fine. There’s no need for you to
get out of the car — I’ll go and fetch him.” I walked through the house into the garden. A
mass of dogs was hurtling round and round the lawn and in their midst, ears flapping, tail
waving, was the little golden figure of Tricki. In two weeks, he had been transformed into a
lithe, hard-muscled animal; he was keeping up well with the pack, stretching out in great
bounds, his chest almost brushing the ground. I carried him back along the passage to the
front of the house. The chauffeur was still holding the car door open and when Tricki saw his
mistress he took off from my arms in a tremendous leap and sailed into Mrs Pumphrey’s lap.
She gave a startled “Ooh!” And then had to defend herself as he swarmed over her, licking
her face and barking. During the excitement, I helped the chauffeur to bring out the beds,
toys, cushions, coats and bowls, none of which had been used. As the car moved away, Mrs
Pumphrey leaned out of the window. Tears shone in her eyes. Her lips trembled. “Oh, Mr
Herriot,” she cried, “how can I ever thank you? This is a
triumph of surgery!”
Brandy- a strong alcoholic spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice.
Constitution- the composition of something.
Reverently- with deep and solemn respect.
Temptation- the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.
Compelled- bring about (something) by the use of force or pressure.
Awaiting- wait for (an event).
Gleaming- reflecting light, typically because very clean or polished.
Chauffeur- a person employed to drive a private or hired car.
Clasped- grasp (something) tightly with one's hand.
Trembled- shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.
Fetch- go for and then bring back (someone or something) for someone.
Hurtling- move or cause to move at high speed, typically in an uncontrolled manner
Midst- in the middle of.
Lithe- thin, supple, and graceful.
Startled- feeling or showing sudden shock or alarm.
Swarmed- move somewhere in large numbers.
Shone- a quality of brightness produced
Mrs. Pumphrey started sending in brandy. At that time Mr. Herriot was not able to believe
that Mrs. Pumphrey actually wanted them to give brandy to Tricki. They shared it amongst
themselves. Some days, Mr Herriot used to feel very happy as he would start his day with
extra eggs, then he would have a few glasses of wine in the afternoon and then ending the
day with brandy in the evening. Because of all the things that were being sent for Tricki,
Mr. Herriot was really tempted to keep him as a permanent guest at the surgery. He really
wanted that Tricki should stay with them forever but then he realised that Mrs Pumphrey
who was like a mother to Tricki was really suffering and really wanted Tricki to come back
soon. After 15 days, Tricki was ready to go back home and Mr. Herriot called up Mrs.
Pumphrey to come pick him up. Within a few minutes a long black car came outside.
When the chauffeur opened the door Mrs. Pumphrey was sitting inside really nervous as
well as excited. She was asking with a nervousness in her voice that was Tricki really better
to which the doctor replied positively. Then Mr. Herriot went inside to get Tricki
When Mr. Herriot went to the garden behind the house, he saw all the dogs moving around
in the garden, and Tricki was sitting between them. He had recovered wonderfully in two
weeks. He was looking much healthier, playing with the other dogs and his chest was
touching the ground. He had become a good muscular dog within two weeks. When Mr.
Herriot took Tricki to the front of the house he saw that the chauffeur was still holding the
door of the car and as soon as Tricki saw his mother like mistress he was overjoyed. He
ran away and jumped into the lap of Mrs. Pumphrey and started licking her face, barking
in excitement. While all this was happening, the chauffeur and Mr. Herriot got all his stuff
out to the car which had not been used during the treatment in the last 14 days. When Mrs.
Pumphrey was leaving she leaned out of the window and said to Mr. Herriot with tears of
joy in her eyes that she could not thank him enough for what he had done. “This is a
triumph of surgery!” meant that the treatment that was given to Tricki had been
successful.

Q1. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is? Would you
say he is tactful as well as full of common-sense?
Ans. The narrator, a veterinary doctor is a very compassionate and an honest man as he does
not unnecessarily operate upon Tricki. He goes out of the way to guide Mrs. Pumphrey
that she should start keeping a strict check on Tricki’s diet and his exercise schedule. He
is tactful because he knows how to get Tricki to the hospital and his common-sense can
be seen by the simple fact that he just changed the eating and exercise schedule of Tricki
which helped him recover from his problems. He did not unnecessarily put him on
medicines.
Q2. Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?
Ans. Yes, Tricki was as happy to go home as much as he was staying in the surgery. He
was happy staying in the surgery because he got many friends which he did not have
at home and was happy to go back home because he did not have his lavish lifestyle
at the surgery. His excitement to go back home can be seen from the fact that as soon
as he saw his mistress, he jumped back into the car and started licking her face and
roaming around in excitement. I think now he will be fine at home as well because
earlier Mrs. Pumphrey did not take Mr. Herriot’s advice seriously which led to
Tricki’s hospitalization.
Q3. Do you think this is a real-life episode, or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?
Ans. I feel that this story is a mixture of both because it is not a new thing that rich people
overfeed their dog or maintain excessive wardrobes for their pets but for a doctor to go
out of his way to help another person who doesn't want his advice is unusual. A doctor
being so honest that he doesn't wrongly treat the dog and instead, just works on him by
keeping him in his surgery and tracks his health by feeding him less and maintains a
regular exercise schedule seems to be more of a fiction.
Q4 Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
Ans Mrs. Pumphrey was worried about Tricki as Tricki was not eating anything, not even
his favourite dishes. Tricki was vomiting and lied down on the rug, panting. He did
not even want to go out for walks or anything.
Q5 What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?
Ans She calls the doctor to see him as he was unwell. Yes, she was wise this time as
earlier, she was acting foolish by overfeeding him. The doctor told her that Tricki
needed to be hospitalized. She was crying over it but later accepted that she needed to
listen to the doctor.
Q6 Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
Ans “I” refers to the narrator who is a veterinary doctor, Mr. Herriot.
Q7 Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?
Ans According to the story, the narrator is not as rich as Mrs. Pumphrey because Mr.
Herriott is able to provide Tricki with a box bed whereas in Mrs. Pumphrey’s house he
has his own bed, different bowls to eat and servants at his disposal. Then Tricki’s
mistress used to send two dozen eggs, wine and brandy every day for Tricki’s
recovery.
Towards the end of chapter, Tricki’s mistress comes in 30 feet of gleaming black metal
which is obviously a luxury car. So, it can be seen that Tricki’s mistress used to live a
very luxurious life in comparison to the narrator.
Q8 How does he treat the dog?
Ans He treats the dog very well. He knows that Tricki does not need medicinal treatment
but requires a change in his lifestyle. He gives him only water for two days and then
he sees that Tricki has started licking the empty food bowls and started mixing up
with other dogs. Then he gives him food and Tricki starts to recover well. Then
soon after living there for a few days, he is much better and goes back home.
Q9 Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?
Ans He is tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest because Mrs. Pumphrey wants
Tricki to recover quickly. So, she used to send two dozen eggs, wine bottles and
brandy every day. Mr. Herriot knew that there was no need of giving Tricki all that
so he used to eat the extra eggs and drink the wine with his partners. With all that
food and drinks coming in, Mr. Herriot used to be very happy so he was tempted to
keep Tricki on as a permanent guest.
Q10 Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of surgery”?
Ans Tricki had recovered completely in two weeks. He had been turned into a hard
muscle animal. Upon seeing Mrs. Pumphrey, Tricki ran towards her, jumped on her
lap and started licking her face. She was overwhelmed to see Tricki all well and so
she says as a token of gratitude that it was “a triumph of surgery”.
Chapter 2 - The Thief’s Story

By- Ruskin Bond
Introduction
A young boy makes friends with Anil. Anil trusts him completely and employs him. Does the
boy betray his trust?
The story is about a 15-year-old thief who changes his name every month to stay ahead of the
police and old employers. This time he kept his name Hari Singh. The other person in the
story is a 25 year old writer named Anil. The thief meets Anil and asks him if he can work for
him. The story unfolds on how the thief betrays Anil by committing a theft but retracts later
on.
About the Author

Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an Indian author of British descent. He lives with his
adopted family in Landour, Mussoorie, India. The Indian Council for Child Education has
recognised his role in the growth of children's literature in India. He was awarded the Sahitya
Academy Award in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra, his novel in English. He was
awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.
Summary
The story is about two different people. One is a thief of 15 years of age and the other is a
man of approximately 25 years, watching a wrestling match somewhere. The name of the
person watching the match is Anil. The thief approaches Anil and starts talking to him
because he feels that he had not robbed anyone in the past few days and thought that it would
be easy to rob a simple person like Anil. They both start talking and Anil asks the thief his
name. The thief introduces himself as Hari Singh. This is not his real name as he changes his
name every month to escape his ex-employers or police. Then they started talking about the
wrestlers and Anil was leaving when Hari called him again and asked him if he could work
for Anil. Anil said that he won't be able to pay him but could feed him if he knew how to
cook. Hari lied that he knew how to cook. Anil took Hari to his room which was above a
sweet shop. Hari cooked a meal which was really bad because Anil did not eat it. Anil asked
Hari to leave but he tried to please Anil. Hari smiled in his most attractive way and Anil
could not stop laughing looking at him. Anil agreed to teach Hari how to cook, write full
sentences and add numbers. Hari was grateful as he knew that there would be no limit to
robbing people once he learnt how to read and write.
The narrator used to like working for Anil as he used to make him tea in the morning and
then go out to buy the groceries for the day. He also used to steal 1 rupee from the money that
was given to him to buy the groceries every day. Anil knew that he used to steal but did not
mind.
Anil used to make money by irregular works. Sometimes he used to borrow money and the
other day, when he had money, he would be lending it to other people. Whenever he used to
get money, he would go out with his friends to celebrate.
One day, Anil came in with a bundle of notes and told Hari that he had sold a book to a
publisher. At night he kept the money safely under the mattress of his bed. Hari realized that
he had been working for Anil for more than a month and had not stolen anything apart from 1
rupee that he kept every day from the grocery money. Hari had many chances to steal as he
had the key to the room as well. But he was surprised with the amount of trust Anil had on
him as he had never seen such a trusting person in his life. This trust thing was preventing
him from robbing Anil as Hari thought that robbing a careless person like Anil didn't make
much difference because he might not even notice that he had been robbed and that took out
all the fun from the work. Then he thought of stealing Anil’s money and justified himself that
if he didn't steal money from Anil then also he would waste it on his friends and also, Anil
didn't pay him for the work that he did.
Hari then woke up at night and quietly crawled to Anil’s bed. He steals the money and
decides to leave the city by Lucknow Express that departed at 10:30. When he reached the
station, the train had slowly started moving from the platform. He could have easily caught
the train, but he hesitated and he himself did not know the reason for it. Before he had
reached the station, he counted the money and it was 600 rupees in 50-rupee notes. He could
live a lavish life for 2 - 3 weeks with so much money. After the train had left, Hari was all
alone at the train station. He was left with no place to sleep at night. The only person he knew
was Anil and he had looted him as well. He sat on a bench in a park and as it started to rain,
he sat down under the clock tower. Then he realized that the notes had got wet. He realized
that learning how to read and write would help him to get a much more respectable and
honest job which would pay him much more than these few hundred rupees. Then he decided
to go back to Anil’s house.
He reached the room and placed the money back. Next morning, he woke up a bit late and
Anil had already made his tea. Anil gave a 50 rupee note to Hari as he had got paid for some
work and he would be paid regularly. Hari took the note in his hand and realized that the note
was still wet from the rain last night. Hari realized that Anil had come to know about his
misdeed but there was no sadness, anger or guilt in his mind. The narrator smiled in a
beautiful way and it was genuine happiness as he knew that he had saved himself from the
wrong road.
I was still a thief when I met Anil. And though only 15, I was an experienced and fairly
successful hand. Anil was watching a wrestling match when I approached him. He was about
25 — a tall, lean fellow — and he looked easy-going, kind and simple enough for my
purpose. I hadn't had much luck of late and thought I might be able to get into the young
man’s confidence. “You look a bit of a wrestler yourself,” I said. A little flattery helps in
making friends. “So, do you,” he replied, which put me off for a moment because at that time
I was rather thin. “Well,” I said modestly, “I do wrestle a bit.” “What’s your name?” “Hari
Singh,” I lied. I took a new name every month. That kept me ahead of the police and my
former employers. After this introduction, Anil talked about the well-oiled wrestlers who
were grunting, lifting and throwing each other about. I didn’t have much to say. Anil walked
away. I followed casually. “Hello again,” he said. I gave him my most appealing smile. “I
want to work for you,” I said. “But I can’t pay you.”
Lean- thin
Flattery- excessive and insincere praise
Modestly- in an unassuming manner; without vanity or arrogance.
Employers- a person or organization that employs people.
Grunting- make a low, short guttural sound.
Appealing- attractive or interesting.
The story starts from the point where the two main characters of the story meet- Anil and
the thief. The thief is the narrator of the story. The thief says that according to him, he was
pretty good at stealing. Anil was watching a wrestling match when the thief approached
him. Anil was a tall, lean and an easy - going man of 25. The thief had not committed any
theft in the past few days as he did not get a chance. He thought that Anil would be a good
man to steal things from. So he thought about getting comfortable with him. Then the thief
commented on Anil that he looks like a wrestler himself. He said that to win his confidence
by flattering him. To this, Anil replied that even the thief looked like a wrestler which
offended him as he was very thin at that time. The thief modestly replied that he did wrestle
a bit sometimes. Anil asked his name and the narrator lied that his name was Hari Singh.
The narrator used to change his name every month to escape the police and his ex-
employers. Then they started talking about the well- oiled wrestlers whom they watched on
the screen. The narrator did not have much to say as he did not know much about
wrestling. As Anil was leaving, the narrator again approached him asking him that he
wanted to work for him. The narrator approached him with the most appealing smile that
he could. Anil told him that he won't be able to pay him for his work.
I thought that over for a minute. Perhaps I had misjudged my man. I asked, “Can you feed
me?” “Can you cook?” “I can cook,” I lied again. “If you can cook, then maybe I can feed
you.” He took me to his room over the Jumna Sweet Shop and told me I could sleep on the
balcony. But the meal I cooked that night must have been terrible because Anil gave it to a
stray dog and told me to be off. But I just hung around, smiling in my most appealing way,
and he couldn’t help laughing. Later, he patted me on the head and said never mind, he’d
teach me to cook. He also taught me to write my name and said he would soon teach me to
write whole sentences and to add numbers. I was grateful. I knew that once I could write like
an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve. It was quite pleasant
working for Anil. I made the tea in the morning and then would take my time buying the
day’s supplies, usually making a profit of about a rupee a day. I think he knew I made a little
money this way but he did not seem to mind.
Misjudged- form a wrong opinion or conclusion about.
Balcony-a platform enclosed by a wall or balustrade on the outside of a building, with
access from an upper-floor window or door.
Terrible- extremely bad or serious.
Patted- touch quickly and gently with the flat of the hand.
Pleasant- giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment.
Supplies- a stock or amount of something supplied or available for use.
Hari had not expected this reply and thought to himself that he had misjudged Anil as he
had thought that Anil had a lot of money. The narrator then asked if he could feed him to
which Anil instantly asked if Hari could cook. Hari lied again and said ‘yes’. Anil replied
that if Hari could cook, then he could feed him. Both of them went to Anil’s room which
was above the Jumna sweet shop.
Anil also told Hari that he could sleep in the balcony. The narrator said that the mean that
he cooked must have been terrible as Anil had to give it away to a stray dog. Then he told
Hari to go and sleep but Hari decided to stay for a while. Hari’s smile was so appealing
that Anil could not stop laughing looking at him. After some time, Anil patted on Hari’s
head and told him that he would teach him to cook. He also told him how to write his name
and told him that he would soon teach him to write sentences and add numbers. Hari was
grateful for what Anil had planned as he knew that there would be no limits to his work
once he knew how to write. Hari enjoyed working for Anil. He used to make tea for him in
the morning and then used to go out to buy groceries for the day. He would also keep 1
rupee in his pocket every day from the money that Anil used to give him for daily groceries.
Anil knew that he took a rupee everyday but he did not mind. He was fine with it.
Anil made money by fits and starts. He would borrow one week, lend the next. He kept
worrying about his next cheque, but as soon as it arrived he would go out and celebrate. It
seems he wrote for magazines — a queer way to make a living! One evening he came home
with a small bundle of notes, saying he had just sold a book to a publisher. At night, I saw
him tuck the money under the mattress. I had been working for Anil for almost a month and,
apart from cheating on the shopping, had not done anything in my line of work. I had every
opportunity for doing so. Anil had given me a key to the door, and I could come and go as I
pleased. He was the most trusting person I had ever met. And that is why it was so difficult to
rob him. It’s easy to rob a greedy man because he can afford to be robbed, but it’s difficult to
rob a careless man — sometimes he doesn’t even notice he’s been robbed and that takes all
the pleasure out of the work. Well, it’s time I did some real work, I told myself; I’m out of
practice. And if I don’t take the money, he’ll only waste it on his friends. After all, he doesn’t
even pay me.
Anil was asleep. A beam of moonlight stepped over the balcony and fell on the bed. I sat up
on the floor, considering the situation. If I took the money, I could catch the 10.30 Express to
Lucknow. Slipping out of the blanket, I crept up to the bed. Anil was sleeping peacefully. His
face was clear and unlined; even I had more marks on my face, though mine were mostly
scars. My hand slid under the mattress, searching for the notes. When I found them, I drew
them out without a sound. Anil sighed in his sleep and turned on his side, towards me. I was
startled and quickly crawled out of the room. When I was on the road, I began to run. I had
the notes at my waist, held there by the string of my pyjamas. I slowed down to a walk and
counted the notes: 600 rupees in fifties! I could live like an oil-rich Arab for a week or two.
Fits and Starts- not working on something consistently
Borrow- take and use (something belonging to someone else) with the intention of
returning it.
Lend- grant to (someone) the use of (something) on the understanding that it will be
returned.
Queer- strange; odd.
Bundle- a collection of things or quantity of material tied or wrapped up together.
Tuck- push, fold, or turn (the edges or ends of something, especially a garment or
bedclothes) so as to hide or secure them.
Line of work- the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
Beam- a ray or shaft of light.
Crept- move slowly and carefully in order to avoid being heard or noticed.
Drew- pull or drag
Sighed- emit a long, deep audible breath expressing sadness, relief, tiredness.
Startled- feeling or showing sudden shock or alarm.
Anil did not have any regular income as he used to earn money by doing different
activities. He did not have any fixed job. The narrator says that Anil used to be worried
about his pay checks all the time but as soon as he would receive a cheque, he would go
out with friends and celebrate. The narrator thinks that he used to write for magazines.
The narrator also thinks it to be a strange way to make money. Then suddenly one evening,
Anil came home with some money and told Hari that he had just sold a book to a
publisher. Before going to bed, Anil put the money under his mattress and Hari saw him
putting the money there. Hari thought that he had been working for Anil for almost a
month now and he had not cheated him apart from the 1 rupee that he used to take out
daily. The narrator also thinks that he had every chance to steal as Anil had given him the
key to his room as well and he could come and go whenever he wished to do so. Hari had
been trusted upon by Hari the most. Hari had not been trusted upon by anyone else in his
life. This was the only thing that was stopping Hari from stealing as Hari thought that it is
way easy to rob a greedy man because he has the capability or the money to get robbed as
he knows about what he has lost but for a careless man like Anil there was no use to steal
as they sometimes don't even come to know that they have been robbed. Also, Hari feels
that when someone doesn't come to know that he has been robbed, then there is no fun left
in robbing him. Then Hari decided that he would start with some work. He had not robbed
anyone for a long time. He also justified his act of stealing Anil’s money by telling himself
that if he didn't steal it then also Anil would waste it on his friends. He also thought that he
had a right over the money as Anil didn’t even pay him for the work he used to do.
Hari started his work when Anil was sleeping. There was a little bit light over Anil’s bed
because of the moonlight that was coming in from the window. Hari sat on the floor and
planned that if he took the money he could leave the city by the 10:30 pm Lucknow
Express train. Hari then crawled towards the bed and slipped his hand slowly inside the
bed mattress. He looked at Anil who was sleeping peacefully without a single line on his
face and Hari’s face had so many scars on it. He realized that although he was much
younger than Anil, he had such a bad appearance due to his wrong thinking. On the other
hand, Anil was carefree and thought good for others because of which he had such a nice
face. Hari then took out the notes without making any sound. Anil took a breath in his
sleep and turned his side. He was directly facing Hari which scared him a bit and Hari
quickly left the room. As soon as Hari left the room and was on the road, he started
running and had kept the notes in his pyjamas. He had tied it with the string of pyjamas.
Then after a while, Hari slowed down and counted the notes. He had 12 notes of 50 rupee
each which made it 600 rupees. Then Hari thought to himself that with this much money
he could live a luxurious life like an Arabian sheikh for at least two weeks.
When I reached the station, I did not stop at the ticket office (I had never bought a ticket in
my life) but dashed straight to the platform. The Lucknow Express was just moving out. The
train had still to pick up speed and I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages,
but I hesitated — for some reason, I can’t explain — and I lost the chance to get away.
When the train had gone, I found myself standing alone on the deserted platform. I had no
idea where to spend the night. I had no friends, believing that friends were more trouble than
help. And I did not want to make anyone curious by staying at one of the small hotels near
the station. The only person I knew really well was the man I had robbed. Leaving the
station, I walked slowly through the bazaar. In my short career as a thief, I had made a study
of men’s faces when they had lost their goods. The greedy man showed fear; the rich man
showed anger; the poor man showed acceptance. But I knew that Anil’s face when he
discovered the theft, would show only a touch of sadness. Not for the loss of money, but for
the loss of trust. I found myself in the maidan and sat down on a bench. The night was chilly
— it was early November — and a light drizzle added to my discomfort. Soon it was raining
quite heavily. My shirt and pyjamas stuck to my skin, and a cold wind blew the rain across
my face.
Dashed- Quickly ran towards something
Carriages- any of the separate sections of a train that carry passengers.
Hesitated- pause in indecision before saying or doing something.
Deserted- (of a place) empty of people.
Curious- eager to know or learn something.
Robbed- take property unlawfully from (a person or place) by force or threat of force.
Bazaar- market
Maidan- a park
Drizzle- light rain falling in very fine drops.
When Hari reached the station, he straight away went to the platform without buying a
ticket as he had never bought a ticket in his life. He had always travelled without a ticket.
When he reached the platform, the Lucknow Express in which he had to go was just
leaving the platform. The train was still slow so he could have easily jumped and got on
one of the carriages. But he did not do so. There was a bit of hesitation in him. Even he
didn't understand why he had that hesitation inside him and because of that he could not
board the train. After sometime when the train had left, Hari found himself all alone at the
empty platform. Hari did not know where would he spend the night. He did not have any
friends whom he could go to as he used to think that friends were more of a trouble than
being helpful. He did not even want to stay at any of the small hotels as that would attract
attention. He knew only one person very well and he had robbed him as well. As Hari was
walking through the bazaar after leaving the station he was thinking of his observations as
a thief. In a short career span, he had realized that although everybody - from rich to poor
shows different reactions to losing their goods but Anil would only be a little sad. That too
would not be because he lost his money, but because he has lost trust that he had on Hari.
He would be sad that he trusted someone so much and the person had betrayed him.
Hari was walking when he reached a park. He sat on a bench. As it was the month
of November, the night was a bit chilly and then the drizzle added to the discomfort that
Hari was going through. It started raining quite heavily and Hari’s shirt and pyjamas
stuck to his body. Cold wind was blowing across Hari’s face.
I went back to the bazaar and sat down in the shelter of the clock tower. The clock showed
midnight. I felt for the notes. They were damp from the rain. Anil’s money. In the morning he
would probably have given me two or three rupees to go to the cinema, but now I had it all. I
couldn’t cook his meals, run to the bazaar or learn to write whole sentences any more. I had
forgotten about them in the excitement of the theft. Whole sentences, I knew, could one day
bring me more than a few hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal — and sometimes
just as simple to be caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was
something else. I should go back to Anil, I told myself, if only to learn to read and write. I
hurried back to the room feeling very nervous, for it is much easier to steal something than to
return it undetected. I opened the door quietly, then stood in the doorway, in clouded
moonlight. Anil was still asleep. I crept to the head of the bed, and my hand came up with the
notes. I felt his breath on my hand. I remained still for a minute. Then my hand found the
edge of the mattress, and slipped under it with the notes. I awoke late next morning to find
that Anil had already made the tea. He stretched out his hand towards me. There was a fifty-
rupee note between his fingers. My heart sank. I thought I had been discovered. “I made
some money yesterday,” he explained. “Now you’ll be paid regularly.” My spirits rose. But
when I took the note, I saw it was still wet from the night’s rain. “Today we’ll start writing
sentences,” he said. He knew. But neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything. I smiled at
Anil in my most appealing way. And the smile came by itself, without any effort.
Shelter- a place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.
Clock Tower- a tower, typically forming part of a church or civic building, with a large
clock at the top.
Midnight- twelve o'clock at night.
Damp- slightly wet.
Cinema- a theatre where films are shown for public entertainment.
Hurried- done in a hurry; rushed.
Undetected- not detected or discovered.
Clouded- make or become less clear or transparent.
Then Hari went back towards the bazaar and sat under the shelter of the clock tower to
escape getting wet. It was 12 o'clock by the clock tower. Hari checked the notes and they
were wet. Then again Hari started thinking that it was Anil’s money and if he had not
stolen it, Anil would have surely given him 2-3 rupees to go for a movie. But now as he had
stolen it, he had it all. Now he won’t be able to make tea or do groceries for Anil anymore
nor would he be able to learn to write whole sentences ever. He had not realized that he
would be losing all these in the excitement of stealing the money. He knew that if he could
learn to read and write, he could earn much more money than these few hundred rupees
and that too honestly. He knew that it was very easy to steal something from someone but
sometimes it was that easy to get caught as well. He knew that if he learnt to read and
write, he could surely become a big and respected man one day. Then Hari told himself
that he should go back if he wanted to learn to read and write and also if he wanted to be a
big man one day.
Hari went back to Anil’s room and was very nervous because he knew that it was much
more difficult to return stolen things without being caught than actually stealing it. Hari
went to the hallway and stood there as the moonlight was still falling over the bed. Anil was
still asleep. Hari went near the head of the bed and took out the notes. As he was going
near the mattress, his hand could feel Anil’s breath on his hand. Hari became still for a
moment, found the edge of the mattress and finally slipped the notes under it. The next
morning, Hari woke up a little late and Anil had already made the tea by then. Anil
extended his hand towards Hari and had a 50 rupee note in his hand. Hari thought he had
been caught. Then suddenly Anil explained that he had made some money the day before,
so he was giving him 50 rupees. He also said that he would be paying Hari regularly. Hari
was really happy but when he took the note in his hand, he saw that it was still wet from
last night. He also told Hari that that day he would teach him how to write complete
sentences. Hari realized that Anil had come to know that he had stolen money and kept it
back. But the great thing that happened was that he did not let it show on his face or his
words. Hari again smiled at Anil in his most appealing way and Anil’s smile also came to
his face without any effort.
Q1. What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? Do they
change over time? (Hint: Compare, for example, the thought: “I knew that once I could
write like an educated man there would be no limit to what I could achieve” with these
later thoughts: “Whole sentences, I knew, could one day bring me more than a few
hundred rupees. It was a simple matter to steal — and sometimes just as simple to be
caught. But to be a really big man, a clever and respected man, was something else.”)
What makes him return to Anil?
Ans. Hari Singh feels that education can make him earn a lot of money in an honest way.
His prospect on receiving an education does not change over time. He feels that he can
earn much more if he gets education. He returns to Anil because Anil trusts him, feeds
him, treats him well and even teaches him.
Q2. Why does not Anil hand the thief over to the police? Do you think most people would
have done so? In what ways is Anil different from such employers?
Ans. Anil did not hand over the thief to the police maybe because he knew that Hari Singh
had realized his mistake. He was feeling guilty for what he had done and wanted to
mend his ways. This was the reason why he had come back and put the money back to
its place. Anil wanted to give him a chance to become a better person.
No, I don't think that anybody in today’s world would have done so because to do so, a
person needs to have a lot of patience and compassion which is missing in most of the
people today. In today's world a thief is considered a criminal even if he realizes his
mistake. It takes a lot of courage to trust someone who has broken your trust once.
Although I feel that if a person realizes his mistake he must be given another chance to
win back your trust.
Q3. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
Ans. In this story, “I” refers to the thief who introduces himself as Hari Singh.
Q4. What is he “a fairly successful hand” at?
Ans. He was a “fairly successful hand” at robbing and duping people of their money.
Q5. What does he get from Anil in return for his work?
Ans. When he asks Anil that he wants to work for him, Anil clearly says that he will; not be
able to pay him. They mutually decide that if the thief would be able to cook food for
him, then Anil would feed him. But soon, Anil comes to know that he cannot cook. So
Anil tells Hari, the thief that he would teach him to cook food, teach him to write his
name and full sentences and also to add numbers. Apart from this, Hari also used to
steal one rupee from the grocery money every day.
Q6. How does the thief think Anil will react to the theft?
Ans. The thief though that on discovering that he had been robbed, Anil would definitely be
sad but he would be sad because of the loss of trust and not because of the loss of
money.
Q7. What does he say about the different reactions of people when they are robbed?
Ans. The thief says that according to his experience, upon being robbed the greedy man
showed fear, the rich man showed anger and the poor man showed acceptance towards
whatever had happened with him.
Q8. Does Anil realise that he has been robbed?
Ans. Yes, probably Anil knew that he had been robbed because all the notes were wet and
damp from last night. He still did not say anything to the thief and gave him 50 rupees
and told him that from now on, Anil will be paying him money as salary every
month.
Introduction
Ausable, a secret agent, is expecting a very important report. Another secret agent, Max,
threatens him with a pistol, demanding the report. Does Ausable outwit him?
The story is about a secret agent, Ausable who has spent an evening with a writer named
Fowler who had expected that as he would be meeting a secret agent he would be looking
into a lot of adventure. But instead, he rather gets bored when he meets Ausable as the things
that happened were exactly the opposite of what he had imagined. How Ausable gets rid of
his unexpected guest proves his expertise as a secret agent.
About the Author

