THE MAGIC FLUTE
Now answer the following questions :
1. What was the name of the boy? Why was he going to the village?
Ans: Sukumar was the name of the boy. He was going to the village hoping to get shelter for a night.
2. Why did he play the flute?
Ans: A girl in the distance was calling her mother, this scenario reminded him (Sukumar) of his own mother, who was dead. He was filled with memories of her and took out his flute to play.
3. Who was the middle-aged woman? When she met Sukumar, how did both of them feel?
Ans: The middle-aged woman was the wife of the village headman. When she listened to the boys’ tune, she stopped. They looked at each other and both of them felt that they had always known each other.
4. What did she ask Sukumar to do?
Ans: When the woman came to know that Sukumar was looking for a place to spend the night, she requested him to stay at her house.
Do you think Sukumar will stay in the elderly woman’s house? Why? / Why not?
Ans: Yes, Sukumar will stay in the elderly woman’s house. He was touched with the way the woman called him son so he would stay in the woman’s house.
[ II ]
Now answer the following questions:
1. Which part of the story takes place earlier- the part in section A or the part in section B?
Ans: The part in section B takes place earlier in the story. It tells about Sukumar’s past life.
2. Sukumar had lost his mother as a child. He wanted to know where she was. What did his father tell him?
Ans: Sukumar lost his mother at very young age. His father told him that his mother was living in the house of the Gods. Although she was far beyond the sky, she was with them in their hearts. She met her in his heart when he played flute.
3. Why did Sukumar want his father to make a flute for him?
Ans: Sukumar’s father told him that he could meet his mother in his heart by playing a flute, then Sukumar too wanted to have a flute for him so that he could meet his mother.
4. What happened when Sukumar lost his father ? Why do you think he left his home?
Ans: When Sukumar lost his father he felt sad and lost hopes. He might have felt lonely and missed his parents so he left his home.
5. Who was Sayapatri ? How did the middle-aged woman introduce Sukumar to her?
Ans: Sayapatri was the middle-aged woman’s young daughter. The middle-aged woman took Sukumar with her to her house and introduced him to her daughter saying that she had bought home a brother for her.
6. How did Sukumar feel in Sayapatri’s house? Why?
Ans: Sukumar did feel good in Sayapatri’s house. Sayapatri and her mother was caring and loving towards him which made him feel good.
7. Sukumar wanted to leave the next morning. What happened?
Ans: Sukumar did feel good at Sayapatri’s house because both mother and the girl treated him well. But it was Sayapatri’s father who didn’t take any interest in the boy and was unfriendly towards him which made him decide to leave the house next morning.
[ III ]
Now answer the following questions :
1. What reason did Sukumar give Sayapatri for being sad?
Ans: Sukuamr felt sad for not being able to win Sayapatri’s heart. Her father didn’t like the boy and was unfriendly towards him which made Sukumar feel upset.
2. How did he plan to win Sayapatri’s father’s heart?
Ans: Sukumar planned to win Sayapatri’s father’s heart by playing his flute.
3. Why did Sayapatri’s father not like Sukumar?
Ans: Sayapatri’s father considered that orphans had bad influence on other children. He thought that Sukumar would also have bad influence on Sayapatri one day that is why he didn’t like Sukumar.
4. What do you think Sukumar will do now?
Ans: Sukumar would leave the house as he was treated indifferently by Sayapatri’s father.
[ IV ]
Now answer the following questions :
1. Why did Sukumar leave Sayapriti’s house?
Ans: Sukumar took every effort to win Sayapatri’s love but he failed in his attempts. He gave up and decided to leave the house.
2. Why did Sukumar feel sad in the temple?
Ans: Sukumar went on the summit of a mountain. In the temple of a goddess he took the shelter. But he missed Sayapatri and her mother. He felt lonely and sad.
3. Why did Sukumar decide to return to Sayapariti’s house?
Ans: Sukumar could not find any peace leaving the house. He missed Sayapatri and her mother so much that he felt alone. Then the next night he dreamt of Sayapatari who was calling Sukumar. It was then, Sukumar decided to return to Sayapatri’s house.
4. When Sukumar entered the house, what did he see?
Ans: When Sukumar reached Sayapatri’s house, he saw many villagers were around the yard and all wore gloomy looks on their faces. When he entered the house, he saw that Sayapatri lay on her mother’s lap and looked very ill.
5. According to her mother, what was wrong with Sayapriti?
Ans: According to her mother, the day when Sukumar left the house, Sayapatri had high fever. She had been in a come-like state. She thought that Sayapatri’s spirit left her body and gone off in search of Sukumar.
