In the Kingdom of Fools- Extra Questions and Notes

Introduction:

“In the Kingdom of Fools” is a folktale that brings to light the dangers posed by foolish people. It also emphasizes the view that foolish people can be very difficult to manage. They can be dealt with only by the wise and calm people.

THEME

The story is based on the theme that foolish people are unpredictable and can be very dangerous. So, one must stay away from them even if they offer benefit for some time. The disciple got tempted by the availability of all items for one duddu each and stayed in the Kingdom of Fools in spite of warning by his wise guru. Had the guru not returned to rescue him, the disciple would have had to pay for this temptation through his life.

TITLE

“In the Kingdom of Fools” is a story about a kingdom ruled by a foolish king and his silly minister. The people too are foolish, for they obey the most ridiculous orders passed by their king. The entire action of the story takes place in this kingdom. The reasons that make this place a Kingdom of Fools are well exemplified by the episodes in which innocent people are caught one after the other in the name of justice. Hence, the title stands justified and apt in every way.

MESSAGE

The story is a folktale and gives two messages. The first message is that one should stay away from foolish people; else one is bound to suffer. The second message is that in order to tackle foolish people one should employ wisdom and not logic. The guru does not argue or reason the innocence of his disciple. Rather he flatters the king and manages to convince him that the new stake was lucky. He not only saves the life of his disciple but also rids the kingdom of the foolish king and his silly minister. In addition, he becomes the next king and his disciple the next minister.

Summary:

There was a Kingdom of Fools where both the king and his minister were idiots. In an attempt to be different from others, they foolishly took the decision to change night with day and vice versa. Hence, the people in this kingdom would do all their work like tilling the fields or running their businesses at night and all would sleep when the Sun rose up. Those who disobeyed were threatened with death punishment. So everyone followed this foolish practice.

One day, a guru and his disciple visited this kingdom and were surprised to find the whole kingdom asleep during the day. When night came, people began their routine activities. The two men had become very hungry by this time, so they went to a grocery shop. It was utterly surprising for them to see that everything had the same cost – a single duddu. Initially, they were both happy as they could buy all that they wanted for a very nominal amount.

However, the guru, being a wise man, decided to leave the place and told his disciple that the behaviour of fools cannot be predicted and it was not safe to stay there for long. But the disciple decided to stay back, and the guru alone left the city.

One day a thief broke into a rich merchant’s house by making a hole in the wall. However, when he was leaving after the loot, the wall of the old house fell on his head and killed him instantly. The thief’s brother complained to the king that the merchant was to be blamed for this death and should hence be punished. The foolish king assured him of justice and summoned the merchant. The king told the merchant that he would be punished for having murdered the man who burgled his house. The merchant was a wise man and escaped punishment by telling the king that the wall had been built in his father’s time. So the bricklayer who built such a weak wall was responsible for the thief’s death and should get the punishment.

The bricklayer too wisely evaded punishment and put the blame on the dancing girl. He claimed that he got distracted by her jingling anklets when she went up and down the street on the day the wall was built by him. The dancing girl in her turn shifted the blame to the goldsmith. She said that she had to walk up and down the street many times because the goldsmith had delayed her order. The goldsmith defended himself by pleading that he could not complete the dancing girl’s order in time because he had to first finish a rich merchant’s order. This rich merchant was the father of the same person on whom the blame was put earlier. So the rich merchant was summoned again. He pleaded his innocence on the ground that the jewellery had been ordered by his father. But the foolish king told the merchant that he had inherited his father’s sins in the same way as he had got his wealth. Hence he must be executed for the killing of the burglar.

A new stake was, ordered by the king for the execution. However, moments before the killing, the minister observed that the merchant was too thin for the new stake. So, it was decided to find a person who fitted the stake. The disciple, who had gone fat after eating bananas, rice, wheat and ghee for days, was caught to be killed in place of the merchant. He pleaded that he was a sanyasi and had not done anything wrong. But the king’s men did not listen to hint He was reminded of his guru and while waiting for death he prayed to him in his heart for help.

The guru had magical powers and he saw everything in a vision. He arrived at once to save his disciple. He first scolded the disciple and then whispered something in his ears. Then admiring the king for his wisdom, the guru urged him to put him to death in place of his disciple. The disciple at once understood the guru’s move and insisted on being put to death earlier than his guru. This behaviour puzzled the king. He asked the guru to explain the reason behind the desire to get executed first. The guru asked the king to promise him that if he told him the reason, he would put him (guru) to die earlier than the disciple. The king assured him, and the guru, taking the king aside, told that the stake was the stake of the god of justice. It was new and no crime had ever been put on it. Hence, whoever dies first will be reborn as the king and the next person will be reborn as the minister.

This information put the king in deep thought. He discussed the matter with his minister and they decided to go to the stake themselves. The minister told the executioners that the criminals to be punished would be sent at night. They should be killed one after the other without any mistake. At night, the king and his minister secretly went to the prison and set free the guru and his disciple. Then they disguised themselves as the two criminals and were executed as per their revised orders. When their bodies were taken down to be thrown to the crows and vultures, people panicked. The city got confused. They mourned all night and finally went to the guru and begged him and his disciple to be their king and minister. The disciple agreed easily but the guru agreed on the condition that they would be allowed to change the old laws.

Then on, night and day began to be used in their normal way and the price of all things no longer remained one duddu each.

