ICSE

Treasure Trove Poems and Short Stories Workbook Answers

The Cold Within Summary by James Patrick Kinney

The Cold Within Summary About the Poet

James Patrick Kinney (16 March 1923 – 29 May 1974) was an Irish American poet. He dropped out in High School due to the financial problem in his family. He received recognition posthumously. He is best known for his inspiring poem, ‘The Cold Within’. He was a man of integrity and created poems that spoke his heart. Initially, he was rejected for being controversial, but soon gained popularity.

The Cold Within Summary

The poem highlights the rigidity of spirit based on discrimination of race, religion and caste, portrayed by the six individuals who became their own agents of death. Their reluctance to help each other made their hands stiff, refusing to share their log of wood, which was a sufficient proof of sin committed by humans. Thus, it was not the cold outside, but the cold ‘within’ – the coldness of feelings, the lack of the spark of humanity – that froze them all to death.

The Cold Within Explanation of the Poem

Stanza 1 & 2.

“Six humans trapped by happenstance
In bleak and bitter cold.
Each one possessed a stick of wood
Or so the story’s told.
Their dying fire in need of logs,
But the first one held hers back,
For, of the faces round the fire,
She noticed one was black.”

Explanation: The narrator tells us that the six people are ‘trapped’ in a very cold and dark place, as a coincidence, and each person is holding a stick of wood. These people are gathered around a fire but this fire is about to die. It would continue only if some wood is added to it.

The first woman looks around the group and decides to keep back her stick as she finds a black man around the fire. She finds it unacceptable to help a black person, which highlights the ‘colour’ prejudice • in human societies. Thus, her discriminatory attitude prevents her from saving herself and others from cold.

Word Meanings:

1. Happenstance – Accident, co-incidence
2. Bleak and bitter – Chilling, extreme (here)
3. Possessed – Had or owned
4. Logs – Pieces of wood

Stanza 3 & 4.
“The next man looking ‘cross the way
Saw one not of his church,
And could not bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.
The third one sat in tattered clothes.
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log he put to use
To warm the idle rich?”

Explanation: The next man held his feelings for people of other religious faith, different from his. He finds that none around the fire belonged to his church and decides not to spend his stick to warm others. Thus, he propagates ‘religious intolerance’ – that he did not wish to support one from another religion.

The third one was a poor man, which was evident from his old and torn clothes. He shook his coat to make himself comfortable, but it was not adequate enough to keep him warm. According to him, the rich were a Lazy Lot, so it was not worth sharing his log of wood to save them. His attitude lays emphasis on the prejudice based on ‘social status’.

Word Meanings:
1. Birch – A type of hardwood tree, whose outer bark can be pulled off easily
2. Tattered – Old and torn
3. Idle – Lazy

Stanza 5 & 6.

“The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.
The black man’s face bespoke revenge ,
As the fire passed from his sight.
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.”

Explanation: The next in line was the wealthy man who goes blind with the thought to save his riches, putting his own life at stake. He wishes to keep away his stick than to put it in fire, as that would mean helping the poor . who according to him, were useless and aimless. This reflects his biased attitude of class.

Then, there was the black man, who was filled with anguish and revengeful feelings for the white men, which was the result of the scornful attitude of the white towards the black; so he took it as an opportunity to avenge himself against the white, although he could have behaved rationally otherwise.

Word Meanings :
1. In store — In his possession
2. Shiftless — Aimless; lacking ambition and energy
3. Bespoke — Produced
4. Spite — A desire to harm or defeat another person because you have Been wrongly treated

Stanza 7 & 8.

“The last man of this forlorn group
Did naught except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave
Was how he played the game?
Their logs held tight in death’s still hands
Was proof of human sin?
They did not die from the cold without
They died from the cold within.”

Explanation: The last man belonging to this hopeless group, though not prejudiced, was an opportunist and a selfish person. He did not favour anyone without gaining anything in exchange.

The last stanza summarizes the result of narrow – mindedness, biased attitude and selfishness of humans. All of the six people froze to death with the log of wood in their hands. Thus, it was not the cold weather which was responsible for their death, as they could have easily fought against it together, but it was the absence of warmth in their hearts that brought their doom.

Word Meanings :
1. Forlorn – Desolate, hopeless
2. Nought – Nothing

The Cold Within Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Their logs held tight in death’s still hands
Was proof of human sin?
They did not die from the cold without They died from the cold within..”
(i) Name the poem and the poet.
(ii) Who was trapped and under what circumstances? Which words highlight a sense of emergency? Name the figure of speech used here.
(iii) What was the need of the moment? Why?
(iv) What made the first one hold back her stick?
(v) What is meant by ‘home to heaven anigh’? How does a plant help a bird? What does it do in twilight ?
Answer:
(i) It was ‘bleak and bitter cold’ i.e. it was severe cold and life was not possible without the warmth of fire. It was so cold that a person would freeze to death even in the absence of fire. It was a chill winter night.

(ii) The third man in the gathering was a poor man, which was evident by his tom and tottered clothes. Though he is in a miserable state and gives a hitch to his coat to make himself more comfortable, he is reluctant to give his piece of wood to save the dying fire as he does not wish to help the rich whom he calls ‘idle’, despite the rich who torture the poor and enjoy a relaxing life themselves. Thus, the poet showed the discrimination based on the economic standard of different individuals.

The figure of speech used here is ‘alliteration’ viz., repetition of ‘b’ in bleak & bitter.

(iii) ‘The black man’s face bespoke revenge”, which means that the face of the black man depicted the emotions of hatred and revenge that arises from the discrimination shown to him, once a victim now turns to an abuser, when he gets a chance.

The poem too contains a reference that highlights the discriminatory attitude of the White when the White woman in the same group held her stick back when she noticed a black man.

“But the first one held hers back,
For, of the faces round the fire,
she noticed one was black.”
Thus the feeling of the black man are truly justified.

(iv) The sixth and the last man in the gathering was an opportunist. As stated by the poet-
“The last man of the forlorn group
Did naught except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave was how he played the game.”

Thus, it is apparent that this man will not spend his resources without making sure that he has gained something in return. Though he carries no malice towards anyone, yet he will not give up the opportunity to make some profit in doing something which may benefit others.

(v) James Patrick Kinney’s poem, ‘The Cold within’ is all about discrimination based on prejudices and its unpleasant consequences. The six people gathered around the fire in a chilling winter night, possessed a stick of wood each. They could have easily survived the cold if they had kindled the dying fire with their sticks. But they rejected to share their logs to keep the fire burning. Five of them were prejudiced against one another upon petty things like, colour, race, religion, social class, etc; while the sixth one was an opportunist.

Eventually, they were seen frozen to death, each holding on grimly to a log of wood, and this obviously due to their prejudiced attitude even in the time of need. Thus, the poet attributes their death to the cold in their hearts, not to the cold atmosphere outside.

Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Six humans trapped by happenstance
In bleak and bitter cold.
Each one possessed a stick of wood
Or so the story’s told.
Their dying fire in need of logs,
But the first one held hers back,
For, of the faces round the fire,
She noticed one was black.

(i) What is the name of the poem and by whom is the poem written?
(ii) What were the circumstances and who was trapped under them? Highlight the words which sense emergency? Name the figure of speech used here.
(iii) What was the need of the moment? Why?
(iv) What made the first human/person hold back her stick?
(v) Give the meaning of
(a) happenstance
(b) dying fire
Answer:
(i) The name of the poem is, ‘The Cold Within’ and the poet is ‘James Patrick Kinney’.

(ii) Six humans were trapped accidentally. It was severe cold. The words ‘bleak and better’ symbolize the extreme situations of life.

The figure of speech used here is, ‘alliteration’ – ,viz. repetition of ‘b’ in bleak & bitter.

(iii) It was extremely cold and life was impossible without the warmth of fire. Each of the six humans possessed a stick, which they were suppose to contribute to keep the fire going, else, they would freeze to death once the fire dies out.

(iv) The first one holds back her stick, because she sees a black man in the group and because of her racist attitude she is not able to save him by adding her log to the fire, no matter even if she herself too suffers.

(v) (a) coincidence
(b) the fire which was about to get extinguished.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
The next man looking ‘cross the way
Saw one not of his church,
And could not bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.
The third one sat in tattered clothes.
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log he put to use
To warm the idle rich?

(i) What character trait does the next man portray? Why?
(ii) What does ‘tattered clothes’ mean and what do they symbolize?
(iii) What is meant by ‘a hitch’? Why does the third one give a hitch to his coat?
(iv) What was the reason for the third one to not part away with his log of wood?
(v) Give the meaning of- 4
(a) could not bring himself to
(b) a hitch
Answer:
(i) The next man is prejudiced, who, on seeing a man not belonging to his church, decides to hold back his stick to rekindle the fire.
(ii) ‘Tattered clothes’ mean, ‘old and tom clothes’. It means that the third man was a poor man who did not have enough money to cover himself with proper clothes.
(iii) ‘Hitch’ means’ ‘to move with a jerk or tug’.
The man gave a hitch to his coat to make it more comfortable and bring warmth to himself.
(iv) This man seems to be a victim of discrimination based on the economic standard of different individuals. He is envious of the rich man and considers nil a an ‘idle.’ Thus, he does not put his log to fire.
(v) (a) to not be able to force himself to do something
(b) a shake or a jerk

Question 4.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy, shiftless poor.
The black man’s face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from his sight.
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.

