The Magic Brush of Dreams
NoteWhat This Chapter Covers
The second chapter of Unit 3: Mystery and Magic is a narrative poem, adapted from a folk tale, called The Magic Brush of Dreams. A poor girl named Gopi is given a magic paintbrush by a mysterious man, with one rule: she must use it only for the poor and needy, never for the rich. Whatever she paints comes to life, so she paints food, warm clothes, and tools to help her village. When a greedy Zamindar demands she paint him a fortress and treasures, she refuses — and when he locks her up, she cleverly paints her way to freedom and turns his greed against him. You will read the poem section by section, study its poetic devices, build vocabulary, and practise CBSE-style questions.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- retell the story of Gopi and the magic brush and explain how she defeats the Zamindar;
- explain the theme — using talent responsibly; good over greed — and justify the title;
- identify the poem’s rhyme scheme, refrain, imagery, and use of dialogue;
- use the chapter’s vocabulary correctly;
- recognise and use imperative sentences (commands and rules).