Robert Jay Arthur Jr. (November 10, 1909 – May 2, 1969) was a writer of speculative
fiction known for his work with The Mysterious Traveller radio series and for writing The
Three Investigators, a series of young adult novels. Arthur was honoured twice by the
Mystery Writers of America with an Edgar Award for Best Radio Drama. He also wrote
scripts for television such as The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock's TV show, Alfred
Hitchcock Presents.
Summary
The story is about a witty secret agent named Ausable. He was with a writer named Fowler
throughout the evening as Fowler was interested in spending time with a secret agent but
when he spends time with Ausable he realizes that he is exactly the opposite of what he had
imagined and that he was a bore. Ausable then told Fowler that he had been thinking wrong
and that soon he would be looking at a report that would change the country’s future. Then
Ausable takes Fowler to his room and when they entered the room a guy with a gun named
Max was standing in the room. He asked them to be comfortable until the reports about the
missiles arrived in 30 minutes, as he was there to steal the reports. This was the first
adventure out of many that Fowler had expected when he had thought of meeting a secret
agent. While they were talking, Ausable started with a story about how a guy had entered
from the balcony last month below his room. While this talk was going on, a sudden knock
was heard at the door. Ausable said that it must be the police as he wanted them to check on
him after sometime because he wanted to make the reports that were coming in extra secure.
Max, pointing his gun towards them, said that he would be waiting in the balcony and that
Ausable should send away the police otherwise he would shoot them and even take the risk
of being caught by the police. As the doorknob is turned, Max jumps out of the window and a
loud scream is heard. The door opens and a waiter comes in and says that he has brought the
wine that Mr. Ausable had ordered. He keeps the bottle, tray and glasses on the table and
leaves. Fowler is surprised and asks him about the police to which Ausable replied that there
were no police. Then Fowler asked what about the person who was waiting in the balcony
outside the window to which Ausable replied that the person would not return and that there
was no balcony there. This shows the quick wit of Ausable as he took advantage of the
situation and made Max nervous due to which he jumped out of the window without thinking
and looking down. He had jumped from the top floor of the hotel and would have possibly
died. This is how Ausable outwitted Max and saved himself from a very dangerous situation.
AUSABLE did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read. Following him
down the musty corridor of the gloomy French hotel where Ausable had a room, Fowler felt
let down. It was a small room, on the sixth and top floor, and scarcely a setting for a romantic
adventure. Ausable was, for one thing, fat. Very fat. And then there was his accent. Though
he spoke French and German passably, he had never altogether lost the American accent he
had brought to Paris from Boston twenty years ago. “You are disappointed,” Ausable said
wheezily over his shoulder. “You were told that I was a secret agent, a spy, dealing in
espionage and danger. You wished to meet me because you are a writer, young and romantic.
You envisioned mysterious figures in the night, the crack of pistols, drugs in the wine.”
“Instead, you have spent a dull evening in a French music hall with a sloppy fat man who,
instead of having messages slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties, gets only a prosaic
telephone call making an appointment in his room. You have been bored!” The fat man
chuckled to himself as he unlocked the door of his room and stood aside to let his frustrated
guest enter. “You are disillusioned,” Ausable told him. “But take cheer, my young friend.
Presently you will see a paper, a quite important paper for which several men and women
have risked their lives, come to me. Someday soon that paper may well affect the course of
history. In that thought is drama, is there not?”
Musty- having a stale, mouldy, or damp smell.
Corridor- a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms.
Gloomy- dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening.
Scarcely- only just; almost not.
Accent- a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, especially one associated with a
particular country, area, or social class.
Passably- just well enough; tolerably well
Espionage- spying
Envisioned- imagine as a future possibility; visualize.
Sloppy- carelessly dressed
Prosaic- : ordinary
Chuckled- : laughed quietly, without opening his mouth
Disillusioned- disappointed in someone or something that one discovers to be less good
than one had believed.
Fowler felt that Ausable did not look like a secret agent at all. He was following Ausable to
his room through a smelly and a bit scary corridor. His room was on the top floor which
was the sixth floor of the hotel. Ausable was a very fat man and his accent was American
although he had been living in Paris for the last twenty years and could speak a bit of
French and German. Then Ausable tells Fowler that although he was told that he was
going to meet a secret agent, a spy agent who had been dealing with danger, crime scenes
and drugs but Fowler was disappointed. He had to spend the evening in a music hall with
an old, poorly dressed, extremely fat man who used traditional methods for making the
information travel rather than beauties delivering to him. He then exclaimed that Fowler
was bored with him. As soon as he opened the door of his room, Ausable gave way to
Fowler. He entered the room, closed the door and turned on the light. Then Ausable told
Fowler that he had been thinking all wrong and the best part was yet to come as they
would soon be coming across a paper for which a lot of men and women had risked their
lives and that report was very important.
As he spoke, Ausable closed the door behind him. Then he switched on the light. And as the
light came on, Fowler had his first authentic thrill of the day. For halfway
across the room, a small automatic pistol in his hand, stood a man. Ausable blinked a few
times. “Max,” he wheezed, “you gave me quite a start. I thought you were in Berlin. What are
you doing here in my room? Max was slender, a little less than tall, with features that
suggested slightly the crafty, pointed countenance of a fox. There was about him — aside
from the gun — nothing especially menacing. “The report,” he murmured. “The report that is
being brought to you tonight concerning some new missiles. I thought I would take it from
you. It will be safer in my hands than in yours.” Ausable moved to an armchair and sat down
heavily. “I’m going to raise the devil with the management this time, and you can bet on it,”
he said grimly. “This is the second time in a month that somebody has got into my room
through that nuisance of a balcony!” Fowler’s eyes went to the single window of the room. It
was an ordinary window, against which now the night was pressing blackly. “Balcony?”
Max said, with a rising inflection. “No, a passkey. I did not know about the balcony. It might
have saved me some trouble had I known.”
Authentic- of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine.
Halfway- at or to a point equidistant between two others.
Wheezed- spoke breathing noisily and heavily
Slender- gracefully thin.
Countenance- a person's face or facial expression.
Menacing- suggesting the presence of danger; threatening.
Murmured- say something in a low or indistinct voice.
Missile- : weapons directed by remote control or automatically
Raise the devil- make a noisy disturbance.
Grimly- in a very serious, gloomy, or depressing manner.
Nuisance- a person or thing causing inconvenience or annoyance.
Balcony- a platform enclosed by a wall or balustrade on the outside of a building, with
access from an upper-floor window or door.
Inflection- a change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a
grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number,
case, and gender.
Passkey- a master key.
After saying this, Ausable closed the door behind him and turned on the light. As soon as
the light was turned on, Fowler experienced his first thrill of visiting a secret agent as he
saw a man with an automatic pistol standing across the room. Ausable recognized the man
as Max and asked him what was he doing in his room when he was supposed to be in
Berlin. Max was thin, a bit short and his face looked a bit like that of a fox. He seemed
harmless except the gun he was holding. Max said that he wanted the report about the
missiles for which Ausable had been waiting as he thought that he would be able to keep it
more safely. This is said to create humour as he just wanted the reports for his own benefit.
Ausable sat down on a chair and started speaking that he would definitely have a fight with
the management of the hotel as this was the second time that someone had climbed up
from the balcony of the room. Then Fowler looked towards the window and saw that it was
an ordinary window and that it was pretty much dark outside. Max said that he came
through the masterkey and did not know about the balcony. Had he known about it his
work would have become much easier.
“It’s not my balcony,” Ausable said with extreme irritation. “It belongs to the next
apartment.” He glanced explanatorily at Fowler. “You see,” he said, “this room used to be
part of a large unit, and the next room — through that door there — used to be the living
room. It had the balcony, which extends under my window now. You can get onto it from the
empty room two doors down — and somebody did, last month. The management promised to
block it off. But they haven’t.” Max glanced at Fowler, who was standing stiffly not far from
Ausable, and waved the gun with a commanding gesture. “Please sit down,” he said. “We
have a wait of half an hour, I think.” “Thirty-one minutes,” Ausable said moodily. “The
appointment was for twelve-thirty. I wish I knew how you learned about the report, Max.”
The little spy smiled evilly. “And we wish we knew how your people got the report. But no
harm has been done. I will get it back tonight. What is that? Who is at the door?” Fowler
jumped at the sudden knocking at the door. Ausable just smiled. “That will be the police,” he
said. “I thought that such an important paper as the one we are waiting for should have a little
extra protection. I told them to check on me to make sure everything was all right.”
Glanced- take a brief or hurried look.
Explanatorily- serving to explain
Stiffly- in a manner that is not relaxed or friendly.
Waved- move to and fro with a swaying motion while remaining fixed to one point.
Commanding- having a position of authority.
Gesture- a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an
idea or meaning
Evilly- morally wrong or bad
Ausable continued that it was not his balcony through which people had tried coming in
but was of the next apartment. He then started explaining things to Fowler that his room
used to be a part of a large unit and the room next to his room used to be a living room.
Then he said that it had the balcony that came till the window of his room. Then he said
that to climb up to his room, one needed to go to the empty room which was two rooms
away from his room and climb up the balcony. Then he said that somebody did climb up
the balcony last month as well. He also told Fowler that the management had told him that
they would surely get it blocked but they still hadn’t done so. Max looked at Fowler who
was standing near Ausable. Max asked Fowler to sit down as there was still half an hour
for the report to reach Ausable. Ausable joked that it was not 30 minutes but 31 minutes
that were left for the report to reach them. The report was supposed to come in around
12:30 at night. Ausable said that he wished he had known how Max had come to know
about the report coming in. Max smiled wickedly and said that he also wished to know how
Ausable and his team had got the report. He added that nothing had happened to the
report because he would take it from Ausable straight to his team. Then suddenly a knock
is heard on the door and Max panics. Fowler is also scared by the knock on the door.
Ausable replied to Max’s question about who was on the door that it must be the police
because he had asked them to check on him after sometime as he thought that the report
he was about to receive was important and definitely required extra attention. He had
asked the police to check on him after every sometime to ensure that everything was
alright.
Max bit his lip nervously. The knocking was repeated. “What will you do now, Max?”
Ausable asked. “If I do not answer the door, they will enter anyway. The door is unlocked.
And they will not hesitate to shoot.” Max’s face was black with anger as he backed swiftly
towards the window. He swung a leg over the sill. “Send them away!” he warned. “I will wait
on the balcony. Send them away or I’ll shoot and take my chances!” The knocking at the
door became louder and a voice was raised. “Mr Ausable! Mr Ausable!” Keeping his body
twisted so that his gun still covered the
fat man and his guest, the man at the window grasped the frame with his free hand to support
himself. Then he swung his other leg up and over the window-sill. The doorknob turned.
Swiftly Max pushed with his left hand to free himself from the sill and drop to the balcony.
And then, as he dropped, he screamed once, shrilly. The door opened and a waiter stood there
with a tray, a bottle and two glasses. “Here is the drink you ordered for when you returned,”
he said, and set the tray on the table, deftly uncorked the bottle, and left the room. White-
faced, Fowler stared after him. “But...” he stammered, “the police...” “There were no police.”
Ausable sighed. “Only Henry, whom I was expecting.” “But won’t that man out on the
balcony…?” Fowler began. “No,” said Ausable, “he won’t return. You see, my young friend,
there is no balcony.”
Hesitate- to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination
Swiftly- moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; fleet; rapid
Sill- the horizontal piece or member beneath a window, door, or other opening.
Shrilly- piercingly; in a high pitch
Deftly- dexterous; nimble; skillful; clever
Uncorked- to draw the cork from
Stammered- to speak with involuntary breaks and pauses, or with spasmodic
repetitions of syllables or sounds
Sighed- to let out one's breath audibly, as from sorrow, weariness, or relief
Max became nervous about the situation as the knocking continued and Ausable asked
him what would he do next. Ausable added that the door was unlocked and if he did not let
him open the door, the police would enter anyway and would definitely shoot if they saw
him with a gun. Max was angered by the situation and ran quickly. The knocking on the
door grew louder and someone from outside called for Mr. Ausable twice. Max was sitting
on the window sill and was facing inside so that his gun could still be pointed towards Mr.
Ausable and Fowler. Max then held the window sill and sat at the sill with both legs
outside. The doorknob turned and Max thought that the police would be coming in so, he
jumped from the sill to fall on the balcony and when he fell, a loud and shrill scream was
heard. When the door opened, a waiter stood at the door with a tray, a bottle of wine and
two glasses. He came in and kept everything on the table and said that it was the bottle that
Ausable had ordered for. He opened the cork of the bottle skillfully and left. Fowler did not
understand what had happened and stammered that where was the police to which Ausable
replied that there was no police and that he knew that it was Henry, the waiter and he was
expecting him only. Then again Ausable asked about the man outside the window to which
Ausable replied that he would never come back as there was no balcony and that Max had
fallen on the ground from the top floor of the building.

Q1. How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his
room? Look back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?
Ans. When Ausable says that he had complained to the hotel management earlier as well
about someone entering the room from the balcony that was below his room, Max
started thinking that had he known there was a balcony, it would have been much easier
for him to get to Ausable’s room. Ausable then tells Max that he wanted extra protection
for the papers that were supposed to come in that day and that he had informed the
police who were knocking on the door, checking on him. This made Max very nervous
and he thought that he would wait for the police to go on the balcony. Without
realizing, he jumped out of the window and did not realize that there was no balcony.
So the way Ausable thinks calmly and quickly makes the story a lot more convincing.
Q2. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
Ans. Ausable is different from other secret agents because he was very fat, lived in a room on
the top floor of a gloomy French hotel and could only speak French possibly although
he had been living in Paris for over 20 years. His voice still had an American touch to
it. He used to receive messages via telephone instead of dark eyed beauties getting
him his messages. So, he was very different from the way other secret agents are.
Q3. Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?
Ans. Fowler is a young writer who comes to meet Ausable. He is bored sitting with Ausable
in a music hall as he had thought that the country’s secret agent would be thrilling and
exciting but nothing of that sort happened. After some time when they were coming
back to Ausable’s room, Fowler saw a man holding a gun standing in the room. So
that is when he feels that the life of a secret agent can be exciting.
Q4. How has Max got in?
Ans. Max had got in with a master key or passkey.
Q5. How does Ausable say he got in?
Ans. Ausable says that he thought that Max had got in through the balcony. He said that it
was a nuisance as it was not even his own balcony and that it was the second time
somebody had got in using that same balcony.
Chapter 4 - A Question of Trust

By Victor Canning
Introduction
It is said that you must set a thief to catch a thief. But it is also said that there is honour
among thieves. Which saying does this story illustrate?
The story is about a man named Horace Danby who is 50 years old and everyone around him
thinks he is a good and an honest man. He used to build locks and used to earn enough profit
so that he could hire two servants to help him. He was sent to jail once about 15 years ago
because he used to commit robberies every year. This year, when he goes to a house for
robbery, he meets a woman who pretends to be the owner of the house. Later when he leaves
from there and is arrested after 2-3 days, he comes to know the truth of that lady.
About the Author

Victor Canning (16 June 1911 / 21 February 1986) was a prolific British writer of novels
and thrillers who flourished in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He was personally reticent,
writing no memoirs and giving relatively few newspaper interviews.
Summary
The story is about a 50-year-old man who makes locks and lives with his housekeeper. He is
a good citizen but not an honest one as he commits a robbery every year. He plans his
robberies in such a way that the money he gets from there lasts him for at least a year and he
is able to buy rare and expensive books with it. He buys these books because he is really fond
of collecting rare and expensive books. He plans to commit a robbery at a grange named Shot
over Grange. He takes all the information about the house like where the family had gone,
how many servants were there in the house, what was the name of the dog, the wiring in the
house, the safe in the house and even information like how much worth of jewels were there
in the safe. The real twist in the story comes when he reaches the grange to commit a robbery
and a woman claiming to be the owner’s wife. She gives him an option that she will forget
that she had seen him if he opens the safe for her as she has forgotten the code of the safe and
has to go to a party. He does not realize that he is opening the safe for another thief and that
she is not the actual owner of the house. He leaves happily thinking that he is safe but doesn't
realize the fact that he had opened the safe for someone else that too without wearing his
gloves. 3 days later a police officer comes and arrests him saying that his fingerprints had
been found at the shot over grange. He then realizes that he had been fooled by a lady who
was herself a thief and from the same background as his. He is sent to the jail and becomes an
assistant librarian. He feels angry whenever someone talks about honour among thieves as he
had been cheated by one from his own community.
EVERYONE thought that Horace Danby was a good, honest citizen. He was about fifty years
old and unmarried, and he lived with a housekeeper who worried over his health. In fact, he
was usually very well and happy except for attacks of hay fever in summer. He made locks
and was successful enough at his business to have two helpers. Yes, Horace Danby was good
and respectable â€” but not completely honest. Fifteen years ago, Horace had served his first
and only sentence in a prison
library. He loved rare, expensive books. So, he robbed a safe every year. Each year he
planned carefully just what he would do, stole enough to last for twelve months, and secretly
bought the books he loved through an agent. Now, walking in the bright July sunshine, he felt
sure that this year robbery was going to be as successful as all the others. For two weeks he
had been studying the house at Shotover Grange, looking at its rooms, its electric wiring, its
paths and its garden. This afternoon the two servants, who remained in the Grange while the
family was in London, had gone to the movies. Horace saw them go, and he felt happy in
spite of a little tickle of hay fever in his nose. He came out from behind the garden wall, his
tools carefully packed in a bag on his back.
Citizen- a legally recognized subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or

naturalized.
Housekeeper- a person employed to manage a household.
Hay fever- an allergy caused by pollen or dust in which the mucous membranes of the eyes
and nose are inflamed, causing running of the nose and watery eyes.
Sentence- the punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court, or fixed by law for
a particular offence.
Safe- a strong fireproof cabinet with a complex lock, used for the storage of valuables.
Grange- a country house with farm buildings attached.
Horace Danby was a 50 years old man, was unmarried and lived with his housekeeper. The
housekeeper used to worry about his health. Although he was fit and fine but used to have
hay fever attacks in summer. He used to make locks and used to earn a profit that was
enough for him to hire two helpers for his work. Everybody used to think that he was a good
and
honest citizen but nobody knew that he had gone to jail about 15 years ago and served a
sentence in the prison library. He got his love for rare and expensive books from there. Every
year he used to steal money that would last him for a year and with the rest of the money, he
used to buy books through a secret agent. This year, during the summers of July, he was sure
that he would steal as easily without getting caught as he used to do every other summer. He
studied the house for over two weeks, studying the smallest details such as electric wiring,
paths and garden area. That specific day the servants who were supposed to stay back on the
days when the family went to London, went out for a movie. Horace saw them leaving and
was happy instead of being worried about the tickle in his nose due to hay fever. He then left
with a bag that had his tools.
There were about fifteen thousand pounds worth of jewels in the Grange safe. If he sold them
one by one, he expected to get at least five thousand, enough to make him happy for another
year. There were three very interesting books coming up for sale in the autumn. Now he
would get the money he wanted to buy them. He had seen the housekeeper hang the key to
the kitchen door on a hook outside. He put on a pair of gloves, took the key, and opened the
door. He was always careful not to leave any fingerprints. A small dog was lying in the
kitchen. It stirred, made a noise, and moved its tail in a friendly way. All right, Sherry,
Horace said as he passed. All you had to do to keep dogs quiet was to call them by their right
names, and show them love. The safe was in the drawing room, behind a rather poor painting.
Horace wondered for a moment whether he should collect pictures instead of books. But they
took up too much room. In a small house, books were better. There was a great bowl of
flowers on the table, and Horace felt his nose tickle. He gave a little sneeze and then put
down his bag. He carefully arranged his tools. He had four hours before the servants returned.
The safe was not going to be hard to open. After all, he had lived with locks and safes all his
life. The burglar alarm was poorly built. He went into the hall to cut its wire. He came back
and sneezed loudly as the smell of the flowers came to him again. How foolish people are
when they own valuable things, Horace thought. A magazine article had described this house,
giving a plan of all the rooms and a picture of this room. The writer had even mentioned that
the painting hid a safe! But Horace found that the flowers were hindering him in his work. He
buried his face in his handkerchief.
Pounds- basic monetary unit of the UK, equal to 100 pence.
Autumn- the season after summer and before winter, in the northern hemisphere from
September to November and in the southern hemisphere from March to May.
Stirred- move or cause to move slightly.
Tickle- Â in a way that causes mild discomfort or itching and often laughter.
Sneeze- make a sudden involuntary expulsion of air from the nose and mouth due to irritation
of one's nostrils.
Burglar- a person who commits theft.
Hindering- make it difficult for (someone) to do something or for (something) to happen.
According to Horace there were about 15-thousand-pound worth of jewels in the granges
safe. He thought that even if he sold them one by one, he would get at least 5000 pounds that
would keep him happy and content for one year. He also thought about the three books that
were coming up in the autumn and thought that now he would have the money needed to buy
those books. He saw the housekeeper of the grange hang the keys on the hook outside the
kitchen door. He took the key with a glove on his hands so as not to leave any fingerprints.
He opened the door of the grange and used to be very careful about the fingerprints. He then
saw a small dog sleeping in the kitchen. The dog moved a bit, made a noise and then moved
his tail in a friendly way. Horace then said alright Sherry which was the name of the dog. He
knew that the trick to keep dogs quiet was to call them by their names and show them a bit of
love.
The safe of the grange was in the drawing room, hidden behind a painting. Looking at the
painting, he thought that he should collect paintings rather than books but then thought that
it would be better to collect books in a small house because pictures required larger spaces.
Then, as he moved forward, he saw a bowl of flowers on the table. His nose was tickling due
to the hay fever and the smell of the flowers. He arranged his tools and saw that he had about
4 hours until the housekeepers returned. The safe would not have been difficult to open as he
had lived with safes and locks all his life and the burglar system of the house was not a good
one. He went into the hall to cut the wires of the burglar system. He again sneezed loudly as
the smell of the flowers came to him again. He was thinking to himself that how foolish rich
people were when they had valuable things as he recalled that the whole plan of the house
including the information about the safe was given in a magazine. He saw that the smell of
the flowers was constantly making him sneeze loudly, so he put a handkerchief on his face
and continued his work.
Then he heard a voice say from the doorway, “What is it? A cold or hay fever?”
Before he could think, Horace said, “Hay fever,” and found himself sneezing again. The
voice went on, “You can cure it with a special treatment, you know, if you find out just what
plant gives you the disease. I think you’d better see a doctor, if you’re serious about your
work. I heard you from the top
of the house just now.” It was a quiet, kindly voice, but one with firmness in it. A woman was
standing in the doorway, and Sherry was rubbing against her. She was young, quite pretty,
and was dressed in red. She walked to the fireplace and straightened the ornaments there.
“Down, Sherry,” she said. “Anyone would think I’d been away for a month!” She smiled at
Horace, and went on, “However, I came back just in time, though I didn’t expect to meet a
burglar.” Horace had some hope because she seemed to be amused at meeting him. He might
avoid trouble if he treated her the right way. He replied, “I didn’t expect to meet one of the
family.”
She nodded. “I see what an inconvenience it is for you to meet me. What are you going to
do?” Horace said, “My first thought was to run.” “Of course, you could do that. But I would
telephone the police and tell them all about you. They’d get you at once.” Horace said, “I
would, of course, cut the telephone wires first and then..” he hesitated, a smile on his face, “I
would make sure that you could do nothing for some time. A few hours would be enough.”
She looked at him seriously. “You’d hurt me?”
Horace paused, and then said, “I think I was trying to frighten you when I said that.”
“You didn’t frighten me.”
Horace suggested, “It would be nice if you would forget you ever saw me. Let me go.” The
voice was suddenly sharp. “Why should I? You were going to rob me. If I let you go, you’ll
only rob someone else. Society must be protected from men like you.”
Horace smiled. “I’m not a man who threatens society. I steal only from those who have a lot
of money. I steal for a very good reason. And I hate the thought of prison. “She laughed, and
he begged, thinking that he had persuaded her, “Look, I have no right to ask you for anything,
but I’m desperate. Let me go and I promise never to do this kind of thing again. I really mean
it.” She was silent, watching him closely. Then she said, “You are really afraid of going to
prison, aren’t you?” She came over to him shaking her head. “I have always liked the wrong
kind of people.”
Doorway- an entrance to a room or building through a door.
Ornaments-a thing used or serving to make something look more attractive but usually
having no practical purpose, especially a small object such as a figurine.
Amused- finding something funny or entertaining.
Hesitated- pause in indecision before saying or doing something
Frighten- make (someone) afraid or anxious
Persuaded- induce (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.
Then somebody from the doorway asked him that was it a cold or was it hay fever. Horace
quickly replied hay fever and sneezed again. The other person then continued and told him
that he could cure it provided he knew which flower caused the allergy and that he should see
a doctor if he wanted to be a good thief. Then the other person said that his sneezing could be
heard from the top floor of the house. The voice was calm and firm. Then he got a bit nervous
as he saw a woman standing in the doorway. The woman was young, pretty and dressed in
red colour. She walked towards him and arranged the decorations kept on the fireplace. Then
she ordered the dog to stay away and said that people might be thinking that she was away
for a month but she was back in time and didn't expect a burglar to welcome her back at her
house. Horace was a bit hopeful as he saw that the woman was amused rather than being
panicked on seeing a burglar. He thought that if he treated her well and didn't do anything
wrong then she might let him go. He also told her amusingly that he also didn't expect to
meet a family member either as he had thought that there was no one at home. Then she said
that she realized what an inconvenience she was to him and asked him that what would he do
now.
He replied that at first, he wanted to run away. The woman replied that he could do so but
she would call the police and let them know that he was robbing her house and they would
catch him. Horace replied that he would obviously cut the telephone wires first and then he
would do something to her so that she was not able to do anything for a few hours. She
looked at him seriously and asked him that would he hurt her. Horace replied that he was
just saying that to frighten her. She was not frightened by what he said and Horace then told
her that it would be better that she forgot that she ever saw him and let him go. Suddenly she
spoke in a sharp and loud voice that why should she let him go. He was there to rob her and
if she spared him, he would go and rob someone else. She said that the society needed to be
protected from people like him. He smiled and said that he was not a threat to the society as
he stole only from those people who had a lot of money. Also, he stole for a good reason and
he hated even the thought of going to a prison. She laughed at his reply and he was begging
her not to call the police. Horace was begging only because he thought that he had convinced
her to let him go. He was desperately asking the woman not to go to the police and that he
would surely stop robbing people. He promised her and told her that he meant what he said.
She then looked closely towards him and asked him that was he really afraid of going to the
prison? She shook her head and said that she always liked the wrong kind of people. (This
was an indication for Horace that she was also a thief but he did not pick the clue).
She picked up a silver box from the table and took a cigarette from it. Horace, eager to please
her and seeing that she might help him, took off his gloves and gave her his cigarette lighter.
“You’ll let me go?” He held the lighter towards her.
“Yes, but only if you’ll do something for me.”
“Anything you say.”
“Before we left for London, I promised my husband to take my jewels to our bank; but I left
them here in the safe. I want to wear them to a party tonight, so I came down to get them,
but….”
Horace smiled. “You’ve forgotten the numbers to open the safe, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” replied the young lady.
“Just leave it to me and you’ll have them within an hour. But I’ll have to break your safe.”
Don’t worry about that. My husband won’t be here for a month, and I’ll have the safe
mended by that time.”
And within an hour Horace had opened the safe, given her the jewels, and gone happily
away.
For two days he kept his promise to the kind young lady. On the morning of the third day,
however, he thought of the books he wanted and he knew he would have to look for another
safe. But he never got the chance to begin his plan. By noon a policeman had arrested him for
the jewel robbery at Shotover Grange.
His fingerprints, for he had opened the safe without gloves, were all over the room, and no
one believed him when he said that the wife of the owner of the house had asked him to open
the safe for her. The wife herself, a gray-haired, sharp-tongued woman of sixty, said that the
story was nonsense.
Horace is now the assistant librarian in the prison. He often thinks of the charming, clever
young lady who was in the same profession as he was, and who tricked him. He gets very
angry when anyone talks about ‘honour among thieves’.
Jewels- a precious stone.