(i) What was the rich man thinking about?
(ii) From whom did he fear a threat to his wealth?
(iii) What kind of expression did the black man’s face depict/show ?
(iv) Give the meaning of
(a) in store
(b) shiftless
(c) bespoke
(v) What did the black man see in his stick ?
Answer:
(i) The rich man, oblivious to reality, lay back thinking how to safeguard the wealth he possessed.

(ii) He wants to keep his wealth safe from the poor who he considers as lazy and aimless, because he can’t let go of his possessions which he has earned through his sheer hard work.

(iii) The black man’s face depicted the emotions of hatred and revenge which were the outcome of the discrimination he had undergone due to the white people. He is a victim of racism.

(iv) (a) in possession
(b) lacking ambition and energy
(c) represented

(v) Keeping back his stick, seemed to him an opportunity to avenge himself against the rich. Instead of making use of the opportunity to save his life, he wasted it in fulfilling his revengeful feelings.

Question 5.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The last man of this forlorn group
Did naught except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave
Was how he played the game?
Their logs held tight in death’s still hands
Was proof of human sin ?
They did not die from the cold without
They died from the cold within.
(i) What game does the poet refer to? Who plays the game? How?
(ii) Why does the poet refer the group as a ‘forlorn group’? Name the figure of speech used here.
(iii) What proof do they provide regarding the human sin?
(iv) Give the meaning of –
(a) in store
(b) shiftless
(c) bespoke
(v) According to the poet, what is the reason behind their death?
Answer:
(i) The poet refers to the game of ‘give and take’. This game is played by the last man of the group who seemed to be a selfish businessman. He would not use his resources till he gained something in return.

(ii) ‘Forlorn’ means, ‘sad, lonely and hopeless.’ The figure of speech used here is ‘Oxymoron’ in which, opposite ideas are placed together. Though there are six people sitting together in a group, yet each one was sad and lonely.

(iii) The men showed rigidity of spirits. They committed a sin of discrimination against one another, which consequently led to their own doom.

(iv) (a) in possession
(b) lacking ambition and energy
(c) represented

(v) According to the poet, the men could have saved themselves and the others by doing away with their sticks, but they chose to keep them back due to their biased attitude. Thus, it was the coldness of their hearts, lack of humanity and treatment of discrimination, that killed them.

Treasure Trove Poems and Short Stories Workbook Answers

The Bangle Sellers Summary by Sarojini Naidu

The Bangle Sellers Summary About the Poet

Sarojini Naidu (13 February 1879 – 2 March 1949), a child prodigy, is also known by the sobriquet, ‘The Nightingale of India.’ She was a prominent Indian poet and a politician. She was a gifted artist, proficient in many languages. She was also the first woman governor of ‘Free India’.

Her poetry presents a Kaleidoscope of Indian feelings, music and imagery. She has basically written on the life of Indian people, beauty of nature, women empowerment and patriotism. Her language is crystal clear.

Sarojini Naidu’s famous works are—The Golden Threshold (1905), The Bird of Time (1912), The Broken Wing . (1917), The Sceptred Flute : Songs of India (1937). The Feather of the Dawn (1961), was published posthumously.

The Bangle Sellers Summary

‘The Bangle Sellers’ was published in her collection, ‘The Bird of Time’. It describes a group of bangle sellers who wander from town to town selling their inventory. The narrator of the poem is a bangle seller, talking about the various kinds of bangles he carries, and about the women of different age groups who buy them. He has beautifully presented the Indian culture, through different shades of the bangles.

The Bangle Sellers Explanation of the Poem

Stanza 1. “Bangle sellers are we who bear
Our shining loads to the temple fair…
Who will buy these delicate, bright?
Rainbow-tinted circles of light?
Lustrous tokens of radiant lives,
For happy daughters and happy wives.”

Explanation: The first stanza simply states that, a group of bangle sellers are on their way to a temple fair where they expect to get sufficient number of/enough customers for their bangles. They invite the people to buy their ‘shining loads’ i.e., the bangles, which they describe as delicate, bright and multicoloured. They also refer to them as symbols of delight for happy daughters and happy wives. The deep rooted Indian traditions are highlighted through an insight, into the spiritual and symbolic importance of the bangles they carry.

Word Meanings :

1. Shining loads — (Here) bangles
2. Fair — An event where people gather to sell their products
3. Rainbow tinted — Multicoloured
4. Lustrous — Bright and shining
5. Radiant — Delightful, happy

Stanza 2. “Some are meet for a maiden’s writs.
Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves.”

Explanation: In the second stanza, the bangle seller gives a vivid picture of the colours of the bangles which will suit a maiden. He describes the beauty of the bangles through the imagery of lush greenery and blooming ‘ flowers.

He compares the mist in the mountains with the blue and silver bangles. Some colours are like the rosy buds growing on top of a plant along a stream in a forest. Some bangles shine like the clear dew drops on the baby leaves.

Word Meanings:

1. Mist — Thin fog
2. Flushed — (Here) pink or light red colour
3. Tranquil — Quiet; calm; peaceful
4. Brow — Slope
5. Woodland — A small forest
6. Aglow — Shining
7. Cleaves — Sticks; to adhere firmly
8. Limpid — Clear and transparent
9. Glory — Quality of being beautiful

Stanza 3. “Some are like fields of sunlit corn,
Meet for a bride on her bridal morn,
Or, rich with the hue of her heart’s desire,
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.”

Explanation: Next, the poet explains that, some of the bangles he is selling are, yellow in colour, like the corn fields brightened by sunlight. These are fit to be worn by a bride on her wedding morning. Some bangles are orangish-red in colour, the shade of the wedding holy fire. The others are deep red in colour, expressing the passion of her heart. They tinkle along when the bride moves.

The bride laughs happily as she is getting married and entering into a life of her dreams, but weeps as she is going to leave her parental abode. Here, the poet talks about the emotional feelings of a bride and a transition of life, from a maiden to a wife.

Word Meanings :

1. Sunlit — Lighted with sunrays
2. Bridal morn — Wedding morning
3. Flame of her of marriage fire — Orangish red colour
4. Hue — A particular shade of a colour
5. Tinkling — Ringing sound
6. Luminous — Bright
7. Tender — Fragile, delicate

Stanza 4. “Some are purple and gold flecked grey
For she who has journeyed through life midway,
Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest?
And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband’s side.”

Explanation: The last stanza talks about that phase of a woman’s life, when, she as a maiden turned bride, becomes a proud mother and a responsible wife, full of experience and wisdom. These are the middle-aged women who have successfully reached the mid-way of their lives and are now reaping the rewards of their efforts. The bangles of these women are purple and grey, dotted with golden colour, which symbolize maturity. They have reared up their children with utmost love and care and fulfilled all their house-hold duties, and with honour have sit beside their husbands during the religious ceremonies. They have always remained faithful and devoted to their husbands and families.

Word Meanings:

1. Flecked — Dotted
2. Cherish — Care tenderly
3. Cradle — To hold somebody gently

The Bangle Sellers Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Bangle sellers are we who bear
Our shining loads to the temple fair…
Who will buy these delicate, bright?
Rainbow-tinted circles of light?
Lustrous tokens of radiant lives,
For happy daughters and happy wives.

(i) What does the ‘bangle seller” tell about his lot?
(ii) Who are the prospective buyers of the bangles?
(iii) Give the words or phrases used to describe the bangles in the first stanza.
(iv) Explain the meaning of-
(a) shining load (b) rainbow tinted circles of light
(v) Explain the line, ‘Lustrous tokens of radiant lives.
Answer:
(i) The bangle seller says that he, along with the other bangle sellers, is going to the temple fair with his shining load i.e., the lustrous bangles.

(ii) Women of all age group, whether daughters or wives, buy bangles on happy occasions.

(iii) In the first stanza the bangles are described as –
‘shining loads’, ‘delicate, bright’ ‘Rainbow-tinted circles of light’ and ‘Lustrous tokens of radiant lives.’

(iv) (a) Shining load means, the bangles which are sparkling in sunlight.
(b) It refers to the round shaped, multicoloured bangles that glow in sunlight.

(v) The bangles are referred as ‘Lustrous tokens of radiant lives’, which mean ‘bright symbols of shining lives.’ The bangles symbolize the joy and happiness in a girl’s life. Thus, bangles are directly related to the well-being of a family and the cultural tradition of a typical Indian society.

Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Some are meet for a maiden’s writs.
Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves.

(i) Give two examples of the simile in the stanza.
(ii) Which coloured bangles do the maidens wear? Describe the comparison.
(iii) On what do the buds dream? What do they dream about?
(iv) Give the meaning of –
(a) flushed
(b) tranquil
(c) woodland
(v) Explain the meaning of ‘Some are aglow ……….. new born leaves.’Name the poet
Answer:
(i) The examples of simile are –
(a) ‘silver and blue as the mountain mist’
(b) ‘flushed like the buds that dream.’

