Lesson 32 – The Noble Stag
outskirts: the outer parts of a city or town
courtiers: persons at the court of a king
thicket: thick growth of shrubs, plants
instincts: inborn ways of behaviour or thinking
dodging: moving aside quickly to avoid an arrow, blow, etc.
marksman: a person skilled in shooting, in hitting a target
taunts: teasing or insulting remarks
Things to do
1. Answer the following questions:
(a) What did the King tell his courtiers?
Ans: The King told his courtiers that if they allowed even a single deer to escape, he would punish them severely.
(b) Was the stag hurt by the King’s arrow?
Ans: No, the stag was not hurt by the King’s arrow.
(c) How did the stag escape?
Ans: When the stag rolled over, the King thought it was dead. So the King lowered his bow and began to walk towards it. But the stag jumped up and escaped.
(d) Why did the King set off into the forest?
Ans: The king set off into the forest in order to catch the stag.
(e) Why did the stag return?
Ans: The stag returned because he thought that the king had perhaps fallen into the pit.
(f) How did the stag save the King’s life?
Ans: The stag told the king not to worry and to be brave for a while longer. He then caught a huge rock with his hind legs and lowered himself into the pit. The king caught hold of his neck, and the stag climbed out onto the level ground and carried the king to safety.
(g) What did the stag tell the King?
Ans: The stag told the king to rule wisely and well and be kind to animals.
(h) Why is the stag called “The Noble Stag’?
Ans: The stag was kind, thoughtful, helpful, and had a forgiving nature. He saved the life of the king who wanted to kill him, so he is called ‘The Noble Stag’.
2. Read each of the following sentences. Use some other suitable word in place of the word given in a box. (You need not use words from this story but you have to make meaningful sentences.)
(a) The King was extremely fond of hunting.
Ans: The King was extremely fond of music.
(b) The huge forest was filled with deer.
Ans: The huge forest was filled with tigers.
(c) The stag came upon a hole.
Ans: The stag came upon a rock.
(d) He told the King not to worry.
Ans: He told the King not to sleep.
(e) The noble stag disappeared into the forest.
Ans: The noble stag jumped into the forest.
Now, try to replace other words in each sentence in the same way to make many more sentences.
(a) The King was extremely fond of hunting.
Ans: The prince was extremely fond of painting.
(b) The huge forest was filled with deer.
Ans: The huge balloon was filled with gas.
(c) The stag came upon a hole.
Ans: The camel came upon a mountain.
(d) He told the King not to worry.
Ans: He told the man not to cry.
(e) The noble stag disappeared into the forest.
Ans: The noble man ran into the forest.
3. Note the following:
One king – many kings
One bush – many bushes
One city – many cities
One horse – many horses
One arrow – many arrows
One leaf – many leaves
One child – many children
One foot – many feet
BUT
One deer – many deer
One sheep – many sheep
Make a collection of other such ‘one-many pairs.
Ans: Students should do this on their own.