NCERT Textbook: The Magic Brush of Dreams | English Poorvi Class 8 - New NCERT PDF Download

 Page 1


THE MAGIC BRUSH OF DREAMS
Let us do these activities before we read.
	 I	 Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions. Share your answers with
your classmates and teacher.
	 1.	 Mention a magical object that you would like to have. Give a reason
for your choice.
	 2.	 What would you draw for yourself, if you had a magic paint brush?
Why?
	 3.	 Would you use the magic paint brush to draw for someone else? If yes,
why? If no, why not?
	 II	 Work in pairs. Discuss instances of acts of kindness that you have heard,
read, or experienced. Share your answers with your classmates and
teacher.
III Work in pairs and guess the meanings of the words given below and 
draw pictures depicting their meanings. Share with your classmates and
teacher.
paintbrush	 joy	 fortress	 feast	 fear
winding twig bows drawing cold
	 	 Now, arrange these words into different categories
as given below.
	 	 Things:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
  Actions: .................................................................
   .................................................................
	 	 Emotions:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
Unit 3.indd   122 13-05-2025   12:58:21
Page 2


THE MAGIC BRUSH OF DREAMS
Let us do these activities before we read.
	 I	 Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions. Share your answers with
your classmates and teacher.
	 1.	 Mention a magical object that you would like to have. Give a reason
for your choice.
	 2.	 What would you draw for yourself, if you had a magic paint brush?
Why?
	 3.	 Would you use the magic paint brush to draw for someone else? If yes,
why? If no, why not?
	 II	 Work in pairs. Discuss instances of acts of kindness that you have heard,
read, or experienced. Share your answers with your classmates and
teacher.
III Work in pairs and guess the meanings of the words given below and 
draw pictures depicting their meanings. Share with your classmates and
teacher.
paintbrush	 joy	 fortress	 feast	 fear
winding twig bows drawing cold
	 	 Now, arrange these words into different categories
as given below.
	 	 Things:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
  Actions: .................................................................
   .................................................................
	 	 Emotions:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
Unit 3.indd   122 13-05-2025   12:58:21
123
But on a stone there sits a man,
A brush is in his hand.
He looks around. He calls to Gopi.				
“Come here!” he whispers. “Hush!
We mustn’t let the village know
About this magic brush.”
He slips the brush into her hand
And tells her to be sure,
“Paint not for the wealthy ones,
But only for the poor.”
Let us read
“Go and gather wild beans, Gopi,
Go and fetch some rice.
Go and pluck the mangoes
And bring home something nice.”
Gopi sits beneath the banyan,
A twig is in her hand.
She sits there drawing pictures,
Pictures in the sand.
The winds blow by and sweeps away
The pictures in the sand.
Mystery and Magic
Unit 3.indd   123 13-05-2025   12:58:22
Page 3


THE MAGIC BRUSH OF DREAMS
Let us do these activities before we read.
	 I	 Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions. Share your answers with
your classmates and teacher.
	 1.	 Mention a magical object that you would like to have. Give a reason
for your choice.
	 2.	 What would you draw for yourself, if you had a magic paint brush?
Why?
	 3.	 Would you use the magic paint brush to draw for someone else? If yes,
why? If no, why not?
	 II	 Work in pairs. Discuss instances of acts of kindness that you have heard,
read, or experienced. Share your answers with your classmates and
teacher.
III Work in pairs and guess the meanings of the words given below and 
draw pictures depicting their meanings. Share with your classmates and
teacher.
paintbrush	 joy	 fortress	 feast	 fear
winding twig bows drawing cold
	 	 Now, arrange these words into different categories
as given below.
	 	 Things:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
  Actions: .................................................................
   .................................................................
	 	 Emotions:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
Unit 3.indd   122 13-05-2025   12:58:21
123
But on a stone there sits a man,
A brush is in his hand.
He looks around. He calls to Gopi.				
“Come here!” he whispers. “Hush!
We mustn’t let the village know
About this magic brush.”
He slips the brush into her hand
And tells her to be sure,
“Paint not for the wealthy ones,
But only for the poor.”
Let us read
“Go and gather wild beans, Gopi,
Go and fetch some rice.
Go and pluck the mangoes
And bring home something nice.”
Gopi sits beneath the banyan,
A twig is in her hand.
She sits there drawing pictures,
Pictures in the sand.
The winds blow by and sweeps away
The pictures in the sand.
Mystery and Magic
Unit 3.indd   123 13-05-2025   12:58:22
Poorvi
124
“Did you gather wild beans, Gopi?
Did you fetch some rice?
Did you pluck the mangoes
And bring home something nice?”
“No beans, no rice, no mangoes!”
Gopi grins and runs inside.
She paints a bowl of khichdi
and waits,
Until the paint has dried.
“The bowl is full of khichdi, Gopi!”
Into the house the villagers streamed
The young and old all wish to see
The magic brush of dreams.
She paints a muffler for a farmer,
A plough for another man,
A shawl for a grandmother,
And for a girl, a fan.
And soon the news spreads far and wide,
Through forests, fields, and plains,
Until the Zamindar himself
Hears of these magic gains.
124
Unit 3.indd   124 13-05-2025   12:58:24
Page 4


