Comprehension
Q1.What did the tiger think the mysterious creature was? Why did he allow himself
bound around the neck with a thick rope?
Ans. The tiger thought that the ‘leak’ was the mysterious creature. He also thought that it was terrible, dangerous and strong. While the tiger was sleeping, he was suddenly awakened by an angry voice shouting in his ear and felt heavy blows fall upon his head and shoulders. The voice warned him that he would kill him as he had run away. The tiger shivered with fright and thought that it must be the ‘leak’ who had come out of the hut. He thought that he would be killed if he didn’t do as the ‘leak’ said. He wanted to do anything as the strange creature ordered. So, the tiger allowed himself to be bound around the neck with a thick rope.
Q2.What made the potter angry ?
Ans. One day the potter tied his donkey to a tree and went home. He was very tired and thirsty. So, he drank all the wine his wife had given. At that time, the storm began and the potter suddenly remembered that he had left his donkey tied under a tree. He rushed out of his hut to take the animal into the stable but the donkey was not there. This made the potter angry.
Q3.Why did the king make the potter the General of the army?
Ans.Why did the king make the potter the General of the army? The king of the potter’s country gathered a large army when the war broke out between their country and a much stronger neighbour. But the king realized that it was not strong enough to save his country from defeat. So, he searched for a hero to lead his army. When he asked his ministers’ advice, one of them told him about the brave potter who had captured a tiger with his bare hands. The king sent for him and the potter went with his wife to the capital. The king was pleased to see him and ordered him to lead the army into battle the next day.
Q4.Why do you think the sentry feels that the potter is a giant?
Ans.The sentry saw the potter galloping towards the camp with a tree in one hand and his
reins in the other. The sentry thought that he must be the General who had captured
a tiger with his bare hands. It was impossible for any ordinary man to uproot a tree
with only one hand. Hence the sentry felt that the potter was a giant.
Q5.Do you think that the potter is really brave or lucky? Give your reasons.
Ans.I think that the potter is really lucky. The incidents of his catching the tiger and th
enemy’s fleeing proved this. It was thought that the potter had caught the tiger but
what really happened that day was that he had drunk more wine. He had searched and
searched for his donkey and finally reached the old woman’s hut. There he saw an
animal sleeping in front of the door and thought that it was his donkey. But it wae
actually a tiger. He rode it home and tied it up with the iron chain. The next day the
villagers saw the tiger and thought that it was the potter who had made it and praised
his courage. Though he said that he had only brought his donkey home, they didn’t
believe his words. Thus his luck played its role in this incident. The second reason
was that the sentry saw the potter galloping towards the camp with a tree in one hand
and his reins in the other and thought that he was a giant. So he immediately warned
his soldiers to run away as the famous Tiger – General was attacking them and the
frightened soldiers and their king fled. Actually the potter even didn’t know how to
ride a horse. He got tied to the horse to practise but the horse suddenly started
galloping. While they passed a young tree the potter grabbed a branch but the horse
did not stop. Instead, the tree was pulled out of the ground. Thus, this incident too
proved that he was lucky.
Q6.What is the most humorous and thrilling incident in the story? Write the incident
and say why it is humorous and thrilling.
Ans.The most humorous and thrilling incident in the story is the potter’s catching the tiger. One day he was tired and thirsty after a hard day’s work. He asked his wife for some palm-wine to make himself better. He drank all the wine and no longer felt tired. Then the storm began and the potter suddenly remembered that he had left his donkey tied under a tree. He rushed to the spot but he couldn’t find it in the spot. He searched for his donkey and finally found an animal under the thatched roof of an old woman’s hut. It was really a tiger. The tiger came there to save himself from rain and was sleeping Before he went to sleep, he was frightened of the ‘leak’, thinking that it was a terrible animal which was very dangerous and stronger than himself. The drunken potter did not notice the difference between a donkey and a tiger. He kicked and beat the sleeping tiger. The tiger was awakened and thought that it was the ‘leak’. He shivered with frigh and wanted to do as the ‘leak’ ordered. The potter jumped onto the frightened tiger: back, rode it home and tied it up with the iron chain. The writer created humour b creating situations where the tiger took the word ‘leak’ to be ‘a more powerfu dangerous thing’, the potter didn’t notice the difference between his dor rful and tiger, the potter’s riding the tiger and people mistook the potter to be these things made the incident humorous and thrilling.