Mended- repair (something that is broken or damaged).
Charming- very pleasant or attractive.
Profession- a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal
qualification.
Sharp - tongued - (of a person) given to using cutting, harsh, or critical language.
Honour- high respect; great esteem.
The woman picked up a cigarette box made of silver and took out a cigarette. Horace thought
that if he pleased her, then she might help him. So, he quickly removed his gloves and gave
her his cigarette lighter. Then he asked her that would she let him go and pointed the lighter
towards her cigarette. She replied that yes, she would let him go but only if he would do
something that she wanted. Horace quickly replied that he would do anything for her. The
lady said that before going to London she had promised her husband that she would put all
the jewellery in the bank but left it in the safe at the grange. She had to go to a party now but
had forgotten the code of the locker. Horace said that he would do it but he would have to
break the locker to which she replied that he need not worry about that as her husband won’t
return in a month’s time and that she would get it repaired by then. Horace broke open the
safe within an hour, gave her the jewels and left happily thinking that he was safe now. For
two days he kept his promise to the lady that he won't steal but on the third day he thought
about the books that he wanted to buy and started thinking that he would have to look for
another locker to steal from. He couldn't even get the time to plan the next robbery as he was
arrested. A police officer came to his house and arrested him as his fingerprints were all over
the Shot over grange. No one believed him when he said that the owner’s wife had asked him
to open the safe. The actual wife of the owner was an old woman who was sixty years old and
was a sharp-tongued woman. She said that the story was nonsense because she had never
met Horace, not to think of asking him to break open the safe. This means that the young
woman who had asked Horace to open the safe had pretended to be the owner’s wife and was
a thief. Then Horace became the assistant librarian at the jail and thought about the woman
who being from the same profession tricked him and got him caught. He felt really angry
when someone talked about honour among thieves

Q1) What does Horace Danby like to collect?
Ans) Horace Danby likes to collect old, expensive and rare books.
Q2) Why does he steal every year?

Ans) He used to steal every year in a very systematic and planned manner. He used to steal
enough to last him for 12 months and so that he could buy the rare and expensive books
that he used to like through a secret agent.
Q3) Who is speaking to Horace Danby?

Ans) There was a woman standing in the doorway who was speaking to Horace Danby. She
was a young, beautiful lady and was dressed in red colour. She was pretending to be
one of the family members.
Q4) Who is the real culprit in the story?

Ans) The real culprit in the story is the woman who pretended to be a family member of the
family living at the grange. She cleverly acted as a family member and made Horace
believe that she wanted him to open the safe just because she had forgotten the
passcode. Horace believed her and opened the safe and gave her all the jewels that
were inside the safe and later, she took away all the jewels.
Q5) Did you begin to suspect, before the end of the story, that the lady was not the person
Horace Danby took her to be? If so, at what point did you realise this, and how?
Ans) Yes, one does begin to suspect that the woman is not who she claims to be. She was
unusually calm on seeing Horace near the locker. Then she doesn't even call the police
and also asks him to open the locker for her even if it means breaking it open as she
had forgotten the code of the safe. It is very unusual that someone forgets the passcode
to their own locker.
Q6) What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into
thinking she is the lady of the house? Why doesn’t Horace suspect that something is
wrong?
Ans) The way she walks up to the doorway, starts talking to him, arranges the ornaments in
their right place and picks up the silver cigarette box with so much confidence can
make anyone believe that she is the lady of the house. Apart from that, Horace had
become nervous and frightened when he saw the woman in the doorway and due to that
he could not think properly.
Q7) Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong
and why?
Ans) The place where he went wrong was that he did not gather enough information about
the real occupants of the house. He gathered all the information about the tracks,
wirings, gardens, servants and even the dog’s name but he still forgot to overlook
the identities of the house owners. He even took out the information of the valuables
inside the safe. Once he got into a problem, he could not even think properly and
carelessly opened the safe and touched many things in the room without wearing his
gloves.
Chapter 5 - Footprints without Feet

By H.G. Wells
Introduction
Can a man become invisible? This is a story of a scientist who discovers how to make himself
invisible. Does he use, or misuse, his discovery?
The story is about a scientist named Griffin. He discovers the rare chemicals which can make
a man invisible but at the same time, the man can be touched and felt physically. Let's read
and find out how he uses or misuses his powers for his own.
About the Author

Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer. He
was prolific in many genres, writing dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social
commentary, satire, biography, and autobiography, and even two books on recreational war
games. He is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is often called the
"father of science fiction", along with Jules Verne and Hugo Gernsback.
Summary
The story is about a scientist named Griffin. He had been discovering ways which could
make a man invisible and finally swallowed certain rare drugs that made him invisible. He
was first noticed by two boys in staircase of a house where they could just see his footsteps
and started following it. They follow it until the footsteps are fainter and cannot be seen.
First, as he is feeling cold he enters a mall for some warmth. After the stores shut down, he
decides to wear some warm clothes and eat something.
He first unboxes a few clothes and wears them. Then from the kitchen of a restaurant, he eats
cold meat and some coffee. Later he goes to a grocery store and eats sweets and drinks wine.
He then falls asleep on a pile of quilts. He then wakes up in the morning when some of the
store assistants had seen him and started chasing him. He quickly threw away all the clothes
he was wearing and became invisible again. Then he started roaming around again without
any clothes in the cold winters of London.
He then decides to steal clothes from a theatre company as he knew he would get something
there to cover his face as well. He then steals bandages for his face, dark glasses, false nose
and a hat for covering himself.
He then hits the shopkeeper and steals all his money. Soon he realizes that London is too
crowded to live like this and decides that he would go to a remote village. He books two
rooms at an inn at the Iping village.
He reaches there and it is strange for the people of Iping that a stranger with such a weird
appearance has come to stay at an inn during the winter season. Once his money is over, he
steals from people and also hits the landlord and his wife when they try to check his room in
his absence. Then the village constable is asked for help but before that Mrs. Hall, the wife of
the landlord asks him questions regarding who he is and what he did to her furniture.
This makes him really furious and he decides to show her who he really is. The people then
see a headless man and Mr. Jaffers, the constable also finds out that he would have to arrest a
man who does not have a head. They are unable to catch Griffin as he removes all his clothes
and becomes invisible. He even knocks out Jaffers as he tries to catch him.
THE two boys started in surprise at the fresh muddy imprints of a pair of bare feet. What was
a barefooted man doing on the steps of a house, in the middle of London? And where was the
man? As they gazed, a remarkable sight met their eyes. A fresh footmark appeared from
nowhere! Further footprints followed one after another, descending the steps and progressing
down the street. The boys followed, fascinated, until the muddy impressions became fainter
and fainter, and at last disappeared altogether.
The explanation of the mystery was really simple enough. The bewildered boys had been
following a scientist who had just discovered how to make the human body transparent.
Griffin, the scientist, had carried out an experiment after experiment to prove that the human
body could become invisible.
Finally, he swallowed certain rare drugs and his body became as transparent as a sheet of
glass — through it also remained as solid as glass. Brilliant scientist though he was, Griffin
was rather a lawless person. His landlord disliked him and tried to eject him. In revenge,
Griffin set fire to the house. To get away without being seen he had to remove his clothes.
Thus it was that he became a homeless wanderer, without clothes, without money, and quite
invisible — until he happened to step in some mud, and left footprints as he walked!
Muddy- covered in or full of mud.
Imprints- impress or stamp (a mark or outline) on a surface.
Bare- not clothed or covered.
Gazed- looked at steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought.
Remarkable- worthy of attention; striking.
Sight- the faculty or power of seeing
Progressing- move forward or onward in space or time.
Fascinated- strongly attracted and interested.
Fainter- barely perceptible.
Bewildered- perplexed and confused; very puzzled.
Eject- compel (someone) to leave a place.
Two boys suddenly noticed a few muddy imprints of bare feet. They started wondering that
what was a barefoot man doing on the steps of a house in the middle of London. They also
started thinking that where was the man as he was nowhere to be seen. They suddenly saw
another footmark. The man was still not visible. They started following the footprints. They
followed them until the footprints became invisible. They had been following a scientist who
had discovered how to make the human body transparent or invisible.
It was Griffin, the scientist who had been working for a long time to see how to make the
human body invisible. Suddenly, one day, he consumed certain drugs which made his body
invisible, though it could be felt. Griffin was a lawless person as he had once burned down
the house of his landlord who was trying to throw him out of the house and then, as he
wanted to be invisible, he had to remove his clothes and then roam around without clothes
and without money. His presence was felt after he stepped in some mud and his footprints
could be seen as he walked.
He escaped easily enough from the boys who followed his footprints in London. But his
adventures were by no means over. He had chosen a bad time of the year to wander about
London without clothes. It was mid-winter. The air was bitterly cold and he could not do
without clothes.
Instead of walking about the streets he decided to slip into a big London store for warmth.
Closing time arrived, and as soon as the doors were shut Griffin was able to give himself the
pleasure of clothing and feeding himself without regard to expense. He broke open boxes and
wrappers and fitted himself out with warm clothes. Soon, with shoes, an overcoat and a wide-
brimmed hat, he became a fully dressed and visible person. In the kitchen of the restaurant
he found cold meat and coffee, and he followed up the meal with sweets and wine taken from
the grocery store. Finally, he settled down to sleep on a pile of quilts. If only Griffin had
managed to wake up in good time all might have been well. As it was, he did not wake up
until the assistants were already arriving next morning. When he saw a couple of them
approaching, he panicked and began to run.
They naturally gave chase. In the end he was able to escape only by quickly taking off his
newly found clothes. So once more he found himself invisible but naked in the chill January
air.
Wander- walk or move in a leisurely or aimless way.

Bitterly- in an angry, hurt, or resentful way.
Expense- the cost incurred in or required for something.
Panicked- feel or cause to feel panic.
He easily escaped the boys who had followed him but he had many more adventures coming
up. He had chosen a bad time to wander in London as it was winter season going on and the
air was bitterly cold. He decided to stay inside a store for warmth. As he went inside the store
and closing time arrived, the doors of the store were shut and nobody was there inside. He
got food to eat and wore new clothes without paying for. He became visible again as he wore
shoes, overcoat and a hat. He then found cold meat and coffee in the kitchen and ate them.
After that he also had sweets and wine from the grocery store. Then he slept on the pile of
quilts kept nearby and could not wake up on time.
Next morning, when the assistants came and started approaching him, he became nervous
and started running away. Then the assistants started chasing him as well. He escaped only
because he quickly removed his new clothes. Again, he was invisible and naked, without any
money in the chill air of January.
This time he decided to try the stock of a theatrical company in the hope of finding not only
clothes but also something that would hide the empty space above his shoulders. Shivering
with cold he hurried to Drury Lane, the centre of the theatre world. He soon found a suitable
shop. He made his way, invisible, upstairs and came out a little later wearing bandages
around his forehead, dark glasses, false nose, big bushy side-whiskers, and a large hat.
To escape without being seen, he callously attacked the shopkeeper from behind, after which
he robbed him of all the money he could find. Eager to get away from crowded London he
took a train to the village of Iping, where he booked two rooms at the local inn. The arrival of
a stranger at an inn in winter was in any case an unusual event. A stranger of such uncommon
appearance set all tongues wagging.
Mrs. Hall, the landlord’s wife, made every effort to be friendly. But Griffin had no desire to
talk, and told her, “My reason for coming to Iping is a desire for solitude. I do not wish to be
disturbed in my work. Besides, an accident has affected my face.” Satisfied that her guest
was an eccentric scientist, and in view of the fact that he had paid her in advance, Mrs. Hall
was prepared to excuse his strange habits and irritable temper. But the stolen money did not
last long, and presently Griffin had to admit that he had no more ready cash. He pretended,
however, that he was expecting a cheque to arrive at any moment.
Shortly afterwards a curious episode occurred. Very early in the morning a clergyman and his
wife were awakened by noises in the study. Creeping downstairs, they heard the chink of
money being taken from the clergyman’s desk. Without making any noise and with a poker
grasped firmly in his hand, the clergyman flung open the door. “Surrender!”
Theatrical- relating to acting, actors, or the theatre.
Shivering- shaking slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or
excited.
Whiskers- a long projecting hair or bristle growing from the face or snout of many
mammals.
Callously- in a way that shows an insensitive and cruel disregard for others.
Inn- a pub, typically one in the country, in some cases providing accommodation.
Wagging- move or cause to move rapidly to and fro.
Solitude- the state or situation of being alone.
Eccentric- unconventional and slightly strange.
Curious- strange; unusual.
Clergyman- a male priest, minister, or religious leader, especially a Christian one.
Poker- a metal rod with a handle, used for prodding and stirring an open fire.
Grasped- seize and hold firmly.
This time, he decided to try the clothing of the theatrical world as he knew that he would
surely find something there to cover his face with. He quickly reached Drury Lane, the centre
of the theatrical world as he was shivering with cold. He found a shop according to his needs
and entered it. He came out wearing bandages around his forehead, false nose, side whiskers
and a hat.
Then as he did not have any money, he attacked a shopkeeper and robbed him of all his
money. Then he felt that London was too crowded and decided to go to a small village
nearby, Iping. He took a train and booked two rooms in the local Inn. The event of a stranger
coming and staying at the inn in the winter night was not a normal thing to happen in Iping
and everybody started talking about it also because Griffin looked very strange.
The landlord of the inn where Griffin stayed, Mrs.Hall made a lot of efforts to be friendly
with Griffin but he did not want to talk. He clearly told her that his reason for coming to
Iping was for peace and quietness and he did not wish to be disturbed in his work. Also, he
told her that an accident had affected his face due to which he had to cover it.
The landlord’s wife, Mrs. Hall accepted that her new guest was a strange scientist and was
ready to excuse his temper and habits as he had paid her in advance. Then the time came
when his money was over and he had no ready cash available for further payment at the Inn.
He had to pretend that he was waiting for a cheque which could arrive at any moment. Then
something really strange happened.
The clergyman and his wife were awakened by some noises in their study room.
When they were coming downstairs, they could hear the sound of money being taken from
the clergy man’s desk. The clergyman held a metal rod in his hand and flung the door open
and as soon as he opened the door, he said “surrender” as he thought he had caught the
thief.
Then to his amazement, he realized that the room appeared to be empty. He and his wife
looked under the desk, and behind the curtains, and even up the chimney. There wasn’t a sign
of anybody. Yet the desk had been opened and the housekeeping money was missing.
“Extraordinary affair!” the clergyman kept saying for the rest of the day. But it was not as
extraordinary as the behavior of Mrs Hall’s furniture a little later that morning.
The landlord and his wife were up very early, and were surprised to see the scientist’s door
wide open. Usually it was shut and locked, and he was furious if anyone entered his room.
The opportunity seemed too good to be missed. They peeped round the door, saw nobody,
and decided to investigate. The bedclothes were cold, showing that the scientist must have
been up for some time; and stranger still, the clothes and bandages that he always wore were
lying about
the room. All of a sudden Mrs Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. A moment later the hat on
the bedpost leapt up and dashed itself into her face.
Then the bedroom chair became alive. Springing into the air it charged straight at her, legs
foremost. As she and her husband turned away in terror, the extraordinary chair pushed them
both out of the room and then appeared to slam and lock the door after them. Mrs. Hall
almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. She was convinced that the room was haunted by
spirits and that the stranger had somehow caused these to enter into her furniture. “My poor
mother used to sit in that chair,” she moaned. “To think it should rise up against me
now!” The feeling among the neighbours was that the trouble was caused by witchcraft.
But witchcraft or not, when news of the burglary at the clergyman’s home became known,
the strange scientist was strongly suspected of having had a hand in it. Suspicion grew even
stronger when he suddenly produced some ready cash, though he had admitted not long
before that he had no money. The village constable was secretly sent for.
Instead of waiting for the constable, Mrs. Hall went to the scientist, who had somehow
mysteriously appeared from his empty bedroom. “I want to know what you have been
doing to my chair upstairs,” she demanded. “And I want to know how it is you came out of
an empty room and how you entered a locked room.”
Affair- an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been referred
to.
Furious- extremely angry.
Peeped-look quickly and furtively at something, especially through a narrow opening.
Sniff- draw up air audibly through the nose to detect a smell, to stop it running, or to express
contempt.
Leapt- jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force.
Terror- extreme fear.
Slam- shut (a door, window, or lid) forcefully and loudly.
Hysterics- a wildly emotional and exaggerated reaction
Moaned- make a long, low sound expressing physical or mental suffering
Witchcraft- the practice of magic, especially black magic; the use of spells.
To their surprise, they couldn't see anyone. They looked under the desk, behind the curtains
and also up the chimney but the person was nowhere to be seen. Yet the desk had been
opened and the housekeeping money was gone. Then the clergyman kept on saying
“Extraordinary affair” the whole day because he was shocked by the incident. But the things
that happened with Mrs. Hall’s furniture were much more fascinating. Mrs. Hall and her
husband woke up very early and were surprised as the door to the guest room was open.
Usually, his room’s door remained closed and locked. He used to get very angry if anyone
tried entering his room. It was an opportunity and Mrs. Hall did not want to miss it. They
decided to investigate when they saw that nobody was inside the room. His bedsheets were
cold which showed that he must have been up for a while and also, all the bandages that he
used to tie around his face were lying around the room. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff
close to her ear and Griffin’s hat that was lying on the bedpost flung towards Mrs. Hall and
hit her on her face.
Then the chair in the room dashed itself, hitting Mrs. Hall in her legs. As they got scared,
Mrs. Hall and her husband were going out of the room when the chair closed the door and
suddenly, a sound of slamming the door and locking were heard. This terrorized Mrs. Hall
and she was about to fall down from the stairs. She was convinced of the thought that there
were spirits in her inn’s room and that the stranger had caused this to happen.
She moaned that her mother used to sit in the chair which hit her legs and thought that how
could it rise up against her. The neighbours of Mrs. Hall thought that it was witchcraft which
had caused such a thing to happen.
When the news of the burglary at the clergyman’s house reached other people in the town,
everyone started suspecting the strange scientist. Suspicion grew stronger on him when he
produced ready cash for his payment at the inn even though he had told sometime back that
he did not have money and was waiting for a cheque to arrive. The village constable was
called for and Mrs. Hall did not want to wait for him. She went straight to Griffin as he had
appeared from the empty bedroom at the inn. She asked him what had he been doing upstairs
to her chairs and furniture. She also asked him how did he come out of the empty bedroom or
enter the locked bedroom.
The scientist was always quick-tempered; now he became furious. “You don’t understand
who or what I am!” he shouted. “Very well — I’ll show you.” Suddenly he threw off
bandages, whiskers, spectacles, and even nose. It took him only a minute to do this. The
horrified people in the bar found themselves staring at a headless man! Mr Jaffers, the
constable, now arrived, and was quite surprised to find that he had to arrest a man without a
head.
But Jaffers was not easily prevented from doing his duty. If a magistrate’s warrant ordered a
person’s arrest, then that person had to be arrested, with or without his head. There followed
a remarkable scene as the policeman tried to get hold of a man who was becoming more and
more invisible as he threw off one garment after another. Finally, a shirt
flew into the air, and the constable found himself struggling with someone he could not see at
all. Some people tried to help him, but found themselves hit by blows that seemed to come
from nowhere.
In the end Jaffers was knocked unconscious as he made a last attempt to hold on to the
unseen scientist. There were nervous, excited cries of “Hold him!” But this was easier said
than done. Griffin had shaken himself free, and no one knew where to lay hands on him.
Horrified- filled with terror; extremely shocked.
Prevented- keep (something) from happening.
Magistrate- a civil officer who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that
deals with minor offences and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones.
Knocked- collide with (someone or something), giving them a hard blow.
The scientist became really angry and started shouting that they don't understand who or
what he was and decided to show them the truth. He removed his bandages, whiskers,
spectacles and also his nose. It took him just a minute to do all this and the people in the bar
were horrified as they looked at the headless man. Mr. Jaffers, the constable of the village
was surprised as he saw that he had to arrest a man without any head.
But Jaffers still wanted to do his duty as he knew that the magistrate wanted him to arrest the
person and it did not matter that he had a head or not. As he threw away more and more of
his clothes, he became more and more invisible and finally, after Griffin removed his shirt, he
was nowhere to be seen and Jaffers was struggling to arrest a man who had become
completely invisible.
People who tried helping Jaffers were also struggling as they were hit by blows from
nowhere. As Jaffers made his last attempt to catch hold of the invisible man, he was knocked
unconscious by the invisible man. Everybody was shouting “hold him” repeatedly but Griffin
had set himself free from them and nobody could understand how to catch him.

