Wonder Book 7

h. We enjoy sitting below a ………….. tree.

i. The poet’s inlaid heart is from ……….design.

2 Write short answers to these questions.
a. What fills the eyes of the poet?

b. What colours do dawn and twilight have?

c. What spreads the beams?

d. Where are the deepest footprints?

e. What is the source of the richest colours?

Write Long Answer

1. Write a description of the natural elements that attract the poet and
that the poet admires as beauty of nature.

Literary Terms

Figurative language uses figures of speech to be more effective, persuasive,
and impactful. Figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, and allusions go
beyond the literal meanings of the words to give readers new insights. On the
other hand, alliterations, imageries, or onomatopoeias are figurative devices
that appeal to the senses of the readers.

What is the function of figurative language in literature?

Free verse is a literary device that can be defined as poetry that is free from
limitations of regular meter or rhythm, and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Is
the above poem a free verse?

Creative Writing

Compose a poem on “Behold the Beauty of Nature” with a message that there
is a lot in the nature , which can fill your hearts with pleasure and offer you
peace in the minds.

Think, Pair and Share

Which object of nature attracts you most? Why?

Project Activity

Make a list of at least 20 things in nature that may attract the beholders.

A course in English literature Book - 7 151

22 The Pied Piper of
Hamelin

Before you proceed
a. Have you heard the story of The Pied Piper of Hamelin?
b. Suppose your town or village is suddenly filled with thousands
of rats everywhere. What could be the result of this?

Meet the poet
Robert Browning (7 May 1812 AD – 12 December
1889 AD) was an English poet. Browning worked
on the poems that eventually comprised his two
volume Men and Women, for which he is now
well-known. Browning is often known by some
of his short poems, such as ‘Porphyria’s Lover’,
‘My last Duchess’, ‘Rabbi Ben Ezra’, ‘A Death in
the Desert’. In 1887 AD, Browning produced the
major work of his later years, ‘Parleyings with
Certain People of Importance In Their Day’.

New words

adept : expert
ere : before (old English)
rumbling : deep low continuous sound
tawny : brownish yellow
brawny : having strong muscles
plodder : one who works slowly
perished : to be destroyed
tripe : music of low quality
casks : containers
Weser : the river that flowed in Hamelin
guilders : unit of money in the Netherlands

152 A course in English literature Book - 7

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

-Robert Browning

Into the street the Piper stept,
Smiling first a little smile,
As if he knew what magic slept
In his quiet pipe the while;
Then, like a musical adept,
To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled,
And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled
Like a candle flame where salt is sprinkled;
And ere three shrill notes the pipe uttered,
You heard as if an army muttered;
And the muttering grew to a grumbling;
And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling;
And out of the houses the rats came tumbling:
Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats,
Brown rats, black rats, grey rats, tawny rats,
Grave old plodders, gay young friskers,
Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins,
Cocking tails and prickling whiskers,
Families by tens and dozens,
Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives –
Followed the Piper for their lives.
From street to street he piped, advancing,
And step for step, they followed, dancing,
Until they came to the River Weser
Wherein all plunged and perished

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– Save one who, stout as Julius Caesar,
Swam across and lived to carry
(As the manuscript he cherished)
To Rat-land home his commentary,
Which was, “At the first shrill notes of the pipe,
I heard a sound as of scraping tripe,
And putting apples, wondrous ripe,
Into a cider press’s gripe:
And a moving away of pickle-tub boards,
And a leaving ajar of conserve-cupboards,
And the drawing the corks of train-oil flasks,
And a breaking the hoops of butter-casks;
And it seemed as if a voice
(Sweeter far than by harp or by psaltery
Is breathed) called out, Oh rats, rejoice!
The world is grown to one vast drysaltery!
So munch on, crunch on, take your nuncheon,
Breakfast, supper, dinner, luncheon!
And just as a bulky sugar-puncheon,
All ready staved, like a great sun shone
Glorious scarce an inch before me,
Just as methought it said, Come, bore me!
– I found the Weser rolling o’er me.”
You should have heard the Hamelin people
Ringing the bells till they rocked the steeple;
“Go,” cried the Mayor, “and get long poles!
Poke out the nests and block up the holes!
Consult with carpenters and builders,

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And leave in our town not even a trace
Of the rats!”– when suddenly up the face
Of the Piper perked in the market-place,
With a “First, if you please, my thousand guilders!”

Vocabulary

1. Find the lines in the poem which have internal rhyme. For example, ‘And
the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling’. Underline the rhyming words
in the poem.

2. Match the words with their antonyms.

a. first  old
b. sharp  stay
c. ripe  last
d. leave  raw
e. young  blunt

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Comprehension Activities

1 Answer the following questions.
a. How does the poet describe the Piper’s eyes?
b. How many kinds of rats are described in the poem?
c. Did all the rats die?
d. Why did the people of Hamelin ring the bells?
e. Why did the Mayor ask the people to fetch long poles?
f. Suppose the Mayor didn’t give the Pied Piper the thousand guilders

he had promised. What would the Pied Piper do next?

Write Long Answer

1. Make a list of all the kinds of sounds Browning uses to describe how
the rats came to follow the Piper.

2. The poet uses certain words/phrases to portray the rats almost like
human beings. Can you find these words/phrases in the poem?

Literary Terms

Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia is a literary device that copies natural
sounds. Can you find any use of onomatopoeia in the poem?

Is this a narrative poem or a lyric poem?
Point of view What is the narrative point of view used in the poem? Is it

like in ‘The brook’? Does the Pied Piper tell his story himself or someone
else tells the story about him?

Creative Writing

Write the poem in the form of a story. You can begin by writing:
Once upon a time, there was..

Think, Pair and Share

Why do you think music attracts us?

Project Activity

Write about 'The Nepalese Musical Instruments' in about 150 words.

156 A course in English literature Book - 7

23 The Circus
Elephant

Before you proceed

Did you know?
a. Some performers in circus keep the hair of an elephant’s tail in their

pocket for good luck.
b. Almost 96 percent of a circus animal’s life is spent in chains or cages.

Meet the poet
John Forster was born on April 2, 1812 AD.
He was an English biographer and critic. He
was also a friend of famous author Charles
Dickens. His works made him a prominent
figure in literary world.

He worked as an editor for ‘the Foreign
Quarterly Review’ for a few years. He
also took over ‘the Daily News’ and from
1847 to 1856 AD, he edited ‘the Examiner’.
He published various articles in these
magazines as well as other papers. He has
also written biographies of some of the prominent literary figures in
English literature.

