8.6 Writing and Speaking
Writing
1. If you had the magic brush
In about 100 words, describe five things you would paint with the magic brush and whom each one would help. Remember Gopi’s rule: paint only to help those in need.
2. A paragraph
In about 100 words, explain the idea that “great power comes with great responsibility,” using Gopi and the Zamindar as examples.
3. Continue the tale
Write a short prose passage (120–150 words) imagining what Gopi does with the brush a year later. Keep the folk-tale spirit: she should use it kindly and cleverly.
4. A diary entry
Imagine you are Gopi on the night you escaped the cell. Write a diary entry (80–100 words) describing your fear, your plan, and your relief.
Writing tip A folk tale usually has a clear moral. When you continue or invent one, make sure kindness, cleverness, or honesty wins in the end — and let the events show the moral rather than simply stating it.
Speaking
Recite and perform
In a group, read the poem aloud as a performance: one reads the narrator’s lines, others speak the man, the Zamindar, and Gopi. Change your voice for each character — the man whispers, the Zamindar roars, Gopi stays calm and firm.
Discuss
- Was Gopi right to refuse the Zamindar even though it put her in danger? Why?
- Why do you think the man insisted the brush be used only for the poor?
Speaking tip When performing a folk poem, lean into the contrast between characters. A villain who truly roars and a heroine who stays calm and steady will make your audience feel the difference between greed and goodness.