Class 9 English - UP
Supplementary: In the Kingdom of Fools
Supplementary: In the Kingdom of Fools is a Kannada folktale translated by A.K. Ramanujan, featured in the Class 9 UPMSP English syllabus. The chapter satirizes foolish governance and blind following of absurd rules. It tells the story of a foolish king and his idiot minister who turned day into night and night into day, and how a wise guru and his disciple cleverly outsmarted them. For UPMSP board exams, this chapter is crucial for testing reading comprehension, character analysis, and narrative sequencing through short and long answer questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Absurd Rule of the Kingdom
The foolish king and minister ordered everyone to work at night and sleep during the day, selling everything for a single duddu (a cheap coin).
The Chain of Blame
A thief dies when a wall collapses, leading to a ridiculous chain of accusations involving the merchant, bricklayer, dancing girl, and goldsmith before reaching the innocent merchant's dead father.
The Foolish Execution
Unable to find the true culprit due to the merchant being too thin for the stake, the king decides to execute whoever fits the stake first, leading to the disciple's arrest.
Wisdom Over Folly
The wise guru returns just in time and uses reverse psychology, tricking the foolish king into believing that the stake is holy and whoever dies on it first will be reborn as the king of the kingdom.
Happy Ending
The king and his minister disguise themselves and get executed on the stake, freeing the kingdom from foolishness, and the people make the guru and disciple their new rulers.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Uttar Pradesh (UPMSP) Class 9 English exams, this chapter regularly carries about 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually include one short answer type question (around 30-40 words) focusing on the plot or characters, and sometimes matching type or multiple-choice questions in the reading or supplementary section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the guru and disciple find the kingdom strange?
Because everyone, including animals, was asleep during the day and awake at night, and everything in the market cost just a single duddu.
Why did the disciple refuse to leave the kingdom?
The disciple was tempted by the extremely cheap and abundant food available in the kingdom, whereas the guru wanted to leave because it was unsafe to live among fools.
How did the guru save his disciple's life?
The guru tricked the foolish king by arguing over who should be executed first, making the king believe that whoever died on the stake first would be reborn as a mighty king.
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