Class six(vi) ।। English (ইংরাজি) ।। Lesson-1
Lesson-1
It All Began With Drip-Drip
Alka Shankar and Sharleen Mukundan
part-1
Let's read:
A tiger was caught in a storm. He had wandered near the village, looking for something to eat. On the outskirts of that village lived an ill-tempered old woman. The tiger huddled in shelter close to the wall of the woman's hut.
The old woman was feeling very ill-tempered that night. The rainwater was leaking through the roof.
"There is no escape from this drip-drip", she muttered angrily, pushing her bed around the room to keep it dry. She shoved the bed and a tin trunk against a wall. The wall shook.
"This drip-drip will be the death of me!"she shouted.
The tiger on the opposite side of the wall felt the wall shake and was frightened. "The drip-drip must be a very dreadful creature," he thought.
Meanwhile, Bholenath, the potter, was out in the night, looking for his donkey in the storm. Suddenly he saw an animal huddled in the dark against the wall of the woman's hut.
Activity-1
Tick [7] the correct alternative:
(a) The tiger took sheiter near the house of (i) an old woman (ii) an old man (iii) a neighbour.
Ans. The tiger took shelter near the house of (i) an old woman
(b) The old woman was (i) soft spoken (ii) ill-tempered (iii) shy
Ans. The old woman was (i) ill-tempered
(c) The tiger thought drip-drip was (i) the constant falling of rain (ii) the name of a man (iii) a creature.
Ans. The tiger thought drip-drip was (iii) a creature.
(d) Bholenath was a (i) farmer (ii) weaver (iii) potter
Ans. Bholenath was a (iii) potter
Activity-2
Rearrange the following sentences in the correct order and put the numbers in the given boxes. One is done for you.
Ans. 1. She pushed her bed around the room to keep it dry. [4]
2. The tiger took shelter outside an old woman's hut, [2]
3. Bholenath was looking for his donkey. [5]
4. A tiger was caught in a storm. [1]
5. Bholenath sawan animal huddled against the wall of the woman's huti [6]
6. The old woman was ill-tempered that night. [3]
Activity-3
Answer the following question :
What do you think would Bholenath's reaction be if he knew that the animal “huddled in the dark was actually a tiger?
Ans. If Bholenath knew that the animal huddled in the dark was actually a tiger, he got horrified. He would screamed in fear and ran away.
Activity-4
Complete the following sentences with information from the text.
(a) The tiger was frightened because_____________.
Ans. The tiger was frightened because Bholenath grabbed the animal and pulled its ears.
(b) Bholenath's wife screamed in fear when___________.
Ans. Bholenath's wife screamed in fear when she discovered the tiger tied to the tree.
(c) Disturbed and confused by the people, the tiger __________.
Ans. Disturbed and confused by the people, the tiger. had chewed through the rope and ran away to the jangle.
(d) Bholenath announced proudly that _____________.
Ans. Bholenath announced proudly that he captured the tiger last night and he even pulled its ears.
Let's continue:
"There is my donkey!"Bholenath shouted, and running to the tiger, grabbed it. He pulled the tiger's ears.
"Move, you lazy donkey, or I will give you a hard time!" The tiger was really frightened. "This must be the terrible drip-drip!" He thought.
Bholenath dragged the tiger home and kept him tied by a sturdy rope to a
tree near his hut..
In the morning, Bholenath's wife discovered the tiger tied to the tree and screamed in fear. Hearing her, the neighbours came running out of their huts. Bholenath was sleeping. He came out, too.
The people were all mystified. "Who tied this tiger to the tree?" They asked.
A neighbour said, "I think Bholenath can tell us. I saw him last night dragging
an animal through the storm."
Bholenath was too frightened to admit his mistake. Everyone looked questioningly at Bholenath.. In the meantime, the tiger, disturbed and confused by all the people, had chewed through the rope. It ran away to the jungle. The villagers were relieved.
Bholenath now saw an opportunity to brag.
