Presented By :

Jitendra Sharma

TGT English

JNV Nalbari (Assam)

Introduction

• This story talks about the human tendency to jump to conclusions hurriedly and how this tendency disrupts and causes disturbance in the system. This moral is depicted through a farmer’s wife.

Main Points of the story

• A farmer who used to live in a village with his wife and a new born child has been introduced. Once the farmer told his wife that he wished to have a pet as a companion for his son. His wife also gave a nod to this and the farmer brought a baby mongoose with him the next day.

• Soon the baby mongoose becomes like a family member. Within a few months, the baby mongoose grows to full size while the farmer son remains still in the cradle.

• One day the house lady decides to go to the market to buy some grocery. She asks the farmer to keep an eye on their son as she does not like his son with the mongoose alone.

• The farmer replies that mongoose is a friendly animal and just sweet like our son. The wife goes away. The farmer had nothing to do, so he decides to visit his nearby friend. During his return, he meets other friends and become

busy with them.

Now the house lady finishes the shopping and arrives at home. She sees the mongoose waiting for her. Once she comes, mongoose runs toward her, as a customary

• The farmer’s wife sees that mongoose face and pawns are full of blood. She becomes angry and thinks that the mongoose has killed her son. In the rage, she throws the heavy grocery basket on the mongoose and runs towards her son.

• When she enters the room, she sees that her baby is sleeping in the cradle and a black snake is lying dead on the floor with blood.

• She now understands that the mongoose has not killed her baby but has saved her baby from the snake. She feels pity and runs towards the mongoose. But now mongoose is no more. The farmer’s wife cries and goes back to her crying son.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY

• Here we see that the lady became angry and with the rage killed the mongoose. She did not analyze the situation and initiated the action without the use of the mind. This story teaches us to not to be angry and take action without mind if something goes wrong. Else we will have to repent later, just like the farmer’s wife

WORD MEANINGS

1. Companion – Friend
2. Cradle – A small hanging bed for a baby
3. Alternately – one after the other
4. Quite ─ Not very/much
5. Customary – Usual
6. Scream – To cry loudly
7. Smear ─ To spread a sticky substance

across something/ somebody

8. Hysterically – Uncontrolled feeling of

fear, anger excitement

9. Rage – Too much anger

Self - Assessment

Q.1 Why did farmer think of having a pet ?

Q.2 Why did farmer’s wife to keep an eye on

the baby ?

Q.3 What did farmer reply on his wife’s fear?

Q.4 What made Farmer’s wife blind with

rage?

Q.5 Was the mongoose friendly and loyal?

Explain.

THANK YOU