Let’s Read Stories | Lesson 2 | Prose | Summary | Questions | Answers

 

JANDKNCERT | English | Class 4th | Chant IV

 

Let’s Read Stories | Lesson 2 | Prose | Summary | Questions | Answers

 

(A) The Coloured Jackal

Short Summary

A jackal accidentally fell into a dye pot and turned colourful. The animals made him their king, but one day he howled like other jackals, revealing his true self. The story teaches that pretending to be someone else always leads to trouble.

stray — to lose one’s way — بھٹک جانا
cautious — careful — محتاط
chase — to run after — پیچھا کرنا
dyer — a person who colours cloth — رنگریز
container — a vessel or pot — برتن
monarch — king or ruler — بادشاہ
flatter — praise too much — خوشامد کرنا
assemble — to gather — جمع ہونا
howl — a loud cry of animals — چلاّہٹ

 

 

Q1. What happened to the jackal?
Answer: The jackal strayed into the city and was chased by dogs. To save himself, he jumped into a dyer’s container full of coloured water and was dyed completely.

Q2. When did the jackal reach the jungle?
Answer: The jackal reached the jungle in the middle of the night after escaping from the city.

Q3. Why did the jackals make him their king?
Answer: The jackals made him their king because they had never seen such a coloured animal before and thought he was a special creature sent to rule them.

Q4. What made the other jackals realise he was not special?
Answer: One day, when the other jackals howled, the coloured jackal forgot his kingship and howled too. This made everyone realise he was just an ordinary jackal.

Q5. What lesson do we learn from the story?
Answer: The story teaches that false pride and pretending to be someone else always lead to downfall. It is better to be honest and true to ourselves.

 

Word Meanings

(i) Stray – to lose one’s way
(ii) Cautious – careful
(iii) Monarch – king or ruler
(iv) Flatter – to praise too much
(v) Howl – loud cry made by a jackal
(vi) Pounce – to jump upon or attack suddenly

 

Worksheet for Students

Q1. Why did the jackal jump into the dyer’s shop?

Q2. Rearrange in order:
The jackal became king.
The jackal fell in colour.
The dogs chased him.

Q3. Write the meaning of:
assemble, cautious

 

(B) The Sage and the Mouse

Short Summary
A sage turned a mouse into a girl who wanted to marry the most powerful being. After meeting the sun, cloud, wind, and mountain, they all said the mouse was the strongest. The sage turned her back into a mouse, learning never to interfere with nature.

sage — a wise man — دانا شخص
meditate — to pray or think quietly — غوروفکر کرنا
spell — magic words — جادوئی منتر
glare — strong shining light — چمکتی روشنی
disperse — scatter — منتشر ہونا
puzzle — confuse — الجھن میں ڈالنا
fiddle — interfere — دخل دینا

 

Q1. What was the sage doing in the forest?
Answer: The sage was meditating in the forest day and night.

Q2. What did the sage do to the mouse?
Answer: The sage cast a spell and changed the mouse into a beautiful girl.

Q3. Who did the sage think to be the strongest being?
Answer: The sage thought the Sun was the strongest being in the world.

Q4. Who did the mountain think to be stronger than him? Why?
Answer: The mountain thought that the mouse was stronger, because the mouse could make holes and eat the mountain from within.

Q5. What lesson did you learn from the story?
Answer: The story teaches that we should never interfere with nature and must accept everyone as they are. Every creature, big or small, has its own power and importance.

 

Word Meanings

(i) Sage – a wise person
(ii) Meditate – to think or pray in silence
(iii) Spell – magical words used to change something
(iv) Glare – a strong shining light
(v) Disperse – to scatter
(vi) Puzzle – to confuse
(vii) Fiddle – to interfere

 

Worksheet for Students

Q1. Why did the sage change the mouse into a girl?

Q2. Who did the mountain say was stronger? Why?

Q3. Write one lesson you learned from this story.