His poem ‘The Circus Elephant’ deals with the plight of the elephants
that are held captive in the circus.

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The Circus Elephant

-John Forster

What are they thinking?

The circus elephants,

As they tramp round the ring each night?

Do they wish that they

Were far away

In the forest’s leafy light?

Where they’d roam at will

And could eat their fill

Far from human sight.

As the gentle giants

Perform their tricks

The children stare with delight

But is it fair?

Should they be there?

Is keeping them captive right?

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Vocabulary

1. Pick out three sets of rhyming words from the text.

2. Tick the synonyms of the words given below.

a. round : (around/square) d. gentle : (rough/tender)

b. light : (glow/dark) e. trick : (deception/shadow)

c. roam : (settle/wander) f. right : (wrong/correct)

Comprehension Activities

1 Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements.

a. The circus elephants tramp round the ring each night.
b. The circus elephants should not be set free.
c. The children do not stare with delight when the elephants perform

tricks.
d. Animals should be kept in jungle.

2 Answer the following questions.

a. Who do you think is happy, the circus elephants or the children? Pick
out the line in support of your answer.

b. What do you think the circus elephants are thinking of?
c. Is it right to keep the elephants captive?

Write Long Answer

Write a summary of the poem above.

Literary Terms

Simile Simile is a comparison between two things using as or like. Writers use
similes to give clear pictures of the things they describe. Cite an example of
simile from the poem.
Write some similes to show the following. Here is an example for you.
Hari intelligent: Hari is like Einstein.
Bimal proud/ Pukar lazy/ Smith huge/ Samantha beautiful

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Creative Writing

Compose a short poem on 'The circus Tiger'.

Think, Pair and Share

Have you ever seen a circus? If yes, what did you see? If not, what do you think
you will find in the circus?

Project Activity

Collect ten facts about the elephant to present in your class room to your
classroom.

160 A course in English literature Book - 7

24 Song of the
Whale

Before you proceed
a. Can you tell the name of the largest mammal?
b. Name any five sea animals.

Meet the poet
The poem ‘Song of the whale’ is written by
Kit Wright. Kit Wright is a poet and author of
children’s literature.
He was born on June 17, 1944 AD in South East
England. He studied at Oxford University
and moved to Canada where he worked as a
lecturer. Then he returned to London to work
as an Education Officer for Poetry Society
where he worked until 1975 AD.
Some of his books of poetry include The Bear Looked Over the Mountain
(1977 AD) and Short Afternoons (1989 AD). His book The Bear Looked Over
the Mountain won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize and the Poetry
Society’s Alice Hunt Barlett Prize. Short Afternoons won the Hawthornden
Prize.
He has written more than twenty-five books for both adults and children.

New words
grieving : crying
heaving : labouring; struggling
keening : mourning or lamenting aloud
soaring : rising to a high level

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Song of the Whale -Kit Wright

Heaving mountain in the sea,
Whale, I heard you
Grieving.
Great whale, crying for your life,
Crying for your kind, I knew
How we would use
Your dying:
Lipstick for our painted faces
Polish for our shoes.
Tumbling mountain in the sea,
Whale, I heard you
Calling.
Bird-high notes, keening, soaring:
At their edge a tiny drum
Like a heartbeat.
We would make you
Dumb.
In the forest of the sea,
Whale, I heard you
Singing,
Singing to your kind.
We’ll never let you be.
Instead of life we choose
Lipstick for our painted faces
Polish for our shoes.

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Vocabulary

Write down the rhyming words for the words given below.

a. heaving : ...............................................
b. crying : ...............................................
c. knew : ...............................................
d. sea : ...............................................

Comprehension Activities

1 Read the lines given below and answer the questions.
a. Great whale, crying for your life,
Crying for your kind, I knew
How we would use
Your dying:
i. Who cries and for whom?
ii. Who does ‘We’ refer to in the line?
b. Lipstick for our painted faces
Polish for our shoes.
i. How are lipstick and polish related to whale?
ii. For whom are the ‘lipstick’ and ‘polish’ made?

2 Complete the stanza by filling in the missing words. Use the synonyms
of the words given in the poem.

Great whale, .................................... for your life,
.................................... for your kind, I knew
How we would use
Your ....................................:
Lipstick for .................................... faces
.................................... for our shoes.

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3 Answer the following questions.
a. Why is the whale crying?
b. What other emotions do you think the whale is feeling?
c. How does the whale communicate when it is free in the sea?
d. How does the whale provide lipstick and shoe polish?
e. Due to human activities, many animals are becoming rare. Can you

suggest some ways to save all the animals of the world?

Write Long Answer

1. How do you think the poet was feeling when he wrote the poem?
Choose the correct answer and also write down which line expresses
that feeling.

Literary Terms

Metaphor Metaphor is a direct comparison between two things without
the use of ‘as’ or ‘like’. An example of metaphor is “Bhim is a lion”. Can
you note the metaphors used in the poem? What is the whale compared
with?

Personification The whale has been personified in the poem. What
human qualities are given to the whale?

Creative Writing

Compose a poem on 'The Tears of Rhinoceros'.

PrPorjeocjet cAtctAivcittiyvity

Take a chart paper and write why killing a whale is a bad thing. Then write how
you can help to protect whales. You can also use words and phrases from the
poem. Also put some photos of the whale.

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Nepal Special

Nepal's Potentials in Adventure Tourism
Humanity is Divine
Barber Outwitted
A Visit to Chitwan National Park
Shiva Ratri
First Nepali to Scale Mt. Everest

Welcome to the Nepal special section!

In this section you will read about different facets of Nepali art, culture
and literature. You may have already heard or read about some of
the topics here, but a couple of them may be entirely new to you. Do
study these different Nepal-based fiction and non-fiction lessons with
an open mind and broaden your knowledge and understanding of
your country.

Choose the correct word to fill in the blanks.

1. A protagonist is..................... character.

a. the major b. the minor

2. A person who strongly opposes someone or something is .....

a. a character b. an antagonist

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25 Nepal’s Potentials in
Adventure Tourism

Before you proceed
a. What do you think is tourism?
b. What is adventure? Do you like it?
c. What sort of adventure do you like?

