Summary-01
The story of “The Kingdom of Fools” is a fable that illustrates how societal rules and norms can be arbitrary and nonsensical, and how those in power can make hasty decisions without considering the consequences. The king and minister of the Kingdom of Fools decide to change the way their society functions by reversing the day and night, but this decision ultimately leads to chaos and injustice. The story also shows how those who are willing to blindly follow these rules, like the disciple, can be harmed, while those who question and resist, like the guru, are better able to navigate the absurdity of the situation. In the end, the story highlights the importance of rational thinking and critical examination of societal rules and power structures.
Summary-02
The Kingdom of Fools is a fable that tells the story of a kingdom where the king and minister decide to change the traditional order of things by reversing the day and night. They order the people to work at night and sleep during the day, and anyone who disobeys will be punished with death. The story follows the arrival of a guru and his disciple in the kingdom, who are amazed by what they see around them. They find that everything in the kingdom costs the same, a single duddu, whether it be a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas. The guru quickly realizes that this is a kingdom of fools and advises his disciple to leave, but the disciple chooses to stay and take advantage of the cheap food.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the decision to reverse the day and night has led to chaos and injustice. A thief breaks into a rich merchant’s house, but the wall collapses on him and kills him. The king orders the merchant to be punished, but he pleads that it is not his fault, but that of the bricklayer who built the wall. The bricklayer is brought before the king and is also ordered to be punished with death.
The story highlights the absurdity of societal rules and norms and how those in power can make hasty decisions without considering the consequences. It also shows how those who blindly follow these rules can be harmed, while those who question and resist are better able to navigate the absurdity of the situation. The guru serves as a symbol of wisdom and rationality, while the disciple represents the dangers of blindly following societal rules. In the end, the story emphasizes the importance of rational thinking and critical examination of societal rules and power structures. It illustrates how a society that does not question its rules, can become a kingdom of fools.
Multichoice Question And Answers;
Q1. What did the king and minister of the Kingdom of Fools decide to do?
a) Run things like other kings
b) Change night into day and day into night
c) Make everything cost the same
d) Punish anyone who disobeyed with death
Answer: b
Q2. Who arrived in the city and were amazed by what they saw around them?
a) The king and the minister
b) A guru and his disciple
c) A merchant and a bricklayer
d) A thief and his brother
Answer: b
Q3. What did the guru advise his disciple to do?
a) Stay in the kingdom
b) Leave the kingdom
c) Take advantage of the cheap food
d) Report the king and minister to other kings
Answer: b
Q4. What happened to the thief who broke into the rich merchant’s house?
a) He was killed by the merchant
b) The wall fell on him and killed him
c) He was caught by the king’s guards
d) He was able to successfully steal the merchant’s loot
Answer: b
Q5. Who was ordered to be punished by death for the thief’s death?
a) The merchant
b) The bricklayer who built the wall
c) The thief’s brother
d) The king and minister
Answer: b
Q6. What did the merchant plead when he was brought before the king?
a) He was innocent and it was the bricklayer’s fault
b) He didn’t put up the wall
c) He was at home when the thief broke in
d) He was not responsible for the thief’s death
Answer: a
Q7. How did the guru and his disciple feel about the kingdom?
a) They were delighted
b) They were horrified
c) They were confused
d) They were indifferent
Answer: b
Q8. What happened to the disciple who stayed in the kingdom?
a) He grew fat like a street-side sacred bull
b) He became a thief
c) He became a king
d) He became a merchant
Answer: a
Q9. What did the guru realize about the kingdom?
a) It was a good place to stay
b) It was a kingdom of fools
c) It was a cheap place to buy food
d) It was a dangerous place
Answer: b
Q10. What was the significance of the dancing girl with the jingling anklets?
a) She was the reason the wall collapsed
b) She was the reason the bricklayer built a weak wall
c) She was the reason the thief broke into the merchant’s house
d) She was not mentioned in the text
Answer: b
Q11. Why did the guru want to leave the kingdom?