DETAILED SUMMARY OF THE STORY

There was once a Kingdom of Fools. In this kingdom, both the king and the minister were idiots. They wanted to rule in a way different from other kings. They ordered that everyone should be awake at night and work during the day. One day a guru and his disciple arrived in the city. It was broad daylight and everyone d everyone was asleep. As soon as the sunset, the whole town woke up and started its business. The two men were hungry. They went to buy some groceries. They found that everything cost the same — a single duddu. When they had cooked and eaten, the guru realised that it would not be wise to stay in a kingdom of fools. But the disciple didn’t want to leave the place because everything was cheap there. So the guru left the place and the disciple stayed on, He ate his fill every day and grew fat. One day a thief broke into a rich merchant’s house by making a hole in the wall. As he was carrying out his loot, the wall of the house collapsed on his head and he died instantly. The thief’s brother went running to the king and complained that the merchant should be punished for not building a strong wall. The king sent for the merchant. But the merchant pleaded that it was really the fault of the man who built the wall. The bricklayer was brought in. He said that when he was building the wall, his eyes and mind were distracted towards a dancing girl. She was going up and down that street all day with her anklets jingling. The dancing girl was brought to the court. She gave the excuse that she had given some gold to the goldsmith to make some jewellery for her. The goldsmith was a lazy fellow. He delayed the work. He made her walk up and down his house a dozen times. When the goldsmith was brought before the king, he said that he had to attend to a rich merchant’s orders first. There was a wedding at the merchant’s house and he was not ready to wait. That was why he made the dancer come many times to his door. The king asked him the rich merchant’s name. He was none other than the merchant whose wall had fallen. But the merchant cried that it was not he but his deceased father who had entrusted the jeweller with the job of making the ornaments. At this, the king remarked that it was proper to punish him in place of his father. A new stake was ordered to be made ready for the execution. It occurred to the minister that the rich merchant was too thin to be properly executed on the stake. He discussed this with the king. It was decided that a fat man should be found to fit the stake. The eyes of the servants fell on the disciple who had fattened himself for months on bananas and rice and wheat and ghee. He was taken to the king. The disciple pleaded that he was innocent but it was all in vain. While he was waiting for his death, he remembered his guru. The guru saw everything by his magical powers. He arrived there at once to save his disciple. He whispered something in his disciple’s ear. Then he requested the king to put him to the stake first. When the disciple heard this, he said that he was brought there first and so be should be put to death first. The king was puzzled by their behaviour. He asked why each of them wanted to die first. The guru hesitatingly told him that whoever died on the stake first, would be reborn as the king of that country. The one who died next ‘4 would be the future minister of that country. The king did not want to lose the kingdom to someone else in the next round of life. He and his minister decided to go on the stake themselves and be reborn asking /1 and minister. The king told the executioners to put to death the first man who came to them and then do the same to the second man. That night the king and his minister went secretly to the prison and released the guru and the disciple. They then disguised themselves as the two and got themselves executed. The people now begged the guru t and the disciple to be their king and minister. The two agreed and changed all the old laws. From then onwards, the night was to be night and day was to be the day. Also, nothing A could be got for a duddu. The place became like any other place.

CHARACTERS

The Guru

The guru was a very wise man who never succumbed to any temptation. He was quick to judge that his disciple and he were in the Kingdom of Fools. Knowing that the behaviour of foolish people is unpredictable, he decided to leave the city immediately. He did not get tempted like his disciple did by the one duddu price for everything in that kingdom. He also knew that a foolish person should be tackled wisely. He did not try to reason with the king regarding the innocence of his disciple. Instead, he flattered the king with false praise and obtained the freedom of both his disciple and the kingdom. He earns readers’ appreciation for his intelligence and presence of mind.

The Disciple

The disciple was a simple but greedy fellow. He followed his guru everywhere and listened to him. However, once he could not resist the temptation of good and cheap food available in the Kingdom of Fools. He did not pay heed to his guru’s warning and stayed back. His greed almost cost him his life but he quickly regained sense. He had faith in his guru’s powers; that is why he first recalled him in his thoughts and then behaved according to the plan devised by him. This character also brings a smile to the reader by the manner in which he grows fat after eating bananas, rice, wheat and ghee.

The King

The king was a fool who owned a beautiful kingdom. He could go to any length in order to be different from others. His orders were foolish and his ideas stupid. Turning day into night and ordering execution of those who disobeyed are examples of his silliness. The king had no idea about justice. Assuring the thief’s brother that justice would be done and terming the thief’s death as murder indicate his lack of knowledge about justice. The king did not have any sound sense of judgement about people either. He could not see that the guru was flattering him to rescue his disciple. His gullible disposition led him to believe every word uttered by the guru and ended up getting executed by his own men.

The Minister

The King’s foolishness was rivalled only by his minister who was equal. partner in the foolish orders passed by the king. The king consulted him on different matters but the minister could never give any sane advice. He would be as irrational as the king himself. It was the minister’s idea to find a fat man who fitted the stake so that the order of execution could be put through. The killing of the minister does not rouse any sympathy for he was a dumb character who was responsible for his own death.

