MP Board Class 9th English The Rainbow Solutions Chapter 5 Dead Man’s Riddle
Dead Man’s Riddle Textual Exercise
Dead Man’s Riddle Vocabulary
A. Use the following words in your own sentences.
problem, mystery, puzzle, riddle
B. The word ‘WILL’ has different meanings. Find a few of them and write them down in your note-book.
C . The word ‘disagreement’ has a prefix and a suffix. Write some words which have a prefix as well as a suffix.
D. Write expressions like ‘two-third’, ‘the half’ etc. with their meanings.
E. The sign (‘) apostrophe is used in writing (as in don’t and ’86 for do not and 1986). Write other uses of the apostrophe with examples and practice them.
Answer:
A. It is a problem how to maintain good health.
Death is still a mystery.
Don’t try to puzzle me.
I cannot solve your riddles.
B. A few meanings of the Word ‘Will’
(i) The faculty of deciding a choice.
(ii) Desire or command.
(iii) A written document disposing of property after one’s death.
(iv) An auxiliary verb, a sign of future.
C. Some words with ‘a prefix’ and ‘a suffix’
unprofitable, unnatural, dishonourable unfortunate, unemployment, displeasure, injustice, impracticable.
D. One-third = equal to one part out of three
three-fourth = equal to three parts out of four
four-fifth = equal to four parts out of five
five-sixth = equal to five parts out of six.
six-seventh – equal to six parts out of seven
seven-eighth – equal to seven parts out of eight.
E. Some other uses of apostrophe.
(i) In forming possessive case of the noun Mohan’s father, Girl’s Cycle, Girl’s College etc.
(ii) In forming the plurals of countable nuembers, and alphahet—7’s, 10’s
7.7’s are 49; 10.10’s are 100
t’s = cut- your t’s
i’s = dot your i’s.
Comprehension
A. Answer each of the following questions in about 25 words.
1. How did people use to get the property divided in urban areas?
2. What did the villagers think about going to the court?
3. Why was the younger brother given priority in choosing his part?
4. What was the will of the dead man?
Answer:
1. All the brothers in a family wanted to divide their parents’ property. Sometimes they got into arguments. Under such circumstances the people in the urban area used to get their property divided through Court.
2. In the villages, the panchayat, consisting of respected and neutral elderly persons decided the cases. Neither party used to go to the Court. The villagers thought that both the parties lost money by going to the court. Only the advocate becomes rich.
3. Sometimes it was difficult to make equal distribution. Then the youngest son was given priority in choosing his part. The reason behind this practice was that he had stayed the least period with his parents. It was considered an asset in the villages.
4. The will of the dead man was very strange. He divided the land and gold equally among his three sons. There was a riddle for the division of his horses. Half of the total (seventeen) horses, should be given to the elder son. Out of the remaining half, two- third should be given to the second son. Out of the still remaining, , two-third should be given to the third son. In this way, the will was a complete riddle.
B. Answer each of the following questions in about 50 words.
1. How did Sumanth divide the property?
2.’Experience is the best teacher in life/ Why?
3.What lesson do you learn from the story?
Answer:
1. Sumanth used his experience in dividing the property.He made his own horse stand along with his dead friend’s seventeen horses. He gave nine horses (18×1/2) to the elder son. He gave six horses (18-9 = 9×2/3) to the second son. He. gave two horses
(18-9-6 = 3×2/3) to the young son. He gave them seventeen horses and took his own horse. In this way, he divided the property. All the three sons happily agreed to the division.
2. Man has made tremendous achievements from his primitive age to this day’s glorious civilization. This is a miracle of the power of knowledge. While the primitive man was a slave of nature the modern man has harnessed, controlled and mastered nature. Ignorance created fears of nature in the mind of man. Experiments and failures have taught a great deal to man. He has gained knowledge with his bitter experiences. The same knowledge or experience has unfolded great blessings of nature. Man has exploited them for his betterment. Experience lends one courage and fearlessness. It is one’s best teacher in life. The man who feared crossing rivers are crossing skies. Experience is also a great power. It has helped the man achieve ; sure, steady and splendid progress for better living
3. We learn many lessons from this story. It teaches us that experience is the best teacher in life. Practical knowledge comes from interaction with many people. It can’t be taught in a school or college. It has to be learnt over a- period of time. Life is an eternal teacher. It teaches only those who have an open and receptive mind. Never hesitate to seek advice of others whenever some work looks impossible to you. There is no harm in working on the smallest suggestion of others.
