Class - 8, English (It So Happened), Chapter -6 (The Fight) Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions

  English

(It So Happened)

Class -8, Chapter -6

(The Fight)

Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions  

-- Summary --

⭐ Summary In English:-

The lesson begins by introducing us to a young boy named Ranji, who had recently moved to Rajpur. He did not have any friends there and his school had also not begun. It was the peak of summer at that time and he used to roam around forests in his vests and shorts. It was on one such hot day, that he caught sight of a pool in the forest. The water in the pool was so clear that one could even see the bottom of it covered with smooth round pebbles. The pool was being fed by a small stream of water that emerged out of a cluster of rocks. In the monsoon, however, the stream would be rushing, coming down like a waterfall. But during summers, the rocks somehow managed to keep the pool intact unlike the pools in plains that would dry up. Ranji jumped in the pool without hesitation as he was used to swimming alone or with his friends when he had lived with his parents in a thirsty town in the middle of the Rajputana desert. There, he had seen only the sticky, muddy pools in which buffaloes rolled in. Thus, he jumped into the water and his body moved flexibly as it was free of any fat. 

He came there again the following day to get some relief from the scorching heat. Once he swam in it for a while, he rested on the smooth yellow rocks under the shade of sal trees. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a stranger who was looking at him from a distance. He was taller than him, a little older too, thickset and had a broad nose and thick red lips. Although Ranji extended a friendly offer towards him to come and swim along, the other boy’s tone was quite hostile. He told Ranji that it was his pool and Ranji had come there uninvited. 

He exclaimed himself to be a Warrior. Ranji on the other hand, exclaimed that he was a Fighter. Both of them ended up in a violent fight. But after five minutes of frenzied, unscientific struggle, neither boy emerged victorious. Their bodies heaving with exhaustion, they stood back from each other, making tremendous efforts to speak. All they could say was repeat that “I am a Warrior”and “I am a Fighter”. Suddenly, the Warrior got an inspiration and they both decided on continuing the fight the next day.

As Ranji reached home, it became difficult for him to explain the cuts and bruises on his face, legs and arms. It was clearly evident that he had been involved in a usual violent fight. His mother insisted upon him to stay indoors for the rest of the day. But somehow, he managed to slip out in the evening to go to the bazaar. There, he found solace in a bottle of vividly coloured lemonade and sweet jalebis. As he finished his lemonade, his eyes fell upon his approaching enemy. At first, he wanted to turn his head and look away. On second instinct, he wanted to throw the lemonade bottle at him. But he resisted, and stood his ground as he looked at the other boy angrily. 

Next day, although Ranji felt weak and stiff from the previous day’s fight, he could not refuse the challenge. It would mean that he surrendered. He was well aware that with his physical condition, he would anyway end up losing the fight. But then, he still had to show up. Half-hoping that the Warrior must have forgotten about the fight, Ranji went to the pool. His expectations were crushed when he saw the opponent rubbing oil on his body. The other boy challenged him to come towards his side of the pool. Not wanting to submit to the conditions laid down by the opponent, Ranji called the boy towards his side of the pool. The other boy provoked him. Thus, Ranji took out his vest, dived into the water and cut through it like a knife, leaving the stranger’s mouth open with amazement. The stranger asked Ranji to teach him how to dive. Ranji willingly helped him. Despite the other boy’s not-so-good attempt at diving, Ranji did not discourage him and showed him how to do it. 

This time, when the other boy waited for him to show up on the surface of the water, Ranji circled around him under water and came out from behind him. The other boy was surprised to know that Ranji could even swim under water. He was inclined towards trying it himself. But when he tried, he thought that he had successfully been under the water, but actually his bottom was above the surface just as it happens in case of ducks. He asked Ranji to come to the pool every day and teach him how to dive and swim under water. In return, he promised to help skinny Ranji become a pahelwan. Both of them shared their names and agreed that the pool belonged to both of them and no one else could use it. Ranji smiled in the end, knowing that he had conquered the day. 

