Treasure Trove Short Storie Workbook Answers A Horse and Two Goats
A Horse and Two Goats Questions and Answers Extract Based
Question 1.
Of the seven hundered thousand villages dotting the map of India, Kritam was probably the tiniest, indicated on the district survey map by a microscopic dot. But its size did not prevent its giving itself the grandiose name Kritam, which meant in Tamil “coronet” or “crown” on the brow of this subcontinent. The village consisted of less than thirty houses, only one of them built with brick and cement. Painted a brilliant yellow and blue all over with gorgeous carvings of gods and gargoyles on its balustrade, it was known as the Big House. The other houses, distributed in four streets, were generally of bamboo thatch, straw, mud and other unspecified material. Muni’s was the last house in the fourth street, beyond which stretched the fields.
(a) Where does the story take place ? What does Kritam mean ?
Answer:
The story takes place in Kritam, one of the smallest of India’s seven hundred thousand villages. Kritam means ‘crown’ or ‘coronet’ in the Indian language Tamil.
(b) Where was the village situated ? How many houses were there in the village ? Describe the Big House.
Answer:
The village was situated far away from the highway at the end of a rough track. There were only thirty houses in the village, most of them were simple thatched huts. The Big House was built with brick and cement. It was painted in a brilliant yellow and blue colour. There were carvings of gods and gargoyles on several posts.
(c) With which material were the other houses in the village built ?
Answer:
The other houses which were distributed in four streets were built of bamboo thatch, straw, mud and other unspecified material.
(d) Who was Muni and what was his state ?
Answer:
Muni was the poorest man in the village. He lived in an abject poverty. He had no money and no food. He had only two goats which were small and scrawny.
(e) How many sheep and goats did Muni own in the days of prosperity ? Where did he herd his flock ? Where did he sit ?
Answer:
In the days of prosperity, Muni owned a flock of forty goats and sheep. Every day, he herded his flock to the highway on the outskirts of the village. There he sat on the pedestal of the clay statue of a horse while his cattle grazed around.
(f) What did Muni feed his flock with ? When did he come back home ? What did he carry home ?
Answer:
Muni fed his flock with foliage. He came back home at the sunset. He gathered faggots and dry sticks and carried them home for fuel.
Question 2.
His wife lit the domestic fire at dawn, boiled water in a mud pot, threw into it a handful of millet flour, added salt, and gave him his first nourishment for the day. When he started out, she would put in his hand a packed lunch, once again the same millet cooked into a little ball, which he could swallow with a raw onion at midday.
His fortunes had declined gradually, unnoticed. From a flock of forty which he drove into a pen at night, his stock had now come down to the two goats, which were tethered to the trunk of a drumstick tree which grew in front of his hut and from which occasionally Muni could shake down drumsticks. This morning he got six. He carried them in with a sense of triumph. Although no one could say precisely who owned the tree, it was his because he lived in its shadow.
(a) What did Muni’s wife cook for him in the morning ? How did she cook it ?
Answer:
Muni’s wife cooked balls of millet flour for him in the morning. She boiled water in a mud pot. Then she threw a handful of millet flour into it and added salt in it. Then she made balls of millet flour.
(b) How did Muni’s fortunes decline ?
Answer:
Muni was once an affluent cattle grazer, but pestilence afflicted his cattle and his fortunes declined gradually and he was now left with two goats, too skinny to sell or eat.
(c) Why did Muni tether his two goats to the trunk of a drumstick tree ? What was his claim ?
Answer:
Muni tethered his goats to the trunk of the drumstick tree probably to make his claim over the tree stronger. His claim was that he owned the tree as he lived in its shadow.
(d) What kind of food did Muni’s wife serve him in the morning and what did she give him for lunch ?
Answer:
Muni’s wife served him salted millet flour in boiled water in the morning and packed the same food for lunch.
(e) Why did Muni’s wife agree to supply him with what he was craving for ?
Answer:
Muni’s wife agreed to prepare the drumstick sauce as he was craving for the same because she thought he might not be alive the following year to ask for anything.
(f) Under what condition was Muni’s wife ready to fulfil his desire ?
Answer:
Muni’s wife was ready to fulfil his desire or craving if he would get her all the stuff like dhall, chilly, curry leaves, mustard, coriander, gingelley oil, one large potato and some rice or millet.
Question 3.
