Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English Lesson The Storyteller Summary, Line by Line Explanation, Theme along with difficult word meanings from English Kumarbharati Book
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The Storyteller Maharashtra State Board Class 9 English
– H. H. Munro (Saki)
- The Storyteller Introduction
- Theme of the Lesson
- The Storyteller Summary
- The Storyteller Summary in Hindi
- The Storyteller Lesson Explanation
The Storyteller Introduction
In the story “The storyteller”, the aunt was trying to entertain her young nieces and nephew, but they were restless and bored. A quiet man in the corner noticed their boredom and decided to help and tell the children a story.
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Theme / Central Idea of the Lesson The Storyteller
The Irony of Goodness: The story dwells the concept of excessive goodness, suggesting that it can be a burden rather than a blessing. Bertha’s relentless pursuit of goodness leads to her tragic end, highlighting the dangers of extreme virtue.
The Power of Storytelling: The story emphasizes the power of storytelling to shape minds and influence behaviour. The bachelor’s tale, though dark and ironic, captures the children’s imagination and leaves a lasting impact.
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The Storyteller Summary
The story takes place on a hot afternoon in a stuffy train carriage. The occupants are a woman, her two young nieces, and a young nephew. The woman tries to entertain the children with stories, but they are unimpressed. A bachelor in the carriage observes the situation and decides to intervene.
The woman tells a rather dull story about a perfectly good little girl who is rewarded for her goodness. The children are unimpressed and question the logic of the story.
The bachelor, seeing the children’s boredom, offers to tell a story. He begins with a tale of a little girl Bertha who is “horribly good.” This unexpected twist intrigues the children, who listen with renewed interest.
The bachelor continues his story about the “horribly good” girl, Bertha. She is so good that she wins multiple medals and wears them on her dress. She is allowed to visit a beautiful royal park. However, the park lacks flowers because the animals have eaten them all.
A wolf enters the park and spots Bertha. She hides in a bush, but the clinking of her medals reveals her hiding spot. The wolf eats her, leaving only her clothes and medals behind.
The children are delighted by the story, finding it more interesting and exciting than their aunt’s tales. The aunt is upset, criticizing the bachelor’s story as inappropriate for children. The bachelor, however, is satisfied that he has managed to entertain the children for a significant period.
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The Storyteller Summary in Hindi
कहानी एक गर्म दोपहर में एक भरी हुई ट्रेन की बोगी की है। यात्री एक महिला, उसकी दो छोटी भतीजियाँ और एक छोटा भतीजा हैं। महिला बच्चों का कहानियों से मनोरंजन करने की कोशिश करती है, लेकिन वे प्रभावित नहीं होते हैं। गाड़ी में एक कुंवारा आदमी स्थिति देखता है और हस्तक्षेप करने का फैसला करता है।
महिला एक बिल्कुल अच्छी छोटी लड़की के बारे में एक नीरस कहानी सुनाती है जिसे उसकी अच्छाई के लिए पुरस्कृत किया जाता है। बच्चे प्रभावित नहीं होते हैं और कहानी के तर्क पर सवाल उठाते हैं।
कुंवारा आदमी, बच्चों की बोरियत देखकर, एक कहानी सुनाने की पेशकश करता है। वह एक छोटी लड़की बर्था की कहानी से शुरू करता है जो “भयानक रूप से अच्छी” है। यह अप्रत्याशित मोड़ बच्चों को आकर्षित करता है, जो रुचि के साथ सुनते हैं।
कुंवारा आदमी “भयानक रूप से अच्छी” लड़की बर्था के बारे में अपनी कहानी जारी रखता है। वह इतनी अच्छी है कि वह कई पदक जीतती है और उन्हें अपनी पोशाक पर पहनती है। उसे एक सुंदर शाही पार्क जाने की अनुमति है। हालांकि, पार्क में फूलों की कमी है क्योंकि जानवरों ने उन सभी को खा लिया है।
एक भेड़िया पार्क में प्रवेश करता है और बर्था को देखता है। वह एक झाड़ी के पीछे छिप जाती है, लेकिन उसके पदकों की खड़खड़ाहट उसके छिपने के स्थान को प्रकट कर देती है। भेड़िया उसे खा जाता है, केवल उसके कपड़े और पदक छोड़ देता है।
बच्चे कहानी से खुश हैं, मगर आंटी परेशान है, कुंवारे आदमी की कहानी को बच्चों के लिए अनुचित बता रही है। हालांकि, कुंवारा आदमी संतुष्ट है कि वह बच्चों का काफी समय तक मनोरंजन करने में सफल रहा।
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The Storyteller Lesson Explanation
PART-I
Passage: It was a hot afternoon, and the railway carriage was correspondingly sultry, and the next stop was at Templecombe, nearly an hour ahead. The occupants of the carriage were a small girl, and a smaller girl, and a small boy. Their aunt occupied one corner seat, and the further corner seat on the opposite side was occupied by a bachelor who was a stranger to their party, but the small girls and the small boy emphatically occupied the compartment. Both the aunt and the children were conversational in a limited, persistent way, reminding one of the attentions of a housefly that refuses to be discouraged. Most of the aunt’s remarks seemed to begin with ‘Don’t,’ and nearly all of the children’s remarks began with ‘Why?’ The bachelor said nothing out loud.
