The Wit that Won Hearts
Summary of The Wit That Won Hearts
The story ‘The Wit that Won Hearts’ is about the famous King Krishnadeva Raya and his clever courtier, Tenali Rama. The trouble starts when the king gets cross with his queen. He was reading her a poem he had written, but she was very tired and yawned. The king felt insulted and, in his anger, stopped speaking to her completely, which made the queen very sad.
Desperate, the queen asks Tenali Rama for help. Being very wise, Tenali Rama comes up with a brilliant plan. In the middle of the king’s court, he starts a discussion about farming. He cleverly brings up the topic of yawning while sowing seeds, which makes the king himself yawn. This makes the king realise that yawning is just a natural thing and not a sign of disrespect. He feels sorry for being so harsh and goes to apologise to the queen. They make up, and happiness returns to the palace, all thanks to Tenali Rama's clever thinking.
Word Meanings
Difficult Word/Expression | Meaning in Simple English | Meaning in Simple Hindi |
---|---|---|
Renowned | Famous and respected. | प्रसिद्ध और सम्मानित |
Illustrious | Very famous and admired. | प्रख्यात, मशहूर |
Patron | A person who supports artists, writers, or musicians. | संरक्षक |
Acclaimed | Praised publicly. | प्रशंसित |
Witty | Able to say or write clever and amusing things. | हाज़िरजवाब, चतुर |
Insurmountable | (of a problem) so great that it cannot be dealt with. | अजेय, जिसे पार न किया जा सके |
Disharmony | Disagreement or conflict. | अनबन, मतभेद |
Trivial | Not important or serious. | तुच्छ, मामूली |
Forlorn | Sad and lonely. | उदास और अकेला |
Distraught | Extremely upset and anxious. | बहुत परेशान और व्याकुल |
Vague | Not clear or definite. | अस्पष्ट |
Stormed off | Left a place in a very angry way. | गुस्से में चले जाना |
Strategy | A plan to achieve something. | रणनीति, योजना |
Profusely | In large amounts. | बहुत अधिक मात्रा में |
Bustling | Full of busy activity. | हलचल से भरा हुआ |
Intricately | In a very detailed and complex way. | जटिलता से, बारीकी से |
Exquisite | Extremely beautiful and delicate. | अत्यंत सुंदर |
Gnawed at him | Bothered or worried him continuously. | उसे अंदर ही अंदर खाना |
Sarcasm | The use of words to mean the opposite of what you say. | व्यंग्य, ताना |
Unfazed | Not worried or surprised by something unexpected. | बेफिक्र, अविचलित |
Absurd | Ridiculous or not making sense. | बेतुका |
Furrowed | (of eyebrows) brought together to show worry or anger. | भौंहें चढ़ाना |
Skeptical | Having doubts; not easily convinced. | संदेहपूर्ण |
Realisation dawned | Suddenly understood something. | अहसास होना |
Orchestrated | Carefully planned and organised. | योजनाबद्ध |
Brimmed | Was full to the very top. | लबालब भरा हुआ |
Let us discuss
I. Rectify the following false statements from the text.
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Statement: The queen insulted the king by speaking against the quality of his poem.
Answer: This statement is false. The queen did not insult the king by speaking against his poem; in fact, she did not say anything at all. The king felt insulted because she yawned several times while he was reciting it, as she was very tired. He mistook her tiredness for disrespect.
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Statement: Tenali Rama immediately went to the king and convinced him to talk to the queen.
Answer: This statement is false. Tenali Rama did not go to the king immediately. He told the queen that the matter needed a well-planned approach and that he would need some time to think of the right strategy to solve the problem without making things worse.
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Statement: The courtiers admired the king’s poem and praised his literary talent.
Answer: This statement is false. The courtiers did not admire or praise the king’s poem. The story mentions that when the king tried to recite the poem to his ministers, they all avoided him by making excuses, suggesting they were not impressed by it.
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Statement: The ministers in the court were eager to hear Tenali Rama’s idea about paddy cultivation.
Answer: This statement is false. The ministers and courtiers were not eager; they were actually skeptical and amused. When Tenali Rama presented his idea of special paddy seeds, some courtiers whispered sarcastically and snickered, finding his claims absurd.
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Statement: The king never realised his mistake and continued to stay angry with the queen.
Answer: This statement is false. The king did realise his mistake. After Tenali Rama cleverly made the king himself yawn, the king understood that yawning is a natural act and not a sign of disrespect. He felt sorry for his behaviour, apologised to the queen, and their quarrel was resolved.
