NCERT Textbook: Chandni | English An Alien Hand Class 7 PDF Download

 Page 1


Abbu Khan kept goats as pets.
He loved his goats, but they left him one by one.
He bought a young pretty goat and called her Chandni.
ONCE upon a time there lived an old man in Almora. He
was popularly known as Abbu Khan. He lived all alone
except for a few goats which he always kept as pets. He
gave his goats funny names such as Kalua, Moongia or
Gujri. He would take them out for grazing during the day
and talk to them as one talks to one’s own children; at
night he would bring them back to his little hut and put a
string round the neck of each goat.
Poor Abbu Khan was a little unlucky in the matter of his
goats. Very often at night one of the goats would pull and
pull at the string till it broke loose, and then would disappear
in the hills beyond. Goats in hilly regions hate being tied to
trees or poles. They love their freedom. Abbu Khan’s goats
were of the best hill breed. They too loved their freedom. So
whenever they got the chance, they would run away only to
get killed by an old wolf who lived in the hills.
Whenever one of his goats disappeared, Abbu Khan was
very sad. He did not understand why even the juiciest grass
and grains that he gave them, and all the love that he
Reprint 2024-25
Page 2


Abbu Khan kept goats as pets.
He loved his goats, but they left him one by one.
He bought a young pretty goat and called her Chandni.
ONCE upon a time there lived an old man in Almora. He
was popularly known as Abbu Khan. He lived all alone
except for a few goats which he always kept as pets. He
gave his goats funny names such as Kalua, Moongia or
Gujri. He would take them out for grazing during the day
and talk to them as one talks to one’s own children; at
night he would bring them back to his little hut and put a
string round the neck of each goat.
Poor Abbu Khan was a little unlucky in the matter of his
goats. Very often at night one of the goats would pull and
pull at the string till it broke loose, and then would disappear
in the hills beyond. Goats in hilly regions hate being tied to
trees or poles. They love their freedom. Abbu Khan’s goats
were of the best hill breed. They too loved their freedom. So
whenever they got the chance, they would run away only to
get killed by an old wolf who lived in the hills.
Whenever one of his goats disappeared, Abbu Khan was
very sad. He did not understand why even the juiciest grass
and grains that he gave them, and all the love that he
Reprint 2024-25
22
An Alien Hand
showered on them, would not stop these unfortunate goats
from running straight into the jaws of death. Are these goats
mad, he wondered! Or was it their love for freedom! But
freedom meant struggle, hardship, even death. Abbu Khan
couldn’t solve the mystery.
One day, when all his goats had left him, Abbu Khan
said to himself, “No more goats in my house ever again. I
may yet live for a few more years but I’ll live without goats.”
However, the poor old man was terribly lonely. He simply
couldn’t do without his pets. Very soon he bought a young
goat. He thought, “A young goat will stay with me much
longer. She will soon begin to love me as well as the food I
give her every day. She will never want to go to the hills.”
And he laughed with joy.
The new goat was very pretty. She was white as snow,
and had two little horns on her little head, and a pair of
Reprint 2024-25
Page 3


Abbu Khan kept goats as pets.
He loved his goats, but they left him one by one.
He bought a young pretty goat and called her Chandni.
ONCE upon a time there lived an old man in Almora. He
was popularly known as Abbu Khan. He lived all alone
except for a few goats which he always kept as pets. He
gave his goats funny names such as Kalua, Moongia or
Gujri. He would take them out for grazing during the day
and talk to them as one talks to one’s own children; at
night he would bring them back to his little hut and put a
string round the neck of each goat.
Poor Abbu Khan was a little unlucky in the matter of his
goats. Very often at night one of the goats would pull and
pull at the string till it broke loose, and then would disappear
in the hills beyond. Goats in hilly regions hate being tied to
trees or poles. They love their freedom. Abbu Khan’s goats
were of the best hill breed. They too loved their freedom. So
whenever they got the chance, they would run away only to
get killed by an old wolf who lived in the hills.
Whenever one of his goats disappeared, Abbu Khan was
very sad. He did not understand why even the juiciest grass
and grains that he gave them, and all the love that he
Reprint 2024-25
22
An Alien Hand
showered on them, would not stop these unfortunate goats
from running straight into the jaws of death. Are these goats
mad, he wondered! Or was it their love for freedom! But
freedom meant struggle, hardship, even death. Abbu Khan
couldn’t solve the mystery.
One day, when all his goats had left him, Abbu Khan
said to himself, “No more goats in my house ever again. I
may yet live for a few more years but I’ll live without goats.”
However, the poor old man was terribly lonely. He simply
couldn’t do without his pets. Very soon he bought a young
goat. He thought, “A young goat will stay with me much
longer. She will soon begin to love me as well as the food I
give her every day. She will never want to go to the hills.”
And he laughed with joy.
The new goat was very pretty. She was white as snow,
and had two little horns on her little head, and a pair of
Reprint 2024-25
23
Chandni
gleaming red eyes. She had a friendly temperament, and
would listen to Abbu Khan’s tales with a lot of interest and
affection. Abbu Khan called her Chandni, which means
‘moonlight’. He loved Chandni and would narrate to her
stories of all his friends who were dead and gone.
Several years passed; Chandni was still there. Abbu
Khan believed that Chandni would never leave his
compound for the free and fresh air of the hills beyond.
Alas! he was mistaken again.
1. Why did Abbu Khan’s goats want to run away? What happened to
them in the hills?
2. Abbu Khan said, “No more goats in my house ever again.” Then
he changed his mind. Why?
3. Why did he buy a young goat?
Reprint 2024-25
Page 4