⭐ Summary In Hindi:-

पाठ की शुरुआत रणजी नाम के एक युवा लड़के से होती है, जो हाल ही में राजपुर आया था। वहां उसका कोई दोस्त नहीं था और उसका स्कूल भी शुरू नहीं हुआ था।

उस समय ग्रीष्म ऋतु का चरम था और वह अपने बनियान और शॉर्ट्स में जंगलों में घूमते थे। ऐसे ही एक दिन की गर्मी में उसकी नजर जंगल में एक कुंड पर पड़ी। कुंड में पानी इतना साफ था कि कोई भी उसके नीचे चिकने गोल कंकड़ से ढका हुआ तल देख सकता था। पूल में पानी की एक छोटी सी धारा जा रही थी जो चट्टानों के एक समूह से निकली थी। हालांकि, मानसून में, धारा तेज होगी, उसका बहाव झरने के समान हो जाएगा । लेकिन गर्मियों के दौरान, चट्टानें किसी भी तरह से पूल को बरकरार रखने में कामयाब रहीं, जबकि मैदानी इलाकों में पूल सूख जाते थे।

रणजी बिना किसी हिचकिचाहट के पूल में कूद गया क्योंकि उसे अकेले या अपने दोस्तों के साथ तैरने की आदत थी जब वह राजपूताना रेगिस्तान के बीच में एक प्यासे शहर में अपने माता-पिता के साथ रहता था। वहाँ, उसने केवल चिपचिपा, मैला पूल देखा था जिसमें भैंसें लुढ़कती थीं। इस प्रकार, वह पानी में कूद गया और उसका शरीर लचीले ढंग से अंदर चला गया क्योंकि यह किसी भी वसा से मुक्त था।

अगले दिन भीषण गर्मी से कुछ राहत पाने के लिए वह फिर वहां आया। एक बार जब वह उसमें कुछ देर तैरा तो उसने साल के पेड़ों की छाया के नीचे चिकनी पीली चट्टानों पर विश्राम किया। अचानक उसकी नज़र एक अजनबी पर पड़ी जो उसे दूर से ही देख रहा था। वह उससे लंबा था, थोड़ा बड़ा भी था, मोटा था और उसकी नाक चौड़ी और मोटे लाल होंठ थे।

हालाँकि रणजी ने उसे आने और तैरने के लिए एक दोस्ताना प्रस्ताव दिया, लेकिन दूसरे लड़के का स्वर काफी प्रतिकूल था। उसने रणजी से कहा कि यह उसका पूल है और रणजी बिन बुलाए वहां आया था। उसने खुद को योद्धा बताया। दूसरी ओर, रणजी ने कहा कि वह एक लड़ाकू था। दोनों में हिंसक लड़ाई हुई।

लेकिन पांच मिनट के उन्मत्त, अवैज्ञानिक संघर्ष के बाद, कोई भी लड़का विजयी नहीं हुआ। उनके शरीर थकावट से भर रहे थे, वे एक-दूसरे से पीछे खड़े हो गए, बोलने की जबरदस्त कोशिश कर रहे थे। वे केवल यही कह सकते थे कि “मैं एक योद्धा हूँ” और “मैं एक योद्धा हूँ”। अचानक, योद्धा को प्रेरणा मिली और उन दोनों ने अगले दिन लड़ाई जारी रखने का फैसला किया।

जैसे ही रणजी घर पहुंचा , उसके लिए अपने चेहरे, पैरों और हाथों पर लगे कट और चोट के निशानों को समझाना मुश्किल हो गया।यह स्पष्ट रूप से स्पष्ट था कि वह एक सामान्य हिंसक लड़ाई में शामिल था। उसकी माँ ने उसे शेष दिन घर के अंदर रहने के लिए कहा।

लेकिन किसी तरह वह शाम को बाजार जाने के लिए निकल गया। वहाँ, उसे चमकीले रंग के नींबू पानी और मीठी जलेबियों की एक बोतल में सांत्वना मिली। जैसे ही उसने अपना नींबू पानी समाप्त किया, उसकी नज़र उसके निकट आने वाले शत्रु पर पड़ी। सबसे पहले, वह अपना सिर घुमाकर दूर देखना चाहता था। दूसरी प्रवृत्ति पर, वह उस पर नींबू पानी की बोतल फेंकना चाहता था। लेकिन उसने विरोध किया, और दूसरे लड़के को गुस्से से देखते हुए खड़ा हो गया।

अगले दिन, हालांकि रणजी पिछले दिन की लड़ाई से कमजोर और कठोर महसूस कर रहे थे, वे चुनौती को मना नहीं कर सके। इसका मतलब यह होगा कि उसने आत्मसमर्पण कर दिया। वह अच्छी तरह से जानता था कि उसकी शारीरिक स्थिति के साथ, वह वैसे भी लड़ाई हार जाएगा।

