Chapter 3: Gopal and the Hilsa Fish

Working with the Text

Question 1:

Why did the King want no more talk about the Hilsa-fish ?

Answer:

During the season of Hilsa-fish, everybody talked about the fish. The King was fed up.So he did not want to talk more about the fish.

Question 2:

What did the King ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever ?

Answer:

Gopal could stop everyone from talking about Hilsa-fish for five minutes.

Question 3:

What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his Hilsa-fish?

Answer:

Gopal covered his half face. He smeared his face with ash. And then he wore disgraceful rags on.

Question 4:

How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the King after he had bought the fish?

Answer:

On reaching the palace he behaved like a mad man. He began to sing and dance loudly. The people took him crazy and forced him to present before the King in the palace.

Question 5:

Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the Hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.

Answer:

Gopal was ill-dressed and behaved in a crazy way. Everyone took him mad. So, no one seemed to talk about the Hilsa-fish he had bought. Moreover they thought that Gopal had lost his mind.

Question 6:

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following sentences.

(i) The king lost his temper easily.

(ii) Gopal was a mad man.

(iii) Gopal was a clever man.

(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes.

(v) The King got angry when he was shown to be wrong.

Answer:

(i) True

(ii) False

(iii) True

(iv) False

(v) False.

Working with Language

Question 1:

How in a comic book, there are no speech marks when characters talk. Instead what they say is put in speech ‘bubble’. However, if we wish to repeat or “report what they say, we must put it into Reported Speech. Change the following sentences in the story to reported speech. The first one has been done for you.

(i) How much did you pay for that hilsa ?

The woman asked the man how much he had paid for that hilsa.

(ii) Why is your face half-shaven?

Gopal’s wife asked him ……….

(iii) I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.

Gopal told the king …..

(iv) I want to see the king.

Gopal told the guards

(v) Bring the man to me at once.

The king ordered the guard….

Answer:

(ii) Gopal’s wife asked him why his face was half-shaven.

(iii) Gopal told the king that he accepted the challenge.

(iv) Gopal told the guards that he wanted to see the King.

(v) The King ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.

Question 2:

Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use them in sentences of your own.

challenge , mystic , comical , courtier , smearing

Answer:

(i) challenge : an invitation to compete

I accept your challenge now

(ii) mystic : relating to mystery

Gulliver was a mystic character.

(iii) comical : funny

Johny Walker was a comical character in Bollywood.

(iv) courtier : subjects in the court

Birbal was a courtier in the court of Akbar.

(v) smearing : rubbing

He was smearing his body with colours.

Picture Reading

Question 1:

Look at the pictures and read the text aloud.

Question 2:

Ask your partner questions about each picture.

(i) Where is the stag ?

Answer:

The stag is near a pond.

(ii) What is he doing ?

Answer:

He is drinking water.

(iii) Does he like his antlers (horns)?

Answer:

Yes, he does like his antlers.

(iv) Does he like his legs?

Answer:

No, he does not like his legs.

(v) Why is the stag running ?

Answer:

The hunters are chasing him.

(vi) Is he able to hide in the bushes ?

Answer:

No, he is unable to hide in the bushes.

(vii) Where are the hunters now ?

Answer:

The hunters are very near to the stag.

(viii) Are they closing in on the stag ?

Answer:

Yes, they are closing in on the stag.

(ix) Is the stag free?

Answer:

Yes, he is free and out of danger.

(x) What does the stay say about his horns and his legs ?

Answer:

He was proud of his horns. They could have caused him death. But his legs saved his life. Previously, he was ashamed of his legs.

Question 3:

Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title.

Answer:

Title: A Vain Stag / Everything has its own importance.

Once there was a stag. He was drinking water from a pond. He saw his own reflection in the water. He saw his thorns and a smile passed on his lips. He praised them. When he saw his thin legs, he felt ashamed of them. Just then he heard a noise. There were hunters near him. He ran as fast as he could. He had shelter in the bushes. His antlers got stick in them. He ran away and in a short while he was out of sight. He thought of his antlers. They could have caused him death but the thin legs which he was ashamed of saved his precious life. He thanked God.

Question 4:

Complete the following word ladder with the help of the clues given below.

Clues

1. Mother will be very ………….. if you don’t go to school.
2. As soon as he caught ………… of the teacher, Mohan started writing.
3. How do you like my …………….. kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it ?
4. My youngest sister is now a ………….. old.
5. Standing on the . ………………, he saw children playing on the road.
6. Don’t make such a …………….. Nothing will happen.
7. Don’t cross the ……………….. till the green light comes on.

Answer: