PRINCESS SEPTEMBER
Question:
(i) The eight Princesses made an offer to Princess September. What was it?
(ii) Why, in your view, did they do it?
Answer:
(i) The eight princesses were envious of Princess September so they offered her all their pocket money to buy a lovely green and yellow parrot from her.
(ii) They did so because they were upset with the fact that everybody was full of praises for Princess September’s bird, which could sing so beautifully. Their parrots looked sad and could only repeat what was taught to them. They wanted her pet to be like their pet.
Question:
(i) What persuaded Princess September to give the bird his freedom again?
(ii) How did the bird react to it?
Answer:
(i) The Princess saw that the bird almost dead by the next morning. He had stopped eating, chirping and singing songs. This made the Princess realise that the bird did not want to stay in the cage. This persuaded the Princess to give the bird its freedom back.
(ii) The bird was very happy when it came to know that it was being released from the cage. He flew away to the far off land and promised that it would come back and sing for the Princess whenever she wanted.
Question
Why did the bird refuse to be taken out in her cage?
Answer
The bird is happy and carefree when it stays free, so it refused to be taken out in her cage as it loves to fly. The rice fields, the lake and the willow trees which attracted it seemed to be quite different when it was behind the bars of a cage.
THE FIGHT
Questions
1.What is it that Ranji finds difficult to explain at home?
2.Ranji sees his adversary in the bazaar.
(i) What does he wish to do?
(ii) What does he actually do, and why?
3.Ranji is not at all eager for a second fight. Why does he go back to the pool, then?
4.Who was the better swimmer? How do you know it?
5.What surprises the warrior?
6.Now that they are at the pool, why don’t they continue the fight?
7. Ranji’s superiority over the other boy is obvious in the following:
Physical strength:, good diving, his being a fighter, sense of humour, swimming under water, making a good point, willingness to help.
Underline the relevant phrases.
8. What, according to you, makes the two adversaries turn into good friends in a matter of minutes? Explain it as you have understood it.
ANSWERS
1. Ranji had several cuts and bruises on his face and arms. He finds it difficult to explain the injuries at home.
2. (i) At first Ranji felt like turning away and look the other way. His second thought was to hit his enemy with the lemonade bottle.
(ii) He actually stands his ground and only scowls at Suraj.
3. Ranji decides to go back to the pool to gain self-respect. If he surrenders now, he will be beaten for all time
4. Ranji was decidedly the better swimmer. We know it when he swims across the pool as his opponent says. He dived for long into the water.
5. Ranji executes another perfect dive. Swimming under water, he circles Suraj and comes upon him from behind. The warrior, Suraj, is surprised to see Ranji’s skill.
6. At the pool, the two contestants forgot to continue the fight. Their interest shifts to swimming and swinging (diving).
7. Good diving, swimming under water, willingness to help, sense of humour.
8. Ranji and Suraj, two adversaries, turned into good friends in a few minutes for a couple of reasons. Both were tired of fighting. Both needed each other’s help, guidance and support. Suraj wanted to learn diving from Ranji. While Ranji liked the idea of becoming a strong wrestler with the help of Suraj.
JALEBIS
Questions
1. What was the consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money?
2. His prayer to God is like a lawyer’s defence of a bad case. Does he argue his case well? What are the points he makes?
3. He offers to play a game with Allah Miyan. What is the game?
4. Did he get four rupees by playing the game? What did he get to see under the rock?
5. If God had granted his wish that day, what harm would it have caused him in later life?
ANSWERS
1. As a result of spending his fees money on jalebis, he had to be absent from school for the first time in his life.
2. He tries to please God with his requests and the recitation of the entire namaz. He admits that he made a mistake. He wouldn’t have spent his money on jalebis if he had known about the delay in scholarship. Thus, he argues his case like a lawyer.
3. The game is that he will go upto the signal, touch it and come back. And in the meantime God should put four rupees under a big rock.
4. No, he didn’t get four rupees by playing the game. When he lifted the rock, he saw a worm instead of coins.
5. If God had granted his wish that day he wouldn’t have learnt a lesson to do no wrong in future. He would have been like a bird and learnt no skill.
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