8.3 Understanding the Text
Answer each question yourself first, then check the model answer.
A. Reading for details
1. Why was Gopi sent out by the villagers, and what did she do instead?
She was sent to gather wild beans, rice, and mangoes. Instead, she sat under a banyan tree and drew pictures in the sand with a twig — and there she received the magic brush.
2. What rule did the mysterious man give Gopi with the brush?
He told her to keep the brush secret and to use it only for the poor and needy, never for the wealthy.
3. Name some things Gopi painted to help the poor.
A bowl of khichdi for the hungry, a muffler for a farmer, a plough for another man, a shawl for a grandmother, and a fan for a girl.
4. What did the Zamindar demand, and how did Gopi respond?
He ordered her to paint him a grand fortress, jewels, and treasures. Gopi respectfully refused, saying she had sworn to use the brush only to help the needy.
B. Reading between the lines
5. How did Gopi escape from the Zamindar’s cell?
While the Zamindar slept dreaming of gold, Gopi used the magic brush to paint a road leading out of the prison and a strong, bold horse, then rode away to freedom.
6. How did Gopi finally stop the Zamindar and his men?
She painted a wide, deep, fast-flowing river that they could not cross, and warned that she would paint a fierce beast to devour them if they kept chasing her. Terrified, the Zamindar and his men fled.
7. What does Gopi’s refusal of the Zamindar tell us about her character?
It shows she is honest, principled, and brave. Even under threat, she keeps her promise to use the brush only for the poor, refusing to serve greed at the cost of her values.
C. Thinking about values
8. What is the difference between how Gopi and the Zamindar want to use the brush?
Gopi uses it generously, to give the poor what they need. The Zamindar wants it selfishly, to gather wealth and power for himself. The poem contrasts generosity with greed.
9. What lesson does the poem teach?
It teaches that talents and powers should be used responsibly, to help those in need, and that one should stand against greed and injustice. In the end, good and kindness triumph over greed.