Bribes, the Stomach “= Ache Cure! Hone ata ea ba ee ee eee ‘Don't be ridiculous’ scid Hemant, ‘You know my, ‘oppetite, Icon eat more than that. If it wasn't the “Well, you gobbled up the big bow! full of those in a Pain. ‘Get me some green coconut water. That might give me some respite’ {But the coconut water did not lve up tos expectations. The poin was as severe as before Mother Goddess have mercy on this innocent soul! prayed Hemant cloud ‘Please toke away the poin ‘ond! shal visit the temple to offer you a siver horse “Think before you speok! Dont moke empty promises to the goddess unless you mean to keep them’ said Hemont's wife, ‘OF course, | always full my promises! said Hemant. “ust let me get better, ond | shall go to the temple with the biggest silver horse I con find. “You seem to be getting your energy back. Is your ‘stomach ache better? asked his wife suddenly, ‘You don't look nearly as pole as you did half an hour 90" Scanned with CamScan-you'e right! said Hemant sitting up. lar a bit better! “Mother Goddess seems to have heard your prayers, She never disoppoints anybody. Don't forget the silver horse now,’ sald his wife. Hemant felt a surge of energy: he felt better, “Mother Goddess” he said looking out of the window, ‘price ore soaring high’ He continued after a | pause, ‘And a silver horse would cost too much in these cificult times! Won't a hen suffice? A nice, pretty hen get you one, the moment Im wel. promise” It was noon, the sun was at its peak Hemant woke Up from his sleep. His stomach ache was gone! But he was o little hungry and thought he felt weak, He called his wife ‘Ihope you do net plan to starve me "You are stil thinking about food! How can you?” she onswered. You were screaming with poin a few hours ogo" ‘A bowl of boiled rice would be enough. | don't want ‘onything more Hemant said, grinning ear to ear Heron’ wie stomped into the kitchen, taking to erself Mother Gocdess sig Hemant, e's be flr | know {$v ore not greedy, you lead by example ond have S'wOus fought that greed is @ sin, So think a flower Gorend would be enough to please you, ‘Here, take it’ said Hemant’s wife, giving him a bow! of rice. That's It! Such a tiny bowl?" grumbled Hemont, ‘Do get me some more! Woit! | think ttle bit of dal would do no horm. That’ it, nothing else. And some pickle for flavour, please: ‘Do you think you can eat more? asked his wife. ‘om as healthy as an elephant’ said Hemant. ‘Now that | think of i, the pain was mid and fleeting’ "Wos it? asked the wif, It didn’t seem to be. The way You were writhing in pain and making promises: to the Mother Goddess. ‘Did you really think | wos serious about it? said Hemant. You are a jester’s wife! Don't disappoint me. | have a good sense of humour! Don't you get i “Okay! soid his wife rolling her eyes, "I wish you ‘wouldn't Include Mother Goddess in your jokes! ‘Aren't you going to offer her anything at all?” ‘Not a silver horse, for sure,’ said Hemant. ‘Nor a hen. Those would burn my pocket! Ihave a better idea. I'l ask Mother Goddess to create o silver horse herself, She has magical powers too!" Hemont's wife raised her hands in annoyance. “You have no shame’ she yelled ond left the room. Hemant lazily stretched and dozed of on the bed. His sweet sleep wos disturbed by an excruciating Poin. It was his stomach. He sat up, breathing heavily and covered in sweat. Mother Goddess, Scanned with CamScan“you have me wrong. You ily meant to offer you a ing witty in front of the said in a weak voice, misunderstand me. | actual bright siver horse. | was just b ite” mu An Indian folk tale Glossary Understand ond answer AGEs 1. Choose the correct option. «) Hemont wos screaming in pain because 1) he had o sprained onkle i) he hod o stomach ache. i) he had o headache. by His wife 1) sumpothized with him, ') scolded him for eating too much. 1) {00k him to the doctor. (©) Hemant asked his wife to get him 1) some coconut water 1) some lemon juice. i) @ spoon of honey. 