Q1) How did the invisible man first become visible?
Ans) The invisible man first became visible when he accidentally stepped into some mud
and his footprints started becoming visible to two boys who followed him until his
footprints fainted and became invisible again. He got rid of them and spent a night at
a large London store where he wore some clothes and slept on a pile of quilts. The
next morning, when he was still sleeping, the store assistants started coming in and
saw him which was actually the first time he was seen.
Q2) Why was he wandering the streets?
Ans) Griffin had burned down the house of his landlord who had tried to throw him out of
the house. He was a lawless person and to save himself from being caught he
removed all his clothes so that he could not be seen and thus, became a homeless
wanderer. He did not have any money or clothing left with him.
Q3) Why does Mrs. Hall find the scientist eccentric?
Ans) Griffin arrived at an inn in Iping village during winter season which itself was an
uncommon thing to happen. He also had a weird appearance. Mrs. Hall tried to be
friendly with him but he was rude to her and told her that he didn’t want to be
disturbed and the reason for his visit to the village of Iping was solitude. These were
some of the reasons due to which Mrs.Hall considered him to be an eccentric
scientist.
Q4) What curious episode occurs in the study?
Ans) The clergyman and his wife were awakened early one morning by noises in their
study room. When the clergyman went to the study with a metal rod and looked
around he could not find anyone. He even looked under the desk, behind the curtain
and up the chimney but no one was seen. The strangest part was that even though
nobody was there the desk was opened and money was missing from the drawer.
Q5) What other extraordinary things happen at the inn?
Ans) The landlord of the inn and his wife were surprised to see the doors of Griffin’s room
open. They looked inside and found that nobody was inside the room and decided to
investigate. They found it strange that his room’s door was open as he never liked
anyone even trying to enter his room. All of a sudden, while investigating, Mrs.
Hall heard a sniff next to her ear and was hit by Griffin’s hat on the face. Then the
chair in the room charged towards Mrs. Hall and hit her in her legs.
As they both turned in terror, the chair pushed both of them out of the room and
the door was slammed and suddenly a locking sound was heard. Mrs. Hall was
scared and felt that the furniture was haunted by spirits and it was the stranger’s
work. The nearby people started talking that the work was that of a witchcraft
Chapter 6 - The Making of a Scientist

By- Robert W. Peterson
Introduction
Richard Ebright has received the Searle Scholar Award and the Schering Plough Award for
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It was his fascination for butterflies that opened the
world of science to him.
The story is about Richard H. Ebright who grew up in the town of Reading in Pennsylvania,
USA. As he did not have much to do there, collecting things was his hobby. He used to collect
butterflies as a child in kindergarten. Let’s read how this curious child who collected
butterflies went on to become one of the greatest scientists of the world.
About the Author

Robert W. Peterson (1925 Warren, Pennsylvania –February 11, 2006) was an American
newspaper writer who later became a freelance author of magazine articles and books,
especially on the topics of sports and scouting. His 1970 chronicle of Negro league baseball
titled ‘Only the Ball Was White’ was hailed by The New York Times as having "recaptured a
lost era in baseball history and a rich facet of black life in America". The baseball
commissioner at the time, Bowie Kuhn, later credited Peterson's book with having "focused
greater attention on the accomplishments of Negro League players", leading to their
admission to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
At the age of twenty-two, a former ‘scout of the year’ excited the scientific world with a new
theory on how cells work. Richard H. Ebright and his college room-mate explained the
theory in an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. It was the first
time this important scientific journal had ever published the
work of college students. In sports, that would be like making the big leagues at the age of
fifteen and hitting a home run your first time at bat*. For Richard Ebright, it was the first in a
long string of achievements in science and other fields. And it all started with butterflies. An
only child, Ebright grew up north of Reading, Pennsylvania. “There wasn’t much I could do
there,” he said. “I certainly couldn’t lay football or baseball with a team of
one. But there was one thing I could do — collect things.” So he did, and did he ever!
Beginning in kindergarten, Ebright collected butterflies with the same determination that has
marked all his activities. He also collected rocks, fossils, and coins. He became an eager
astronomer, too, sometimes stargazing all night.
Former- having previously been a particular thing.
Scout- a member of the Scout Association or a similar organization
Proceedings- a published report of a set of meetings or a conference.
Journal- a newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject or professional
activity.
making the big leagues- in a field of tough competition and high rewards, the largest or
foremost of its kind. For example- winning an Oscar put the
actress in the big league.
Fossils- the remains or impression of a prehistoric plant or animal embedded in rocks.
Astronomer- an expert in or student of astronomy.
Richard H. Ebright, along with his roommate, surprised the world at the young age of 22
when they explained the theory on how cells work in a paper published in the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Science. This valuable magazine had published the work of
college students for the first time. For Richard Ebright it was one of the many
achievements that he achieved later in his life. He says that all this curiosity started with
butterflies. Ebright grew up in Pennsylvania and was the only child of his parents. He
could have not done much there as there were very less people living there. He says that he
could only do one thing alone and that was collecting things as he had no friends to play
football or baseball with. He had begun collecting butterflies, rocks, fossils and coins from
the time when he was in kindergarten. He also used to keep on staring at the stars and
sometimes, the whole night as he was interested in studying astronomy.
From the first he had a driving curiosity along with a bright mind. He also had a mother who
encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on trips, bought him telescopes,
microscopes, cameras, mounting materials, and other equipment and helped him in many
other ways. “I was his only companion until he started school,” his mother said. “After that I
would bring home friends for him. But at night we just did things together. Richie was my
whole life after his father died when Richie was in third grade.” She and her son spent almost
every evening at the dining room table. “If he didn’t have things to do, I found work for him
— not physical work, but learning things,” his mother said. “He liked it. He wanted to learn.”
And learn he did. He earned top grades in school. “On everyday things he was just like every
other kid,” his mother said. By the time he was in the second grade, Ebright had collected all
twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown. “That probably would have
been the end of my butterfly collecting,” he said. “But then my mother got me a children’s
book called The Travels of Monarch X.” That book, which told how monarch butterflies
migrate to Central America, opened the world of science to the eager young collector.
Curiosity- a strong desire to know or learn something.
Encouraged- give support, confidence, or hope to (someone).
Equipment- the necessary items for a particular purpose.
Species- a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of
exchanging genes or interbreeding.
Monarch butterflies- a large migratory orange and black coloured butterfly that occurs
mainly in North America.
Collector- a person who collects things of a specified type, professionally or as a hobby.
Ebright had always been curious to learn new things and had a sharp mind. His mother
used to encourage him to learn. She used to take him on learning trips, used to buy him
telescopes and other instruments that would help him in learning new things. His mother
was his only friend until he went to school. After he started going to school, his mother
would get his friends home. He and his mother used to stay together at night and they used
to do and learn things together. Ebright who was nicknamed Richie by his mother was her
whole life and support system after his father died when he was in third grade.They used to
spend most of the evenings together. If he did not have anything to do, his mother would
find him some task for learning. He used to like the learning work that his mother used to
give him as that was what he wanted to do- learn about more and more new things. He was
a bright student as he used to score good in class and also, was regular in his daily tasks.
By the time he was in second class, he had collected all the 25 species of butterflies that
were found in his neighbourhood. He thought that it would have been the end of his
butterfly collection, if his mother would have not got him a children’s book called - “The
Travels of Monarch X”. The book told how the monarch butterflies migrated to Central
America, which was the turning point for Ebright as it turned his curiosity towards
science.
At the end of the book, readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations. They were
asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick A. Urquhart of the University of
Toronto, Canada. Ebright’s mother wrote to Dr Urquhart, and soon Ebright was attaching
light adhesive tags to the wings of monarchs. Anyone who found a tagged butterfly was
asked to send the tag to Dr Urquhart. The butterfly collecting season around Reading lasts six
weeks in late summer. If you’re going to chase them one by one, you
won’t catch very many. So the next step for Ebright was to raise a flock of butterflies. He
would catch a female monarch, take her eggs, and raise them in his basement through their
life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly. Then he would tag the butterflies’
wings and let them go. For several years his basement was home to thousands of monarchs in
different stages of development. “Eventually I began to lose interest in tagging butterflies.
It’s tedious and there’s not much feedback,” Ebright said. “In all the time I did it,” he
laughed, “only two butterflies I had tagged were recaptured — and they were not more than
seventy-five miles from where I lived.”
Migrations- seasonal movement of animals from one region to another.

Adhesive- able to stick fast to a surface or object; sticky.
Flock- a number of birds of one kind feeding, resting, or travelling together.
Life cycle- the series of changes in the life of an organism including reproduction.
Tedious- too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous.
At the end of the children’s book that his mother had got him, the readers of the book were
invited to help the study of butterfly migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies by Dr.
Frederick A. Urquhart of the University of Toronto in Canada. Richie’s mother wrote to
the doctor and soon, he was attaching adhesive tags to the wings of the butterflies. The
person who would find a butterfly with a tag was asked to send the tag to Dr. Urquhart.
The butterfly collecting season lasted for around 6 weeks. Then Ebright understood that if
he kept on collecting butterflies one by one, he would not be able to collect many. So, the
next step he took was that he decided to raise a flock of butterflies in his basement. He used
to catch a female butterfly, collect its eggs and raise them in his basement through their
proper life cycles. Then he used to tag the wings of the butterflies and would let them go.
There were thousands of monarchs in his basement, growing in different life stages, for
many years. Soon, he started losing interest in tagging butterflies as it was a very slow and
tiring process. It also did not get him much response. He said that out of the many
butterflies that he tagged, only two could be recaptured by people and those too were not
more than 75 miles away from where he lived.
Then in the seventh grade he got a hint of what real science is when he entered a county
science fair — and lost. “It was really a sad feeling to sit there and not get anything while
everybody else had won something,” Ebright said. His entry was slides of frog tissues, which
he showed under a microscope. He realised the winners had tried to do real experiments, not
simply make a neat display. Already the competitive spirit that drives Richard Ebright was
appearing. “I knew that for the next year’s fair I would have to do a real experiment,” he said.
“The subject I knew most about was the insect work I’d been doing in the past several years.”
So, he wrote to Dr Urquhart for ideas, and back came a stack of suggestions for experiments.
Those kept Ebright busy all through high school and led to prize projects in county and
international science fairs. For his eighth-grade project, Ebright tried to find the cause of a
viral disease that kills nearly all monarch caterpillars every few years. Ebright thought the
disease might be carried by a beetle. He tried raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles. “I
didn’t get any real results,” he said. “But I went ahead and
showed that I had tried the experiment. This time I won.” The next year's science fair project
was testing the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. The theory was that viceroys
look like monarchs because monarchs don’t taste good to birds. Viceroys, on the other hand,
do taste good to birds. So the more they look like monarchs, the less likely they are to
become a bird’s dinner. Ebright’s project was to see whether, in fact, birds would eat
monarchs. He found that a starling would not eat ordinary bird food. It would eat all the
monarchs it could get. (Ebright said later research by other people showed that viceroys
probably do copy the monarch.) This project was placed first in the zoology division and
third overall in the county science fair.
County- region
Subject- a person or thing that is being discussed, described, or dealt with.
Stack- a pile of objects, typically one that is neatly arranged.
Viral- of the nature of, caused by, or relating to a virus or viruses.
Starling- a gregarious Old-World songbird with a straight bill, typically with dark
lustrous or iridescent plumage but sometimes brightly coloured.
Zoology- the scientific study of the behaviour, structure, physiology, classification, and
distribution of animals.
When he was in seventh class, he came to know what real science was as he lost at a
County science fair. It was a really sad feeling for him to see all other people win
something while he did not win anything. He showed frog tissue slides under a microscope
but realized that all the winners had actually tried to perform an experiment and not just
make a neat display out of their projects. He had already started developing the competitive
spirit inside him. Now he had decided that he would be making a real project for the next
year’s fair. He thought and realized that he had maximum knowledge about the subject of
insects as he had been studying them for quite some time now. He wrote to Dr. Urquhart
for ideas and he sent back a lot of ideas for his next year’s project. He remained busy with
those ideas all throughout his high school and won many prizes. In his eighth class, he
tried to find the cause of a viral disease that killed nearly all monarch caterpillars every
few years. Ebright thought that the disease was being transmitted through beetles so, he
started raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles. It was of no use but when he showed
that he had tried such an experiment, he won something for his project. For the next year,
he tried the theory that viceroy butterflies copy monarchs. He put forward the theory that
viceroy butterflies look like monarchs because monarchs do not taste good to the birds and
birds like to eat viceroys. So, the more the viceroy looked like the monarch, the less likely it
is that viceroy would be eaten by a bird. He wanted to show in his project that would a bird
eat monarchs or not. He found out that the sterling bird would prefer eating a monarch.
Later research showed that the viceroys copied the monarchs. This project won him the
first division in the Zoology department and the third overall position in the county science
fair.
In his second year in high school, Richard Ebright began the research that led to his discovery
of an unknown insect hormone. Indirectly, it also led to his new theory on the life of cells.
The question he tried to answer was simple: What is the purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots
on a monarch pupa? “Everyone assumed the spots were just ornamental,” Ebright said. “But
Dr Urquhart didn’t believe it.” To find the answer, Ebright and another excellent science
student first had to build a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone
necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This project won Ebright first place in the
county fair and entry into the International Science and Engineering Fair. There he won third
place for zoology. He also got a chance to work during the summer at the entomology
laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. As a high school junior, Richard
Ebright continued his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa. That year his project won
first place at the International Science Fair and gave him another chance to work in the army
laboratory during the summer. In his senior year, he went a step further. He grew cells from a
monarch’s wing in a culture and showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal
butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots. That project won
first place for zoology at the International Fair. He spent the summer after graduation doing
further work at the army laboratory and at the laboratory of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. The following summer, after his freshman year at Harvard University, Ebright
went back to the laboratory of the Department of Agriculture and did more work on the
hormone from the gold spots. Using the laboratory’s sophisticated instruments, he was able to
identify the hormone’s chemical structure.
A year-and-a-half later, during his junior year, Ebright got the idea for his new theory about
cell life. It came while he was looking at X-ray photos of the chemical structure of a
hormone. When he saw those photos, Ebright didn’t shout, ‘Eureka!’ or even, ‘I’ve got it!’
But he believed that, along with his findings about insect hormones, the photos gave him the
answer to one of biology’s puzzles: how the cell can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA. DNA is
the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity. It determines the form and
function of the cell. Thus, DNA is the blueprint for life.
Research- the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order
to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
Hormone- a regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue
fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action.
Assumed- supposed to be the case, without proof.
Ornamental- serving or intended as an ornament; decorative.
Sophisticated- advanced
Blueprint- a design plan or technical drawing.
Nucleus- the central and most important part of an object, movement, or group,
forming the basis for its activity and growth.
Heredity- the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one
generation to another.
During his second year of high school, Richard started a research from which he found
about an unknown insect hormone that later helped him in his new theory about the life of
cells as well. The question from where the research started was very simple as to - what
was the purpose of the 12 tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa? Most of the people said that
the spots were made for making it look more decorative but Dr. Urquhart did not believe in
what others said. To find the answer to this question, Ebright and another excellent
science student together made a device that proved that these spots produced a hormone
necessary for the full development of a butterfly from a pupa. With this, Ebright won the
first prize at the County Science Fair and the entry to International Science and
Engineering Fair. There, his project won third prize for zoology. He also got a chance to
work at the entomology laboratory of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. He
continued his work with the monarch pupa as a high school junior and that led him to win
the first prize at the International Science Fair. After winning this prize he also got a
chance to work at the army laboratory during summers. Then during his senior year, he
tried another experiment in which he grew cells from a monarch’s wing in a culture and
showed that cells would divide and develop into a normal butterfly wing scales provided
that they were treated with the hormone from the gold spots. This research of his won the
first prize at the international fair and he spent his summer after graduation doing more
research on the subject at the army laboratory and the laboratory of U.S department of
agriculture.
Then he worked some more on the hormone released from the gold spots during the
following summers at the laboratory of the agriculture department. He identified the
chemical structure of the hormone using the lab’s special equipment. After one and a half
years, Ebright got the idea for his new theory which was about the cell life. The idea came
to him when he was looking at the X ray photos of the chemical structure of the hormone.
He did not get excited about his discovery as soon as he found it, but came to a realization
that his years of study on the insect hormone had solved one of the puzzles of biology. It
had solved the mystery of how cells read the blueprint of its DNA. He found that as the
DNA is in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity, therefore, it determines the form and
function of a cell. Hence, DNA is the blueprint of life.
Ebright and his college room-mate, James R. Wong, worked all that night drawing pictures
and constructing plastic models of molecules to show how it could happen. Together they
later wrote the paper that explained the theory. Surprising no one who knew him, Richard
Ebright graduated from Harvard with highest honours, second in his class of 1,510. Ebright
went on to become a graduate student researcher at Harvard Medical School. There he began
doing experiments to test his theory. If the theory proves correct, it will be a big step towards
understanding the processes of life. It might also lead to new ideas for preventing some types
of cancer and other diseases. All of this is possible because of
Ebright’s scientific curiosity. His high school research into the purpose of the spots on a
monarch pupa eventually led him to his theory about cell life. Richard Ebright has been
interested in science since he first began collecting butterflies — but not so deeply that he
hasn’t time for
other interests. Ebright also became a champion debater and public speaker and a good
canoeist and all-around outdoors-person. He is also an expert photographer, particularly of
nature and scientific exhibits. In high school Richard Ebright was a straight-A student.
Because learning was easy, he turned a lot of his energy towards the Debating and Model
United Nations clubs. He also found someone to admire — Richard A. Weiherer, his social
studies teacher and adviser to both clubs. “Mr Weiherer was the perfect person for me then.
He opened my mind to new ideas,” Ebright said. “Richard would always give that extra
effort,” Mr Weiherer said. “What pleased me was, here was this person who put in three or
four hours at night doing debate research besides doing all his research with butterflies and
his other interests. “Richard was competitive,” Mr Weiherer continued, “but not in a bad
sense.” He explained, “Richard wasn’t interested in winning for winning’s sake or winning to
get a prize. Rather, he was winning because he wanted to do the best job he could. For the
right reasons, he wants to be the best.” And that is one of the ingredients in the making of a
scientist. Start with a first-rate mind, add curiosity, and mix in the will to win for the right
reasons. Ebright has these qualities. From the time the book, The Travels of Monarch X,
opened the world of science to him, Richard Ebright has never lost his scientific curiosity.
Roommate- a person occupying the same room as another.

Researcher- a person who carries out academic or scientific research.
Debater- a person who argues about a subject, especially in a formal manner.
Canoeist- A canoeist is someone who is skilled at racing and performing tests of skill in
A canoe.
Exhibits- manifest clearly (a quality or a type of behaviour).
Admire- regard with respect or warm approval.
Competitive- relating to or characterized by competition.
Ingredients- a component part or element of something.
Then Ebright and his room-mate made drawings and plastic models for the theory which
showed how it was possible and later wrote a paper which explained the process. It did not
surprise the people who knew him that he graduated from Harvard with highest honours
and stood second in his class among 1510 students. He then became a graduate student
researcher at the Harvard University and also started doing practical experiments to test
his theory. It was expected that if the theory proved to be correct, then it would be a big step
towards understanding the complex system of life and also would lead to new ideas for
preventing certain types of cancer and other diseases. So, this showed how his research on
the monarch pupa led him to a theory about cell life. He had been keen in science ever
since he started collecting butterflies but this did not keep him away from his other
interests in life. He was a champion debater, a great public speaker and a good boat racer
(canoeist). He was also an all-round outdoor sports person along with being an expert
photographer. He was great at capturing nature and scientific subjects. As he was a great
student and always used to score good, he used to focus his extra energy on debating and
Model United Nations Clubs. He also used to admire his social studies teacher and an
advisor to both clubs, Mr. Richard A. Welherer. Ebright thought that his teacher was the
right man as he was the one who used to open his mind to new ideas.
His teacher was impressed with the fact that how Ebright would give an extra 3-4 hours of
effort at night for the debate research apart from the time that he used to give to his
butterfly research and his other interests. He added that he was competitive but not in a
bad sense because he did not win to get prizes or for the sake of winning but because he
wanted to be the best at whatever he did. This is what makes a good scientist. He needs a
first rated mind along with curiosity and an added will to win for the right reasons. Since
the time Richard’s mother got him the book about migration of monarchs, his curiosity
towards science has just grown.
Summary
The chapter, ‘The Making of a Scientist’ is a story about the famous scientist Richard
Ebright. Richie as his mother used to call him was a very curious child right from his
childhood. He had started collecting butterflies in his childhood and when he was 2 years old,
he had already collected all the 25 species found near his hometown. He thought it to be an
end of butterfly collection until one day his mother bought him a book named ‘The Travels of
Monarch X’. This was a turning point in his life and he got much more interested in dealing
with science. He started with tagging butterflies which a task given at the end of the book that
his mother bought for him. Then, when he first entered the county science fair with a slide of
the frog tissue he lost. Everybody won something but his project did not win any prize. He
was sad but also understood that to win, he needed to do real experiments and not just make
neat and clean models. Then he wrote down to Dr. Urquhart at the University of Toronto,
asking him for ideas to make projects. He stayed busy during his high school, working on the
long list sent to him by Dr. Urquhart. Then, for the next year’s fair, he chose the project of
looking at the viral disease that killed nearly all the monarch caterpillars every few years. He
thought that the reason for this could be a beetle, so he started raising caterpillars in the
presence of beetles but could not get any results. So, when he showed his trial experiment at
the county science fair, his project won a prize. Then for the next year he made an experiment
to show that the viceroy butterflies copied monarchs. This project also made him win prizes.
Then he started his research as to the purpose of the 12 golden spots on the back of a
monarch pupa. Everybody believed that it was just a design but Dr. Urquhart thought
otherwise. Then Ebright and another brilliant science student got together and made a device
that could show that the gold spots were responsible for releasing a hormone that was
necessary for its growth. With the help of sophisticated instruments at one of the labs, he got
a chance to work and found the chemical structure of the hormone in the gold spots. Then,
one day, while looking at the photo of the chemical structure, he solved one of the biggest
puzzles of life. He came to know how a cell blueprints its DNA. It was a big breakthrough
and was published in a magazine. He also had many other interests and also admired his
social studies teacher as he was the one who used to give him new ideas. He was good at
debating, public speaking and a great canoeist. He never used to win for the sake of winning
or for prizes but because he wanted to be the best at whatever he used to do. It is shown in
this chapter that with the right amount of curiosity, a bright mind and the will to win for right
reasons are the qualities needed to be a scientist. His mother also played a big role in making
him what he was as it was she who supported him throughout his journey and bought him the
book ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ which aroused his curiosity in the field of science.

Q1) How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?
Ans) After Richard had collected all the 25 species of butterflies that were found in his
surroundings, he thought that it would be an end to butterfly collection when his
mom bought him a book named ‘Travels of Monarch X’ which told him about how
butterflies migrated to Central America. This book aroused an interest in him for
exploring more of what was to come and started studying more about monarch
butterflies.
Q2) How did his mother help him?
Ans) His mother played a turning role in the life of the scientist as she used to buy him
telescopes, microscopes, cameras, mounting equipment and used to try to help him by
getting him things to learn in the evening when he used to be free. She also used to
take him out on field trips and the book Travels of Monarch X was also bought by
her. So we can say that the mother played a very important role in the making of
what he was.
Q3) What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?
Ans) He learnt that just by showing neat and clean simple slides won't make him win
anything but the actual experiment that he will perform will help him win the prize at
any fair.
Q4) What experiments and projects does he then undertake?
Ans) He did an experiment to see the cause of the viral disease that kills nearly all the
monarchs after a few years and also took up a project to prove that the viceroy
butterflies copy monarchs to survive by behaving like them.
Q5) What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?
Ans) According to the chapter, there are three qualities that a person needs to have to be a
scientist. Firstly, a first - rated mind, secondly, curiosity and thirdly, the will to win for
the right reasons.
Chapter 7
The Necklace
By- Guy De Maupassant
Introduction
The story revolves around a selfish lady named Matilda. She is unsatisfied with her life as she
wants a rich husband but because she belongs to a family of clerks and her family is unable to
give dowry she is married to a clerk. One day, both the husband and wife are invited to a
party at the minister’s house. But Matilda does not have good clothes and jewels to wear at
such a party. Her husband suggests her to buy a dress and ask an old friend for jewellery. She
then borrows a necklace from her friend and goes to the party. What happens next proves to
be a lesson for the unhappy lady.
About the Author

Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a French
writer, remembered as a master of the short story form, and as a representative of the
naturalist school of writers, who depicted human lives and destinies and social forces in
disillusioned and often pessimistic terms. He wrote some 300 short stories, six novels, three
travel books, and one volume of verse.