(ii) The maidens wear silver and blue coloured bangles. Here, the silver and blue colour is compared to the mist of the mountains, as it symbolizes the freshness and beauty of the maidens.

(iii) The buds dream on the calm and quiet bank of a river that flows through the woods. They dream of growing up and blossoming into beautiful flowers.

(iv) (a) (here) pink or light red colour
(b) calm
(c) forest

(v) The poet says that, some of the bangles which are suitable for the maiden’s wrist which are green, and glowing like the transparent beauty of the light green baby leaves. The poet is Sarojini Naidu.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Some are like fields of sunlit corn,
Meet for a bride on her bridal morn,
Or, rich with the hue of her heart’s desire,
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.

(i) To what is the colour of the bangles worn by a bride on her bridal morning compared? What does it symbolize?
(ii) Which other colours of the bangles are associated with the marriage of a girl?
(iii) Explain the meaning of ‘bridal laughter’ and ‘bridal tear’.
(iv) Give the meaning of
(a) rich with the hue
(b) tinkling
(c) tender
(v) How are the qualities of the bangles similar to the bride’s feelings?
Answer:
(i) On wedding morning, the bride wears golden yellow coloured bangles of the colour of the corn fields, which are brightened by sunlight. The symbolism used here is that of fertility. Mother Nature’s fertility is symbolic of the fertility of a young girl getting married.

(ii) The reddish yellow colour of the bangles is compared to the colour of the wedding’s flame.
The bright red coloured bangles reflect the deep desires in the heart of the bride.

(iii) Marriage is the transition of a girl into a woman through which her mind and heart is filled with multiple emotions.

On one hand, she is happy and passionate about the new relation shown through her smile and laughter. While on the other hand, she carries tears in her eyes as she is sad to leave her parental abode. Thus, she undergoes mixed emotions, which make her to, both, laugh and cry.

(iv) (a) filled with the colour of
(b) ringing sound
(c) fragile, delicate

(v) Both the bangles and the feelings of the bride are ‘Tinkling, luminous, tender and clear’ i.e., both make soft sounds, are glowing, delicate and transparent.

Question 4.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Some are purple and gold flecked grey
For she who has journeyed through life midway,
Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest?
And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband’s side.

(i) According to the poet, for whom are the ‘purple and gold flecked grey bangles?’
(ii) Describe how these women spend their lives.
(iii) Discuss the importance of these hands in the progress of human race.
(iv) Give the meaning of-
(a) flecked (b) blest (c) cherished
(v) What is the significance of the woman’s presence by her husband’s side during worship?
Answer:
(i) The purple and golden dotted grey bangles are suitable for the middle-aged women who have gained wisdom and maturity in life.

(ii) The women who have journeyed midway through their lives rearing their children with love and care, now proudly serve their households and work for the welfare of their families.

(iii) These hands have brought up those faithful sons who serve the nation with sincerity and devotion.

(iv) (a) dotted (b) blessed (c) nurtured

(v) Indian society is a society of religious beliefs and traditions. Many prayers require husband-wife to worship together sitting side by side, for the welfare of the family and to yield the desired result. It signifies her respect for the cultural traditions of the society.

Treasure Trove Poems and Short Stories Workbook Answers

After Blenheim Summary by Robert Southey

After Blenheim Summary About the Poet

Robert Southey (12 August, 1774 – 21 March, 1843) was a prolific writer of verse and histories and an accomplished ; biographer. After meeting Samuel Taylor Coleridge, he published his first collection of poems in 1794.

Though contemporary with Coleridge and Wordsworth, he is one of the less celebrated poets, and he wrote one i of the first anti-war poems, ‘After Blenheim’. His other famous work being ‘The Inchcape Rock.’

After Blenheim Summary

Robert Southey’s poem ‘After Blenheim’ illustrates the theme that war, though being pointless and brutal, affects everyone. The poem is set at the site of the ‘Battle of Blenheim (1704)’. It is narrated in the form of questions of small children and about a skull one of them has found. An old man tells his grandchildren about the burnt homes, civil causalities and rotting corpses, while repeatedly referring to the poem as a ‘famous victory.’

After Blenheim Explanation of the Poem

Stanza 1 & 2

“It was a summer evening,
Old Kaspar’s work was done,
And he before is cottage door
Was sitting in the sun,
And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild Wilhelmine.
She saw her brother Peterkin
Roll something large and round,
Which he beside the rivulet In playing there had found;
He came to ask what he had found,
That was so large, and smooth, and round.”

Explanation: Old Kaspar has finished his work and was sitting in the sun in front of the cottage, watching his little Y granddaughter play. Peterkin, his grandson, has been rolling a large round object he found near the stream. Out of curiosity he brings it to the old man.

Word Meanings :
1. Sported – Played
2. Rivulet – A small stream

Stanza 3 & 4
“Old Kaspar took it from the boy,
Who stood expectant by?
And then the old man shook his head,
And, with a natural sigh,
“T is some poor fellow’s skull,’ said he,
‘Who fell in the great victory?
‘I find them in the garden,
For there’s many here about;
And often when I go to plough,
The ploughshare turns them out!
For many thousand men,’ said he
‘Were slain in that great victory.”

Explanation: Kaspar took the object from the boy – who waited anxiously. The old man examines it and tells that he has found many such objects while ploughing the fields or in their garden, and it is the skull of a soldier who died in the Battle of Blenheim, which was a ‘great victory/ as many men were killed in that battle and were not given a decent burial.

Word Meanings :
1. Expectant – Curious
2. Slain – Killed

Stanza 5 & 6
“Now tell us what ’twas all about,’
Young peterkin, he cries;
And little wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes;
‘Now tell us about the war,
And what they fought each other for.’
‘It was the English,’ Kaspar cried,
‘Who put the French to rout?
. But what they fought each other for,
I could not well make out;
But everybody said,’ guoth he,
‘That ’twas a famous victory.”

Explanation: Peterkin and Wilhenmine are interested to know more about it and urge their grandfather to tell them about the war and why it was fought. They anticipated a thrilling and exciting story which they waited to hear with a gleam in their eyes.

Old Kaspar recollects that, in this ‘famous battle’, as what people called it, the English defeated the French. But he himself had no clue of the reason behind the war. It shows a common man’s ignorance about the cause and purpose of war.

Word Meanings :
1. Wonder-waiting – Anxious
2. To rout – Defeat
3. Quoth – Said

Stanza 7, 8 & 9
“My father lived at Blenheim then,
Yon little steam hard by;
They burnt his dwelling to the ground,
And he was forced to fly;
So with his wife and child he fled,
Nor had he where to rest his head.
‘With fire and sword the country round Was wasted far and wide,
And many a chiding mother then,
And new-born baby died;
But things like that, you know, must be
At every famous victory.”

Explanation: The old grandfather tells the children that, during the war his father lived by a stream at Blenheim. As a consequence of the war, his father’s house was burnt down and he was forced to flee with his wife and child, Kaspar. They were, thus, rendered homeless.

In this stanza, the poet highlights the fact that, wars and battles are a massive source of misery and pain. It shows the destruction caused by them. Kaspar tells that, when the war was over, it was a shocking sight to see. Houses were burnt, innocent people were killed, many pregnant women-and new-born babies lost their lives. There was death and horror everywhere. Thousands of dead bodies of soldiers lay rotting in the field. But Kaspar talks about those killings casually and thinks that such terrible consequences are part of such a famous war.

Word Meanings :
1. Dwelling – House
2. Childing – Expecting, pregnant

Stanza 10 & 11
“Great praise the Duke of Marlbro’s won
And our good Prince Eugene.’
‘Why, ’twas a very wicked thing!’
Said little Wilhelmine.
‘Nay …. nay my little girl,’ quoth he,
‘It was a famous victory.
‘And everybody praised the Duke
Who this great fight did win.’
‘But what good came of it at last?’
Quoth little Peterkin.
‘Why that I cannot tell,’ said he,
‘But’t was a famous victory”

Explanation: An English General, Duke of Marlborough along with Prince Eugene, an Austrian General, led the war against the French and defeated them in the famous ‘Battle of Blenheim’ and thus, brought glory to their country.

Little Wilhenmine was confused and asks her grandfather, how could he praise such a bloody affair. She terms the killing of innocent people as wicked. But he contradicts her. According to him, it was a great victory. Peterkin raises an important question about what good came out of the fighting. To this Kaspar replies that, he had no reply but he just knows that it was a famous victory.

Thus, the poet ironically states the fact that, the wars are seen as a glorifying act and the war-heroes are held in high esteem, without understanding what good they have brought to mankind and why such victory becomes great or famous.

