Class:- 8 English (It So Happened) Chapter - 3 The Selfish Giant Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions

Class:- 8 English 

(It So Happened)

Chapter - 3

The Selfish Giant

Summary, Word Meanings, NCERT Solutions & Frequently Asked Questions  

-- Summary --

⭐ Summary In English

Part - I

• Children in Giant’s Garden:- Children used to play in the Giant’s garden every afternoon. They did so while coming from school. It was a large lovely garden. It had soft grass. There were fruit trees in it. They bore rich fruit. The birds sang sweetly. The children were happy to play in it.

• The Return of the Giant:- One day the Giant came back after seven years. He had stayed with his friend the Cornish Ogre. He saw the children playing in his garden. The children ran away as they saw him. He said that it was his own garden. He would not allow anyone to play there. He built a wall around it. He also put a notice-board. It had a warning on it “Trespassers will be prosecuted”.

• The Sad Children:- The children had no other place to play. They used to wander round the high walls. They used to talk about the beautiful garden inside.

• The Sadder Garden:- The spring came. There were blossoms and little birds. But it was winter in the Giant’s garden. The birds didn’t sing as there were no children. Once a beautiful flower came out of the grass. But it saw the notice-board. It went back to sleep. In the Giant’s garden there were the Snow and the Frost. Everything in it looked white. Then came the North Wind. It stayed with them. The Hail also came.

• Fruit of Selfishness:- The selfish Giant looked at the cold and white garden. The spring didn’t come to his garden. There were golden fruit in the Autumn. But it didn’t come to his garden. The Winter, the North Wind, the Hail, the Frost, the snow danced there.

• Spring in the Garden:- One morning the Giant heard some lovely music. It was very sweet. He thought that it must be the King’s musicians. But it was a linnet. She was singing outside his window. The Giant found its song very sweet. Then the Hail stopped dancing. The North Wind stopped. The Giant felt that the spring had come.

Part - II

• The Most Wonderful Sight:- The Giant saw the most lovely sight. The children had entered his garden through a little hole. They were sitting in the branches of the trees. The trees were very glad to have them. They had blossomed. The birds were flying about. They were chirping also. The flowers were also looking up. It was a lovely sight. But in one corner, there was still winter.

• The Little Boy:- In that corner a small boy was standing. He could not reach the branches of the trees. He was crying and wandering about. The North Wind blew and roared. The Tree asked the boy to climb. It bent its branches down. But the boy couldn’t climb.

• The Giant Repents:- The Giant’s heart melted at this scene. He said that he was really selfish. He also said that he now understood why the spring didn’t come. He would put that little boy on the top of the tree. He would also pull down the wall. His garden shall be the children’s playground forever. He was sorry for what he had done.

• The Children and The Giant Play:- When the children saw the Giant, they ran away. The garden became winter again. Only the little boy didn’t run. He was weeping. He didn’t see the Giant coming. The Giant put the boy up into the tree. The tree blossomed at once. The little boy kissed the Giant. The other children saw that the Giant was not wicked. They came running back. With them came the spring. The Giant told the children that it was their garden. He pulled down the wall. People saw the giant playing with the children during noon.

• The Absent Child:- Every afternoon the children came and played with the Giant. But the Giant wanted to see the little boy. The little boy did not come.

• Most Beautiful Flowers:- Years went over. The Giant grew very weak. He watched the children playing. He used to say that children were the most beautiful flowers.

• The Return of the Little Boy:- One winter morning the Giant suddenly rubbed his eyes. He saw a very beautiful scene. In one corner there stood a lovely tree with white blossoms. Its branches were golden. The little boy stood under it. The Giant saw that the little boy was wounded. He had the print of two nails on his hands and feet. The Giant was very angry. He said that he would slay the man who had wounded him.

• Paradise:- But the boy told the Giant that those were the wounds of love. The Giant at once asked the boy who he was. A strange fear fell on the Giant. The boy smiled. He told the Giant to come with him to his garden. His garden was paradise.

• The Giant Found Dead:- The children found the Giant dead under tree. He was covered with white blossoms.