Word Meaning
correspondingly: correspondingly means in a way that is similar to, connected with, or caused by something else.
sultry: hot and humid
bachelor: an unmarried man
emphatically: forcefully and decisively
compartment: a separate room or section of a vehicle
conversational: inclined to talk
persistent: continuing firmly or obstinately
discouraged: made less confident or enthusiastic
Explanation: It was a very hot day, and the train carriage was also very hot. The next stop Templecombe was a long way away, almost an hour later. There were three children in the train compartment – two girls and a boy. They were of different ages. Their aunt sat in one corner, and a stranger man sat in the opposite corner. The children, however, were very noisy and filled the entire carriage with their chatter.
The aunt and the children kept talking, but in a way that was annoying, like a fly that won’t go away. The aunt often told the children not to do things, and the children often asked why they couldn’t do those things.The stranger man said nothing at all.
Passage: “Don’t, Cyril, don’t,” exclaimed the aunt, as the small boy began smacking the cushions of the seat, producing a cloud of dust at each blow.
Word Meaning
exclaimed : to cry out or speak suddenly, as in surprise, anger, etc.
smacking: here, punching.
Explanation: The little boy started hitting the seat cushions. Every time he hit, a puff of dust flew up. The aunt shouted and told Cyril not to do that.
Passage: “Come and look out of the window,” she added. The child moved reluctantly to the window. “Why are those sheep being driven out of that field?” he asked.
Word Meaning
reluctantly: unwillingly, hesitantly
Explanation: The aunt asked the child to come and look out of the window. The child slowly went to the window. Looking out of the window, he asked why people were taking the sheep out of the field.
Passage: “I expect they are being driven to another field where there is more grass,” said the aunt weakly. “But there is lots of grass in that field,” protested the boy; “there’s nothing else but grass there. Aunt, there’s lots of grass in that field.”
Word Meaning
protested: To express strong disapproval or disagreement.
Explanation: The aunt, sounding tired, said that she thought they were being taken to another field where there was more food for them, the grass. The boy argued that there was plenty of food in that field, and that it was just grass, nothing else. He insisted to his aunt that there was lots of grass in that field, then why were they being driven away.
Passage: “Perhaps the grass in the other field is better,” suggested the aunt fatuously. “Why is it better?” came the swift, inevitable question.
Word Meaning
Fatuously: foolishly or pointlessly
Swift: quick,rapid
Inevitable: certain to happen; unavoidable
Explanation: The aunt said in a silly way that maybe the grass was greener or better in the other field. He asked quickly and without hesitation why it was better there.
Passage: “Oh, look at those cows!” exclaimed the aunt. Nearly every field along the line had contained cows or bullocks, but she spoke as though she were drawing attention to a rarity.
Word Meaning
Rarity: Something that is uncommon or rare.
Explanation: The aunt excitedly told the child to look at the cows. Almost every field they passed had cows or bulls, but she acted like it was something special. This shows that the aunt was quite tired handling the overactive kids.
Passage: “Why is the grass in the other field better?” persisted Cyril. The frown on the bachelor’s face was deepening to a scowl. He was a hard, unsympathetic man, the aunt decided in her mind. She was utterly unable to come to any satisfactory decision about the grass in the other field.