Summary in Hindi/In The Kingdom of Fools

एक समय में मूर्खों का एक राज्य था । राज्य में राजा और मंत्री दोनों मूर्ख थे । वे दूसरे राजाओं से भिन्न तरीके से शासन करना चाहते थे । उन्होंने आदेश दिया कि रात को सभी लोगों को जाग कर काम करना है; जैसे ही सूर्योदय होगा, सभी को सो जाना है । जिस किसी ने आज्ञा का उल्लंघन किया उसे मृत्युदंड मिलना था । एक दिन एक गुरु और उसका शिष्य शहर में पहुँचे । भरी दोपहरी थी और हर कोई सोया हुआ था । जैसे ही सूर्यास्त हुआ , पूरा नगर जाग उठा और अपने काम पर लग गया । दोनों व्यक्ति भूखे थे । वे कुछ किराने का सामान खरीदने गए । उन्होंने देखा कि हर चीज का एक ही दाम था – एक डड्डू । जब वे खाना पका कर खा चुके तो गुरु को एहसास हुआ कि मूर्खो के एक राज्य में ठहरना बुद्धिमानी नहीं होगी । किन्तु शिष्य वह स्थान छोड़ कर जाना नहीं चाहता था क्योंकि वहां हर चीज़ सस्ती थी । इसलिए गुरु वहाँ से चला गया और शिष्य वहीं ठहर गया । वह हर दिन भर पेट खाने लगा और मोटा हो गया ।

एक दिन एक चोर दीवार में सेंध लगा कर एक धनी व्यापारी के घर के अन्दर घुस गया । जैसे को वह अपनी लूट का सामान लेकर बाहर जा रहा था, मकान की दीवार उसके सिर पर गिर गई और वह उसी समय मर गया । चोर का भाई दौड़ता हुआ राजा के पास गया और उसने शिकायत की कि एक मज़बूत दीवार नहीं बनाने के अपराध से व्यापारी को दंड मिलना चाहिए । राजा ने व्यापारी को बुला भेजा । किन्तु व्यापारी ने विनती की कि वास्तव यह उस व्यक्ति का दोष था जिसने दीवार बनाई थी । राजमिस्त्री को लाया गया । उसने कहा कि जब वह दीवार बना रहा था तो उसका ध्यान एक नर्तकी पर चला गया था । वह पूरा दिन अपनी पायल बजाती हुई उस सड़क पर आती- जाती रही थी । उस नर्तकी को दरबार में लाया गया । उसने अपनी तरफ से सफाई पेश की कि उसने सोनार को अपने लिए कुछ आभूषण बनाने के लिए कुछ सोना दिया हुआ था । सोनार एक आलसी व्यक्ति था । उसने काम को करने में देर लगाई । उसने दर्जनों बार उससे अपने घर के चक्कर लगवाए । जब सोनार को राजा के सामने लाया गया तो उसने कहा कि उसे पहले एक धनी व्यापारी का काम करना था । उस व्यापारी के घर में विवाह था और वह प्रतीक्षा करने को तैयार नहीं था उसी कारण से उसने नर्तकी से इतनी बार अपने घर के चक्कर लगवाए । राजा ने उससे उस धनी व्यापारी का नाम पूछा । वह धनी व्यापारी और कोई नहीं , वही था जिसकी दीवार गिर गई थी । किन्तु व्यापारी चिल्लाया कि उसने नहीं बल्कि उसके मृत पिता ने आभूषण बनाने का काम सोनार को दिया था । राजा ने कहा कि अपने पिता की जगह पर उसे दंड मिलना वाजिब था ।

प्राणदंड के लिए एक नई सूली बनाकर तैयार रखने का आदेश दिया गया । मंत्री को यह विचार आया कि सूली पर सही तरीके से भर डालने के लिए वह धनी व्यापारी बहूत पतला था । उसने इस बारे में राजा से बात –चीत की । यह निर्णय लिया गया कि सूली पर चढ़ाने के लिए किसी उपयुक्त मोटे व्यक्ति को ढूंढा जाए । नौकरों की नज़र उस शिष्य पर पड़ गई जो महीनों से केले, चावल, गेहूँ और घी खा-खा कर मोटा हो गया था । उसे

राजा के पास ले जाया गया । शिष्य ने विनती की वह निर्दोष था किन्तु सब व्यर्थ गया।

जिस दौरान वह अपनी मृत्यु की प्रतीक्षा कर रहा था उसने गुरु को याद किया । गुरु ने अपनी जादुई शक्ति से सब कुछ देख लिया । वह अपने शिष्य को बचाने के लिए तुरन्त वहाँ पहुँच गया । उसने अपने शिष्य के कान में कुछ कहा । फिर उसने राजा से निवेदन किया कि पहले उसे सूली पर चढ़ाया जाए । जब शिष्य ने यह सुना तो उसने कहा कि उसे वहाँ पहले लाया गया था और इसलिए पहले उसे मृत्युदंड मिलना चाहिए । राजा उनके व्यवहार से चक्कर में पड़ गया । उसने पूछा कि उनमें से प्रत्येक पहले क्यों मरना चाहता था । गुरु ने हिचकिचाते हुए उत्तर दिया कि जो पहले सूली पर चढ़ेगा वह आपले जन्म में पैदा होकर उस देश का राजा बनेगा । जो उसके बाद मरेगा वह उस देश का भावी मंत्री बनेगा ।

