NCERT Solutions For Class 9 English Moments Chapter 4 In the Kingdom of Fools(Short and Long Answer Type Questions )

Short Answer Questions (2 marks each)

(About 30-40 words each)

Question 1:
Why were the people of the kingdom confused when they saw the dead bodies of the king and his minister ? (SA-1,2014)

Answer:
The people of the kingdom were confused as to how their king and the minister were dead instead of the Guru and the disciple* The people were not able to see through the plan which was executed by the Guru against their king and minister.

Question 2:
When does the disciple remember the words of his Guru? (SA-1, DDE-2014)

Answer:
The disciple did not pay any heed to the advice of his Guru, when the Guru asked him to leave the kingdom of fools. When the king decided that the disciple was the suitable person for execution, he remembered the words of the Guru.

Question 3:
How was the kingdom of fools different from any other place ? (SA-1,2014-15)

Answer:
Everything was different at the kingdom of fools. The night was considered as day and day as night. Not only the human beings even the animals stayed awake at night. Anything and everything could be bought for a Dudu.

Question 4:
Why did the Guru want that he and his disciple should die first ?(Board Term Sept 1,2013, K2G41GH)

Answer:
The king had ordered the execution of the rich merchant. Since the rich merchant could not be executed the disciple was chosen to fit the stake. The disciple’s Guru had a vision and saw everything. In order to save his disciple, the Guru hatched a plan.

Question 5:
On what conditions did the Guru and his disciple agree to rule that kingdom ?
(Board Term Sept 1,2013, GKK73AP)

Answer:

He laid the condition that he would be free to change all the old and foolish laws. Hence night was considered as night and day was regarded as a normal working day. Even persuaded prices were changed according to the value of the material.

Question 6:
Why did the Guru not want to stay in the Kingdom of fools? (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-013)

Answer:

The Guru did not wanted to stay in the Kingdom of fools as the people over there were foolish. 

He was not sure about them and felt that they could harm him.

Question 7:
Why does the disciple not want to leave the Kingdom of the fools ? 

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-014)

Answer:

The disciple did not wanted to leave the place because of the sale of cheap eatables and 

other commodities and since everything was easily available and life seemed to be very 

simple and easy.

Question 8:

Why did the king decide to postpone the execution of the Guru and his disciple ?

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-015)

Answer:

The Guru be-fooled the king. He told him that the people dying now would be the king and 

minister in their next birth. The foolish king fell for the words of the Guru and postponed their 

execution.

Question 9:
What was so strange about the Kingdom of fools ?(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-017)

Answer:

The strange thing about the Kingdom of fools was that not only humans but animals were 

also made to sleep during the day. Everything in this kingdom used to come for a dudu.

Question 10:

Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape from the punishment ?

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-018)

Answer:

The rich merchant was the real culprit. He had inherited everything from his criminal father.

He was too thin to be properly executed on the newly made stake. The worried king started 

searching foolishly for a fat man to fit the stake and the merchant escaped the punishment.

Question 11:

What advice did the Guru give to the disciple before going out of the city ?

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-019)

Answer:

The Guru told his disciple that it was dangerous to stay in a Kingdom of fools. He said that 

there was no justice only foolish, unpredictable behaviour. According to him the kingdom would 

not last long.

Question 12:

What is the Guru’s wisdom ? When does the disciple realize this ? 

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-020)

Answer:

The Guru’s wisdom was that there was no justice in the Kingdom of fools and due to the 

unpredictable behaviour of the fools, he wanted to leave the kingdom at once. The disciple 

remembers these words when the king decided that the disciple was the suitable person for 

execution was weak.

Question 13:
Why did the king want to punish the merchant 7 (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-020)

Answer:

The king wanted to punish the merchant because the wall of his house and it fell on the thief 

killing him. Since the merchant had inherited his father’s wealth he inherited his sins too 

therefore, he should be punished.

Question 14:
Who became the king and the prime minister of the kingdom 7(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-023)

Answer:

As the kingdom was without a king, the people of the kingdom persuaded the Guru and the 

disciple to take over the throne. So, the holy man became the king and his disciple took the 

charge of Prime Minister.

Question 15:

What two things were different in the kingdom of fools 7(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-024)

Answer:

Two things that were different in the Kingdom of fools were that the people worked in the night 

and slept during the day. Everything was sold at the same price. A ‘Dudu’ could buy a mass of 

rice as well as a bunch of bananas.