“You have only four teeth in your jaw, but your craving is for big things. All right, get the stuff for the sauce, and I will prepare it for you. After all, next year you may not be alive to ask for anything. But first get me all the stuff, including a measure of rice or millet, and I will satisfy your unholy craving. Our store is empty today. Dhall, chilly, curry leaves, mustard, coriander, gingelley oil, and one large potato. Go out and get all this.” He repeated the list after her in order not to miss any item and walked off to the shop in the third street.
(a) On which profession did the villagers rely on ?
Answer:
Mostly villagers were illiterate and poor. They relied on cultivating their lands or grazing domestic animals like goats and sheep to earn a bare living at the day’s end.
(b) Whose family was prosperous in the village and how ?
Answer:
Only one family in the village was prosperous. It was the village headman who had apparently duped the poor villagers by lending money and charging high interest and made a lot of money and built a brick house-the only one to be seen in the village.
(c) For which thing did Muni crave to chew ? What did Muni’s daily meals consist of ?
Answer:
One day Muni brought home some drumsticks or seed pods and greatly craved to chew them out of sauce. Muni’s daily meals usually consisted of only millet and an onion.
(d) How did Muni’s wife agree to fulfil his craving ?
Answer:
Muni’s wife agreed to make the sauce if he could get all the necessary ingredients from the village shop such as, dhall, chilly, curry leaves, mustard coriander, gingelley oil, and one large potato.
(e) Why did Muni’s wife say, ‘You have only four teeth in your jaw, hut your craving is for big things’ ?
Answer:
Muni’s wife gave the remark quoted above because Muni had grown about seventy years old and he was left with only four teeth in his jaw and yet he desired to chew the drumstick.
(f) Did Muni succeed to get all those ingredients which were demanded by his wife ? Why ?
Answer:
No, Muni did not succeed to get all the ingredients demanded by his wife because the shopkeeper was unwilling to give him anything on credit as he had already a huge debt.
Question 4.
By thus humouring the shop man, Muni could always ask for one or two items of food, promising repayment later. Some days the shop man was in a good mood and gave in, and sometimes he would lose his temper suddenly and hark at Muni for daring to ask for credit.
The shop man said, “If you could find five rupees and a quarter, you will have paid off an ancient debt. How much have you got now ?”
“I will pay you everything on the first of the next month.”
“As always, and whom do you except to rob by then ?”
Muni felt caught and mumbled, “My daughter has sent word that she will be sending me money.”
(a) Why could Muni not show courage to go to the shop straight ? Where did he sit patiently.
Answer:
Muni could not show the courage to go to the shop straight because he was hesitating to buy the things on debt. He sat patiently on an upturned packing case below the platform of the shop.
(b) How did Muni try draw the attention of the shopkeeper ? What sarcastic remark did he give ?
Answer:
Muni kept clearing his throat, coughing and sneezing in order draw the attention of the shopkeeper. At his, the shopkeeper asked him from which ailment he was suffering and gave sarcastic remark saying that he would fly off that seat into the gutter if he sneezed so hard.
(c) How did Muni laugh and why ? How could Muni ask for the things ?
Answer:
Muni laughed in an uncivilized way in order to please the shopman. By humouring the shopman, Muni could always ask for one or two items of food, promising repayment later.
(d) What kind of behaviour did the shopman make with Muni when he was calmed and when he was angry ?
Answer:
Sometimes when the shopman was in a good mood, he did not like to make any dispute with Muni but sometimes when he lost the temper, he cried loudly at Muni for daring.
(e) What promise did Muni make to the shopman ? What was Muni’s old debt ?
Answer:
Muni promised the shopman that he would pay offhis debt on the first of the next month. Muni had an ancient debt of five rupees and a quarter.
(f) How did the shopman react at Muni’s false promises ? What did he ask in sarcastic way ? Why ?
Answer:
The shopman got angry at Muni’s false promises and asked him in sarcastic way whom he expected to rob by then because he (Muni) would never be able to repay his debts.
(g) What did Muni mumble when he felt caught ? Why did Muni pretend to have a daughter ?
Answer:
When Muni felt caught, he mumbled that his daughter had sent word that she would send him money. Muni was trying to cope with his present situation, so he pretended to have a daughter.
Question 5.
“Have you a daughter ?” sneered the shop man. “And she is sending you money ! For what purpose, may I know ?”
“Birthday, fiftieth birthday,” said Muni quietly,” “Birthday! How old are you ?”
