Struggling with Chapter 4 of the NCERT Class 9 textbook Moments? ‘In the Kingdom of Fools: Ultimate Exam Prep Guide’ has everything you need! Dive into a detailed summary, word meanings, questions and answers, extra practice questions, and MCQs to ace your exams. Plus, enjoy a comprehensive explanation in Hindi and Urdu to make learning easier and more effective. Your perfect study companion awaits!
- Summary of In the Kingdom of Fools by A.K. Ramanujan
- Words Meaning of In the Kingdom of Fools by A.K. Ramanujan
- In the Kingdom of Fools Questions and Answers
- In the Kingdom of Fools Extra Questions and Answers
- In the Kingdom of Fools Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
- Detailed Summary of In the Kingdom of Fools in Hindi
- Detailed Summary of In the Kingdom of Fools in Urdu
Summary of In the Kingdom of Fools by A.K. Ramanujan
In the Kingdom of Fools is a fascinating tale from the Class 9 English book Moments. It describes a strange kingdom ruled by a foolish king and his equally silly ministers. In this kingdom, people sleep during the day and work at night. The odd laws seem harmless until a crime occurs.
A thief, breaking into a merchant’s house, accidentally dies. The foolish king orders a trial to find someone to blame. The chain of absurd events leads to the merchant, a bricklayer, a dancer, and others being dragged to court. Finally, the king decides to punish the merchant but changes his mind after seeing him unfit for the stake.
A wise guru and his clever disciple outsmart the king and escape the bizarre justice. The story shows how wisdom and common sense are essential, even in the most foolish situations.
Words Meaning of In the Kingdom of Fools by A.K. Ramanujan
| Word/Expression | Simple Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stake | A wooden post used to tie someone for punishment. |
| Disciple | A student or follower of a teacher or guru. |
| Summoned | Called or ordered someone to appear, usually by a king or court. |
| Absurd | Silly, ridiculous, or not making any sense. |
| Guilty | Responsible for doing something wrong or illegal. |
| Trial | A process in court to decide if someone is innocent or guilty. |
| Condemned | Officially declared to be punished or sentenced to death. |
| Justice | Fairness or the proper punishment for a crime. |
| Execution | Carrying out a death sentence. |
| Silly laws | Foolish or meaningless rules made by the king. |
| Outsmart | To be more clever or wiser than someone else. |
| Minister | A high-ranking government officer who helps the king. |
| Merchant | A person who buys and sells goods for business. |
| Bricklayer | A worker who builds with bricks. |
| Foolishness | Behaviour that shows a lack of good sense or judgement. |
| Unfit | Not suitable or capable for something. |
| Bizarre | Very strange or unusual. |
| Clever | Smart, quick-thinking, or having good ideas. |
| Essential | Very important or necessary. |
In the Kingdom of Fools Questions and Answers
Think About It
1. What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?
Very Short Answer:
They find that people work at night and sleep during the day, and everything in the market costs only one duddu (a small coin).
2. Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?
Short Answer:
The disciple stays because he is attracted to the cheap food. It is not a good idea because the kingdom’s foolish laws make it dangerous, as later events show.
3. Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.
Long Answer:
The first person tried is the merchant because a thief dies while robbing his house. The bricklayer is blamed next for building a weak wall that collapsed on the thief. Then the dancer is accused of distracting the bricklayer with her jingling anklets. Finally, the goldsmith is blamed for delaying the dancer’s jewellery, which caused the bricklayer to hurry. Each person is dragged into court for absurd reasons.
4. Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?
Short Answer:
The king declares the merchant guilty, but he escapes punishment because he is too thin to be executed on the stake. The king then looks for a substitute.
5. What are the Guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?
Short Answer:
The guru warns that staying in a kingdom of fools is risky and dangerous. The disciple remembers these words when the foolish king plans to execute him unfairly.
6. How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?
Long Answer:
The guru tricks the king by pretending that dying on the stake will make him the next king in the afterlife. The king and his minister, greedy for this power, decide to die on the stake themselves. This clever plan saves the disciple and shows the guru’s wisdom.
In the Kingdom of Fools Extra Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Type
1. What unusual rule did the king make about day and night?
Answer:
The king ordered everyone to sleep during the day and work at night.
2. Why did the thief enter the merchant’s house?
Answer:
The thief entered to rob the merchant’s house but accidentally died when the wall collapsed.
3. What was the price of all items in the kingdom?
Answer:
Everything was sold for one duddu, regardless of its value.
4. How did the disciple become fat?
Answer:
The disciple ate plenty of cheap, delicious food in the Kingdom of Fools.
Short Answer Type
5. Why did the guru leave the kingdom while the disciple stayed?
Answer:
The guru realised the kingdom’s foolishness could lead to danger, so he left. The disciple stayed because he was tempted by the low prices of food.
6. Why did the king believe the stake was special?
Answer:
The guru tricked the king by saying that anyone who died on the stake would become the next king in the afterlife, which made the king and minister eager to sacrifice themselves.
