Questions and answers of Atithi

ASSIGNMENT

Question 1
Choose the correct options for the following questions:
1. Why did Motilal Babu get his boat moored near a riverside market?
(a) To buy new clothes
(b) To get his retinue’s meal prepared
(c) To buy English language books
(d) All of the above

2. Where did Tarapada want to go by boat?
(a) Kathaliya
(b) Charushila
(c) Nandigram
(d) Sonpur

3. Which of the following groups Tarapada did not join?
(a) Jatra-troupe
(b) Panchali-singers
(c) Gymnastics troupe
(d) Chariot-festival troupe

4. Why did Motilal Babu consent to Tarapada’s request of allowing him to sail with them in the boat?
(a) He would help them to prepare their meals
(b) He would entertain them on the way
(c) He was impressed by the pure and natural innocence in Tarapada’s expression
(d) His wife like him.

5. Which of the following statement about Tarapada is NOT correct?
(a) He had voracious appetite
(b) He did everything according to his own wishes
(c) His family members doted on him
(d) He was wary of ties.

6. Why did Tarapada run away from his home?
(a) He was compelled by his poverty
(b) He was scolded by his brother
(c) He was annoyed with his mother
(d) He did so of his own free will.

7. What was the reason that made Tarapada a wander lust?
(a) To travel with the jatra-groups
(b) A longing to be free
(c) To explore the outside world
(d) Both (b) and (c)

8. Which figure of speech is used in the sentence given below?
Tarapada was as wary of ties as a young fawn.
(a) Metaphor
(b) Simile
(c) Personification
(d) Allusion

9. What was the thing that lured Tarapada when he ran away from home for the first time?
(a) The panchali-singers
(b) The music from the flute
(c) The songs of the jatra
(d) The skills of the gymnasts.

10. What was the attraction for Tarapada in going to Nandigram?
(a) The amateur jatra group
(b) The natural beauty of Nandigram
(c) The chariot-festival
(d) The Panchali reciter

11. What was the effect of various troupes on Tarapada?
(a) He learnt to use foul language
(b) He learnt to steal
(c) He remained unbound by any kind of habit or custom
(d) He learnt to sing and play the flute.

12. Which figure of speech is used in the line given below?
‘He was, deep down, entirely detached and free.’
(a) Simile
(b) Alliteration
(c) Metaphor
(d) Personification

13. Why did Annapurna feel disturbed by Tarapada?
(a) He did not obey his commands
(b) He did not show any liking for her
(c) Due to his indifference to her hospitality
(d) Due to his negligent attitude

14. Which of the following traits of Tarapada have been compared with Nature?
(a) Relentlessness
(b) Serenity
(c) Detachment
(d) Both (b) and (c)

15. What was the impact on the listeners when Tarapada had finished singing Panchali?
(a) It took them into a trance
(b) They wished it would last forever.
(c) It seemed like a music from heaven.
(d) All of the above

16. What were Charushashi’s initial feelings for Tarapada?
(a) Envy and Jealousy
(b) Handsome and Headstrong
(c) Inquisitive and Intelligent
(d) Rude and Robust

17. Charushashi had which of the following traits?
(a) Flexible
(b) Receptive
(c) Obstinate
(d) Subservient

18. What was Annapurna’s thought when she heard Tarapada sing about Lav and Kush?
(a) Charu will soften on hearing it
(b) Charu would be annoyed
(c) Charu would give up her temperament
(d) All of the above

19. How could Tarapada ‘get to know’ people with amazing ease and speed?
(a) He knew many languages
(b) He was engaging and appeared divine
(c) He could read their minds
(d) He could lure people with his peptalk

20. Which figure of speech is used in the line given below?
Poor Sonamani fumbled for false explanations.
(a) Simile
(b) Metaphor
(c) Personification
(d) Alliteration

Question 2

Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each in brief:

1. Motilal Babu moored his boat near a riverside market because ………………………………
Ans. Motilal Babu moored his boat near a riverside market because their meal could be prepared there.

2. Motilal Babu consented to Tarapada’s request of giving him lift in the boat till Nandigram because …………………………
Ans. Motilal Babu consented to Tarapada’s request of giving him lift in the boat till Nandigram because he was impressed by the pure and natural innocence in Tarapada’s expression.