लेकिन फिर, उसे वहां जाना पड़ा । आधी उम्मीद से कि योद्धा लड़ाई के बारे में भूल गया होगा, रणजी पूल में चला गया। जब उसने अपने प्रतिद्वंद्वी को अपने शरीर पर तेल मलते देखा तो उसकी उम्मीदें टूट गईं। दूसरे लड़के ने उसे पूल के किनारे आने के लिए चुनौती दी।

रणजी ने प्रतिद्वंद्वी द्वारा निर्धारित शर्तों को प्रस्तुत नहीं करना चाहा, रणजी ने लड़के को पूल के अपने पक्ष में बुलाया। दूसरे लड़के ने उसे उकसाया। इस प्रकार, रणजी ने अपनी बनियान निकाली, पानी में डुबकी लगाई और चाकू की तरह तेज़ी से पानी को काटते हुए तैरते हुए चला गया , जिससे अजनबी का मुंह विस्मय से खुला रह गया।

अजनबी ने रणजी से उसे गोता लगाना सिखाने को कहा। रणजी ने स्वेच्छा से उसकी मदद की। दूसरे लड़के के गोताखोरी के इतने अच्छे प्रयास न होने के बावजूद, रणजी ने उसे हतोत्साहित नहीं किया और उसे दिखाया कि यह कैसे करना है।

इस बार, जब दूसरा लड़का पानी की सतह पर उसके आने का इंतजार कर रहा था, तो रणजी ने पानी के नीचे उसके चारों ओर चक्कर लगाया और उसके पीछे से निकल आया। दूसरे लड़के को यह जानकर आश्चर्य हुआ कि रणजी पानी में तैर भी सकता है। उस का झुकाव खुद इसे आजमाने की ओर था। लेकिन जब उसने कोशिश की, तो उसने सोचा कि वह सफलतापूर्वक पानी के नीचे चला गया था , लेकिन वास्तव में उसका तल सतह से ऊपर था जैसा कि बतख के मामले में होता है।

उसने रणजी से कहा कि वह प्रतिदिन तालाब में आए और उसे पानी के नीचे गोता लगाना और तैरना सिखाए। बदले में, उसने पतले रणजी को पहलवान बनने में मदद करने का वादा किया। दोनों ने अपना नाम साझा किया और इस बात पर सहमति जताई कि पूल उन दोनों का है और कोई और इसका इस्तेमाल नहीं कर सकता है। रणजी अंत में मुस्कुराया , यह जानते हुए कि उसने दिन जीत लिया था ।

-- Word Meanings --

• Interminably :- न खत्म होने वाला / असीमित

• Parched :- सूखा

• Torrent :- पानी की तेज धारा

• Cascading :- झरने की तरह उतरना

• Trickle :- पानी का कमजोर या पतला प्रवाह

• Hostility :- शत्रुता

• Impasse :- गतिरोध / रुकावट

• Penetrated :- के माध्यम से गया

• Staggered :- कमजोर महसूस किया

• Assailant :- व्यक्ति जो हमला करता है

• Swaying :- अगल-बगल से आगे बढ़ना

• Spluttering :- उलझन में बोलना

• Frenzied :- क्रोधित 

• Exhaustion :- थकावट

• Tremendous :- अद्भुत / बहुत ज्यादा

• Rapid :- तेज़

• Inspiration :- प्रेरणा

• Adversary :- दुश्मन

• Ferocity :- क्रूरता

• Scowled :- गुस्से से देखा

• Acquiesce :- संतुष्ट होना

• Vigour :- ताक़त

• Unflinching :- बेहिचक

• Limpid :- पारदर्शक 

-- NCERT Solutions --

⭐ Comprehension Check  (Page No.- 49)

Question 1.- In what way is the forest pool different from the one which Ranji knew in the Rajputana desert? 

Answer:- Ranji used to live with his parents in a thirsty town in the middle of the Rajputana desert. There, he had known only sticky, muddy pools, where buffaloes wallowed and women washed clothes. He had never seen a pool which is so clean, cold and inviting as it was in the forest.

Question 2.- The other boy asked Ranji to ‘explain’ himself. 

(i) What did he expect Ranji to say? 

Answer:- The other boy expected Ranji to apologise for entering the pool without his permission. Further, he wanted Ranji to never use the pool again.