THE MAGIC BRUSH OF DREAMS
Let us do these activities before we read.
	 I	 Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions. Share your answers with
your classmates and teacher.
	 1.	 Mention a magical object that you would like to have. Give a reason
for your choice.
	 2.	 What would you draw for yourself, if you had a magic paint brush?
Why?
	 3.	 Would you use the magic paint brush to draw for someone else? If yes,
why? If no, why not?
	 II	 Work in pairs. Discuss instances of acts of kindness that you have heard,
read, or experienced. Share your answers with your classmates and
teacher.
III Work in pairs and guess the meanings of the words given below and 
draw pictures depicting their meanings. Share with your classmates and
teacher.
paintbrush	 joy	 fortress	 feast	 fear
winding twig bows drawing cold
	 	 Now, arrange these words into different categories
as given below.
	 	 Things:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
  Actions: .................................................................
   .................................................................
	 	 Emotions:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
Unit 3.indd   122 13-05-2025   12:58:21
123
But on a stone there sits a man,
A brush is in his hand.
He looks around. He calls to Gopi.				
“Come here!” he whispers. “Hush!
We mustn’t let the village know
About this magic brush.”
He slips the brush into her hand
And tells her to be sure,
“Paint not for the wealthy ones,
But only for the poor.”
Let us read
“Go and gather wild beans, Gopi,
Go and fetch some rice.
Go and pluck the mangoes
And bring home something nice.”
Gopi sits beneath the banyan,
A twig is in her hand.
She sits there drawing pictures,
Pictures in the sand.
The winds blow by and sweeps away
The pictures in the sand.
Mystery and Magic
Unit 3.indd   123 13-05-2025   12:58:22
Poorvi
124
“Did you gather wild beans, Gopi?
Did you fetch some rice?
Did you pluck the mangoes
And bring home something nice?”
“No beans, no rice, no mangoes!”
Gopi grins and runs inside.
She paints a bowl of khichdi
and waits,
Until the paint has dried.
“The bowl is full of khichdi, Gopi!”
Into the house the villagers streamed
The young and old all wish to see
The magic brush of dreams.
She paints a muffler for a farmer,
A plough for another man,
A shawl for a grandmother,
And for a girl, a fan.
And soon the news spreads far and wide,
Through forests, fields, and plains,
Until the Zamindar himself
Hears of these magic gains.
124
Unit 3.indd   124 13-05-2025   12:58:24
Mystery and Magic
125
“I order you to paint for me,
A fortress tall and grand.
Paint treasures, jewels, and riches rare,
Enough to rule this land.”
Gopi bows and shakes her head.
“My lord, I can’t comply.
I swore to use this magic brush
To help the needy by.”
The Zamindar roars and stamps his foot.
He bellows to his men,
“Seize this brush and seize the girl.
Throw her in the pen!”
Now Gopi waits inside the cell,
Upon a cold mud floor.
Until the Zamindar returns
And shouts through the door.
He holds the brush. He thunders loud,
“Paint my fortress tall!
Paint gold and rubies, emeralds bright,
And you shall leave this hall!”
125
Unit 3.indd   125 13-05-2025   12:58:25
Page 5