⭐ Summary In Hindi

भाग - I

• दैत्य के बाग में बच्चे:- प्रतिदिन दोपहर बाद बच्चे दानव के बाग में खेलते थे। वे स्कूल से आते हुए ऐसा करते थे। यह बड़ा तथा सुन्दर बाग था। इसमें नर्म घास थी। इसमें फलों के वृक्ष थे। उनमें सुन्दर फल लगते थे। पक्षी मीठा गाते थे। इसमें खेलकर बच्चे खुश थे।

• दैत्य की वापसी:- सात वर्ष पश्चात् एक दिन दानवे वापस आ गया। वह अपने मित्र कॉरनिश ओग्र के साथ रुका था। उसने बच्चों को अपने बाग में खेलते देखा। बच्चे उसे देखते ही भाग गये। उसने कहा कि यह उसका अपना बाग था। वह इसमें किसी को भी खेलने नहीं देगा। उसने इसके चारों तरफ एक दीवार बना ली। उसने एक नोटिस बोर्ड भी लगा दिया। इस पर एक चेतावनी लिखी थी “अनाधिकार प्रवेश करनेवालों को कानूनी दण्ड दिया जाएगा।”

• दु:खी बच्चे:- बच्चों के लिये खेलने का कोई अन्य स्थान नहीं था। वे ऊँची दीवारों के चारों तरफ घूमते थे। वे अन्दर वाले सुन्दर बाग के बारे में बातें किया करते थे।

• दु:खी बाग:- बसन्त आ गया। कलियाँ और छोटे-छोटे पक्षी आ गए। परन्तु दानव के बाग में शीत ऋतु थी। पक्षियों ने नहीं गाया क्योंकि वहाँ बच्चे नहीं थे। एक बार एक सुन्दर फूल घास के ऊपर आया। परन्तु | इसने नोटिस-बोर्ड देखा। यह वापस सोने चला गया। दानव के बाग में स्नो और फ्रोस्ट थे। इसमें हरेक वस्तु सफेद दिखाई देती थी। फिर नॉर्थ विण्ड (उत्तरी हवा) आई। यह उनके साथ रुक गई। ओले भी पड़े।

• स्वार्थ का फल:- खुदगर्ज दानव ने ठण्डे और सफेद बाग पर देखा। बसन्त उसके बाग में नहीं आया। ऑटम (पतझड़) में सुनहरे फल थे। परन्तु यह उसके बाग में नहीं आया। विन्टर, नॉर्थ विण्ड, हेल (ओले), फ्रोस्ट, स्नो वहाँ नाचते थे।

• बाग में बसंत:- एक सुबह दानव ने कुछ मधुर संगीत सुना। यह काफी मधुर था। उसने सोचा कि अवश्य ही यह सम्राट के संगीतकार होंगे। परन्तु यह लिन्नट पक्षी थी। वह उसकी खिड़की के बाहर गा रही थी। दानव को इसका गाना काफी मधुर लगा। फिर हेल ने नाचना बन्द कर दिया। नॉर्थ विण्ड रुक गई। दानव ने अनुभव किया कि बसंत आ गया है।

भाग - II

• अति अद्भुत दृश्य:- दानव ने एक अति सुन्दर दृश्य देखा। बच्चे एक छोटे से छेद में से उसके बाग में घुस आये थे। वे वृक्षों की टहनियों में बैठे थे। उन्हें पाकर वृक्ष काफी खुश थे। वे खिल गये थे। पक्षी इधर-उधर उड़ रहे थे। वे चहचहा भी रहे थे। फूल भी ऊपर देख रहे थे। यह काफी सुन्दर नजारा था। परन्तु एक कोने में अब भी शीतकाल था।

• छोटा लड़का:- उस कोने में एक छोटा बच्चा खड़ा था। वह वृक्षों की टहनियों में नहीं जा सका था। वह रो रहा था और इधर-उधर घूम रहा था। नॉर्थ विण्ड बह रही थी और गरज रही थी। वृक्ष ने बच्चे को चढ़ने के लिये कहा। इसने अपनी टहनियों को नीचे झुका दिया। परन्तु बच्चा चढ़ नहीं सका।

• दानव पछताता है:- इसे दृश्य पर दानव का दिल पिघल गया। उसने कहा कि वह वास्तव में खुदगर्ज है। उसने यह भी कहा कि वह अब समझ गया है कि बसन्त क्यों नहीं आया। वह उस छोटे बच्चे को वृक्ष की चोटी पर पहुँचायेगा। वह दीवार को भी गिरा देगा। हमेशा के लिए उसका बाग बच्चों को खेल का मैदान बनेगा। जो कछ उसने किया था उसके लिए उसे दुख था।

