Important Question and Answers
Q. How did the fishmongers lure the customers to buy Hilsa-fish?
Ans. The fishmongers lured the customers by saying that the price of the Hilsa-fish had come down that day.
Q. What did Gopal’s wife think about him?
Ans. Gopal’s wife thought that her husband had gone mad.
Q. What was the king’s reaction when he came to know that he had lost the challenge?
Ans. The king was happy about it and congratulated Gopal for winning the challenge.
Q. How can you say that it was the season of Hilsa-fish?
Ans. All the people including the king’s courtiers talked about the Hilsa-fish only, the whole time. Thus, we can say that it was the season of Hilsa-fish.
Q. Which challenge of the king did Gopal accept?
Ans. Gopal’s cleverness was doubted by the king. The king did not think that Gopal would be able to buy a huge Hilsa-fish and bring it to the palace without anyone asking him about it. The same challenge was accepted by Gopal.
Q. Why did the king congratulate Gopal?
Ans. The Hilsa-fish had been bought by Gopal and no one had asked him about it on his way to the palace. He had done, what the king had thought was impossible by dressing himself in a strange disguise.
Q. What did the king ask Gopal to do to or prove that he was clever? Or How did the king suspect Gopal’s cleverness?
Ans. Gopal was asked to prove his cleverness to the king. The king asked him to buy a huge Hilsa-fish and bring it to the palace without anybody asking anything about it.
Q. What did the people think about Gopal and why?
Ans. The people, including his wife, thought that suddenly Gopal had gone crazy. This opinion was formed because: (i) he had only partially shaved his face, (ii) he had smeared himself with ash, and, (iii) he had put on rags.
Q. Who was Gopal? Why did the gatekeeper finally let Gopal meet the king?
Ans. Gopal was the most clever fellow at the court of the king (known for his wisdom and presence of mind). He was dressed like a madman. Therefore, the gatekeeper did not allow him to meet the king. So Gopal started making much noise. He also began to dance and sing loudly. The people on the gate got angry. They called him insane. Some people wanted him to be thrown out. The king heard those voices. He ordered the servants to bring him immediately. The gatekeeper was compelled to obey the king, and he let Gopal meet the king.
Q. How did the courtier and the king react on Gopal’s arrival to the palace?
Ans. Gopal arrived at the king’s palace gate. He carried a Hilsa-Fish in his hand. The gatekeepers refused to let him in and some people wanted to throw him out. However, the king ordered his servants to let him in. Most of the courtiers thought that Gopal had gone mad. Some courtiers thought it to be one of his silly and crazy jokes. The king also had a poor opinion of Gopal. He thought that Gopal was foolish as he had dressed up in a ridiculous fashion. The king could not help laughing when Gopal reminded him of his challenge. The king praised and congratulated him. The courtiers also praised him.
Q. What happened when the king heard his courtier’s talking about Hilsa-fish?
Ans. When the king heard his courtiers talking about Hilsa-fish, he lost his temper and warned them that they were courtiers and not fishermen. But the king soon felt guilty, looking at his nervous and humble courtiers after he had rebuked them. His tone changed and he said that it was the season of Hilsa-fish and nobody could be stopped from talking about it.
Q. Why did Gopal’s wife find his activities strange?
Ans. Gopal had half-shaven his face and smeared ash over himself. He had put on rags and was looking disgraceful. She asked Gopal the reason for such weird acts. She tried to stop him from going out like that but Gopal told her that he was going to buy a Hilsa-fish. At last she concluded that Gopal had gone mad.