Class -7, English (An Alien Hand), Chapter - 7 (Chandni) Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions

 English

(An Alien Hand)

Class -7, Chapter - 7

(Chandni)

Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions

-- Summary --

⭐ Summary In English:-

Once there lived an old man in Almora. His name was Abbu Khan. He kept a few goats as pets. He would give each of them a funny name. Abbu Khan was however a little unlucky. Very often, at night one of the goats would break the string and go up the hills. It was so because the goats loved freedom. His goats were of the best hill breed. Goats in the hilly regions hate being tied to trees or poles. But this freedom cost them their lives. They were eaten by an old wolf who lived in the hills.

One day when all his goats had gone, Abbu Khan became very sad. He decided to have no more goats as pets. However, he changed his mind soon after. It was so because without the goats he became very lonely. Now he bought a very young goat. He thought it would stay with him much longer. He decided to love that goat so much that it would never go away. So he bought a pretty young goat. He named it Chandni.

Chandni lived with Abbu Khan for several years. But when it grew up it also felt the urge of going up the hills. She ran towards them but the rope would stop her. So she began to hate the rope round her neck.

Soon she stopped eating the grass. She also stopped listening to Abbu Khan’s stories with interest. She became very thin and unhappy. Abbu Khan did not understand her problem. At last Chandni decided to speak to him frankly. She asked him to let her go to the hills. Now Abbu Khan understood Chandni’s problem. He told Chandni of the danger of death if she went up. Chandni said that she would fight the wolf with her horns. Abbu Khan told her that it was impossible. He told her about her sister Kalua who was the size of a deer. Yet she was eaten up by the wolf. Chandni still wanted to go to the hills.

Abbu Khan was very annoyed. He loved Chandni and wanted to save her life. So he shut her in a small hut. But he forgot to close the window. That very night Chandni escaped through the window to the hills.

Chandni reached the hills. She enjoyed her freedom. Chandni felt that it was the happiest day of her life. She played for hours on the grassy hills. She met a herd of wild goats. They asked her to join their group. But Chandni refused. She wanted to enjoy her new freedom by herself.

Then there was night. There was stillness all around. In that silence. Chandni heard the voice of a woll. She was frightened. For once she thought of going back to Abbu Khan. Then she decided against it. “Death in an open field is far better than life in a small hut.”

The wolf now stood face to face with Chandni Chandni saw that she was very small compared to the wolf. Yet she did not lose heart. “I must put up a good fight.” Chandni thought. She fought because she had to retain her freedom at all costs. Success or failure was a matter of luck or chance.

Chandni fought very bravely. They fought each other all night. But the first ray of the sun saw Chandni dead. She was lying on the ground in a pool of blood. The wolf was getting ready to eat her.

A group of birds had watched the fight. Most of them thought that the wolf had won. However, a wise old bird declared that Chandni was the winner.

⭐ Summary In Hindi:- 

एक बार अल्मोड़ा में एक बूढ़ा आदमी रहता था। उसका नाम अब्बू खान था। वह कुछ बकरियों को पैट (शौकिया) के रूप में पालता था। उसने हर बकरी को एक मजेदार नाम दिया था। फिर भी अब्बू खान थोड़ा-सा अभागा था। प्राय: रात के समय कोई बकरी रस्सी तोड़कर ऊपर पहाड़ियों की ओर भाग जाती। ऐसा इसलिए था कि बकरियाँ आजादी पसंद करती थीं। उसकी बकरियाँ सर्वोत्तम पहाड़ी क्षेत्र की थीं। पहाड़ी क्षेत्र की बकरियाँ किसी पेड़ या खंभे से बाँधे जाना पंसद नहीं करती हैं। पर यह आजादी उनके लिए जान लेवा बन गई। पहाड़ियों में रहने वाली एक बूढ़ा भेड़िया उन्हें खा गया।

एक दिन जब उसकी सारी बकरियाँ समाप्त हो गयीं, अब्बू खान बड़ा दु:खी हुआ। उसने निश्चय किया कि अब वह कोई बकरी पैट के रूप में नहीं रखेगा। पर उसने शीघ्र ही अपना विचार बदल लिया। ऐसा इसलिए हुआ कि बकरियों के बिना वह बड़ा अकेला हो गया। अब उसने एक बहुत छोटी बकरी खरीदी। उसने सोचा कि यह उसके पास काफी अधिक समय तक रहेगी। उसने निश्चय किया कि वह बकरी से इतना प्यार करेगा कि वह कभी न भागे। अत: उसने एक सुन्दर छोटी बकरी खरीद ली। उसने उसका नाम चाँदनी रखा।

अब्बू खाँ के पास चाँदनी कई वर्षों तक रही। पर जब वह बड़ी हुई तो उसे भी ऊपर पहाड़ियों पर जाने की इच्छा हुई। वह उनकी ओर दौड़ी परन्तु रस्सी ने उसे रोक लिया। अत: वह अपने गले में पड़ी रस्सी से घृणा करने लगी।

