A Grain As Big As A Hen's Egg Question Answer | Summary | Class 10 | Odisha Board

A Grain As Big As A Hen's Egg

Summary:

One day it was discovered by some children in a ravine, a thing shaped like a grain of corn with a groove down the middle. But the corn was as big as a hen's egg. A traveler passing by saw the thing and bought it from the children for a penny. He took the corn to the town and sold it to the king as a curiosity. The king called all the wise men together to find out what the thing was. No one could know the thing. Once it was lying on a window-sill, when a hen flew in and pecked at it till she made a hole in it. Then it was known by everyone that it was a grain of com. 

             The king was surprised and ordered the learned men to know when and where such corn had grown. But the learned men after searching in their books found no answer about the whereabouts of the com. But they suggested asking the peasants as some of them might have heard from their fathers about the size of the corn. 

             As per the king's order, his servants brought a very old peasant to him. He was old and bent, ashy, pale and toothless. He came with the help of two crutches into the king's presence. The king showed him the grain and asked if he had seen such corn or had sown such in his fields. He answered that he had never sown nor reaped any like that in his fields. He had never bought like that. He said that the grains were as they are now. He suggested the king that he might ask his father who might have heard where such grain had grown. So the king sent for the old man's father who was brought before the king. He came walking with one crutch.   

             The king showed him the grain. He was able to see it better than his son. Although the old man was rather hard of hearing, he still heard better than his son. When he was asked by the king whether he had sown such grain or had reaped such a corn like that, he answered that he had never sown nor reaped any such corn in his fields. As to buying, he never bought any, for in his time money was not yet in use. Exchange of goods for goods was prevailing. There was a sharing life. The com was larger and yielded more flour than present day grain. But he never heard any like that. He suggested that the king had better ask his father. 

             So the king sent for this old man's father. He was brought before the king. He walked without crutches. His eyesight was clear. His hearing was good too. He spoke 

distinctly. The king showed him the grain. The old man looked at it and turned it about as in his hand and he tasted a piece off. The king wanted to know whether he had ever bought any like that or sown any like such in his fields. 

          The old man replied that corn like that used to grow everywhere in his time. They were sowing and reaping and threshing corn like that size. Each man had corn enough of his own. They had known nothing of money. The king wanted to know where his field was, where he grew corn like that. The old man replied that land was free. That was a thing no man called his own. Labour was the only thing called their own. 

            The king wanted the answer of two more questions from that old man. The first question was why the earth bore such grain then and ceased to do so now. The second question was why his grandson walked with two crutches, his son with one and he himself with none. His eyes were bright, his teeth sound and his speech clear. The old man replied that now-a-days men have ceased to live by their own labour and have depended on others. In old times, they lived according to God's law.

QuestionAnswer:

[ I ]

Comprehension check

1. What did the children find in the ravine?

Ans: The children found in the ravine, a thing shaped like a grain of corn, with a groove down the middle which was as large as a hen’s egg.

2. How did the wisemen know that was a grain of corn?

Ans: When the grain was lying on a window-sill, a hen flew in and pecked at it till she made a hole in it, and then everyone got to know that it was grain of corn.

3. What did the king do to collect information about the grain?

Ans: The king ordered the learned men to find out when and where such corn had grown.

4. Could the learned men find out the answer? What was their suggestions?

Ans: No, the learned men thought and searched but could not find answer. They suggested that the king could get the answer from the peasants.

5. What was the king’s question to the old peasant who came first?

Ans: The king asked the old peasant from where such grains have grown and had he ever bought or sown such in his fields.

6. Was he able to hear and see? What was his answer?

Ans: He could hardly see or hear. He answered after the great difficulty that neither he had sowed nor reaped such grain in his fields. He also told the king that the grains he sow were the size of the grains were as small as it was at that time.

7. How did the old peasant’s father come to the king? Was he able to see?

Ans: The old peasant told the king that he could ask his father about such grain, so the king sent for the old peasant’s father. The old peasant’s father was able to see.

[ II ]

Comprehension check

1 How big was the corn in his father's time?

Ans: In his father’s time, the size of the corn was as small as it was in his time.

2 Read the lines that describe the old man’s grandfather.

Ans: He entered walking easily and without crutches: his eye was clear, his hearing good, and he spoke distinctly.

3 What was the grandfather’s reply to the king’s question?

Ans: The grandfather replied to the king that in his time the same size of corn would grow. In fact he sowed and reaped the same kind of grain in his time. He lived on that corn.

4 Did the people in grandfather’s time buy or sell bread?

Ans: No, people in grandfather’s time didn’t do the sin of buying and selling the bread.

5 Was the land free during his time? Say the lines that suggest.

Ans: Yes, the land during the time of grandfather was free. The following lines suggest the idea- My field was God’s earth, wherever I ploughed, there was my field. Land was free. It was a thing no man called his own. Labour was the only thing men called their own.’