Word Meaning :
1. Duke – A man of very high rank in the British nobility

After Blenheim Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
And then the old man shook his head,
And with a natural sigh-
“T is some poor fellow’s skull,” said he,
“Who fell in the great victory.”
(After Blenheim, Robert Southey)

(i) Who is the old man? What causes him to sigh?
(ii) What incident prompted the old man to give an account of the Battle of Blenheim?
(iii) How did the battle affect the old’s man family?
(iv) Name the two countries that fought each other in the battle. Which army won? What reason does the old man give for the victory?
(v) Point out the refrain in the poem. What effect does the refrain have on the reader? What do you think is the poet’s attitude to war?
Answer:
(i) The old man in the poem is ‘Old Kaspar’. His grandson Peterkin had brought a round large and smooth object to him for inspection, which he had found while playing near the small river. The child was curious to see the strange thing. Old Kaspar looks at it and sighs, explaining to Peterkin that it was the skull of one of the soldiers who was slain in the ‘famous and great War of Blenheim, and the corpses lie deep scattered in the field, which was a common sight for him as many a times he had come across them while plowing.

(ii) The mention of the war as a !great war1 and ‘a famous victory’, excites the curiosity of Kaspar’s little grand children. They get anxious to know more about it, expecting some thrilling stories behind it. So they prompt him to narrate them whatever he knew about the Battle of Blenhein, and what was it fought for.

(iii) Old Kaspar recollects that, at the time of the battle his father lived in a small village of Blenheim, near a river. During the battle, the homes of several innocent people, including his father’s were burnt to the ground and they were forced to migrate in search of shelter. The young Kaspar along with his parents, fled to a different place, but could not find a home because of the impending war. They had to roam from place to place seeking for shelter.

(iv) The two countries that fought each other were Austria and France. England and Netherlands formed a coalition with Austria whereas , France was aided by the Bravaria. The English alliance defeated the Franco- Bravarian army. The old man gives credit of the victory to the brave English Duke of Malbro and Prince Eugene, who led the war and brought glory to the nation.

(v) The refrain in the poem is-
‘But t’was a famous victory’

This line is the epitomy of irony. The refrain questions the readers about the validity and the purposes of war. The poet successfully conveys his message that it is futile and should be avoided. The wars which are fought over a trivial dispute cause the loss of thousands and thousands of soldiers. They lead to devastation of life and property on a large scale. Thus, this poem, by Robert Southey, is an anti-war poem highlighting the casualties caused by wars and their after affects.

Kaspar was a farmer. This is understood when he says- “And often when I go to plough”. The poet is ‘Robert Southey’.

Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
‘ It was a summer evening,
Old Kaspar’s work was done,
And he before is cottage door
Was sitting in the sun,
And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild Wilhelmine.
She saw her brother Peterkin
Roll something large and round,
Which he beside the rivulet
In playing there had found;
He came to ask what he had found,
That was so large, and smooth, and round.

(i) What time was it and what was ‘Old Kaspar’ doing?
(ii) Who was beside him and what was she doing? What did she see her brother doing?
(iii) What was her brother’s name? Where did he find the object? Why did he bring it along?
(iv) What did Wilhelmina refer as ‘wicked’? Was she justified in her perception? Give reason?
(v) Who were responsible for the victory of Blenheim which in portrait question is noised by Peter kin? What is the moral of the poem?
Answer:
(i) It was an evening in summer. ‘Old Kaspar’, an elderly farmer, after finishing his work was sitting in the sun, watching his grandchildren play in the lush green field outside the cottage.

(ii) His granddaughter, Wilhelmine, was beside him and playing in the greenery outside the cottage. She saw her brother rolling a large and round object.

(iii) His name was Peterkin. Peterkin found the object while playing near the river. Out of curiosity, he brings the object to his grandfather, wanting to know about it.

(iv) Though quite young, Wilhenmine could not reconcile herself to the idea of praising the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, for the battle they had won because, several lives were lost and a lot of destruction was done to achieve it. It was surely a ‘wicked thing.’

Yes, she is completely justified in her perception because, it is a fact that, the Kings and Princes take away the praise and prizes, while the common man suffers the complete brunt leading to grief and devastation.

(v) The Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, who represented Britain, fought bravely and defeated the French, bringing laurels to their nation.

When Kaspar says that everyone praised the Duke for having won the war, Peterkin questions the relevance of the war. He targeted on the purpose and utility of the ‘famous victory’, to which Old Kaspar gives up saying that he had no clue to that except that it was a ‘famous victory’.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Old Kaspar took it from the boy,
Who stood expectant by?
And then the old man shook his head,
And, with a natural sigh,
“T is some poor fellow’s skull,’ said he,
‘Who fell in the great victory ?
‘I find them in the garden,
For there’s many here about;
And often when I go to plough,
The ploughshare turns them out!
For many thousand men,’ said he
‘Were slain in that great victory.’

(i) Why did the boy stand in anticipation?
(ii) What response and information does he get from Old Kaspar?
(iii) Where does the old man find similar things and why?
(iv) Give the meaning of (a) expectant (b) ploughshare
(v) What was probably the profession of Kaspar? Which lines show this? Name the poet
Answer:
(i) Being a child, Peterkin was quite curious about the strange object he had found, so he was expecting some thrilling revelation from his grandfather regarding it.

(ii) Kaspar shook his head with a sigh and explained to Peterkin that it was the skull of a poor fellow which refers to an unfortunate soldier, who had died in the war, namely, the Battle of Blenheim.

(iii) The old man found many such objects in the garden as well as in his field where he went ploughing. During the Battle of Blenheim, thousands of soldiers died whose carcasses lay scattered in the field. According to Kaspar, they were the soldiers who sacrificed themselves to win victory for their people.

(iv) (a) expectant-to know (b) ploughshare-the main cutting of a plough, behind the coulter.

(v) Kaspar was a farmer. This is understood from when he says— “And often when I go to plough, The ploughshare, turns then out\” The poet is ‘Rober Southey’.

Question 4.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
‘Now tell us what ’twas all about,’
Young peterkin, he cries; .
And little wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes;
‘Now tell us about the war,
And what they fought each other for.’
‘It was the English,’ Kaspar cried,
‘Who put the French to rout? .
But what they fought each other for,
I could not well make out;
But everybody said,’guoth he,
‘That ‘twos a famous victory.

(i) What demand is put up by the little boy? What is the subject of discussion?
(ii) What is meant by ‘wonder-waiting’ eyes? Name the Figure of Speech.
(iii) What answer does Kaspar give to satisfy the expectation of the grandchildren? Was the information complete?
(iv) Why does he call it a ‘famous victory’? What does it reflect about him?
(v) Give the background on which the poem ‘After Blenheim’ is set.
Answer:
(i) The little children get anxious to know more about the war. The war which was referred as a ‘Great Victory’ by old Kaspar, creates thrill and excitement in their minds. So, young Peterkin demands to know what the war was about. The subject of discussion is, the cause of the war in which many people were killed.

(ii) ‘Wonder-Waiting’ eyes mean, eyes gleaming in anticipation. Little Wilhelmine was listening to the conversation between her brother and grandfather and so, she too was enthralled to know more about it like Peterkin, which made her watch them with curious eyes. The figure of speech is ‘alliteration.’

(iii) On the basis of his knowledge, Kaspar tells the kids that it was the ‘British who defeated the French army.’ But he is unable to satisfy Peterkin because he did not know the cause of the war.

(iv) Old Kaspar had no idea for the reason behind the war. He just believed What the others said – that it was a ‘famous victory’. It shows that he was one of the common men who are completely ignorant of the cause and purpose of the war, and simply follow the conventional myth that victory in war is always something td be proud of.

(v) The poem refers to the 1704 war of Spanish succession, in which a coalition of forces including, The English, defeated the Franco-Bavarian army on the land of Blenheim, a small village in southern Germany.

Question 5.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
My father lived at Blenheim then,
Yon little steam hard by;
They burnt his dwelling to the ground,
And he was forced to fly;
So with his wife and child he fled,
Nor had he where to rest his head.

‘With fire and sword the country round
Was wasted far and wide,
And many a chiding mother then,
And new-born baby died;
But things like that, you know, must be
At every famous victory.
Answer:
(i) Kaspar’s father lived in the German village of Blenheim, situated on the left bank of the Danube River in Bavaria in Germany.
The enemy burnt his house and he was forced to escape with his family with no place to take shelter.

(ii) ‘Wasted far and widef refers to the destruction and havoc caused by the war of Blenheim. Thousands of people were killed or rendered homeless. Houses were burnt down.

(iii) ‘A childing mother’ is referred to ‘pregnant ladies’. Many expecting mothers died with babies in their wombs, which signifies the cruelty of war which does not differentiate between guilty or innocent. Wars are, thus, a catastrophe for both, the present and the future generations.

(iv) No, it was a part of a great and famous war. This is evident from Kaspar’s words – “But things like that, you know, must be, At every famous victory.’

(v) The people, in the poem, had to pay a heavy price for the ‘great victory’. The whole countryside was wasted with fire and sword. The houses were burned down and people became homeless. Many pregnant ladies and new-born babies were killed. Many soldiers were killed whose bodies lay rotting in the sun. There was death and destruction everywhere.

Question 6.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
‘They say it was a shocking sight
After the field was won;
For many thousand bodies here lay rotting in the sun;
But things like that, you know, must be
After a famous victory.
‘Great praise the Duke of Marlbro’s won
And our good Prince Eugene.’
‘Why, ‘twos a very wicked thing!’
Said little Wilhelmine.
‘Nay……… nay ……… my little girl,’ quoth he,
‘It was a famous victory.
‘And everybody praised the Duke
Who this great fight did win. ’
‘But what good came of it at last?’
Quoth little Peterkin.
‘Why that I cannot tell,’said he, ‘
‘But’t was a famous victory.’