Word Meaning
persisted: continued firmly or obstinately
frown: a facial expression of displeasure or worry
deepening to a scowl: becoming increasingly angry or displeased
hard, unsympathetic man: a harsh, unkind, and insensitive person
utterly unable: completely incapable
satisfactory decision: a decision that is acceptable or pleasing
Explanation: Cyril kept asking why the grass looked better in the other field. The bachelor’s face was getting angrier and angrier. The aunt thought he was a mean and unkind person. She couldn’t figure out why the grass looked better on the other side.
Passage: The smaller girl created a diversion by beginning to recite ‘On the Road to Mandalay.’ She only knew the first line, but she put her limited knowledge to the fullest possible use. She repeated the line, over and over again, in a dreamy but resolute and very audible voice; it seemed to the bachelor as though some one had had a bet with her that she could not repeat the line aloud two thousand times without stopping. Whoever it was, who had made the wager was likely to lose his bet.
Word Meaning
diversion: A distraction or something that diverts attention.
resolute: Determined; firm and unwavering.
audible: Loud enough to be heard.
wager: A bet; a gamble.
Explanation: The little girl tried to distract everyone by saying a poem, “On the Road to Mandalay.” She only knew the first part of the poem, but she kept repeating it loudly and clearly. She spoke the line again and again, as if she was lost in a dream but sounded very determined. It sounded to the bachelor like someone had challenged her to repeat the line two thousand times without stopping. Whoever made that challenge was probably going to lose.
Passage: “Come over here and listen to a story,” said the aunt, when the bachelor had looked twice at her. The children moved listlessly towards the aunt’s end of the carriage. Evidently, her reputation as a story-teller did not rank high in their estimation.
Word Meaning
listlessly: Without energy or enthusiasm; lazily.
reputation: The belief or opinion that people have about someone or something.
estimation: A judgment or opinion formed about something.
Explanation: The aunt requested the children to come near and listen to a story after the man looked at her twice. The constant chatter and the children’s disruptive behaviour made the stranger irritated due to which he looked at the aunt twice to show his discomfort.
The children slowly walked towards the aunt’s side of the carriage. It seemed they didn’t think she was a very good storyteller.
Passage: In a low, confidential voice, interrupted at frequent intervals by loud, petulant questionings from her listeners, she began an unenterprising and deplorably uninteresting story about a little girl who was good, and made friends with every one on account of her goodness, and was finally saved from a mad bull by a number of rescuers who admired her moral character.
Word Meaning
confidential: secret, private
petulant: childishly sulky or bad-tempered
unenterprising: lacking initiative or ambition
deplorably: shockingly bad
uninteresting: dull, boring
moral character: a person’s sense of right and wrong
Explanation: The aunt started telling a boring story in a quiet voice, trying not to disturb the stranger, but the children kept interrupting her with questions spoken loudly. The story was about a good little girl who everyone liked because she was so good. In the end, she was saved from a dangerous bull by people who admired her goodness.
Passage: “Wouldn’t they have saved her if she hadn’t been good?” demanded the bigger of the small girls. It was exactly the question that the bachelor had wanted to ask.
Explanation: The elder of the two girls asked a very important question. She was wondering if the people in the story would have helped the main character if she wasn’t a good person. This was the same question the bachelor had in his mind.
Passage: “Well, yes,” admitted the aunt lamely, “but I don’t think they would have run quite so fast to her help if they had not liked her so much.”
Word Meaning
lamely: weakly, feebly, or clumsily.
Explanation: The aunt said that even though the girl was good, people might not have helped her so quickly if they didn’t like her. She was trying to explain why people helped the girl, but she wasn’t very convincing.
Passage: “It’s the stupidest story I’ve ever heard,” said the bigger of the small girls, with immense conviction.
“I didn’t listen after the first bit, it was so stupid,” said Cyril.
Word Meaning
conviction: strong belief
Explanation: The elder of the two girls said with confidence that it was the stupidest story she had ever heard. Cyril said that he hadn’t listened after the first bit as it was so stupid.
Passage: The smaller girl made no actual comment on the story, but she had long ago recommenced a murmured repetition of her favourite line.
Word Meaning
recommenced: started again
Explanation: The little girl didn’t say anything about the story. But very quietly, she kept speaking her favourite line of the poem over and over again.