000 000 ooo 2. Answer these questions, © deer tern tc ett coe ') What happened at noon? . seen? ©) What da Hemant say to Mether Goddess when he e woke up? Think and appreciate Fa 1. Do you think Hemant kept his promise? Give reasons for your answer, If you were to give the story another title, whot ‘would it be? . Write synonyms for these words. ©) yelled ) large ©) gobbled ) witty . Read this sentence. ‘1om as healthy os an elephant; said Hemant. ‘The highlighted words inthe sentence compore Hemant to an elephant. This comparison is colled simile ‘What do you think is the use of such comparisons? How does a simile add to a story? Scanned with CamScanJacky and the Bear place to pitch @ tent—on 3 pine- Itwos the perfect See xy ofthe lake below. clothed ridge of hl with 0 vie Fishing, trekking. storgazing, ond other fun ‘etivtios were on ther Ist. The cousins sett in to enjoy the evening around a compfre with Vir playing the guitar ond Karon, Jacky, and Someer singing songs Two mornings later, the boys realized they were down to the lost ofthe nuts and instant noodles they hod brought. They had nat imogined they'd run out of supplies S0 quickly Jocky, the second youngest, volunteered to stoy Cond hold the camp while the remaining three went to imbek, litle country formhouse that kept supplies for trekkers on their way up to Peling Keron suggested moving o another site, but Jacky wos adamant—he would keep watch unt they returned with supplies. “There's only one of you-get a monster twin to entertorn you: they said jokingly. ‘Come bock soon’ he shouted after them as they disappeared down the hill, G sree es ‘ofternoon and there was still no igh of them. With nothing to do but wat, Jock wt wort, Jocky ‘compte. Every no fire. Every now and then he fed it logs. ‘oath of the unknown, 1g the twigs ond rustling tf 19 the twigs ond rustling the dead leaves. Jacky rose slowly to his feet, his knees a litle wobbly ‘Hoh’ he bellowed menacingly. A growl replied ond ‘a beor paced into view. Jacky supported himself upon a stick and regarded bis visitor. ‘The bear was evidently o veteran and o fighter, for the black of his coat had become tawny with age. ‘There was confidence in his gait and arrogance in his small twinkling eyes. He rolled back his lips and disclosed his white teeth. The fire magnified the red of his mouth Jacky hod never been so terrified. ‘Hah he roared. The bear interpreted this as a challenge. He ‘opproached warily, As he came near, fear gripped Jacky. He cried out and then darted around the campfire Scanned with CamScan1 This tin Jemed to be amused. ‘Oh! This thing The bear seem wel lets cotc ft then: said the on cra ‘round they went. The bear was catching up ration, Jacky flew into the tent, The bear scent of many men, Finally he ventured in Jacky crouched in e corner. The bear advanced, Creeping, his blood burning, hs hair erect, his Jowls dripping. Jacky yelled and rustled clumsily under the flap ot the end ofthe tent. The bear snarled ewiully and made o jump and a grab at his sisoppearing game Jacky, now outside the tent, feta tremendous paw {grab his jacket. He squirmed and wriggled out of his jacket, ke @ schoolboy inthe hands of on avenger. The bear howled trivmphontly and jerked the jacket into the tent. it took him two bites, punch, and a hug before he Giscovered his man was not init. The poor bear felt cheated, for a bear on a spree Is not a block-haired pirate He is merely o hoodlum He lay down on his back, took the coat on his four Paws and begon to play uproariously with it pe aoa ees ‘and yells reached Jacky, Sega gue Ona reetp. He meones onvulsively tothe bending boven oo with teotlwistuneseat oho eo eee comptes ae ttbes ot where companion, the ving duing fckers and crackles Finally, there was a roar from the tent which eclipsed all roars; a snarl which would shake the silence of the mountain and cause it to shrug its granite shoulders. Jacky, by this time, was all eyes, In the soft light of dusk and the embers of the fire, he saw the white tent quiver and fall with o crash, The bear's merry play had disturbed the centre pole and brought the tent crashing on his head, Now Jacky became the witness to a mighty scene, The tent began to move. It tok flopping strides in the direction of the lake. Scanned with CamScan———— seme from within=rips and tears, Terrifying sounds went into giggling great groans and pants. Jacky hysterics ‘The entangled beor could not get out of the t ‘ond frantically rolled down the mountain. So it come about that the three trekkers clambering up the hil saw their tent approaching lke o white robed demon. They