Gopal and the Hilsa-fish Class 7 English Chapter 3 Summary, Question Answer

Gopal and the Hilsa-fish NCERT Class 7 Honeycomb book Chapter 3 Summary, Word Meaning, Question Answer

Gopal and the Hilsa-fish Class 7 English Honeycomb book Lesson 3 -Detailed summary of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words. All the exercises and Questions and Answers given at the back of the lesson have been covered. Take Free Online MCQs Test for Class 7 Click Here

Class 7 English (Honeycomb book) Chapter 3 Gopal and the Hilsa-fish

Gopal and the Hilsa-fish Class 7 Video Explanation

Gopal and the Hilsa-fish – Summary

The story starts with the fisherman and the season of hilsa fish. Everyone in the kingdom, sellers, buyers and even the courtiers, were all busy discussing the hilsa fish. One day, a courtier was telling the king about the huge hilsa fish he had caught. However, the king was fed up with the topic of discussion and scolded the courtier. After a while, he apologised for losing his temper and told the courtiers that it was the season of hilsa fish and no one could stop the people, not even Gopal who happened to be a clever person, could stop people from talking about the hilsa fish for even five minutes. Gopal then said that he actually could stop people from doing so. Then the king challenged him to bring a huge hilsa fish in the palace without anyone asking him about it. Gopal confidently accepted the challenge. The next day, he started putting his plan into force. He shaved only half of his beard and started smearing his face with ash. His wife, who had noticed everything, questioned him repeatedly why he was doing such things and what was wrong with him. However, Gopal didn’t have time to explain his plan and kept on telling his wife that he was just going out to get a hilsa fish. The wife then pointed out the shabby clothes but Gopal didn’t pay any attention to her. She clearly thought Gopal had gone mad. Gopal bought a hilsa fish and made his way to the palace. On the way, people started pointing at him and laughed at his comical appearance. People began calling him different names. Some called him a madman and the others called him a mystic. However, Gopal didn’t object as this was his plan. When he finally reached the palace, the guards asked him what he wanted. Gopal said he wanted to see the king. However, the guards denied entry after taking a look at his shabby appearance. After he couldn’t go in, he started singing and dancing. Inside the palace, the noise of commotion was causing the king great discomfort. He finally ordered the guards to let the madman in. When Gopal came in, everyone was astonished to see him like that. The courtiers started whispering among themselves. The king demanded an explanation for his ridiculous fashion. Gopal however, told the king that he had forgotten something. When the king asked what he had forgotten, Gopal explained that even though he was carrying a hilsa fish with him, no one was asking him about it. Instead, everyone was discussing his appearance. The king laughed and praised him and his wit and congratulated him for achieving the impossible.

Gopal and the Hilsa-fish – Summary in Hindi

कहानी मछुआरे और हिलसा मछली के शिकार के मौसम से शुरू होती है। राज्य में हर कोई, विक्रेता, खरीदार और यहां तक कि दरबारियों, सभी हिल्सा मछली पर चर्चा करने में व्यस्त थे। एक दिन, एक दरबारी राजा को उसके द्वारा पकड़ी गई विशाल हिल्सा मछली के बारे में बता रहा था। हालांकि, राजा चर्चा के विषय से तंग आ गया और उसने दरबारी को डांटा।
थोड़ी देर बाद उन्होंने अपना आपा खोने के लिए माफी मांगी और दरबारियों से कहा कि यह हिलसा मछली का मौसम है और लोगों को कोई नहीं रोक सकता, यहां तक कि गोपाल जो एक चतुर व्यक्ति है भी लोगों को हिलसा मछली के बारे में पाँच मिनट के लिए भी बात करने से नहीं रोक सकता। गोपाल ने तब कहा कि वह वास्तव में लोगों को ऐसा करने से रोक सकता है। तब राजा ने उसे चुनौती दी कि वह बिना किसी से पूछे महल में एक बड़ी हिल्सा मछली ले आए।
गोपाल ने आत्मविश्वास से चुनौती स्वीकार की। अगले दिन, उसने अपनी योजना को लागू करना शुरू कर दिया। उसने अपनी आधी दाढ़ी ही मुंडवा ली और राख से अपना चेहरा धोने लगा।
उसकी पत्नी, जिसने सब कुछ देख लिया था, उससे बार-बार सवाल करती थी कि वह ऐसा क्यों कर रहा है और उसे क्या हुआ है। हालाँकि, गोपाल के पास अपनी योजना समझाने का समय नहीं था और वह अपनी पत्नी को बताता रहा कि वह अभी हिलसा मछली लेने जा रहा है।
फिर पत्नी ने जर्जर कपड़ों की ओर इशारा किया लेकिन गोपाल ने उस पर ध्यान नहीं दिया। उसे साफ लगा कि गोपाल पागल हो गया है। गोपाल ने एक हिलसा मछली खरीदी और महल की ओर चल पड़ा। रास्ते में लोगों ने उनकी ओर इशारा करना शुरू कर दिया और उनके हास्यपूर्ण रूप पर हंस पड़े।
लोग उसे अलग-अलग नाम से पुकारने लगे। कोई उसे पागल कहता था तो कोई फकीर। हालाँकि, गोपाल ने इसका विरोध नहीं किया क्योंकि यह उसकी योजना थी। जब वह अंत में महल में पहुँचा, तो पहरेदारों ने उससे पूछा कि वह क्या चाहता है।
गोपाल ने कहा कि वह राजा को देखना चाहता है। हालांकि, गार्ड ने उसकी जर्जर उपस्थिति को देखते हुए प्रवेश से इनकार कर दिया। जब वह अंदर नहीं जा सका तो उसने गाना और नाचना शुरू कर दिया। महल के अंदर, हंगामे का शोर राजा को बहुत परेशान कर रहा था। उसने अंत में पहरेदारों को आदेश दिया कि वह पागल आदमी को अंदर जाने दे। जब गोपाल अंदर आया, तो उसे इस तरह देखकर सभी चकित रह गए।
दरबारी आपस में कानाफूसी करने लगे। राजा ने उसके हास्यास्पद फैशन के लिए स्पष्टीकरण मांगा। हालाँकि, गोपाल ने राजा से कहा कि वह कुछ भूल गया है। जब राजा ने पूछा कि वह क्या भूल गया है, तो गोपाल ने समझाया कि भले ही वह अपने साथ एक हिलसा मछली ले जा रहा था, फिर भी कोई उससे इसके बारे में नहीं पूछ रहा था।
इसके बजाय, हर कोई उसकी उपस्थिति पर चर्चा कर रहा था। राजा हँसा और उसकी और उसकी बुद्धि की प्रशंसा की और असंभव को प्राप्त करने के लिए उसे बधाई दी।