Muni repeated weakly, not being sure of it himself, “Fifty.” He always calculated his age from the time of the great famine when he stood as high as the parapet around the village well, but who could calculate such things accurately nowadays with so many famines occurring ? The shop man felt encouraged when other customers stood around to watch and comment. “More likely you are seventy,” he said to Muni. “You also forget that you mentioned a birthday five weeks ago when you wanted castor oil for your holy bath.”
(a) Why did shopman sneer at Muni ? What did Muni say when asked the purpose of sending the money ?
Answer:
The shopman sneered at Muni because Muni had produced an imaginary daughter and the shopman was very well known to the fact that Muni was childless. When Muni was asked the purpose of her sending the money, Muni said that he was going to celebrate his fiftieth birthday.
(b) How did Muni always calculate his age ?
Answer:
As Muni was not sure about his age, he always calculated his age from the time of great famine. But as there had been many famines, it was difficult to make accurate calculation of age.
(c) What did the shopman remind him about his age ?
Answer:
The shopman told him that he was about seventy years old and reminded Muni that he (Muni) himself mentioned a birthday five weeks ago when he wanted castar oil for his holy bath.
(d) What did Muni tell his wife on reaching his home ? What did he ask her ?
Answer:
On reaching his home, Muni told his wife that the scoundrel shopman refused to give him anything and asked her to sell the drumsticks since he could not get the ingredients for the sauce.
(e) Why did he fling himself down in a comer ? What did Muni’s wife said when he came empty handed from the shop ?
Answer:
He flung himself down in a corner as he was tired of visiting the shop. When Muni brought nothing from the shop, his wife said that he would get nothing to eat that day and asked him to fast till evening.
(f) What could Muni expect if he remained calm before his wife ?
Answer:
Muni knew that if he obeyed her she would somehow make arrangement
of some food for him in the evening, but he must be careful not to argue and irritate her.
Question 6.
Unleashing the goats from the drumstick tree, Muni started out, driving them ahead and uttering weird cries from time to time in order to urge them on. He passed through the village with his head bowed in thought. He did not want to look at anyone or be accosted. A couple of cronies lounging in the temple corridor hailed him, but he ignored their call.
The shop man had said that he was seventy. At seventy, one only waited to be summoned by God. When he was dead what would his wife do ? They had lived in each other’s company since they were children. He had been told on their day of wedding that he was ten years old and she was . eight. Progeny, none. Perhaps a large progeny would have brought him the blessing of the gods.
(a) What did Muni’s wife tell him when he got nothing from the shop ?
Answer:
When Muni got nothing from the shop, his wife told him that he should take the goats out to graze and he would have to go without food as there was nothing in the house to eat.
(b) What kind of temperament did Muni’s wife have ? How did she earn money for buying foodstuff ?
Answer:
The temperament of Muni’s wife was undependable in the morning but improved by evening time. By grinding corn in the Big House, sweeping or scrubing somewhere, she earned enough to buy food stuff.
(c) Why did he pass through the village with his head bowed ?
Answer:
Muni’s utter poverty and barrenness had made him an object of sneer. In order to avoid the sarcastic remarks of the people, he kept his head bowed until he was out of the village.
(d) What was he thinking while going with his goats ?
Answer:
While going with his goats, he thought of his growing age. He was now about seventy years old and the next year he would be of seventy one and it was possible that God could send him summon at any time. He was badly troubled with the thought what his wife would do after his death.
(e) How long had they been living in each other’s company ? What was he told on the day of wedding ?
Answer:
They had been living in each other’s company since they were children. They were married in their childhood. He was told on their wedding that he was ten years old and she was eight.
(f) Where could he lift his head and look up ? How long did he urge and bully the goats ?
Answer:
He could lift his head and look up only on the outskirts. He urged and bullied the goats until they meandered along to the foot of the horse statue on the edge of the village.
Question 7.
The horse was nearly life-size, moulded out of clay, baked, burnt, and brightly coloured, and reared its head proudly, prancing its forelegs in the air and flourishing its tail in a loop; beside the horse stood a warrior with scythe-like mustachios, bulging eyes, and aquiline nose. The horse itself was said to have been as white as a dhobi-washed sheet, and had had on its back a cover of pure brocade of red and black lace, matching the multi coloured sash around the waist of the warrior. But none in the village remembered the splendour as no one noticed its existence. Even Muni, who spent all his waking hours at its foot, never bothered to look up.
(a) Where did he sit for the rest of the day ? What was the advantage of it ?