Dead Man’s Riddle Grammar
A. Study these sentences.
- The youngest brother would get to choose his part first.
- The village elders were all well respected.
- The half of the total horses should be given to the elder son.
- The rich man had a friend.
There are three degrees of comparison :
Now, write the degrees of comparison used in the sentences given below :
- We are three brothers. My eldest bother is a doctor.
- My school building is bigger than my house.
- Riding is the best kind of exercise.
- I work harder than you.
- All the teachers are wise.
Answer:
Speaking Activity
A. Narrate the story told by the Sarpanch Som Gowda in your own words.
Answer:
Story told by the Sarpanch Som Gowda.
I am the Sarpanch of my village. Once there was disagreement in the division of property of a certain family. I could not make the brothers agree to the division. Therefore, I had to tell them the story of a rich man. The rich man left the will that his seventeen horses should be distributed among his three sons. The elder son would get one-half of them. The second son would get two-third of the remaining horses. The young son would get two-third of the horses which still remained to be divided. This division could be made only by killing two horses. The dead man’s friend made his own horse stand along with the seventeen horses. Now the horses were divided without killing any horse. It was the magical solution of the riddle.
B. Enact the story in the class with the following characters:
- Three sons
- the reader of the will
- Sumanth, their father’s friend
Answer:
A rich man had three sons. They always disagreed with him. One day the old man died. He wrote a will that his seventeen horses would be divided among his three sons. Half of the total horses should be given to the elder son. Two third of the remaining half should be given to the second son. Two third of the still remaining horses should be given to. the third son. This division was impossible without killing two horses. The three sons read the will but could ‘ not come up with a solution. They showed the will to Sumanth, their father’s friend. He did not get confused. He added his own horse to the seventeen horses. Thus he made a just and peaceful division. He took his own horse in the end. He used his personal experience to solve the riddle.
C. What had been said in the story about court cases? Quote it.
Answer:
The lesson has a poor opinion about court cases. Nobody went to court against the decisions of the village elders.Going to court for such matters was considered a waste of time and energy There is a saying in the village that if two feuding parties approach the court, both parties lose money. Only the advocate becomes rich.
D. Play the role of Sumanth and distribute the horses among the three brothers:
Answer:
Begin like this : Come on boys, I am your father’s close friend, just like your father. I will’help you to get your proper share your father’s will is a simple riddle. I’m making my horse stand along with the other horses. Look here. Now there are eighteen horses. Give, one half of eighteen (nine) horses to the elder son.
Now we have eighteen minus nine (nine) horses.
Give two-third of nine (9×2/3 = 6) horses to the second son.
Now we have nine minus six or three horses with us.
Give two-third of three (2/3×3= 2) horses to the young son.
Now we have distributed nine plus six plus two or seventeen horses.
I take back my own horse.
I hope you will be happy with my division.
Writing Activity
A. Narrate, how you were benefited with the elder’s advice to be regular in studies. (50 words)
Answer:
Ours is a joint family. At night we take our dinner together. One day my mother told my grandparents’ uncles and aunts about my poor performance in all the subjects. The elderly people of the family did not show any anger. Rather, they called me aside. They told me a lot. about the need and utility of education. They said that failures are the pillars of success. They also told me that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. They advised me to be regular in studies. I put my heart and soul in studies. I burnt mid- night oil and stood first in my class. Their advice and my hard work brought magical result.