a) He was afraid of being punished
b) He realized it was a kingdom of fools
c) He didn’t like the cheap food
d) He didn’t want to be seen as a fool
Answer: b
Q12. What did the story illustrate about societal rules and norms?
a) They are arbitrary and nonsensical
b) They are always right
c) They are always followed
d) They are always respected
Answer: a
Q13. What did the story illustrate about those in power?
a) They make hasty decisions without considering the consequences
b) They are always wise and just
c) They can be easily swayed
d) They always follow societal rules
Answer: a
Q14. What happened to the bricklayer when he was brought before the king?
a) He was ordered to be punished by death
b) He was set free
c) He was given a chance to explain
d) He was made the new king
Answer: a
Q15. What did the story suggest about those who blindly follow societal rules?
a) They are wise and just
b) They can be harmed
c) They are respected
d) They are powerful
Answer: b
Q16. What did the story suggest about those who question and resist societal rules?
a) They are foolish
b) They are better able to navigate the absurdity of the situation
c) They are weak
d) They are punished
Answer: b
Q17. How did the people of the kingdom feel about the change in the day and night?
a) They were delighted
b) They did as they were told for fear of death
c) They were indifferent
d) They were happy
Answer: b
Q18. What did the story suggest about the importance of rational thinking?
a) It is not important
b) It is important for societal rules and power structures
c) It is important for personal gain
d) It is important for the king and minister
Answer: b
Q19. What did the story suggest about the importance of critical examination?
a) It is not important
b) It is important for societal rules and power structures
c) It is important for personal gain
d) It is important for the king and minister
Answer: b
Q20. What was the overall message of the story?
a) Societal rules and norms are arbitrary and nonsensical and those in power can make hasty decisions without considering the consequences.
b) The kingdom is a good place for cheap food and those who question and resist societal rules are foolish
c) The kingdom is a perfect place and the king and minister are always wise and just
d) The bricklayer is the villain of the story and should be punished.
Answer: a
Prose-02
The Kingdom of Fools is a fable that tells the story of a kingdom where the king and minister decide to change the traditional order of things by reversing the day and night. They order the people to work at night and sleep during the day, and anyone who disobeys will be punished with death. The story follows the arrival of a guru and his disciple in the kingdom, who are amazed by what they see around them. They find that everything in the kingdom costs the same, a single duddu, whether it be a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas. The guru quickly realizes that this is a kingdom of fools and advises his disciple to leave, but the disciple chooses to stay and take advantage of the cheap food.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the decision to reverse the day and night has led to chaos and injustice. A thief breaks into a rich merchant’s house, but the wall collapses on him and kills him. The king orders the merchant to be punished, but he pleads that it is not his fault, but that of the bricklayer who built the wall. The bricklayer is brought before the king and is also ordered to be punished with death.
The story highlights the absurdity of societal rules and norms and how those in power can make hasty decisions without considering the consequences. It also shows how those who blindly follow these rules can be harmed, while those who question and resist are better able to navigate the absurdity of the situation. The guru serves as a symbol of wisdom and rationality, while the disciple represents the dangers of blindly following societal rules. In the end, the story emphasizes the importance of rational thinking and critical examination of societal rules and power structures.
Q1. What did the king and minister of the Kingdom of Fools decide to do?
a) Run things like other kings
b) Change night into day and day into night
c) Make everything cost the same
d) Punish anyone who disobeyed with death
Answer: b
Q2. Who advised his disciple to leave the kingdom?
a) The king
b) The minister
c) The guru
d) The merchant
Answer: c
Q3. Who was ordered to be punished by death for the thief’s death?
a) The merchant
b) The bricklayer who built the wall
c) The thief’s brother
d) The king and minister
Answer: b
Q4. How did the guru and his disciple feel about the kingdom?
a) They were delighted
b) They were horrified
c) They were confused
d) They were indifferent
Answer: b
Q5. What did the story suggest about those who blindly follow societal rules?