Abbu Khan kept goats as pets.
He loved his goats, but they left him one by one.
He bought a young pretty goat and called her Chandni.
ONCE upon a time there lived an old man in Almora. He
was popularly known as Abbu Khan. He lived all alone
except for a few goats which he always kept as pets. He
gave his goats funny names such as Kalua, Moongia or
Gujri. He would take them out for grazing during the day
and talk to them as one talks to one’s own children; at
night he would bring them back to his little hut and put a
string round the neck of each goat.
Poor Abbu Khan was a little unlucky in the matter of his
goats. Very often at night one of the goats would pull and
pull at the string till it broke loose, and then would disappear
in the hills beyond. Goats in hilly regions hate being tied to
trees or poles. They love their freedom. Abbu Khan’s goats
were of the best hill breed. They too loved their freedom. So
whenever they got the chance, they would run away only to
get killed by an old wolf who lived in the hills.
Whenever one of his goats disappeared, Abbu Khan was
very sad. He did not understand why even the juiciest grass
and grains that he gave them, and all the love that he
Reprint 2024-25
22
An Alien Hand
showered on them, would not stop these unfortunate goats
from running straight into the jaws of death. Are these goats
mad, he wondered! Or was it their love for freedom! But
freedom meant struggle, hardship, even death. Abbu Khan
couldn’t solve the mystery.
One day, when all his goats had left him, Abbu Khan
said to himself, “No more goats in my house ever again. I
may yet live for a few more years but I’ll live without goats.”
However, the poor old man was terribly lonely. He simply
couldn’t do without his pets. Very soon he bought a young
goat. He thought, “A young goat will stay with me much
longer. She will soon begin to love me as well as the food I
give her every day. She will never want to go to the hills.”
And he laughed with joy.
The new goat was very pretty. She was white as snow,
and had two little horns on her little head, and a pair of
Reprint 2024-25
23
Chandni
gleaming red eyes. She had a friendly temperament, and
would listen to Abbu Khan’s tales with a lot of interest and
affection. Abbu Khan called her Chandni, which means
‘moonlight’. He loved Chandni and would narrate to her
stories of all his friends who were dead and gone.
Several years passed; Chandni was still there. Abbu
Khan believed that Chandni would never leave his
compound for the free and fresh air of the hills beyond.
Alas! he was mistaken again.
1. Why did Abbu Khan’s goats want to run away? What happened to
them in the hills?
2. Abbu Khan said, “No more goats in my house ever again.” Then
he changed his mind. Why?
3. Why did he buy a young goat?
Reprint 2024-25
24
An Alien Hand
Like other goats, Chandni too missed the hills.
She told Abbu Khan she must have her freedom.
The story of the dangerous wolf in the forest did not
discourage Chandni.
Every morning Chandni watched the hilltops bathed in
the sunlight. “How beautiful those hills are!” she thought.
“How refreshing the breeze that blows through them! And
how lovely to run across those green fields!” She ran
towards the hills but had to stop with a jerk—the rope
round her neck wouldn’t let her go any further. How she
hated that rope!
She stopped eating the green grass Abbu Khan brought
for her; nor did she listen to his stories with interest and
affection. She lost her appetite, grew very thin and stared
moodily at the hilltops bathed in sunlight. Abbu Khan did
not understand Chandni’s anguish. At last, she decided to
speak to him frankly. “Dear Abbu Khan,” she said, “let me
go to the hills, please. If I stay on in your compound, I’ll
die.” Now Abbu Khan understood Chandni’s problem,
but it made him very unhappy. The earthen pot which
contained Chandni’s breakfast fell from his hands and
broke into a thousand pieces.
“Why do you want to leave me, Chandni?” Abbu Khan
asked.
“I want to go to the hills,” Chandni answered.
“Don’t you like the food here? I’ll give you tastier food
and a much longer rope.”
“No, thank you. Let me go to the hills.”
“Do you realise the risk you are running, you obstinate
creature? There is a dangerous wolf in the hills. He’ll eat
you up.” Abbu Khan did his best to warn her.
Chandni answered, “God has given me a pair of horns.
I’ll fight the wolf.”
Reprint 2024-25
Page 5


