THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR

Write a paragraph by developing the following hints:

            An old couple – little dog.  the dog -barking –sniffing – a box full of gold- pleased.  In the neighbouring – stingy couple- jealous- borrowed the dog -digging – nasty offal- killed – dog – anger. -buried – pine tree- paid the last respect . Old man – dreamt – cut the pine tree – mortar- grains into rich treasures.  The neighbor borrowed – filth -broke – burnt it. The old man’s dream -sprinkle – withered trees – revive. The old -castle town. -sprouted and blossomed. The prince – rich rewards. The neighbor – remaining ashes – scattered – flew – prince’s eyes and mouth – punished. The – couple shared – riches – neighbour  – mended ways

Ans     THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR

An old couple had a little dog. They fed it with good food. One day, the dog was barking and sniffing. The old man found a box full of gold. He was very much pleased.  In the neighbouring house there lived a stingy couple. They were jealous. They borrowed the dog and went to the garden however, after digging up they found nasty offal. The neigbhour killed the dog out of anger. When the good old couple asked their neighbour about the dog, the neighbour told them that he has buried the dog at the root of a pine tree. The good old man went to the spot and paid the last respect to the dog.

At night, while the old man was asleep, he dreamt of the dog telling him to cut the pine tree and make a mortar. He did so. The mortar turned the grains into rich treasures.  The neighbor borrowed the mortar. Instead of gold, the mortar turned his grains into filth. So in anger he broke the mortar and burnt it.

Once again the dog appeared in the old man’s dream and told him to take the ashes of the mortar and sprinkle it on the withered trees so that it would revive. The old man took the ashes and went to the castle town. When the prince heard about him, he called the old man to the palace. When the old man sprinkled the ash on the withered trees it sprouted and blossomed. The prince gave him rich rewards.

The neighbor took the remaining ashes. But when he scattered the ashes on the tree it flew into the prince’s eyes and mouth so he was punished. The good old couple shared their riches with their neighbours as they mended their ways.

Moral: “Awards and rewards are given according to the deeds”

Develop the hints and write a short story.

1. Old couple- dog- dug- treasure – neighbour- borrowed- killed- dug –pine tree- mortar rice- gold – neighbour- rice- foul-smelling – burnt –ashes- sprinkled –withered leaves blossom- prince –gifted – neighbour – thrashed.

(OR)

Old people – village – honest – work in their fields – the neighbouring house – covetous – stingy old couple – borrowed – whatever they wanted – killed the dog – that night the dog appeared – thanking old man – made the pine tree – mortar – he ground his rice – turned into rich treasure – Wicked old couple – borrowed the mortar – rice turned into filth – broke the mortar – burnt it – Again dog appeared – dream – take the ashes – sprinkle on withered trees – revive – put out flowers.

Ans    THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR

Ans An old couple loved their dog. One day, it dug in the garden, and they found a box of treasure there. A neighbour thought the dog must be able to find treasure, and managed to borrow the dog. When it dug in his garden, there was only filth, and he killed it. When the good old couple asked their neighbour about the dog, the neighbour told them that he has buried the dog at the root of a pine tree. The good old man went to the spot and paid the last respect to the dog. One night, the dog’s master dreamed that the dog told him to chop down the tree and make a mortar fro wm it. The mortar turned the grains into rich treasures.  The neighbour borrowed it, but the rice turned to filth so he burnt the mortar. That night, in a dream, the dog told his master to take the ashes and sprinkle them on certain cherry trees. When he did, the cherry trees came into bloom, and the Prince marveled and gave him many gifts. The neighbour tried to do the same, but the ashes blew into the prince’s eyes, so he thrashed him.

Identify the character or speaker of the following lines.

1. They gathered the treasure. The good old couple

2. The pine tree under which I am buried, to be cut down and made into a mortar. Dog

3. They dug, and found nothing but a quantity of dirt and nasty offal. The wicked neighbour

4. He had not to wait long before he was called into the prince’s palace, and ordered to exhibit his power. The wicked old man

5. BOW, WOW, WOW! Dog

Based on your understanding of the story, choose the right answers from the given options.

1. The old farmer and his wife loved the dog

a) because it helped them in their day-to-day work.

b) as if it was their own baby.

c) as they were kind to all living beings.

2. When the old couple became rich, they

a) gave the dog better food.

b) invited their greedy neighbours to a feast.

c) lived a comfortable life and were generous towards their poor neighbours.

3. The greedy couple borrowed the mortar to make

a) rich pastry and bean sauce.

b) magic ash to win rewards.

c) a pile of gold.

Refer to what happens in the folktale and complete the story with the help of the hints given in the mind map.

(1) There lived an honest man with his wife, who had a favourite dog and with its help they got a treasure.

(2) There dwelt a covetous and stingy old man and woman in the neighbourhood.

(3) The wicked old couple seized the dog, and killed him.

(4) They broke the mortar and burnt it.

(5) They collected all the ashes that remained and put them in a basket.