“Gopal and the Hilsa-Fish” is a funny comic story. The king is tired of everyone talking about hilsa-fish. He asks Gopal to buy one without anyone noticing it. Gopal uses a clever trick by looking mad. In the end, he wins and makes the king happy.
1. Introduction to the Story
- What the Story Is:
- This is a comic book story told mostly with pictures.
- It’s about Gopal and a hilsa-fish in a funny way.
- Why It’s Special:
- Comic books use pictures to tell tales.
- Words are in bubbles when people talk.
2. The King’s Problem
- Everyone in the kingdom talks about hilsa-fish.
- It’s the season, and people can’t stop chatting.
- The king is fed up with all this fish talk.
- He wants people to stop going on about it.
- The king loses his temper easily.
- He shouts to make the fish talk stop.
3. Gopal’s Challenge
- The king asks Gopal to help him.
- He knows Gopal is a clever man.
- He tells Gopal to prove he’s smart.
- Gopal must buy a hilsa-fish without anyone talking about it.
- Gopal says he accepts the challenge.
- He promises to do it for the king.
4. Gopal’s Plan
- Gopal does three things before buying the fish.
- He makes a clever plan to trick everyone.
- He shaves half his face to look strange.
- This makes people stare at him, not the fish.
- He wears old, torn clothes.
- People think he’s mad, not a fish buyer.
- He smears ash on his face and body.
- This makes him look even weirder.
5. Buying the Hilsa-Fish
- Gopal walks to the market looking odd.
- People notice him, not the fish he carries.
- A woman asks how much he paid for the hilsa.
- But most talk about his funny look instead.
- Gopal’s wife asks why his face is half-shaven.
- She’s confused by his strange actions.
6. Reaching the Palace
- Gopal reaches the palace with the fish.
- He tells the guards he wants to see the king.
- The guards laugh at his mad look.
- They don’t want to let him in at first.
- The king hears and orders the guards.
- He says bring the man to him at once.
- Gopal gets inside the palace.
- He shows the king his hilsa-fish.
7. Gopal Wins
- No one talks about the hilsa-fish Gopal bought.
- They’re too busy laughing at his odd look.
- The king sees Gopal did it cleverly.
- He’s happy Gopal proved his point.
- Gopal shows he’s not mad, just smart.
- He wins the challenge easily.
8. Working with the Text
- Why Did the King Want No More Talk About the Hilsa-Fish?:
- Everyone kept talking about hilsa-fish all the time.
- The king got tired and wanted it to stop.
- What Did the King Ask Gopal to Do to Prove That He Was Clever?:
- The king told Gopal to buy a hilsa-fish.
- He said no one should talk about it.
- What Three Things Did Gopal Do Before He Went to Buy His Hilsa-Fish?:
- He shaved half his face to look funny.
- He wore torn clothes to seem mad.
- He put ash on himself to confuse people.
- How Did Gopal Get Inside the Palace to See the King After He Had Bought the Fish?:
- He told the guards he wanted to see the king.
- The king ordered them to let him in.
- Explain Why No One Seemed to Be Interested in Talking About the Hilsa-Fish Which Gopal Had Bought:
- Gopal looked so strange with half a beard and ash.
- People talked about his look, not the fish.
- Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ Against Each of the Following Sentences:
- The king lost his temper easily—True.
- Gopal was a madman—False.
- Gopal was a clever man—True.
- Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes—False.
- The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong—False.
9. Working with Language
- Answers:
- “Why is your face half-shaven?” becomes Gopal’s wife asked him why his face was half-shaven.
- “I accept the challenge, Your Majesty” becomes Gopal told the king he accepted the challenge.
- “I want to see the king” becomes Gopal told the guards he wanted to see the king.
- “Bring the man to me at once” becomes The king ordered the guard to bring the man to him at once.
- Word Meanings:
- Challenge means a hard task to test someone.
- Mystic means something mysterious or magical.
- Comical means funny and making you laugh.
- Courtier means a person who serves a king.
- Smearing means rubbing something messy on.
10. Picture Reading – The Stag Story
- About the Stag:
- This is a story about a stag with antlers.
- It’s told with pictures and some text.
- Stag’s Looks:
- The stag loves his big antlers.
- He doesn’t like his thin legs.
- What Happens:
- Hunters chase the stag in the forest.
- He runs fast to escape them.
- Hiding Trouble:
- His antlers get stuck in bushes.
- He can’t hide because of them.
- Hunters Close In:
- The hunters get nearer to the stag.
- His legs help him run away.
- Stag’s Lesson:
- He learns his legs save him, not antlers.
- He’s free because of his legs.
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