B.’Life is an eternal teacher’. Express your views. (150 Words)
Answer:
Man is a social animal. He goes on learning one thing or the other from one quarter and the other. He learns a lot from nature. Nature provides us energy. It is a part of our life. Even the green trees, plants, weeds and leaves are full of lessons for us. We learn from nature that one who destroys nature destroys himself. It teaches us that we should not lose our communion or bond with nature. We learn the lessons like slow and steady wins ‘the race’. ‘All that glitters is not gold.’ “Where there is a will there is a way”. ‘Act in haste and repent later’. ‘Cruelty always begets cruelty’. Do not be greedy’. ‘’A single trick does not succeed all the time’ etc. from animals. Life means contacts with people birds, animals, beats, plants, flowers and trees. Every item on earth can teach us something if we observe its uses and utility. The entire life is ar eternal teacher.
Think it over
A. There are certain things which are not taught at schools or colleges. Think about such things.
Answer:
The teachers at schools and. colleges teach only what is prescribed in the syllabus. They can not teach everything on earth. A science teacher would not bother to teach, the students the rules of the games. In the same way a physical education teacher is not supposed to teach about the law of gravitation. Every teacher has his own limitations and duty-requirements. Many things, such as moral education, sex education etc. are not taught by teachers. In the same way there are uncountable things which the child learns from society
B. Sometimes things look impossible but they can be made possible by a little effort. Is ’it so?
Answer:
Everything looks impossible for a new born child. He can neither stand nor run. Parental help and self-efforts make the same child run, and drive vehicles. Cowards alone learn nothing. Hard work is the key to success. Proper guidance, devotion, dedication and perseverance turn everything impossible into possible. ‘Impossible is the word found in the dictionary of fools.’ Nothing is impossible now-a-days. Man has overpowered nature. He has reached even the Mars. Our success in life depends on honest work and a strong will power. A little effort brings great success.
Thinks to do
There are three jars. The first contains gold coins, the second silver coins and the third silver and gold coins mixed. The ables are wrongly put on the jars. Now you are permitted to take out a single coin from any one of the jars and .ell using logic or wit” what is contained in each jar. Find tire answer and write it in your project book.
Answer:
For Practice
Dead Man’s Riddle Additional Questions
Short Answer Questions
Question 1.
What happens when there are two or more brothers in a family?
Answer:
Parental or ancestral property is the bone of contention. Often, there are two or more brothers in a family. They wish to divide their parents’ property. Sometimes they get into arguments. This gives place to quarrels and fights. The same, sometimes results in death.
Question 2.
Who decided the property disputes in villages and how?
Answer:
The panchayat decided the property disputes in villages. The elders would assemble and call the disputing brothers. They made almost equal divisions of the property in value. Sometimes, it became difficult. There the youngest brother would get to choose his part first. The decisions of the elders were final because they were well-respected and impartial.
Question 3.
Who used to choose his part first? Why? Was it done in this story?
Answer:
The youngest brother used to choose his part first. It was because he had stayed the least number of days with his parents. Staying with parents was considered an asset. This practice was not adopted in this lesson. The youngest son got only two out of seventeen horses, as per his father’s will.
Question 4.
Why did the old man leave a will before his death? Was it fair?
Answer:
The old man’s three sons Always disagreed with him. He feared lest they should fight over the division of the property after his death. He left his will and divided the land and the gold equally among his sons. The will was not fair in the division of horses. The eldest son got nine horses. Tire second son got six horses and the youngest son got only two horses. It was partial and unjust.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Explain in brief the formation of janpad Panchayat.
Answer:
Every district of Madhya Pradesh in divided into blocks (Janpad). Every block has a Janpad Panchayat and divided. into constituency. Each constituency contains 5000 population. The total number of constituencies in each block should not exceed the twenty five number and minimum ten. Janpad Panchayat will thus, be formed of :
- Elected members from the constituencies.
- Vidhan Sabha members of that constituency.
Question 2.
How is the Nagar Panchayat constituted?
Answer:
Members of Nagar Panchayat are elected by the people for election. City (Nagar) is divided into maximum forty or minimum fifteen wards.Nagar Panchayat is constituted with elected members of wards. Maximum, two persons are nominated by state government. Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha members of the constituencies and Rajya Sabha members are elected out of those whose name is registered as a voter in corporation.