scurried to one side, their eyes gleaming with fear The canvas bundle swept past them. They leaned, faint and dumb, against the trees and listened. Below them it struck the base of o great pine tree, ‘where it writhed ond struggled. The three watched for a moment and then hurried to the campsite, The bear cut loose with o mighty effort. He cast one t ‘agonized look at the white thing ond then ran wildly into the forest. \ ‘The three fear-stricken trekkers ron to the rebuilt fire. They sprang at Jacky and overwhelmed him with interrogations. He contemplated the darkness nd answered leisurely, tent ‘There was only one of meand I got a monsier twin’ he soi An edited version ofthe story‘A Tent in Agony by Sremin Coane Glossary ‘edamant (adjective: nt wing to z | bellowed GerltaaG aed eet e enacingly (adverb): ely to couse harm 2a tawny (adjective: brownish-uellow in colour ‘ Jowis (noun). loose port of cheek that hangs below the chin ‘venger (noun) someone wi pun ‘ exer (oun somere Wo pines ebay or sare “hoodlum (cur) « noisy ond wolent person | yproariousy (adverb in nosy way, wih alot of shouting convulsively (adverby: ino sudden way thatisimpossble to control j \wisfulness (noun): sad and thinking about something that you would tke tohave : Understand and answer deff | 1. Number the sentences in the order of ther ‘occurrence in the story, (0) The one left behind has an encounter with abeor, ') The bear frees itself after great struggle ‘and flees in agony, ©) The bear gets trapped under the tent it has. knocked down. 4) One of them decides to stay behind while others go to fetch supplies. ©) The bear gets furious on missing Its prey ) Four cousins go camping on a hil overlooking a lake. 9) The cousins realize they are running short of supplies. ooonoaod Scanned with CamScan2. Answer these questions. 9) What were the frst signals of the opprooching bear? +b) What made Jacky feel that the bear was o veteran? ©) Why did the beer feel cheated? ) What mighty scene did Jacky witness sittng inthe treetop? «) Wwhat was the white-robed demon that the three trekkers sow? Think and appreciate Be 1 He cast one agonized ook ot the white thing ond thon ron willy nto the forest" Who was he"? Wh Gide cost on ogorized look ot the white ting? 2, Fae author hos used many words to describe the ‘actions of the beor. ‘©The entongled bear ..rolled frantically. ‘These words help us picture the action in our mind. Find out words from the story that describe the following actions of the bear. ©) bellowed ') approached ©) snarled @) howled «) began to play ) ron {J Spades toke up leaves No better than spoons, And bags ful of leaves ‘Ae light as balloons, Imake a great noise Of rustling all day ke rabbit and deer Running away. Scanned with CamScanput the mountoins FaIse tude my embrace, Flowing over my Orrms And into my f0Ce. Next to nothing for weight, And since they grew duller From contact with earth, Next to nothing for color, nd unload {may oad ond Next to nothing for use. But a crop is a crop, And who's to say where | The harvest shall stop? Roser Frost goin end again Tuli the whole shed, [And what have I then? Scanned with CamScanGlossory (GiB (ib zap or ev8d Someone o someting Understand and answer a, 1L Mark the statements (1) for true or (F) for false, 1) The boy is colecting leaves with a spade, o 'b) He soys that the bogs of leaves ore light ‘balloons. ©) The leaves on the ground are stil green 4) The poet hated collecting the leaves. ooo Answer these questions. ‘0) What happens when the poet tries to embrace the heap of leaves? ») In which season do trees shed leaves? ©) What does the poet have in the end? Find words ond phrases from the poem that indicate the following ©) The leaves have no weight, ) The poet mokes heaps of the leaves, ©) They are not green any more ©) They cre not a part of the tree ©) There is no use for the dried leaves. = Think and appreciate Ke ‘What does the word rustling mean? Itis the sound leaves make when you walk on them, Onomotopocia isthe use of sound words thot ore similar to the sound they descrive. For example, + swoosh + bong + boom + chirp 1. Think and write more such words, 2 The poem has many rhyming words, Write the rhyming words, 3. Write © two- of a four-ine poem using rhyming words, Scanned with CamScan