7. What role did the disciple’s greed play in his troubles?
Answer:
The disciple’s greed made him ignore the guru’s warning and stay in the kingdom. This led to his life being endangered by the foolish king’s absurd justice.
Long Answer Type
8. How does the story reflect the importance of wisdom and intelligence?
Answer:
The story shows that wisdom and intelligence can save lives and prevent disasters. The guru’s cleverness saves his disciple and exposes the foolishness of the king and his ministers. The disciple realises that greed can lead to danger, and he learns to value the guru’s wisdom. This highlights the importance of thinking wisely in difficult situations.
9. Compare the behaviour of the king and the guru. What does it tell us?
Answer:
The king acts foolishly, making irrational decisions and enforcing absurd rules. The guru, in contrast, acts wisely and foresees danger. While the king uses power without thought, the guru uses intelligence to outsmart him. This comparison teaches the value of wisdom over authority.
10. How does the Kingdom of Fools teach a lesson about following rules blindly?
Long Answer:
The Kingdom of Fools is a clear example of the consequences of following rules without thinking. The king and his ministers make foolish laws that everyone blindly follows, leading to absurd situations. For example, the law about working at night and sleeping during the day causes chaos. The story teaches us that blindly following rules without questioning their reason can lead to trouble. It shows the importance of using common sense and understanding the purpose behind rules.
In the Kingdom of Fools Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
Detail-Based Questions
- What does the king decide when he hears about the merchant’s theft?
a) He pardons the merchant
b) He punishes the thief
c) He orders a trial for the merchant
d) He seeks advice from his ministers
Answer: c) He orders a trial for the merchant - According to the passage, what happens when the thief enters the merchant’s house?
a) The thief steals everything
b) The thief dies when the wall collapses
c) The thief escapes successfully
d) The thief is caught by the police
Answer: b) The thief dies when the wall collapses - What is the price of everything in the Kingdom of Fools?
a) One gold coin
b) One duddu
c) One silver coin
d) One diamond
Answer: b) One duddu
Inference Questions
- It can be inferred that the Kingdom of Fools is a place where:
a) People follow sensible laws
b) The king listens to wise advice
c) Everything is ruled by irrational decisions
d) People work during the day
Answer: c) Everything is ruled by irrational decisions - What is implied by the king’s decision to punish the merchant, despite him being innocent?
a) The king values justice and fairness
b) The king is influenced by his ministers
c) The king makes decisions based on logic
d) The king follows the advice of his queen
Answer: b) The king is influenced by his ministers
Main Idea or Purpose Questions
- What is the main idea of the passage?
a) The importance of power and wealth
b) The consequences of following foolish laws
c) The danger of staying in the Kingdom of Fools
d) The wisdom of the guru saving the disciple
Answer: b) The consequences of following foolish laws - What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
a) To entertain readers with a funny story
b) To explain the importance of following the law
c) To highlight the dangers of blind obedience
d) To show the wisdom of kings
Answer: c) To highlight the dangers of blind obedience
Vocabulary in Context Questions
- What does the word “outsmart” mean in the context of the story?
a) To act foolishly
b) To defeat someone through cleverness
c) To punish someone severely
d) To be treated unfairly
Answer: b) To defeat someone through cleverness - What does the word “condemned” mean in this story?
a) Praised
b) Blamed and sentenced for punishment
c) Forgiven
d) Freed from punishment
Answer: b) Blamed and sentenced for punishment
Author’s Tone or Attitude Questions
- How does the author feel about the king’s decisions in the story?
a) The author supports the king’s wisdom
b) The author is critical of the king’s foolishness
c) The author is indifferent to the king’s actions
d) The author believes the king is fair
Answer: b) The author is critical of the king’s foolishness - What is the author’s attitude towards the Kingdom of Fools?
a) The author portrays it as a perfect place to live
b) The author finds it absurd and full of foolishness
c) The author praises it for its wise leadership
d) The author presents it as a place of peace and harmony
Answer: b) The author finds it absurd and full of foolishness
Sequence of Events Questions
- What happened first in the story?
a) The guru tricks the king
b) The disciple stays in the Kingdom of Fools
c) The thief enters the merchant’s house
d) The bricklayer is put on trial
Answer: c) The thief enters the merchant’s house - What is the correct sequence of events after the thief dies?
a) The bricklayer is punished, the merchant is sentenced, the dancer is blamed
b) The merchant is blamed, the bricklayer is blamed, the dancer is blamed
c) The merchant is set free, the bricklayer is put on trial
d) The guru leaves, and the disciple stays
Answer: b) The merchant is blamed, the bricklayer is blamed, the dancer is blamed
Cause and Effect Questions
- What caused the merchant to be put on trial?
a) The merchant accidentally killed the thief
b) The merchant’s house was robbed
c) The thief died while robbing the merchant’s house
d) The merchant disobeyed the king’s orders
Answer: c) The thief died while robbing the merchant’s house - What is the effect of the guru’s clever trick on the king?