(i) Who are ‘They’ mentioned here? Why was it ‘a shocking sight’, though the war was won?
(ii) Who was praised and why?
(iii) What objection is raised by Wilhelmine? Is her objection justified?
(iv) Why does Old Kaspar repeat that it was a famous victory? What does it highlight about his character?
(v) What message does the poet, Robert Southey, convey through his poem?
Answer:
(i) ‘The/ refers to the people who witnessed the war or narrated the events to Kaspar.

Though the war was won, the sight was shocking as thousands of dead bodies of soldiers Lay rotting in the field, which shows the undignified aspects of war. The poem has a universal appeal. It is an anti-war poem. It disapproves the destruction to the life and property caused by war. Common man and innocent children suffer while the aristocrats win the acclaim. Trivial disputes lead to the death of thousands of people. Thus, the poem highlights that wars are futile and should be strictly avoided.

(ii) Duke of Marlborough and Prince Evgene were praised for being great War heroes who brought victory to their country.

(iii) When Kaspar says that the Duke and Prince were praised for bringing victory to their country, little Wilhelmine is shocked and objects.

‘Why, ‘twus a very wicked thing? She is unable to reconcile with the fact that they could be appreciated for being the leaders of a war which brought immense destruction and took away so many lives.

Her objection is truly justified as people participating in a war and killing others for no solid reason, commit a heinous crime towards humanity.

(iv) In the poem, Kaspar stands for the old school of people who believed undoubtedly, whatever was told to them by their elders. He had heard people referring to the war as a ‘famous’ or ‘great’ victory. He too has come to believe it and rejects the doubts of his grand children who question him about how could such a destructive war be a ‘great victor/. Thus, the poet wishes to emphasize through repetition of the line that it was a great victory. This tells that Kaspar belongs to the group of those people who have positive notions about war and who feel proud at the victory achieved during war, ignoring the harm caused by it.

(v) The message conveyed by Robert Southey in this poem is that, ordinary people, like Kaspar themselves, fall victim to the havoc caused by war and glorify war instead of poising its validity. But through the grand children, the poet presents new ideas which are based on analytical thinking and questioning. The poet has conveyed an anti-war message. It is a protest against the heroic ideals of war.

Treasure Trove Poems and Short Stories Workbook Answers

A Horse and Two Goats Summary by RK Narayan

A Horse and Two Goats Summary About the Author

R.K. Narayan (10 October 1906 – 13 May 2001), holds his place among the best known and most widely read Indian novelists who wrote in English. Most of his stories are set in the fictional territory of Malgudi. His first novel ‘Swami and Friends’, was published in 1935. Besides novels, he wrote short stories, travelogues, condensed versions of Indian epics in English, and his memoir. He received numerous awards and adulations during his life time. These include the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ in 1958, the Padma Bhushan in 1964, and Padma Vibhushan in 2000. He was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1989. His other important works include ‘Malgudi Days’, ‘The English Teacher’, etc.

A Horse and Two Goats Summary

In, ‘A Horse & Two Goats’, Muni is a poor resident of Kritam, one of the thousands of unobtrusive villages situated in India. There are around thirty houses in the village but only one, the Big House, is built of bricks. The others are made of mud with bamboo thatch. The village has neither running water nor electricity. Muni was once a proud owner of a large flock of sheep and goats, but with time he lost most of the things and now he is the owner of just two scrawny goats. He and his wife have grown quite old now, without any offspring to depend on. They are forced to live in poverty and with insensitive remarks from fellow villagers.

Muni has to run through his credit at all shops in the village. So when he asks his wife to cook drumsticks in a sauce, she asks him to get the ingredients from the shop failing to which she sends him away telling him to fast till the evening. He hopes that she will earn enough money somewhere for an evening meal. Muni then takes his goats to their usual place, a grass spot near the highway. Here Muni sits all day in the shade of the life-sized statue – a horse, rearing next to a fierce warrior – and Muni watches his goats and occasional passing vehicles.

As Muni waits for the time to return home, a yellow station wagon comes down the road and pulls over. A well dressed American in Khaki steps out and asks Muni about the nearest gas station. He looks at the statue and instantly gets attracted to it. Muni takes him for a policeman or soldier. The two begin to converse – two people talking to each other in separate languages, neither understanding the other.

The American is a New York based businessman. He lights a cigarette and offers one to Muni also, then presents his business card which Muni thinks is a warrant and gives a long explanation to prove himself innocent. The American thinks that Muni is the owner of the statue and being highly fascinated with it, shows his desire to buy it. Muni understands that something is being discussed about the statue, so he carries on to explain the myths behind it.

Finally, the American shoves one hundred rupees into Muni’s hand confirming the deal, leaving Muni to wrongly think that he has purchased the goats. He rushes home to give the money to his wife while the American stops a truck, with some help, removes the horse from the pedestal and drives away with his purchase. On the other hand, Muni’s wife does not believe in Muni’s story about how he got such a big amount and her doubts grew even more when the goats return home following Muni.

A Horse and Two Goats Summary Word Meanings:

1. Flourish : Thrive, to grow well
2. Revenue : Tax
3. Sprawled : To spread unevenly
4. Hooped : Bound in a circular manner
5. Grandiose : Impressive
6. Gargoyles : Strangely carved animal
7. Balustrade : Railing
8. Sallied : Set out1 depart
9. Snapped : Broken
10. Miller : One who works in a mill
11. Tethered : Fastened, tied
12. Craving : Longing
13. Imp : A small devil
14. Eloped : Ran away secretly
15. Itinerant : Travelling from place to place
16. Impelled : Urged, forced
17. Mumbled : Muttered
18. Sneered : Smile with dislike
19. Parapet : Alow wall
20. Unobtrusively : Discreetly, unnoticeably
21. Scoundrel : A disreputable person
22. Recoup : To get back
23. Accosted : To approach and speak angrily
24. Cronies : Close friends
25. Lounging : Relaxing
26. Lorded over : Showed power or authority
27. Gawky : Awkward and clumsy
28. Shearing : Cutting hair or wool
29. Elated : Very happy and excited
30. Pestilence : A contagious epidemic disease
31. Scraggy : Being lean and long
32. Progeny : Children, offspring
33. Spurn : To refuse to accept
34. Downcast : Sad and unconfident
35. Meandered : Curved
36. Pedestal : The base of a column or other tall object
37. Reared : Nourished, raised

A Horse and Two Goats Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Compare the relationship between Muni and his wife and relationship between the American and the wife.
Answer:
We can comprehend a lot of outstanding differences in the two relationships. When Muni was rich, he had enough right to decide and control most of the things in his family. He also lorded over his wife. He had even thrashed her a few times. However, when he loses everything and becomes a poor man, he also loses his rights in the family. He has to obey what his wife orders him. They love each other but poverty makes them emotionless. The relationship of the American and his wife seems to be better than Muni’s relationship, because their financial condition is better than that of Muni.

Ruth, the wife of the American, seems to be a good and understanding wife. As the man expresses, he desire to visit India, the very next day his wife calls the travel agent and tells him to fix the tour. Ruth knows how to make her husband comfortable and free in making most of the decisions. The American is confident of his ability to convince her and also agrees to let his wife have freedom to take her own decisions. Thus, in comparison, these differenced appear because of their financial condition and tradition in marriage.

Question 2.
Examine how cross cultural differences bring out humour in the story, ‘A Horse and Two Goats’.
Answer:
R.K. Narayan in this story has wonderfully depicted how cultural and linguistic difference between two men can create a humorous situation. Muni is a common Tamil villager in India, who only knows two words in English, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. He accidently encounters a ‘red-faced’ American whose station wagon stops near Muni, due to lack of gas.

As he was wearing khaki dress, Muni mistakes the man for a policeman who he thinks has come to arrest him for a murder committed recently. Muni wants to escape but is afraid that the man may shoot him. Muni went on to give his introduction in Tamil language which obviously the man did not understand. When the man offered him a cigarette, he was surprised and blows off the lighter the man lighted for him.

When the man gave his card, he shrank away considering it as an arrest warrant. He tries to tell the American that he had no knowledge about the murder and would definitely hand over the culprit if he happens to catch him. He assured him that he must be from the other village. The foreigner understands nothing but just nods his head.

The fun comes as the readers get to know the characters’ concerns while they, themselves utterly fail to understand anything about each other. This makes the conversation humorous and interesting? Again when Muni talks about punishing the thieves, the foreigner thought that Muni was talking about chopping woods with an axe.

The man then pointed to the clay horse and wished to know about it. He found it a masterpiece and showed interest in buying it and carrying it home. He guessed that Muni was the owner as he was sitting under it. Muni, due to misunderstanding, started his story of how the horse would come to life and carry away the good people after the Kali Yuga ends and the world gets destroyed.

When the man offered Muni a hundred rupee note for the horse, Muni feels amused to think that he was asking . for the change. Muni patting the goats makes him feel that he wanted to buy his goats which comes to him as a long awaited offer. Muni took the money and went away and the man went off with the horse by taking help from a passerby.

