Class 9 English - PUNJAB
Supplementary: In the Kingdom of Fools
Supplementary: In the Kingdom of Fools is a traditional Kannada folktale retold by A.K. Ramanujan, featured in the Class 9 Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) English curriculum. The story satirizes foolish governance and absurd decision-making, where a foolish king and his idiot minister flip day and night, turning the entire kingdom upside down. It matters greatly for board exams because it tests students' comprehension of irony, humor, and moral storytelling. Examiners frequently ask descriptive questions about how justice turns upside down and the wisdom of the guru who saves his disciple.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
The Absurd Decree
The foolish king and minister order everyone to sleep during the day and work at night, punishing any disobedience with death.
The Chain of Blame
A thief dies when a wall collapses, leading to a hilarious chain where the owner, bricklayer, dancing girl, and goldsmith are successively accused.
The Irony of Execution
The stake is too small for the fat merchant, so the king orders whoever fits it first to be executed, trapping his own foolish disciple.
Wisdom vs. Folly
The wise guru uses his cleverness and flattery to trick the foolish king and his minister into getting executed themselves, saving the kingdom.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Punjab (PSEB) Class 9 English exams, this chapter typically carries about 3 to 5 marks. Questions usually include short answer questions based on the plot or character traits, and long answer questions focusing on the theme of foolishness and the clever trick played by the guru.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the guru and his disciple find the kingdom strange?
Everything cost the same—a single duddu—whether it was a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas, because the king and minister had ordered day to be night and night to be day.
Why did the disciple want to stay in the Kingdom of Fools?
The disciple was tempted by the cheap and abundant food available for just one duddu, ignoring his guru's warning that it was unsafe to live among fools.
How did the guru manage to save his disciple's life?
The guru played a clever trick by telling the king that the stake was the stake of justice and whoever died on it first would be reborn as the king in the next life, making the foolish king and minister offer themselves for execution.
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