a) The king rewards the disciple
b) The king punishes the guru
c) The king and minister sacrifice themselves, saving the disciple
d) The king becomes wiser
Answer: c) The king and minister sacrifice themselves, saving the disciple
Detailed Summary of In the Kingdom of Fools in Hindi
In the Kingdom of Fools (अहमदाबाद के मुर्खों का राज्य) एक हास्यपूर्ण कहानी है, जिसे अ.क. रामानुजन ने लिखा है। यह कहानी एक ऐसे राज्य की है जहाँ के राजा और मंत्री दोनों ही पूरी तरह से मूर्ख होते हैं। इस राज्य के नियम इतने अजीब होते हैं कि लोग रात में काम करते हैं और दिन में सोते हैं। इस अजीब राज्य में एक व्यापारी का घर लुटा जाता है और एक चोर दीवार गिरने से मर जाता है।
राजा, जो अपनी मूर्खता के लिए प्रसिद्ध है, ने फैसला किया कि व्यापारी को इस घटना के लिए जिम्मेदार ठहराया जाए। इसके बाद उसे अदालत में बुलाया जाता है और अदालत में बहुत सारे लोग दोषी ठहराए जाते हैं, जैसे कि ईंट बनाने वाला मजदूर, जो दीवार गिरने के कारण मरा हुआ चोर का दोषी होता है, और एक नृत्यांगना, जिसे ये आरोप लगाया जाता है कि वह अपनी पायल की आवाज़ से मजदूर को विचलित कर रही थी।
जब राजा ने यह देखा कि व्यापारी को सजा देना मुश्किल हो रहा है क्योंकि वह बहुत पतला था, तो उसने निर्णय लिया कि किसी और को सजा दी जाए। इसके बाद गुरु और उसके शिष्य, जो इस राज्य में रहते थे, इस परिस्थिति का सामना करते हैं। गुरु अपने शिष्य को बचाने के लिए एक चाल चलता है और राजा को विश्वास दिलाता है कि जो व्यक्ति कंधे पर चढ़कर मृत्यु को प्राप्त करता है, उसे अगले जन्म में राजा बनने का मौका मिलेगा। इस तरह राजा और उसके मंत्री खुद को बलिदान करने का फैसला करते हैं, और इस प्रकार शिष्य की जान बच जाती है।
कहानी का संदेश यह है कि बिना सोचे-समझे नियमों का पालन करना कितनी बड़ी मुसीबत का कारण बन सकता है। यह दर्शाता है कि बुद्धिमत्ता और समझदारी से किसी भी कठिन परिस्थिति को हल किया जा सकता है।
Detailed Summary of In the Kingdom of Fools in Urdu
In the Kingdom of Fools (احمقوں کی بادشاہی) ایک دلچسپ اور مزاحیہ کہانی ہے جسے اے کے رامانوجن نے لکھا ہے۔ یہ کہانی ایک ایسے بادشاہ کی سلطنت کی ہے جہاں کے بادشاہ اور وزیر دونوں بالکل احمق ہوتے ہیں۔ اس بادشاہی میں لوگ رات کو کام کرتے ہیں اور دن میں سوتے ہیں۔ اس سلطنت میں ایک تاجر کا گھر لوٹا جاتا ہے اور ایک چور دیوار گرنے سے مر جاتا ہے۔
بادشاہ، جو اپنی احمقانہ فطرت کے لیے مشہور ہے، فیصلہ کرتا ہے کہ تاجر کو اس واقعے کے لیے ذمہ دار ٹھہرایا جائے گا۔ پھر تاجر کو عدالت میں بلایا جاتا ہے اور وہاں مختلف افراد پر الزام لگایا جاتا ہے، جیسے ایک اینٹوں کا مزدور جسے دیوار گرنے کی وجہ سے چور کی موت کا ذمہ دار ٹھہرایا جاتا ہے، اور ایک رقاصہ پر الزام لگایا جاتا ہے کہ وہ اپنی پائل کی آواز سے مزدور کو پریشان کر رہی تھی۔
جب بادشاہ یہ دیکھتا ہے کہ تاجر کو سزا دینا مشکل ہو رہا ہے کیونکہ وہ بہت پتلا ہے، تو وہ فیصلہ کرتا ہے کہ کسی اور کو سزا دی جائے۔ اس کے بعد ایک گُرو اور اس کا شاگرد جو اس بادشاہی میں رہتے ہیں، اس صورت حال کا سامنا کرتے ہیں۔ گُرو اپنے شاگرد کو بچانے کے لیے ایک چال چلتا ہے اور بادشاہ کو یقین دلاتا ہے کہ جو شخص چڑھ کر موت کو گلے لگائے گا، اسے اگلے جنم میں بادشاہ بننے کا موقع ملے گا۔ اس طرح بادشاہ اور اس کے وزیر خود کو قربان کرنے کا فیصلہ کرتے ہیں، اور یوں شاگرد کی جان بچ جاتی ہے۔
کہانی کا پیغام یہ ہے کہ بغیر سوچے سمجھے قوانین کی پیروی کرنا کس قدر تباہ کن ثابت ہو سکتا ہے۔ یہ دکھاتی ہے کہ حکمت اور عقل سے کسی بھی مشکل صورت حال کا حل نکالا جا سکتا ہے۔
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