The fun continues when Muni’s wife accuses him of theft. Muni’s explanation that he had sold the goats to the red-faced man goes in vain as the goats return back, making his wife all the more suspicious.

A Horse and Two Goats Summary Extract Based Questions

Question 1.
Answer the following questions with reference to R.K. Narayan’s short story entitled ‘A Horse and Two Goats’:
The foreigner followed his flock and decided that it would be a sound policy to show an interest in the old man’s pets. He went up casually to them and stroked their backs with every show of courteous attention. Now the truth dawned on Muni. His dream of a lifetime was about to be realised.
(i) What did Muni often dream of ?
(ii) How was the foreigner dressed? Why did Muni feel the urge to run when he first laid eyes on him? What stopped him from doing so?
(iii) Muni assumed that a recent incident had brought this visitor to his village. Give details of this incident
(iv) What was the visitor actually interested in? What did he offer Muni soon after they met? Why did the offer surprise Muni?
(v) Which part of the story do you find most amusing? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
(i) Muni had often dreamt of selling his goats some day and with that money, he wanted to open a small shop with a thatched roof, spreading a gunny sack on the ground with fried nuts, coloured sweets and green coconut displayed on it. Sitting there he would watch towards the hills and quench the thirst of famished highway wayfarers.

(ii) The red-faced foreigner wore khaki clothes making him look like a policeman or a soldier.Muni felt the urge to run away when he first laid eyes on him because he thought that the man was a police officer but could not understand why he was after Muni. He does not run firstly, because he was unable to put his limbs into action readily due to old age, and secondly, for the fear of being chased and shot on running.

(iii) Few weeks ago, a body had been found mutilated and thrown away under a tamarind tree at the border between the villages of Kritan and Kuppam. This caused a lot of talks. So Muni assumed that the man was a policeman who had come to enquire about the murder or may be to arrest him.

(iv) The visitor was actually interested in the stone horse statue. He offered hundred rupees for the horse as he thought that the statue belonged to Muni as he was sitting with it.When the man offered a hundred rupee note, the old man got confused and thought maybe he is asking for change and laughed at the idea of someone asking ‘him’ for a change of a thousand or ten thousand rupee note.

(v) According to me, the most amusing part of the story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ is towards the end where Muni mistakenly thinks that the foreigner is offering him money for his two goats, though it is actually for the clay horse statue on the pedestal. As the language problem between the two men persists, they never really understand each other. But most wonderfully, Muni convinces himself that he was finally able to understand the matter. In addition to this, the foreigner misleads Muni by showing interest in his pet goats as an act of courtesy.

Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘‘But its size did not prevent its giving itself the grandiose name Kritam.”
(i) What is ‘Kritam’? What is the meaning of this name? What is the irony about it?
(ii) Describe the village’Kritam’.
(iii) What was Muni’s daily routine?
(iv) What did Muni eat for breakfast and lunch?
(v) What is known about the drumstick tree?
Answer:
(i) Kritam was one of the numerous villages in India where the protagonist of the story lived. The word ‘Kritam’ in tamil means ‘coronet’ or ‘crown’.The irony about it is that, the name of the village is contrary to it. Though it meant a crown but in reality it was one of the insignificant villages dotting the map of India, may be the tiniest of all.

(ii) Kritam is one of the smallest of India’s seven hundred thousand villages. There are only thirty houses in the village, most of them with simple thatched huts. The only sophisticated residence in the village is the ‘Big House’, a brick arid cement building from whose well the local villagers get their water. It was painted bright yellow and blue with beautiful carvings of Gods and Gargoyles on its boundary. The other houses were distributed in four streets and Muni the protagonist’s house, was the last house in the fourth street.

(iii) Every morning, Muni use to drive his goats to the highway on the outskirts of the village and let them graze as he sat on the pedestal of a clay statue of a horse. He collected faggots and dry sticks and carried them home for fuel at sunset.

(iv) In the morning, Muni’s wife cooked him millet flour cooked in boiling water with salt. For lunch his wife packed some millet cooked into a little ball to be eaten with raw onion.

(v) The drumstick tree grew in front of his hut from which he sometimes shook down drumsticks to eat. There was no particular owner of the tree but he considered it his as he lived in its shadow. He also tied his goats to the trunk of the tree.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“More likely you are seventy,” he said to Muni. “You also forget that you mentioned a birthday five weeks ago when you wanted castor oil for your holy bath.”
(i) Who is the person talking to Muni? Why does he have to discuss Muni’s age?
(ii) Is Muni finally able to enjoy a meal of drumstick in sauce? What is the reaction of his wife?
(iii) What shows that Muni knew his wife well ?
(iv) Why did Muni prefer to take his goats to the Highway?
(v) Describe the horse statue. What was the legend behind it?
Answer:
(i) The shopkeeper to whom Muni has gone to buy certain ingredients for the drumstick sauce on credit is talking to Muni. Muni has no money to pay for the items, but tries to convince the shopkeeper to give him on credit by engaging him in conversation and laughing at his jokes. Muni tells him that he will return back the money when his daughter sends him money on his fiftieth birthday. But the shop owner does not believe him as firstly, he has no daughter and secondly, he looked at least seventy while he said he was fifty and he had already mentioned his birthday five weeks ago.

(ii) No, Muni is unable to secure the ingredients for the sauce and tells his wife to sell the drumsticks.His wife told him that there is nothing to eat so he will have to fast till the evening. She ordered him to take his flock of goats for grazing and not to return before sunset.

(iii) Muni’s wife was furious when he came back empty handed. She ordered him to go out empty stomach and not to return before sun set. But Muni knew that if he obeyed her she would somehow manage to get some food for him in the evening, provided that he does not argue with her and anger her further. According to him, her moods always became better by the evening.

(iv) Muni preferred to take his goats to the highway so that he could watch the highway and see the lorries and ‘ buses pass through to the hills, which gave him a sense of belonging to the larger world. He could sit on a pedestal at the base of a clay statue of the horse and also crouch under its belly for shade.

(v) It was a purely white, life-size horse made of baked and burnt clay. There was a pure brocade of red and black lace on its back. Its head was raised in the pose of forelegs prancing in the air with its tail in a loop shape. Beside the horse stood a majestic warrior with scythe like mustachios, bulging eyes and curved nose. The warrior wore a multicoloured sash made of same brocade around his waist. Muni’s grandfather had told him that the horse in the statue was a reference to the mythical horse Kalki, who according-to a tamil legend, will come to life when the world ends and trample all bad men.

Question 4.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“Muni felt he should get up and run away, and cursed his age. He could not readily put his limbs into action.”
(i) Why does Muni wish to run away and from whom?
(ii) Why does he give up the idea of running away?
(iii) What does the foreigner tell about himself?
(iv) What makes the foreigner think that he was keeping Muni from his chopping work? What does he say
about his own chopping skills?
(v) Why does Muni shrink away from the card presented by the foreigner ? What explanation does he offer?
Answer:
(i) While Muni is sitting on the pedestal, a yellow station wagon coming down the highway, runs out of gas and comes to a stop on the road in front of the statue and a red faced foreigner approaches Muni, enquiring him about a nearby gas station. Muni, unable to understand his language, mistakes him for a police officer because he is dressed in khaki. He believes that the man had come to investigate about a dead body that was found near Kritam few weeks before. So to avoid any sort of trouble, he wishes to run away.

(ii) Firstly, because he was old enough and could not manage to run. Secondly, he thought that if he ran the man could chase or shoot him easily. And more importantly because the man offered him a cigarette to smoke, something he had always wanted to do but couldn’t afford one.

(iii) The foreigner tells Muni that he was a businessman dealing with coffee and how he and his wife Ruth, decided to travel to India on vacation after a power failure in the Empire State Building forced him to work four hours without air conditioning on a hot summer day. This incident makes him take a break from his work and travel to India to know how people live here. His wife had stayed in Srinagar and he is travelling alone.

(iv) In his own language Muni was telling the foreigner how the villagers lost their cattle, either they are killed by jackals or cheetahs or stolen by someone from the other village. And once the thief is caught after when the priest at the temple sees his face in the camphor flame, he is minced like meat. The foreigner takes his gesture for chopping and believes he his delaying him in his work and he offers to chop for him as he enjoyed it, and on Sundays he did nothing but chopped wood for fireplace.

(v) Muni shrunk away from the card because he thought that the foreigners in khaki was a policeman and he was presenting a warrant to arrest him. A dead body was discovered under a tamarind tree at the border between Kritam and Kuppam, a few weeks before, which had to lot of gossip and suspicions. Thus, Muni explains, swearing on God, that he had no idea of the case and the murderer will not escape, as God is watching everything. He says that the people of the other village could go to any extent.

Question 5.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“Tell me, will you accepta hundred rupees or not for the horse? I’d love to take the whiskered soldier also but no space
for him thisyear.”
(1) What made the foreigner believe that Muni was the owner of the horse?
(ii) How does the ‘state of mutual mystification’ complete?
(iii) How was Munis dream of a lifetime about to be realized?
(iv) How does the foreigner manage to carry away the statue?
(v) How did Muni’s wife react to “the fortune for the day”? How did Muni treat the goats who came back home?
Ans.
(i) The foreigner believed that Muni was the owner of the horse by the way he sat on its pedestal in a similar manner as the other souvenir sellers in India.