Summary in English
All the brothers in a family want to get their share in their parent^, property.’ Sometimes they get into arguments. In the villages, the Panchayat decides the disputed cases of property. The elders call the brothers who fight for the property. The property is almost equally divided by the elderly people. The youngest brother chooses his part first.The village elders were important. Their decisions were final. Neither party approached the court. Once a Sarpanch tried to solve a property dispute in vain. He told the following story.
A rich man lived in our village. His three sons always disagreed with him. The rich man’s friend, Sumanth told him that time would teach! his sons everything. The rich man died leaving behind seventeen horses, lots of gold and land. In his will he divided the land and gold equally. He wrote that half of the horses, two third of the remaining half and two-third of the remaining should be given to the elder, the second and the third son respectively. It was a riddle because seventeen horses could not be possibly divided.
The rich man’s friend offered to divide the horses. He made his own horse stand along with the other horses. He gave nine horses, to the elder son. Out of the remaining nire, he gave six’ horses to the second son. Three horses were left behind. He gave two horses to third son. The condition in the will was fulfilled. He took his own, horse and went home. He advised them to seek advice.of some experienced person whenever they found something impossible. The three sons happily agreed to the Panchayat’s division of their property.
Summary in Hindi
परिवार के सभी भाई पैतृक सम्पत्ति में से अपना भाग लेना चाहते हैं। कई बार . उनके बीच वाद-विवाद हो जाता है। गाँवों में सम्पत्ति के झगड़ों का पंचायत फैसला करती है। बुजुर्ग लोग, सम्पत्ति के बारे में झगड़ा करने वाले भाइयों को बुला लेते हैं। बुजुर्गों द्वारा सम्पत्ति का लगभग बराबर बंटवारा कर दिया जाता है। सबसे छोटा भाई, सब से पहले अपना हिस्सा चुन लेता है। गाँव के बुजुर्ग लोग निष्पक्ष होते थे। उनके निर्णय अन्तिम होते थे।
कोई-सी पार्टी न्यायालय में नहीं जाती थी। एक बार एक सम्पत्ति के झगड़े का निपटारा करने में एक सरपंच निष्फल हो गया। उसने नीचे दी गई कहानी सुनाई। हमारे गाँव में एक धनी व्यक्ति रहता था। उसके तीन बेटे हमेशा उससे असहमत रहते थे। सुमंथ नामक, धनी व्यक्ति के मित्र ने उसे बताया कि समय उसके बेटों को सभी कुछ सिखा देगा। सत्रह घोड़े, ढेर सारा सोना और भूमि छोड़कर धनी व्यक्ति मर गया। अपनी वसीयत में उसने भूमि और सोने को बराबर-बराबर बाँट दिया। उसने लिखा कि वोड़ों के आधे, शेष आधे घोड़ों के दो तिहाई और अन्त में शेष घोड़ों के दो तिहाई क्रमशः सब से बड़े, दूसरे और तीसरे बेटे को दे दिए जाएँ। यह एक पहेली थी क्योंकि सत्रह घोड़ों का बँटवारा करना सम्भव नहीं था।
धनी व्यक्ति के मित्र ने घोड़ों का बँटवारा करने की पेशकश की। उसने दूसरे घोड़ों के साथ अपना घोड़ा खड़ा कर दिया। उसने बड़े बेटे को नौ घोड़े दिए। शेष नौ घोड़ों में से उसने दूसरे बेटे को छह घोड़े दे दिए। तीन घोड़े बच गए। उसने तीसरे बेटे को दो घोड़े दे दिए। वसीयत की शर्त पूरी हो गई। उसने अपना घोड़ा लिया और अपने घर चला गया। उसने उन्हें नसीहत दी कि जब कभी उन्हें कोई बात असम्भव लगे तो किसी अनुभवी व्यक्ति की सलाह ले लें। पंचायत द्वारा उनकी सम्पत्ति के बँटवारे से तीनों बेटे खुशी-खुशी सहमत हो गए।
Word-Meanings