a) They are wise and just
b) They can be harmed
c) They are respected
d) They are powerful
Answer: b
Prose-03
The Kingdom of Fools is a fable that illustrates how societal rules and norms can be arbitrary and nonsensical, and how those in power can make hasty decisions without considering the consequences. The king and minister of the Kingdom of Fools decided to change night into day and day into night. They ordered that everyone should be awake at night, till their fields and run their businesses only after dark, and go to bed as soon as the sun came up. Anyone who disobeyed would be punished with death. The people did as they were told for fear of death. The king and the minister were delighted at the success of their project.
One day a guru and his disciple arrived in the city. It was a beautiful city, it was broad daylight, but there was no one about. Everyone was asleep, not a mouse stirring. Even the cattle had been taught to sleep by day. The two strangers were amazed by what they saw around them and wandered around town till evening, when suddenly the whole town woke up and went about its nightly business. The two men were hungry. Now that the shops were open, they went to buy some groceries. To their astonishment, they found that everything cost the same, a single duddu — whether they bought a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas, it cost a duddu.
The guru and his disciple were delighted. They had never heard of anything like this. They could buy all the food they wanted for a rupee. But the guru soon realized that this was a kingdom of fools and it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to stay there. He advised his disciple to leave, but the disciple didn’t want to leave the place. Everything was cheap here. All he wanted was good, cheap food. The guru said, “They are all fools. This won’t last very long, and you can’t tell what they’ll do to you next.”
Q1. What did the king and minister of the Kingdom of Fools decide to do?
a) Run things like other kings
b) Change night into day and day into night
c) Make everything cost the same
d) Punish anyone who disobeyed with death
Answer: b
Q2. Why did the guru and his disciple arrive in the city?
a) To visit the kingdom
b) To buy groceries
c) To see the beautiful city
d) To meet the king and minister
Answer: a
Q3. What did the guru advise his disciple to do?
a) Stay in the kingdom
b) Leave the kingdom
c) Take advantage of the cheap food
d) Report the king and minister to other kings
Answer: b
Q4. How did the guru and his disciple feel about the kingdom’s pricing system?
a) They were delighted
b) They were horrified
c) They were confused
d) They were indifferent
Answer: a
Q5. Why did the guru want to leave the kingdom?
a) He was afraid of being punished
b) He realized it was a kingdom of fools
c) He didn’t like the cheap food
d) He didn’t want to be seen as a fool
Answer: b
Prose-04
The Kingdom of Fools is a fable that illustrates the dangers of blindly following societal rules and norms. The king and minister of the Kingdom of Fools decided to change night into day and day into night. They ordered that everyone should be awake at night, till their fields and run their businesses only after dark, and go to bed as soon as the sun came up. Anyone who disobeyed would be punished with death. The people did as they were told for fear of death. The king and the minister were delighted at the success of their project.
One day a guru and his disciple arrived in the city. They found that the city was empty during the day as everyone was asleep. They were amazed by this, and as they explored the city, they realized that everything in the kingdom costs the same, a single duddu — whether they bought a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas, it cost a duddu. The guru and his disciple were delighted by this and decided to stay in the kingdom to take advantage of the cheap food.
But the guru soon realized that this was a kingdom of fools and it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to stay there. He advised his disciple to leave, but the disciple didn’t want to leave the place. Everything was cheap here. All he wanted was good, cheap food. The guru said, “They are all fools. This won’t last very long, and you can’t tell what they’ll do to you next.” The disciple didn’t listen to the guru and stayed in the kingdom.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the decision to reverse the day and night has led to chaos and injustice. A thief breaks into a rich merchant’s house, but the wall collapses on him and kills him. The king orders the merchant to be punished, but he pleads that it is not his fault, but that of the bricklayer who built the wall. The bricklayer is brought before the king and is
also ordered to be punished with death. This further illustrates the dangers of blindly following societal rules, as the bricklayer, the merchant and even the thief, all become victims of the consequences of the king and minister’s hasty decision.