राजा दूसरे जन्म में अपना राज्य किसी दूसरे के हाथ में नहीं खोना चाहता था । उसने और उसके मंत्री ने निर्णय लिया कि वे स्वयं सूली पर चढ़ जाएँगे और राजा और मंत्री के रूप में फिर से जन्म लेंगें । राजा ने जल्लादों से कहा कि उनके पास जो पहला व्यक्ति आएगा उसे पहले मार डालना है और फिर वैसा ही दूसरे आने वाले व्यक्ति के साथ करना है । उस रात राजा और उसका मंत्री चुपके से कैदखाने में गए और उन्होंने गुरु और शिष्य को आज़ाद कर दिया । फिर उन्होंने उन दोनों का वेश धारण किया और स्वयं को मौत के घाट उतरवा लिया । लोगों ने अब गुरु और शिष्य को उनका राजा और मन्त्री बनने के लिए याचना की । दोनों मान गए और उन्होंने सभी पुराने कानूनों को बदल दिया । उस दिन के बाद से रात को रात रहना था और दिन को दिन । इसके अतिरिक्त एक डड्डू में कुछ भी नहीं मिलना था । वह जगह किसी भी अन्य जगह की तरह बन गई ।

EXTRACTS

(I)

The two strangers were amazed by what they saw around them and wandered around town till evening, when suddenly the whole town woke up and went about its nightly business.

(i)Who were the two strangers?

The two strangers were the wise guru and his disciple.

(ii)Why were they amazed?

They were amazed to see that no one was out in the beautiful city although it was broad daylight.

(iii)Why did they wander around town till evening?

They wandered around town till evening because they were curious to know the reason behind the lonely streets of such a beautiful city.

(iv)What was the ‘nightly business’?

The ‘nightly business’ was actually the normal daytime activities like tilling the fields and running other businesses.

(ii)

Your Highness, when my brother was pursuing his ancient trade, a wall fell on him and killed him. This merchant is to blame.

(i)Who makes this plea? To whom?

The thief’s brother makes this plea to the king of the Kingdom of Fools.

(ii)What was the ‘ancient trade’ mentioned here?

The ‘ancient trade’ was the burglary that the thief had committed.

(iii)Who had got killed and how?

The thief, who had broken into the house of the merchant, had got killed because a wall of the old house of the merchant had collapsed and fallen on his head.

(iv)Was the merchant really to be blamed?

The wall that led to the thief’s death had collapsed because it had become weak after the thief had made a hole in it to sneak into the house of the merchant. Hence, the merchant was not to be blamed for the thief’s death.

(III)

“Poor thing, she’s absolutely right,” thought the king, weighing the evidence. We’ve got the real culprit at last.

(i)Who is the ‘poor thing’ in these lines?

The ‘poor thing’ in these lines is the dancing girl who had now become old.

(ii)What was the evidence weighed by the king?

The evidence weighed by the king was the statement of the dancing girl accusing the goldsmith of delaying her order. This made her walk up and down to his house a dozen times and thus distract the bricklayer with the jingling of her anklets.

(iii)Who was the ‘real culprit’ at this stage?

The ‘real culprit’ at this stage was the goldsmith.

(iv)What was done after this judgement?

After this judgement, the king’s bailiffs searched for the goldsmith who was hiding in a corner of his shop.

(IV)

It’s true your father is the true murderer. He’s dead, but somebody must be punished in his place.

(i)Who is speaking to whom in these lines?

The foolish king is speaking to the rich merchant in these lines.

(ii)Why was the listener’s father termed the true murderer?

The listener’s father was termed the true murderer because the wall of the house that had collapsed on the thief and had killed him was built by the listener’s father.

(iii)Why couldn’t the father be punished?

The father couldn’t be punished because he was a dead man now.

(iv)Who was chosen to be punished in place of the father? Why?

His so 1, the rich merchant, was chosen to be punished in place of the father because according to the foolish king the merchant had inherited his father’s sins along with his wealth.

(V)

“What shall we do?” he said when suddenly it struck him that all they needed to do was to find a man fat enough to fit the stake.

(i)Who is ‘he’ and why is ‘he’ in a dilemma?

‘He’ is the silly minister of the Kingdom of Fools and ‘he’ is in a dilemma because the rich merchant was very thin and did not fit the newly made stake.

(iii)What idea strikes him suddenly?

The idea that strikes him suddenly is to find a fat man who would fit the stake so that the king’s order to execute a person for the killing of the thief could be carried out.

(iv)What is a stake?

The stake is a post to which a person is bound for execution either by pushing a pointed object to cut through or by burning.

(v)Did they find a fat man? How?

Yes, they did find a fat man who happened to be the disciple who had grown fat by feeding on bananas, rice, wheat and ghee. He was found by the servants of the king sent all over the town in search of a fat man who would fit the stake.

(VI)

The king was now thrown into deep thought. He didn’t want to lose the kingdom to someone else in the next round of life. He needed time.

(i)Why was the king thrown into deep thought?

The king was thrown into deep thought because he was in a dilemma whether to keep his word and execute the guru and lose his kingdom or to back out on his promise.

(ii)How was the king under threat of losing his kingdom?

The king was under threat of losing his kingdom because, according to the guru, his disciple and he would become the minister and the king respectively in their next life after being executed at the stake of the god of justice.

(iii)Why did the king need time?

The king needed time to find a solution to the threat of losing his kingdom to someone else in the next round of life.

(iv)What did the king do to get more time?

The king postponed the execution until the next day to get more time to save his kingdom.

ESSAY TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. What did the Guru and his disciple see in the Kingdom of the Fools? Why did the guru decide to leave the kingdom at once?