3. Tarapada ran away from his home because …………………………………………………
Ans. Tarapada ran away from his home because he did so of his own free will at the age of seven or eight, driven by a longing to be free and explore the outside world.

4. Tarapada left the jatra-troupe because ………………………………………………………
Ans. Tarapada left the jatra-troupe because the master began to treat him almost as a son, and the members, along with the people where they performed, especially women, started to make a special fuss of him, which he was wary of.

5. Tarapada joined a group of panchali singers because ………………………………………
Ans. Tarapada joined a group of panchali singers because he was impelled by his passion for music, as melodies sent a trembling through his veins and rhythms made his body swing.

6. Tarapada’s family gave up searching for him because …………………………………………
Ans. Tarapada’s family gave up searching for him because he had run away two or three times already, leading them and the villagers to lose hope of him returning.

7. Tarapada decided to give up gymnastics troupe and go to Nandigram because …… …………………………………………
Ans. Tarapada decided to give up the gymnastics troupe and go to Nandigram because he had heard that the zamindars at Nandigram had founded an amateur jatra-group on a lavish scale.

8. Tarapada, despite having any connections with various groups remained unbound and uncorrupted because …………………
Ans. Tarapada, despite having any connections with various groups remained unbound and uncorrupted because his nature was deep down entirely detached and free, allowing foul language and dreadful sights to pass him by without fixing in his mind, like a pure white swan in murky waters.

9. In contrast to his previous experiences Tarapada stayed in Motilal Babu’s house for almost two years because. …………
Ans. In contrast to his previous experiences Tarapada stayed in Motilal Babu’s house for almost two years because maybe his studies had a hold on him, or he was changing as he grew up and a stable existence in a comfortable house had more appeal, or the beauty of Charushashi was exerting an unconscious influence.

10. After initial reluctance, Motilal Babu decided to marry his daughter to Tarapada because…………………………………
Ans. After initial reluctance, Motilal Babu decided to marry his daughter to Tarapada because he realized Tarapada was good to look at and good in every outward aspect, and that Charushashi’s aggressive nature might not be received well by in-laws, meaning his daughter would not have to go to someone else’s house.

Telephone Conversation Textbook Questions

 

ASSIGNMENT

Question 1

Choose the correct options for the following questions:

1. The price of which of the following is the speaker talking about in the first line of the poem?
(a) A journey
(b) A rented accommodation
(c) Cigarette-holder
(d) None of the above

2. Which of the following is NOT an issue with the speaker for renting the accommodation?
(a) Price
(b) Location
(c) Residents
(d) Privacy

3. Which of the following confessions is made by the speaker?
(a) He is from America
(b) He is from Africa
(c) He is as black as a raven
(d) He is not dark.

4. What does the ‘self-confession’ by the speaker suggest?
(a) He pre-empts a racist prejudice from the lady
(b) He pre-empts a hike in the rent
(c) He feels himself as inferior to the landlady
(d) None of the above

5. How does the speaker want to prevent ‘a wasted journey’?
(a) By asking the lady to come and see for herself.
(b) By clearing the issue through telephonic conversation.
(c) By sending someone to clear all the issues.
(d) None of the above.

6. Which figure of speech is used in the line given below? ‘Silence. Silenced transmission of…’
(a) Simile
(b) Metaphor
(c) Personification
(d) Polyptoton

7. What is suggested by the phrase ‘Lipstick coated’?
(a) The lady is trying to hide her racist prejudice
(b) The lady is trying to hide her own identity.
(c) The lady is trying to be extra-cautious
(d) None of the above.