SHE was one of those pretty, young ladies, born as if through an error of destiny, into a
family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, loved, and
married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk
in the office of the Board of Education. She was simple, but she was unhappy. She suffered
incessantly, feeling herself born for all delicacies and luxuries. She suffered from the poverty
of her apartment, the shabby walls and the worn chairs. All these things tortured and angered
her. When she seated herself for dinner opposite her husband who uncovered the tureen with
a delighted air, saying,
“Oh! the good pot pie! I know nothing better than that…,” she would think of elegant
dinners, of shining silver; she thought of the exquisite food served in marvellous dishes. She
had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She had a rich
friend, a schoolmate at the convent, who she did not like to visit — she suffered so much
when she returned. She wept for whole days from despair and disappointment. One evening
her husband returned elated bearing in his hand a large envelope.
“Here,” he said, “here is something for you.”
Error- a mistake.
Clerk- a person employed in an office or bank to keep records, accounts, and undertake
other routine administrative duties.
Dowry- an amount of property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their
marriage.
Petty- of little importance; trivial.
Incessantly- without interruption; constantly.
Delicacies- fineness or intricacy of texture or structure.
Shabby- in poor condition through long use or lack of care.
Tureen- a deep covered dish from which soup is served.
Pot pie- a savoury pie baked in a deep dish, typically with a top crust only.
Elegant- graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
Exquisite- extremely beautiful and delicate.
Marvellous- causing great wonder; extraordinary.
Convent- a school attached to and run by a convent.
Elated- make (someone) ecstatically happy.
Matilda Loisel was a pretty young lady who was born into a middle-class family who
worked as clerks. Her family did not have any means to arrange dowry for her marriage.
She did not have any other means by which she could befriend a rich man to be loved or
married to him. So, due to these circumstances, she had to marry a clerk in the office of the
board of education and because of this she was unhappy. She used to think that destiny
was unfair to her and that she deserved much better than what she had got. She used to get
angry and was tortured by the condition of her apartment. The dirty walls and the torn
furniture used to irritate her. She used to think about elegant dinners being served in
marvellous dishes when her husband used to praise the home-made food served in a simple
dish. She did not have fancy jewels or good dresses. She had a school friend whom she did
not like to meet as she was a rich lady. After meeting her, she used to cry for days together,
looking at the condition of her life. One day, her husband came back home from work in a
happy mood, holding an envelope in his hand. He informed her that the envelope was for
her and asked her to open it.
She quickly drew out a printed card on which were inscribed these words:
“The Minister of Public Instruction and Madame George Ramponneau
ask the honour of M. and Mme Loisel ’ s company. Monday evening, January 18, at the
Minister’s residence.”
Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation spitefully upon
the table murmuring, “What do you suppose I want with that?” “But, my dearie, I thought it
would make you happy. You never go out, and this is an occasion, and a fine one! Everybody
wishes one, and it is very select; not many are given to employees. You will see the whole
official world there.” She looked at him with an irritated eye and declared impatiently, “What
do you suppose I have to wear to such a thing as that?” He had not thought of that; he
stammered, “Why, the dress you wear when we go to the theatre. It seems very pretty to
me…” He was silent, stupefied, in dismay, at the sight of his wife weeping. He stammered,
“What is the matter? What is the matter?” By a violent effort, she had controlled her vexation
and responded in a calm voice, wiping her moist cheeks, “Nothing. Only I have no dress and
consequently I cannot go to this affair. Give your card to some colleague whose wife is better
fitted out than I.” He was grieved, but answered, “Let us see, Matilda. How much would a
suitable costume cost, something that would serve for other occasions,
something very simple?” She reflected for some seconds thinking of a sum that she could ask
for without bringing with it an immediate refusal and a frightened exclamation from the
economical clerk. Finally she said, in a hesitating voice, “I cannot tell exactly, but it seems to
me that four hundred francs ought to cover it.”
M.- Mr. in french

Mme.- Mrs. in french
Delighted- feeling or showing great pleasure.
Spitefully- showing or caused by malice.
Murmuring- a low or indistinct continuous sound.
Stammered- speak with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial
letters of words.
Stupefied- make (someone) unable to think or feel properly.
Dismay- concern and distress caused by something unexpected.
Weeping- shedding tears.
Vexation- the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried.
Affair- an event or sequence of events of a specified kind or that has previously been
referred to.
Colleague- a person with whom one works in a profession or business.
Grieved- feel intense sorrow.
Francs- the basic monetary unit of France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and
several other countries
She quickly pulled out the printed card as she was excited to know what it was about. It
was an invitation from the Minister. The couple had been invited to a dinner party at the
house of the minister of public instruction. She was supposed to be delighted as M. Loisel
expected but she got really angry and threw the card while murmuring something. She
asked her husband what did he want her to do with the card. He replied that he had
thought that she would be happy as she never went out and this was a rare occasion to
which not many employees were invited. He also told her that she would be meeting a lot of
people from his office there. Matilda asked him what could she wear to such a grand party.
He stammered as he had not thought of that. He first asked her to wear the dress that she
wore when they went out for movies but then as she was weeping, he asked her about the
matter. She wiped her tears from her wet cheeks and replied calmly that she could not be a
part of such a grand affair and that he should give away the card to some other colleague
whose wife was better than her. He felt bad for his wife as he saw her crying and asked her
the cost of a simple dress that could be worn by her on other occasions as well. She
thought of an amount that would neither be refused by him nor scare the poor clerk. Then
she said that she would be able to manage a dress in 400 Francs.
He turned a little pale, for he had saved just this sum to buy a gun that he might be able to
join some hunting parties the next summer, with some friends who went to shoot larks on
Sunday. Nevertheless, he answered, “Very well. I will give you four hundred francs. But try
to have a pretty dress.” The day of the ball approached and Mme Loisel seemed sad,
disturbed, anxious. Nevertheless, her dress was nearly ready. Her husband said to her one
evening, “What is the matter with you? You have acted strangely for two or three days.” And
she responded, “I am vexed not to have a jewel, nothing to adorn myself with. I shall have
such a poverty-stricken look. I would prefer not to go to this party.” He replied, “You can
wear some natural flowers. In this season they look very chic.” She was not convinced. “No”,
she replied, “there is nothing more humiliating than to have a shabby air in the midst of rich
women.” Then her husband cried out, “How stupid we are! Go and find your friend Mme
Forestier and ask her to lend you her jewels.” She uttered a cry of joy. “It is true!” she said. “I
had not thought of that.” The next day she took herself to her friend’s house and related her
story of distress. Mme Forestier went to her closet, took out a large jewel-case, brought it,
opened it, and said, “Choose, my dear.” She saw at first some bracelets, then a collar of
pearls, then a Venetian cross of gold and jewels of admirable workmanship. She tried the
jewels before the glass, hesitated, but could neither decide to take them nor leave them. Then
she asked, “Have you nothing more?” “Why, yes. Look for yourself. I do not know what will
please you.” Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb necklace of diamonds.
Her hands trembled as she took it out. She placed it about her throat against her dress, and
was ecstatic. Then she asked, in a hesitating voice, full of anxiety, “Could you lend me this?
Only this?” “Why, yes, certainly.”
Pale- light in colour or shade; containing little colour or pigment.
Larks- a bird
Anxious- feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an
uncertain outcome
Vexed- annoyed, frustrated, or worried
Adorn- make more beautiful or attractive.
Stricken- seriously affected by an undesirable condition or unpleasant feeling.
Chic- elegantly and stylishly fashionable.
Shabby- in poor condition through long use or lack of care.
Midst- in between
Admirable- arousing or deserving respect and approval.
Satin- a smooth, glossy fabric, usually of silk, produced by a weave in which the threads
of the warp are caught and looped by the weft only at certain intervals.
Ecstatic- feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement.
M Loisel was reluctant as he had saved only that much money to buy a gun for himself so
that he could join the hunting parties next summer along with his friends. He told his wife
that he would give her the money and asked her to buy a good dress. The day was
approaching and Matilda was still not fine, even though her dress was almost ready. One
day, her husband asked her again that why had she been acting strangely for the past few
days. Matilda replied that although she had the dress, she did not have any kind of
jewellery or anything else to make herself look even more attractive. She said that without
any jewellery, she would look like a poor person in such a big party. She again said that
she would rather prefer not going to the party. To this, her husband replied that she could
wear some natural flowers over the dress as they looked really nice and attractive. She
replied that she could not as it looked really cheap in a party of rich people. Then her
husband suggested that she could go to her friend Mme. Forestier and ask her to lend
some jewellery. Matilda became happy again as she heard the idea. She went to Mme.
Forestier’s house the next day and said that she was stressed about the party and the
jewellery. Mme. Forestier went to her closet and brought out her jewel box. Mme. Forestier
asked her to choose for herself whatever she wanted. She first saw some bracelets, then
some pearl collars and then a Venetian cross of gold and jewels. She was not able to decide
what to take and what to leave, so she asked Mme. Forestier if she have anything else that
she could wear. To this Mme. Forestier replied that she could herself take a look and
choose something suitable. She then saw a superb diamond necklace kept in a black satin
box. She took it out with her trembling hands and wore it. She was overjoyed with the
necklace as it looked very beautiful. She asked her friend if she could lend her the diamond
necklace. Mme. Forestier consented to it.
She fell upon the neck of her friend, embraced her with passion, then went away with her
treasure. The day of the ball arrived. Mme Loisel was a great success. She was the prettiest of
all — elegant, gracious, smiling and full of joy. All the men noticed her, asked her name, and
wanted to be presented. She danced with enthusiasm, intoxicated with pleasure, thinking of
nothing but all this admiration, this victory so complete and sweet to her heart. She went
home towards four o’clock in the morning. Her husband had been half asleep in one of the
little salons since midnight, with three other gentlemen whose wives were enjoying
themselves very much. He threw around her shoulders the modest wraps they had carried
whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She wished to hurry away in
order not to be noticed by the other women who were wrapping themselves in rich furs.
Loisel detained her, “Wait,” said he. “I am going to call a cab.” But she would not listen and
descended the steps rapidly. When they were in the street, they found no carriage; and they
began to seek for one, hailing the coachmen whom they saw at a distance. They walked along
toward the river, hopeless and shivering. Finally, they found one of those old carriages that
one sees in Paris after nightfall. It took them as
far as their door and they went wearily up to their apartment. It was all over for her. And on
his part, he remembered that he would have to be at the office by ten o’clock. She removed
the wraps from her shoulders before the glass, for a final view of herself in her glory.
Suddenly she uttered a cry. Her necklace was not around her neck. Loisel already half
undressed, asked, “What is the matter?” She turned towards him excitedly. “I have — I have
— I no longer have Mme Forestier’s necklace.” He arose in dismay, “What! How is that? It is
not possible.” And they looked in the folds of the dress, in the folds of the cloak, in the
pockets, everywhere. They could not find it. He asked, “You are sure you still had it when we
left the Minister’s house?”
Embraced- hold (someone) closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection.
Elegant- graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
Enthusiasm- intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
Admiration- respect and warm approval.
Salons- a reception room in a large house.
Furs- the short, fine, soft hair of certain animals.
Detained- keep (someone) from proceeding by holding them back or making claims on
their attention.
Descended- move or fall downwards.
Hailing- (of a large number of objects) fall or be hurled forcefully.
Coachmen- a driver of a horse-drawn carriage.
Shivering- shaking slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or
excited.
Nightfall- the onset of night; dusk.
Wearily- with extreme tiredness.
Cloak- a sleeveless outdoor overgarment that hangs loosely from the shoulders.
Matilda hugged her friend with affection and left for her house. The day of the party
arrived and Mme Loisel was appreciated as she was the prettiest, most elegant and
gracious of all. She was very happy and full of joy as all the men were noticing her. She
was full of enthusiasm and pleasure as she was very happy with all the attention she had
gained. The couple left the party at 4 o'clock in the morning. M. loisel had already slept at
12 o’clock in one of the halls with 3 other men whose wives were also enjoying the party.
M. Loisel threw the wrap around her shoulders as they were about to leave. The elegance
of the party dress was getting ruined by the wrap as it was not that pretty. She wanted to
leave the party quickly because she did not want the rich ladies who had wrapped
themselves in rich furs to see her in a cheap wrap. This was because she had portrayed
herself as a rich lady by wearing the new dress and the diamond necklace. M. Loisel asked
her to wait as he was calling a cab but she was in a hurry and quickly went down the stairs.
She did not want to be noticed. As they got on the street, they were looking for a carriage
which could take them home but could not find one. Then they saw a coachman at a
distance and started calling him. The coachman did not stop. They kept walking together
towards the river and finally found a carriage, the kind one finds in Paris at dusk time.
The carriage took them to their home and they both went up. By then, they were extremely
tired. The enthusiasm and fun for Mme. Loisel had ended by then. M. Loisel also
remembered that he had to reach his office by 10 in the morning. As she stood in front of
the mirror and removed the wrap to see herself one last time in the beautiful dress and
necklace, she cried because the necklace was missing. It was not on her neck. M. Loisel
was already half undressed by then and was almost ready to go to sleep when he asked her
the reason for shouting. She turned towards him and said that Mme. Forestier’s necklace
was missing and that it might have fallen somewhere. They searched it in the folds of the
dresses, the cloak and in the pockets but could not find it. M. Loisel then asked her if she
remembered having it on while they were leaving the minister’s house.
Yes, I felt it as we came out.” “But if you had lost it in the street, we should have heard it fall.
It must be in the cab.” “Yes, it is possible. Did you take the number?” “No. And you, did you
notice what it was?” “No.” They looked at each other utterly cast down. Finally Loisel
dressed himself again. “I am going,” he said, “over the track where we went on foot, to see if
I can find it.” And he went. She remained in her evening gown, not having the force to go to
bed. Toward seven o’clock her husband returned. He had found nothing. He went to the
police and to the cab offices, and put an advertisement in the newspapers, offering a reward.
She waited all day in a state of bewilderment before this frightful disaster. Loisel returned in
the evening, his face pale; he had discovered nothing. He said, “Write to your friend that you
have broken the clasp of the necklace and that you will have it repaired. That will give us
time.” She wrote as he dictated. At the end of a week, they had lost all hope. And Loisel,
older by five years, declared, “We must replace this jewel.” In a shop of the Palais-Royal,
they found a chaplet of diamonds, which seemed to them exactly like the one they had lost. It
was valued at forty thousand francs. They could get it for thirty-six thousand. Loisel
possessed eighteen thousand francs, which his father had left him. He borrowed the rest. He
made ruinous promises, took money from usurers and the whole race of lenders. Then he
went to get the new necklace, depositing on the merchant’s counter thirty-six thousand
francs. When Mme Loisel took back the jewels to Mme Forestier, the latter said to her in a
frigid tone, “You should have returned them to me sooner, for I might have needed them.”
Cast down- sad or worried

Gown- a long elegant dress worn on formal occasions.
Bewilderment- a feeling of being perplexed and confused.
Frightful- very unpleasant, serious, or shocking.
Clasp- grasp (something) tightly with one's hand.
Dictated- state or order authoritatively.
Chaplet- a garland or circlet for a person's head.
Ruinous- disastrous or destructive
Usurers- a person who lends money at unreasonably high rates of interest.
Latter - denoting the second or second mentioned of two people or things.
Frigid- stiff or formal in behaviour or style.
Mme. Loisel said that she remembered having it on as she had felt it while leaving the
house of the minister. M. Loisel said that if it would have fallen on the street, then they
would have heard the sound of it falling but they did not hear anything which meant that it
must have fallen in the cab. To this she replied that it could be possible that what he said
was right and asked him if he noted down the number of the car. Both of them had not
seen the number of the carriage. They were let down by what had just happened and M.
Loisel dressed up again to go and look on the tracks where they were walking. She
remained at home wearing her evening gown whereas her husband went out in search of
the necklace. M. Loisel returned at around 7 in the morning and announced that he had
not found anything. He also went to the police and cab offices asking about it and gave an
advertisement about it in the newspaper, offering a reward for whoever returned it. Mme.
Loisel waited for her husband the whole day and when he returned, he announced that he
had not been able to find the necklace. M. Loisel told his wife to write to Mme. Forestier
that they had given the necklace for repairing as the hook of the necklace had broken.
After looking for it for almost a week, they decided to buy another necklace for Mme.
Forestier as they were not able to find the original one. Then they started looking for a
necklace similar to the one they had lost and found one in a shop at Palais- Royal. The
price for the necklace was 36000 francs with a discount of 4000 francs. M. Loisel had
about 18000 francs which were given to him by his father before his death. He borrowed
the rest of the money from different money lenders. He then bought the new necklace from
the shop by paying the full amount. When Mme. Loisel took the necklace to her friend, her
friend told her that she should have returned it earlier as she too needed it.
Mme Forestier did not open the jewel-box as Mme Loisel feared she would. What would she
think if she should perceive the substitution? What should she say? Would she take her for a
robber? Mme Loisel now knew the horrible life of necessity. She did her part, however,
completely, heroically. It was necessary to pay this frightful debt. She would pay it. They
sent away the maid, they changed their lodgings; they rented some rooms in an attic. She
learned the odious work of a kitchen. She washed the dishes. She washed the soiled linen,
their clothes and dishcloths, which she hung on the line to dry; she took down the refuse to
the street each morning and brought up the water, stopping at each landing to catch her
breath. And, clothed like a woman of the people, she went to the grocer’s, the butcher’s and
the fruiterer’s, with her basket on her arm, shopping, haggling to the last sou of her miserable
money. The husband worked evenings, putting the books of some merchants in order, and
nights he often did copying at five sous a page. And this life lasted for ten years. At the end
of ten years, they had restored all. Mme Loisel seemed old now. She had become a strong,
hard woman, the crude woman of the poor household. Her hair badly dressed, her skirts awry,
her hands red, she spoke in a loud tone, and washed the floors with large pails of water. But
sometimes, when her husband was at the office, she would seat herself before the window
and think of that evening party of former times, of that ball where she was so beautiful and so
flattered. How would it have been if she had not lost the necklace? Who knows? How
singular is life, and how full of changes! How small a thing will ruin or save one! One
Sunday as she was taking a walk in the Champs-Elysees to rid herself of the cares
of the week, she suddenly perceived a woman walking with a child. It was Mme Forestier,
still young, still pretty, still attractive. Mme Loisel was affected. Should she speak to her?
Yes, certainly. And now that she had paid, she would tell her all. Why not? She approached
her. “Good morning, Jeanne.” Her friend did not recognise her and was astonished to be so
familiarly addressed by this common personage. She stammered, “But, Madame — I do not
know — you must be mistaken—” “No, I am Matilda Loisel.” Her friend uttered a cry of
astonishment, “Oh! my poor Matilda! How you have changed!”
Perceive- become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.

Substitution- the action of replacing someone or something with another person or
thing.
Necessity- the state or fact of being required.
Frightful- very unpleasant, serious, or shocking.
Lodgings- temporary accommodation.
Attic- a space or room inside or partly inside the roof of a building.
Odious- extremely unpleasant; repulsive.
Haggling- dispute or bargain persistently, especially over the cost of something.
Sous- small value coin in France
Crude- in a natural or raw state; not yet processed or refined.
Awry- out of the normal or correct position
Pails- a bucket.
Flattered- lavish praise and compliments on (someone)
Singular- denoting or referring to just one person or thing.
Astonished- greatly surprised or impressed; amazed.
Personage- a person (used to express importance or elevated status).
Her friend did not even open and check the necklace as Mme. Loisel had expected. Mme.
Loisel was worried about what would happen if her friend came to know about the
replacement of the necklace. She could blame her to be a thief. Mme. Loisel realized how
horrible life could become. She knew that they would have to pay the loan that they had
taken for the necklace at any cost, so they started to reduce their expenses and save more.
They removed the maid from her job, changed their house and rented rooms on the roof of
a building. Now she had to learn the tiring and boring work of kitchen like washing dishes
and cooking food. She would wash clothes and hang them on the line to dry. She used to
go down to the street each morning to get water. With the little money that she had, she
used to dress like ordinary people and go to the grocery shop, the butcher shop and the
fruit shop with a basket to buy the things of daily use. The husband was also in a miserable
condition as he used to work extra time in the evenings and often did copying work at night
for a small amount of 5 sous a page. They did this for 10 years and paid back their debt
within this period. By this time Mme. Loisel had become a hardworking woman of the poor
household. She had started looking old with her hair badly kept, hands red and she used to
speak in a loud voice. Many times, to feel good when her husband used to go to work, she
would sit next to the window and think about the party at the minister’s house. She used to
feel good about how beautiful and elegant she looked that day. She would imagine about
how her life would be if she would not have lost the necklace. She used to think about how
unpredictable life could be and how a small step could change a person’s life.
One day she was relieving herself of the stress of the week and enjoying a walk along the
Champs- Elysees when she suddenly saw a lady walking with a child. The young, pretty
and attractive lady was Mme. Forestier. Mme. Loisel started thinking about whether she
should talk to her or not. She decided that as she had given her the necklace back and paid
back all the debts, there was no reason for her not to talk to her. Mme. Loisel went to her
and said ‘Good morning Jeanne’. Mme. Forestier was confused as she could not recognize
the person but thought that she was familiar because only her close friends used to call her
by that name. She told her that she might have got the wrong person and that she might be
looking for someone else. But Mme. Loisel introduced herself to her old friend and Jeanne
Forestier was shocked to see her in such a poor and changed look.
“Yes, I have had some hard days since I saw you; and some miserable ones — and all
because of you ...” “Because of me? How is that?” “You recall the diamond necklace that you
loaned me to wear to the Minister’s ball?” “Yes, very well.” “Well, I lost it.” “How is that,
since you returned it to me?” “I returned another to you exactly like it. And it has taken us ten
years to pay for it. You can understand that it was not easy for us who have nothing. But it is
finished and I am decently content.” Mme Forestier stopped short. She said, “You say that
you bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?” “Yes. You did not perceive it then? They
were just alike.” And she smiled with proud and simple joy. Mme Forestier was touched and
took both her hands as she replied, “Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine were false. They were not
worth over five hundred francs!”
Recall- bring (a fact, event, or situation) back into one's mind; remember.
Loaned- lend (a sum of money or item of property).
Decently- in a way that conforms with generally accepted standards of respectable or
moral behaviour.
Content- in a state of peaceful happiness.
She then replied that she did have some hard days since they last met. She said that life
had been miserable and it was all because of Mme. Forestier. Then Mme. Forestier asked
how was she responsible for her bad days to which Matilda replied that she had lost
Forestier’s necklace. To this Mme. Forestier replied that it was not possible because she
had returned it to her. Matilda replied that she had bought a similar necklace and they had
been paying the debt for the last ten years. She also said that they were not that rich to
afford such an expensive necklace. Matilda added that their debt was now over and that
she was satisfied with whatever she had. Jeanne was surprised and asked Matilda if she
bought a diamond necklace just to replace her lost necklace to which she replied ‘yes’.
Mme Forestier. was touched, while holding her in her arms, she said that the necklace
which she had borrowed from Mme. Forestier was a fake necklace and that it was not
worth more than 500 francs.
Summary
Mme. Matilda Loisel lived in an apartment with her husband M. Loisel and was very
unhappy and unsatisfied with what life had given her. She was unhappy with the apartment’s
shabby walls and the worn-out furniture. She was also irritated by the way her husband
reacted to the home-made food while she dreamt of royal dinners being served in exquisite
silver dishes. They were neither rich nor poor. She had to marry a clerk in the office of the
board of education just because her family couldn't afford to give her dowry. She also hated
visiting her old friend Mme. Jeanne Forestier as she was a rich lady and Matilda envied her.
Whenever she visited her, she became sad and cried for days together. One day when her
husband returned home from work, he got an invitation to a party at the house of minister of
public instruction. Contrary to his expectation, Matilda was irritated and angry and threw the
card away. She was upset because she didn't have anything to wear at such an extravagant
party. Her husband gave her 400 francs to buy a new dress, that he had been saving to buy a
gun so that he could go hunting with his friends. After buying the dress she was sad because
she did not have jewellery to make herself look more appealing and attractive. Her husband
suggested that she could borrow jewellery from her friend Mme. Forestier. When Mme.
Loisel went to her friend’s house and described the situation, she showed her the cupboard
and asked her to choose whatever she liked. Matilda chose a precious diamond necklace
which was kept in a black satin box.
They went to the minister’s party and all the men admired her as she was looking gorgeous in
her new dress and jewellery. They returned at 4 in the morning. By that time M. Loisel had
already dozed off in one of the rooms with three other men. They decided to leave and
couldn't find a carriage. Finally, after walking for a while, they got a carriage which dropped
them right outside their door. Matilda realized that she did not have the necklace. M.Loisel
went out to search the railway tracks for the necklace. M. Loisel went to the police station,
cab offices and also gave an advertisement for reward to the person who returned the
necklace. Meanwhile, he told his wife to tell her friend that the clasp of the necklace had
broken and had given it for repair. After a week, when the necklace could not be found, they
decided to replace it with a similar one. They found a similar necklace priced at 36000 francs.
Fortunately, M. Loisel had inherited 18000 francs from his father and the rest he borrowed.
It took them ten years to repay all the loans and in these years their lives changed drastically.
They moved to a smaller apartment and removed the maid. Matilda cooked the food and
washed the clothes herself. Even M. Loisel worked multiple jobs to repay the borrowed
money. In these years, Mme. Loisel started looking much older, her hair badly dressed, her
voice became loud and she became a normal person who would carry a basket to the grocery
store, the butcher store and the fruit store to buy their daily supplies. One day she met her
friend Jeanne with a child and decided to tell her the truth and explained how she was
indirectly responsible for her aged looks and her living conditions. She explained how she
lost the borrowed necklace and had to take a loan for replacing it. On hearing this, Jeanne
told Matilda that the necklace that she had borrowed was a fake one and was not worth more
than 500 francs.
Question Answers
Q1) What kind of a person is Mme Loisel — why is she always unhappy?
Ans) Mme Loisel is a very unhappy and unsatisfied person. She is not happy with her
married life, her house or for that matter anything in her life. She always keeps on
dreaming about how her life would have been if she were born in a rich house,
married in a rich house and had lots of money to buy things. She is a greedy woman
and always keeps on thinking of having more and more things.
Q2) What kind of a person is her husband?
Ans) Her husband is a very caring and a loving man. He is not greedy as he stays happy
with whatever he has. He appreciates the little things that life has given him and does
not want to see his wife unhappy for which he sacrifices his own needs.
Q3) What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel?
Ans) Mme Loisel’s husband agrees to buy her a dress worth 400 francs and sacrifices his
own requirement of buying a gun but Mme. Loisel, being a greedy woman starts
acting strangely and demands jewellery to wear or else she will not go to the party.
Q4) How is the problem solved?
Ans) When she does not agree to wear flowers to the party, her husband suggests her to
approach her friend Mme Forestier who is a rich lady and would lend her jewellery
to wear at the party.
Q5) What do M. and Mme Loisel do next?
Ans) M and Mme. Loisel make a lot of efforts after they realize that they have lost the
necklace. They try to remember the cab number so that they can check there, M.
loisel goes to the tracks where she could have dropped it, reports at the police
station and cab offices. He also gives an advertisement in the newspaper saying that
the person who returns it will be rewarded but nothing works. So they finally decide
to replace the necklace by buying a necklace similar to the one they have lost.
Q6) How do they replace the necklace?
Ans) They buy a necklace from a shop for 36000 francs. They themselves have only 18000
francs so they borrow the rest of the money by making up false stories and taking
loans from a lot of lenders.
Chapter 8- The Hack Driver

by Sinclair Lewis
About the Poet

Harry Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) was an American novelist, short- story writer and
playwright. He is the first American writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Some of
his famous novels are ‘Hike and the Aeroplane’, ‘The Job: An American Novel, Free Air
etc.
Summary
The narrator of the story explains that after completing his graduation he started working
with a famous law firm in the city. He was working as an assistant clerk there. He was not
very happy with his job of serving summons because sometimes he had to face harsh
situations while serving them. One day, he got the task of serving summons to Oliver
Lutkins who was a key witness in some case. He lived in a small town named New Mullion.
The narrator was very excited to visit a small and beautiful town but his excitement ended by
the dull appearance of the town. He saw a hack driver standing at the platform who was very
cheerful and nice. He went up to him and enquired about Oliver Lutkins as he was new to the
town and wanted to find him. The driver told him that Oliver was a nasty man who owed debt
to many people. He also cunningly extracted information from the lawyer that he needed
Lutkins for some court case.
A deal was cracked between both- he decided to hire Bill’s hack and go on a search for
Lutkins. Bill somehow traps the lawyer in his story and they visit different places in search of
Lutkins. He always asks the lawyer stay behind. They go to Fritz’s to catch Lutkins
while playing poker. But he tells them that he has gone to Gustaff for a shave. At Gustaff’s
they weren’t able to meet him and were told that someone saw him at the pool room. Here
also somebody said that he left the poolroom after buying cigarettes.
Bill described Lutkins as a cunning man and guessed that he must have gone to gray’s for
a shave. In the afternoon, Bill offered him to buy lunch from his wife as it would be less
costly than at the restaurant. They had lunch at wade’s hill which was a very beautiful place.
By that time the clerk was totally impressed by Bill’s nice and cheery nature. He had even
started comparing village people to city people. Later on, they went to search for Lutkins at
his mother’s house on the basis of information derived from one of his friends.
There the lady was horrible and they hurriedly left the place as she was about to attack them
with a hot iron rod. At last, the lawyer had to leave without serving summons to
Lutkins. Next day he was scolded badly by his chief and was again sent to New Mullion with
a companion who knew Lutkins. Upon reaching the station, the clerk happily pointed out that
Bill was such a helpful person to him search Lutkins.
At this time, the truth was revealed by his companion that the hack driver was none other
than Lutkins himself. The clerk felt so bad and ashamed of how he had been fooled by
a villager.
Explanation
AFTER graduating with honours, I became a junior assistant clerk in a magnificent law firm.
I was sent, not to prepare legal briefs, but to serve summons, like a cheap private
detective. I had to go to dirty and shadowy corners of the city to seek out my victims. Some
of the larger and more self-confident ones even beat me up. I hated this unpleasant work, and
the side of city life it revealed to me.
I even considered fleeing to my hometown, where I could have been a real lawyer right
away, without going through this unpleasant training period.
Magnificent: glorious, majestic