Nepal's Potentials in Adventure Tourism

In a small geographical location, there lie multifold majestic snowcapped
mountains, diverse in natural resources, wildlife and flora and fauna.
Geographical variation from lowest point of 47 metres to world’s highest
point 8,848 metres makes Nepal a naturally diverse country. The mountain
activities such as peak climbing, expedition and trekking started in 1953
at a first glance by the successful summit of Mt. Everest. However, the
mountaineering activities were properly developed from 1970 onward,
which has made Nepal a true adventure capital of the world.

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What does this small geographical nation offer to the tourists?
Consequently Nepal has become a dream land for adventurous people
from all over the world. Now climbing Mt. Everest is the ultimate life
adventure and reaching the summit would be the journey’s goal.
Recently there are lots of things that have been explored like the Ski-
Mountaineering, Sky-Dive, Mountain Bike and Marathon which have
made Nepal an adventure hub around the world.
Expedition and trekking are popular activities within and in demand
of adventure tourism in Nepal. As a Himalayan county and homeland
of Sherpa community, the mountain climbing businesses are increasing
day by day.
Thousands of tourists from different parts of the world visit Nepal
for mountaineering activities each year. Also the expedition and peak
climbing is divided in different categories with the height of mountain,
like above 8000 metres, above 7000 metes and 6000metres. There are
some technically difficult mountains and some really easy mountains.
The cultural diversity, majestic forest with full of flora and fauna, rivers,
lake and waterfalls make Nepal the world’s amazing country. Annapurna
Circuit Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek, Kanchenjunga Trek and Langtang
Trek are some of the best trekking routes.
What makes Nepal the world’s amazing country?
Also The Great Himalayan Trail (4,500 km) has recently been explored
and developed and it is also popular which encompasses Bhutan, Nepal,
India and Pakistan. The longest about 1,700 kilometres and the most
attractive part of the trail is situated in Nepal. It offers best experiences on
Himalayan. The lifestyle of Himalayan communities, natural resources
and beautiful mountain view are basic features of the trail.
Climbing the highest mountain on foot and coming down by skiing is
the best way to get thrills and adventure. For professional skiers, there
is no thrill beyond skiing off-piste in the Himalayas. Such ski packages
make Nepal a year round tourist destination.
In the present context trekking packages mainly run through October to
December, most of the tourists visit Nepal in these three months. If we

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run Ski packages after December to April it will promote winter tourism
in Nepal, because of snowing condition within the trekking areas.
Thus ski packages could play a big role to make year-round tourist
destinations, which can contribute to increase national revenue and
job opportunities. Since 2011, Himalayan Ski Trek is organizing Winter
Ski Festival once a year every December to educate and promote ski-
mountaineering in Nepal.

With the vision to promote and flourish Ski-Mountaineering in Nepal,
the organization is motivated to explore the prospect of skiing in Nepal.
According to the research of Himalayan Ski Trek, Mera Peak, Yala Peak,
Annapurna Base Camp, Langtang Region, Mt.Manaslu and Dolpa Region
are some of the best places for skiing in Nepal. Similarly, Nepal has huge
potential in Ski-Dive. It is one of the most life challenging adventures in
the world. Sky-diving with viewing world’s highest mountain could be
unique and best experience for every adventure lover.
The Everest region, Syangboche and Pokhara are some of the best places.
Also there are many areas with best possibilities of Sky-Dive, which
168 A course in English literature Book - 7

are still remote.
Sky-Dive in the
Everest region
could be the best
adventurous
packages
throughout
the world. And
paragliding
is another
adventurous part
of tourism, an already explored and well developed in Pokhara.
Many foreigners and domestic tourists have benefited till date. Paragliding
with beautiful view of the mountain is best experience among the other
regions of the world. Also we can run different kinds of paragliding
packages to make much more adventurous and different experiences.
Among the above adventurous sports, Nepal has big prospect of
mountain bike. Due to geographical situation, mountain bike at the heart
of Himalaya is one of the best parts of adventure tourism. Since 2011,
some organizations have been motivated to explore and flourish such
adventurous sports in Nepal.
There are hundreds of Nepalese youth who have successfully launched
many programmes to promote it. Mountain Bike in Annapurna
Circuit Trek, Mustang, and Baglung Beni are some of the best trails.
These routes are popular due to the beautiful panoramic view of the
beautiful mountains, lush forests and their cultural sites. These days the
Annapurna region and mostly Pokhara to Mustang is renowned as the
best mountain bike hub in the world.
Rafting is another most thrilling and adventurous activity in the tourism
sector. It was started commercially since 1990 in Nepal. According to the
data of different organization, Trishuli River, Bhotekoshi and Dudhakosi
are the world’s best rivers for thrilling rafting activities.

(by Pravat Adhikari)

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Vocabulary

1. Choose the correct word from the box below and write each of them
next to their the meaning.

multifold, majestic, snowcapped, diverse, flora and fauna
a. plant life .....................

b. having several folds .....................

c. covering of snow on a mountain peak .....................

d. greatly impressive in appearance .....................

e. made up of many differing parts .....................

2. Read the meaning of these words and then use each of them in
sentences of your own.
expedition: group trip made for a particular purpose
trekking: make a long difficult journey on foot
adventure: participation in things that involve risk
consequently: as a result
hub: center of activity or interest
ultimate: final
explore: go to a place to discover information about it
ski: sliding across snow
mountain bike: cycling on rough terrain
marathon: a long-distance footrace
skiing: activity of travelling on ski
thrills: great pleasure
piste: snow-covered slope for skiing
revenue: income of a government from all sources

Comprehension Activities

1 Decide whether these statements are true or false.
a. Nepal possesses multifold majestic snowcapped mountains,
wildlife and flora and fauna.

b. Geographical variation from lowest point of 47 metres to world’s

170 A course in English literature Book - 7

highest point 8,848 metres makes Nepal a naturally diverse
country.
c. The mountain activities such as peak climbing, expedition and
trekking started in 1853 by the successful summit of Mt. Everest.
d. The mountaineering activities were properly developed from 1970
onwards in the country.
e. Nepal is not a true adventure capital of the world.

2 Fill in the blank spaces with correct words from the above text.
a. The Ski-Mountaineering, Sky-Dive, Mountain Bike and
Marathon have made Nepal an ……….. around the world.
b. Expedition and trekking are ………………………….. within and
in demand of adventure tourism in Nepal.
c. As a Himalayan county and …………………, the mountain
climbing businesses are increasing day by day.
d. Thousands of tourists from different parts of the world visit
Nepal for…………………………… each year.
e. Also the expedition and …………………………… is divided in
different categories with the height of mountain.
f. There are some technically ……………………………… and some
really easy mountains.
g. The cultural diversity, majestic forest with full of flora and
fauna, …………….. make Nepal the world’s amazing country.
h. Annapurna Circuit Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek, Kanchenjunga
Trek and Langtang Trek are ………………………. trekking routes
in Nepal.