Ans. There was a Kingdom of Fools. In this country, the king as well as his minister, both were fools. They ordered all things to be reversed. People were ordered to work during the days and sleep during the nights. Anyone who did not obey this order would be put to death. So out of fear people obeyed the king. One day, a guru and disciple arrived in the city. They were surprised to find that everyone was sleeping during the day. There was no activity. Then the night fell and everyone got up. They started doing their normal work. The guru and the disciple were hungry. They purchased some food items. They were surprised to find that the price of everything was the same—one duddu. The guru realised that it was the Kingdom of Fools. He decided to leave the kingdom at once. He told his disciple that where fools ruled, their lives could be in danger. But the disciple was happy there. Everything was cheap in the kingdom. He did not want to go. So the guru left the kingdom. The disciple stayed on the sake of cheap food

Q.2. Describe in brief the strange case brought to the king and the king’s judgement.

Ans. One day, a thief broke into the house of a rich man, A wall of the house fell on him and he died on the spot. The brother of the thief complained to the king that the rich man was responsible for the thief’s death because the wall of his house was weak. The owner of the house was summoned. But he said that the bricklayer who had constructed the wall was responsible. The bricklayer said that when he was making a wall, a dancing girl passed several times through the street. She distracted his attention. So she was responsible. The dancing girl told the king that she had ordered a goldsmith to make jewellery for her. He did not make it in time. So she had to pass through the street several times. The goldsmith was called. He said that he had to make ornaments for a wedding in the rich man’s house. So he could not finish the jewellery of the dancing girl in time. He was the same owner of the house where the thief had died. He said that his father had placed the order. The king and his minister decided that since the rich man’s father had died, he would be executed in his father’s place

Q3. Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial. (Textual)

Ans. The merchant was the first person to be tried in the king’s court because the wall in his house had collapsed and had killed the thief. The next person to be tried was the bricklayer because the merchant had claimed that his bad workmanship had led to the making of a weak wall. Then, the dancer was accused of distracting the bricklayer by the jingling of her ankles when she walked up and down the street during the construction of the wall. Next, the goldsmith was accused of calling the dancer time and again for picking up her jewellery. Then, the merchant’s father was blamed for pressurizing the goldsmith to complete his order first. Finally, the blame came back to the merchant who had inherited the house (where the thief died) from his father.

Q 4. How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life? (Textual)

Ans. The guru used his wisdom and magic powers to save his disciple’s life. He reached the kingdom instantly when his disciple prayed in his heart for help. He first confused the king by expressing his desire to be killed before his disciple. Then, he tricked the king by flattering him and telling him that the stake was the stake of the god of justice and whoever died first would become the king after rebirth. The second person to be executed would become the minister after rebirth. Ultimately the king fell in this trap and set the guru and his disciple free. He got his minister and himself executed in their place in the hope of being reborn as the rulers of their kingdom. Hence, the guru not only saved his disciple’s life but also got rid of the foolish king and his silly minister.

Q5. Fools cannot continue with their follies for long. How can you justify this statement in relation to the story?

Ans. The king and his minister had made new but foolish laws for their people. They just wanted to be different from other kings, so they decided to change day for night and night for day. They continued with their follies for quite some time until they were caught in their own trap. The wise guru skillfully tackled them and not only managed to save his disciple’s life but also rid the kingdom of the foolish rule. The follies could not be continued for long since the king or his minister could not see through the plan of the guru. Not willing to give away his kingdom, the king and his minister disguised themselves as the guru and his disciple and walked into their self-made death trap.

Q 6. The guru was as wise as King Solomon. Discuss.

Wisdom and far-sightedness were the most important qualities of the guru’s character. Discuss.

Ans. By saving his disciple’s life and eventually becoming the ruler of the Kingdom of Fools, the guru exhibited the positive value of wisdom. He managed to solve even the most difficult problem only because he was wise enough to stay calm during the moments of crisis. His character proves that wisdom is an invaluable asset that helps one get over tricky situations. Like King Solomon of Israel, the guru too was able to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of rescuing his disciple from the senseless execution orders of the foolish king. Being a much travelled and learned man, he was quick to perceive that the Kingdom of Fools was being misruled and the follies of the king could not continue for long. The dangers sensed by him came true when his disciple was caught and condemned to be executed simply because he was fat and his neck could fit the stake. The wise guru made a clever plan not only to save his disciple’s life but also to get rid of the foolish king and his silly minister. Thus, wisdom triumphed over foolish and unbridled power.

Q7. Decisions should be made with a cool and rational mind. Discuss with reference to the story “In the Kingdom of Fools”.

Hasty decisions are often wrong decisions. Discuss with reference to the story “In the Kingdom of Fools”.

Ans. The story, “In the Kingdom of Fools” teaches us an important lesson that decisions should be made with a cool mind and rational thought. Hasty decisions always have dangerous consequences. The disciple got tempted by the cheap goods available in the Kingdom of Fools and did not heed his guru’s advice. Instead of thinking rationally, he made a hasty decision to stay back. Ultimately he fell a victim to the senseless judgement of the foolish king and came on the verge of losing his life. If he had taken some time to review his desire to stay back, he would have certainly realized the importance of the guru’s advice. The king’s and his minster’s decision too was in haste that cost them their lives. If they too had reviewed their decision of going to the stake to fulfil their greed to be the king and minister in their next life, they would have certainly lived on as the king and the minister. Thus, the story emphasizes the value of making decisions wisely by weighing all the pros and cons. A hasty or a foolish decision can have disastrous consequences.

Q8. Arguing with a fool proves there are two. How does the wise guru find a way out without arguing with the king?