8. What is referred to by the landlady’s ‘rancid breath’?
(a) Harsh voice
(b) Ignorance
(c) Knowledge
(d) Hypocrisy

9. What is indicated by the colour ‘red’ in ‘Red booth. Red pillar-box and Red double-tiered Omnibus?
(a) Hypocrisy
(b) Annoyance
(c) Ignorance
(d) Knowledge

10. What colour is ‘West African sepia

(a) Black
(b) White
(c) Red
(d) Dark Brown

11. Which figure of speech is used in the given line? ‘You mean-like plain or milk chocolate’?
(a) Metaphor
(b) Personification
(c) Alliteration
(d) Simile

12. Due to which ‘truthfulness’ does the landlady change her accent?
(a) She does not know about the colour ‘West African sepia’
(b) She is not aware about the speaker’s race
(c) She is being too harsh
(d) None of the above

13. Which colour are the palms of speaker’s hands and soles of his feet?
(a) West African sepia
(b) Brunette
(c) Peroxide blonde
(d) Raven black

14. What reason does the speaker give for his bottom being ‘raven black’?
(a) Harsh weather
(c) Standing in the sun
(b) Continuous sitting
(d) None of the above

15. Which figure of speech is used in the line given below?
‘Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap.’
(a) Assonance
(b) Onomatopoeia
(c) Simile
(d) Alliteration

Question 2
Complete the following sentences by providing a reason for each in brief:

1. For the speaker in the poem, the accommodation he wants to rent is all right because ………………………
Ans. For the speaker in the poem, the accommodation he wants to rent is all right because the price seemed reasonable, and the location was indifferent, meaning it wasn’t a concern.

2. The speaker makes a confession at the beginning of the poem because ………………………
Ans. The speaker makes a confession at the beginning of the poem because he wants to preempt any potential racial prejudice from the landlady and avoid a wasted journey, knowing his African identity might be an issue.

3. The speaker’s confession about the colour of his skin can be described as ironic because ……………………
Ans. The speaker’s confession about the colour of his skin can be described as ironic because he intends it as a straightforward disclosure, but it immediately triggers a series of intrusive and racially charged questions from the landlady, highlighting the absurdity of prejudice.

4. After the speaker’s confession, the lady remains silent for some time and he seems to hear a ‘transmission’ from her because …………………………………
Ans. After the speaker’s confession, the lady remains silent for some time and he seems to hear a ‘transmission’ from her because her pressurised good-breeding temporarily stops the conversation, indicating her shock and internal processing of the racial information before she responds.

5. The voice of the lady has been described by the speaker as ‘Lipstick coated’ because …………………………
Ans. The voice of the lady has been described by the speaker as ‘Lipstick coated’ because it suggests an artificial, superficial politeness or facade that she uses to mask her true racist thoughts and intentions.

6. The speaker repeatedly uses the word Red as in ‘Red booth’, ‘Red pillar-box’ and Red double tiered/Omnibus’ because …………………………
Ans. The speaker repeatedly uses the word Red as in ‘Red booth’, ‘Red pillar-box’ and Red double tiered/Omnibus’ because the color red reflects the speaker’s rising anger, frustration, and humiliation caused by the landlady’s prejudiced questioning.

7. The speaker’s reference to the lady as ‘considerate’ is an example of verbal irony because ……………………
Ans. The speaker’s reference to the lady as ‘considerate’ is an example of verbal irony because she is actually being highly inconsiderate and offensive by forcing him to describe his skin color in humiliating terms, rather than truly being thoughtful.

8. The speaker describes his face as ‘brunette’, his hands and feet as ‘peroxide blonde’ and his bottom as ‘raven black’ because ……………………………………………
Ans. The speaker describes his face as ‘brunette’, his hands and feet as ‘peroxide blonde’ and his bottom as ‘raven black’ because he is using extreme sarcasm to mock the landlady’s absurd and intrusive attempt to categorize his skin tone, highlighting the ridiculousness of her racial prejudice.

9. The landlady shows double standards because ………………………………
Ans. The landlady shows double standards because she maintains a veneer of good-breeding and politeness while simultaneously engaging in blatant racial discrimination by asking intrusive and offensive questions about the speaker’s skin color.

10. The speaker pleads with the landlady to ‘see for’ herself because ……………………………………
Ans. The speaker pleads with the landlady to ‘see for’ herself because he has used sarcasm to describe his varying skin tones to expose the absurdity and impossibility of her racial categorization, challenging her to confront the reality of her prejudice visually rather than through reductive labels.

Advice to Youth

Advice to Youth by Mark Twain 

Samuel Langhorne Clemens known by his pen name Mark Twain. He was an American writer, humourist, publisher and lecturer. 

Advice to Youth written in 1882

The following is a lecture Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) delivered to a group of young people, though the original location, date & occasion for the lecture is now unknown. 