Passage: “You don’t seem to be a success as a story-teller,” said the bachelor suddenly from his corner. The aunt bristled in instant defence at this unexpected attack.
Word Meaning
bristled: reacted with annoyance or anger
instant defence: immediate protection or justification
unexpected attack: a sudden criticism or insult
Explanation: The bachelor suddenly told the aunt that she was not very good at telling stories. The aunt was very surprised and angry at this sudden insult.
Passage: “It’s a very difficult thing to tell stories that children can both understand and appreciate,” she said stiffly. “I don’t agree with you,” said the bachelor.
Word Meaning
stiffly: In a formal, rigid, or unyielding manner.
Explanation: She said in a serious tone that it was difficult to tell stories that were enjoyable and understandable for the kids. The single man disagreed, saying that he didn’t think she was right.
Passage: “Perhaps you would like to tell them a story,” was the aunt’s retort. “Tell us a story,” demanded the bigger of the small girls.
Word Meaning
retort: A quick reply, often sharp or witty.
Explanation: The aunt suggested that he could tell them a story. The elder of the two little girls requested him to tell a story.
Passage: “Once upon a time,” began the bachelor, “there was a little girl called Bertha, who was extraordinarily good.”
Word Meaning
extraordinarily: exceptionally, remarkably
Explanation: The man began his story. He said that once, long ago, there had been a girl named Bertha who had been so good that it had been almost unbelievable.
Passage: The children’s momentarily-aroused interest began at once to flicker; all stories seemed dreadfully alike, no matter who told them.
Word Meaning
Flicker: This means to waver or die down, similar to a flame flickering.
Explanation: The children were excited at first when the story began, but their interest quickly faded away. It seemed like all stories were the same, no matter who was telling them.
Passage: “She did all that she was told, she was always truthful, she kept her clothes clean, ate milk puddings as though they were jam tarts, learned her lessons perfectly, and was polite in her manners.”
Explanation: The story about Bertha continued that she did everything she was asked to do. She always told the truth. She kept her clothes neat. She loved eating milk pudding and enjoyed them as if they were jam tarts. She studied hard and got good grades. She was always polite.
Passage: “Was she pretty?” asked the bigger of the small girls. “Not as pretty as any of you,” said the bachelor, “but she was horribly good.”
Word Meaning
horribly: Extremely or very badly.
Explanation: The elder girl asked if Bertha was beautiful. The man replied that Bertha was not as beautiful as any of them but she was very, very kind.
Passage: There was a wave of reaction in favour of the story; the word horrible in connection with goodness was a novelty that commended itself. It seemed to introduce a ring of truth that was absent from the aunt’s tales of infant life.
Word Meaning
wave of reaction: A sudden surge of public opinion or response.
commended itself: Approved itself; recommended itself.
ring of truth: A sense of authenticity or reality.
Explanation: Everyone liked the story; it was new and exciting to hear the word “horrible” used to describe something good. It made the story seem more real and true compared to the boring stories the aunt told.
PART-II
Passage: “She was so good,” continued the bachelor, “that she won several medals for goodness, which she always wore, pinned on to her dress. There was a medal for obedience, another medal for punctuality, and a third for good behaviour. They were large metal medals and they clicked against one another as she walked. No other child in the town where she lived had as many as three medals, so everybody knew that she must be an extra good child.”
Word Meaning
Punctuality: The quality or habit of being on time; promptness.
Explanation: The bachelor was saying that Bertha was so good that she won many awards for being good and she always wore them on her dress. He further explained that she had a medal for obeying, a medal for being on time, and a medal for behaving well. These were big metal medals that clinked together and made noise when she walked. He emphasized that no other child in the town had as many as three medals, so everyone knew she was a very good girl.
Passage: “Horribly good,” quoted Cyril. “Everybody talked about her goodness, and the Prince of the country got to hear about it, and he said that as she was so very good she might be allowed once a week to walk in his park, which was just outside the town. It was a beautiful park, and no children were ever allowed in it, so it was a great honour for Bertha to be allowed to go there.”
Word Meaning
Quoted: Repeated a passage or statement from a book, speech, or conversation.