• बच्चे और दैत्य खेलते हैं:- जब बच्चों ने दानव को देखा तो वे दौड़ गये। बाग फिर शीतकाल बन गया। केवल छोटा बच्चा नहीं दौड़ा। वह रो रहा था। उसने दानव को आते नहीं देखा। दानव ने उसे (बालक को) वृक्ष में पहुँचा दिया। वृक्ष तुरन्त खिल गया। छोटे बच्चे ने दानव का चुम्बन लिया। दूसरे बच्चों ने देखा कि दानव दुष्ट नहीं है। वे दौड़ते हए वापस आ गये। उनके साथ बसन्त भी आ गया। दानव ने बच्चों को बताया कि यह उनका बाग है। उसने दीवार गिरा दी। लोगों ने दानव को दोपहर के समय बच्चों के साथ खेलते देखा।

• अनुपस्थित बच्चा:- प्रतिदिन दोपहर बाद बच्चे आते थे और दानव के साथ खेलते थे। परन्तु दानव छोटे बच्चे को देखना चाहता था। छोटा बच्चा नहीं आया।

• सबसे सुन्दर फूल:- वर्षों गुजर गये। दानव काफी कमजोर हो गया। वह बच्चों को खेलते देखता। वह कहा करता था कि बच्चे सबसे सुन्दर फूल होते है।

• छोटे लड़के की वापसी:- एक शीत ऋतु की सुबह दानव ने अचानक आँखें रगड़नी आरम्भ की। उसने एक बड़ा सुन्दर दृश्य देखा। एक कोने में सफेद कलियों से लदा एक सुन्दर वृक्ष खड़ा था। इसकी टहनियाँ सुनहरी थीं। छोटा लड़का इसके नीचे खड़ा था। दानव ने देखा कि छोटा । लड़का घायल था। उसके हाथों और पैरों पर नाखूनों के दो निशान थे। दानव काफी गुस्सा हुआ। उसने कहा कि वह उस व्यक्ति का कत्ल कर देगा जिसने उसे घायल किया था।

• स्वर्ग:- परन्तु लड़के ने दानव को बताया कि वे घाव प्यार के थे। दानव ने लड़के से एकदम पूछा कि तुम कौन हो। एक अद्भुत भय दानव पर छा गया। लड़का मुस्कुराया। उसने दानव को उसके साथ उसके बाग में आने को कहा। उसका बाग स्वर्ग था।

• दैत्य मृत मिला:- बच्चों ने दानव को वृक्ष के नीचे मरा पाया। वह सफेद कलियों से ढका हुआ था।

-- Moral -- 

Life is better with generosity and kindness and not selfishness.

-- Word Meanings -- 

• Giant - राक्षस, दानव 

• Selfish - मतलबी 

• Dedicate - कोमल 

• Blossoms - पुष्प, फुल 

• Gruff -  रूखा 

• Prosecute - दंडित करना 

• Wander round - इधर उधर घुमना 

• Snow - बर्फ़ 

• Frost - पाला

• Cloak - आड़ 

• Wrap - लपेटना, ढ़ंक लेना

• Frighten - डरना, डराना

• Bid - कहना, बोलना 

• Grow - उगना, बढ़ना 

• Feeble - कमजोर हो जाना 

• Rub - रगड़ना

-- NCERT Solutions --

Comprehension Check (Page 20)

Question 1.- Why is the Giant called selfish?

Answer:- The Giant was called selfish because he wanted to keep his garden reserved only for himself. He banned the entry of outsiders there.

Question 2.- On one occasion the children said: “How happy we are here!”

Later they said: “How happy we were there!”

What are they referring to in both the cases? 

Answer:- In both the cases the children are referring to the Giant’s garden. In the first sentence they say that they are enjoying in the giant’s garden. But in the second sentence it is beyond their reach.

Question 3.- i) When spring came, it was still winter in the garden. What does winter stand for or indicate here?

Answer:- Winter indicates that flowers did not bloom in the Giant’s garden. The birds didn’t sing. There was no sign of joy and greenery.

ii) Winter has been presented like a story with its own characters and their activities. Describe the story in your own words.

Answer:- Winter has been portrayed as destroyer. It has its own characters. Snow and frost are the most prominent factors. Trees have been covered with white cloak. The trees look lifeless. North wind has come to stay there permanently. Hails settle on the roof.

Question 4.- Was the Giant happy or sad over the state of the garden?

Answer:- The Giant felt sad to see the state of his garden. Different seasons brought no change in it.

Question 5.- What effect did the linnet’s song have over Hail and the North Wind?

Answers:- As an effect of the linnet’s song the Hail stopped dancing over his head. Similarly the North Wind ceased roaring.

Comprehension Check (Page 24)

Question1.- i) The Giant saw a most wonderful sight. What did he see?