Legal briefs: A written legal document
Summons: court order
Detective: investigator
Shadowy: dark, dim
Unpleasant: horrible
The narrator gives his introduction that after completing his graduation with honours, he
got selected for a job of junior assistant clerk in a very famous law firm. But instead of
preparing legal papers like a lawyer, he had to deliver the court orders to various people
whom he had referred to as his victims. He said so because in many of the cases he had to
face very awkward situations where he was beaten up by them.
They did so in order to avoid court orders as they had to then comply with them. So, the
narrator says that he hated his job. He hated it to the extent that he sometimes thought of
running away to his hometown where he could work as a real lawyer and not as a mere
clerk.
So I rejoiced one day when they sent me out forty miles in the country, to a town called New
Mullion, to serve summons on a man called Oliver Lutkins. We needed this man as a
witness in a law case, and he had ignored all our letters.
Rejoiced: happiness, joy

Witness: viewer, observer
One day, the narrator was very happy to know that he had to visit a place which was forty
miles away from the place where he lived. He says that the town which he had to visit
was New Mullion. He had to visit this place in order to serve summons (court orders) to a
man named Oliver Lutkins. Oliver Lutkins was a witness or observer in some case and the
firm needed him for that case but he had constantly been neglecting the letters sent by the
law firm.
When I got to New Mullion, my eager expectations of a sweet and simple country village
were severely disappointed. Its streets were rivers of mud, with rows of wooden shops, either
painted a sour brown, or bare of any paint at all. The only agreeable sight about the place was
the delivery man at the station. He was about forty, red-faced, cheerful, and thick about the
middle. His working clothes were dirty and well-worn, and he had a friendly manner. You
felt at once that he liked people.
Eager: impatient
Expectation: belief, supposition
Disappointed: upset
Agreeable: pleasing, nice
When the narrator reached New Mullion, his excitement about visiting a village was
washed off. It happened so because the village was not as per his expectations. The streets
were in a bad condition as they were full of mud. The shops were also very dull. Everything
he saw was full of dullness making him sad. But then he saw a delivery man who was
about forty years old and was very cheerful.
It seemed to the narrator that he was very friendly with other people. This made him like
the delivery man and he referred him as the only person in the village who made him feel
nice.
"I want," I told him, “to find a man named Oliver Lutkins.”
"Lutkins? I saw him around here about an hour ago. Hard fellow to catch though — always
up to something or other. He’s probably trying to start up a poker game in the back of Fritz’s
shop. I’ll tell you, boy — is there any hurry about locating Lutkins?"
Poker game: a type of card game.
The narrator went up to this cheerful delivery man and told him that he was searching for
a man named Oliver Lutkins. The delivery man quickly repeated the name of the person
being searched by the clerk. He then told him that he saw Lutkins an hour ago. He also
told him that it was not easy to find him as he was always up to something. Then he told
him that Lutkins could be found at Fritz’s shop where he played a card game known as
poker. He also inquired him about the urgency of finding Lutkins.
"Yes. I want to catch the afternoon train back to the city." I was very important and secret
about it.
"I'll tell you what. I’ve got a hack. I’ll get it out and we can drive around together and find
Lutkins. I know most of the places he hangs out."
Hack: A horse drawn vehicle, horse cart

Hangs out: To spend time doing nothing in particular
The clerk (narrator) replied that it was very urgent to find Lutkins as he had to go back to
the city by the afternoon train. To this the delivery man said that he had a horse cart and
he would help him in finding Lutkins.
He knew all those places where Lutkins spent his free time.
He was so open and friendly that I glowed with the warmth of his affection. I knew, of
course, that he wanted the business, but his kindness was real. I was glad the fare money
would go to this good fellow. I managed to bargain down to two dollars an hour, and then he
brought from his house nearby a sort of large black box on wheels. He remarked, “Well,
young man, here’s the carriage,” and his wide smile made me into an old friend. These
villagers are so ready to help a stranger. He had already made it his own task to find Oliver
Lutkins for me.
Glowed: Here, it means impressed
Affection: love and care for someone
Bargain: to negotiate the price of something
Black box on wheels: refers to the horse cart
The clerk was impressed by the friendly and caring behavior of the delivery man. He says
that though he knew that he was trying to earn some money from him but he accepted his
offer because he was a very nice man. It was because of his nice and friendly behaviour
that he accepted the offer but he cracked the deal at two dollars per hour.
Later on, the delivery man brought his horse cart and offered him to sit. The clerk thought
of the kindness and the helpful nature of the villagers who helped a stranger and took his
problem as his own.
He said, “I don’t want to interfere, young fellow, but my guess is that you want to collect
some money from Lutkins. He never pays anybody a cent. He still owes me fifty cents on a
poker game I was fool enough to play with him. He’s not really bad, but it’s hard to make
him part with his money. If you try to collect from him, in those fancy clothes, he’ll be
suspicious and get away from you. If you want I’ll go into Fritz’s and ask for him, and you
can keep out of sight behind me.”
Owes: be in a debt/ an obligation to pay money

Suspicious: doubtful
The delivery man started a conversation with the clerk and enquired if he had to take back
his money from Lutkins. He also told him that Lutkins never paid back his debts. He too
had to take back fifty cents from him which he had won in the poker game. The delivery
man regretted being a fool who played with Lutkins though he was aware of his nature
of non-payment of money.
Later on, he suggested that he not to come in front of Lutkins because his fancy clothes
could make Lutkins doubt him and could give him a chance to run away. So, he told him to
stay behind him at Fritz’s shop.
I loved him for this. By myself, I might never have found Lutkins. With the hack driver’s
knowing help, I was sure of getting my man. I took him into my confidence and told him that
I wanted to serve the summons on Lutkins — that the man had refused to be a witness, when
his information would have quickly settled our case. The driver listened earnestly. At the end,
he hit me on the shoulder and laughed, "Well, we'll give Brother Lutkins a little surprise."
Hack Driver: the one drives a horse cart or hack

Confidence: trust, belief
Earnestly: sincerely
As the hack driver was working hard for him, he told him the truth behind his search. He
told him that Lutkins was a witness in a very important case but he was not helping them
out by giving them the details. That information of Lutkins could help them in solving the
case quickly. The driver heard all this seriously and then hit on the clerk’s shoulder and
said that they would surprise Lutkins by catching him and fulfilling the clerk’s purpose.
"Let's start, driver."
"Most folks around here call me Bill or Magnuson. My business is called
‘William Magnuson Fancy Carting and Hacking’.”
"All right, Bill. Shall we proceed to Fritz’s”.
"Yes, Lutkins is just as likely to be there as anywhere. Plays a lot of poker. He’s good at
deceiving people.” Bill seemed to admire Lutkins’ talent for dishonesty. I felt that if he had
been a policeman, he would have caught Lutkins respectfully, and jailed him with regret.
Proceed: to begin
Deceiving: cheating
Admire: praise, appreciate
Regret: to be sorry
They start their search for Lutkins. On their way, the hack driver introduced himself as
Bill or Magnuson and said that his business was called “William Magnuson Fancy carting
and Hacking”. The clerk replied in a very friendly way that now he and bill should begin
their search mission. Bill also told him that Lutkins was fond of playing poker and also
praised his ability to cheat others.
This made the clerk imagine about Bill that had he been a policeman, he would have
caught Lutkins in a very respectful manner. Not only this, he would have felt bad to put
that man in jail.
Bill led me into Fritz’s. "Have you seen Oliver Lutkins around today? Friend of his looking
for him," said Bill cheerily.
Fritz looked at me, hiding behind Bill. He hesitated, and then admitted, "Yes, he was in here
a little while ago. Guess he's gone over to Gustaff's to get a shave."
"Well, if he comes in, tell him I’m looking for him."
Cheerily: happy
Hesitated: be in two minds, stall
Admitted: confess
Bill took the clerk to Fritz’s shop and enquired about Oliver Lutkins. He tried to appear
natural by saying that his friend had come to meet him. He did this to make Fritz tell the
truth about Lutkins. At first Fritz was confused but then he said that Lutkins was there a
few hours ago, but he left for Gustaff’s shop where he had gone for a shave. After getting
the information, Bill asked Fritz to convey a message to Lutkins that he was looking for
him.
We drove to Gustaff’s barber shop. Again, Bill went in first, and I lingered at the door. He
asked not only the Swede but two customers if they had seen Lutkins. The Swede had not. He
said angrily, “I haven’t seen him, and don’t care to. But if you find him you can just collect
that dollar thirty-five he owes me.” One of the customers thought he had seen Lutkins
walking down Main Street, this side of the hotel.
Lingered: waited around

Swede: a native or inhabitant of Sweden, or a person of Swedish descent.
Next, they went to Gustaff’s shop. Here also Bill went inside the shop first and the clerk
waited for him outside. They had to face the anger of the hair dresser because Lutkins had
not paid his thirty-five dollars. But one of the customers told them that he had seen Lutkins
in the main street near the hotel.
As we climbed back into the hack, Bill concluded that since Lutkins had exhausted his credit
at Gustaff’s he had probably gone to Gray’s for a shave. At Gray’s barber shop we
missed Lutkins by only five minutes. He had just left — probably for the poolroom. At the
poolroom it appeared that he had just bought a pack of cigarettes and gone out. So we
pursued him, just behind him but never catching him, for an hour till it was past one
o’clock. I was hungry. But I had so enjoyed Bill’s rough country opinions about his
neighbours that I scarcely cared whether I found Lutkins or not.
Concluded: draw the judgement

Exhausted: used up, finished
Poolroom: A place to play pool, a betting shop
Scarcely: hardly
When they were about to climb the hack again, Bill guessed that Lutkins may have gone to
Gray’s barber shop as his credit limit with Gustaff had ended. But when they reached
Gray’s shop, they came to know that Lutkins left the place just five minutes ago. They
decided to visit the poolroom (A betting shop), someone told them that he had left after
buying cigarettes.
So, their attempts to catch him were all in vain. Almost an hour had passed. It was one
o’clock in the afternoon and the clerk was hungry. But Bill’s cheerfulness and his
knowledge of the villagers was so delightful for him that he hardly bothered to find
Lutkins.
"How about something to eat?" I suggested. "Let's go to a restaurant and I'll buy you lunch."
"Well, I ought to go home to the wife. I don't care much for these restaurants — only four of
them and they're all bad. Tell you what we'll do. We’ll get the wife to pack up a lunch for us
— she won't charge you more than half a dollar, and it would cost you more for a greasy
meal in a restaurant — and we'll go up to Wade's Hill and enjoy the view while we eat.
Greasy meal: oily food
The clerk asked Bill about having lunch. He offered to buy lunch for both of them from
the restaurant. Bill replied that there were only four restaurants and none of them were
good. He said that he would get food from his wife. Bill also suggested the clerk to buy a
food parcel from his wife as he had to pay only half a dollar, which was far less than the
price of the restaurant meal which was oily and non-tasty. He also suggested that they both
go up the Wade’s hill which was a nice place to view while they had their lunch.
I know that Bill’s helpfulness to the Young Fellow from the City was not entirely a matter of
brotherly love. I was paying him for his time; in the end I paid him for six hours (including
the lunch hour) at what was then a very high price. But he was no more dishonest than I. I
charged the whole thing to the firm. But it would have been worth paying him myself to have
his presence. His cheerful country wisdom was very refreshing to a country boy like me who
was sick of the city. As we sat on the hilltop, looking over the pastures and creek which
slipped among the trees, he talked of New Mullion, and painted a picture in words of all the
people in it. He noticed everything, but no matter how much he might laugh at people, he
also understood and forgave their foolishness. He described the minister’s wife who sang the
loudest in church when she was most in debt. He commented on the boys who came back
from college in fancy clothes. He told about the lawyer whose wife could never succeed in
getting him to put on both a collar and a tie on the same day. He made them all live. On that
day I came to know New Mullion better than I did the city and to love it better.
Pastures: grassland
Creeks: a stream or minor tributary
The narrator says that he knew that Bill was not helping him because of his helping nature
but because he was earning from him. He was getting paid for the six hours he spent with
the clerk, even the lunch hour during which they were sitting idle on a hilltop. He was
comfortable with this because his law firm would bear all his expenses. So, he felt it to
be dishonesty on his own part. Anyways he was happy to get the company of such a
cheerful person like Bill.
While they were sitting on the hilltop, they saw the beautiful grasslands and the streams
flowing through them. For the clerk they were very beautiful as he was also a villager and
did not like the city life much. Bill told him everything about New Mullion. He explained
everything and everyone in such a way that he felt like everything had happened in front of
his own eyes. Bill told him about the minister’s wife who would sing so loudly in the
church whenever she was under debt (liability to pay off your credit or loans).
This means that she prayed to god for her problems. Then there were some college boys
who would dress in such a fancy way and the lawyer’s wife who always failed in her
attempt to make her husband wear both the collar and the tie on the same day. The
narrator says that Bill’s knowledge of his village fellows was so good that it made him love
the small town of New Mullion. He says that now he knew almost everything about this
place whereas he was not much aware of the city he was living in.
Bill didn’t know about colleges and cities, but he had travelled around a lot of the country,
and had had a lot of jobs. From his adventures he had brought back a philosophy of
simplicity and laugher. He strengthened me.
We left that peaceful scene of meadows and woods, and resumed our search of Oliver
Lutkins. We could not find him. At last Bill cornered a friend of Lutkins and made him admit
what he guessed, “Oliver’s gone out to his mother’s farm, three miles north.” We drove out
there, laying plans.
Adventures; exploit or event
Philosophy: ideology, beliefs
Meadows: field, pasture
Resumed: restart
Cornered: forced into a place or situation
Bill knew nothing about colleges and cities may be because he never got the chance to visit
these places. But he knew everything about the villages and small towns as he had done
different types of jobs at these places. He got his ideology of simplicity and cheerful nature
as a gift by exploiting these places. He tried to build faith in the narrator that they would
surely catch Lutkins. Both of them left the beautiful fields and restarted their search
mission.
At last, Bill forced one of Lutkin’s friends to admit that Lutkin had ran away to his
mother’s house which was three miles away from New Mullion. So, both of them prepared
to drive to Lutkin’s mother in order to find him.
"I know Oliver's mother. She's a terror," Bill sighed. "I took a trunk out there for her once,
and she almost took my skin off because I didn't treat it like a box of eggs. She's about nine
feet tall and four feet thick and quick as a cat, and she sure can talk. I'll bet Oliver heard that
somebody's chasing him, and he's gone on there to hide behind his mother's skirts. Well, we'll
try her. But you'd better let me do it, boy. You may be great at literature and law, but you
haven’t had real training in swearing."
Bill told him that he knew Oliver’s mother because once he took the delivery of a trunk for
her. She treated him very badly as she was angry for not taking proper care of her trunk.
He described her physical appearance that she was nine feet tall, four feet thick and
compared her quickness to that of a cat.
He added that the Lutkins must have come to know that they were searching for him that is
why he had run to his mother’s place in order to hide himself. He also suggested that the
narrator should let him deal with the mother as he doubted that the clerk would not be able
to extract the truth from the lady's mouth.
We drove into a poor farmyard; we were faced by an enormous and cheerful old woman. My
guide bravely went up to her and said, "Remember me? I'm Bill Magnuson, the carter and
hackman. I want to find your son, Oliver."
"I don't know anything about Oliver, and I don't want to," she shouted.
Enormous: huge
When they reached the farmland, they found a heavily built cheerful old lady. Bill went up
to her with guts and introduced himself by saying that he was Bill Magnuson and also told
her that he was searching for her son Oliver. To this the lady replied by shouting that she
knew nothing about him.
"Now, look here. We’ve had just about enough nonsense. This young man represents the
court in the city, and we have a legal right to search all properties for this Oliver Lutkins."
Bill made me sound very important, and the woman was impressed. She retired into the
kitchen and we followed. She seized an iron from the old-fashioned stove and marched on us
shouting. "You search all you want to — if you don’t mind getting burnt first." She shouted
and laughed at our frightened retreat.
Represents: Be appointed to act on behalf of or speak for someone

Retired: Here, went inside
Seized: grabbed, snatched
Frightened: afraid or anxious
Retreat: pull back
Bill got a bit strict with the lady and said that they had been through tough and confusing
things and then introduced her to the clerk by saying that he was a person appointed by the
city court. He also said that they had got the legal right to search her house to find Oliver
Lutkins.
The clerk was happy as he was getting due importance from Bill and even the lady seemed
impressed by him. She went into the kitchen and both of them followed her. To their shock,
she took out a hot iron from the stove and threatened them to burn. She laughed when they
stepped back due to fear.
"Let’s get out of here. She'll murder us," Bill whispered. Outside, he said, "Did you see her
smile? She was laughing at us." I agreed that it was pretty disrespectful treatment. We did,
however, search the house. Since it was only one storey high, Bill went round it, peering in at
all the windows.
We examined the barn and stable; we were reasonably certain that Lutkins was not there. It
was nearly time for me to catch the afternoon train, and Bill drove me to the station.
Whispered: murmured
Disrespectful: rude, impolite
Examined: to look or consider a person or place
Barn: outhouse, shelter
Stable: A place where horse is tied up
The reaction of the lady was so horrible that Bill murmured to the clerk to leave the place.
He agreed that the behavior of the woman was very rude. Yet they managed to search the
whole house including the outhouse and the stable (a place where horse is tied). As it was a
single storeyed building, they managed to search the whole of it and could not find
Lutkins. As the clerk was getting late for his train, therefore, Bill took him to the station.
On the way to the city I worried very little over my failure to find Lutkins. I was too busy
thinking about Bill Magnuson. Really, I considered returning to New Mullion to practise law.
If I had found Bill so deep and richly human, might I not grow to love Fritz and Gustaff and a
hundred other slow-spoken, simple, wise neighbours? I pictured an honest and happy life
beyond the strict limits of universities and law firms. I was excited. I had found a treasure. I
had discovered a new way of life.
While the narrator was heading back towards the city he did not regret his failure in
delivering summons to Lutkins, rather he was happy. He was still thinking about Bill
Magnuson and felt like going back to New Mullion and start his practice there. He felt a
certain kind of attachment with all the villagers such as Fritz and Gustaff whom he
considered humble speakers and wise neighbours.
He imagined a life which was honest, simple and joyous which was not experienced by him
in the boundaries of his university or law firm. He was so happy that he felt as if he had
got some kind of treasure and had found a new way of life.
But if I did not think much about Lutkins, the office did. I found them all upset. Next
morning the case was coming up in the court, and they had to have Lutkins. I was a shameful,
useless fool. That morning my promising legal career almost came to an end before it had
begun.
Shameful: disgraceful
Promising: hopeful
Though the narrator was not so worried about finding Lutkins but his firm was. The
people there got very upset on hearing that he was not able to serve the summons. He was
insulted by being called shameful and useless. He felt that it was his last day in the office
as his career was about to end.
The Chief almost murdered me. He hinted that I might do well at digging ditches. I was
ordered back to New Mullion, and with me went a man who had worked with Lutkins. I was
rather sorry, because it would prevent my loafing all over again with Bill.
Hinted: suggest
Digging: to till
Ditches: a drain or trench
Loafing: spend time in idle way
The narrator’s chief was very angry with him. He treated him so badly that the clerk felt as
if he would murder him. Not only this, he also suggested to him that he was better for the
job of tilling a drain or something. He was again sent to New Mullion with a man who had
worked with Lutkins. The clerk was feeling bad not for what happened but because he
would miss the chance to be with Bill.
When the train arrived at New Mullion, Bill was on the station platform, near his cart.
Strangely enough, that old tigress, Lutkins’ mother was there talking and laughing with Bill,
not quarrelling at all. From the train steps I pointed Bill out to my companion and said,
“There’s a fine fellow, a real man. I spent the day with him.”
He helped you hunt for Oliver Lutkins?"
"Yes, he helped me a lot."
"He must have; he's Lutkins himself."
Companion: associate, partner
Hunt: search for

When both the narrator and his new partner reached New Mullion station they saw Bill on
the platform. But to his (narrator’s) surprise, Bill was talking and laughing with Lutkin’s
mother, whom the narrator compared to a tigress for her rude behavior. He then told his
partner that it was Bill, a nice man who helped him search for Lutkins. But he was
surprised by the answer given by the companion that the man who helped him find Lutkins
was none other than Lutkins himself.
What really hurt me was that when I served the summons, Lutkins and his mother laughed at
me as though I were a bright boy of seven. With loving kindness, they begged me to go with
them to a neighbour’s house for a cup of coffee.
"I told them about you and they’re anxious to look at you,” said Lutkins joyfully. “They’re
about the only folks in the town that missed seeing you yesterday."
Begged: To request
Anxious: concerned, worried
Folks: people
The thing that pinched the narrator a lot was that both the mother and son were laughing
at him when he served Lutkins with the summons. Not only this, they requested him to join
them for a coffee at a neighbor’s house because they were the only people left in the village
who had not seen him yesterday when he was searching for Lutkins though Lutkins was
riding with him in the hack.