Ans. Arguing with a fool is a futile effort because he does not have the humility to listen to others. The foolish king misused his authority to force decisions on his subjects. No one could disobey his orders. This made him intolerant and he could not be made to see reason. The wise guru knew from experience that arguing with such a fool would make him also look like a fool. Hence, he found his way out of the difficult situation that threatened the life of his disciple by resorting to flattery and by appealing to the king’s dumbness. He aroused the curiosity of the king by faking a fight with his disciple over going to the stake. Then, he eulogized the king, his kingdom, and his fine sense of judgement. This entrapped the foolish king and eventually, he got himself and his minister killed in the place of the guru and his disciple. Thus, the kingdom got rid of the foolish king and his equally foolish minister and the guru and his disciple’s lives were saved, too. Thus, by not arguing, the wise guru resolved the tricky situation.

Q9. What values set the guru apart from his disciple?

Values determine character. Discuss this statement with reference to the characters of the guru and the disciple.

Ans. The values of farsightedness, wisdom, calmness, and rationality made the guru different from his disciple. Although the guru and his disciple were both ascetics, it was the guru who made a good use of the knowledge that he had accumulated over the years. The danger of staying in the Kingdom of Fools was sensed very quickly by the guru while the disciple easily succumbed to the temptation of throw-away prices. Again, the wise guru left the kingdom but the foolish disciple stayed back and ultimately fell prey to the king’s whim. The values of calmness and rationality, possessed by the guru, stood in good stead whereas the anxiety and greed of the disciple put him in the throes of death. Thus, the positive values of the guru not only made him different from his disciple but also helped in saving the disciple’s life.

Q 10. Imagine you are the disciple. You have just been sworn in as the new minister of the Kingdom of Fools. Draft a speech to be delivered in the court-room addressing the people on the new vision with which the kingdom would be governed henceforth.

Ans.Dear Citizens of the Kingdom

It is a new morning and we are here to begin a fresh chapter in the history of this great kingdom. This beautiful land shall be different from other places because of its new vision. The senseless regime when the day was night, and the night was day is over and a new rule of reason and justice has dawned.

We shall move ahead together under the able leadership of our wise king, my guru. His fine sense of judgement and vast experience of the ways of the world shall guide us towards a promising future. Our coming generations shall be proud of us and this great kingdom shall stand as a tall example of good governance.

Our new king has revoked all previous orders from this moment onwards and commands you all to resume life in a normal way. Henceforth, no one will be denied the opportunity of presenting the difference of opinion and all decisions will be taken in a rational and just manner after proper consultation with the wise advisors of the royal court.

Let us dedicate ourselves to the well-being of our new kingdom. Hail the king and long live our great motherland! Thank you!

Q11. Why, according to you, is it always risky to live among the fools? Elaborate your answer with reference to the story “In the Kingdom of Fools”.

Ans. It is always risky to live among the fools as one never knows what a fool has in his mind. He can create any trouble for himself as well as for others. The guru in the story tells his disciple, “They are all fools. They won’t last very long and you can’t tell what they will do to you next. Their behaviour is not predictable”. The disciple did not follow the advice of his guru and got into trouble. The king, the most foolish creature of the kingdom, had a unique way of judgment. He did not apply his mind in passing judgement on cases. At last, with the wisdom of the guru, the disciple was saved and the king became a victim of his own foolishness and died.

Q12. Discuss the importance of wisdom in life.

Ans. Life is a precious gift of God. We should enjoy it. We can make our lives both a bed of roses and a bed of thorns. It depends upon our wisdom. Life without wisdom is useless. It becomes dangerous too many a time. One who leads a life without wisdom can never enjoy it. We can enjoy our life when we are full of wisdom. Life is a combination of positive and negative aspects. It depends upon us what side we chose. It is our wisdom only that helps us distinguish between wrong and right. Wisdom makes our life full of comfort and provides us with various sources of enjoyment. Life without wisdom has no meaning.

Q13. The disciple fails to obey his Guru and did not follow his advice. What was the danger that occurred to him?

Ans. Everything was cheap in the Kingdom of Fools. The disciple had a liking for food. He was tempted by the cheap food. So, he decided to stay in that kingdom. It was not a good idea to stay there for a long time as one could be in danger any time because of the unpredictable behaviour of fools. The king ordered him to be executed. But as soon as he was taken to the stake, the stake did not fit him. It was important to test the stake for the first time. Hence, the king ordered that a person should be found who could fit the stake. The king’s men caught the disciple and found him fit for the stake. The disciple had become healthy due to overeating. The king ordered him to be executed. But his Guru saved him. It was such a situation which none could imagine in real life. It becomes quite clear that living in such a kingdom is dangerous. Anything could happen here.

Q14. The people of the Kingdom of Fools were not so foolish after all. They made the Guru as their kings. Comment.

Ans. In the Kingdom of Fools, everything looked odd. The disciple was arrested in place of the rich merchant. He was to be executed soon but the disciple started praying. The guru reached there and made a plan to save the disciple’s life. The king and his minister became the victims of this plan and got themselves executed. Now there was no king in the kingdom. The throne was vacant. People wanted that a wise person should become the king. After the death of the king and the disciple, the people were impressed by the wisdom and power of the Guru. They thought that if the Guru and his disciple became the king and the minister, there would be peace all around. So the people chose to crown the Guru and his disciple.

Q15. What is the role of the guru (teacher) in our life? Comment with reference to the story `In the Kingdom of Fools’.