Being told I would be expected to talk here, I inquired what sort of talk I ought to make. They said it should be something suitable to youth-something didactic, instructive, or something in the nature of good advice. Very well. I have a few things in my mind which I have often longed to say for the instruction of the young; for it is in one’s tender early years that such things will best take root and be most enduring and most valuable. First, then. I will say to you my young friends -- and I say it beseechingly, urgently – 

Always obey your parents, when t nohey are present. This is the best policy in the long run, because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgment. 

Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any, also to strangers, and sometimes to others. If a person offends you, and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, do not resort to extreme measures; simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick. That will be sufficient. If you shall find that he had not intended any offense, come out frankly and confess yourself in the wrong when you struck him; acknowledge it like a man and say you didn’t mean to. Yes, always avoid violence; in this age of charity and kindliness, the time has gone by for such things. Leave dynamite to the low and unrefined. 

Go to bed early, get up early -- this is wise. Some authorities say get up with the sun; some say get up with one thing, others with another. But a lark is really the best thing to get up with. It gives you a splendid reputation with everybody to know that you get up with the lark; and if you get the right kind of lark, and work at him right, you can easily train him to get up at half past nine, every time -- it’s no trick at all.

There are many sorts of books; but good ones are the sort for the young to read. remember that. They are a great, an inestimable, and unspeakable means of improvement. Therefore be careful in your selection, my young friends; be very careful; confine yourselves exclusively to Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saints' Rest, The Innocents Abroad, and works of that kind. 

But I have said enough. I hope you will treasure up the instructions which I have given you, and make them a guide to your feet and a light to your understanding. Build your character thoughtfully and painstakingly upon these precepts, and by and by, when you have got it built, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s

Major Themes

(a) Satire on Morality

Twain ridicules traditional moral teaching. Obedience, honesty, discipline—all are turned upside down to show society’s false virtue. 

(b) Education & Authority 

The essay mocks adult authority and moral lectures. Twain shows how advice often lacks sincerity and practicality. 

(c) Truth vs. Falsehood 

Twain argues that society prefers beautiful lies over uncomfortable truths. Monuments and history preserve lies better than facts. 

(d) Social Hypocrisy 

People pretend to value honesty but admire clever liars. Obedience is practiced only to avoid punishment. Twain exposes this hypocrisy. 

(e) Conformity 

The final line highlights how society molds individuals into copies, discouraging independent thinking.

Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka

Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka

He is Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet and essayist in the English language. He was awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 1986. 

Telephone Conversation

The price seemed reasonable, location
Indifferent (neither good nor bad). The landlady swore she lived
Off premises (space). Nothing remained
But self-confession. "Madam" , I warned,
"I hate a wasted journey - I am African."
Silence. Silenced transmission of pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was, foully (incorrectly) 

"HOW DARK?"...I had not misheard...."ARE YOU LIGHT OR VERY DARK?" Button B. Button A. Stench (unpleasant smell) 
Of rancid (not fresh) breath of public hide-and-speak.
Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered
Omnibus squelching tar.
It was real! Shamed
By ill-mannered silence, surrender
Pushed dumbfoundment (confused) to beg simplification.
Considerate she was, varying ( make separate)  the emphasis- (special importance) 
"ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT" Revelation came
"You mean- like plain or milk chocolate?"
Her assent (approval)  was clinical, crushing in its light
Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length(way of thinking) adjusted
I chose. "West African sepia"_ and as afterthought.
"Down in my passport." Silence for spectroscopic
Flight of fancy, till truthfulness chaged her accent (pronounciation of language)
Hard on the mouthpiece "WHAT'S THAT?" conceding (admit the truth) "DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS." "Like brunette (dark brown hair)."
"THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?"
"Not altogether.
Facially, I am brunette, but madam you should see the rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet.
Are a peroxide blonde (fair). Friction (conflict), caused-
Foolishly madam- by sitting down, has turned
My bottom raven black- One moment madam! - sensing
Her receiver rearing (bring up)  on the thunderclap
About my ears- "Madam," I pleaded, "wouldn't you rather
See for yourself?"

