Before you read
Have you ever read a comic book? A comic book contains stories told mainly through pictures.

Working with the Text

Answer the following questions.

1. Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish?

2. What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?

3. What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa-fish?

4. How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?

5. Explain why no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.

6. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following sentences.

(i) The king lost his temper easily.__________________
(ii) Gopal was a madman.__________________
(iii) Gopal was a clever man.__________________
(iv) Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes.__________________
(v) The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong.__________________

Working with Language

1. Notice how in a comic book, there are no speech marks when characters talk. Instead what they say is put in a speech ‘bubble’. However, if we wish to repeat or ‘report’ what they say, we must put it into reported speech.

Change the following sentences in the story to reported speech. The first one has been done for you.

(i) How much did you pay for that hilsa?
The woman asked the man how much he had paid for that hilsa.

(ii) Why is your face half-shaven?
Gopal’s wife asked him__________________________________

(iii) I accept the challenge, Your Majesty.
Gopal told the king________________________________________

(iv) I want to see the king. Gopal told the guards________________________________________

(v) Bring the man to me at once. The king ordered the guard ________________________________________

2. Find out the meaning of the following words by looking them up in the dictionary. Then use them in sentences of your own.

Picture Reading

1. Look at the pictures and read the text aloud.

2. Now ask your partner questions about each picture.

(i) Where is the stag?

(ii) What is he doing?

(iii) Does he like his antlers (horns)?

(iv) Does he like his legs?

(v) Why is the stag running?

(vi) Is he able to hide in the bushes?

(vii) Where are the hunters now?

(viii) Are they closing in on the stag?

(ix) Is the stag free?

(x) What does the stag say about his horns and his legs?

3. Now write the story in your own words. Give it a title.

$\begin{array}{l} \\ \hline \qquad \qquad\qquad \qquad\qquad\qquad \qquad \qquad\qquad\qquad \\ \hline \\ \hline \\ \hline \\ \hline \\ \hline \\ \hline \\ \hline \\ \hline \\ \hline\end{array}$

4. Complete the following word ladder with the help of the clues given below.

Clues

1. Mother will be very___________ if you don’t go to school.

2. As soon as he caught___________ of the teacher, Mohan started writing.

3. How do you like my___________ kitchen garden? Big enough for you, is it?

4. My youngest sister is now a___________ old.

5. Standing on the___________ , he saw children playing on the road.

6. Don’t make such a___________ Nothing will happen.

7. Don’t cross the___________ till the green light comes on.