Class Notes NCERT Solutions for CBSE Students
Unseen Comprehension Passages Set II – [07]
The law of “an eye, a tooth for a tooth” solves nothing. What does solve things is – knowing how to forgive.
Forgiveness Day
Once upon a time there was a King in a country who was on a tour with his Ministers, including his royal security and others. He was taking rest, under the shade of a mango tree in the garden with his Ministers when suddenly a stone hit him directly on the forehead. Immediately he started bleeding.
The king had no idea who threw the stone at him, but he did know that he was experiencing an intolerable pain. The royal securities left right away to find the person who threw the stone at the king. After searching they found an old lady there and they asked her, if she had thrown any stones recently.
“Yes,” she replied. “I threw a stone at the king?” The woman’s face showed how terrified she was, so the guard forcefully told her that she would be punished. The woman was arrested and presented before the king.
She trembled with immense fear and prayed that they would not kill her. After seeing the blood flow down the King’s face, she became more upset and felt miserable. “What will happen to me?” She thought.
The king, very calmly asked her, “Did you throw the stone at me?”
She replied, weeping, “Your majesty, my child has been starving for two days. I was collecting food for him but could not find any. I through that when I throw the stone at the mango tree, a mango would fall so that I could feed my son. Your majesty, by mistake the stone hit your forehead and that is my unknowing mistake.”
The woman bowed down before the king begging pardon for her mistake. The king was a king hearted one and understood the situation very clearly. He forgave her mistake and ordered his security personnel not to punish her in any way. Instead of punishing her he ordered to give her money, food and send her safely to her home.
Forgiveness Day is the time to forgive and to be forgiven. It is an international event and is celebrating Forgiveness Day can help to make things better. A little more forgiveness will certainly help to make the world a much better place to live in. Global Forgiveness Day was started in 1994. It was created and is sponsored by the Christian Embassy of Christ’s Ambassadors ad originated in Vancouver.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage answer the following questions:
- What happened when the king was taking rest under the shade of a mango tree?
- Why was the old woman arrested? What was her reaction on seeing the blood flow from the king’s face?
- What was the woman’s mistake? How did the king punish her for it?
- Suppose your best friend has broken your favourite Parker pen which your mother had presented to you on your birthday? How would you react? Why?