Analysis

“Telephone Conversation” Themes

• • Racism and the Complexity of Identity

    “Telephone Conversation” is a poem that satirizes racism. The speaker, who is black, makes fun of a white landlady who won’t rent to the speaker until she knows whether the speaker’s skin is “dark” or “light.” In contrast to the landlady’s simple, reductive ideas about race, the speaker suggests that race and identity are complicated and multi-faceted. Judging a person based on their skin color, the poem argues, is thus ignorant, illogical, and dehumanizing.

    At first the landlady seems ready to move forward with renting to the speaker, even “swearing” that “she lived / Off premises.” She can’t detect the speaker’s race through the phone, a fact that emphasizes.

  • Discrimination: caste, religion and race

  • 
    

Abhisara - the Tryst

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

He was a Indian poet, short story writer, song composer, playwright, essayist and painter. In 1913 he became the first non European to recieve the Nobel prize for literature entitled Gitanjali. 

His volumes of poetry are

 Manasi or The Ideal One (1890)

Sonar Tari or The Golden Boat (1894)

Katha O Kahini (1899)

Gitanjali or Song Offering (1901)

Gitimalya or Wreath of Songs (1914)

Balaka or The Flight of Cranes (1916) 

The Gardener (1913)

Fruit Gathering (1916)

The Fugitive (1921) 

Abhisara was written in Bengali by Rabindranath in 1899. He translated this poem into English for a collection of eighty six translated poems called Fruit Gathering, brought out in 1916 by Macmillan. 

This is a story poem based on Upagupta, a Buddhist monk who lived in the 300 BCE and was revered by Emperor Ashoka. 

Abhisara - the Tryst

Poem Analysis

Setting

The story of the poem, as already discussed, is based on the legends of the Buddhist monk Upagupta. So, the poem is set in 300 BCE. The place mentioned in the poem is Mathura city, India. Two meetings between Upagupta and Vasavadatta took place within a year, in a difference of several months.

It was August, the monsoon, when Vasavadatta stumbled upon Upagupta for the first time while their second meeting happened in April, the springtime. Both the meetings took place during the night time.

While the first meeting took place in a gloomy atmosphere with the murky sky, lightning and growling storm, the second meeting was in a rather cheery condition with the fool moon, notes of a flute floating around and the birds chirping. And notably, the atmosphere in both the scenes contradict with the state of life Vasavadatta was living in. Maybe this is a deliberate attempt from the poet to remind us how people’s fate changes with time and that the outer world may not reflect our inner condition.

Title

The Bengali word “abhisar” and the English word “tryst” mean the same – a private romantic meeting between two lovers. Though the present poem doesn’t really deal with a conventional kind of romantic love affair, the meeting between Upagupta and Vasavadatta outside the Mathura city wall when she needed someone the most to take care of her was no less than a tryst. It was a higher kind of love on display – spiritual love.

Upagupta, being a Buddhist monk, believed in selfless service to humanity. He attended and cared for Vasavadatta when the entire city showed apathy towards her. It was a secret meeting between them and a secret love affair which nobody in the city knew about. So, the title of the poem “Abhisara - The Tryst” is not only justified but also very meaningful.

Themes

Tagore’s poem “The Tryst” conveys a number of messages to the readers. The prominent themes in the poem are –

Transitory nature of youth and beauty

In the poem, we see how Vasavadatta, who once was a beautiful and proud woman and a famous dancing girl, was thrown out of the city when she suffered from an epidemic. This reminds us that youth and beauty are not permanent. So, we should not be proud of such qualities which are temporary in nature.

Human compassion

Upagupta was a disciple of Lord Buddha and he believed in selfless service to mankind. When he found Vasavadatta in an abandoned state, he showed his kindness and took great care of her. Upagupta ‘took her head on his knees’, ‘moistened her lips with water’ and ‘smeared her body with balm’ to give solace to her sores.

Vasavadatta’s address was so fitting when he asked, “Who are you, merciful one?” Upagupta indeed was ‘merciful’ not only to Vasavadatta but to the entire humanity by his philosophical and spiritual faith.

Spiritual love and wisdom

The poem “The Tryst”, as the name suggests, can be seen as a love story too. But this is not the traditional romantic love. It’s rather spiritual love which is unconditional and asexual.

