Comprehension check:-

Q 1. Why didn’t he pay the school fees on the day he brought money to school ?

Ans. The teacher in charge of collecting fees was out of the classroom that day. As a result, he failed to pay his school fees on the day he brought money to school.

Q.2 (i) What were the coins ‘saying’ to him ?

Ans. The coins begged him to spend them on crisp and hot Jalebis.

(ii) Do you think they were misguiding him ?

Ans. Yes, they were leading him away. He was a good boy, but they were luring him down the wrong path.

Q 3. Why didn’t he take the coins’ advice ? Give two or three reasons.

Ans. He thought of himself as a good boy. He had plenty to eat at home. That was his tuition money, and he refused to spend it. As a result, he ignored the coins’ advice.

Q.4 (i) What did the oldest coin tell him ?

Ans.  The oldest coin advised him to enjoy hot Jalebis today and to pay his school fees with the scholarship money he would receive the next day.

(ii) Did he follow his advice ? If not, why not ?

Ans. No, he didn’t take his advice. He claimed that he was not the typical type of boy who could be taken in so easily. It was beneath his station to eat Jalebis while standing in the market.

Q 5. He reached home with the coins in his pocket. What happened then ?

Ans. When he got home, the coins started talking and shrieking. He was tired of their noises and dashed out of the house, barefoot, towards the bazaar.

Comprehension Check:-

Q.1 (i) Why didn’t he eat all the jalebis he had bought ?

Ans. He spent one rupee on Jalebis. They were very inexpensive. He received a large quantity of Jalebis. He ate to his heart’s content, but he couldn’t finish them all.

(ii) What did he do with the remaining jalebis ?

Ans. He shared the last of the Jalebis with the boys gathered around him.

Q 2. “The fear was killing me.” What was the fear ?

Ans. The author had consumed so many Jalebis that he was unable to digest them. He was afraid that every burp would result in a jalebi or two coming out of his mouth.

Q 3. “Children’s stomachs are like digestion machines.” What do you understand by that? Do you agree ?

Ans. It means that children can easily digest whatever they eat. They digest food quickly. I agree with this statement.

Q 4. How did he plan to pay the fees the next day ?

Ans. He planned to pay the fees with the scholarship money he received the day before.

Q 5. When it is time to pay the fees, what does he do ? How is he disobeying the elders by doing so ?

Ans. He leaves the school and travels to the railway station to pay his fees. He’s sitting in the shade of a tree. His elders had warned him not to cross the railway tracks, but he disregards their advice.

Comprehension Check:-

Q 1. What was the consequence of buying jalebis with the fees money ?

Ans. He had spent his fee money on Jalebis. He was now keeping himself absent from school. He had been absent from school for the first time.

Q 2. His prayer to God is like a lawyer’s defence of a bad case. Does he argue his case well ? What are the points he makes ?

Ans. He claims he made a mistake by spending the fee money on Jalebis. He claims that if he knew he wouldn’t get the scholarship money the next day, he would never pay the fees for Jalebis. He effectively presents his case.

Q 3. He offers to play a game with Allah Miyan. What is the game ?

Ans. The author will proceed from there to a signal in the game. When he leaves, Allah Miyan will hide four rupees beneath the rock.

Q 4. Did he get four rupees by playing the game ? What did he get to see under the rock ?

Ans. No, he did not win four rupees from the game. He saw a large hairy worm under the rock.

Q 5. If God had granted his wish that day, what harm would it have caused him in later life ?

Ans. If God had granted his wish that day, he would have grown up to be a passive boy full of excuses.

Exercise :-

Work in small groups:-

Q 1. Select and read sentences that show

• That the boy is tempted to eat jalebis
• That he is feeling guilty.
• That he is justifying a wrong deed

Ans. But then, these Jalebis aren’t your average Jalebis. They’re crisp, fresh, and bursting with sweet syrup.

So all right, I admit, I made a mistake.

What harm could four rupees have done to anyone if Allah Miyan had sent me four rupees that day?

Q 2. Discuss the following points.

• Is the boy intelligent? If so, what is the evidence for it?
• Does his outlook on the Jalebis episode change after class VIII? Does he see that episode in a new light?
• Why are coins made to ‘talk’ in this story? What purpose does it serve?

Ans. Yes, the boy is bright. He was one of the school’s most promising students. He received a scholarship in fourth grade. He had never been absent from school before.

Yes, his perspective on the Jalebis incident shifted after class VIII. He believes that if Allah Miyan had provided everything for free, man would have been idle and lazy.

The coins are made to talk in order to add humour to the story. It serves the purpose of demonstrating how money can lead even the wisest of people astray.