(ii) Was he, in your opinion, right or wrong to ask this question? 

Answer:- In my opinion, it was right on the part of the boy to ask Ranji this question. This is because the pool belonged to the forest and was open for use by everyone. He had no right to claim it as his.

Question 3.- Between Ranji and the other boy, who is trying to start a quarrel? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer:- Between Ranji and the other boy, it was the other boy who was trying to initiate a quarrel with Ranji. On seeing Ranji, the other boy gave him hostile looks while Ranji’s first thought was to be friendly with him. Ranji even invited the strange boy to swim with him while on the other hand, the strange boy refused to do so. He told Ranji that the pool belonged to him and he swam alone in it. He even threatened and told Ranji that he was a Warrior.

Question 4.- “Then we will have to continue the fight,” said the other. 

(i) What made him say that? 

Answer:- Upon realising that Ranji was not ready to give up on the pool, the other boy said, “Then we will have to continue the fight,”.

(ii) Did the fight continue? If not, why not?

Answer:- No, the fight did not continue. It is because both of them were tired after that day’s quarrel. They were breathing heavily and their heartbeats were speeding. Although they had not come to a solution, both of them decided to continue the fight the following day. 

⭐ Comprehension Check  (Page No.- 53)

Question 1.- What is it that Ranji finds difficult to explain at home? 

Answer:- When Ranji got home, he found it difficult to explain the cuts and bruises that showed on his face, leg and arms. It was difficult to conceal the fact that he had been in an unusually violent fight.

Question 2.- Ranji sees his adversary in the bazaar. 

(i) What does he wish to do? 

Answer:- When Ranji saw his adversary in the bazaar, his first impulse was to turn away and look elsewhere, his second to throw the lemonade bottle at his enemy.

(ii) What does he actually do, and why? 

Answer:- He stood his ground and scowled at his passing adversary. He did neither of the things he wished to, probably because he did not want to initiate a fight in the bazaar. 

Question 3.- Ranji is not at all eager for a second fight. Why does he go back to the pool, then?

Answer:- Ranji felt weak and lazy and not at all eager for the second fight. His body was stiff and sore after the previous day’s encounter. But he could not refuse the challenge. Not to turn up at the pool would be an acknowledgement of defeat. He must defy his enemy to the last, or outwit him, for only then could he gain his respect. If he surrendered now, he would be beaten for all time; but to fight and be beaten today left him free to fight and be beaten again. As long as he fought, he had a right to the pool in the forest. Thus, he went back to the pool.

Question 4.- Who was the better swimmer? How do you know it?

Answer:- Ranji was the better swimmer. This is evident from the fact that he could dive flawlessly and even swim under water. Suraj, on the other hand, couldn’t do either of these things.

Question 5.- What surprises the warrior? 

Answer:- The Warrior asked Ranji to come over to his side of the pool and fight him. He said that the reason behind Ranji not coming to his side, is probably because he couldn’t swim the length of the pool. But Ranji could have swum the length of the pool a dozen times without tiring, and here he would show the warrior his superiority. So, Ranji slipped out of his vest, dived straight into the water, cutting through it like a knife, and surfaced with hardly a splash. This made the warrior’s mouth hang open in amazement.

Question 6.- Now that they are at the pool, why don’t they continue the fight?

Answer:- Now, when both of them were at the pool, both of them got into a conversation about diving and the Warrior asked Ranji to teach him how to dive. Ranji gave him the instructions and Suraj tried. Then Suraj asked him to teach him how to swim under water. Thus, both of them got involved in this and decided to not fight against each other. Instead, they made a pact and promised to help each other.

Question 7.- Ranji’s superiority over the other boy is obvious in the following:-

Physical strength, good diving, his being a fighter, sense of humour, swimming under water, making a good point, willingness to help

Underline the relevant phrases

Answer:- The relevant phrases that highlight Ranji’s superiority over the other boy are-

i) Good diving 

ii) swimming under water

iii) willingness to help

Question 8.- What, according to you, make the two adversaries turn into good friends in a matter of minutes? Explain it as you have understood it

Answer:- According to me, good skills, appreciation for each other and their willingness to help each other made the two adversaries turn into good friends in a matter of minutes. The Warrior admired Ranji’s diving skills and his ability to dive under water. Ranji, on the other hand, was more than happy to teach him these skills. The Warrior, in return, promised to help Ranji become a pahelwan.

- By Durgesh Pandey