Ans. One who removes the darkness of our ignorance and gives the light of knowledge is called a guru. Guru is the person who guides us to take the right path. So, one who gives us knowledge is sacred and deserves the highest respect. Those who obey their guru and follow the guided path face no trouble. The teacher plays the greatest enabling role by helping one to cultivate and refine the use of one’s thinking ability. The knowledge provided by the teacher helps one to mould one’s character. In the story, “In the Kingdom of Fools” it was the guru who guided his disciple about impending danger in that kingdom of fools and when the disciple fell into trouble, he realised his mistake and remembered his guru. The guru came forward and saved his life with his wit.

Q16. Does obeying guru (teacher) bring misery? Comment on the basis of “In the Kingdom of Fools”.

Ans. A Guru is always a well-wisher of his disciple. The disciple who does not obey his guru falls in misery while those who follow the path told by Guru live a happy and healthy life. In the story, the disciple did not obey his Guru and so fall into trouble. If he had followed his Guru and left the kingdom he would not have been in trouble. He was greedy and decided to remain in the kingdom because everything was so cheap there. He used to eat to his fill and became fat. One day he fell into trouble as he was chosen to be executed due to his fatness. The Guru was a wise man. He was right in his predictions. And his predictions came true. It was he who came on his call and saved his life with his wisdom.

Q17. The Guru come back at the right time and saves his disciple. Comment on the love the Guru had for his disciple.

Ans. The disciple was arrested and was to be executed soon. At that moment, he recalled the words of his Guru and prayed to save his life. The Guru was a divine figure and heard the prayer. He reached there at once and created a drama. They started quarrelling for the stake. They expressed their willingness to choose the stake before the other. On seeing this situation the king got confused and could not decide what to do. On being asked, the Guru told that whoever chose the stake first would become the king in the next birth and whoever would die next, would become the minister. Both the king and the minister were tempted and chose the stake one by one. In this way, the Guru could save his disciple.

QUICK REVIEW OF THE CHAPTER

1.In the Kingdom of Fools, how were the king and the minister?

(A) clever (B) kind

Ans. (C) idiot

2.What did the king and the minister decide to do?

(A) they decided to give money to everyone (B) they decided to change the day into night and night into day

Ans. (B) they decided to change the day into night and night into day

3.In the Kingdom of Fools when did the men work?

(A) during the day (B) during the night

Ans. (B) during night

4.In the Kingdom of Fools when did the people sleep?

(A) during the day (B) during the night

Ans. (A) during day

5.What punishment was given to the person who disobeyed the order?

(A) heavy fine (B) one-week imprisonment

Ans. (D) death penalty

6.Who reached in the Kingdom of Fools?

(A) a guru and his disciple (B) two thieves.

Ans. (A) a guru and his disciple

7.What was the name of the currency in the Kingdom of Fools?

(A) rupee (B) duddu

Ans. (B) duddu

8.What did everything cost in the Kingdom of Fools?

(A) a duddu (B) two duddus

Ans. (A) a duddu

9.What did the guru think about living in the Kingdom of Fools?

(A) enjoying the life fully (B) was a good idea

Ans. (D) not a good idea

10.What was the disciple’s opinion about living there?

(A) he wanted to live there and enjoy good (B) he did not want to live there and cheap food

Ans. (A) he wanted to live there and enjoy good and cheap food

11.Who became fat like a street-side sacred bull?

(A) the guru (B) the disciple

Ans. (B) the disciple

12.In whose house did the thief break into?

(A) the minister (B) the disciple

Ans. (C) a rich merchant

13.The wall of the house collapsed on the thief. What happened to him?

(A) his leg was broken (B) his head injured

Ans. (D) he died on the spot

14.After the thief’s death who ran to the king for justice?

(A) the thief’s brother (B) the merchant

Ans. (A) the thief’s brother

15Whom did the thief’s brother blame for his brother’s death?

(A) the king (B) the minister

Ans. (C) the rich merchant

16.Who did the king summon for the first time?

(A) the disciple (B) the thief’s brother

Ans.. (C) the merchant

17.Who did the rich merchant blame for the weak wall?

(A) his father (B) the thief

Ans. (C) the bricklayer

18.Who was summoned next to the rich merchant?

(A) the bricklayer (B) the dancer

Ans. (A) the bricklayer

19.How was the bricklayer produced before the king?

(A) in a chariot (B) on a horse’s back

Ans. (C) tied hand and foot

20.Who did the bricklayer hold responsible for making a weak wall?

(A) the rich merchant (B) the dancing girl

Ans. (B) the dancing girl

In The Kingdom of Fools Extra Questions and Answers

OBJECTIVE-TYPE MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

Choose the correct answer.

1. Name the writer of the story ‘In the Kingdom of Fools’.

(A) Harsh Mander.

(B) R.K. Laxman.

(D) Ruskin Bond.

2.In the Kingdom of Fools,………….

(A) the king was an idiot.

(B) the minister was an idiot.

(D) neither the king nor the minister was an idiot.

3. The king and the minister did not want ……………

(A) to run things like other kings.

(B) to change night into day.

(D) to make people work at night.

4. The king and the minister ordered that ……………

(A) everyone should be awake at night.

(B) people should do their work only after dark.

(D) everyone should follow all the above directions.

5. The king and the minister warned that anyone who disobeyed their orders

(A) would be turned out of the kingdom.

