The Shepherd’s Treasure Summary, Explanation, and Question Answer

The Shepherd’s Treasure

By Jyoti Verma

NCERT Class 6 English Chapter 3 The Shepherd’s Treasure Summary, Explanation and Question Answers

The Shepherd’s Treasure – NCERT Class 6 English A Pact With The Sun book Lesson 3 The Shepherd’s Treasure Summary and Detailed explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words. All the exercises and Questions Answers are given at the back of the lesson have been covered.

Class 6 English (A Pact with The Sun book) Chapter 3

 

The Shepherd’s Treasure

The Shepherd’s Treasure Introduction

This story throws light upon the importance of human values like honesty, wisdom, and humanity. How by following such high values and principles a shepherd became a Governor.

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The Shepherd’s Treasure Summary

A poor shepherd once lived in a village in Iran. He was uneducated but was very wise and helpful. He became very popular because of his helping nature and words of wisdom. His popularity reached the king and the king decided to meet him in disguise.
During his meeting, the king found that the shepherd was really wise, warm, and caring. Impressed by his humanity, the king made him Governor of a small district.
Soon, the shepherd won people’s hearts with his wisdom. Governors of other districts started feeling jealous of him and spread rumors about him. They reported that he used to keep a part of the tax collected into an iron chest.
Bothered by the varied comments, one day the king called the shepherd to his palace and asked him to open his iron chest. After opening the chest, they found nothing but an old blanket.The shepherd told the king that it was his only money and best companion.
Realizing the shepherd’s wisdom, kindness and humanity,the king appointed him the governor of a bigger district.

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Also See: A House, A Home Class 6 CBSE English Poem Summary, Explanation

The Shepherd’s Treasure Explanation

Passage – IN a village in Iran there once lived a shepherd. He was very poor. He did not even have a small cottage of his own. He had never been to school or learnt to read and write, for there were very few schools in those days.

Word meaning
Shepherd:
 Person who takes care of the sheep
cottage : a small house

Explanation of the above passage – A poor shepherd lived in Iran. He was so poor that he didn’t even have a small house. Because of less number of schools during those days, he could never attend school to read and write.

Passage – Though poor and uneducated, this shepherd was very wise. He understood people’s sorrows and troubles, and helped them face their problems with courage and common sense. Many people came to him for advice. Soon he became famous for his wisdom and friendly nature. The king of that country heard about him, and thought of meeting him.

Explanation of the above passage – Inspite of his poverty and illiteracy, this shepherd was very wise. He was able to understand people’s pains and often helped them to solve their issues with courage and wisdom. People used to visit him to find suggestions and solutions. Because of this ability he became popular. His popularity reached the King as well and he thought of meeting him.

Passage – Disguised as a shepherd and riding on a mule, one day the king came to the cave where the wise shepherd lived. As soon as the shepherd saw the traveler coming towards the cave, he rose to welcome him. He took the tired traveller inside the cave, gave him water to drink and a share of his own meager meal. The king rested for the night in the cave and was greatly impressed by the shepherd’s hospitality and wise conversation.

Word meaning
Disguised:
an appearance that hides the actual form
Mule: an offspring of a male ass and a female horse
Meagre: inadequate, quite less in amount
Hospitality: act of being friendly and warm reception

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Explanation of the above passage – Dressed as a shepherd and hiding his true identity the king reached the shepherd’s cave on a mule.The moment the shepherd noticed him coming to his cave, he got up to greet him. He brought the traveler inside his cave and gave him water and food. The king took rest and stayed with him for the night in the cave. The king was impressed by his friendly, warm reception and words of wisdom.

Passage – Though still tired, the king decided to depart the next morning. He said, “Many thanks for your kindness to a poor traveller. I have a long way to go. Permit me to leave.” Looking straight into the eyes of his guest, the shepherd replied, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for paying me the compliment of a visit.”

Word meaning
Compliment:
an expression of appreciation

Explanation of the above passage – Though the king was still feeling tired yet he decided to leave from the place, the very next morning.He expressed his gratitude to the poor shepherd for his warm and kind welcome.He seeked his permission to leave the place. The shepherd addressed the king as “Your Majesty” and looking straight into his eyes, expressed his gratitude.

Passage – The king was astonished as well as pleased. ‘He is indeed very wise.’ he thought to himself. ‘I need people like him to work for me.’ And the king appointed this humble shepherd the governor of a small district. Although he rose to power and dignity, the shepherd remained as humble as ever. People loved and honoured him for his wisdom, sympathy and goodness. He was kind and just to one and all. His fame as a fair and wise governor soon spread throughout the country.

Word meaning
Astonished
: wondered
Pleased: happy
Humble: not proud but modest

Explanation of the above passage – The King was wondering and was full of joy to hear his words. He thought that the shepherd was actually very wise. The people like him were the need of the king. He must work for the king. And the king made him the Governor of a small district. In Spite of all the power and dignity, the shepherd remained humble and modest. People liked him and were full of appreciation for his wisdom and kindness. His behavior was just to everyone. He became popular as a good and wise governor.

