Samacheer Kalvi Class 9 English Solutions Chapter 1 The Envious Neighbour

9th English Guide The Envious Neighbour Textbook Questions and Answers

A. Identify the Character or Speaker of the Following Lines.

Question 1. They gathered the tressure
Answer: The honest couple.
In simple words: The good man and woman, who were very fair, were the ones who collected the treasure.

🎯 Exam Tip: When identifying a speaker or character, always look for the main action or feeling expressed in the line and match it to the most relevant character in the story.

Question 2. The pine tree under which, I am hurried, to be cut down and made into a mortar
Answer: The (dead) dog.
In simple words: The dog said these words while speaking from the afterlife, guiding the old man.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to the subtle clues in the statement, like "I am hurried," which suggests the speaker is giving instructions from a different state.

Question 3. They dug and found nothing but a quantity of dirty and nasty offal
Answer: The wicked couple.
In simple words: The bad neighbours were the ones who dug and only found unpleasant waste.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note the negative words like "dirty and nasty offal," which often point towards characters with negative traits in stories.

Question 4. He had not to wait long before he was called into the prince's palace and ordered to exhibit his power
Answer: The wicked old man.
In simple words: This refers to the bad neighbour who was asked to show his supposed powers to the prince.

🎯 Exam Tip: Context is key; remember who tried to copy the good deeds but failed, leading to their downfall.

Question 5. BOW, WOW, WOW!
Answer: The dog.
In simple words: This sound is made by a dog.

🎯 Exam Tip: Simple onomatopoeia like "Bow, wow, wow!" usually points to animals as the speaker.

B. Based on Your Understanding of the Story Choose the Right Answers From the Given Options.

Question 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.
Answer: (c) as they were kind to all living beings.
In simple words: The farmer and his wife were kind-hearted people, so they showed love to everyone, including their dog. Their natural kindness was the main reason for their love.

🎯 Exam Tip: Choose the option that describes the deepest and most general reason for the character's actions, as kindness is a core trait.

Question 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.
Answer: (c) lived a comfortable life and were generous towards their poor neighbours.
In simple words: After getting rich, the kind couple lived well and shared their wealth with others who were not so lucky. This shows their good nature.

🎯 Exam Tip: Look for answers that reflect the positive and selfless nature of the main characters, as their actions are consistent throughout the story.

Question 3. The greedy couple borrowed the mill and the mortar to make
(a) rich pastry and bean sauce
(b) magic ash to win rewards.
(c) a pile of gold.
Answer: (c) a pile of gold.
In simple words: The greedy neighbours wanted to become rich quickly, so they tried to use the mill and mortar to create gold.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the motivation of the greedy characters; they are always driven by the desire for wealth.

C. Answer the Following Questions in a Paragraph of About 80 to 100 Words.

Question 1. The old farmer was a kind person. Justify the statement with suitable examples from the story.
Answer: The old farmer was indeed a very kind man. He always helped people who were poor and those in need, using whatever he had. He and his wife kept a pet dog, which they fed with fish and food scraps from their kitchen. One day, when the dog helped them find treasure, they did not keep it all for themselves. Instead, they shared money and food with the poor and used some to buy rice and corn fields. When his neighbour cruelly killed his dog, the farmer did not get angry or scold him. He only cried for his pet, placed food on its grave, burned incense, and decorated it with flowers. He also showed kindness to his jealous neighbours when they were sad by giving them some of his riches. His kindness was truly limitless. He treated all living things with respect and care.
In simple words: The old farmer was kind to everyone, helping the poor and loving his dog like family. Even after finding treasure, he shared it, and when his dog was killed, he grieved without anger, showing his gentle heart.

🎯 Exam Tip: When justifying a character trait, provide at least three distinct examples from the story to strongly support your point, ensuring each example clearly illustrates the trait.

Question 2. How did the dog help the farmer even after its death?
Answer: The good old man’s dog was killed by his neighbours and buried under a pine tree. The old man decorated the grave with flowers and cried for his lost pet. That night, the dog appeared to him in a dream. It told him to make a mortar from the pine tree wood and use it. When the farmer ground his rice in this mortar, it turned into precious treasure. Later, the envious neighbour borrowed the mortar. However, when they tried to use it, all their rice turned into dirty waste. So, they broke the mortar and burned it. The dog appeared to the good old man again in a dream. It told him to take the ashes from the burnt mortar and sprinkle them on withered trees, which would make them bloom. The old man tried this, and it worked, bringing dead trees back to life. A prince heard about this and sent for him. The farmer sprinkled the ashes on the prince’s plum and cherry trees, making them blossom. This made the prince very happy and he rewarded the farmer richly. Thus, the dog continued to help the good old man even after it died. The dog's spirit ensured its owner received good fortune and happiness.
In simple words: After death, the dog's spirit guided the farmer to make a magic mortar that turned rice into treasure. When the greedy neighbours broke it, the dog then showed the farmer how to use its ashes to make withered trees bloom, leading to rewards from a prince.