The hermit, Upagupta was wise enough to politely refuse Vasavadatta’s invitation for a rest at her home in the first part of the poem. He knew that at that time she needed no help from him. So, he promised to visit her when the time was right.

And that time finally came even before a year was passed. Vasavadatta was struck with an epidemic and nobody was there to care for her. Upagupta visited the deserted woman and offered his selfless service out of his love for her, out of his love for the entire mankind.

Symbols

Light and darkness

Tagore in his poem “Abhisara - The Tryst” has used light and darkness symbolically to give a glimpse of the inner world of the two characters in the poem.

In the first part of the story, it was a dark August night when the beautiful lady Vasavadatta met the hermit, Upagupta. Though the lady was glittering with jewels, she was actually in the dark, i.e., she was ignorant of how temporary her youth and beauty was. Again, the flash of the lightning might be suggestive of the inner light of wisdom that Upagupta showed by politely refusing her suggestion to go with her.

In the later stage of the poem, the brightness of the moon suggests the same inner light of the monk that remains intact.

Monsoon and spring

The poem “The Tryst” depicts two meetings between Upagupta and Vasavadatta, one in monsoon and the other in Springtime. The changing seasons in nature symbolises the changing conditions of our life. In the poem we see how Vasavadatta’s fate changes with time. Once she was the most beautiful and most desired lady in the town, but later she was abandoned by everyone.

A Living God by Lafcadio Hearn

A Living God by Lafcadio Hearn

Brief Story

Lafcadio Hearn’s “A Living God” recounts the extraordinary courage and foresight of Hamaguchi Gohei, an elderly village headman in a quiet coastal settlement of Japan. Known as the “muraosa,” Hamaguchi was a man of integrity (truthfulness) , prudence (wisdom),  and compassion (sympathy) . Though richer than most villagers, he lived a humble life in his farmhouse on a small hill that overlooked the broad rice fields stretching down to the bay.

The community prospered through hard work and mutual cooperation, depending largely on agriculture for livelihood. The story begins during a season of abundance (richness) . The villagers, delighted by a successful harvest, gather at the beach to celebrate a festival in honor of their harvest god. Laughter, music, and dance fill the air as the people rejoice beneath the brilliant sunset.

From his veranda, Hamaguchi observes the scene contentedly (eagerly) until a faint yet persistent (constantly)  tremor (tremble) runs through the ground. Though mild and almost unnoticeable to others, it unsettles the old man. Hamaguchi has lived long enough to recognize the strange manner of the shaking—it lasts too long, and its rhythm is unnatural.

He peers toward the sea and notices something peculiar: the ocean is receding rapidly, retreating far into the horizon and exposing gleaming sand ribs and broken shells that no one had ever seen before. Curious villagers, unaware of the danger, hurry to the beach to explore the newly uncovered seabed.

A terrifying memory stirs within Hamaguchi. He had once heard stories from his grandfather about a similar phenomenon that preceded (go ahead) a devastating tsunami. Understanding the peril (danger)  yet realizing there is no time to run down and warn everyone, Hamaguchi desperately seeks a way to attract their attention.

Suddenly, he has an idea that only a man of great presence of mind could conceive. He commands his grandson Tada to bring a torch and sets fire to his own rice stacks—the symbols of his year’s prosperity and wealth. Flames rise high into the twilight sky, and thick black smoke spirals toward the bell tower on the hilltop temple. Alarmed monks ring the large bell, and the sound echoes across the valley. Seeing the fire and hearing the gong, the villagers abandon (left) the shoreline and rush uphill toward Hamaguchi’s house to offer help.

Just as the last of them reaches safety, a thunderous roar fills the air. The sea, now a monstrous wall of water, returns with unstoppable fury, swallowing the village in moments. The waves crash repeatedly, tearing apart homes and flooding the fields. When the sea finally recedes, nothing remains of the coastal settlement. The villagers stand speechless at the hilltop, staring in awe (fright) and gratitude at Hamaguchi, whose timely sacrifice has saved them all.

Despite losing every possession he owned, Hamaguchi does not lament (mourn) his loss. The people, deeply moved, decide to honor him permanently by building a temple in his name and worshipping him as a “living god.” Through his wisdom and selflessness, Hamaguchi transcends(cross over) ordinary human stature (height), becoming a symbol of divine humanity and enduring (stable) spiritual strength.