Gopal and the Hilsa-fish – Word meanings

fishmonger – a person who sell fish
householder – the head of the house
downcast – disheartened
smearing – spreading on a surface
disgraceful – shameful
rags – shabby, torn and worn out clothes
comical – funny, cartoon-like
mystic – a person who believes in supernatural and spiritual truths which are beyond the intellect
ridiculous – silly

Working with Text

Gopal and the Hilsa-fish – Questions and Answers

Q1. Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish?

Ans. The king wanted no more talk about the hilsa-fish as he was fed up with it. Everyone was talking about it and he wanted a break from it.

Q2. What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?

Ans. The king challenged Gopal to bring a hilsa-fish into the palace without anyone asking about it. The king asked Gopal to do so to prove that he was clever.

Q3. What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?

Ans. First, he didn’t shave his face completely. He had half-shaved his face. Second, he smeared ash on his face. Third, he wore rags instead of his usual good clothes.

Q4. How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?

Ans. After the guards denied entry to Gopal, he started dancing and singing loudly to gain the attention of the king and his fellow courtiers. The king, who could hear his song, finally ordered the guards to let the madman come in. By this way, Gopal got inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish.

Q5. Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.

Ans. No one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought. This was because everyone was too busy noticing his comical appearance. The on-lookers were too busy discussing whether he was a madman or a mystic that they didn’t notice the hilsa-fish which Gopal was carrying. People laughed and joked about how he looked. His appearance was more fascinating than the hilsa-fish he had in hand.

Q6. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following sentences.
(i) The king lost his temper easily. ________
(ii) Gopal was a madman. _________
(iii) Gopal was a clever man. _____
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes. _____
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong. _____

Ans. (i) The king lost his temper easily. True
(ii) Gopal was a madman. False
(iii) Gopal was a clever man. True
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes. False
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong. False

Also, see –Class 7 History MCQs

Working with Language

Q1. Change the following sentences in the story to reported speech. The first one has been done for you.

(ii) Why is your face half-shaven?
Gopal’s wife asked him ____________________________.
(iii) I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.
Gopal told the king _______________________________.
(iv) I want to see the king.
Gopal told the guards _____________________________.
(v) Bring the man to me at once.
The king ordered the guard ________________________.

Ans. (ii) Why is your face half-shaven?
Gopal’s wife asked him why his face was half-shaven.
(iii) I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.
Gopal told the king that he accepted the challenge.
(iv) I want to see the king.
Gopal told the guards that he wanted to see the king.
(v) Bring the man to me at once.
The king ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.

Q2. Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use them in sentences of your own.

Ans. Challenge
Meaning – a dare for someone to participate in a contest.
Sentence – I challenge you to do headstand right now.

Mystic
Meaning – a person who believes in supernatural or spiritual things which are beyond the intellect.
Sentence – My neighbour is an eccentric person and I won’t be surprised if it turns out that he’s a mystic.

Comical
Meaning – funny, cartoon-like
Sentence – I like being with people who get easily attracted to comical things.

Courtier
Meaning – a person who is a part of the court and helps the king in his affairs, a court minister
Sentence – According to my grandfather, his great-great grandfather was a courtier.

Smearing
Meaning – spreadiing something on a surface
Sentence – Archie whistled his favourite songs while smearing peanut butter on the toast.

Also See :

Honeycomb Book Lessons

Honeycomb Book Poems

An Alien Hand Book Lessons