Asnwer:
He sat on the pedestal of the statue of the horse to spend the time till evening. The advantage of this was that he could watch the highway and see the lorries and buses pass through to the hills and it gave him a sense of belonging to a larger world.
(b) How was the pedestal of the statue useful to Muni ?
Answer:
The pedestal of the statue was broad enough for him to move around as the sun travelled up and westward or he could also crouch under the belly of the horse, for shade.
(c) How was the statue of the horse made ? Who stood beside the horse ?
Answer:
The statue of the horse was made of weather-beaten clay. It was baked, burnt and brightly coloured. Beside the horse, a warrior with scythe-like mustachios, bulging eyes and curved nose, was stood.
(d) What was said about the appearance of the horse ? How was it adorned ?
Answer:
The horse was as white as a dhobi washed sheet and had on its back a cover of pure brocade of red and black lace, matching the multi coloured sash around the waist of warrior.
(e) What was Muni watching while sitting at the foot of the statue ? Why did he look at the sun ?
Answer:
While sitting at the foot of the statue, he was watching his two goats. He looked at the sun to know the time of going back home.
(f) Why did he feel disappointed ? Why did he decide not to go back home early ?
Answer:
After knowing the time, he felt disappointed because it was not the time yet to go back home. He thought that if he went back home early, his wife would have no food for him. Hence he decided that he must give her time to cool off her temper.
Question 8.
A red-fated foreigner, who had been driving it, got down and went round it, stooping, looking, and poking under the vehicle; then he straightened himself up, looked at the dashboard, stared in Muni’s direction, and approached him. “Excuse me, is there a gas station nearby, or do I have to wait untill another car comes—” He suddenly looked up at the clay horse and rried, “Marvellous,” without completing his sentence. Muni felt he should get up and run away, and cursed his age. He could not readily put his limbs into action.
(a) What did Muni notice while sitting on the pedestal ?
Answer:
While sitting on the pedestal, Muni noticed a new sort of vehicle coming down at full speed. It looked like both a motor car and a bus.
(b) Where did the car stop and why ? What happened then ?
Answer:
The car stopped in front of Muni as it had run out of gas. Then a red-faced foreigner, who had been driving the car, got down and approached to Muni to enquire about the gas station nearby.
(c) What drew the attention of the foreigner ? What did he say ?
Answer:
The statue of a horse with warrior attracted the attention of the foreigner. On seeing the matchless piece of art he cried, ‘Marvellous.’
(d) Why did Muni feel the urge to run ? What stopped him from doing so ?
Answer:
Muni felt the urge to run away because he thought the visitor to be a policeman or soldier approaching to arrest the man who committed a murder nearby a few days back and he was afraid the man could mistakenly think him to be the culprit and arrest or at least could involve him in the case unnecessarily. His growing age did not allow him to run away as he could not readily put his limbs into action.
(e) What kind of dress did the foreigner wear ? What did Muni say to himself ?
Answer:
The foreigner wore khaki dress. Muni said to himself that if he started running, he would chase or shoot him and he began to pray lord Shiva to protect him.
(f) What did the foreigner do after being fascinated towards the statue ? What was the state of Muni ?
Answer:
After being fascinated towards the statue of the horse, the foreigner reached near it and paced around the statue with his eyes fixed on it. Muni sat frozen for a while and then made small movements through nervousness and tried to move away.
(g) How did the foreigner greet Muni ? How did Muni respond.
Answer:
Pressing his palms together and giving a smile, the foreigner greeted him saying ‘Namaste’. Having exhausted his English vocabulary, ‘yes, no’, Muni started in Tamil.
Question 9.
Muni felt totally confused but decided the best thing would be to make an attempt to get away from this place. He tried to edge out, Saying, “Must go home”, and turned to go. The other seized his shoulder and said desperarely, “Is there no one, absolutely no one here, to translate for me ?” He looked up and down the road, which was deserted in this hot afternoon. The stranger almost pinioned Muni’s back to the statue and asked, “Isn’t this statue yours ? Why don’t you sell it to me ?”
The old man now understood the reference to the horse, thought for a second, and said in his own language, “I was an urchin this high when I heard my grandfather explain this horse and warrior, and my grandfather himself was this high when he heard his grandfather, whose grandfather.
(a) What was the state of Muni before the foreigner ? What did he decide ?
Answer:
Muni was utterly confused before the foreigner. He did not know what to do to get rid of this situation. Then he decided to get away from that place.
(b) What did the foreigner do when Muni tried to leave the place ?