The story highlights the importance of questioning societal norms and the dangers of blindly following them. The guru serves as a symbol of wisdom and rationality, while the disciple represents the dangers of blindly following societal rules. In the end, the story emphasizes the importance of rational thinking and critical examination of societal rules and power structures, and serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of blindly following societal norms.
Q1. What did the king and minister of the Kingdom of Fools decide to do?
a) Run things like other kings
b) Change night into day and day into night
c) Make everything cost the same
d) Punish anyone who disobeyed with death
Answer: b
Q2. Who advised his disciple to leave the kingdom?
a) The king
b) The minister
c) The guru
d) The merchant
Answer: c
Q3. What was the initial reaction of the guru and his disciple towards the kingdom?
a) They were delighted
b) They were horrified
c) They were confused
d) They were indifferent
Answer: a
Q4. What was the guru’s warning to his disciple about staying in the kingdom?
a) They might get arrested
b) They might run out of money
c) The kingdom is not stable and anything could happen
d) They might get bored
Answer: c
Q5. According to the story, what is the importance of questioning societal norms?
a) It helps individuals to be safe
b) It helps individuals to take advantage
c) It helps to navigate the absurdity of the situation
d) It helps to gain power
Answer: c
Questions And Answers;
Q1. What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?
Ans. The two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools are that the city is empty during the day as everyone is asleep and that everything in the kingdom costs the same, a single duddu.
Q2. Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?
Ans. The disciple decides to stay in the Kingdom of Fools because he is excited about the cheap food available there. However, it is not a good idea as the kingdom is unstable and it is likely that the rules and norms will change again, putting the disciple at risk.
Q3. Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.
Ans. The people who are tried in the king’s court are the merchant, the bricklayer who built the wall, and the thief who broke into the merchant’s house. The merchant is tried for the death of the thief, the bricklayer is tried for building a weak wall, and the thief is tried for breaking into the merchant’s house
Q4. Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?
Ans. The real culprit according to the king is the bricklayer who built the weak wall. However, he escapes punishment as the merchant pleads that it is not his fault, but that of the bricklayer.
Q5. What are the Guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?
Ans. The Guru’s words of wisdom are that they are in a kingdom of fools and that they should leave. The disciple remembers these words when he realizes the danger he is in.
Q6. How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?
Ans. The guru manages to save his disciple’s life by convincing the king to let the disciple go by revealing the true nature of the kingdom and how it was the king’s decision that caused the chaos and injustice.
Difficult Words
- Fable – a short story that teaches a moral lesson
- Absurdity – something that is ridiculous and makes no sense
- Arbitrary – based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
- Consequence – a result or effect of an action or decision
- Rationality – the quality of being based on or in accordance with reason or logic
- Norms – a standard or pattern, especially of social behavior, that is typical or expected
- Hasty – done quickly and without proper consideration
- Delighted – very pleased or happy
- Disobeyed – failed to obey or comply
- Punished – inflicted a penalty on someone as retribution for an offense or crime
- Fear – an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous
- Success – the accomplishment of an aim or purpose
- Guru – a spiritual teacher or guide
- Disciples – a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another
- Amazed – extremely surprised or impressed
- Cost – the amount of money needed to buy, do, or make something
- Duddu – a monetary unit used in the story
- Wisdom – the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice
- Navigate – plan and organize the route of a journey
- Cautionary – serving as a warning
- Consequences – the outcome or result of an action or decision
22. Arbitrary – based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
- Hasty – done quickly and without proper consideration
- Societal – related to or characteristic of the society in which a person lives
- Norms – a standard or pattern, especially of social behavior, that is typical or expected
- Power structures – the distribution of power and authority within a society
- Blindly – without considering the consequences
- Rational – based on or in accordance with reason or logic
- Critical – involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.
- Examination – the act of examining something closely and thoroughly.