English In the Kingdom of Fools.

 In the Kingdom of fools.

Date- 6/8/21

Topics covered- Reading and explanation with new word meanings.

New words

1.execute

2.disciple

3.stake

4.bailiff

5.scrape

Comprehension Questions

a)     Why were the people of the kingdom confused when they saw the dead bodies of the king and his minister?

The people of the kingdom were confused as to how their king and the minister were dead instead of the Guru and the disciple. The people were not able to see through the plan which was executed by the Guru against their king and minister.

b)     When does the disciple remember the words of his Guru?

The disciple did not pay any heed to the advice of his Guru, when the Guru asked him

to leave the kingdom. Later, when the king decided that the disciple was the suitable person for execution, he remembered the words of the Guru.

a)     Why did the Guru want that he and his disciple should die first?

The king had ordered the execution of the rich merchant. Since the rich merchant could not be executed the disciple was chosen to the stake. The disciple’s Guru had a vision and saw everything. In order to save his disciple, the Guru hatched a plan.

b)   On what conditions did the Guru and his disciple agree to rule the kingdom of fools?

He laid the condition that he would be free to change all the old and foolish laws. Hence night was considered as night and day was regarded as a normal working day. Even the cost of the things would be changed according to the value of the material.

c)  Why did the Guru not want to stay in the Kingdom of fools?

The Guru did not want to stay in the Kingdom of fools as the people over there were foolish. He was not sure about them and felt that they could harm him.

d) Why does the disciple not want to leave the Kingdom of the fools?

The disciple did not want to leave the place because of the sale of cheap eatables and other commodities and since everything was easily available and life seemed to be very simple and easy.

e)   Why did the king decide not to execute the Guru and his disciple?

The Guru befooled the king. He told him that the stake in their kingdom was new and was the stake of the god of justice. It had never had a criminal on it. So, first one who dies on it will be reborn as the king and the next one to die will be reborn as the minister. The foolish king fell for the words of the Guru and decided not to execute them.

f)  What advice did the Guru give to the disciple before going out of the city?

The Guru told his disciple that it was dangerous to stay in a Kingdom of fools. He said that there was no justice only foolish, unpredictable behaviour. According to him the kingdom would not last long and one couldn’t tell what they would do to one later.

g)Why did the king want to punish the merchant?

The king wanted to punish the merchant because the wall of his house collapsed and it fell on the thief who had entered his house, killing him. The merchant pleaded that the wall had been built during his father’s time. But the king decreed that since the merchant had inherited his father’s wealth, he had inherited his sins too. Therefore, he should be punished.

h) Who became the new king and the prime minister of the kingdom?

As the kingdom was without a king, the people of the kingdom persuaded the Guru and the disciple to take over the throne. So, the holy man became the king and his disciple took the charge of the Minister.

Long Answer Type Questions (100-150 words)

a)  What light does the story throw on the importance of not giving in to temptation and listening to good advice?

The disciple in the story didn’t look into the depth of the matter and took a hasty decision of not leaving the kingdom of fools. The disciple was tempted by the prices of the commodities. Anything could be bought with a ‘Duddu’. Either it could be a mass of rice or a bunch of bananas. All the disciple wanted was good, cheap food. So, the disciple decided to stay back and did not listen to his Guru who advised his disciple that it was dangerous to stay back in the kingdom of fools as there was no justice, prevalent in such kingdom. One wouldn’t be able to tell what they would do next.

It was when the disciple was chosen as the suitable person for execution that he realized his mistake. He regretted his decision of staying back. Just one small decision almost cost him his life.

b)   How did the Guru and his disciple become the king and the minister of the kingdom?

The Guru knew that the king and his minister were fools. In order to save his disciple, Guru hatched a plan. He told him that the first one to be executed at the state would become the king in the next life and the second to be executed would be the king’s minister.

The foolish king and his minister got themselves executed. The people panicked and were confused when they saw that their king and minister were dead. They mourned and discussed the future of the kingdom. Suddenly someone thought of the guru and the disciple .The people begged them to be the king and the minister.

c)  “Guru was a wise man” – how does the story ‘The Kingdom of fools’ reflects it?

‘The Kingdom of Fools’ clearly reflects that Guru was a wise man as he advised his disciple not to stay in that kingdom. The disciple did not want to leave the place. He was tempted by the good and cheap food. He did not pay any heed to his Guru and stayed on. When he was imprisoned by the King’s men, he realized the significance of his Guru’s words and repented on his not following his Guru’s advice. So, it is proved that Guru was really very wise. And it was because of his wisdom that disciple was saved and they were made king and minister of the kingdom.

Answers to Text book questions:

1.  What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of fools?

Everything was different in the kingdom of fools. People worked in the night and slept during the day. Not only have the human beings even the animals stayed awake at night. Anything and everything could be bought for a ‘Duddu’. A ‘Duddu’ could buy a mass of rice as well as a bunch of bananas.

2.  Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?

The disciple thinks of the easy life ahead. He didn’t want to leave the kingdom because everything was cheap. The disciple wanted only good cheap food. He dreams of relishing every rich food on offer as everything cost same in that kingdom.

In the end the idea did not prove good for the disciple was chosen to be executed a he fit the stake due to his large size.

1.  Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial. The merchant was the first accused because his house wall collapsed and killed the thief. The next person was the bricklayer as it was thought his bad workmanship created a weak wall. Then the dancer was accused of distracting the bricklayer resulting in poor quality of the wall. Next accused was the goldsmith who called the dancer time and again to deliver the jewellery which in turn led to the distraction of the bricklayer. The goldsmith passed the blame on the merchant’s father who wanted his order to be completed first hence the goldsmith couldn’t finish the dancer’s work. At last the wheel turned full circle and the blame came back to the original merchant.

2.  Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape from the punishment? Although it was the merchant’s father who was believed to be responsible for the collapse of the wall that killed the thief, the king proclaimed that he had inherited everything from his criminal father so the rich merchant was the real culprit according to the King. It was found that the rich merchant was too thin to be properly executed on the newly made stake. The worried king foolishly ordered his servants to look for a fat man to fit the stake. Thus, the merchant escaped the punishment.

3.  What is the Guru’s wisdom? When does the disciple realize this?

The Guru’s wisdom was that there was no justice in the Kingdom of fools and due to the unpredictable behaviour of the fools; he wanted to leave the kingdom at once. The disciple remembers these words when the king decides that the disciple was the suitable person to fit the new stake.

4.  How did the Guru manage to save his disciple?

It is often believed that our prayers are often heard and answered which was proved in the story. ‘In the Kingdom of Fools’. The king had ordered the execution of the disciple because he fit the new stake. The disciple prayed to the Guru to save him. The Guru saw everything in a vision because he had magic powers. He could see far, the future, the past and the present.

When the guru came, he whispered something in the disciple’s and then asked the king to execute him first and then the disciple. The disciple wanted to be the first on the stake. The two began fighting. The king was puzzled.

The guru explained to the king that the stake in his kingdom was new and was the stake of the god of justice. It had never had a criminal on it. So, first one who dies on it

will be reborn as the king and the next one to die will be reborn as the minister.

The king did not want to lose the kingdom in the next life. The king and the minister went to the prison and disguised themselves as the guru and the disciple. Hence, they were executed.

It was his Guru’s advice and presence of mind that saved the disciple. The disciple realized his mistake of Guru’s not listening to the Guru’s words of wisdom.