Answer:
When Muni tried to leave the place saying that he must go home and
turned to go, the foreigner seized his shoulder and asked desperately if there was none to translate for him.
(c) Why did the foreigner almost hold down Muni’s back to the statue ?
Answer:
The foreigner thought that Muni was leaving the place and he (foreigner)
was highly interested in buying the statue of horse, so in order to prevent him from departing, he almost held down him to the back of the statue.
(d) What did the old man understand now ? What happened when the old man was about to explain about the horse ?
Answer:
The old man (Muni) understood that the foreigner was referring to the horse and when he was going to tell him the history related to the horse, the foreigner interrupted him saying that he would offer him a good price.
(e) Why did the foreigner offer Muni a good price of the statue of the horse ?
Answer:
The foreigner offered Muni a good price of the statue because he had concluded without the least doubt that Muni owned this mud horse. Perhaps he guessed by the way he sat on its predestal like other souvenir sellers in this country presiding over their waves.
(f) What gave Muni relief ?
Answer:
Muni observed the man’s eyes and pointing fingers and dimly understood the subject matter. He felt relief to know that the theme of the mutilated body had been abandoned at least for the time being.
Question 10.
The foreigner followed his look and decided that it would be a sound policy to show an interest in the old man’s pets. He went up casually to them and stroked their backs with every show of courteous attention. Now the truth dawned on the old man. His dream of a lifetime was about to be realized. He understood that the red man was actually making an offer for the goats. He had reared them up in the hope of selling them some day and, with the capital, opening a small shop on this very spot.
Sitting here, watching towards the hills, he had often dreamt how he would put up a thatched roof here, spread a gunny sack out on the ground, and display on it fried nuts, coloured sweets, and green coconut for the thirsty and famished wayfarers on the highway, which was sometimes very busy. The animals were not prize ones for a cattle show, but he had spent his occasional savings to provide them some fancy diet now and then, and they did not look too bad. While he was reflecting thus, the red man shook his hand and left on his palm one hundred rupees in tens now, suddenly realizing that this was what the old man was asking “It is all for you or you may share it if you have a partner.
(a) What policy did the foreigner apply to win Muni’s heart for getting the statue ? What did he do then ?
Answer:
In order to win Muni’s heart and get the statue the foreigner thought that it would be a sound policy to show an interest in the old man’s pets. He went up casually to them and stroked their backs with every show of courteous attention.
(b) What made Muni think that the foreigner was thinking to buy his goats ?
Answer:
When the foreigner showed interest in Muni’s goats by patting their backs, Muni suddenly realised that the foreigner was thinking to buy his goats.
(c) Why had Muni rear the goats up ?
Answer:
Muni had reared his goats up because he hoped that he would sell them some day and with the capital he would open a small shop on this very spot.
(d) What did Muni often dream of ?
Answer:
Muni often dreamt of setting up a small shop by putting up a thatched roof, spreading gunny sack out on the ground and displaying on it fried nuts, coloured sweets and green coconut for the thirsty and hungry travellers on the highway.
(e) What did the foreigner do when Muni was reflecting ?
Answer:
When Muni was reflecting the foreigner shook hand and left on his palm one hundred rupee, realising that this was what the old man was asking.
(f) What did Muni ask the foreigner while pointing at the station wagon ? What advice did Muni give to the foreigner ?
Answer:
While pointing at the station wagon, Muni asked the foreigner if he was carrying his goats off in that. Muni advised the foreigner to carry his goats off after he got out of sight, otherwise they would never follow him (foreigner) but only him (Muni) even if he was travelling on the path of Yama Loka.
Question 11.
Muni hurried homeward with the cash securely tucked away at his waist in his dhoti. He shut the street door and stole up softly to his wife as she
squatted before the lit oven wondering if by a miracle food would drop from the sky. Muni displayed his fortune for the day. She snatched the notes from him, counted them by the glow of the fire, and cried, “One hundred rupees ! How did you come by it ? Have you been stealing ?”
“I have sold our goats to a red-faced man. He was absolutely crazy to have them, gave me all this money and carried them off in his motor car!” Hardly had these words left lips when they heard bleathing outside. She opened the door and saw the two goats at her door. “Here they are!” she said. “What’s the meaning of all this?”
(a) When did the foreigner carry off the horse and how ?
Answer:
After Muni had left, a truck came down hill. He stopped it and got the help of a couple of men to detach the horse from its pedestal and place it in his station wagon.
(b) Where did Muni go ? What did he do then ?
