NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 1 – The Lost Child
Page No 6:
Question 1:
What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
Answer:
The child saw many things on his way to the fair. He got fascinated by the toys in the shops. After that, he saw a flowering mustard-field. He then followed a group of butterflies and dragon-flies and tried to catch them. After that, he gets attracted by the little insects and worms along the footpath. Meanwhile, his parents keep calling him to hurry up. As he entered the grove, a shower of young flowers fell upon him. He stopped and tried to collect all of them. However, as soon as he heard the cooing of doves, he forgot about the flowers and ran towards his parents shouting, “The dove! The dove!” He was also fascinated by sweetmeats, flowers, balloons and the tricks of the snake charmer. As he entered the fair, he was both fascinated and repelled by the confusion. He kept lagging behind because he was fascinated by every other thing he saw on his way to the fair.
Question 2:
In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
Answer:
The child wanted many things at the fair. His eyes first set on the shop of a sweetmeat seller. His mouth watered for the burfi, which was his favourite sweet. He knew his plea would not be heeded because his parents would call him greedy. Therefore, he moved on. He then saw a flower-seller. He was irresistibly drawn towards the flowers and wanted a garland. However, he knew his parents would refuse saying that they were cheap. Hence, he moved further ahead. He was then carried away by the colours of the different balloons and had an overwhelming desire to possess them. He moved ahead without asking his parents as he knew they would say that he was too old to play with such toys. He next went towards a snake charmer. However, knowing that his parents had forbidden him from hearing such coarse music as the snake charmer played, he carried on.
The boy moved on without waiting for an answer because he knew that his request would be denied at each step.
Question 3:
When does he realize that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?
Answer:
After getting fascinated by a number of things, he finally set his eyes on a roundabout swing. He intently watched the men, women and children who were enjoying the ride. He finally made a bold request and asked his parents to let him ride the swing. When he heard no reply, he turned around to look for his parents. It was then that he realized that he was lost. A full, deep cry rose within his dry throat and he suddenly ran from where he stood. He cried in real fear and called out to his parents. Tears rolled down from his eyes. His flushed face was convulsed with fear. As he was panic-stricken, he ran in all directions searching for his parents. Later, his cries were suppressed into sobs. He kept looking for his parents and calling out to them.
Question 4:
Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
Answer:
The child lost interest in the things that he wanted earlier as he was lost and wanted to see his parents immediately. The man who saw that he was lost tried to distract his attention so that he would not panic. He tried to soothe him by taking him to the roundabout, but the child refused asking only for his parents. The man then asked the child to listen to the music played by the snake-charmer. However, the child shut his ears and shouted that he wanted his parents. Then, the man asked if he wanted a balloon, but the child’s reply was the same. The man still kept trying to make him happy and asked if he wanted a garland to put around his neck. He also took him to the sweetmeat shop. However, the child’s answer to all his questions was the same. He only wanted to see his parents. He had lost interest in everything because he wanted only one thing: he wanted to be with his parents. Since he was lost nothing else pleased him.
Question 5:
What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
Answer:
It seems that the child would have eventually found his parents with the help of the man. The man would have managed to calm him down. He was reliable and good-natured as is evident in the story in the many ways in which he tried to help the child. He would have asked the child for a description of his parents and would have finally helped him locate them.
