Chapter 4 The Ashes that Made Trees Bloom
Textbook Questions and Answers
Working with the Text
Answer the following questions :
Question 1.
The old farmer is a kind person. What evidence of his kindness do you find in the first two paragraphs?
वृद्ध किसान एक दयालु व्यक्ति है। प्रथम दो अनुच्छेदों में आप उसकी दयालुता के क्या सबूत पाते हैं?
Answer:
In the beginning of the story, we see that the old man loved the dog as if it were a baby. He would feed him fish from his own chopsticks and gave him as much rice as he wanted. The old man was kind to all the living creatures. Everyday while going to work, he would dig up grass to provide worms for the white heron that walked in his footsteps.
कहानी के प्रारम्भ में हम वृद्ध व्यक्ति को कुत्ते से प्यार करते। हुए पाते हैं मानो कि वह एक बच्चा हो। वह उसको अपने चीनी काटे से मछली खिलाता और उसे इतना चावल खिलाता जितना वह चाहता था। वृद्ध व्यक्ति सभी जीवित प्राणियों के प्रति दयालु था। प्रत्येक दिन जब कार्य करने जाता, वह घास खोदकर सफेद बगुले को कीड़े उपलब्ध कराता जो उसके कदमों के पीछे चलता था।
Question 2.
What did the dog do to lead the farmer to the hidden gold?
छिपे हुए सोने तक किसान का मार्गदर्शन करने के लिए कुत्ते ने क्या किया?
Answer:
The dog ran to the old man and put his paw against his legs. The dog motioned his head to the spot. It ran to and fro and kept on whining and moving. The old man went to the spot by following the dog. He dug that spot and found a pile of gold.
कुत्ता दौड़ते हुए वृद्ध व्यक्ति तक आया और उसके पैरों को अपने पंजों से लगाया । कुत्ते ने उस स्थान की ओर अपने सिर को गति दी। वह आगे-पीछे दौड़ता रहा तथा घूमता और कराहता रहा। कुत्ते का पीछा कर वृद्ध व्यक्ति उस स्थान पर गया। उसने उस स्थान को खोदा और सोने का ढेर पाया।
Question 3.
(i) How did the spirit of the dog help the farmer first?
कुत्ते की आत्मा ने किसान की सहायता किस प्रकार से की थी?
Answer:
The spirit of the dog appeared in old man’s dream. It asked him to cut the pine tree and make a mortar and a mill from that. When the old man made rice pastry and sauce of beans with the help of mortar and mill, the mass of rice turned into gold and the sauce turned into gold and dropped like liquid.
कुत्ते की आत्मा वृद्ध व्यक्ति के स्वप्न में आई। इसने देवदार के पेड़ को काटकर उससे ओखली और चटनी बनाने की मूसल बनाने को कहा। जब वृद्ध व्यक्ति ने चावल का केक बनाया और ओखली और मूसल की सहायता से चटनी बनाई तो चावल का पिण्ड स्वर्ण में बदल गया और चटनी स्वर्ण में बदलकर तरल रूप में गिरने लगी।
(ii) How did it help him next?
उसने उसकी आगे सहायता किस तरह से की?
Answer:
The next time the dog’s spirit complained against the wicked neighbour that he had burnt the mortar and the mill. Then it suggested to take the ashes of the mill and mortar to sprinkel on the withered trees to let them bloom again. The farmer sprinkled a pinch of the ashes on the cherry tree. As a result of it the cherry tree bloomed again.
He limbed upto an old withered cherry tree on the roadside from where the procession was approaching near the tree. The farmer also scattered the ashes over the tree which made it bloom in a moment. The Daimio was delighted to see this wonder. He gifted him silk robes, sponge-cakes, fans and other rewards.