Answer:
Taking the hundred rupees, Muni went his home hurriedly. Then, shutting the street door, he softly moved to his wife and displayed his fortune for the day.
(c) How did Muni’s wife react to see the notes ?
Answer:
On seeing the notes, Muni’s wife snatched them and began to count them in the glow of the fire and being astonished, she asked Muni if he had stolen the money.
(d) What did Muni explain to his wife ?
Answer:
Muni explained his wife that he had sold his goats to a foreigner who gave him all this money and carried them dff in his motor car.
(e) How was the suspicion of Muni’s wife confirmed ?
Answer:
When Muni was explaining his wife, they heard the bleating of the goats outside. Now the suspicion of Muni’s wife was confirmed.
(f) What did Muni utter to see the goats in front of him ?
Answer:
When Muni saw the goats standing in front of him, he uttered a great curse and seizing one of them by the ear, said that they belonged to the American.
(g) How did Muni’s wife react to see the goats ?
Answer:
When she saw the goats, she burst into anger and glaring at him said that as he had committed the theft, the police would arrest him soon and would thrash him badly.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Describe the rural life in the story A Horse and Two Goats.
Answer:
Introduction : The story A Horse and Two Goats’ is set in a fictional south Indian village named Kritam. Kritam was a tiny village with less than thirty houses. The country people were mostly illiterate and poor. They relied on cultivating their lands or grazing domestic animals like goats and sheep to earn a bare living at the day’s end. But only one family was prosperous. It was the village headman who had apparently duped those poor people by lending money and charging high interest and made a lot of money and built a brick house-the only one to be seen in the village.
Hunger and Poverty: Muni, the protagonist of the story was such a poor man that he even had to stay unfed on somedays. Once he had a flock of forty sheep and goats but those days were gone now. He now grazed his two goats in the outskirts of the village near the highway. His wife sometimes worked in the Big House in the village. She ground corn or swept or scrubbed somewhere to buy food stuffs and get a meal for her husband. Sometimes Muni would shake down drumsticks from the tree in front of his hut and express his desire for a change of taste : ‘Oh, I am tired of eating those leaves. I have a craving to chew the drumsticks out of sauce, I tell you.’
But his desire remained unfulfilled as there were no other food stuffs available to make a meal. The shop owner owed five rupees and a quarter to Muni and rejected to offer more on credit. Muni did not even see hundred rupees in his life. He had only earned in coppers and nickels. He knows the five and ten by their colours although always in other people’s hands, while his own earnings at any time was in coppers and nickles. But it was not only Muni. Hunger and poverty was rather common in the village areas.
The People’s Being Contented with Their Lot : The people did not have high ambitions. Rather they were content with their uncomplicated life while their only concern had been to find food for their daily needs. Setting up a small shop with the capital by selling his goats was all Muni had hoped and dreamt of.
‘He had often dreamt how he would put up a thatched roof here, spread a gunny sack out on the ground and display on it fried nuts, coloured sweets and green coconut for the thirsty and famished wayfarers on the highway………………… ’
Social Classes and Caste System : Social classes and the caste system were prevalent in the village. Only Brahmins could go to school. Only learned men and officers knew English. The village headman had hoarded all the resources to the displeasure of the poor villagers like Muni. He hated Muni and his goats and gave false allegations against him of stealing a pumpkin from his farm.
The Villagers’ Living Almost Peacefully : The village people were apparently peaceful. There were small incidents of theft of animals or food. Moreover, jackals and cheetahs would sometimes carry off the goats and sheep. These were the occasional disasters that happened to them. Otherwise things were pretty usual throughout their dull life.
The Fear of Villagers and Their Ignorance : People were afraid of policemen and soldiers as they either experienced or heard of disastrous consequences of messing up with them. This was mostly due to their ignorance of the outside world.
They were also afraid of the village headman. The poor people had never stepped beyond the village. They had never attended a school. They knew only their local Tamil language. Muni stared at the busses and lorries passing by on the highway and counted himself to be a part of the larger world. They were also ignorant of the artistic value of the statue of the horse. The American man bought for hundred rupees but Muni thought that the money was paid for his goats.
Superstitions and Prejudices: Superstitions and prejudices were rampant in those days. Muni believed in what the Pandit discoursed at the temple once- how the oceans were going to cover the earth in a huge wave and shallow all people and how the horse would grow bigger to carry of the good people on its back. People believed that the world would get destroyed once the Kaliyuga ends. Having numerous children was considered to be a blessing.