Let us think and reflect
I. Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.
“… The king thought I was disrespecting his poem and stormed off. Since then, he has not spoken to me. If I had known this would happen I would have chosen another day. Help me, please, Rama. Only you can help the king understand.”
Rama nodded thoughtfully. “If you like, I will try my best to resolve this matter, Your Highness. But this needs a well-planned approach and I may need time to find the right strategy.”
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Why does the queen believe that only Tenali Rama can help the king understand?
Answer: The queen believes only Tenali Rama can help because he is famous for his great wisdom and cleverness. She knows he has a special talent for solving difficult problems and can find a way to make the king understand the situation without causing more trouble.
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What does the queen’s statement, “If I had known this would happen, I would have chosen another day,” suggest about her feelings?
Answer: B. She regrets the unintended misunderstanding. This shows she feels sorry that her actions led to a problem, even though she did not mean to disrespect the king.
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How does Tenali Rama’s response reflect his wisdom and problem-solving skills?
Answer: Tenali Rama’s response shows he is wise because he does not act in a hurry. He understands that the king is angry and that the situation is delicate. By saying he needs a "well-planned approach" and "time to find the right strategy," he shows that he is a thoughtful and careful problem-solver.
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The king’s reaction shows that he is sensitive and ______ in his poetry.
Answer: The king’s reaction shows that he is sensitive and takes great pride in his poetry. His extreme anger over a yawn shows how much his poem meant to him.
That evening, the king approached the queen with a softened expression. “Thirumalambal”, he began, his voice gentle, “I have been foolish. I see now that I overreacted. I let my pride blind me. I’m so sorry.”
The queen, who had longed for this moment, smiled and replied, “If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us. I would very much like to listen to your poem.”
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When the king said, “I let my pride blind me”, he means that ______.
Answer: When the king said, “I let my pride blind me,” he means that his ego and hurt feelings stopped him from seeing the situation clearly. His pride made him believe the queen was being disrespectful, and it caused him to act foolishly and unfairly.
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Why does the queen say, “If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us”?
Answer: The queen says this to show that she has forgiven the king and wants to end the argument. She is ready to forget the misunderstanding and restore peace and happiness to their relationship.
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The king acknowledges that his pride clouded his judgement, which shows ______.
Answer: The king acknowledges that his pride clouded his judgement, which shows maturity and self-awareness. Admitting your own mistake, especially when you are a king, is a sign that you are mature and understand your own faults.
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State any one characteristic that the queen’s response to the king’s apology shows about her.
Answer: The queen’s response shows that she is forgiving and gracious. She accepts his apology immediately and does not hold on to anger, showing her kind nature.
II. Answer the following questions.
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Why was the Vijayanagara Empire considered to be in its ‘Golden Era’ during Krishnadeva Raya’s reign?
Answer: The Vijayanagara Empire was considered to be in its ‘Golden Era’ during Krishnadeva Raya’s reign because it was a time of great prosperity. Art, literature, and architecture flourished, and the empire became famous for its wealth and cultural achievements.
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How did Tenali Ramakrishna gain a special place in the king’s court?
Answer: Tenali Ramakrishna gained a special place in the king's court because of his sharp mind and sense of humour. He was known for finding clever and effective solutions to very difficult problems, which made him a valuable and witty advisor to the king.
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How did the quarrel between the king and the queen affect the palace?
Answer: The quarrel created a sad and gloomy atmosphere in the palace. The king’s absence and silence cast a shadow over everything, and the usually cheerful and lively corridors became quiet and depressing.
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What strategy did Tenali Rama use to make the king realise his mistake?
Answer: Tenali Rama used a clever, indirect strategy. In the middle of a court discussion about farming, he brought up a story about special paddy seeds. He playfully suggested that a person who yawns while sowing them would ruin the harvest. This made the king himself yawn, which led him to understand that yawning is a natural, uncontrollable action and not a sign of disrespect.
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What was the reaction of the courtiers when Tenali Rama introduced his ‘special’ paddy seeds?
Answer: The courtiers were doubtful and made fun of Tenali Rama’s idea. They did not take him seriously and whispered sarcastic comments to each other, with some even laughing quietly at what they thought was an absurd claim.
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How does the story conclude, and what lesson can be learnt from it?
Answer: The story concludes happily with the king apologising to the queen after realising his mistake, all thanks to Tenali Rama's clever plan. The palace returns to being a joyful place. The main lesson from the story is that wisdom and wit are more powerful than anger. It teaches us to think before reacting and to understand that many conflicts are just based on simple misunderstandings.
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