‘The Hero’ by R. K.

Narayan

Ordering the story

Swami has a nightmare in which he is chased by a tiger.

Swami’s father won’t let him have a lamp but allows him to keep the door open and
suggests he sleep on the bench if he is worried about scorpions.

Swami rages mentally at the causes of his ordeal – the newspaper and the boy who
escaped the tiger.

Swami tries to pretend he is asleep but his father insists he get up and move to the
office room.

Swami is seen to be a hero for catching the thief.

His father is told by his mother to leave Swami where he is, much to Swami’s relief.

Swami is terrified and tries various methods to get out of it.

When he awakes from his nightmare, he feels terrified and is horrified to sense
something moving in the room.

The next night, he goes to bed in his old place next to grandma before his father returns
home.

In fear for his life he attacks the ‘devil’ by biting it. The devil turns out to be a burglar.

After lying awake for ages, imagining the worst and frightened by the shadows and night
noises, he moves to a more secure place under the bench.

Swami is challenged by his father to prove his courage by sleeping alone in the office
room.

Extension questions:

1. What methods does Swami use to get out of his father’s challenge?

2. How would you describe Swami’s father?

3. Write two more sentences to add to this summary of the key events in the story.
© www.teachit.co.uk 2012 15856 1
 ‘The Hero’ by R. K. Narayan

Ordering the story

Correct order:

Swami is challenged by his father to prove his courage by sleeping alone in the office
room.

Swami is terrified and tries various methods to get out of it.

Swami tries to pretend he is asleep but his father insists he get up and move to the
office room.

Swami’s father won’t let him have a lamp but allows him to keep the door open and
suggests he sleep on the bench if he is worried about scorpions.

Swami rages mentally at the causes of his ordeal – the newspaper and the boy who
escaped the tiger.

After lying awake for ages, imagining the worst and frightened by the shadows and night
noises, he moves to a more secure place under the bench.

Swami has a nightmare in which he is chased by a tiger.

When he awakes from his nightmare, he feels terrified and is horrified to sense
something moving in the room.

In fear for his life he attacks the ‘devil’ by biting it. The devil turns out to be a burglar.

Swami is seen to be a hero for catching the thief.

The next night, he goes to bed in his old place next to grandma before his father returns
home.

His father is told by his mother to leave Swami where he is, much to Swami’s relief.

© www.teachit.co.uk 2012 15856 2