Question 2.
In R.K. Narayan’s short story ‘TAe Horse and Two Goats’, how does the narrator make use of comic irony to describe the incident surrounding the statue ?
Answer:
In A Horse and Two Goats by R.K. Narayan, the comic irony takes place between a very poor Indian, Muni and a very rich American tourist because they lack the ability to communicate. While this might cause anger or frustration in another similar situation, Narayan chooses to make the story amusing.
Muni, an old man who was once wealthy, spent his days with his two goats- he could not sell them for money nor eat them for they were worthless. They were, however, his constant companions. One day Muni was lounging at his regular spot next to the large statue of a horse, which was stood in that place for many generations. To Muni’s people, it once had important significance based on Hindu mythology. Muni’s grandfather had shared the story of the horse with him. But finally it had become lovely and deserted as the locals failed to acknowledge. It simply rested alone-except for the frequent company of Muni and the goats as they often sat nearby, passing the time of Muni’s empty day.
A car pulled up and an American stepped out, trying to communicate with Muni. Muni, speaking only Tamil (his native tongue), did not understand what the foreigner wanted. In fact, the only English he knew was ‘yes> no’. The omniscient shows that the American wanted to buy the statue, believing that Muni was the owner. Without knowing it, Muni appeared to consent to the sale. However, comically, Muni believed that the American wanted to buy his goats. ‘He understood that the red man was actually making an offer for the goats when he was reflecting thus, the red man shook, his hand and left on his palm one hundred rupees ’ Muni seemed to be very happy to sell the goats. Conversely, the American was also happy to buy the statue.
Meanwhile, Muni had returned home with his money. Humorously, while he was pleased to bring the money to his wife, she did not believe that he got it honestly. His wife glared at him and declared, ‘If you have thieved, the police will come tonight and break your bones. Don’t involve me I will go away to my parents ….’. She had good reason to doubt Muni’s story because the goats he thought he sold had followed him home.
The comic irony is that Muni thought he was selling his goats. Without knowing it, he had sold the statue of the horse. However, both men get what they wanted. Muni unexpectedly gets to keep his goats and his scolding wife leaves him to live with her parents.
Question 3.
What did Muni think of the card that the American gave him ? Who is the main character in the story ? Muni or the horse ? Why ?
Answer:
Muni’s Suspician and Fear: When the red-faced American initially got out of his car, Muni noted his Khaki pants. He had immediately decided that the foreigner was either a policeman or a soldier. To Muni, Khaki was the uniform of an authority figure. Of course, his conclusions were wrong, but Muni did not know this. When the American presented Muni a cigarette and then his card, Muni became extremely wary. He thought that the card was a warrant for his arrest. Because he could not read English, he could only guess at the contents of the card.
When the American gave him the card, Muni immediately felt suspicion and fear. He imagined that the foreigner was trying to bribe him for some information about a murder. Accordingly, someone had been mutilated and thrown under a termarind tree at the border of Kritam and Kuppam only a few weeks before. Muni imagined that the American represented some sort of authority figure investigating the affair.
Fearful that he could be implicated in the crime (despite his innocence), Muni decided to placate the American. The results were hillarious, with neither Muni nor the American understanding each other’s spoken words. In the end, the American made off with the horse and warrior statue, while Muni went home with hundred rupees (which he believed was payment for his goats). To his surprise, Muni’s goats were waiting for him when he arrived home.
Muni: The Main Character of the Story: Muni is the main character in the story which is told via third-person omniscient perspective. The story’s action revolves around Muni. He leaves home in an attempt to sell his goats and meets the American at the statue of the horse. He has an exchange with the American (although neither can fully understand the other), and at the end of the story, he is the one who benefits from events that have taken place.
The Horse and Its symbolical Significance : On the other hand, the horse is a symbol. To Muni, it is a cultural symbol and worthy of respect, but to the wealthy American (who thinks Muni is its owner), the horse is the ultimate souvenir of his trip to India. Through the use of this inanimate object, Narayan effectively and comically demonstrates a clash of cultures where money, ultimately is the only unifying bond between the two men.
Question 4.
How was the Big House different from the other houses in Kritam village ? What is its implication ?
Answer:
Difference between the Big House and Other Houses: Narayan had set the story in an imaginary village called Kritam. It was a tiny village with less than thirty villages. Only one of them, known as the Big House, was built with brick and cement. It was painted brilliant yellow and blue all over with gorgeous carvings of gods and gargoyles on its balustrade.