Q1-When the lawyer reached New Mullion, did ‘Bill’ know that he was looking for
Lutkins? When do you think Bill came up with his plan for fooling the lawyer?
A1- No, Bill didn’t know anything about the lawyer. It was a matter of chance that he went
himself to Bill and enquired about Oliver Lutkins. Bill at once came up with the plan of
fooling the lawyer when he was enquired by the lawyer about Lutkins because as per the
story he was a very cunning man who had to pay off many people. Therefore, we can say
that he was ready with a plan to befool him.
Q2-Lutkins openly takes the lawyer all over the village. How is it that no one lets out the
secret? (Hint: Notice that the hack driver asks the lawyer to keep out of sight behind
him when they go into Fritz’s.) Can you find other such subtle ways in which Lutkins
manipulates the tour?
A2- Lutkins (Bill) was a very cunning man who cooked up a story for the lawyer that Lutkins
would run away if he saw a man dressed like a lawyer enquiring about him. So, he
suggested him to stay behind. It was Lutkins, who used to go into the various shops first,
due to this no one could able to answer the truth as he would come up with another story
for the villager or may take them in confidence. Even when they went to search for
Lutkins at his mother’s place, he described his mother as very horrible and there also he
introduced himself as bill the hack driver to his mother and informed her about the
lawyer who was searching for Lutkins.
This made his mother to help him out as she knew that she was not supposed to disclose
anything to the lawyer.
Q3- Why do you think Lutkins’ neighbours were anxious to meet the lawyer?
A3-Lutkins took the lawyer all across the town in search of Lutkins himself. He was able to
fool a lawyer with his cooked-up stories about Lutkins and other villagers. All this must
have become the talk of the town as how a man could fool the other man in his own
search. Everyone had seen this happening. So, Lutkins’ neighbours were keen to see him
as they missed seeing him that day.
Q4-After his first day’s experience with the hack driver the lawyer thinks of returning
to New Mullion to practise law. Do you think he would have reconsidered this idea
after his second visit?
A4- Yes, he may have reconsidered his idea of practicing law at New Mullions. He had taken
this decision because he was impressed by the noble and friendly nature of Bill. He
found that the villagers were nice, innocent and kind. They were far better than the city
people who were not so simple and humble. But on the second visit when he realized that
Lutkins had fooled him, he would rethink over his idea and would decide not to settle in
New Mullion.
Q5- Do you think the lawyer was gullible? How could he have avoided being taken for a
ride?
A5- Yes, the lawyer was very gullible as he was taken away with whatever he was told by the
hack driver. He never thought of cross checking it. The lawyer could have checked
everything himself by going to the people himself but he let Bill to do this. He was so
impressed by Bill’s friendliness and cheerfulness that he never cross checked with what
he was told by the Bill and made it easy for the hack driver to fool him.
Chapter 9
Bholi
by K.A. Abbas
Introduction
Bholi is a story written by K.A. Abbas. The story revolves around a girl who due to
accidental fall and disease in her childhood faces the problem of being dull and ugly. She is
always a target by everyone for not being good looking and intelligent. Her life turns when
she joins a nearby school where her teacher encourages her and helps her to become a learned
and confident person. Later in the story, circumstances arise where Bholi has to give
acceptance to the marriage with an unequal match but rejects it when she sees her father
pleading to the bridegroom when he demands dowry. The story shows the rise of a girl
against social injustice.
Summary
The story opens up with the introduction of a little girl named Sulekha. She was called
‘Bholi’ for being a simpleton. This was so because some part of her brain had got damaged
due to an injury during her childhood. She stammered and had pockmarks on her face which
she got when she had contracted smallpox at the age of two. She was a laughing stock for
everyone. Her father Ramlal was a Numberdar. He had three sons and four daughters, Bholi
being the youngest of all. Ramlal was always worried about her as it seemed impossible to
marry her with her having an ugly face and a dumb mind. One day, the Tehsildar visited their
village to inagurate a girl’s primary school. He persuaded Ramlal to send his daughters to
school. Ramlal’s wife suggested to send Bholi to school, although she was against sending
girls to school because no boy would marry such a girl. She reasoned that as Bholi had no
chance of getting married, so she could go to school. In the beginning, Bholi was frightened
to leave her house but when for the first time in her life, she was dressed up and her hair was
washed and oiled, she felt that she was to visit a better place. In the school, she met a teacher
who was very kind and polite to her. She encouraged her to study and speak with confidence.
This filled hope in Bholi and she began to go to school every day. Years passed and her
village upgraded into a small town with some facilities like a cotton mill, a cinema and the
primary school being converted into a secondary school. One day Bholi’s parents decided to
marry her to a lame old man who was a widower but was rich and had not demanded any
dowry. They thought it to be the best marriage proposal for their dumb daughter and fixed up
her marriage. On the wedding day, the bridegroom arrived with great pomp and show which
filled Ramlal with joy. The groom discovered that Bholi had pock marks and demanded
dowry in return for marrying her. He demanded a sum of five thousand rupees. Ramlal
begged for mercy and even placed his turban in Bishamber’s feet but Bishamber Nath did not
agree. Ramlal had to give the money in order to save both his family’s honour and his
daughter’s marriage. Bholi could not bear all this and refused to marry a greedy old man.
People accused her of being shameless. The wedding party returned. The marriage ceremony
ended without Bholi getting married. Her father was surrounded by grief and said that now
no one would marry her and what would she do in future. To this, she replied that she would
take care of her parents when they grew old and would teach in her school. Her teacher who
was quietly watching all this felt proud of her decision.
Explanation
HER name was Sulekha, but since her childhood everyone had been calling her Bholi, the
simpleton. She was the fourth daughter of Numberdar Ramlal. When she was ten months old,
she had fallen off the cot on her head and perhaps it had damaged some part of her brain.
That was why she remained a backward child and came to be known as Bholi, the simpleton.
Cot: bed
Backward: slow learner
The narrator describes a girl named Sulekha. She was the fourth daughter of the
Numberdar (landlord) Ramlal. Sulekha was called Bholi since her childhood. She was
called so for being a simpleton and a slow learner. All this happened because she had
fallen on her head from a narrow bed when she was only ten months old. This had led to
damage of some part of her brain making her a slow learner.
At birth, the child was very fair and pretty. But when she was two years old, she had an
attack of small-pox. Only the eyes were saved, but the entire body was permanently
disfigured by deep black pockmarks. Little Sulekha could not speak till she was five, and
when at last she learnt to speak, she stammered. The other children often made fun of her and
mimicked her. As a result, she talked very little.
Pockmarks: spots on the skin
Stammered: fumbled for words
Mimicked: copy, imitate
When she was born, she was very fair and beautiful. But when the child was two years old,
she caught smallpox which left spots on her whole body. Only her eyes were saved from it.
She started speaking when she turned five and would often fumble. Other children made
fun of her and copied her. This made her feel so bad that she stopped speaking.
Ramlal had seven children — three sons and four daughters, and the youngest of them was
Bholi. It was a prosperous farmer’s household and there was plenty to eat and drink. All the
children except Bholi were healthy and strong. The sons had been sent to the city to study in
schools and later in colleges. Of the daughters, Radha, the eldest, had already been married.
The second daughter Mangla’s marriage had also been settled, and when that was done,
Ramlal would think of the third, Champa. They were good-looking, healthy girls, and it was
not difficult to find bridegrooms for them. But Ramlal was worried about Bholi. She had
neither good looks nor intelligence.
Prosperous: doing well, rich
Plenty: a lot of
Ramlal had seven children- three sons and four daughters. Bholi was his youngest child.
Ramlal was a rich farmer. He provided the family with good food. All the children were
healthy and strong except Bholi. His sons were sent to the city to study at the schools and
colleges. Radha was his eldest daughter, who was married. Mangla’s marriage had been
fixed and now it was Champa, the third daughter’s turn. As all of them were healthy and
beautiful girls, it was not tough to marry them off. The main concern for Ramlal was Bholi
because neither was she beautiful or intelligent. It was not an easy thing to find a
bridegroom for her.
Bholi was seven years old when Mangla was married. The same year a primary school for
girls was opened in their village. The Tehsildar sahib came to perform its opening ceremony.
He said to Ramlal, “As a revenue official you are the representative of the government in the
village and so you must set an example to the villagers. You must send your daughters to
school.”
Tehsildar: District collector
Representative: spokesperson
Bholi was seven years old when her elder sister Mangla got married. That year a primary
school for girls was opened in the village. The Tehsildar (District Collector) visited to
inagurate it. He asked Ramlal to send his daughters to school. He encouraged him to do so
because as he was the revenue official, his act of sending his daughters to school would
serve as an example for the villagers. This would lead to the education of girls in the
village.
That night when Ramlal consulted his wife, she cried, “Are you crazy? If girls go to school,
who will marry them?” But Ramlal had not the courage to disobey the Tehsildar. At last his
wife said, “I will tell you what to do. Send Bholi to school. As it is, there is little chance of
her getting married, with her ugly face and lack of sense. Let the teachers at school worry
about her.”
Consulted: discussed
After hearing the tehsildar, Ramlal discussed the matter with his wife. She at once rejected
it by saying that it would become difficult for them to marry their educated daughters.
Ramlal was now double minded as he didn’t want to disobey the tehsildar and on the other
hand, his wife was also right. Finally, his wife suggested to send Bholi to school because
anyways, there were negligible chances for her to get married.
The next day Ramlal caught Bholi by the hand and said, “Come with me. I will take you to
school.” Bholi was frightened. She did not know what a school was like. She remembered
how a few days ago their old cow, Lakshmi, had been turned out of the house and sold. “N-n-
n-n NO, no-no-no,” she shouted in terror and pulled her hand away from her father’s grip.
The next morning, Ramlal took Bholi to school. Bholi was afraid of going to school as she
was not aware of what school was. Bholi was reminded that a few days ago, their cow,
Lakshmi had been sent out of home and her father got money in return for it. She thought
that she too would be sold like Lakshmi and so, pulled her hand away from her father’s
hand.
“What’s the matter with you, you fool?” shouted Ramlal. “I am only taking you to school.”
Then he told his wife, “Let her wear some decent clothes today, or else what will the teachers
and the other schoolgirls think of us when they see her?” New clothes had never been made
for Bholi. The old dresses of her sisters were passed on to her. No one cared to mend or wash
her clothes. But today she was lucky to receive a clean dress which had shrunk after many
washings and no longer fitted Champa. She was even bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry
and matted hair. Only then did she begin to believe that she was being taken to a place better
than her home!
Shrunk: reduced
Matted: untidy
Bholi’s father got irritated with her behavior and shouted that he was taking her to school.
He then told his wife to dress her up because he didn’t want others to think ill of them. So,
it was for the first time that Bholi got clean clothes to wear, although it was her elder sister
Champa’s worn out dress. She was bathed and her messy hair was washed and oiled. Such
a treatment made her believe that she was going to some better place than her home.
When they reached the school, the children were already in their classrooms. Ramlal handed
over his daughter to the headmistress. Left alone, the poor girl looked about her with fear-
laden eyes. There were several rooms, and in each room girls like her squatted on mats,
reading from books or writing on slates. The headmistress asked Bholi to sit down in a corner
in one of the classrooms.
Fear-laden: full of fear
Squatted: to sit with one’s knees bent
Upon reaching school, they found that children were already in their classrooms. Ramlal
handed Bholi to the headmistress and left the place. Bholi’s eyes were full of fear because
it was the first time that she had gone out of home. There were a number of classrooms
with many students in each one. They were sitting on the mats and were reading or writing.
Bholi was taken to a classroom and was ordered to sit there by the headmistress.
Bholi did not know what exactly a school was like and what happened there, but she was glad
to find so many girls almost of her own age present there. She hoped that one of these girls
might become her friend.
Bholi was not aware of anything about school. What made her happy was that there
were so many girls of her age. She thought that she may find a friend among these girls.
The lady teacher who was in the class was saying something to the girls but Bholi could
understand nothing. She looked at the pictures on the wall. The colours fascinated her — the
horse was brown just like the horse on which the Tehsildar had come to visit their village; the
goat was black like the goat of their neighbour; the parrot was green like the parrots she had
seen in the mango orchard; and the cow was just like their Lakshmi. And suddenly Bholi
noticed that the teacher was standing by her side, smiling at her. “What’s your name, little
one?”
Fascinated: attracted
Orchard: land planted with fruit trees
In the class, the lady teacher was teaching something but Bholi could not understand it.
She was just looking at the various pictures on the wall which were beautiful. Bholi was
attracted towards them. There was a picture of a brown horse that resembled the horse on
which the tehsildar had visited their village. There was also a picture of a green parrot
which looked like the same parrots that she had seen in the mango orchard (land planted
with mango fruit trees). There was also an image of a cow that resembled their own cow
Lakshmi. While she was busy looking at the pictures, she realized that the teacher was
standing near her. She asked Bholi her name.
“Bh-Bho-Bho-.” She could stammer no further than that. Then she began to cry and tears
flowed from her eyes in a helpless flood. She kept her head down as she sat in her corner, not
daring to look up at the girls who, she knew, were still laughing at her.
When the school bell rang, all the girls scurried out of the classroom, but Bholi dared not
leave her corner. Her head still lowered, she kept on sobbing. “Bholi.”
The teacher’s voice was so soft and soothing! In all her life she had never been called like
that. It touched her heart.
Stammer: fumble for words
Sobbing: noisy crying
Bholi tried hard but stammered and could only say Bho- Bho. After this she began to cry
and did not dare to look up as she was sure that all the other girls would be laughing at
her. When school was over, the teacher came to Bholi and called her by her name. Bholi
was still crying with her head down. The teacher’s voice was very soft and Bholi had never
been addressed with such affection before. She felt so good that it touched her heart.
“Get up,” said the teacher. It was not a command, but just a friendly suggestion. Bholi got up.
“Now tell me your name.”
Sweat broke out over her whole body. Would her stammering tongue again disgrace her? For
the sake of this kind woman, however, she decided to make an effort. She had such a
soothing voice; she would not laugh at her.
“Bh-Bh-Bho-Bho-,” she began to stammer.

“Well done, well done,” the teacher encouraged her. “Come on, now — the full name?”
“Bh-Bh-Bho-Bholi.” At last she was able to say it and felt relieved as if it was a great
achievement.
“Well done.” The teacher patted her affectionately and said,
“Put the fear out of your heart and you will be able to speak like everyone else.”
Bholi looked up as if to ask, ‘Really?’
Soothing: reduce pain or discomfort
Disgrace: dishonor, shame
The teacher tried to make her comfortable by her friendly manner. She asked her name
again. Though Bholi was hesitant and nervous, she tried and was able to speak her full
name. The teacher praised her for her attempt and said that if she shunned fear, she would
be able to speak clearly. Bholi was surprised to hear that she could speak clearly.
“Yes, yes, it will be very easy. You just come to school every day. Will you come?”
Bholi nodded.
“No, say it aloud.”
“Ye-Ye-Yes.” And Bholi herself was astonished that she had been able to say it.
“Didn’t I tell you? Now take this book.”
The book was full of nice pictures and the pictures were in color — dog, cat, goat, horse,
parrot, tiger and a cow just like Lakshmi. And with every picture was a word in big black
letters.
Nodded: bow your head in a direction to give your approval
Astonished: impressed, greatly surprised
The teacher at once understood her curiosity and said that what she had said was true and
that if she came to school every day, she would be able to speak without any problem. Then
she enquired if Bholi would come to school the next day. Bholi gave her approval by
moving her head in up and down direction. The teacher prompted her to speak it loudly.
This encouraged Bholi and she spoke ‘yes’ clearly. She was surprised at her ability to
speak clearly. The teacher again praised her and gave her a book full of pictures and of
dog, cat, goat, etc with an alphabet written in big size along with every picture.
“In one month you will be able to read this book. Then I will give you a bigger book, then a
still bigger one. In time you will be more learned than anyone else in the village. Then no one
will ever be able to laugh at you. People will listen to you with respect and you will be able to
speak without the slightest stammer. Understand? Now go home, and come back early
tomorrow morning.”
The teacher said that when Bholi would complete that book, she would be given a bigger
book and after that a still bigger book. She also told her that one day she would become an
educated person in the village and people would respect her because of her knowledge and
wisdom. Not only this, she would be able to speak clearly. With this, she asked her to come
to school early the next morning.
Bholi felt as if suddenly all the bells in the village temple were ringing and the trees in front
of the school-house had blossomed into big red flowers. Her heart was throbbing with a new
hope and a new life.
Thus, the years passed.
The village became a small town. The little primary school became a high school. There were
now a cinema under a tin shed and a cotton ginning mill. The mail train began to stop at their
railway station.
Blossomed: grow, bloom
Throbbed: beat, pulse
Ginning: the process of treating (ginning) the cotton
Bholi was very happy. Her heart felt a rare type of happiness and she imagined that she
could hear the bells at the temple ringing and imagined that the trees outside the school
had red coloured flowers on them. She felt a sudden beat in her heart that made her full of
hope and happiness. Years passed and the village grew into a small town, her primary
school was now a high school. There was a cinema under a tin shed and a cotton ginning
mill opened in her town. Even the mail train started to halt at the village railway station.
One night, after dinner, Ramlal said to his wife, “Then, shall I accept Bishamber’s proposal?”
“Yes, certainly,” his wife said. “Bholi will be lucky to get such a well-to-do bridegroom. A
big shop, a house of his own and I hear several thousand in the bank. Moreover, he is not
asking for any dowry.”
“That’s right, but he is not so young, you know — almost the same age as I am — and he
also limps. Moreover, the children from his first wife are quite grown up.”
Proposal: offer
Certainly: definitely
One night, Ramlal was discussing with his wife that he had got a marriage offer for Bholi.
He asked his wife whether to accept Bhishamber’s proposal or not. To this, his wife replied
that they should definitely accept the proposal because it was suitable for Bholi. She
supported her view by saying that Bhishamber had a big shop, own house and cash deposit
in the bank. Also, he was not asking for dowry. Ramlal was a bit unsure because
Bishamber was of his own age and was handicapped. He also had grown up children from
his first marriage.
“So what does it matter?” his wife replied. “Forty-five or fifty — it is no great age for a man.
We are lucky that he is from another village and does not know about her pock-marks and her
lack of sense. If we don’t accept this proposal, she may remain unmarried all her life.”
“Yes, but I wonder what Bholi will say.”
“What will that witless one say? She is like a dumb cow.”
“May be you are right,” muttered Ramlal.
In the other corner of the courtyard, Bholi lay awake on her cot, listening to her parents’
whispered conversation.
Pock marks: marks, blemishes
Witless: fool
Muttered: murmur
His wife said that there was no harm in it if there was a big age gap between Bholi and the
groom. She said that they could not find any other match for Bholi. She also said that as
he was from another village, he may not know about Bholi’s mental condition and her ugly
face. Ramlal said that he was worried that how Bholi would react to it but her mother
replied that Bholi was like a dumb cow and would not say anything. Bholi was lying in her
bed nearby and listening to her parent’s conversation.
Bishamber Nath was a well-to-do grocer. He came with a big party of friends and relations
with him for the wedding. A brass-band playing a popular tune from an Indian film headed
the procession, with the bridegroom riding a decorated horse. Ramlal was overjoyed to see
such pomp and splendour. He had never dreamt that his fourth daughter would have such a
grand wedding. Bholi’s elder sisters who had come for the occasion were envious of her luck.
Grocer: a person who sells house hold goods and food items
Procession: March, Parade
Splendour: lavishness
Envious: jealous
The bridegroom, Bishamber Nath was a rich man. He had a grocery shop where he used to
sell food items and household goods. He had a good business. On the wedding day, he
came with his friends and family. They were accompanied by a brass band which was
playing a popular tune from Hindi movies. The bridegroom was riding a decorated horse.
Ramlal was very happy to see all this. He had never dreamt of such a grand wedding for
his fourth daughter. Bholi’s elder sisters felt jealous of her good luck.
When the auspicious moment came the priest said, “Bring the bride.”
Bholi, clad in a red silken bridal dress, was led to the bride’s place near the sacred fire.
“Garland the bride,” one of his friends prompted Bishamber Nath. The bridegroom lifted the
garland of yellow marigolds. A woman slipped back the silken veil from the bride’s face.
Bishamber took a quick glance. The garland remained poised in his hands. The bride slowly
pulled down the veil over her face.
“Have you seen her?” said Bishamber to the friend next to him.
“She has pock-marks on her face.”
“So what? You are not young either.”
“Maybe. But if I am to marry her, her father must give me five thousand rupees.”
Auspicious: good, favorable
Clad: dressed
Garland: wreath of flowers and leaves
Veil: cover
Poised: calm
On the wedding day, Bholi was brought for the wedding rituals. She was dressed in a red
silk sari. When she reached, one of Bishamber’s friends asked him to garland the bride. As
he was about to put the garland around her neck, a woman removed the veil that covered
her face. He saw the blemishes on her face and at once objected to the marks on the bride’s
face. His friend answered that he should ignore this as he himself was not young to marry
a young girl like her. Bishamber told Ramlal that he wanted five thousand rupees in return
for marrying an ugly woman like Bholi.
Ramlal went and placed his turban — his honour — at Bishamber’s feet. “Do not humiliate
me so. Take two thousand rupees.”
“No. Five thousand or we go back. Keep your daughter.”
“Be a little considerate, please. If you go back, I can never show my face in the village.”
“Then out with five thousand.”
Tears streaming down his face, Ramlal went in, opened the safe and counted out the notes.
He placed the bundle at the bridegroom’s feet.
On Bhishamber’s greedy face appeared a triumphant smile. He had gambled and won. “Give
me the garland,” he announced.
Humiliate: insult
Considerate: thoughtful
Streaming: flowing
Triumphant: winning
Gambled: bet
On hearing the bridegroom’s demand, Ramlal got so upset that he went to him and kept
his turban at his feet. He requested him to be considerate and requested him to accept two
thousand rupees instead of five thousand as dowry. Bishamber was firm and said that he
could keep his daughter at home then. Ramlal requested him not to do all this as it would
ruin his pride in front of the whole village. But Bishamber was adamant on his demand of
five thousand rupees. Ramlal went inside and brought five thousand rupees from the safe,
counted the money and handed it over to Bishamber. Now the bridegroom was happy
because he had won the bet. He asked for the garland. He was ready for the marriage.
Once again the veil was slipped back from the bride’s face, but this time her eyes were not
downcast. She was looking up, looking straight at her prospective husband, and in her eyes
there was neither anger nor hate, only cold contempt. Bishamber raised the garland to place it
round the bride’s neck; but before he could do so, Bholi’s hand struck out like a streak of
lightning and the garland was flung into the fire. She got up and threw away the veil.
Downcast: low, cast down
Prospective: would be
Contempt: disrespect, disregard
Struck: hit, bang
Flung: aim, launch
Bholi removed the cover off her face and stared at Bishamber. Her eyes were full of
disrespect for him. There was no anger or hatred in her eyes. As Bishamber was about to
garland her, she struck her hand at the garland as quick as a streak of lightning. The
garland flew and fell into the sacred fire. She threw away her veil too.
“Pitaji!” said Bholi in a clear loud voice; and her father, mother, sisters, brothers; relations
and neighbours were startled to hear her speak without even the slightest stammer.
“Pitaji! Take back your money. I am not going to marry this man.” Ramlal was
thunderstruck. The guests began to whisper, “So shameless! So ugly and so shameless!”
“Bholi, are you crazy?” shouted Ramlal. “You want to disgrace your family? Have some
regard for our izzat!”
“For the sake of your izzat,” said Bholi, “I was willing to marry this lame old man. But I will
not have such a mean, greedy and contemptible coward as my husband. I won’t, I won’t, I
won’t.”
Startled: sudden shock
Thunderstruck: shocked
Contemptible: offensive
Bholi addressed her father by saying “Pitaji”. Her voice was clear and she spoke without
stammering. Her family was shocked to see this. She continued and said that her father
should take back his money as she would not marry this man. Ramlal was shocked to hear
all that. Even the relatives started whispering that the girl was shameless as she was
refusing to the marriage. Ramlal grew angry and shouted at Bholi that she had gone mad
because such an act of her could bring disgrace to their family. Bholi replied that it was for
the sake of her family’s honour that she had consented to marry the lame old man but she
was not ready to marry a greedy coward.
“What a shameless girl! We all thought she was a harmless dumb cow.” Bholi turned
violently on the old woman, “Yes, Aunty, you are right. You all thought I was a dumb–driven
cow. That’s why you wanted to hand me over to this heartless creature. But now the dumb
cow, the stammering fool, is speaking. Do you want to hear more?” Bishamber Nath, the
grocer, started to go back with his party. The confused bandsmen thought this was the end of
the ceremony and struck up a closing song.
Violently: strong or extreme manner
Dumb: dull
Heartless: unkind
An old woman commented that Bholi was a shameless girl though they all thought that she
was a dull and innocent girl. Bholi looked at her with extreme anger and said that
everyone thought that she was a fool and that is why they wanted to marry her off to an
unkind man. They called her shameless because she could take a stand for herself.
Bishamber Nath and his friends and family started to return. The bandsmen were not sure
of what was happening. They thought that the marriage ceremony had completed and so,
started playing the music related to the ending of a wedding ceremony.
Ramlal stood rooted to the ground, his head bowed low with the weight of grief and shame.
The flames of the sacred fire slowly died down. Everyone was gone. Ramlal turned to Bholi
and said, “But what about you, no one will ever marry you now. What shall we do with you?”
And Sulekha said in a voice that was calm and steady, “Don’t you worry, Pitaji! In your old
age I will serve you and Mother and I will teach in the same school where I learnt so much.
Isn’t that right, Ma’am?”
The teacher had all along stood in a corner, watching the drama. “Yes, Bholi, of course,” she
replied. And in her smiling eyes was the light of a deep satisfaction that an artist feels when
contemplating the completion of her masterpiece.
Rooted: fixed
Grief: sorrow
Steady: firm
Contemplating: view, observe
Ramlal was in deep sorrow, he was feeling ashamed. The flames of the sacred fire died
after sometime and the guests too went away. He then asked Bholi that what would be her
future now and who would marry her. Bholi replied that she would take care of both her
parents and would teach in the same school that had made her learn so much. She sought
approval from her teacher who was quietly watching all the drama. She approved Bholi’s
statement. She was deeply satisfied with Bholi’s response to the whole situation. It was
similar to the way an artist feels when he sees his masterpiece once it is complete.

Q1- Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was
going to a better place than her home?
A1- In the beginning, Bholi was scared of the idea of going to school. She was reminded of
their cow Lakshmi who had been turned out of the house and sold off. It was when for the
first time in her life that she was bathed, her hair washed and oiled and was dressed in
clean clothes, that she felt that she was going to some better place than her home. She
had never received such attention and care before.
Q2- How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?
A2- Bholi was always laughed at by everyone. People used to call her dumb and laughed
at her when she would fumble while speaking. This made her sad and a low confident
child who would remain quiet and sit with her head bent down into her knees. It was on
the first day of her school that her teacher discovered her problem of being low
confident due to her inability to speak clearly. She encouraged Bholi and treated her in a
polite manner. Bholi was never treated like this by anyone. Her teacher told her that
with practice she could become a learned person who could speak properly without
stammering. This filled her with hope and led to a change in the course of her life.
Q3- Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage?
What does this tell us about her?
A3- Bholi agreed to marry an unequal match because she had heard her parents discussing
the marriage proposal. They said that she was lucky to get a bridegroom who was rich
and was ready to marry her without taking dowry. He was unaware of Bholi’s
pockmarks and dumbness. She had heard her mother say that if they did not accept the
proposal, Bholi might remain unmarried all her life. Later, Bholi refused from the
marriage because the bridegroom demanded five thousand rupees as dowry from her
father. Moreover, it was unbearable for her to see her father pleading in front of him for
the sake of his daughter and family’s honour. Her self-respect made her refuse from
marrying a greedy coward.
Q4- Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the last
but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is
called Sulekha at that point in the story?
A4- The word “Bholi” means simpleton. On the other hand, the word Sulekha means a
person with good handwriting. Throughout the story Bholi was sketched as a person
who was a simpleton and never raised her voice for her betterment. At the end of the
story she raised her voice for her selfrespect and for her father’s dignity and refused to
marry a greedy old man. The word Sulekha is used in the end to show her confidence,
knowledge and ability to speak up against the injustice.
Chapter 10
The Book That Saved the Earth
By Claire Boiko
Introduction
The book that saved the earth is a story that revolves around a book of nursery rhyme titled
‘the Mother Goose’ that has been picturised as the book that saved the earth from an alien
attack. The story begins with a historian that describes to the audience that how one day in
the twentieth century Martians planned to attack the earth. A crew of their lands in a library
on earth; they try to find out the meaning of the content of the books which they mistook as a
sandwich. There they come across a rhyme on Humpty dumpty which resembles their master
Think tank. They all get terrified with the idea of their master’s losing control over Mars
because of humans and cancel their plan of invading earth.
Summary
The story begins with a stage show of twenty fifth century in which a historian is sitting in
the museum and she explains the truth about the Martian invasion that happened in twentieth
century. To prove her statement, she asks the audience to look into the hysteroscope, a device
that can show things happened in the history. In the next scene two characters are shown one
of them which has a balloon brain is shown as the master. His name is Think Tank and
another one is his assistant Noodle. Both of them are discussing about their plan to invade
earth. They think that earth is a ridiculous plan and they should invade earth so as to establish
their kind rule over the planet. So, the master think tank sends one of his crew to inspect
earth. The crew lands into a library and look confuse as they know nothing about the items
(books) of the library. So, they consult it with their master Think Tank that they think is very
intelligent. He asks them to show the item and tells them that they are sandwiches which is a
staple diet of the earthlings. He commands his crew to eat it, which they then consider as a
tasteless eatable. His assistant Noodle corrects him and tells him that they are the
communication devices. He on hearing this, asks his crew to listen to the information from
the devices. They try to hear it but they get nothing to hear from them. Once again Noodle
corrects his master Think Tank that they are to be read and not hear. So with the help of the
vitamins provided by the chemical department of Mars, the crew tries to read the book. It was
a book of rhymes.
TIME: The twenty-fifth century
PLACE: The Museum of Ancient History: Department of the Twentieth
Century on the Planet Earth
BEFORE RISE: Spotlight shines on Historian, who is sitting at a table down right, on which
is a movie projector. A sign on an easel beside her reads: Museum of
Ancient History: Department of the Twentieth Century. She stands and bows
to audience.
Museum: A building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic or cultural interest

are stored and exhibited.
Spotlight: A lamp projecting a beam of light on a particular place or person.
Historian: An expert in or student in history.
Easel: a wooden frame for holding an artist's work while it is being painted or drawn
So, the act begins with a setup in which the time shown is the twenty-fifth century. Place is
the Museum of ancient history department of the twentieth century on the planet earth and
a lamp is projecting light on a person who is a historian. She is sitting at a table down right
and there is a projector on the table. There is a wooden frame behind her that reads
Museum of ancient history: department of the twentieth century. She stands up and bows
to the audience before beginning her act.
HISTORIAN: Good afternoon. Welcome to our Museum of Ancient History, and to my

department — curiosities of the good old, far-off twentieth century. The twentieth century
was often called the Era of the Book. In those days, there were books about everything, from
anteaters to Zulus. Books taught people how to, and when to, and where to, and why to. They
illustrated, educated, punctuated, and even decorated. But the Mother Goose is a well-known
book of nursery rhymes in English. Do you think such a book can save Planet Earth from a
Martian invasion? Read this play, set four centuries in the future, and find out. The Book
That Saved the Earth strangest thing a book ever did was to save the Earth. You haven’t
heard about the Martian invasion of 2040? Tsk, tsk. What do they teach children nowadays?
Well, you know, the invasion never really happened, because a single book stopped it. What
was the book, you ask? A noble encyclopedia? A tome about rockets and missiles? A secret
file from outer space? No, it was none of those. It was — but here, let me turn on the
historiscope and show you what happened many centuries ago, in 2040. (She turns on
projector, and points it left. Spotlight on Historian goes out, and comes up down left on
Think-Tank, who is seated on a raised box, arms folded. He has a huge, egg-shaped head, and
he wears a long robe decorated with stars and circles. Apprentice Noodle stands beside him at
an elaborate switchboard. A sign on an easel reads:
MARS SPACE CONTROL

