Class 7 English Honeycomb Question Answers - The Ashes that Made Trees Bloom

Q1. How did the real owner of the dog react?
Ans: After the owner of the dog heard about the death of the dog, the old man went at night under the pine tree and mourned for him as if he was his own child. The old man set up some bamboo tubes in the ground, as they are used in tombs, and put some fresh flowers in them. He also kept a cup of water, a plate of food on the grave and burned numerous expensive sticks of incense. He mourned by calling him numerous dear names.

Q2. What does the envious neighbour do when they see that the couple got gold again?
Ans: When the envious neighbour noticed that the old man and woman got wealthy again, they lent the mortar and the magic mill. They loaded the one with boiled rice and the other with beans; they noticed that none of it was transformed into gold but a foul mass of worms. The selfish couple got angry at this also and sliced the mill into bits that will be used as firewood.

Q3. What happened when the old man’s neighbours sprinkled the ashes over Daimio and his wife? What was the result of doing it?
Ans: When the old man’s neighbour saw that Daimio and his wife had rewarded the old couple because of the ashes they had showered and that the trees had blossomed, the neighbours tried to do the same. He ascended the tree with some magical ashes. When Daimio arrived, the wicked man threw a handful of ash onto Daimio and his wife. As a result, it didn’t change into a particle and the ash harmed the nose and eyes of the two. As he had spoiled the dignity of the procession, he was punished by Daimio and his guard who left him for dead.

Q4. Who comes in the dreams of the old man? What happens in the dream? Does the man do what the dog had told? What happened when they did so?
Ans: The dog appears in the dreams of the old man. According to the story, the dog seemed to tell the old man to cut the pine tree which is around his grave and make a mortar for his rice pastries and a grind for his bean sauce. Yes, the elderly man performed what the dog had instructed him to do in his dream; nevertheless, it cost him a tremendous amount of effort. When New Year’s time got near, the old couple wanted to make some rice pastry. After performing all the procedures, they noticed that the whole mass was transformed into a heap of gold coins. And the ground beans had turned into gold.

Q5. Why did the old man sprinkle the ashes on the withered trees? What happened when he did this?
Ans: The old man crushed the ashes on the faded trees because he again dreamed of his dog that informed them about the actions of the wicked people and how they had burnt the mill which the old man produced from the pine tree. When the old man sprinkled the ashes on withered trees all the trees blossomed. When their master the Daimio saw the sorcery, he complimented the old man and presented him with silk robes, fans, and sponge cake. This incident once again made the old couple live to a green old age.

Q6. The unconditional love of old couple made them rich. Elucidate.
Ans: The old couple was issueless so when they found a little dog, they look after as if it were their child. Once he was taken to a heap with buried gold by digging. Later during the New Year feast, they were made rich. Further the king showered him with gifts. Thus, if we spread selfless love to the animals, they too reciprocate with their bountiful love. So, without having selfish interests one should unconditionally love the animals. The one who has selfish interest, would remain empty handed.

Q7. The old farmer is a kind person. What evidence of his kindness do you find in the first two paragraphs.
Ans: The old farmer is a kind person. He loved his dog as if it was his own baby. He fed it with fish with his v- own chopsticks and all the boiled rice it wanted. He was patient and kind to everything that had life and often dug up a sod on purpose to give food to the birds.

Q8. (i) How did the spirit of the dog help the farmer first?
(ii) How did it help him next?
Ans: (i) The spirit of the dog came in the farmer’s dream and first asked him to chop the pine tree and make mortar and hand-mill out of it. With the mortar and mill it gave the farmer heaps of gold.
(ii) The dog’s spirit again came in the farmer’s dream for the second time and told the farmer to collect ‘the ash of the mortar and the mill and sprinkle it on the withered trees and they will blossom’. The farmer did this in front of the daimio and was awarded with lavish gifts.

Q9. How did the dog repay to the love of his masters?
Ans: The dog was treated like a family member by the old couple. The dog made his masters rich by giving them gold coins. His masters became prosperous with it and bought a piece of land.
He then asked them to collect the ashes which had the power to sprout blossoms of a withered tree. The magic was seen by the daimio who had rewarded the old couple.

Q10. Explain how the dog was killed.
Ans: The greedy couple who was hoping the dog to find them a treasure, coaxed him into their garden and set fish and other dainties before him. But the dog did not had a bit of it. They dragged him outside and the dog took near the pine tree growing in the garden. The greedy couple began to dig the pit with a spade, but the result was a dead kitten. This made lost temper and beat the dog furiously to death.

Q11. How does the story underscores values such as honesty, compassion, diligence with a hint of magical realism?
Ans: The love of the dog for old couple was obvious as they look after it with affection. The story is different as magic of his appearance in dreams and of changing food into gold. These elements create interest of the reader. Moreover, the love, kindness and compassionate behaviour made the couple rich. However, they did not leave their virtues; they were appreciated by the king also. On the contrast, the cruel and wicked couple were punished for their misdeeds.

Q12. What did the dog do to lead the farmer to the hidden gold?
Ans: The dog came running to the farmer and kept on whining and ruining to and for till the farmer followed him. The dog began a lively scratching. Thinking it was possibly a buried bone or fish, the farmer struck his hoe in the earth and found the hidden gold.

Q13. Why did the daimio reward the farmer but punish his neighbour for the same act?
Ans: The daimio rewarded the farmer for making an old withered cherry tree blossom once again. Like the farmer his greedy neighbour also sprinkled ashes over a withered cherry tree. However, the result this time was different. The tree did not blossom, while the wind blew the dust into the noses and eyes of the daimio and his wife. This was the reason why the greedy neighbour was punished.

Q14. The wicked farmer wanted to be rich like his neighbour. What happened every time when he tried to do so?
Ans: First time when the neighbour tried to be rich, all he got was a foul smelling dead kitten. In their second. attempt, the old couple got heap of worms from the dough of rice pastry and bean sauce. In the third attempt, the old man failed to create magic with the ashes. He spoiled daimio’s procession and was killed by his men as punishment.

Q15. What were the customs during the days of daimios?
Ans: During the days of daimios, people would shut their windows when their landowner passed by people were not allowed to look down on the landlords. All the people of the village would kneel down upon their hands and knees until the procession passed by as the train drew near, the tall man asked everyone to kneel down on their knees and would remain prostrate.