The other houses, distributed in four streets, were generally of bamboo thatch, straw, mud and other unspecified material. So the difference of the big house from other houses is very much visible. While most of the people were poor, only one family enjoyed a lot of wealth. It was seemingly the house of the village chief who hoarded a lot of money by deceiving others.
The Most Amusing part of Story: The most amusing part of the story is towards the end where Muni mistakenly thinks that the foreigner is offering him money for his two goats, though it is actually for buying the clay horse statue. As the language problem between the two men persists, they never really communicate with each other. But this is especially so amusing for the way Muni convinces himself that he has finally understood the matter. And what is more, the foreigner misleads Muni by showing interest in his pets as a part of courtesy.
Though apparently Muni misunderstands the American and takes the money as a price for his goats, this does no harm to any of them. Both get what they wanted-the clay horse for the foreigner and the money for starting a business for Muni. So it is a victory for everyone. It brings more pleasure. Finally, the way the writer describes it, makes it a fun to read. A subtle tone of humour makes the portion enjoyable.
‘The foreigner followed his look and decided that it would he a sound policy to show an interest in the old man’s pets. He went up casually to them and stroked their backs with every show of courteous attention. Now the truth dawned on the old man. His dream of a life time was about to be realised. He understood that the red man was actually making an offer for his goats. ’
Question 5.
Describe the theme of caste system and education in the story A Horse and Two Goats.
Ansswer:
Caste System: R. K. Narayan shows the caste system in rural India through his story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’. Muni belonged to a lower caste in the Hindu society where only the Brahmins, the highest caste people could go to school in his childhood. Thus Muni had been deprived of formal education and for that matter had been a victim of many such social injustice. He was forced to lead a life full of poverty and hunger.
Brahmins used to lead the society and preach the poor people of leading a virtuous life so that they could get rewards after the world got destroyed. Probably leading a life lull of suppression made people like Muni afraid of any external factor and submissive to the usual life. Muni says how the village headman went mad at the sight of him and how he wrongly thought that it was he and his goats who had stolen a pumpkin from his garden. This is an evidence of how poor people were looked down upon and suppressed by the people belonging to the upper caste and class. The story represents not only the discrimination based on caste system but also the difference of social classes.
Theme of Education : The theme of education is one of the prominent ones in the story. To express this theme, the writer has presented two persons from two different social and cultural spheres. The American was well-educated in the conventional sense and led a life full of luxury and high expectations. On the other hand, Muni was a poor Tamil villager from India who had no formal education due to his lower caste in a society where only high caste people could attend school.
Though Muni had not gone to a school, he had learnt the stories ofRamayana and Mahabharata listening to the speakers at the temple. He was well aware of his culture and his own position in the society through his life experiences. But he had not gone beyond his own village and was totally unaware of the vast world outside. However he likes to go watch the buses and trucks going down the highway to have ‘a sense of belonging to a larger world’. He also had a dream of setting up a small shop some day by selling his goats. So, this poor villager, though illiterate in the conventional way and unware of the outside world, did have a sense of belonging and had not given up hope of a better life someday. His ignorance was not due to his own fault, but he was a mere victim of the societal norms.
On the other hand, the foreigner had got full benefit of American education and enjoyed what this modern life had to offer. But it seemed that his education had given knowldge and wealth but not necessarily wisdom. It appeared that he somewhat showed off his affluent life style in his mention of air-conditioning to a man who had not even electricity. He regarded books as mere objects when he says, “You know I love books and am a member of five book clubs and the choice and bonus volumes mount up to a pile in our living room’. But there is no evidence that valued the contents written inside those books.
Though we see his courtesy in offering Muni cigarette, offering to chop wood for him and showing interest in his pets, it was rather to make his job easy in buying the horse. And on his trip to India to Took at other civilizations’, he did not seem to be looking at India at all. Though the language difference played the spoilsport, we don’t really see his genuine interest in knowing Muni’s socio-economic condition. Rather he was complaining of spending four hours without air conditioning and exalting in the thought of his hobby of cutting woods for the fireplace.
Again the man was expecting Muni to know English when he himself probably knew nothing but English. He was unaware that the hundred rupees note he could spend so easily on a show piece could mean a whole new life to a man like Muni. He could probably not.know in his entire life the cultural and economic difference between he and the man he was conversing with. So, his aim of looking at other civilization remained a failure, though he was not wise enough to understand that.
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