Answer:- The Giant saw that through a little hole in the wall the children had entered into the garden. They were sitting in the branches of the trees. In every tree that he could see there was a little child. And the trees were glad to have the children back again that they had covered themselves with blossoms and were waning their hands gently above the child run’s heads. The birds were flying and twittering with delight, and flowers were laughing.

ii) What did he realise on seeing it?

Answer:- He realised that he himself was to blame for the year round winter in his garden. He called himself selfish.

Question 2.- Why was it still winter in one comer of the garden?

Answer:- Only in one comer of the garden there was winter still. The reason was that a little boy could not climb the tree like other boys. He stood under a tree weeping.

Question 3.- Describe the first meeting of the little boy and the Giant.

Answer:- In the first meeting of the boy and the Giant, the Giant lifted him gently and put him in the branch of that tree. The tree suddenly broke into flowers and the birds began to sing. The child kissed the Giant.

Question 4.- Describe their second meeting after a long interval.

Answer:- In the second meeting after so many years, the Giant saw wounds on the little boy’s palm and feet. He became furious. He wanted to kill the man who had wounded the child. But the boy said that those were wounds of love.

Question 5.- The Giant lay dead, all covered with white blossoms. What does this sentence indicate about the once selfish Giant?

Answer:- This indicates that the Giant had been blessed by Lord Christ himself. He was neither cruel nor selfish So Christ forgave him and took him to paradise.

Exercise (Page 24)

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1:- The little child’s hands arid feet had marks of nails. Who does the child remind you of? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer:- The nail’s marks on the child’s hands and feet remind us of Lord Christ. He was put on a cross and nails were hammered into his palms and feet.

Question 2:- Is there something like this garden near where you live? Would you like one (without the Giant perhaps) and why? What would you do to keep it in good shape?

Answer:- A park is a public place. It is like the lungs in human body. It gives us fresh air. The greenery is soothing to the eyes. A private garden, however, has to be used by the people with care and caution. The children must not spoil the flower beds and the grassy lawns even in a public park. I would never play football in a park nor let other children do so.

-- Previous Year Questions --

Question 1:- Describe in brief the Giant’s garden.

Answer:- The Giant’s garden was very beautiful. It had soft green grass. Here and there over the grass stood beautiful flowers like stars and there were twelve peach trees that in the spring time broke out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl, and in autumn bore rich fruit.

Question 2:- Where had the Giant gone? What did he see when he arrived?

Answer:- The Giant had gone to his friend, the Cornish Ogre and had stayed with him for seven years. When he arrived he saw the children playing in the garden.

Question 3:- Why did he build a high wall round his garden?

Answer:- He didn’t want children to play in his garden. Therefore, he built a high wall round it in order to stop them from entering it.

Question 4:- What happened to the Giant’s garden when the spring came?

Answer:- All over the country there were little blossoms and little words. But the Giant’s garden remained deprived of them. There was still winter there instead of the spring. The birds didn’t care to sing in it, as there were no children and the trees forgot to blossom.

Question 5:- What changes came to be noticed in the Giant’s behaviour?

Answer:- Previously he was a selfish Giant. He didn’t like children and their playing in his garden. But one day he realised his fault and became affectionate towards them. He opened his garden for them. He began to play with them.

Question 6.- Whom did the Giant love most? Why?

Answer:- The Giant loved the little boy most because he had kissed him. He felt helpless and began to cry. The Giant saw him. His heart melted all of a sudden. He came to the little boy and put him into the tree. The tree broke at once into blossom and the birds came and sang on it. The little boy became happy. He stretched out his two arms and flung them round the Giant’s neck, and kissed him. The Giant’s joy knew no bounds. He (the Giant) made the little boy his friend.

Question 7:- What evidence do you find in the story about the Giant’s selfishness and wicked nature? Did he stick to this? How do you know?

Answer:- The Giant was self centred and wicked. He wanted his garden only for his own use. He forbade the entry of children there. He put up a notice board that who soever entered the garden without his permission would be punished. He also got a high wall constructed all around it. Children were horrified to see this. They flew away from the garden. It shows the giant’s selfishness and wicked nature. But he didn’t stick to this. He became soft towards the children. He broke the wall that he had constructed around his garden and allowed the children to play there. He regarded the children as the most beautiful flowers of all.

-- By Durgesh Pandey

(Eklavya Coaching Institute)

📞 8376976688, 9310533915

Give Us Your Feedback/Suggestions:-

 https://wa.me/message/FAEEY5IANRWIA1