3 Write short answers to these questions.
a. What are basic features of The Great Himalayan Trail?
b. What is the best way to get thrills and adventure?

A course in English literature Book - 7 171

c. Why do the trekking packages mainly run through October to
December?

d. How can we promote the winter tourism in Nepal?
e. What can contribute to increase national revenue and job

opportunities?
f. What is being done to educate and promote ski-mountaineering

in Nepal?
g. What are some of the best places for skiing in Nepal?
h. What could be the unique and best experience for every

adventure lover?

Write Long Answer

1. How has Nepal big prospect of the mountain bike as an adventurous
sport?

2. In what way is rafting yet another tourists’ attraction in Nepal?

Literary Terms

Hyperbole is a purposeful exaggeration for emphasis or humour. Can you find
any hyperbole in the above text?
Imagery refers to the words or phrases that appeal to the reader’s senses.
Find at least two examples of imagery in the text above.

Creative Writing

How is paragliding with beautiful view of the mountains is the best experience
for the adventure lovers?

Think, Pair and Share

What do you think is the Ski-Dive?

Project Activity

Due to geographical situation, mountain bike at the heart of Himalaya is one
of the best parts of adventure tourism. Elaborate this statement in a hundred
words.

172 A course in English literature Book - 7

26 Humanity is
Divine

Before you proceed
a. Do you think friendship can develop between a person and a
wild animal?
b. Why do wild animals attack human beings?

Humanity is Divine -Lalita Doshi

Pradip lived with his parents in a small village. But one day, his mother
suddenly passed away. He was very sad. Looking at the small motherless
boy, everyone said he needed a new mother. His father married a woman
few months later. At first, everything was fine but as days passed by, the
step-mother began to get irritated with Pradip. She hated him and she
started to treat him badly.

He never got to eat stomachful
and his new mother always
scolded or hit him for even
trivial matters. One day,
he was so hungry that
he went into the jungle
looking for something
to eat. He reached near
the Aiselu tree where he
started to eat the fruits
dropped by the birds.
He went further and further
away into the jungle as he ate. Before he knew it, the night had fallen. He
couldn’t get back home that night. So, he started to look for a safe place
to spend the night.

Why did Pradip go into the jumgle?

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He saw a cave a few yards away. Two small cubs were playing there. He
went near the cubs and said, “Dear cubs, it’s night time and I cannot get
back home today. I will get killed by one of the animals. I would prefer
if you killed me instead.”
The cubs replied, “We will save you from our mother tonight but you
will have to leave early in the morning.”
Pradip decided to spend the night with the cubs. Few minutes later, the
tigress returned from her hunt. However, she did not have any game
with her, instead, she was hurt badly. She fell onto the ground as soon as
she got in. Pradip noticed that she had been shot by a bullet. So, he came
out from his hiding and pulled out the bullet with a long bone he found
there. He took off his shirt and tied it around the wound to stop the flow
of blood. He also poured water on the tigress’s mouth. A few moments
later, the tigress came back to her senses but she still could not move.
A hungry wolf was passing by the cave. When he saw the bloodied
tigress, he thought she was dead. He became happy with the thought of
getting to dine on tigress that night. His mouth watered at the thought.
When he saw the cubs, he said, “Today, I will feast on your mother. I had
not touched you two because I was scared of your mother. Now, no one
can save you from me.”
Pradip, the cubs and the tigress got scared when they heard the wolf. But
Pradip acted as if he was not scared and said in an authoritative voice,
“Look wolf, if you touch these cubs and the tigress, I will kill you.
Eat me if you can.” The wolf got angry
at Pradip and jumped on him.
Pradip pulled forward the
same long bone and struck
the wolf on its mouth. The
wolf got hurt and ran
away.
How did Pradip
save the wounded
tigress from the
hungry Wolf?

174 A course in English literature Book - 7

The tigress had been observing everything. She felt a strong sense of
gratitude and love towards Pradip. She thought for a while and then
said, “How can humans be so different? The one who shot me was also a
human and the one who saved me without caring for his own life is also
a human.”

The cubs also became happy when they saw their mother move. Pradip
was also happy to see that she had started to recover. The cubs looked
at Pradip and said, “Friend! Even though you saved mother, she won’t
spare you. You go and hide. We will come to you when she falls asleep.”
When the tigress heard it, her heart melted. She signalled at Pradip to
stop and said, “Son, you have opened my eyes. If we had considered each
other as our enemies, all of us would have been killed. From today, let us
all live together. The one who saves you at your worst is god. You are not
a human but a god for me.”

Pradip became happy when he heard her. Next day, people were shocked
to see Pradip and the tigress together. The news spread fast and the
villagers said, “Look, Pradip is enjoying the company of the tigress. He
saved the dying tigress. The tigress loves him like one of her own cubs.
She considers him god. If you could really understand, a human can
really be god. Humanity, after all, is divine.”

The villagers understood the value and strength of friendship. They
understood that they needed to have friendly relations with each other
just as Pradip made friends with the tigress with his good nature.
They began to idolize Pradip. Pradip, who had taught them the value
of friendship, never had to stay hungry after that. From then on, the
villagers took care of his eating, clothing and educational needs.

Vocabulary

1. Find the meaning of each of the words given below. You can use a
dictionary for help.

a. trivial : .................................................

b. authoritative : .................................................

c. gratitude : .................................................

d. idolize : .................................................

e. divine : .................................................

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2. Use a word from the list below to replace the underlined word in each
sentence.

animal eat died hit yelled at annoyed saw

a. Pradip’s mother suddenly passed away.

b. The step-mother began to get irritated with Pradip.

c. His new mother always scolded or hit him for even trivial matters.

d. The tigress did not have any game with her.

e. Pradip noticed that she had been shot by a bullet.

f. Today, I will feast on your mother.

g. Pradip pulled forward the same long bone and struck the wolf on
its mouth.

Comprehension Activities

1 Write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements and correct the false ones.
a. Pradip’s step-mother was always kind to him.

b. Pradip saved the cubs and the tigress from the wolf.

c. The tigress was happy because she could eat Pradip.

d. The tigress considered Pradip her god for what he had done
for her.

e. The villagers understood the strength of friendship and
good nature.

