Chapter 2

                                                               The Wise Man-I


1. Who was Bhola and where did he live?

Answer: Bhola was a horse trainer who lived in Bhopal. He worked for the Nawab of Bhopal and trained horses for him. He was simple, honest, and hardworking.

2. For whom did Bhola work?

Answer: Bhola worked for the Nawab of Bhopal. He was employed as a horse trainer in the Nawab’s service.

3. What did the Nawab give Bhola when he retired?

Answer: When Bhola retired, the Nawab gave him a colt and some money as a reward for his faithful service.

4. Why did Bhola and Shanti decide to sell the horse?

Answer: They decided to sell the horse because it ate a lot of fodder and was very expensive to feed. They were afraid they would become poor if they kept it.

5. What did Shanti think about keeping the horse?

Answer: Shanti thought that keeping the horse was too costly. She believed it was better to exchange it for something cheaper to maintain.

6. Where did Bhola go to sell the horse?

Answer: Bhola went to the market to sell or exchange the horse.

7. Whom did Bhola meet first in the market?

Answer: Bhola first met a man who had a donkey in the market.

8. Why did Bhola exchange the horse for a donkey?

Answer: Bhola thought that a donkey would be more useful and cheaper to maintain than a horse, so he exchanged the horse for a donkey.

9. Did the man agree to exchange the donkey?

Answer: Yes, the man agreed happily and exchanged his donkey for Bhola’s horse.

10. Whom did Bhola meet after getting the donkey?

Answer: After getting the donkey, Bhola met a woman who had a sheep.

11. Why did Bhola want a sheep instead of a donkey?

Answer: Bhola thought his wife would prefer a sheep. He believed it would be more useful and would eat less than a donkey.

12. What did the woman say when Bhola asked for her sheep?

Answer: The woman gladly agreed and exchanged her sheep for Bhola’s donkey.

13. What did Bhola see next in the market?

Answer: Bhola saw a boy carrying a hen while passing through a herd of cattle.

14. Why did Bhola exchange the sheep for a hen?

Answer: Bhola thought that a hen would eat less than a sheep and would be easier to maintain.

15. Did the boy agree to exchange the hen?

Answer: Yes, the boy smilingly agreed and exchanged his hen for Bhola’s sheep.

16. Whom did Bhola meet after getting the hen?

Answer: Bhola met a girl carrying a basket full of green mangoes.

17. Why did Bhola want the mangoes?

Answer: Bhola knew that his wife loved mango chutney. He thought the green mangoes would make delicious chutney.

18. What question did the girl ask Bhola?

Answer: The girl asked Bhola whether the hen laid eggs.

19. What was Bhola’s reply to the girl?

Answer: Bhola confidently replied that the hen laid eggs.

20. Did the girl agree to exchange the mangoes?

Answer: Yes, the girl agreed and exchanged her mangoes for the hen.

21. What is a barter system?

Answer: A barter system is a system in which goods are exchanged for other goods without using money.

22. How is the barter system shown in the story?

Answer: In the story, Bhola keeps exchanging one item for another without using money, which shows the barter system.

23. Why was the horse expensive to keep?

Answer: The horse ate a lot of fodder, which made it costly to maintain.

24. What kind of person was Bhola?

Answer: Bhola was simple, innocent, and easily satisfied. He made decisions without thinking much about profit or loss.

25. What kind of person was Shanti?

Answer: Shanti was practical and concerned about household expenses.

26. What does the word “bargain” mean in the story?

Answer: Bargain means an agreement in buying or selling something at a certain price or exchange.

27. Why did Bhola call the girl “little fairy”?

Answer: Bhola called her “little fairy” in a friendly and polite manner.

28. What lesson does the story teach us?

Answer: The story teaches us to think wisely before making decisions and not to act foolishly.

29. How many exchanges did Bhola make in the market?

Answer: Bhola made four exchanges: horse to donkey, donkey to sheep, sheep to hen, and hen to mangoes.

30. Why did Bhola think the donkey was useful?

Answer: He believed a donkey could carry loads and would eat less than a horse.

31. Why did Bhola reduce the value of his property step by step?

Answer: Bhola did not think about profit. He only thought about reducing expenses.

32. How did Bhola feel while making exchanges?

Answer: Bhola felt satisfied and believed he was making good decisions.

33. What does the story tell about Bhola’s nature?

Answer: The story shows that Bhola was innocent and did not understand the value of things properly.

34. Why did Shanti send Bhola quickly to the market?

Answer: Shanti told Bhola to leave at once so that he would not be late in selling the horse.

35. What was Bhola afraid of before leaving?

Answer: Bhola was afraid that Shanti might get angry if he made a poor bargain.

36. Did Shanti ever complain to Bhola?

Answer: No, Shanti said she had never complained to him before.

37. What does the word “colt” mean?

Answer: A colt is a young horse.

38. What was Bhola’s final possession when he left the market?

Answer: Bhola’s final possession was a basket of green mangoes.

39. Was Bhola’s decision wise? Why or why not?

Answer: Bhola’s decision was not wise because he exchanged a valuable horse for less valuable items step by step.

40. Why is the story titled The Wise Man?

Answer: The title may be ironic because Bhola is called wise, but his actions show that he is actually foolish in business matters.

Answer by Mrinmoee