Long Answer Type Questions (4 marks each)
(About 80-100 words)

Question 1:

Disciple in the story didn’t look into the depth of the matter and took a hasty decision of not 

leaving the kingdom of fools. What light does the story throw on the importance of good 

decision making one’s life? (SA-1,2014)

Answer:

Disciple in the story didn’t look into the depth of the matter and took a hasty decision of not 

leaving the kingdom of fools. Disciple was waylaid by the prices of the commodities. Anything 

could be • bought with a ‘Dudu’. Either it could be a mass of rice or a bunch of bananas. 

So, the disciple decided to stay back not listening to his Guru who advised his disciple that it 

was dangerous to stay back in the kingdom of fools as there was no justice, prevalent in such 

kingdom. It was when the disciple was chosen as the suitable person for execution that he 

realized his mistake. He regretted his decision of staying back. Just one small decision costed 

his life.

Question 2:

Do you believe in the fact that our prayers are often heard and answered ? There are miracles 

which change the course of life. Which miracle took place in the story. ‘In the Kingdom of Fools? 

What lesson do you learn from the Guru’s word of wisdom? (SA-1,2014)

Answer:

It is often believed that our prayers are often heard and answered which was proved in the story. 

‘In the Kingdom of Fools’. The king had ordered to execute the disciple. He prayed to Guru to 

save him. It was a miracle that his Guru heard his prayer and came to rescue him. He 

whispered something in his ears and then asked the king to execute him first and then the 

disciple. The king released them both on knowing that whoever died first would be the king in 

his next birth. It was his Guru’s advice and presence of mind that saved the disciple. The 

disciple realized his mistake for Guru’s not listening to the Guru’s words of wisdom.

Question 3:

You are the disciple in the story, “Kingdom of the fools”. You are in trouble as you are about to 

be hanged. You decide to write a letter to you Guru regretting your decision to stay in the 

kingdom of fools and requesting him to help you. Write the letter in 80 words.

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-016)

Answer:
Respected Guru ji,

I am writing this letter out of sheer desperation. I regret not paying heed to your advice of 

leaving this Kingdom of fools. I fell a prey to my temptation for cheap and tasty food and now 

I am in serious trouble. I have been trapped and will shortly be hanged. Everyone here is 

foolish and there is no point in reasoning with them. You are my only hope who can save me 

from this situation. I request you to please come here at the earliest and save my life. I promise 

in future I will always pay heed to your advice and keep myself in control.

Your erring disciple.

Question 4:

How did the Guru and his disciple become the king and the minister of the kingdom?

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-022)

Answer:

The Guru knew that his king and his minister were fools. In order to save his disciple, Guru 

hatched a plan. He said that the first one to be executed at the state, would become the king in 

the next life and the second to be executed would be the king’s minister. The foolish king and 

his minister got themselves executed. As the kingdom was without king, the guru and his 

disciple were made the king and the minister.

Question 5:
How did the Guru manage to save his disciple ? (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-024)

Answer:

The king ordered to execute the disciple. He prayed to his Guru to save him. The Guru heard 

his prayer in his vision and appeared to rescue his disciple. First, he whispered something in 

his disciple’s ears and then asked the king to execute him first. And the disciple followed suit, 

which puzzled the king. Knowing the secret, the king fell into the trap of his temptation and 

wanted to be the king in his rebirth. He went into the prison at night and set the guru and 

disciple free. In their place, he and his minister disguised themselves as the guru and the 

disciple and got executed. Thus, the Guru managed to save his disciple.

Question 6:

“Guru was a wise man” – how does the story “The Kingdom of fools” reflect it ?

(Board Term 1,2012, ELI-014)

Answer:

“The Kingdom of Fools” clearly reflects that “Guru was a wise man” as he advised his disciple 

not to stay in that kingdom. As the disciple thought that the future is uncertain, he did not pay 

any heed to his Guru and stayed on. When he was imprisoned by the King’s men, he realized 

the significance of his Guru’s words and repented on his not following his Guru’s advice. So, it 

is proved that Guru was really very wise. And it was because of his wisdom that disciple was 

saved and they were made king and prime-minister of the kingdom.