Zulus:
Illustrated: adjective of a book, newspaper
Martian: related to mars
Invasion: capture, annex
Encyclopedia: book which gives information on many subjects
Historiscope: Here, it means a bioscope that shows history of something.
Apprentice: trainee, leaner
Elaborate: detailed, complicated
The historian welcomes everyone to the museum of ancient history. She introduces her
department curiosities of the good old, far-off twentieth century. Then she starts explaining
about twentieth century that was known as era of books. It was so because there were a
number of books available on various types of subjects such as Zulus, ant eaters. The
books resolved the query of when, where and How to do many things. They described
about various other topics but the unbelievable thing that a book did was to save the earth
from the attack by the residents of Mars. The book that did this was not any informational
book but just a rhyme book named ‘Mother Goose’. The historian then says that this attack
was planned in 2040. At present when people talk about this they tell their children that
nothing like this ever happened because the book that did this was not based on rockets,
missiles or anything else. Then to prove her statement she turns on the projector which she
mentions as historiscope and urges the audience to look into it to know the details of that
day.
The spotlight then moves towards Think Tank (Martian, alien) who is seated on a box with
his arms folded. He is described as a creature with huge egg-shaped head and he wears
clothes that are decorated with stars and circles. There is a wooden frame behind his head
which reads Mars Space Control Great and Mighty Think-Tank, Commander in Chief.
Noodle: (bowing) O Great and Mighty Think-Tank, most powerful and intelligent creature in
the whole universe, what are your orders?
THINK-TANK: (peevishly) You left out part of my salutation, Apprentice Noodle. Go over
the whole thing again.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (In a singsong) O Great and Mighty Think-Tank, Ruler of
Mars and her two moons, most powerful and intelligent creature in the whole universe —
(out of breath) what-are-your-orders?
THINK-TANK: That’s better, Noodle. I wish to be placed in communication with our
manned space probe to that ridiculous little planet we are going to put under our generous
rulership. What do they call it, again?
NOODLE: Earth, your Intelligence.
THINK-TANK: Earth — of course. You see how insignificant the place is? But first,
something important. My mirror. I wish to consult my mirror.
Mighty: fearsome
Peevishly: irritable
Space probe: research, exploration
Ridiculous: funny, hilarious
Generous: liberal
Consult: seek advice from
So, now the conversation begins between the egg-shaped head creature that is known as
Think Tank and his assistant Noodle.
Noodle enters and bows with respect in front of Think Tank. He then addresses him as the
most intelligent and powerful creature in the space. Think tank gets annoyed at this and
points him out for not doing it properly. Noodle repeats the statement again in which he
calls him not only the most intelligent and powerful creature in the whole universe but also
the master of Planet Mars and its two moons. Think Tank approves his greeting and also
orders him to establish communication with space exploration to a funny planet so that
they could have their liberal ruler ship on it. Noodle then tells him the name of that planet
that is earth. Think Tank replies by saying that it is a less important place and then he asks
for a mirror to seek advice from.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (He hands Think-Tank a mirror.)
THINK-TANK: Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually
gifted being in the land?
OFFSTAGE VOICE: (after a pause) You, sir.
THINK-TANK: (smacking mirror) Quicker. Answer quicker next time. I hate a slow mirror.
(He admires himself in the mirror.)
Ah, there I am. Are we Martians not a handsome race? So much more attractive than those
ugly Earthlings with their tiny heads. Noodle, you keep on exercising your mind, and
someday you’ll have a balloon brain just like mine.
NOODLE: Oh, I hope so, Mighty Think-Tank. I hope so.
THINK-TANK: Now, contact the space probe. I want to invade that primitive ball of mud
called Earth before lunch.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (He adjusts levers on switchboard. Electronic buzzes and
beeps are heard as the curtains open.)
Earthlings: here, human beings

Primitive ball: ancient ball
Smacking: to hit
Noodle at once fulfils his command and brings the mirror for him. Think Tank asks his
mirror to tell him the most fantastic and wise creature. The mirror replies to him by saying
you, as the mirror took some time to answer so Think Tank hits it and orders the mirror to
reply earlier from the next time. He then looks into it and says that Martians are very
handsome and are not ugly like human beings who have small heads. He also directs
Noodle to exercise his brain so that he could have a big balloon like brain. Noodle
expresses his acceptance to his boss. After that think tank orders him to contact the space
probe so that he could attack the ancient ball known as earth before lunch. Noodle obeys
his command and pulls the levers of the switchboard. The electronic buzzes and beeps start
coming out of it.
Scene-2
TIME: A few seconds later

PLACE: Mars Space Control and the Centerville Public Library
AT RISE: Captain Omega stands at centre, opening and closing card catalogue drawers in a
confused fashion. Lieutenant Iota is up left, counting books in a bookcase. Sergeant Oop is at
right, opening and closing a book, turning it upside down, shaking it and then riffling the
pages and shaking his head.
NOODLE: (adjusting knobs) I have a close sighting of the space Crew, sir.
(Think-Tank puts on a pair of enormous goggles and turns towards the stage to watch.) They
seem to have entered some sort of Earth structure.
THINK-TANK: Excellent. Make voice contact
Catalogue: list, category

Lieutenant: deputy, an army rank
Sergeant: officer ranking below a lieutenant
Riffling: shuffling
Now the scene-2 starts the place shown is Mars control room and Centerville Public
Library. So, when the curtain is raised some new characters can be seen such as Captain
Omega who is opening and closing list drawers that have list of various books of the
library. He is confused as to what these drawers have. Lieutenant Lota who is a deputy
officer is on the left side busy with the counting of books in the bookshelf. Sergeant Oop is
standing at the right side and is opening, closing and shuffling a book. Noodle adjusts
himself and says that he will have a closer look of the place. Think tank puts his big
goggles and looks all around. He says that it appears as if their crew has entered into the
earth surface. He is happy to enter into earth and gives his best remarks to it and orders to
make voice contact.
NOODLE: (speaking into a microphone) Mars Space Control calling the crew of Probe One.
Mars Space Control calling the crew of Probe One. Come in, Captain Omega, and give us
your location.
OMEGA: (speaking into a disk which is on a chain around her neck) Captain Omega to Mars
Space Control.
Lieutenant Iota, Sergeant Oop, and I have arrived on Earth without incident. We have taken
shelter in this (indicates room) — this square place. Have you any idea where we are,
Lieutenant Iota?
IOTA: I can’t figure it out, Captain. (holding up a book) I’ve counted two thousand of these
peculiar items. This place must be some sort of storage barn. What do you think, Sergeant
Oop?
OOP: I haven’t a clue. I’ve been to seven galaxies, but I’ve never seen anything like this.
Maybe they’re hats.
(He opens a book and puts it on his head.) Say, maybe this is a haberdashery!
OMEGA: (bowing low) Perhaps the Great and Mighty Think- Tank will give us the benefit
of his thought on the matter.
Crew: team
Incident: happening
Barn: shelter, outhouse
Clue: idea
Peculiar: strange
Galaxies: solar system
Haberdashery: sewing items such as buttons, needles etc
Noodle tries to establish contact with the crew. He also enquires Omega about their
landing location. So, Captain Omega answers him that all the three of them have arrived
safely to the Earth but they are not sure about their location as it is just a square place.
Lieutenant Iota says that he can’t guess the place but he had already counted two
thousand of the strange items (books) present in this room. Oop says that he also has no
idea about the items despite being to the seven galaxies (solar system) but he thought them
to be hats. He opens the book and put it on his head and says that maybe it is some sought
of sewing items. Finally, Omega bows his head and suggests that may be think tank could
help them in figuring about the place and the item present there.
THINK-TANK: Elementary, my dear Omega. Hold one of the items up so that I may view it
closely. (Omega holds a book on the palm of her hand.) Yes, yes, I understand now. Since
Earth creatures are always eating, the place in which you find yourselves is undoubtedly a
crude refreshment stand.
OMEGA: (to Iota and Oop) He says we’re in a refreshment stand.
OOP: Well, the Earthlings certainly have a strange diet.
THINK-TANK: That item in your hand is called a sandwich.
OMEGA: (nodding) A sandwich.
IOTA: (nodding) A sandwich.
OOP: (taking book from his head) A sandwich?
THINK-TANK: Sandwiches are the main staple of Earth diet. Look at it closely. (Omega
squints at book.) There are two slices of what is called bread, and between them is some sort
of filling.
OMEGA: That is correct, sir.
THINK-TANK: To confirm my opinion, I order you to eat it.
OMEGA: (gulping) Eat it?
THINK-TANK: Do you doubt the Mighty Think-Tank?
Elementary: easy, basic

Staple food: a routine food
Squints: look with/through narrowed eyes
Gulping; to swallow
Think Tank says that it is very easy to know, he asks Omega to hold the items in his hand
so that he could see them. Omega does so by holding it in her palm. He then tells them that
as the earthlings are always busy eating so they all have landed at some refreshment area
(eating place). He even told them that the strange thing in their hands is sandwich, an
everyday food of humans. All three surprisingly look at the books and murmur the word
sandwich. Think Tank also describes how a sandwich looks like. He says that there are two
slices of bread and between them is some sort of filling. Omega confirms it that yes, he is
correct. Think tank then orders her to eat the sandwich for final confirmation. Omega
swallows in as she is not sure about to eat the strange thing or not. Think Tank does not
like this and questions her for not relying on him.
OMEGA: Oh, no, no. But poor Lieutenant Iota has not had her breakfast. Lieutenant Iota, I
order you to eat this —this sandwich.
IOTA: (dubiously) Eat it? Oh, Captain! It’s a very great honour to be the first Martian to eat a
sandwich, I’m sure, but — but how can I be so impolite as to eat before my Sergeant?
(handing Oop the book and saying brightly) Sergeant Oop, I order you to eat the sandwich
immediately.
OOP: (making a face) Who, Lieutenant? Me, Lieutenant?
IOTA and OMEGA: (saluting) For the glory of Mars, Oop!
OOP: Yes, of course! (unhappily) Immediately. (He opens his mouth wide. Omega and Iota
watch him breathlessly. He bites down on a corner of the book, and pantomimes chewing and
swallowing, while making terrible faces.)
OMEGA: Well, Oop?
IOTA: Well, Oop? (Oop coughs. Omega and Iota pound him on the back.)
THINK-TANK: Was it not delicious, Sergeant Oop?
OOP: (saluting) That is correct, sir. It was not delicious. I don’t know how the Earthlings can
get those sandwiches down without water. They’re dry as Martian dust.
NOODLE: Sir, sir. Great and Mighty Think-Tank. I beg your pardon, but an insignificant bit
of data floated into my mind about those sandwiches.
THINK-TANK: It can’t be worth much, but go ahead. Give us your trifling bit of data.
NOODLE: Well, sir, I have seen surveyor films of those sandwiches. I noticed that the
Earthlings did not eat them. They used them as some sort of communication device.
THINK-TANK: (haughtily) Naturally. That was my next point. These are actually
communication sandwiches. Think-Tank is never wrong. Who is never wrong?
ALL: (saluting) Great and Mighty Think-Tank is never wrong.
THINK-TANK: Therefore, I order you to listen to them.
Dubiously: with hesitation or doubt

Breathlessly: Not able to breathe easily
Pantomimes: comedy based on nursery story/rhyme. Here, it means comic expression
on face
Insignificant: less important
Surveyor: an official inspector
Trifling: unimportant
Omega tries to pass it on to the Lieutenant Iota as she didn’t have her breakfast. Iota
looked hesitant in eating it and so said that she can’t eat anything unless her sergeant eats
as it would be impolite. Sergeant Oop doesn’t want to eat it but because she had to obey the
orders of her senior she eats it. While she was eating, the other two looked at her
breathlessly as they were not able to breathe easily in such a difficult situation. Oop was
making funny faces while chewing that tasteless, hard to be swallowed food. She however
finally swallows it. Think Tank tries to figure it out that whether the food was tasty or not.
Oop replies that it was tasteless and seemed like dust of mars. Meanwhile Noodle tries to
intervene and tells them that he has received some sort of information regarding the
sandwich. Think Tank considers it to be irrelevant information, yet asks him to share with
them. He tells them that it was not an eatable but a communication device of the
earthlings. So, now to cover up his mistake think tank says that he was about to tell
everyone that these were the communication sandwiches. He also orders them to hear if
they get to hear any information from these devices.
OMEGA: Listen to them?
IOTA AND OOP: (to each other, puzzled) Listen to them?
THINK-TANK: Do you have marbles in your ears? I said, listen to them. (Martians bow very
low.)
OMEGA: It shall be done, sir. (They each take two books from the case, and hold them to
their ears, listening intently.)
IOTA: (whispering to Omega) Do you hear anything?
OMEGA: (whispering back) Nothing. Do you hear anything, Oop?
OOP: (loudly) Not a thing! (Omega and Iota jump in fright.)
OMEGA AND IOTA: Sh-h-h! (They listen intently again.)
THINK-TANK: Well? Well? Report to me. What do you hear?
OMEGA: Nothing, sir. Perhaps we are not on the correct frequency.
IOTA: Nothing, sir. Perhaps the Earthlings have sharper ears than we do.
OOP: I don’t hear a thing. Maybe these sandwiches don’t make sounds.
THINK-TANK: What? Does somebody suggest the Mighty Think-Tank has made a mistake?
OMEGA: Oh, no, sir; no, sir. We’ll keep listening.
NOODLE: Please excuse me, your Brilliance, but a cloudy piece of information is twirling
around in my head.
THINK-TANK: Well, twirl it out, Noodle, and I will clarify it for you.
NOODLE: I seem to recall that the Earthlings did not listen to the sandwiches; they opened
them and watched them.
THINK-TANK: Yes, that is quite correct, I will clarify that for you, Captain Omega. Those
sandwiches are not for ear communication, they are for eye communication. Now, Captain
Omega, take that large, colorful sandwich over there. It appears to be important. Tell me what
you observe.
(Omega picks up a very large volume of Mother Goose, holding it so that the audience can
see the title. Iota looks over her left shoulder, and Oop peers over her right shoulder.)
Intently: keenly
Twirl: turn round
Observe: notice
So, now all the three are again confused as they have been ordered by their master to hear
the communication sandwiches. All the three follows his command and tries to hear the
device but none of them hear anything. They question each other as to what did they
listened. Think tank asks them to tell what they heard. They tell him that they hear
nothing, Omega felt that they were not on the right frequency that is they were not at the
right rate when something occurs over a particular period of time. Iota had an opinion that
earthlings may have better hearing ability than the Martians. Whereas Oop said that he
thinks that they don’t make any sound. At this point of Noodle seeks permission from
Think Tank that there is some vague (unclear) information in his mind which is tuning up
and down in his head. Think Tank commands Noodle share the information with him so
that he could clarify it to him. Noodle says that he remembers that these devices don’t
make sounds. Think tank after hearing this tells Omega that they were the eye
communication devices. He also asks him to open the biggest device in order to get some
relevant information from this sandwich. Omega then picks up a large book with the title
of Mother Goose and starts reading it. The other two also join him.
OMEGA: It appears to contain pictures of Earthlings.
IOTA: There seems to be some sort of code.
THINK-TANK: (sharply interested) Code? I told you this was important. Describe the code.
OOP: its little lines and squiggles and dots — thousands of them alongside the pictures.
THINK-TANK: Perhaps the Earthlings are not as primitive as we have thought. We must
break the code.
NOODLE: Forgive me, your Cleverness, but did not the chemical department give our space
people vitamins to increase their intelligence?
THINK-TANK: Stop! A thought of magnificent brilliance has come to me. Space people, our
chemical department has given you vitamins to increase your intelligence. Take them
immediately and then watch the sandwich. The meaning of the code will slowly unfold
before you.
OMEGA: It shall be done, sir. Remove vitamins. (Crew takes vitamins from boxes on their
belts.) Present vitamins. (They hold vitamins out in front of them, stiffly.) Swallow vitamins.
(They pop the vitamins into their mouths and gulp simultaneously. They open their eyes
wide, their heads shake, and they put their hands to their foreheads.)
Squiggles: a short line that curls and loops in an irregular way

Magnificent: glorious, majestic
Stiffly: non-flexible
Gulps: swallow
Simultaneously: at the same time
So, Omega reports that there are some pictures of living creatures of earth. He says that
there are some kinds of codes too. Think Tank replies that he was already aware of the
importance of this device and orders them to describe the code. Oop says that there is a
combination of little lines, dots and some curls and loops. Think Tank feels that earthlings
were not that ancient as he thought of them. He asks them to break the code. Noodle
suggests using the vitamins of intelligence given by the Chemical department. Think tank
tries to make this suggestion as his own idea and suggests the crew to have the vitamin.
The crew at once swallows it at the same time. As a result, their eyes grew wider and their
heads shake.
THINK-TANK: Excellent. Now, decipher that code.
ALL: It shall be done, sir. (They frown over the book, turning pages.)
OMEGA: (brightly) Aha!
IOTA: (brightly) Oho!
OOP: (bursting into laughter) Ha, ha, ha.
THINK-TANK: What does it say? Tell me this instant. Transcribe, Omega.
OMEGA: Yes, sir. (She reads with great seriousness.) Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow? With cockle shells and silver bells And pretty maids all in a
row.
OOP: Ha, ha, ha. Imagine that. Pretty maids growing in a garden.
THINK-TANK: (alarmed) Stop! This is no time for levity. Don’t you realise the seriousness
of this discovery? The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining.
They can actually grow crops of rare metals such as silver. And cockle shells. They can grow
high explosives, too. Noodle, contact our invasion fleet.
Decipher: decode
Transcribe: put thoughts into written form
Cockle shells: shell
Levity: care free attitude
Think Tank commands his team to decode the written matter. All of them start reading it
and suddenly burst into laughter. Think tank gets eager and asks them to tell what was
written in it. So, they recite a poem which describes about a woman who grows cockle
shells, silver bells and pretty maids in her garden. All laugh at how could anyone grow
maids in the garden. But think tank gets tensed and asks them to stop being careless. He
says that they should not forget that it is a serious discovery, a discovery which leads
humans to combine agriculture with mining. It was an impossible thing to grow metals in
the garden as they are the natural resources which can never be cultivated with such an
ease. He worries about the cultivation of explosives by the humans and command noodle to
contact invasion fleet.
NOODLE: They are ready to go down and take over Earth, sir.
THINK-TANK: Tell them to hold. Tell them new information has come to us about Earth.
Iota, transcribe.
IOTA: Yes, sir. (She reads very gravely.) Hey diddle diddle! The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon, The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
OOP: (laughing) The dish ran away with the spoon!
THINK-TANK: Cease laughter. Desist. This is more and more alarming. The Earthlings have
reached a high level of civilisation. Didn’t you hear? They have taught their domesticated
animals musical culture and space techniques. Even their dogs have a sense of humour. Why,
at this very moment, they may be launching an interplanetary attack of millions of cows!
Notify the invasion fleet. No invasion today Oop, transcribe the next code.
OOP: Yes, sir. (reading)
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men,
Cannot put Humpty Dumpty together again.
Oh, look, sir. Here’s a picture of Humpty Dumpty.
Why, sir, he looks like — he looks like — (turns large picture of Humpty Dumpty towards
Think-Tank and the audience)
Gravely: in a serious manner
Diddle: cheat
Fiddle: fraud, cheat
Cease: stop
Desist: hold back
Civilisations: human development
Domesticated: to tame a pet
Interplanetary: between the planets
Noodle replies that the invasion team was about to go down and attack the earth. Think
Tank stops him and asks him to tell the invasion team about the latest information they
have received from the earth. He then asks Iota to read more from the book. Iota read a
poem out of the book which describes about a cow that jumped a moon and a dog that
laughed at this act. Not only this, there was a reference of a spoon that ran along with a
dish. All of them start laughing. Think Tank scolds them for laughing and considers that
to be a serious issue because according to him humans had developed them and their
civilisation up to the level that even their pets were expressing their emotions. The
dangerous point was that it mentioned a cow that jumped a moon, may be the earthlings
were planning to attack on other planets with the help of millions of cows. This feared
think tank so much that he again reminded Noodle of not invading earth. He asked his
crew to read it further. Now, it was Oop that read the next poem about humpty dumpty
which described about his great fall. The readers got shocked to see the picture of Humpty
Dumpty. They couldn’t utter a word from their mouth. Think Tank asked them as to what
was the matter. They turned the book towards him and show him the image of Humpty
dumpty. He was a look alike of Think tank.
THINK-TANK: (screaming and holding his head) it’s me! It’s my Great and Mighty Balloon
Brain. The Earthlings have seen me, and they’re after me. “Had a great fall!” — That means
they plan to capture Mars Central Control and me! It’s an invasion of Mars! Noodle, prepare
a space capsule for me. I must escape without delay. Space people, you must leave Earth at
once, but be sure to remove all traces of your visit. The Earthlings must not know that I
know. (Omega, Iota, and Oop rush about, putting books back on the shelves.)
NOODLE: Where shall we go, sir?
THINK-TANK: A hundred million miles away from Mars. Order the invasion fleet to
evacuate the entire planet of Mars. We are heading for Alpha Centauri, a hundred million
miles away. (Omega, Iota, and Oop run off right as Noodle helps Think-Tank off left and the
curtain closes. Spotlight shines on Historian down right.)
Capsule: here, it means a space craft

Alpha Centauri: A closest star to our solar system
Think Tank got so frightened to see himself in the picture that he screamed out of fear. He
assumed that the earthlings will attack mars and took over his reign from him. He assumed
so because of the line of the rhyme that states ‘Humpty Dumpty had a great fall’. He at
once ordered Noodle to provide him with a spacecraft so that he could leave for Alpha
Centauri, a star closer to the solar system. He also directs the crew to leave earth without
leaving any of their marks so that the humans may never come to know about their
expedition (tour). They all stuff the books back to their place. After this the curtain goes
down.
HISTORIAN: (chuckling) And that’s how one dusty old book of nursery rhymes saved the
world from a Martian invasion. As you all know, in the twenty-fifth century, five hundred
years after all this happened, we Earthlings resumed contact with Mars, and we even became
very friendly with the Martians. By that time, Great and Mighty Think-Tank had been
replaced by a very clever Martian — the wise and wonderful
Noodle! Oh, yes, we taught the Martians the difference between sandwiches and books. We
taught them how to read, too, and we established a model library in their capital city of
Marsopolis. But as you might expect, there is still one book that the Martians can never bring
themselves to read. You’ve guessed it — Mother Goose! (She bows and exits right.)
Chuckling: laugh quietly
Resumed: restart, begin with
So, now the spotlight again focuses on the Historian. She smiled and said that now all of
you know that how a nursery rhyme book saved our earth from the Mars invasion. She
then tells the audience that now as we are in the twenty fifth century; we have established
friendly relations with the Martians. Mars is now lead by very intelligent leader and that is
Noodle. The human beings have taught them how to read and have also clarified them the
difference between a sandwich and the book. They have also helped them to establish a
central library in their capital city Marsopolis. But still there is one book which they don’t
prefer much and guess which book is that? Of course, it is ‘Mother Goose’. The curtain
falls.
Question Answers
Q1-Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes. How
does he manage to do that?
A1-Noodle avoids offending Think-Tank but at the same time he corrects his mistakes in a
very clever way. He used to present his ideas as a thing of less importance but this would
help think tank in correcting his mistakes.
Q2- If you were in Noodle’s place, how would you handle Think-Tank’s mistakes?
A2- If I would have been at Noodle’s place I would have handled the situation just like
Noodle did. I would have suggested my master the right things but in a way that he may
not feel being pointed out by a subordinate.
Q3-Do you think books are being replaced by the electronic media? Can we do away with
books altogether?
A3- Yes, it is true to some extent that books are being replaced by the electronic media but
we cannot do away with the books completely. It is so because books still serve the
purpose of deriving information from them. It is so because still there are many things
which are sometimes not available on the electronic media.
Q4- Why are books referred to as a man’s best companion?
A4- Books are man’s best companion because they not only provide us with information but
also, sometimes become a good source of entertainment.

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Notes By Sonal Anugrah Singh (S.A.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

1. A Letter to God (G.L Fuentes)

• His First Flight (Liam O’ Flaherty)

• A Baker from Goa (Lucio Rodrigues)

Lesson & Explanation

conscience- an inner sense of right and wrong.

Question and Answers

Greedy, naive, stupid, ungrateful,

1. Rhyme Scheme- abab cdcd.

closely connected words.

Has given my heart

And saved some part

poetic license is called inversion. In stanza 1, inversion can be seen.

4. Assonance - The prominence of a vowel sound throughout a line is called assonance.

In stanza 1, line 2 - “Shook down on me” - ‘o’ sound is prominent.

punctuation marks, it is called enjambment. It has been used throughout

Question and Answers

Poem and Explanation

Desire - a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for

Example - The sound of “f” in “favour fire”, “w” in “world will”

4. Imagery - Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their

Example - “Some say the world will end in fire”

6. Personification- Personification is to give human qualities to inanimate

7. Enjambment - it is defined as the thought or clause that does not come to

Example - “From what I’ve tasted of desire

Q2. For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for?

Lesson & Explanation

Deputy- Second in command

Overwhelmed- have a strong emotional effect

Unimaginable- difficult or impossible to imagine

Apartheid- a policy or system of segregation on grounds of race

Comrades- a colleague or a fellow member of an organisation

Grimmest- very serious or gloomy

Obligations- a duty or a commitment

Stream- a small, narrow river

Curtailed- reduce; impose a restriction on

Prejudice- a strong dislike without any good reason

2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?

4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?

7. Why were two national anthems sung?

8. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country

9. What does courage mean to Mandela?

10. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?

11. What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?

13. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?

A Tiger in the Zoo

About the Poet

Poem and Explanation

▪ Rhyme scheme: abcb (cage-rage)

▪ Metaphor: Tiger’s paws are compared with velvet (pads of velvet)

▪ Enjambment: Sentence is continuing to next line without any punctuation mark.

▪ Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘I’ (in his vivid stripes)

▪ Oxymoron: use of adjectives opposite in meaning (quiet rage)

Lurking: To be hidden as to wait for your prey

▪ Rhyme: rhyme scheme is abcb (grass-pass)

▪ Enjambment: Line continues to next line without punctuation marks. (Sliding

Snarling: warning sounds made by animals

▪ Rhyme Scheme: abcb rhyme scheme is followed (edge, village)

▪ Consonance: use of consonant sound ‘s’ (his, fangs, his, claws)