Story Video link

Story

Stories

 

1. Thinking Out of the Box

Once upon a time, a merchant named Sam owed a huge sum of money to Tom, a money lender. The time came when the merchant ran out of the last chance given to him to give the money back.

Sam had a beautiful daughter who was very affectionate with her father. Tom asked the merchant to give all the money back failing which he will marry his beautiful daughter.

Tom was not at all good looking and ill minded and so the merchant was in dilemma. Tom proposed a new condition. There was a mix of black and white pebbles on the ground where they were standing. He will take two pebbles on both hands, one will be white and the other will be black.

If the daughter correctly chooses the white pebble, then Tom will write off all the debt and leave the marriage proposal too. But if she chooses the black pebble, he will write off the debt but will marry the daughter.

Tom bent down to pick the pebbles from the ground and the daughter noticed that he took black pebbles on both hands. The girl had three choices- to notify the same to her father which may provoke Tom, take the black pebble and sacrifice her life or simply refuse to take the pebble which might land her father into trouble. But what she did totally surprise Tom.

She took the pebble from his hand and ‘accidentally’ the pebble fell off from her hand to ground. She then asked Tom to see which color pebble was left in his hand to identify the color she picked. Tom had no other choice but to show the black color pebble in his hand and set both of them free.

Moral: Sometimes, life offers you situations which not only demands hard work and perseverance but some creative thinking which saves the situation.

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2. The Group of Frogs

Some frogs were traveling through woods and two of them accidentally fell into a pit. The other frogs which were safe upside understood how deep the pit was and saw no hope for the frogs to escape out of it.

Both of these frogs started trying to get out of the pit but failed many times. The frogs on the safe side shouted at them to give up the pain of trying as it was not possible.

Eventually, one frog heard the other frogs and decided to stop trying and fell down to death. However, the other frog went on trying and at last managed to reach the top.

The other frogs asked him, “Did you not hear us?” He explained that he was deaf and thought other frogs were encouraging him to get out.

Moral: Some people around you may ask you to be on a safer side always and stop trying and taking risks. However, there is no gain without pain. So try hard to achieve success in life despite what life offers you.

3. Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand

Once a professor entered the classroom with a glass jar, rocks, pebbles, and sand. The students were amused to see what he was up to. First, he started filling the rock parts into the jar until he couldn’t add any more.

He asked the students if the jar was full and everybody nodded yes. He then started putting the pebbles inside the jar which went inside through the small gaps and he shakes the jar to allow the pebbles to get into those vacant spaces in between the rocks.

He asked the same question to the students and they again said that the jar was full. Finally, he poured the sand inside the jar which went through the minute gaps and got filled in the jar.

The professor explained that this is how you should set priorities in life. Rock is like your family, while pebbles are like your career while sand is like the least priorities in life and unnecessary quarrels and egos.

If you put sand on the jar first, it will get easily filled up leaving no space for rocks and pebbles.

Moral: You should identify your priorities in life and develop a good strategy to work towards fulfilling it rather than wasting your time and effort on unnecessary aspects of life.

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4. Struggles develop strength

One day a man was passing by a garden when he saw a butterfly cocoon which was about to get open.

He saw a small opening on it and watched the several hours of struggles the butterfly came through to get the body out of it. After many hours, it seemed that the butterfly stopped trying as there was no progress.

He thought to help the butterfly by cutting the cocoon with a scissor. So the butterfly came out easily but the wings were shriveled and the body was tiny and withered.

Unfortunately, the butterfly was not able to take flight and spend the rest of life crawling with a wounded body.

Moral: This is nature’s way of telling the importance of struggles in life. Sometimes, different kinds of struggles are needed in life to make you stronger in the future. Never feel disappointed in life and stop trying when life offers you struggles but keep on fighting until you see success.

List of the questions

1) What is creative thinking explain by the first story ' Thinking out of the Box'.

2) How the girl save her life from the Tom in the first story?

3) What have you learnt from the frogs in the second story?

4) Which are the three things discussed in the third story? Which are the your priorities in your life?

5) What happened if you will not trying in your life? explain by the help of the fourth story.

6) What have you learnt from the all four stories?

7) Which story do you like more ? 

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