शीघ्र ही उसने घास खाना बंद कर दिया। उसने अब्बू खान की कहानियों को शौक से सुनना भी बंद कर दिया। वह बड़ी दुबली और दु:खी हो गई। अब्बू खान को उसकी समस्या समझ नहीं आई। आखिर चाँदनी ने उससे साफ-साफ बात करने की ठान ली। उसने उससे कहा कि वह उसे पहाड़ियों पर जाने दे। अब अब्बू खान चाँदनी की समस्या जान गया। उसने चाँदनी को बताया कि ऊपर जाने में मौत का खतरा है। चाँदनी ने कहा कि वह अपने सींगों से भेड़िये से लड़ेगी। अब्बू खान ने उसे बताया कि यह असंभव है। उसने उसे उसकी बहन कलुआ की कहानी सुनाई जो किसी हिरण जैसी बड़ी थी। फिर भी भेड़िया उसे खा गया। चाँदनी फिर भी पहाड़ियों पर जाना चाहती थी।

अब्बू खाँ को बड़ा क्रोध आया। वह चांदनी से प्यार करता था और उसकी जिंदगी बचाना चाहता था। अत: उसने उसे एक छोटी झोंपड़ी में बंद कर दिया। पर वह खिड़की बंद करना भूल गया। उसी रात चांदनी खिड़की से निकल कर पहाड़ियों की तरफ भाग गई।

चाँदनी पहाड़ियों पर पहुँच गई। उसने अपनी आजादी का आनन्द उठाया। चाँदनी को लगा यह उसके जीवन का सबसे ज्यादा खुशी का दिन था। वह घास भरी पहाड़ियों पर घंटों खेलती रही। उसे जंगली बकरों का एक अँड मिला। उन लोगों ने उसे अपनी जमात में शामिल होने को कहा। लेकिन चाँदनी ने इसे इनकार कर दिया। वह अपनी नई आजादी का आनन्द अपने आप उठाना चाहती थी।

उसके बाद रात हो गई। चारों ओर शांति छा गई। उस शांति भरे वातावरण में चाँदनी ने एक भेड़िये की आवाज सुनी। वह भयभीत हो गई। एक बार उसने अब्बू खान के पास लौट जाने की सोची। फिर उसने इसके विपरीत निश्चय किया। “खुले मैदान में मरना एक बन्द झोंपड़ी में जीने से ज्यादा बेहतर है।”

भेड़िया अब चाँदनी के बिल्कुल आमने-सामने खड़ा था। चाँदनी ने देखा वह मेड़िये की तुलना में बहुत छोटी थी। फिर भी उसने साहस नहीं खोया। “मुझे जमकर लड़ना चाहिए, चाँदनी ने सोचा। वह लड़ी क्योंकि उसे किसी भी कीमत पर अपनी आजादी बरकरार रखनी थी। हारना या जीतना तो भाग्य या संयोग की बात थी।

चाँदनी बहुत बहादुरी से लड़ी। वे दोनों सारी रात एक-दूसरे से लड़ते रहे। लेकिन सूर्य की पहली किरण ने चाँदनी को मरा हुआ देखा। वह जमीन पर खून में लथपथ पड़ी थी। भेड़िया उसे खाने की तैयारी कर रहा था। पक्षियों के एक समूह ने इस लड़ाई को देखा था। उनमें से अधिकांश ने सोचा कि भेड़िया जीत गया था। पर एक बुद्धिमान बूढे पक्षी ने चाँदनी को विजयी घोषित किया।

-- Word Meanings --

• String - रस्सी

• Breed - प्रजाति 

• Unfortunately - दुर्भाग्य 

• Hardship - कठिनाईयां 

• Mystery - रहस्य 

• Puzzled - असमंजस भरा

• Departure - चले जाना 

• Insane - मूर्ख 

• Gleamy - चमकिला 

• Fondness - लगाव

• Adore - सराहना करना 

• Anguish - क्रोधित होना 

• Confront - सामना करना 

• Predicament - कठिन हालात 

• Shattered - बिखर जाना 

• Obstinate - जिद्दी 

• Delicious - स्वादिष्ट

• Thunder - तेज़ आवाज़ में बोलना 

• Yell - चीखना

• Terrified - डरा हुआ 

• Treacherous - नमक हराम

• Preserve - बचाना 

• Courageous - साहसी 

• Ferocious - क्रूर

• Confine - छोटी जगह 

-- NCERT Solutions --

Comprehension Check - 1

Question 1.- Why did Abbu Khan’s goats want to run away? What happened to them in the hills?

Answer:- Abbu Khan’s goats wanted to run away because they wanted freedom to go to the beautiful hills and enjoy eating the fresh green grass. A wolf used to kill and eat them in the hills.

Question 2.- Abbu Khan said, “No more goats in my house ever again.” Then he changed his mind. Why?

Answer:- Abbu Khan said, “No more goats in my house ever again.” Then he changed his mind because he felt very lonely.

Question 3.- Why did he buy a young goat?

Answer:- He bought a young goat with the thought that the young goat would stay with him for a longer time and would not leave him for freedom.

Comprehension Check - 2

Question 1.- Why did Chandni hate the rope round her neck?