6. What did Sukumar do when he heard Sayapriti’s mother ? What happened to Sayapriti then?
Ans: When Sayapatri’s mother told Sukumar about her daughter’s illness, Sukumar felt sad. He then took out his flute and started playing quietly. Sukumar’s flute had magical effect for it made Sayapatri wake from her state of coma.
7. Sayapriti’s father did something unexpected. What was it?
Ans: Sukumar’s flute created magic and Sayapatri became conscious. Sayapatri’s father was moved with the whole situation and had tears in his eyes. He hugged Sukumar and told that he was his son and he would never leave him.
8. Do you think this is a happy story or a sad story? Why?
Ans: This is a happy story because in the end the bitterness Sayapatri’s father had towards Sukumar was changed and they decided to live happily ever after.
9. Why is the story entitled “The Magic Flute” ? How was the flute magical?
Ans: A musical instrument had powerful effect on Sayapatri. When Sayapatri was seriously ill, it was because of Sukumar’s flute that she was back to normal and in this way the flute was magical for it brought unbelievable effect on the girl.Nothing cured the girl but only the flute.
Let’s Write
Write the answers to the following questions in about 50 words each :
1. Why and how did Sukumar learn to play the flute?
Ans: Sukumar lost his mother at very young age of five. After the death of his mother, his father would play his own flute every evening before going to bed. Once he asked his father where his mother was then his father his mother lived with the gods. Though his mother was far beyond the sky, she lived in his heart. Then he asked if he will ever meet her to which his father said that by playing flute she will be seen in his heart. After that, Sukumar’s father made flute for him and taught him to play.
2. How did he come to Sayapatri’s house?
Ans: After the death of his father, Sukumar felt alone and left the house. He reached a village and started playing his flute. It was then a middle- age woman who was the wife of the village headman got attracted to the music of the flute. When they both looked at each other, they felt that they had known each other since long. The woman then got to know that he was searching for a shelter for that night. Then the woman requested and invited him to her house. When he went with the woman, she introduced Sukumar with her daughter telling that he was her brother.
3. Why did Sayapriti’s father not want Sukumar in his house?
Ans: Sayapatri’s father was no happy at the decision of Sukumar staying at his place. His wife insisted him but he was indifferent towards Sukumar. He was of the opinion that orphans were not reaible and had bad influence. He had wrong belief that Sukumar would have wrong influence on Sayapatri so he didn’t like him and wanted him in his house.
4. Why did Sukumar go back to Sayapriti’s house?
Ans: Sukumar took every possible effort to win love of Sayapatri’s father but he was not able to succeed. He gave up and left the house quietly. He went on the mountain summit and took shelter in a goddess temple. Sayapatri appeared in his dream and asked him to follow her. The dream Sukumar had a deep effect on him and then he decided to go back to Sayapatri’s house.
5. How did Sayapriti recover?
Ans: When Sukumar reached Sayapartri’s house, he saw many sad faces outside the house. When he entered the house, he saw Sayapatri lying on her mother’s lap and was seriously ill. Sayapatri’s mother told him that she had been condition of coma since the day he left the house. She thought that her spirit had left her body and went to search for Sukumar. Sukumar then took out his flute and played quietly. His music had a magical and powerful impact that it made Sayapatri get back to normal. It was because of Sukumar and his flute that Sayaparti got recovered.
Activity
The following is the summary of the story. But there are eight mistakes in the summary. Underline the mistakes. Rewrite the summary after correcting the mistakes.
Sukumar was an orphan who was 11 years old. His mother had made a guitar for him and he played it very well. One day, he came to a village and the Headman’s daughter took him to her house. She introduced him to her son, Sayapatri. But Sukumar was sad because Sayapatri’s mother did not love him. So, one day he left their house and went to live in a shrine on a mountain. One, night he had a dream. He saw Sayapatri’s mother calling him. He went back to Sayapatri’s. He found that Sayapatrai’s mother was very sick. He played his flute and slowly she opened her eyes. Sayapatri hugged him and the story ended happily.
Correct Summary-
Sukumar was an orphan who was 11 years old. His father had made a guitar for him and he played it very well. One day, he came to a village and the Headman’s wife took him to her house. She introduced him to her daughter, Sayapatri. But Sukumar was sad because Sayapatri’s father did not love him. So, one day he left their house and went to live in a shrine on a mountain. One, night he had a dream. He saw Sayapatricalling him. He went back to Sayapatri’s. He found that Sayapatri was very sick. He played his flute and slowly she opened her eyes. Sayapatri’s father hugged him and the story ended happily.