2 Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow.
a. Pradip lived with his parents in a small village. But one day, his mother

suddenly passed away. He was very sad and looking at the small
motherless boy, everyone said he needed a new mother. His father
married a woman few months later. At first, everything was fine but
as the days passed by, the step-mother began to get irritated with
Pradip. She hated him and she started to treat him badly.

176 A course in English literature Book - 7

i. Why was Pradip sad?
ii. Why did his father marry another woman?
iii. Why did the step-mother treat Pradip badly?
b. The cubs also became happy when they saw their mother move.

Pradip was also happy to see that she had started to recover. The
cubs looked at Pradip and said, “Friend! Even though you saved
mother, she won’t spare you. You go and hide. We will come to you
when she falls asleep.” When the tigress heard it, her heart melted.
She signalled at Pradip to stop and said, “Son, you have opened
my eyes. If we had considered each other as our enemies, all of us
would have been killed. From today, let us all live together. The one
who saves you at your worst is god. You are not a human but a god
for me.”
i. Why were the cubs happy?
ii. Why did the cubs ask Pradip to hide?
iii. Who, according to the tigress, is god?

3 Answer each of the following questions.
a. Why did Pradip go to the jungle? Explain.
b. What did he see in the cave and what did he do?
c. Why did the tigress feel gratitude and love towards Pradip?
d. What did the villagers learn from Pradip?
e. What did you learn from the story?

A course in English literature Book - 7 177

Write Long Answer

1. What made Pradip spend that night in the cave with the cubs?
2. In what way did Pradip dress the wound of the tiger?

Creative Writing

Write a short story with a moral lesson. Include humans and animals if
possible.

Project Activity

Help three people today and ask each of them to help other three. Then make
a report about your work. You don’t have to do great things to help, even
small helps will count. Share your reports with your class.
Following questions will give you the clue about what to include in the report.
Who did you help?
How did you help each of them?
Whom did each of these three people help?
How did they help each of them?
Note: You could continue this work as long as you like but you do not
have to make a report each time.

178 A course in English literature Book - 7

27 A Barber Outwitted!

Before you proceed
a. Have you put someone, who is innocent, in trouble for your
own good?
b. Do you think it is a right thing to do?

New words
cunning : clever
unkempt : untidy

A Barber Outwitted!

– A Nepali folktale
Once upon a time, there was a prince who loved to listen to his barber
talking. Every morning while shaving, the barber used to tell him all
the different stories and
gossips that he heard in the
town.
What did the barber use to
tell the prince?
The barber did not like the
court Pundit (priest), who
was respected and admired
by everyone else. One
morning, the barber came
up with a plan to get rid of
the Pundit. When he went
to the prince that morning,
he did not talk like he used
to.
“What’s wrong with you

today? Why don’t you talk?” asked the prince. After the prince asked it a
few more times, at last he said, “Sire, last night I had a dream. I was in the
paradise where I met your noble father and loving mother. Both of them
had a big problem.”
“Why? What was troubling them?” asked the prince.
The cunning barber made a sad face and replied, “Sire, they were in great
need of a priest to look after their spiritual needs. They have asked me to
tell you if you could send the court Pundit to paradise to help them solve
this problem.”
“But how?”
“That should not be too difficult, Sire,” replied the barber. “You will only
have to put him into a coffin and then into the grave. He will soon awake
in paradise”.
“Oh, I see. I will do that.”
The priest came to know about this and was worried. But he was very wise
and clever. He made a request to the prince to give him a month’s time to
make preparations for his heavenward journey.
Why was the priest worried?
He chose a suitable spot in his garden for his grave. He employed a dozen
faithful men to dig an underground tunnel from there to the bottom of his
house. Then he covered the place with wooden planks, grasses and weeds
to hide the tunnel.
When the great day arrived, the priest was laid down in a coffin and the
coffin was lowered into the grave. Once the coffin was covered with earth,
the priest opened the coffin using a secret device, and escaped through
the tunnel into his house.
Three long years passed. All this time, the priest allowed his hair, beard
and nails to grow as long as they could. One day, he emerged from the
house and presented himself before the prince. Everybody present in the
court was in utter shock and amazement.
“When did you return from Paradise?” asked the prince, adding, “and why
are you looking so untidy with unkempt hair, face, beard and so very long
nails?”

180 A course in English literature Book - 7

“I am assigned a special mission,” replied the priest. “For, who would
otherwise leave the pleasures of paradise to return to this miserable
earth? You see, till about a year ago, your respected father had an excellent
barber who was for some reason sent away from paradise some months
ago. Finding nobody to replace him, your honourable father ordered me
to return to you, and to ask you to send off your own barber immediately
to serve him in heaven.”
As expected, the prince ordered his barber to proceed to the paradise right
then and there!
The barber was so shocked at this sudden change of events that he was
speechless for a long while. But, of course, he was very scared to ignore the
prince’s orders. Besides, the soldiers started preparing the grave for him.
The very next moment, the poor fellow was laid into a coffin and buried
alive.

Vocabulary

1. Choose the words from the box for the given meanings.

emerge ignore assign pleasures admire
a. to praise
...........................
b. to appear by coming out of something
...........................
c. to give a particular job or a piece of work to someone
...........................

A course in English literature Book - 7 181

d. to intentionally not listen or give no attention
...........................
e. enjoyment, happiness or satisfaction, or something that gives this
...........................

2. Rearrange the letters to find the correct words from the text and make
a sentence using each of them..
a. ttoiwuted
b. pissogs
c. rjounye
d. rsetce
e. lacerep

Comprehension Activities

1 Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences.
a. The barber used to tell the prince different .................................. and

.................................. that he heard in the town.
b. The priest was .................................. when he heard that he was going

to be buried alive.
c. The priest chose a suitable spot in his garden for his

...................................
d. The priest opened the coffin using a ...................................
e. Everybody present in the court was in .................................. and

............................... when the priest returned.

182 A course in English literature Book - 7

2 Who said this to whom and in what context?
a. “What’s wrong with you today? Why don’t you talk?”
b. “That should not be too difficult, Sire.”
c. “When did you return from Paradise?”
d. “I am assigned a special mission.”

3 Reorder the sentences by numbering them from 1 to 6 to make the
story sensible and logical.

 The poor barber was laid into a coffin and buried alive.
 The priest opened the coffin using a secret device, and escaped

through the tunnel into his house.
 One day, the priest emerged from the house and presented himself

before the prince.
 The prince ordered his barber to proceed to the paradise right then.
 One morning, the barber came up with a plan to get rid of the Pundit.
 The priest said that the barber should be sent to the paradise.