अगली बार कुत्ते की आत्मा ने दुष्ट पड़ौसी के विरुद्ध शिकायत की कि उसने ओखली और चटनी पीसने वाले यन्त्र को जला दिया था। फिर उसने ओखली और चटनी पीसने के यन्त्र की राख को मुरझाये पेड़ों पर छिड़कने के लिए सुझाव दिया जिससे कि वे पुनः खिल उठे। किसान ने एक चुटकी राख चेरी के पेड़ पर छिड़क दी परिणामस्वरूप चेरी का पेड़ खिल उठा।
वह फिर सड़क के पास स्थित एक पुराने मुरझाये हुए | चेरी के पेड़ पर चढ़ा जहाँ से जुलूस उस पेड़ के पास पहुँच रहा था। किसान ने उस पेड़ पर राख छिड़क दी जिससे कि वह एक क्षण में खिल उठा । जमींदार इस आश्चर्यजनक दृश्य को देखकर आनन्दित हो गया। उसने उसे सिल्क के कपड़े, मुलायम केक, पंखे और अन्य पुरस्कार दिये।
Question 4.
Why did the Daimio reward the farmer but punish his neighbour for the same act?
जमींदार ने एक ही काम के लिए किसान को पुरस्कार और उसके पड़ौसी को क्यों दण्डित किया था?
Answer:
When the old farmer sprinkled ashes on the withered cherry tree it bloomed and made Daimio happy. Daimio awarded the old man. The wicked man sprinkled the ash and the wind blew and caused sneezing and choking to Daimio and his wife. The procession was spoiled. Thus Daimio punished him.
जब वृद्ध किसान ने राख को सूखे हुए बेर के वृक्ष पर डाला तो यह खिल उठा जिससे जमींदार प्रसन्न हुआ। जमींदार ने वृद्ध को पुरस्कार दिया। दुष्ट व्यक्ति ने राख को छिड़का और हवा चली और जमींदार और उसकी पत्नी को छींके आईं और दम घुटने लगा। जुलूस खराब हो गया था। इस प्रकार से जमींदार ने उसे दण्डित किया।
Comprehension Check Page 60
Question 1.
Why did the neighbour’s kill the dog?
पड़ोसियों ने कुत्ते को क्यों मारा था?
Answer:
When the neighbours heard about the story of the kind people and the help given by the dog they enticed the dog. They took him to the garden. Dog scratched with his paw on the ground. The wicked neighbours dug the ground and found a dead kitten. They got furious and killed him.
जब पड़ोसियों ने दयालु लोगों की कहानी और कुत्ते के द्वारा की गई सहायता के बारे में सुना, उन्होंने कुत्ते को ललचाया। वे उसे बगीचे में ले गए। कुत्ते ने अपने पंजे से जमीन को कुरेदा। दुष्ट पड़ौसियों ने जमीन को खोदा और वहाँ मरे हुए बिल्ली के बच्चे को पाया। वे अति क्रुद्ध हुए और उसे मार डाला।
Question 2.
Mark the right item :
(i) The old farmer and his wife loved the dog
(a) because it helped them in their day-to-day work.
(b) as if it was their own baby.
(c) as they were kind to all living beings.
Answer:
(b) as if it was their own baby.
(ii) When the old couple became rich, they
(a) gave the dog better food.
(b) invited their greedy neighbours to a feast.
(c) lived comfortably and were generous towards their poor neighbours.
Answer:
(c) lived comfortably and were generous towards their poor neighbours.
(iii) The greedy couple borrowed the mill and the mortar to make
(a) rice pastry and bean sauce.
(b) magic ash to win rewards.
(c) a pile of gold.
Answer:
(c) a pile of gold.
Seen Passages
Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Passage -1.
The old dame made it a cushion of blue crape, and at mealtime Muko -for that was its name – would sit on it as snug as any cat. The kind people fed the pet with tidbits of fish from their own chopsticks, and all the boiled rice it wanted. Thus treated, the dumb creature loved its protectors like a being with a soul.
The old man, being a rice farmer, went daily with hoe or spade into the fields, working hard from morning until o Tento Sama (as the sun is called) had gone down behind the hills. Every day the dog followed him to work.
Questions :
1. What did the kind people give the pet to eat?
2. How did they feed the pet?
3. What did the old man do?
4. What was the daily routine of the old farmer?
5. What did the dog do when the old man went to work?
6. Write the opposites of the following –
(i) Kind
(ii) love
7. गद्यांश में से वह वाक्य छाँटिए जिसका अर्थ है, “प्रतिदिन कुत्ता उसके पीछे काम करने के स्थान तक जाता था।”
Answers :
1. They fed the pet with tidbits of fish and boiled rice.
2. They fed the pet from their own chopsticks.
3. The old man was a farmer.
4. The old farmer went daily with a hoe or spade into the fields.
5. When the old man went to work, the dog followed him.
6. (i) unkind
(ii) hate
7. Everyday the dog followed him to work.
Passage – 2.
