Lesson - 3

A Turkish Judge
* Word Meanings:
1. implored- asked somebody to do something in an earnest way
2. alight – get off
3. turn against – get angry with
4. stern – serious
5. false – swearing – lying
6. courtesy – polite behaviour that shows respect for people
7. admiration – feeling of respect

* Make sentences:
1. implored: Ram implored his father to allow him to go for the
school trip.
2. alight: The driver asked the children to alight from the school bus
when they reached the school.
3. turn against: The workers turned against the owner as he
increased their working hours.
4. stern: My brother looked at me with a stern face when I ate his
chocolate.
5. admiration: I have great admiration for the brave girl who saved
the drowning child.

* Reference to context:
1. ‘The Caliph was puzzled and he wondered how the Cadi would
pronounce a just decision.’
QA. Where was the Caliph?
Ans. The Caliph was at the Cadi’s court to seek justice for the
wrong done to him by the old man.
QB. Why was the Caliph puzzled?
Ans. The Caliph was puzzled because both the oil merchant and the
porter said that the gold coin belonged to them and they did not
have any witnesses with them.
QC. What does the word ‘pronounce’ means in this context?
Ans. The word ‘pronounce’ means to deliver.

2. ‘I have cared for him since he was a colt. If that horse is taken
from me, how will I live?’
QA Who said this and to whom?
Ans. The old man said these words to the Cadi.
QB. Was the speaker telling the truth?
Ans. No, the speaker was not telling the truth. He was just lying.
QC. How did the Cadi decide if the speaker was telling the truth?
Ans. The Cadi put the horse in his stable. Both the old man and the
Caliph had to pass the stable on their way to court. When the old
man passed, the horse never looked up. But when the Caliph passed,
the horse looked up and neighed lovingly as the horses do only when
a loved master comes nearby. This is how it was proved that the
Caliph was telling the truth.
* Answer the following questions:
Q.1 Do you think the Caliph did the right thing by taking the old
man to the Cadi? What would you have done if you had been in the
Caliph’s place?
Ans. Yes, Caliph did the right thing by taking the old man to the
Cadi because the old man was very clever and cunning. He said that
the horse belonged to him but the horse actually belonged to the
Caliph.
If I had been in the Caliph’s place even I would have done the same
thing.

Q.2 How did the Cadi solve the case of the writer and the tailor?
Ans. When the Cadi looked carefully at the Book of Learning, he
found that the pages most used were those on which the duties of
writers and scholars were written. This made him realize that the
book belonged to the writer and not the tailor.

Q.3 In your opinion, what are the qualities that a judge should
have? Did the Cadi possess these qualities?
Ans. In my opinion, a judge should be wise, intelligent, honest and
strict towards wrongdoers. He should have presence of mind and
give impartial judgment.
Yes, I think that the Cadi possessed all the qualities.

* Answer in short:
Q.1 Under whom did Baghdad flourish?
Ans. The city of Baghdad flourished under the just and upright
Caliph Harun – al- Rashid.
Q.2 Where was the old man going?
Ans. The old man was going to Basra.
Q.3 To whom did the Book of Learning belong to?
Ans. The Book of Learning belonged to the writer.
Q.4 What are folktales?
Ans. Folktales are short stories that have been verbally passed on
from one generation to another.
Q.5 What was the Caliph’s reaction when the old man tried to cheat
him?
Ans. The Caliph was shocked when the old man tried to cheat him.
Q.6 What words would you use to describe the Cadi.
Ans. The Cadi was a just, wise, intelligent and honest man.