THE MAGIC BRUSH OF DREAMS
Let us do these activities before we read.
	 I	 Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions. Share your answers with
your classmates and teacher.
	 1.	 Mention a magical object that you would like to have. Give a reason
for your choice.
	 2.	 What would you draw for yourself, if you had a magic paint brush?
Why?
	 3.	 Would you use the magic paint brush to draw for someone else? If yes,
why? If no, why not?
	 II	 Work in pairs. Discuss instances of acts of kindness that you have heard,
read, or experienced. Share your answers with your classmates and
teacher.
III Work in pairs and guess the meanings of the words given below and 
draw pictures depicting their meanings. Share with your classmates and
teacher.
paintbrush	 joy	 fortress	 feast	 fear
winding twig bows drawing cold
	 	 Now, arrange these words into different categories
as given below.
	 	 Things:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
  Actions: .................................................................
   .................................................................
	 	 Emotions:	 .................................................................
   .................................................................
Unit 3.indd   122 13-05-2025   12:58:21
123
But on a stone there sits a man,
A brush is in his hand.
He looks around. He calls to Gopi.				
“Come here!” he whispers. “Hush!
We mustn’t let the village know
About this magic brush.”
He slips the brush into her hand
And tells her to be sure,
“Paint not for the wealthy ones,
But only for the poor.”
Let us read
“Go and gather wild beans, Gopi,
Go and fetch some rice.
Go and pluck the mangoes
And bring home something nice.”
Gopi sits beneath the banyan,
A twig is in her hand.
She sits there drawing pictures,
Pictures in the sand.
The winds blow by and sweeps away
The pictures in the sand.
Mystery and Magic
Unit 3.indd   123 13-05-2025   12:58:22
Poorvi
124
“Did you gather wild beans, Gopi?
Did you fetch some rice?
Did you pluck the mangoes
And bring home something nice?”
“No beans, no rice, no mangoes!”
Gopi grins and runs inside.
She paints a bowl of khichdi
and waits,
Until the paint has dried.
“The bowl is full of khichdi, Gopi!”
Into the house the villagers streamed
The young and old all wish to see
The magic brush of dreams.
She paints a muffler for a farmer,
A plough for another man,
A shawl for a grandmother,
And for a girl, a fan.
And soon the news spreads far and wide,
Through forests, fields, and plains,
Until the Zamindar himself
Hears of these magic gains.
124
Unit 3.indd   124 13-05-2025   12:58:24
Mystery and Magic
125
“I order you to paint for me,
A fortress tall and grand.
Paint treasures, jewels, and riches rare,
Enough to rule this land.”
Gopi bows and shakes her head.
“My lord, I can’t comply.
I swore to use this magic brush
To help the needy by.”
The Zamindar roars and stamps his foot.
He bellows to his men,
“Seize this brush and seize the girl.
Throw her in the pen!”
Now Gopi waits inside the cell,
Upon a cold mud floor.
Until the Zamindar returns
And shouts through the door.
He holds the brush. He thunders loud,
“Paint my fortress tall!
Paint gold and rubies, emeralds bright,
And you shall leave this hall!”
125
Unit 3.indd   125 13-05-2025   12:58:25
126
That night the Zamindar lies in bed,
Dreaming of his gold,
While Gopi paints a winding road,
A horse both strong and bold.
The road leads out of prison gates.
The horse, she swiftly urges
Gopi leaps on and gallops fast,
Through fields and many villages.
“It’s Gopi! It’s Gopi! She’s back again!”
Say the villagers, merry and kind.
But Gopi keeps on painting still,
With the Zamindar’s men following
behind.
She paints a mighty river wide,
Its currents fast and deep.
The Zamindar and all his men
Stop short and cannot leap.
“Now should I paint a beast
To leap and chase you through?
Stop this chase or it will feast
On you, and you and you!”
The Zamindar cries, “No, no, no more!
I’ll leave, I’ll go away!”
He turns and flees; his men behind
Dare not choose to stay.
Poorvi
Unit 3.indd   126 13-05-2025   12:58:26