NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 1 - The Lost Child , The lost Boy

  The lost boy

This Story is about a boy who is going to a spring festival during light winters. He is going through various streets and lanes with his parents in playing mode by observing and seeing various things. At some distance the boy stares at a toy shop and wants a toy while he knows his father didn't buy a toy for him but her mother’s heart melted for him and she diverted his attention politely. 

During the course of path to fair, he came across various different views like seen a group of dragonflies, mustard-fields,  black bee or butterfly in search of sweetness from the flowers,little insects and worms along the footpath, he heard the cooing of doves, wild capers round the banyan tree,footpaths full of throngs, converging to the whirlpool of the fair, a sweet hawker and  flower hawker. He was walking with his parents, still walking alone in his own world.

After reaching the fair, the boy gets fascinated by various things like first he sees a sweet seller, where he really wants to eat his favorite burfi but he knows his parents would not buy it,  plus they would say he is greedy. After this he saw a flower hawker who was selling a garland of gulmohar and again he really wanted to buy it, but again he moved forward because he knew his parents would refuse to buy it by saying” it is cheap”. Next he saw a balloon seller and wanted those beautiful colored balloons to play yet again but he knew his parents would not buy balloons for him,  saying he is too old to play with them. Lastly he saw a snake charmer who was playing flute and made the snake dance on it. He liked the music but he didn't stop to watch it because his parents forbade him to listen to such music.

After this he saw a roundabout, where people on this ride are laughing and enjoying it, After watching them, he decide to ask his parents to take this ride, but his parents were not their and suddenly full, deep cry rose within his dry throat and with a sudden jerk of his body he ran from where he stood. He cried in real fear and started running here and there shouting mother-father. First he ran on one side then he ran on the other side but he was not able to  find his parents. His turban gets untied and clothes dirty.

Then he ran toward the temple in the thought of finding his parents there, but the shrine was very crowded. He was searching for his parents, shouting mother-father between legs of the crowd without fear of being crushed under the feet of the crowd. Then a man heard his cry in the crowd and lifted him in his arms and asked him how he got there and where his parents were and tried to ease him by taking him to a roundabout and asking him to ride but he refused and only cried for his parents. This man took him to every place which he wanted to enjoy and buy. Then he took him to a snake charmer to see the snake dance again he refused. After this he took him to the balloon hawker. Still he was shouting for his parents, then he took him to a flower hawker to buy garland but he refused. Then he took the boy  to a sweet seller and he straight away refused to have any sweets and asked for his parents again and again.

Question and answer

Ques 1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

Ans - During the course of path to fair, he came across various different views like seen a group of dragonflies, mustard-fields,  black bee or butterfly in search of sweetness from the flowers,little insects and worms along the footpath, he heard the cooing of doves, wild capers round the banyan tree,footpaths full of throngs, converging to the whirlpool of the fair, a sweet hawker and  flower hawker. He was walking with his parents, still walking alone in his own world.

 

He lags behind by seeing all these things, having the desire to buy them to play,to taste and to listen. While his parents were concerned he didn't get lost in the crowd. 

Ques 2.In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

Ans- In the fair he wanted several things were:

1. He wanted to eat burfi from a sweet seller.

2. He wanted to buy Garland of gulmohar.

3. Balloons from a balloon seller.

4. He wanted to see snake's dance

5. He wanted to sit on a roundabout ride.

But he moves on without waiting for an answer because he already knew the answers of his parents, they wouldn't buy anything for him.

Ques 3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?

Ans 3- he saw a roundabout, where people on this ride are laughing and enjoying it, After watching them, he decide to ask his parents to take this ride, but his parents were not their, this was point when he realised he has lost his way and suddenly full, deep cry rose within his dry throat and with a sudden jerk of his body he ran from where he stood. He cried in real fear and started running here and there shouting mother-father. First he ran on one side then he ran on the other side but he was not able to  find his parents. His turban gets untied and clothes dirty.

This was the whole emotional situation that happened with the boy.

Ques 4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

Ans 4- the lost child loses interest in the things that he had wanted earlier because he had lost his parents in the fair plus he realised somewhere in mind and heart he had complains for them,now he got disheartened from whole things he wanted and feeling guilt and full of fear of not finding his parents. 

Ques 5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Ans 5- I feel the lost child and his parents would have reunited because of the help of that man who was taking care of him plus his parents were also finding him there, so they got reunited.