4 Answer the following questions.
a. What plan did the barber make to get rid of the priest?
b. Why did the priest request the prince to give him a month’s time?
c. How did the priest escape?
d. Describe what the priest looked like after three years when he

returned to the palace.
e. How did the priest get rid of the barber at last?
f. Do you think a wise person such as a priest did the right thing to take

revenge on the barber by burying him alive? Could there be a better
way to take revenge?

A course in English literature Book - 7 183

Write Long Answer

1. How did the barber plan to get rid of the pundit?
2. Why was the barber buried alive?

Creative Writing

Write a short folk tale that you have heard or read in a book.

Project Activity

Here are some interesting quotes. Explain each of them in simple English.
“A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from
them and strong enough to correct them.” –John C. Maxwell
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you
talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” –Nelson Mandela
“A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.” –Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton
“It is not how much we have but how much we enjoy that makes happiness.” –
Charles Spurgeon

184 A course in English literature Book - 7

28 A Visit to Chitwan
National Park

Before you proceed
a. Has your school ever taken you on an educational tour?
b. Do you think schools should take students on educational tours?

Why?

A Visit to Chitwan National Park

Tours are of great importance as they not only broaden our outlook but also
enhance our knowledge to a great extent. That is why, we students await this
precious moment impatiently.

Recently I got such an occasion. It was the time of winter vacation when all
of a sudden a programme was made for Chitwan tour. All the students who
were willing to enjoy this tour had to deposit Rs 5000 to bear the expenses
of travelling, food and lodging. I, being a great supporter of educational tours
joined it whole-heartedly. My parents supported me with the required money.

Why did the students have to deposit Rs.5000 each?

On the day of the tour, the students gathered together, boarded the buses
and left for the destination. We sang songs, ate snacks and shared jokes during
the bus journey.

Finally, we arrived in Chitwan at the resort which was booked for us and then
went out to take a tour of a nearby ethnic Tharu village. We also watched a
Tharu cultural dance performance. Soon it was time to return to the resort.

Next day, all the students woke up by six in the morning. We were enjoying a
hearty breakfast when our teacher mentioned that we were going to Chitwan
National Park. On the bus ride to Chitwan National Park, our teacher gave us
information about the park. From my teachers, I got to know that Chitwan
National Park is the first national park in Nepal. It was established in 1973 AD and
was listed in the World Heritage Site in 1984 AD. This park covers an area of 932

A course in English literature Book - 7 185

sq km and is
located in the
subtropical
inner Terai
lowlands of
south-central
Nepal.

We reached
Chitwan
National Park
and we were
taken for
canoeing along the Rapti River. All of us were very excited. While canoeing,
we spotted different kinds of birds, two rare species of crocodiles, the marsh
mugger and the gharial. Chitwan National Park is the home of more than 530
species of birds and our teacher helped us spot herons, cormorants, cranes,
woodpeckers, kingfishers, falcons, cuckoos, swallows and many other birds.

What did the students enjoy along the Rapti river?

After canoeing, we went for lunch. We had very delicious food at the resort
where we were staying. Then it was time for elephant safari. During the
elephant safari, we got a chance to see different kinds of animals. We spotted
deer, rhinoceros, monkey, leopard and sloth bear. We were very lucky that we
got a chance to see the rare Bengal Tiger. We also saw different kinds of plants
and flowers. It was a very interesting ride.

When we were at
Chitwan National Park,
our teachers asked
us to find out more
about the park. We
asked the people there
and collected a lot of
valuable information.
We found that Chitwan
National Park is home to more than 700 species of wildlife, 19 species of snakes,
113 species of fish and 43 species of mammals. Chitwan National Park is also
one of Nepal’s most popular tourist destinations.

186 A course in English literature Book - 7

Before we even realised, it was time to leave. We had great fun during the
tour. Such tours are a good source of enjoyment and a learning experience for
students.

Vocabulary

1. Find the words in the text whose meanings are given below.
a. a person’s way of understanding and looking at something
b. to improve the quality, amount or strength of something
c. a great value
d. people of a particular community having the same language,
culture, etc.
e. the place where someone is going

2. Now, find your answers of exercise 1 in the word puzzle given below.

D E S T I NA T I ON
Q TWE R T Y U P LM
FHDS AZ XCVE B
G N H J K O L P Q NW
B I VXZUYTRHE
N CMQWT A S D A F
Z Y CVB L K J HNG
MB N T R OWE V C K
P R E C I OU SOE L
QWT R T K Y U I O P
VX Z J HGFDS A L

Comprehension Activities

1 Fill in the blanks with correct numbers.
a. Chitwan National Park was listed in World Heritage Site in

........................................
b. It covers an area of ........................................
c. Chitwan National Park gives shelter to more than .........................

species of birds.

A course in English literature Book - 7 187

d. There are ...................................... species of snakes in Chitwan
National Park.

e. ....................................... species of mammals are found there.

2 Rearrange the words to make correct sentences.
a. Nepal first Chitwan is national in park the Park National
b. lunch we for after canoeing went
c. ride a was it very interesting
d. tourist popular most Chitwan also National is one Park destinations

of Nepal’s
e. performance Tharu cultural we watched also a dance

3 Answer the following questions.
a. Why are tours important?
b. When was Chitwan National Park established?
c. Where is Chitwan National Park located?
d. Write the names of animals and birds found in Chitwan National

Park.
e. How many species of wildlife, snakes, fish and mammals are found in

Chitwan National Park?

Write Long Answer

1. Write a short note on Chitwan National Park.

2. What valuable information did the students collect about Chitwan
National Park?

Creative Writing

Write an essay on the benefits of travelling. Include the following in your essay:
• Introduction
• How travelling broadens our knowledge
• What we should focus on while travelling
• How we can utilize what we have learned while travelling

Think, Pair and Share

How can you be benefited from a tour?

Project Activity

Write a description of a place that your have visited recently.

188 A course in English literature Book - 7

29 Maha Shivaratri

Before you proceed
a. Do you celebrate Maha Shivaratri?
b. How do you celebrate it?

New words
glimpse : to see someone for a very short time
auspicious : fortunate; good
indulge : to enjoy

Maha Shivaratri

One of the most important festivals of Nepal, Maha Shivaratri, is
celebrated all over the country. This major festival of the Hindus is
celebrated as the wedding night of Lord Shiva and Parvati. This festival
falls on the new moon day of the month of Falgun.