"It is I who captured the tiger last night. I even pulled its ears," Bholenath announced proudly. Everyone marvelled at his bravery.
Soon the news of Bholenath's bravery reached the king. The king was highly impressed. He made Bholenath the Commander-in-chief of the king's army. Bholenath and his wife were given a huge house to live in.
Activity-5
Answer the following question.
(a) Why did Bholenath bring the tiger home ?
Ans. As it was a stormy dark night, Bholenath thought the tiger to be his lost donkey and at once brought it home.
(b) What imade the neighbours come running out of their huts?
Ans. The scream of Bholenath's wife, seeing a tied tiger made the neighbours come running out of their huts.
(c) Why were the villagers relieved?
Ans. The villagers were relieved because the tiger ran away to the jungle after seeing so many people.
(d) How did the king reward Bholenath for his bravery?
Ans. For his bravery Bholenath was made commander-in-chief of the king's army and was given a huge house to live in by the king.
Activity-6
Write T' for true and 'F' for false statements in the given boxes. Give supporting statements for each of your answer :
(a) Bholenath did not know how to ride a horse. [T]
Supporting statements: "I don't even know how to ride a horse"
(b) The King sent Bholenath a magnificent elephani, [F]
Supporting statements. : “The king sent Bholenath a magnificent stallion"
(c) The enemy soldiers were happy to see Bholenath. [F]
Supporting statements: "The enemy soldiers were greatly scared"
(d) Bholenath defeated the enemy soldiers single-handedly. [T]
Supporting statements: ''Everyone was amazed that he had defended his state all by himself."
Activity-7
Answer the following questions in complete sentences:
(a) Why was Bholenath full of despair?
Ans. It is because the king had given him the duty to protect his state but Bholenath did not have any idea about warfare nor could he ride a horse.
(b) How did his wife help him to overcome his trouble?
Ans. To overcome his trouble, Bholenath's wife tied him securely to the horse with a rope.
(c) What made the enemy soldiers greatly scared ?
Ans. The enemy soldiers were greatly scared to see that a wild looking man tied to a fierce stallion, was waving branches of tree excitedly.
(d) Do you think Bholenath could truly be called a legendary character? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. Bholenath cannot truly be called a legendary character as he was not a true warrior and what happened were all by virtue of his luck.
Let's continue:
A few months after that evening, news came that a neighbouring king has declared war. Bholenath and his king gathered at the royal court. The king told Bholenath, "You are the Commander-in-chief of my army. I entrust you with the duty of protecting my state."
Bholenath came back home in utter despair. "I don't even know how to ride a horse", he told his wife helplessly, "How will I defend our borders against eight thousand enemy soldiers?"
"Don't worry," his wife said, "I'll tie you to the horse."
In the morning, the king sent Bholenath a magnificent stallion. Bholenath got up glumly on the horse and his wife securely tied him to it with a rope. The horse did not like the feel of the tight ropes. It reared
suddenly and galloped off wildly. Bholenath hung desperately to its mane Realising that the horse was headed straight for the enemy camp, Bholenath shouted in fear. The horse could not be stopped.
Bholenath noticed a large tree with its branches hanging over the road. As the horse galloped under the tree, Bholenath reached up to grasp the branches and pull himself free. But the branches broke away in his hands. The horse had entered the enemy camp.
The enemy soldiers were astonished to see a wild-looking man tied to a fierce stallion, waving branches excitedly. "Help, help!"Bholenath was shouting. The enemy soldiers did not hear him. They were greatly scared. "This must be some great warrior come single-handedly to defeat us!" The
soldiers were overcome with fear and instantly ran away without putting up a fight.
Soon the news of Bholenath's great victory spread. Everyone was amazed that he had defended his state all by himself against eight thousand enemy soldiers. The king awarded him in a public ceremony. Bholenath became a legend..
It all had started with a drip-drip!
Class Six(VI)।। English(ইংরাজি)।। Lesson 1।। It All Began With Drip-Drip।।Alka Shankar and Sharleen Mukundan।।পার্ট-২(part-2)