(ii) Finally, when the foreigner hands over a hundred rupee note to Muni, he first thinks he is asking for a change and suggests that he should go to the village money lender. But when the foreigner stoops down to pet his goats, he mistakenly believes that the man is inclined to buy his goats. Elated, Muni accepts the money and leaves the goats behind for himThe American too is happy that he has been successful in buying the horse. This ends their mutual mystification.

(iii) When Muni understoods that the foreigner wanted to buy his goats, he felt extremely happy because he had reared them up in the hope of selling them someday and with the money he wished to open a small shop beside the highway and sell fried nuts, coloured sweets, and green coconut for the thirsty passerby. This was his ‘dream of a lifetime’ which he could see getting realised soon.

(iv) After Muni is gone with the money, the foreigner believes that he is gone to fetch some help and begins to wait. When a truck came downhill, he took help of a couple of men to detach the horse from its pedestal and place it in his station wagon. He paid them five rupees each and also purchased some gas for his truck and drove away.

(v) Muni’s wife suspects him of stealing the money, and says she will go to her parent’s home because she does not want to be there when the police apprehends him. At the moment, the two goats return making his wife more suspicious about Muni. When Muni saw the goats that had followed him home without his knowledge, he cursed them and shouted at them asking where their new owner was and that they should know that they belonged to him and why did they come back.

Treasure Trove Poems and Short Stories Workbook Answers

Hearts and Hands Summary by O. Henry

Hearts and Hands Summary About the Author

O. Henry (11 September 1862 – 5 June 1910), was born under the name of, William Sydney Porter. During his early age he was imprisoned with a charge of embezzlement of bank funds. There he started writing to support his daughter and when he emerged from the prison, W. S. Porter had become O. Henry. This American short story writer has a good collection of stories which are well-known throughout the world for their clever word play and surprise endings. His first book was, ‘Cabbages and Kings’ (1904). His other famous works being, ‘The Four Million’ (1906), ‘The Trimmed Lamp’ (1907), ‘Heart of the West’ (1907), ‘Voice of the City’ and ‘Whirligigs’ (1910) etc.

Hearts and Hands Summary

‘Hearts and Hands’, like many of O. Henry’s short stories, have an unexpected twist. It is a story about two acquaintances who coincidentally, meet on a train. A woman, Miss Fairchild, spots an old friend Mr. Easton on a train B. & M. Express in Denver.

Miss Fairchild, an elegantly dressed woman, was travelling with all rich comforts. When Mr. Easton, a handsome young man with a bold look, entered the coach with a grumpy, strong and roughly dressed man. They sat down on the seat facing the lady. Miss Fairchild blushed on seeing Mr. Easton, she started talking about their old friendship but is suddenly surprised to discover that her friend was handcuffed to the other man seated beside him.

The other man, comprehending the situation, comes up with an explanation. He tells that Easton is a Marshal and is taking him to the prison at Leavenworth as he had been charged with seven years of imprisonment for counterfeiting. As the conversation advances, the lady feels amazed to know that Mr. Easton has discarded his life in Washington to become a Marshal in the West. Though she continues to chat but is little uneasy with the handcuffs. Sensing her discomfort, the other man again interrupts and tells her that she need not worry, smart Marshal like Easton, handcuffed themselves to their prisoners to stop them from escaping.

Suddenly making an excuse of smoking, the man requests Mr. Easton to take him to the smoking room. Then we get to know the special twist of the story from the two passengers who were eves dropping to their chats. One of them remarks on Mr. Easton’s appearance, saying he is too young to be a marshal, while the other corrects him saying that, it’s Easton who is the counterfeiter while the other one is the Marshal because Marshal’s never handcuff a man with their right hand.

Hearts and Hands Word Meantngs:

1. influx : The arrival of a large number of people
2. Elegant : Graceful and attractive
3. Countenance : A person’s expression
4. Ruffled : irritated
5. Glum-faced : Sad or depressed
6. Aisle : A passage between sections of seats
7. Tingeing : Giving small amount of colour to
8. Bewildered : Confused
9. Forestalled : Stopped, prevented
10. Counterfeiting : Forgery
11. Irrelevantly : Unimportantly

Hearts and Hands Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Comment on the character of Miss Fairchild in the story, ‘Hearts and Hands’.
Answer:
Miss Fairchild is one of the central characters in the short story, ‘Hearts and Hands’, written by O. Henry. She is an elegant woman with a glass of style and manner. She has a fascination for travelling which is marked by all the luxurious comforts she is surrounded by. She is wearing gloves.She has a full, sweet and deliberate voice which is highlighted when she converses with Mr. Easton. She has a bright countenance with a tender pink colour on her cheeks, especially when she smiles.

She becomes interested in talking to Mr. Easton and she gets too blinded by her feelings that she couldn’t see past them and allowed herself to be lied to. So she discusses of her happy past with Mr. Easton, in Washington, but gets horrified to see the handcuffs. Thus, Miss Fairchild is described as a beautiful, amicable lady, with certain shortcomings, like any other normal human being.

Question 2.
Justify the appropriateness of the little ‘Hearts & Hands’.
Answer:
In O. Henry’s story Hearts and Hands’, the title speaks about the compassionate heart of the Marshal, who saved Mr. Easton from the humiliation of being identified as a convict in front of an old friend. The story is set on a train to Denver. An elegantly attired woman named Miss Fairchild is seated on the train when two men arrive and take their seats facing her. It quickly becomes apparent that the woman knows one of them. She speaks to this man, Mr. Easton, and then she is rather surprised to discover that he is handcuffed to the man seated beside him.

Evidently, the man with Easton senses the embarrassment of both of them and tells that heaven worth Mr. Easton is a Marshal and he himself is a convict who is being convicted to seven years of imprisonment in heaven worth prison for counterfeiting. The young woman continues to chat with her acquaintance, but also continues to stare at the handcuffs. To make her comfortable, the other man tells her not to worry because all Marshals handcuff themselves to their prisoners to keep them from getting away.

He then requests that he should be taken to the smoker car as he badly needs to smoke. The two other passengers, who were sitting nearby, listening to the conversation between Miss Fairchild and Mr. Easton, finally makes it clear to the readers that Mr. Easton is not the Marshal, but the other is, as no Marshal would handcuff any convict to his own right hand.

Thus, we see that the glum – faced man handled the situation very appropriately. He referred Mr. Easton, the prisoner, as the Marshal while himself as the prisoner, not caring about his reputation in front of the people in the coach. Miss Fairchild believed Easton to be a ‘Dashing Western Hero’. Thus, Marshal had a big and generous ‘Heart’. The word ‘Hands’ in the little most ? probably refers to the handcuffs tied to the hands of both the men, which led to the Marshal speaking the lie and then the placement of the handcuff on their ‘Hands’, reveals the truth about their identity.

Hearts and Hands Extract Based Questions

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“Well, Mr. Easton, if you will make me speak first, l suppose I must.”
(i) Who is the speaker? How is the speaker described just before the extract?
(ii) Which train is Miss Fairchild travelling in? Who is Mr. Easton whom she is talking to ?
(iii) How does Mr. Easton look? Describe his companion.
(iv) Who are referred as the ‘linked couple’? Where do they get seated? What is the reaction of the co-passenger?
(v) Why did the colour of Miss Fairchild fade away and what made it come back?
Answer:
(i) The speaker is a young woman named Miss Fairchild. She has been described as an attractive, young lady, elegantly dressed, travelling with all the luxuries and seemed to be an experienced traveller.

(ii) Miss Fairchild was travelling on the eastbound B. & M. Express.Mr. Easton, whom she is talking to, was a new passenger on the train and they two were old acquaintances.

(iii) Mr. Easton was a young handsome man with bold appearance and mannerism. The man accompanying him was a young, upset looking, grim faced, roughly dressed strong-built man.

(iv) The ‘linked couple’ is referred to the two young men who boarded the train at Denver. They are linked because they are handcuffed to each other. They got seated on the seat facing the young lady.At first the lady glanced them indifferently but as soon as she recognized one of them as her old friend, a lovely smile glowed on her face and made her cheeks blush.

(v) When Miss Fairchild held out her hand towards Mr. Easton, he shook it with his left hand and told that his right hand was busy. She was bewildered to see his hand bound at the wrist with a handcuff tied to the left hand of his companion. This faded the glow from her cheeks. But when the ‘glum faced’ man told her that Mr. Easton was a Marshal and was taking him to the prison, she relaxed, and the colour brightened her cheeks again.

Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“I can’t deny a petition for tobacco,” he said lightly. “It’s the one friend of the unfortunate.”
(i) What does the girl tell about her experience with the West?
(ii) What favour does the other man ask from Miss Fairchild?
(iii) What explanation does Easton give when Miss Fairchild exclaims to know that he had shifted to the West on the post of a Marshal?
(iv) Who makes a petition for tobacco? Why?
(v) How do the handcuffs reveal the true identity of Mr. Easton?
Answer:
(i) The girl said that she loved the West. She spent the summers, with her mother, in Denver. Her mother returned back due to her father’s ill-health. But she could live happily in the West as the air here was comfortable to her.