What is the festival celebrated as?

The Hindu
devotees worship
and offer their
respects to Lord
Shiva on this day.
Huge crowds
gather in the
Pashupatinath
temple and other
Shiva temples to
celebrate the Lord’s
wedding night.
Devotees not only
from Nepal but all over Southeast Asia also come to Kathmandu almost

A course in English literature Book - 7 189

a week ahead of the day. The devotees keep fast for the whole day and
pay their respects in Shiva temples.
Who visits Pashupatinath tempple?
The Pashupatinath temple observes maximum number of devotees as
it is one of the most significant temples of Lord Shiva in the continent.
Devotees stand in queue for hours to get a glimpse of Lord Shiva on this
auspicious day. Every type of Sadhu from different parts of the continent
can be seen in the temple premises. A fair is also held in the Pashupatinath
premises for a week during the Shivaratri festival. Also, holy offerings
of bhaang and dhaturo are made and various pujas are conducted in Shiva
temples.
Major celebration is done in the evening. People light a holy fire in front
of the temples of Lord Shiva. Devotees bring logs and woods from their
homes to burn in the fire. They take rounds around the bonfire chanting
Om Namah Siwaya and Har Har Mahadev. It is believed that keeping the
half burned woods or sticks from that holy fire protects the house from
evil.
Maha Shivaratri, the great festival celebrated to mark the wedding of
Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvati, is an occasion of great fun and rejoice.
Hundreds of thousands of devotees who worship at Shiva temples on
this day believe that their prayers will be answered.

Vocabulary  exclude
 minimum
Match the antonyms.  begin
a. maximum  inauspicious
b. significant  insignificant
c. auspicious
d. indulge
e. end

190 A course in English literature Book - 7

Comprehension Activities

1 Correct the statements given below and rewrite them.
a. Lord Shiva married on Shivaratri.
b. Devotees gather around the temples of Goddess Durga on this day.
c. Only people from Nepal worship at Pashupatinath temple on

Shivaratri.
d. Major celebration is done in the morning.
e. People eat meat and rice as prasad on this day.
f. Bhaang and dhaturo are considered as the favourite food of Parvati.
2 Complete the sentences by filling in the blanks.
a. Shivaratri falls on ...........................
b. The devotees keep fast for ..................................................
c. Every type of Sadhu from different parts of the .................................
d. Devotees take rounds around the fire chanting ....................................
e. People believe that keeping the half ...............................................

3 Answer the following questions.
a. Why is Maha Shivaratri important for Hindus?
b. What happens at Pashupatinath temple during Shivaratri?
c. What happens in the evening?
d. What do people do on this day?

Write Long Answer

1. Explain how Shivaratri is celebrated in Nepal.
2. Also describe how the temples look like during the time of Shivaratri.

A course in English literature Book - 7 191

Projects Work

Write about your favourite festival. Mention why and how it is celebrated. Also
include pictures to illustrate your writing.

Think, Pair and Share

Smoking intoxicating substance such as marijuana and bhaang is a malpractice
during Shivaratri. What should be done to stop these harmful activities?

Project Activity

Read the famous quotes from the religious text Bhagwat Gita.
“For the one who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but
for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be his greatest enemy.”
“It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of
someone else’s life with perfection.”
“Perform your duties.”

192 A course in English literature Book - 7

30 First Nepali to
Scale Mt Everest

Before you proceed
a. Can you name three Nepalese who scaled Mount Everest?
b. Why do you think it is very difficult to reach the top of Mount Everest?

New words

crevasse : a very deep crack in the thick ice of a glacier
influential : having the ability to influence others
scale : reach the highest point of

First Nepali to Scale Mt Everest

Do you know who the person in this picture is?

He is Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.

He was the first Nepali to reach the summit of
Mount Everest. He was in fact one of the two
individuals to climb Mt Everest for the first time.
He scaled the summit together with Sir Edmund
Hillary on May 29, 1953 AD. He was one of the
most important and influential men of Nepal.

He was born in May 1914 AD. He was named as
Namgyal Wangdi when he was born. His name
was changed to Tenzing Norgay Sherpa on the
advice of the head lama and founder of Rongbuk
Monastery. The meaning of Tenzing Norgay means “wealthy fortunate
follower of religion”. He was born to father Ghang La Mingma and
mother Dokmo Kinzom. He had twelve siblings but most of them died
at young age. His father was a yak herder.

A course in English literature Book - 7 193

In his teens, he ran away from home twice. Once he went to Kathmandu
and the next time, he went to Darjeeling. He was also sent to Tengboche
Monastery to be a monk but he did not want to be a monk, so he got
out of there. He settled in the Sherpa community in Too Sung Bhusti in
Darjeeling at the age of nineteen.
He worked as a guide for many mountaineers who attempted to scale
Mt. Everest from Tibet as well as Nepal. He became a part of two Swiss
expeditions led by Raymond Lambert who tried to scale Mt. Everest
from Nepali side in 1952 AD. However, they could only reach the record
height of 8,599m.
In March 1953 AD, he got the opportunity which got him victory as well
as recognition. He became a part of John Hunt’s expedition. It was his
7th climb on Everest. The team consisted of 400 people. It included 20
Sherpa guides among which Tenzing was one. He also saved Sir Edmund
Hillary from a fall into a crevasse. Due to the failure in equipment some
of the climbers were sent down. But the two of them were ordered to
continue the climb. On May 29, 1953 AD they reached the summit of Mt.
Everest (8848m) at 11:30 in the morning.

Tenzing Norgay Sherpa with Sir Edmund Hillary.
He received many awards and honours. He received the George Medal
from Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
together with the Mt. Everest team in 1953 AD. He was also awarded

194 A course in English literature Book - 7

the Order of the Star Nepal, first class, by King Tribhuwan of Nepal in
1953 AD. He also received the Padma Bhushan (the third highest civilian
honour by the Government of India) in 1959 AD. He was honoured by
the creation of the Tenzing Norgay Award in 1978 AD by the Indian
Government. The Lukla Airport was also renamed as the Tenzing-
Hillary Airport in his and Hillary’s honour.

He became the director of field training for the Himalayan
Mountaineering Institute in India. He also founded his own company
named the Tenzing Norgay Adventures. In the year 1986 AD, he died of
cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 72.