6 What were the last two questions of the king?

Ans: The king asked two questions to the grandfather. The first question was why the earth did bear such grain in grandfather’s time and has ceased to do so in the present time. And the second question was how even at his age he could able to walk, see and hear properly whereas his grandson used two crutches and his son one crutch.

7 What reply did the grandfather give?

Ans: The grandfather replied that men in the present times have stopped to live by their own labor and are dependent on the labor of others. In his time, they lived according to the God’s law and they earned from their efforts and not from others.

Writing

Answer the following questions in about fifty words.

1. How did the grain of corn reach the king?

Ans: One day some children found a thing shaped like a grain of corn, with a groove down the middle, in a raving. The grain of corn was as large as a hen’s egg. A traveler who was passing by saw the thing and bought it from the children by giving them a penny. He then took that thing to the town and sold it to the king as a curiosity. This is how the grain of corn reached the king.

2. How did the wise men know that it was a grain of corn?

Ans: The king wanted to know what that thing was. To know what exactly it was, he called his wise men to find it out. The wise men thought but all in vain. It was one day, when the thing was lying on a window-sill, a hen flew in and pecked at it till she made a hole in it. It was then, everyone saw and got to know that it was a grain of corn.

3. What suggestions did the learned men give to the king to find out when and where such corns had grown?

Ans: The king was surprised to know that thing was a grain of corn. He wanted to know when and where such kind of grain had grown. He then ordered the learned men to find out about it. The learned thought over and again and even searched in their book, but they could not find the answer. They suggested the king that it would be better if the king ask the peasants about the grain.

4. What were the replies given by the old peasant and his father regarding the corn?

Ans: The king wanted to know from old peasant and his father how and where that large corn had grown. Both of them replied saying that they didn’t sow or reap such kind of corn in their fields. Old peasant’s father told the king that his father might know where and how that large corn had grown.

5. How were the three old men in the story described?

Ans: The three old men in the story are the three generations of the same family. The first old man is a peasant whose posture was bent. His skin was ashy pale and was toothless. He walked talking crutches in his hands. He could hardly see or hear. The second old man was the first peasant’s father. He could hear well than his son. He walked with having one crutch with him. The third old man was the second old man’s father i.e. the first peasant’s grandfather. The third old man didn’t have any crutches and walked easily. He had clear vision and could hear properly. And he spoke distinctly.

6. Briefly describe the life style of the people during grandfather’s time.

Ans: The people during the grandfather’s time were hard working. They led a simple life without any expectation of anything. They worked hard in the fields and never called it theirs. They never declared themselves as the owners; they lived according to the will of the god. They never wanted something that was of others they produced their crops and gave it to others too. They worked without any expectation of money in return. The people were so simple that they never bought or sold their bread for the sake of the money.

7. What comments did the grandfather give on the life style of people today?

Ans: Grandfather was a wise man and he lived a simple life. His thoughts reflected on his health. Grandfather said that today’s people are dependent on others for their crops. Now, the people make others work hard in the fields and depend on them for their production. People seem to be less hard working in these.

Activity

(a Here are some words and expressions given in the box. Choose the right words / expressions and fill in the following diagram.)

1. Son-Toothless, two crutches, ashy pale, old and bent

2. Father- One crutch, still able to see, heard better

3. Grandfather- Eyes clear, without crutches, spoke distinctly hearing good

(b) Now use the words and expressions in your own sentences to describethe three oldmen. Then arrange the sentences in order of the story.

Ans: Once upon a time, there was a king who was presented a large grain of crop. He was amazed to see such large crop for he had never seen such large grain of crop in his entire life. The grain of crop was of corn. He wanted to know where and how such large grain of crop was produced. He ordered his learned men to find about it. The learned men thought and read about it but they could not come with the answer. The learned men suggested the king to ask peasant if they knew the answer. The king then sent for a peasant. The peasant was old and bent and walked in with two crutches. He was had ashy pale and was toothless. He was asked if he knew how and where such large grain was produced. He told the king that he had never sow or reap such kind of grain. He then told the king that his father might know well about it. Then once again, the king sent for the peasant’s father. The peasant’s father walked in with one crutch. He was able to see and hear well. He was also asked the same as his son. The peasant’s father replied that he neither sow nor reap such kind of grain. He then suggested to bring his father for he might knew the answer. And then once again the king sent for the peasant’s father. The third peasant, the grandfather of the first peasant walked easily without any crutches. He had clear eyes. He could hear better and spoke distinctily. Despite being old he was not bent and was healthy. He then told the king that in his time, such large grain could be produced. They believed that there was no particular owner of any field. They worked hard and according to the will of the god. In his time, they were not dependent on the other people for their work. He also commented on the modern working of the people and how changes in the working of people have made them dependent on the others. The third peasant was a wise man, who didn’t work for money.