Explanation: Cyril emphasized that Bertha was terribly good. He further explained that everyone discussed her goodness, and even the Prince had heard about it. The Prince had declared that due to her exceptional goodness, she could visit his park once a week. This park, situated outside the town, was renowned for its beauty and no children were allowed in it. Hence, the privilege of entering the park was significant, making it a great honour for Bertha.
Passage: “Were there any sheep in the park?” demanded Cyril. “No;” said the bachelor, “there were no sheep. But there were other small, harmless animals in the park.”
Word Meaning
harmless: Not causing any harm or damage.
Explanation: Cyril inquired if there were any sheep in the park. The man replied negatively, stating that there were no sheep but there were other small animals that were not harmful.
Passage: The storyteller paused to let a full idea of the park’s treasures sink into the children’s imaginations; then he resumed:
“Bertha was rather sorry to find that there were no flowers in the park. She had promised her aunts, with tears in her eyes, that she would not pick any of the kind Prince’s flowers, and she had meant to keep her promise, so of course it made her feel silly to find that there were no flowers to pick.”
Word Meaning
treasures: valuable possessions or things
resumed: continued
Explanation: The storyteller wanted the children to imagine the beautiful park with all its wonderful things. So, he stopped talking for a moment to let them think about it.
Then he continued the story. He said that Bertha was sad because there were no flowers in the park. She had promised her aunts that she would not pick any flowers, but now there were none to pick! She felt silly for making the promise.
Passage: “Why weren’t there any flowers?”
“Because the animals had eaten them all,” said the bachelor promptly. “The gardeners had told the Prince that you couldn’t have animals and flowers, so he decided to have animals and no flowers.”
Word Meaning
promptly: quickly and immediately
Explanation: The little girl asked why there were no flowers. The man replied quickly that the animals had eaten them all. He added that the gardeners had told the Prince that he couldn’t have both animals and flowers, so he had chosen animals over flowers.
Passage: There was a murmur of approval at the excellence of the Prince’s decision; so many people would have decided the other way.
Word Meaning
Murmur: A soft, indistinct sound, often made by many people talking at once.
Explanation: Everyone was happy with the Prince’s good choice. Many people would have chosen differently, but the Prince was right.
Passage: “There were lots of other delightful things in the park. There were ponds with gold and blue and green fish in them, and trees with beautiful parrots that said clever things at a moment’s notice, and humming birds that hummed all the popular tunes of the day.
Word Meaning
delightful: very pleasant and enjoyable
ponds: a small body of still water
hummingbirds: tiny birds known for their rapid wing movements and ability to hover
hummed: made a low, continuous sound
tunes: a sequence of musical notes forming a melody
Explanation: The park was a magical place. It had beautiful ponds with fish in gold, blue, and green. There were trees filled with parrots that could talk and say smart things. And there were hummingbirds that could sing all the latest songs.
Passage: Bertha walked up and down and enjoyed herself immensely, and thought to herself: ‘If I were not so extraordinarily good I should not have been allowed to come into this beautiful park and enjoy all that there is to be seen in it,’ and her three medals clinked against one another as she walked and helped to remind her how very good she really was.
Word Meaning
immensely: To a very great extent; extremely.
Explanation: Bertha was feeling very proud of herself. She was walking in a beautiful park, and she thought she deserved to be there because she was so good. She had three medals that she wore, which reminded her of how great she was. She walked around, enjoying the sights and sounds, feeling very pleased with herself.
Passage: Just then an enormous wolf came prowling into the park to see if it could catch a fat little animal for its supper. The first thing that it saw in the park was Bertha; her pinafore was so spotlessly white and clean that it could be seen from a great distance. Bertha saw the wolf and saw that it was stealing towards her, and she began to wish that she had never been allowed to come into the park. She ran as hard as she could, and the wolf came after her with huge leaps and bounds. She managed to reach a shrubbery of myrtle bushes and she hid herself in one of the thickest of the bushes.
Word Meaning
prowling: Moving about stealthily, especially in search of prey.
pinafore: A sleeveless garment worn over a dress or blouse, typically fastened at the back.
spotlessly: Perfectly clean.
stealing: Moving quietly and cautiously.
shrubbery: A plantation of shrubs.
myrtle: An evergreen shrub with fragrant white flowers
Explanation: Suddenly, a big, scary wolf walked into the park looking for a small animal to eat.