Vocabulary

Write down the meaning for each of the words given below.

a. summit : ......................................................................................

b. influential : ......................................................................................

c. expedition : ......................................................................................

d. haemorrhage : ......................................................................................

Comprehension Activities

1 Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.
a. In his teens, he ran away from home twice. Once he went to

Kathmandu and the next time, he went to Darjeeling. He was also
sent to Tengboche Monastery to be a monk but he did not want
to be a monk so he came out of there. He settled in the Sherpa
community in Too Sung Bhusti in Darjeeling at the age of nineteen.

i. Where did he go after running away from home?

ii. Why did he get out of the monastery?

iii. How old was he when he settled down in Darjeeling?

b. He also became the director of field training for the Himalayan
Mountaineering Institute in India. He also founded his own company
named the Tenzing Norgay Adventures. In the year 1986, he died
due to cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 72.

i. W hat was the name of the institute where he served as the
director of field training?

A course in English literature Book - 7 195

ii. What was the name of the company he founded?

iii. When and how did he die?

2 Match the names with the adventure activities.

mountaineering jumping off a cliff with parachute

rafting climbing mountains
bungee jumping climbing on a natural rock

rock climbing navigating through the rivers with
some kind of boat

paragliding jumping off a very high bridge with

a long elastic rope tied around

your legs

3 Answer the following questions.

a. Who is Tenzing Norgay Sherpa?

b. What are the names of his parents?

c. Why was his birth name changed?

d. Describe Tenzing Norgay Sherpa’s seventh climb to Mount Everest.

e. What are the honours and awards that he received?

Write Long Answer

1. Write a description of Tening Norgey Sherpa.
2. Describe what happened in March 1953 A.D.

Creative Writing

What do you want to be in the future? Why? Write in a couple of paragraphs
about your aim of life.

Think, Pair and Share

Tenzing Norgay made Nepal proud. Can you name some other heroes who have
glorified Nepal in the world?

Project Activity

Work in pairs. Research and collect information about a famous person from
Nepal. Give a two minute presentation to the class. Take turns for giving
presentation. For example, one of you can talk about the person’s early life and
the other will talk about their contribution.

196 A course in English literature Book - 7

Features

The Adventures of Oliver Twist
The Bet (Part-One)
The Bet (Part-Two)

In the feature section of this textbook, you are going to read
two rather long pieces of literature. One is a classical story by
Anton Chekhov. The other is a part of a classic novel by a prominent

writer. This is an adapted version.

Fill in the blanks with correct words:

1. An exiting and dangerous journey may be called ......

a. an adventure b. an advancement

2. A piece of writing performed by actors in a theatre is called ....

a. a classic novel b. a play

A course in English literature Book - 7 197

31 The Adventures of
Oliver Twist

Before you proceed
a. Do you know how a helpless orphan spends his/her day?
b. What can you do to help an orphan?

Meet the author
Charles John Huffam Dickens was born on 7
February 1812 AD, in England. He was an English
writer and social critic. He is generally regarded as
the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During
his life, his works enjoyed extraordinary fame, and
was acknowledged by many critics and scholars.
Some of his popular novels are The Adventures of
Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, The
Old Curiosity Shop and Great Expectations. In 1865 AD, Dickens met a train
accident and never fully recovered. On June 9, 1870 AD, Dickens had a
stroke and, at age 58, died at Gad’s Hill Place, England.

New words

workhouse - a building where very poor people in Britain
used to work
in stupefied astonishment - in great surprise or shock
apprentice - someone who works for a skilled person for
a particular period of time and often for low
payment
undertaker - a person whose job is to prepare dead bodies
that are going to be buried or cremated and to
organize funerals
gulp down - to eat something by swallowing it in large
amounts
gruel - a cheap simple food made especially in the
past by boiling oats with water or milk

198 A course in English literature Book - 7

The Adventures of Oliver Twist

‘Oliver Twist’ is a book written by Charles Dickens. It is a story of an orphan
boy named Oliver, born in England. The book deals with the struggles and the
adventures in the life of this small boy. The boy stays in a badly run orphanage
until he is nine years after which he is transferred to a workhouse for adults. He
is then sent as a servant boy to a coffin maker from where he escapes and thus,
begins his journey of adventure. The following story is an extract from the book.

Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. His mother was found lying in
the street. Nobody knew where she came from, what her name was or
where she was going to.
After she gave birth to
her child, she was very
weak and was on the
verge of death.
Who was the mother of
Oliver Twist?
“Doctor, let me see my
child, and die,” said the
woman. She rose from
the pillow, kissed the
boy’s forehead with her
cold white lips and died.
It was Mr. Bumble, the
man in charge of the
workhouse, who gave
Oliver his name. When
Oliver was ten months
old they sent him to
a branch-workhouse
where he was brought

A course in English literature Book - 7 199

up by the elderly Mrs. Mann with other twenty or thirty children. They
did not have enough food and they were badly clothed. Of course, Mrs.
Mann got some money from the parish authorities and she knew what
was good for the children; but much better she knew what was good for
her, so she used the greater part of the money for her own needs.
Oliver Twist’s ninth birthday found him a pale thin child. Soon Mr.
Bumble came to take him back to the workhouse where Oliver could be
taught a trade. And for the first time a sense of loneliness sank into the
child’s heart because he was leaving his friends behind.
Mr. Bumble took Oliver into a large white-washed room, where eight or
ten fat gentlemen were sitting around a table. At the top of the table was
a particularly fat gentleman with a very round, red face.
“What’s your name, boy?” said the gentleman.
Oliver was frightened at the sight of so many gentlemen, which made
him tremble and he began to cry.
“Boy,” said the gentleman, “listen to me. You know you’re an orphan, I
suppose?”
“What’s that, sir?” asked poor Oliver.
“The boy is a fool – I thought he was,” said the gentleman in the white
waistcoat.
“Hush!” said the gentleman who spoke first. “You know you’ve got no
father or mother, and that you were brought up by the parish, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Oliver, weeping bitterly.
“I hope you say your prayers every night,” said another gentleman, “and
pray for the people who feed you, and take care of you.”
“Yes, sir,” stammered the boy.
“Well! You have come here to be educated, and taught a useful trade,”
said the red-faced gentleman. “So you’ll begin tomorrow morning at six
o’clock.”
The life in the workhouse was full of misery. Oliver Twist and his
companions were always hungry because the only thing the boys
were ever fed was gruel. Their bowls never wanted washing. The boys

200 A course in English literature Book - 7