Chapter 5
The Magic
Now, answer the following questions.
1. What do you think is happening in the pictures?
Ans: In the pictures, a dog is carrying a bone in its mouth while crossing a bridge. It sees its reflection in the water and mistakes it for another dog with a bigger bone. Wanting the other bone, the dog opens its mouth to bark, but in doing so, it drops its own bone into the water.
2. Number the pictures as per their occurrence.
Ans: The correct sequence of the pictures as per their occurrence is:
1️⃣ The dog is walking on the bridge with a bone in its mouth. (Bottom right)
2️⃣ The dog sees its reflection in the water and mistakes it for another dog. (Top left)
3️⃣ The dog opens its mouth to bark, trying to grab the other bone. (Bottom left)
4️⃣ The bone falls into the water, and the dog loses it. (Top right)
3. What do you learn from it?
Ans: The story teaches us the lesson "Greed leads to loss." The dog, being greedy, tried to snatch the bone from its reflection, but in doing so, it lost the one it already had. This shows that we should be content with what we have instead of being greedy for more.
I) Answer the following questions.
1. Who was Abhiram?
Ans: Abhiram was a fisherman who lived with his wife in a small hut near the sea. He went to the sea every day to catch fish.
2. A strange thing happened one day. What was it?
Ans: One day, a strange thing happened—Abhiram caught a big golden fish in his net. When he took the fish out of the water, the fish began to speak and pleaded with him to let it go.
3. How did his wife respond when he went home empty-handed?
Ans: When Abhiram went home empty-handed and told his wife about the talking fish, she became angry and called him foolish. She insisted that he should go back to the sea, call the fish again, and ask for a big house with a huge garden, believing it to be a magic fish.
4. Did the golden fish fulfill all the wishes of Abhiram's wife? Why?
Ans: No, the golden fish did not fulfill all the wishes of Abhiram's wife. While it granted her wishes for a big house, a palace, and wealth, it refused to grant her final wish to become the ruler of the sea. The fish became angry and disappeared into the depths of the sea, realizing that her greed had no limits. As a result, all her wishes were undone, and she had to return to living in the small hut. This happened because of her excessive greed and dissatisfaction.
5. What is the moral of the story?
Ans: The moral of the story is that greed leads to downfall. Abhiram’s wife was never satisfied with what she had and kept demanding more. Her excessive greed ultimately led to her losing everything and returning to her original state. The story teaches us to be content with what we have and to appreciate the blessings in our lives instead of always wanting more.
6. If you were Abhiram, what wish would you ask the fish?
Ans: If I were Abhiram, I would ask the fish for happiness, good health, and peace for my family instead of material wealth. Unlike riches, which can be lost, true happiness and well-being are more valuable and lasting.
7. What happened when Abhiram’s wife wished to be the ruler of the sea?
Ans: When she wished to be the ruler of the sea, the fish got angry, vanished into the sea, and took away all her riches, leaving her with only the small hut again.
8. What is the moral of the story?
Ans: The moral of the story is that greed leads to downfall, and one should be content with what they have.
9. How did Abhiram feel about his wife's wishes?
Ans: Abhiram was hesitant and felt that his wife’s demands were unreasonable, but he still obeyed her.
10. If you were Abhiram, what wish would you ask the fish?
Ans: (Personal choice) Example: "If I were Abhiram, I would ask for happiness and health for my family instead of material wealth."
