The Lost Child Summary
It was the time of spring festival. There was great excitement in the atmosphere. The people could be seen busy going to the fair, all in a happy mood. Some walked, some rode on horses, others sat, being carried in bamboo and bullock carts. A child was also heading towards the fair along with his parents. He was very happy and excited. While his parents were going ahead with all their attention on reaching the fair, the child enjoyed the beauty of the nature with utmost curiosity.
The child’s joy reached its climax once he set his foot in the fair. His eyes got attracted to everything. The stalls of toys and sweets fascinated him too much. He wanted them but was well aware of his father’s harsh attitude.
His mother, however, tried to pacify him and divert his attention towards other things. The child was so busy in observing different things in the fair that he used to lag behind his parents every now and then. Every time he wanted something but was discouraged by his parents. As they moved forward, the child got demurred by the decorative items on the stalls. His mouth watered seeing sweets decorated with gold and silver leaves.
“I want burfi”, he slowly murmured. But he half knew as he begged that his plea would not be heeded. So without waiting for an answer, he moved on. Then he got attracted to a garland of Gulmohar but did not ask for it. Then he saw colorful balloons and was filled with an overwhelming desire to get them all. But he knew that his parents would say he was too old to play with balloons.
So he walked away. The child then saw a snake- charmer. He liked the music played by the charmer and wanted to stay for a while to listen to it but again he was discouraged by his parents. Then he saw a roundabout swing and wanted to get a ride on it. This time he could not resist himself and called for his parents. On getting no reply, he turned to look at his parents. But they were not there.
The panic-stricken child made frantic searches for his parents here and there but found them nowhere. Then he realised that he was lost and separated from his parents. He began to weep bitterly and tried to console him by offering many different things sold in the fair. He offered him sweets, balloons and garlands but the child refused them all.
Question-answers
Question 1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
Answer
The child sees a number of things which fascinate him on his way to the fair.
Firstly, he saw toys at a shop.
Then he saw a flowering mustard field.
In the fields, the child also saw dragon flies,butterflies fluttering their wings
Then while walking on the footpath he was amazed by the insects and worms
When he entered the grove he saw doves which were cooing
As he neared the village with his parents, he saw huge crowds of people going to the fair
The child also came across sweetmeat seller selling sweets like burfi and gulabjamun and a little further he came across a flower seller who was selling a garland of gulmohar
Walking ahead, he saw a man selling rainbow colour balloons
He also saw a snake charmer who stood playing a flute to a snake
Finally, before losing track of his parents he saw a roundabout swing.
The child keeps lagging behind his parents on the way and his mother and father have to constantly call him so that he doesn’t lag behind. This is because the child is fascinated by all the things he sees on his way. At times, he stops to be able to buy toys and at other times he stops to admire the beauty of the nature – collecting flowers, catching butterflies.
Question 2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
Answer
The child wanted many things in fair. They are:
Toys and Balloons
Sweets from the sweetmeat seller
Garland of gulmohar
Watching the snake charmer play flute to a snake
A ride in the roundabout
The boy moved on without waiting for an answer because he knew that his request would be denied at each step.
Question 3. When does he realize that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?
Answer
He realises that he has lost his way when on reaching the roundabout; he stopped to observe it moving in full swing, with men, women and children enjoying themselves on it. Watching them intently he turned to his parents to ask for permission to go on the rounds but there was no reply from them. He turned to look for them but they were not there. He looked all around but there was no sign of them. A full, deep cry rose within his dry throat and with a sudden jerk of his body he ran from where he stood, crying out in real fear “Mother, Father.” Tears rolled down from his eyes, his flushed face was convulsed with fear. Panic-stricken, he ran from one side to the other, in all directions, knowing not where to go. His yellow turban came untied and his clothes became muddy.
Question 4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
Answer
The lost child loses interest in the things that he had wanted earlier because he was panic stricken on being separated from his parents. All he wanted was to be united with them. All the things that attracted him in the fair no longer appeal to him and now the only thing that matters is finding his parents.
Question 5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
Answer
In the end the parents, who continuously kept checking to see that he was with them right from the beginning of their journey may have suddenly realized that he was missing and come looking for the lost child. The kind and understanding man who tried to console the little boy by offering him various things at the fair may have also asked him for some description of his parents and helped him to be reunited with them.
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