Passage – Now the governors of other provinces grew terribly jealous of him and began to talk to the king against him. They said, “He is very dishonest, and keeps for himself part of the money that he collects as tax from the people.” Why did he always carry with him, they added, an iron chest? Perhaps he carried in it the treasure that he had secretly collected. After all,they said mockingly, he was an ordinary shepherd and could behave no better.

Word meaning
Provinces:
States
Mockingly: making fun of

Explanation of the above passage – The governors of other states developed jealousy for him. They started speaking against him to the king. They started calling him dishonest and blamed him for keeping part of the tax money with him. They even posed questions over his iron chest. They said that it had all the treasures he had collected secretly. They made fun of him calling him a common shepherd who was expected to behave in such a dishonest manner.

Passage – At first the king did not pay attention to these reports, but how long could he ignore these governors and their endless stories about the shepherd? One thing was certain, the king discovered. The new governor did carry an iron chest with him all the time.

Word meaning
Discovered:
found

Explanation of the above passage – Initially, the king paid no attention to such words but gradually, he had to. He did not believe that the Governor carried an iron chest with him. He thought that he must enquire about the reason for carrying an iron chest with him all the time.

Passage – So, one day, the new governor was summoned to the palace. He came riding on his camel, and to everyone’s delight, the famous iron chest was there fastened securely behind him on the camel’s back.

Word meaning
Summoned
: called
Delight : joy
Fastened :fixed or tied

Explanation of the above passage – Thus, the King called the new governor to the palace.He came on his camel.Everyone was feeling joy as the most talked about  iron chest was tied behind him on the camel’s back.

Passage – Now the king was angry. He thundered, “Why do you always carry that iron chest with you? What does it contain?”

Explanation of the above passage – Seeing this, the king shouted in anger and asked him the reason for carrying that iron chest with him.

Passage – The governor smiled. He asked his servant to bring in the chest. How eagerly the people standing around waited for the shepherd to be found out! But how great was their astonishment, and even of the king himself, when the chest was opened! No gold or silver or jewels but an old blanket was all that came out. Holding it up proudly, the shepherd said, “This, my dear master, is my only treasure. I always carry it with me.”

Explanation of the above passage – The governor smiled and asked his attendant to bring that chest.All the people were very curious to see and find what it had inside.But when it was opened they found no precious gold or silver but an old blanket.The shepherd took it in his hands with pride and explained to the king that it was his treasure.

Passage – “But why do you carry such an ordinary blanket with you? Surely, you are the governor of a district?” the king asked. To which the shepherd replied with quiet dignity, “This blanket is my oldest friend. It will still protect me if, at any time, Your Majesty should wish to take away my new cloaks.”

Word meaning
ordinary
: common
Cloaks : a kind of clothing

Explanation of the above passage – But the king was curious to know the reason for carrying such an old blanket. To which the shepherd replied in a very dignified and respectful manner that blanket was his oldest friend. In times of need it would protect him, If the king wished, he could take his new clothing but that blanket was very dear to him.

Passage – How pleased the king was, and how embarrassed the jealous governors became to hear the wise man’s reply! Now they knew that the shepherd was indeed the humblest and the wisest man in the land. The king made him the governor of a much bigger district that very day.

Word meaning
embarrassed
: feeling of shame and awkwardness
Indeed : in reality

Explanation of the above passage – The king felt very happy to hear his words. The governors were ashamed. Now it was clear to everyone that the shepherd was the humblest and the wisest man there. Feeling proud of him the king gave him a bigger district to look after at that very time.

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Also See: Vocation Class 6 CBSE English Poem Summary, Explanation

The Shepherd’s Treasure Question Answers

Q1. The shepherd hadn’t been to school because
(i) he was very poor.
(ii) there were very few schools in those days.
(iii) he wasn’t interested in studies.
Choose the right answer.
A.
The shepherd hadn’t been to school because there were very few schools in those days.

Q2. Who visited the shepherd one day, and why?
A.
The king visited the shepherd because he wanted to check his wisdom.

Q3. Why did the other governors grow jealous of the shepherd?
A.
The other governors grew jealous of him because he was becoming closer to the king because of his wisdom.

Q4. Why was the new governor called to the palace?
A.
The new governor was called to the palace to enquire about the reason for carrying an iron chest.

Q5. Why was everyone delighted to see the iron chest on the camel’s back?
A.
They all were delighted to see it because it was proving their words to be correct before the king.

Q6. (i) What did the iron chest contain?
A.
It contained an old blanket.

(ii) Why did the shepherd always carry it?
A
.He always carried it because it was very dear to him and he considered it  as his actual treasure and a true friend.

(iii) Is it an example of the shepherd’s humility or wisdom or both?
A
.In my opinion, it is an example of both his wisdom and humility.

Q7. How did the king reward the new governor?
A
.The king rewarded the new governor by giving him responsibility for a bigger district as governor.

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