(ii) The other man-requests Miss Fairchild to ask her friend Mr. Easton, who was suppose to be the Marshal, to speak a word in his favour so that he may get a relaxation in his punishment, otherwise it was seven years prison for counterfeiting.

(iii) Mr. Easton tells her that he had to make money because money has power which makes one feel respected and can make one fly and soar high. He also says that he had to compete with the crowd and settle himself among the high class society in Washington.

(iv) The ‘glum-faced’ man who was the actual Marshal, makes a petition for tobacco. Though Miss Fairchild carries on flirting with Mr. Easton but seemed to be uneasy with the handcuffs, the man senses it and to save Mr. Easton from embarrassment, requests him for tobacco and they leave for the smoker car.

(v) After Mr. Easton and the other man leave, two eavesdropping fellow passengers converse, in which the first passenger told as being a Marshal at such a young age, was amazing. Then the other man corrected him that the man, ‘Mr. Easton’, was not the Marshal but the other man was, because a Marshal never handcuffed a convict with his right hand, it is always the left hand. Thus, the handcuffs revealed the truth about Mr. Easton.

Treasure Trove Poems and Short Stories Workbook Answers

A Face in the Dark Summary by Ruskin Bond

A Face in the Dark Summary About the Author

Ruskin Bond (19 May 1934 – Present), is a famous Indian author of British descent. He is an icon among Indian writers. His wide array of short stories, novels, essays, poems, travelogues and articles in newspapers and magazines have inspired many aspiring writers. He has presented a variety in his writing, ranging from ‘ghost stories’ to ‘odes to nature’ to ‘love stories’. He wrote his first novel, ‘The Room on the Roof’, at the age of seventeen. His other very famous novel being ‘The Blue Umbrella’. In 1992 he received the Sahitya Akademi award for his short stories collection, ‘Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra’. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for his contributions to Children’s Literature and Padma Bhushan in 2014. He now lives with his adopted family, near Mussoorie.

A Face in the Dark Summary

In the story, Mr. Oliver, the protagonist, is an Anglo Indian teacher in the English Public School at Shimla, which is three miles distance from the Shimla Bazaar. The school is often referred as ‘Eton of the East’, because its name is synonymous with quality elite education. Mr. Oliver is a rational and mentally strong person. He does not easily give away to nervousness and imagination. He usually goes out after school to the Shimla market and returns back in the evening.

One day while, Mr. Oliver was returning from Shimla, it got quite late and he decides to take a short cut through the pine forests. Carrying his torch he moves on briskly. Suddenly he comes across a weeping boy who was sitting with his hands covering his face. As per his duty as a teacher, he asked the child the reason for crying. Getting closer, he repeats the question. The boy lifted his face and the teacher fills with horror to find that the boy had no features, no eyes, no mouth. Terror-stricken, Mr. Oliver runs towards his school. On the way he encounters a watchman swinging a lantern.

On seeing him running, the watchman asks him what the reason was. Mr. Oliver tells him that he saw a boy with no face. The watchman then asks him if the boy looked like his and he raises his lantern to his face. To Mr. Oliver’s horror, the watchman too had no face, no eyes, no ears and no features. That moment the wind blew and the lamp went out. The story ends with a sense of ambiguity, leaving the readers to think whether it were actually ghosts or some prank played upon the teacher by his students.

A Face in the Dark Summary Word Meanings :

1. Outskirts : Border of a city or town
2. Eerie : Strange and mysterious
3. Strolled : To walk slowly and relaxingly
4. Imaginative : Having the ability to think of new and interesting ideas
5. Fitfully : Not regular or steady
6. Flickering : To burn or glow unsteadily
7. Miscreant : A person who does something illegal or morally wrong
8. Convulsively : . Fitfully; causing the entire body to shake
9. Distinctly : Noticeably
10. Scrambled : Moved with urgency or panic
11. Stumbled : To trip in walking or running
12. Gasping : Breathing with difficulty

A Face in the Dark Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What according to you would have happened to Mr. Oliver after his encounter with the faceless boy and the Watchman?
Answer:
The writer leaves the readers in an ambiguity as to what might have happened to Mr. Oliver after he encounters with the faceless watchman and the lamp blows out. One assumption could be that he must have fainted after the horrible scenes he had seen. In the morning, he would have reached back to his school and told everyone about his experience. There are chances that many would have considered it his imagination. On the second- thought, Mr. Oliver, being a daring man with a strong heart, may have not fainted and would have started running towards his school and reached there somehow.

Question 2.
Describe the encounter of Mr. Oliver with the ‘Faces in the Dark’. What is your opinion?
Answer:
Mr. Oliver, the protagonist of the story the ‘Face in the Dark’, is a teacher in a public school in Shimla. He seems to be a daring and adventurous person who is not scared to pass through the pine forest in the dark of the night while returning from Shimla Bazaar. That particular night, as usual, he takes the path across the pine forests. Though it grew quite dark he had his torch and he made his way to his school.

When he saw a boy sitting and crying, he thought that he was one of the students of his school and reminded him about the rule that the boys were not supposed to come out at this time. Then he saw that the boy was sobbing and his anger changed into concern. He wanted to know the reason for his crying. But as soon as the boy lifted his face, Mr. Oliver was aghast ‘ looking at his face. He had no eyes, no ears, no mouth, and no features at all. The torch fell from his trembling ‘ hands.

Furthering his way to his residence, he saw a watchman with a lantern and he shares his experience with him. Listening about the boy’s face, the watchman lifts his lantern up to his face and asks if the boy’s face was like his, revealing his face in the light which was exactly the same, no eyes, no mouth, nothing. Suddenly, with a gush of wind, the lantern blew off and Mr. Oliver rushed towards his apartment. As per my opinion/the existence of supernatural cannot be denied from the face of the earth. There are instances present around us for which there is no logical explanation. So, what happened with Mr. Oliver could have been real and not merely his imagination.

A Face in the Dark Summary Extract Based Questions

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“Life magazine, in a feature on India, had once called it the ‘Eton of the East’.”
(i) What is referred as ‘it’ in the above lines? Why has it been called as the ‘Eton of the East’?
(ii) Where was the school located? Who was the protagonist? Name the author.
(iii) What was Mr. Oliver’s usual evening routine?
(iv) Give the meaning of-
(a) Eerie
(b) Strolled
(c) Fitfully
(v) What type of man was Mr. Oliver? Give reason for your answer.
Answer:
(i) The school in Shimla in which the protagonist taught is referred as ‘it’. Eton College is one of the most esteemed, expensive and reputable English boarding school in Eton, Berkshire in U.K. This school has been called as the ‘Eton of the East’ because it had been run on English Public School lines and the boys of the school belonged to wealthy Indian families. They wore blazers, caps and ties.

(ii) The school was located on the outskirts of the hill station of Shimla. The protagonist, Mr. Oliver, was an Anglo – Indian teacher in the same school. The author is Ruskin Bond.

(iii) Mr. Oliver usually walked down to the Shimla Bazaar which had cinemas and restaurants in the evening and returned after dark taking a short cut through the pine forest.

(iv) (a) Strange and mysterious.
(b) To walk slowly and relaxingly
(c) Unsteadily

(v) Mr. Oliver was a bold man, he was not imaginative. This is proved from the fact that he dared to take the forest path in the dark where the pine trees made sad eerie sounds during strong winds while most of the people preferred the main grad.

Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“What are you doing out here, boy? asked Mr. Oliver.”
(i) Who is the boy Mr. Oliver is talking to? What was the boy doing?
(ii) How was the boy crying? Why did Mr. Oliver talk to him sharply?
(iii) Why does the author say “if you could call it a face”?
(iv) What was the reaction of Mr. Oliver when he saw the boy’s face?
(v) Describe the uncanny climax of the story.
Answer:
(i) One night when Mr. Oliver was returning back to school, he saw a boy sitting alone on a rock in the forest. When Mr, Oliver came closer to the boy, it appeared to him that the boy was crying.

(ii) The boy’s head was down and he held his face in his hands. His body was shaking due to his strange, soundless weeping.
Mr. Oliver thought he was a miscreant i.e., a person who has done some mischief, and boys were not supposed to be out after dark. As a teacher he had the right to scold the boy.

(iii) The author says, ‘if you could call it a face’ because, when the boy looked up at the teacher, his face had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It was a round smooth head with a school cap on top of it.

(iv) As soon as Mr. Oliver saw the boy’s face, he got horrified. His hands started trembling and his torch fell down. He immediately turned around and with full of panic he started running blindly towards the school, calling for help.

(v) On seeing the faceless boys, Mr. Oliver darted towards the school fearfully. On the way he met a watchman carrying a lantern. When the watchman enquired about his condition, Mr. Oliver narrated him the encounter with the faceless boy weeping in the forest. To this the watchman lifted the lamp close to his face. Mr. Oliver finds out that the watchman too does not have any eyes, ears, nose or mouth. The story ends when the wind blows the lamp out leaving the readers keen to know what happened with Mr. Oliver.