Abbu Khan kept goats as pets.
He loved his goats, but they left him one by one.
He bought a young pretty goat and called her Chandni.
ONCE upon a time there lived an old man in Almora. He
was popularly known as Abbu Khan. He lived all alone
except for a few goats which he always kept as pets. He
gave his goats funny names such as Kalua, Moongia or
Gujri. He would take them out for grazing during the day
and talk to them as one talks to one’s own children; at
night he would bring them back to his little hut and put a
string round the neck of each goat.
Poor Abbu Khan was a little unlucky in the matter of his
goats. Very often at night one of the goats would pull and
pull at the string till it broke loose, and then would disappear
in the hills beyond. Goats in hilly regions hate being tied to
trees or poles. They love their freedom. Abbu Khan’s goats
were of the best hill breed. They too loved their freedom. So
whenever they got the chance, they would run away only to
get killed by an old wolf who lived in the hills.
Whenever one of his goats disappeared, Abbu Khan was
very sad. He did not understand why even the juiciest grass
and grains that he gave them, and all the love that he
Reprint 2024-25
22
An Alien Hand
showered on them, would not stop these unfortunate goats
from running straight into the jaws of death. Are these goats
mad, he wondered! Or was it their love for freedom! But
freedom meant struggle, hardship, even death. Abbu Khan
couldn’t solve the mystery.
One day, when all his goats had left him, Abbu Khan
said to himself, “No more goats in my house ever again. I
may yet live for a few more years but I’ll live without goats.”
However, the poor old man was terribly lonely. He simply
couldn’t do without his pets. Very soon he bought a young
goat. He thought, “A young goat will stay with me much
longer. She will soon begin to love me as well as the food I
give her every day. She will never want to go to the hills.”
And he laughed with joy.
The new goat was very pretty. She was white as snow,
and had two little horns on her little head, and a pair of
Reprint 2024-25
23
Chandni
gleaming red eyes. She had a friendly temperament, and
would listen to Abbu Khan’s tales with a lot of interest and
affection. Abbu Khan called her Chandni, which means
‘moonlight’. He loved Chandni and would narrate to her
stories of all his friends who were dead and gone.
Several years passed; Chandni was still there. Abbu
Khan believed that Chandni would never leave his
compound for the free and fresh air of the hills beyond.
Alas! he was mistaken again.
1. Why did Abbu Khan’s goats want to run away? What happened to
them in the hills?
2. Abbu Khan said, “No more goats in my house ever again.” Then
he changed his mind. Why?
3. Why did he buy a young goat?
Reprint 2024-25
24
An Alien Hand
Like other goats, Chandni too missed the hills.
She told Abbu Khan she must have her freedom.
The story of the dangerous wolf in the forest did not
discourage Chandni.
Every morning Chandni watched the hilltops bathed in
the sunlight. “How beautiful those hills are!” she thought.
“How refreshing the breeze that blows through them! And
how lovely to run across those green fields!” She ran
towards the hills but had to stop with a jerk—the rope
round her neck wouldn’t let her go any further. How she
hated that rope!
She stopped eating the green grass Abbu Khan brought
for her; nor did she listen to his stories with interest and
affection. She lost her appetite, grew very thin and stared
moodily at the hilltops bathed in sunlight. Abbu Khan did
not understand Chandni’s anguish. At last, she decided to
speak to him frankly. “Dear Abbu Khan,” she said, “let me
go to the hills, please. If I stay on in your compound, I’ll
die.” Now Abbu Khan understood Chandni’s problem,
but it made him very unhappy. The earthen pot which
contained Chandni’s breakfast fell from his hands and
broke into a thousand pieces.
“Why do you want to leave me, Chandni?” Abbu Khan
asked.
“I want to go to the hills,” Chandni answered.
“Don’t you like the food here? I’ll give you tastier food
and a much longer rope.”
“No, thank you. Let me go to the hills.”
“Do you realise the risk you are running, you obstinate
creature? There is a dangerous wolf in the hills. He’ll eat
you up.” Abbu Khan did his best to warn her.
Chandni answered, “God has given me a pair of horns.
I’ll fight the wolf.”
Reprint 2024-25
25
Chandni
“Fight the wolf, indeed! Have you forgotten the story of
your sister Kalua who was the size of a big deer. She fought
the wolf through the night but was killed in the morning.”
Abbu Khan narrated Kalua’s story for the fiftieth time.
Reprint 2024-25