The first thing the wolf saw was Bertha. The wolf saw Bertha, a little girl with a very clean dress, and wanted to eat her. Bertha saw the wolf coming closer and closer. She wished she had never come to the park. She ran as fast as she could, and the wolf chased her with big jumps. Bertha reached some big bushes and hid behind one of them to stay safe.
Passage: The wolf came sniffing among the branches, its black tongue lolling out of its mouth and its pale grey eyes glaring with rage. Bertha was terribly frightened, and thought to herself: ‘If I had not been so extraordinarily good I should have been safe in the town at this moment.’ However, the scent of the myrtle was so strong that the wolf could not sniff out where Bertha was hiding, and the bushes were so thick that he might have hunted about in them for a long time without catching sight of her, so he thought he might as well go off and catch a little animal instead.
Word Meaning
lolling: Hanging loosely or limply
glaring: Staring angrily or fiercely
scent: A distinctive smell
Sniff out: To discover something by smelling
Explanation: The wolf came closer, sniffing around the branches. Its tongue was hanging out, and its pale grey eyes were angry. Bertha was very scared. She thought to herself that if she hadn’t been so good, she would have been safe in town at that moment. But the myrtle plant smelled so strong that the wolf couldn’t find Bertha. The bushes were so thick that the wolf wouldn’t find her even if it looked for a long time. So, the wolf decided to go catch a small animal instead.
Passage: Bertha was trembling very much at having the wolf prowling and sniffing so near her, and as she trembled the medal for obedience clinked against the medals for good conduct and punctuality. The wolf was just moving away, when he heard the sound of the medals clinking and stopped to listen; they clinked again in a bush quite near him. He dashed into the bush, his pale grey eyes gleaming with ferocity and triumph, and dragged Bertha out and devoured her to the last morsel. All that was left of her were her shoes, bits of clothing, and the three medals for goodness.”
Word Meaning
prowling: Moving about stealthily, especially in search of prey.
sniffing: Inhaling air through the nose, often to detect odors.
clinked: Made a short, sharp sound, typically by metal objects striking each other.
ferocity: The quality or state of being fierce and violent.
triumph: A great victory or achievement.
morsel: A small piece of food.
devoured: Ate hungrily and quickly.
Explanation: Bertha was shaking a lot because the wolf was very close to her, sniffing around. As she shook, the medals she wore for being good and on time hit each other and made noise. The wolf was just leaving when it heard the noise of the medals. The noise came from a bush very close to it. The wolf rushed into the bush, its eyes shining with anger and excitement. The wolf pulled Bertha out and ate her completely. All that was left of her were her shoes, some clothes, and the three medals that she had.
Passage: “The story began badly,” said the smaller of the small girls, “but it had a beautiful ending.” “It is the most beautiful story that I ever heard,” said the bigger of the small girls, with immense decision.
Explanation: The younger girl said that the story started out bad, but it ended happily. The elder girl said very confidently that it was the best story she had ever heard.
Passage: “It is the only beautiful story I have ever heard,” said Cyril. A dissentient opinion came from the aunt. “A most improper story to tell to young children! You have undermined the effect of years of careful teaching.”
Word Meaning
dissentient: A person who disagrees with something or someone.
improper: Not suitable or correct.
undermined: Weakened or damaged.
Explanation: Cyril said that it was the only good story he had ever heard. The aunt disagreed, saying that it was not a good story to tell young kids and that he had ruined all the good things she had taught them.
Passage: “At any rate,” said the bachelor, collecting his belongings preparatory to leaving the carriage, “I kept them quiet for ten minutes, which was more than you were able to do.”
Word Meaning
At any rate: Regardless of other circumstances or opinions.
Preparatory to: In preparation for.
Carriage: A compartment of a train.
Explanation: The bachelor, getting ready to leave the carriage, said that he had kept the children quiet for ten minutes, which was more than she could do.
Passage: “Unhappy woman!” he observed to himself as he walked down the platform of Templecombe station; “for the next six months or so those children will assail her in public with demands for an improper story!”
Word Meaning
assailed: This means attacked or overwhelmed, in this case with requests.
Explanation: The man noticed that the aunt looked unhappy. He thought to himself that she would probably have to deal with the children asking her to tell them a naughty or inappropriate story for the next few months, which would be embarrassing for her in public.