(B) would be punished with death.

(D) would be given lashes on the back.

6.When a guru and his disciple reached the city, ……………

(A) it was midnight.

(B) it was broad daylight.

(D) it was early dawn.

7. The guru and his disciple found that ……………

(A) everyone was asleep in the day.

(B) everyone was working in the day.

(D) everyone was moving about in the hot sun.

8. The guru and his disciple wandered around the town ……………

(A) till morning.

(B) till evening.

(D) till noon.

9. It surprised the guru and his disciple to see that everything in the shops of the town……….

(A) cost a rupee.

(B) cost a duddu.

(D) cost five rupees.

10. The guru and his disciple could buy all the food they wanted …………

(A) for a duddu.

(B) for a rupee.

(D) for ten rupees.

11. The gum didn’t think it right to stay in the town because………..

(A) he realized that the king was a fool.

(B) he realized that the minister was a fool.

(D) he realized that his disciple will cheat him.

12. The disciple didn’t want to leave the town because …………..

(A) food and everything else was so cheap there.

(B) the people were so nice there.

(D) it was a kingdom of fools and he could fool anybody easily.

13.The disciple ate his fill every day and grew fat ………….

(A) like an elephant.

(B) like a fig.

(D) like a big balloon.

14.The wall of the old house collapsed when the thief………..

(A) was making a hole in it.

(B) was going in through the hole.

(D) was trying to hide under the wall.

15.How was the thief killed?

(A) The wall of the old house collapsed on his head as he was coming out of it with his loot.

(B) The wall of the old house fell on him when he was making a hole in it.

(D) The wall of the old house collapsed on his head when he was hiding under it.

16.The thief’s brother wanted the king to punish the merchant because …………….

(A) he had stopped his brother from pursuing his ancient trade.

(B) he had refused to compensate the family for his brother’s death.

(D) he had not built a good strong wall which had caused his brother’s death.

17.The merchant told the king that his name was …………

(A) such and such.

(B) so and such.

(D) so and so.

18.The merchant said that his wall fell because…………..

(A) the thief had tried to break in.

(B) the wall was old and weak.

(D) the hole made in it was too big.

19.The bricklayer said he couldn’t build the wall right because……………

(A) a dancing girl kept looking at him all day.

(B) a dancing girl kept talking to him all day.

(D) he could not keep his eyes and mind on the wall due to the jingling anklets of a dancing girl who kept going up and down the street all day.

20.The dancing girl put the blame on ……….

(A) the bricklayer.

(B) the rich merchant.

(D) the rich merchant’s father.

21.The king said that the merchant had inherited……….

(A) his father’s riches.

(B) his father’s sins.

(D) None of the above.

22.The merchant could not be hanged because…………..

(A) he was not the real culprit.

(B) the real culprit was the merchant’s father.

(C)’the merchant was too thin to be properly executed on the stake.

(D) the merchant could not be found anywhere.

23.It was decided to hang the disciple in place of the merchant because………………

(A) he was the real culprit.

(B) he had not followed his guru’s advice.

(D) he was fat enough to fit the stake.

24.Who was executed in the end?

(A) The king and his minister.

(B) The guru and his disciple.

(D) The bricklayer and the goldsmith.

25.Who was made the new king after the previous king’s execution?

(A) The guru.

(B) The Disciple.

(D) The king’s son.

Hints: 1. C 2. C 3. A 4.D 5. B 6. B 7. A 8. B 9. B

10.B 11.C 12.A 13.C 14.C 15.A 16.D 17.A 18.C

19.D 20.C 21 C 22.C 23.D 24.A 25.A.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. What things were different in the Kingdom of Fools?

Ans. In the Kingdom of Fools, the people did all their work at night. They slept during the daytime. Everything cost the same there — a single duddu.

2. Why did the guru want to leave this kingdom quickly? Why did the disciple stay on?

Ans. The guru did not think it wise to stay in a kingdom of fools. But the disciple stayed on because everything was cheap there. All he wanted was good, cheap food.

3. What was foolish about the king’s trial of the merchant?

Ans. The merchant’s wall had fallen upon a thief. The thief was killed. So the king ordered to execute the merchant. This judgement of the king was very foolish.

4. Who was finally blamed for the crime and why?

Ans. The rich merchant was blamed. His father had ordered the jewellery. But he was now dead. So the merchant was to be punished in his father’s place.

5. Now justice had come full circle, thought the king. What argument did the merchant come up with? What counter-argument did the king give?

Ans. The merchant argued that his father had ordered the jewellery. Therefore he (merchant) was innocent. The king said that the merchant had inherited the riches as well as the sins of his father.

6. Why was It decided to execute the disciple?

Ans. The rich man was too thin to be executed properly on the stake. A fat man was needed for this. So the disciple was chosen to be executed.

7. How did the kingdom become normal again?

Ans. The people requested the guru and the disciple to be their king and minister. They finally agreed and changed all the old laws. Thus the kingdom became normal again.

8. What did the dancing girl say in her defence?

Ans. The dancing girl said that she had given some gold to the goldsmith to make some jewellery. The goldsmith made many excuses. So she had to walk up and down his house many times

9. How did the guru come to know that his disciple was in trouble?

Ans. The guru had magical powers. He saw in a vision that his disciple was in trouble

10. What did the king and his minister do at night?

Ans. At night, the king and his minister went secretly to the prison. They released the gum and the disciple. They then disguised themselves as the two. Then they got themselves executed.