Answer:- Chandni hated the rope around her neck because it pulled her back from going to the beautiful hills. She wanted to be free of it knowing the possible consequences.

Question 2.- “Now Abbu Khan understood Chandni’s problem…” What was Chandni’s problem?

Answer:- Chandni’s problem was that knowing the consequences, she wanted to go to the hills. She chose freedom over life. She thought that it was better to face the wolf while being free than staying chained forever.

Question 3.- Abbu Khan pushed Chandni into a small hut. This shows that he

i) was cruel.

ii) loved her and wanted to save her life.

iii) was selfish.

Answer:- ii) loved her and wanted to save her life.

Comprehension Check - 3

Question 1.- Why did Chandni refuse to join the group of wild goats?

Answer:- Chandni refused to join the group of wild goats because she wanted to enjoy her freedom entirely.

Question 2.- Chandni fought the wolf because she

i) was stronger than the wolf.

ii) hated the wolf.

iii) had to retain her freedom at all costs.

Answer:- iii) had to retain her freedom at all costs.

Exercises

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1.- Why did the wise old bird say, “Chandni is the winner”?

Answer:- The wise old bird said, “Chandni is the winner” because she faced her fear like a warrior. She did not stay chained just to be alive. On the contrary, she fought for her freedom. She did not lose her freedom.

Question 2.- “Death in an open field is better than life in a small hut,” Chandni said to herself. Was it the right decision? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer:- “Death in an open field is better than life in a small hut,” Chandni said to herself.

Although it was a tough and brave decision, I think that one’s own life should not be the cost one pays for one’s own freedom. Chandni could have listened to Abbu Khan and stayed with him happily.

Question 3.- Freedom is life. Discuss this with reference to ‘Chandni’ and ‘I Want Something in a Cage’.

Answer:- Freedom is life. In the lesson “I Want Something in a Cage”, the strange man frees two doves from the cage. They were set free to enjoy freedom. The strange man, who had spent ten years in jail, knew the value of freedom.

In the chapter “Chandni” too, the struggle is for freedom but it is at the cost of her own life.

-- Frequently Asked Questions --

Question 1.- How did Abbu Khan keep his goats? 

Answer:-  Abbu Khan, an old man, used to pet a lot of goats and kept them in the following manner—

• He took his goats out for grazing in fields during the day and would chat with them as his own children.  

• At night he used to bring them back to his residence and put strings around their necks.

Question 2.- What would Abbu Khan do to his goats at night? 

Answer:-  Abbu Khan used to talk to his pet goats at night. What he would do with them after that can be elaborated as follows—

• Firstly, Abbu Khan would put the goats back in his little hut.

• Then he would tie the strings around their neck so that they could not run away and stay safe during the night. 

Question 3.- Why was Abbu Khan unlucky in the matter of his goats?

Answer:- Abbu Khan was unlucky in the matter of his pet goats because at night any one of his goats would run away into the hills frequently and then get killed by a wolf.

Question 4.- How did the goats try to run away?

Answer:-  Abbu Khan’s goats had strings tied up around their necks. So, to run away they would apply the following tactics—

• They would exert pressure on those strings by pulling them. 

• Lastly, the strings would break or get loosened enough for the goats to run away.

Question 5.- What thing did goats hate the most? 

Answer:-  The goats, especially those staying in hills, hated being tied to trees or poles because they loved freedom more than anything.

Question 6.- What goats hated being tied to the trees and why? 

Answer:-  Goats that live in mountains or hilly regions hate being tied to trees or poles. The goats hasted so because of the following reasons—

• They loved their freedom more than anything. 

• Rather than being tied up in a small room, they would prefer to roam or graze around the hills. 

• That is why whenever they got a chance, they ran away from their owners.

Question 7.- How would Abbu Khan react when his goats ran away?

Answer:-  Abbu Khan had many goats as his pet and he loved them very dearly. So, when he would see the goats being disappeared, he would react in the following manner— 

• Firstly, he would become sad. 

• He would also try to figure out why the tasty grass and grains and the love that he used to give the goats did not stop them from running away.

Question 8.- What did he wonder about the goats? 

Answer:-  Abbu Khan thought of goats as his children but when these ran away he would keep wondering the following things about them—

• Abbu Khan would think of them as unfortunate goats ruining their own lives by running straight into the jaws of death. 

• He thought that the goats were mad.

• But then he would also wonder whether this running away indicated their quest for freedom that meant struggle and death.

Question 9.- What did Abbu Khan decide one day? 

Answer:- After all his goats ran away one by one, Abbu Khan was very sad and took the following decision— 

• He decided that he would not domesticate any more goats in his hut.

• He also decided to live alone for the rest of his life.

• However, his decision soon proved to be wrong as he felt very lonely in absence of his pets.

Question 10.- Did Abbu Khan live alone after he had decided so? 

Answer:-  Abbu Khan decided to live alone after all his goats fled one by one. But he failed to do so. After a gap of a few days, he bought a young goat and kept it in his house.

-- By Durgesh Pandey

(Eklavya Coaching Institute)