🎯 Exam Tip: Detail each instance where the dog's spirit provided guidance or magic, showing a clear sequence of events for a complete answer.

Question 3. Why did the Prince reward the farmer but punish the neighbour for the same act?
Answer: The Prince rewarded the farmer because the farmer genuinely used the dog's ashes to make all the withered plum and cherry trees in the palace blossom with beautiful flowers. This act truly revived the dead trees, showing a miraculous power. The Prince was very impressed and pleased with the farmer's magical abilities, so he sent the farmer home with many gifts and happiness. On the other hand, the neighbour of the good old man was punished because he could not perform the same act of reviving trees. When he scattered the ashes, they flew into the Prince's eyes and mouth, blinding and choking him. This caused harm and showed that he lacked the pure intention and genuine ability of the farmer. Because of this, the guards caught the neighbour and beat him severely, almost to death. The difference in their intentions and the outcome of their actions led to different results.
In simple words: The Prince rewarded the farmer because his ashes made trees bloom, bringing joy. He punished the neighbour because his attempt failed, causing harm by blinding and choking the Prince, which showed his bad intentions.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the contrast between the farmer's pure intentions and the neighbour's greedy ones, and how their actions led to completely opposite outcomes, to explain the different treatments by the Prince.

Question 4. Bring out the difference between two neighbours with suitable examples to support your view.
Answer: The two neighbours in the story were very different from each other. The old farmer was honest and kind, while the other old man was cruel and wicked. The kind farmer loved his pet dog and shared his wealth with the poor after the dog helped him find treasure. Even when his dog was killed, he showed no anger, only sorrow. In contrast, the cruel neighbour was full of jealousy and greed. He killed the kind farmer's dog to try and get rich himself, but he failed. When the dog's spirit guided the farmer to use magical ashes to revive dead trees, the cruel old man also tried to do the same, hoping to become wealthy. However, his actions resulted in failure and punishment from the Prince, who had him beaten almost to death. This shows how their inner character led to their different fates. The kind man received blessings, while the cruel man faced consequences for his bad deeds.
In simple words: The good neighbour was kind, honest, and shared his wealth, even showing forgiveness to his dog's killer. The bad neighbour was cruel, greedy, and tried to copy the good deeds for selfish reasons, leading to his punishment.

🎯 Exam Tip: When comparing characters, list specific actions for each person that clearly demonstrate their differing traits, such as generosity vs. greed, or compassion vs. cruelty.

D. Refer to What Happens in the Folktale and Complete the Story With the Help of the Hints Given in the Mind Map.

Question 1. There lived an honest man with his wife, who had a favourite ______ got a treasure.
Answer: There lived an honest man with his wife, who had a favourite dog, which got a treasure.
In simple words: An honest couple had a pet dog that helped them find a treasure.

🎯 Exam Tip: Fill in the blanks with the exact words from the story that complete the sentence logically and accurately reflect the events.

Question 2. There dwelt a covetous and stingy old man and woman ______
Answer: There dwelt a covetous and stingy old man and woman who came and borrowed the dog.
In simple words: A greedy couple lived nearby and they asked to borrow the dog.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the sequence of events; after the good fortune, the envious neighbours appeared.

Question 3. The wicked old couple seized the dog, and ______
Answer: The wicked old couple seized the dog, and they killed it.
In simple words: The bad neighbours took the dog by force and then killed it.

🎯 Exam Tip: This event highlights the cruel nature of the envious couple and is a key turning point in the story.

Question 4. They broke the mortar ______
Answer: They broke the mortar and burnt it.
In simple words: The neighbours destroyed the magic mortar by breaking and burning it.

🎯 Exam Tip: The destruction of the mortar shows their anger and frustration when it did not bring them wealth.

Question 5. They collected all the ashes that remained ______
Answer: They collected all the ashes that remained and put them in a basket.
In simple words: The good old man collected the leftover ashes from the burnt mortar and stored them in a basket.

🎯 Exam Tip: This action sets up the next magical event involving the ashes, so it's an important detail.