What does Nishad find out about Mr Nath from Ramesh? Arrange the information as suggested below.
• What he eats
• When he eats
• What he drinks, and when
• How he pays

What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions? Write each answer separately. Which answer do you like most, and why?

How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?

Why did the king want to know answers to three questions?

(i) Who was the bearded man?
(ii) Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness?

Imagine you are the king. Narrate the incident of your meeting the hermit. Begin like this: The wise men answered my questions, but I was not satisfied with their answers. One day I decided to go and meet the hermit...

1. Match items in List A with their meanings in List B.
fainted: lost consciousness

        A.                                                             B
(i) wounded.                                   got up from sleep
(ii) awoke.                                              give back

(iii) forgive.                       small patches ofground for plants
(iv) faithful.                                      severely injured
(v) pity.                                                     pardon
(vi) beds.                                                    loyal
(vii) return.                                          feel sorry for
Use any three of the above words in sentences of your own. You may change the form of the word.

Why was the king advised to go to magicians?

How does Ravi get milk for the kitten?

Complete the following sentences by adding the appropriate parts of the sentences given in the box.
1. Many wise men answered the king’s questions,
2. Someone suggested that there should be a council of wise men
3. Someone else suggested that the king should have a timetable
4. The king requested the hermit
5. The king washed and dressed the bearded man’s wound,

• but the bleeding would not stop.
• to answer three questions.
• but their answers were so varied that the king was not satisfied.
• and follow it strictly.
• to help the king act at the right time.

Why does Maya think Mr Nath is a crook? Who does she say the Sunday visitor is?

What were the hermit’s answers to the three questions? Write each answer separately. Which answer do you like most, and why?

How did the king and the hermit help the wounded man?

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.

(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.

(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.

Why did Nishad and Maya get a holiday?

In answer to the second question, whose advice did the people say would be important to the king?

What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?

What did Nishad give Mr Nath? Why?

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following sentences.
(i) The king lost his temper easily.
(ii) Gopal was a madman.
(iii) Gopal was a clever man.
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes.
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong.

Imagine you are the hermit. Write briefly the incident of your meeting the king. Begin like this: One day I was digging in my garden. A man in ordinary clothes came to see me. I knew it was the king...

(i) Who was the bearded man?
(ii) Why did he ask for the king’s forgiveness?