For the old fellow was patient and kind to everything that had life, and often turned up sod on purpose to give food to the birds. One day the dog came running to him, putting his paws against his legs and motioning with his head to some spot behind. The old man at first thought his pet was only playing and did not mind it. But the dog kept on whining and running to and fro for some minutes.
Then the old man followed the dog a few yards to a place where the animal began a lively scratching. Thinking it was possibly a buried bone or bit of fish, the old man struck his hoe in the earth, when, lo! a pile of gold gleamed before him.
Questions :
1. How did the old man behave with living creature?
2. How did the dog behave that day?
3. What did the dog do to the old man?
4. What did the old man find there?
5. What was the old man thinking when the dog scratched?
6. Write the opposite of the –
(i) pet
(ii) old
7. गद्यांश में से वह वाक्य छाँटिए जिसका अर्थ है,”प्रतिदिन कुत्ता उसके पीछे काम करने के स्थान तक जाता था।”
Answers :
1. The old man was patient and kind to all living creatures.
2. That day the dog kept on whining and running to and fro for some minutes.
3. The dog put his paws against his legs and motioned his head to some spot.
4. The old man found a pile of gold there.
5. The old man was thinking that there was possibly a buried bone or bit of fish.
6. (i) wild
(ii) young
7. One day the dog came running to him.
Passage – 3.
Thus in an hour the old couple were made rich. The good souls bought a piece of land, made a feast for their friends, and gave plentifully to their poor neighbours. As for the dog, they petted him till they nearly smothered him with kindness. Now in the same village there lived a wicked old man and his wife, not a bit sensitive and kind, who had always kicked and scolded all dogs whenever any passed their house.
Hearing of their neighbours’ good luck, they coaxed the dog into their garden and set before him bits of fish and other dainties, hoping he would find treasure for them. But the dog, being afraid of the cruel pair, would neither eat nor move.
Questions:
1. What did the old couple do with the money?
2. How was the other couple of the same village?
3. How did the other couple behave with the dogs?
4. Whom was the dog afraid of?
5. How did the other couple coax the dog?
6. Write the Hindi meaning of the word, cruel.
7. गद्यांश में से वह वाक्य लिखिए जिसका अर्थ है, “इस तरह से एक घंटे में वृद्ध दम्पति धनवान बन गए थे।”
Answers :
1. The old couple bought a piece of land, made a feast for their friends and gave plentifully to their poor neighbours.
2. The other couple was wicked, insensitive and unkind.
3. The other couple kicked and scolded all dogs.
4. The dog was afraid of the cruel pair.
5. The other couple took the dog into the garden and set before him bits of fish and other dainties.
7. Thus in an hour the old couple were made rich.
Passage – 4.
The good old man humbly asked for the ashes. Though the covetous couple turned up their noses at him and scolded him as if he were a thief, they let him fill his basket with the ashes. On coming home, the old man took his wife into the garden.
It being winter, their favourite cherry tree was bare. He sprinkled a pinch of ashes on it, and, lo! it sprouted blossoms until it became a cloud of pink blooms which perfumed the air. The news of this filled the village, and everyone ran out to see the wonder.
Questions :
1. What did the old man ask?
2. How did the covetous couple behave with the old man?
3. Where did the old man take his wife?
4. What did he sprinkle?
5. What happened to the cherry tree?
6. Write the Hindi meaning of the word, “Scolded”.
7. गद्यांश में से वह वाक्य लिखिए जिसका अर्थ है, “उन्होंने उसे उसकी टोकरी में राख भरने दी।”
Answers :
1. The old man asked for the ashes.
2. The covetous couple turned up their noses and scolded him.
3. The old man took his wife into the garden.
4. He sprinkled a pinch of ashes on the cherry tree.
5. The cherry tree blossomed in pink.
6. फटकारना
7. They let him fill his basket with the ashes.