Class 9 Moments Supplementary Reader Chapter 4 Question Answers - In the Kingdom of Fools

Q1: Describe in brief the strange case brought to the king and the king’s judgment.

Ans: One day, a thief broke into a rich man’s house, and a wall collapsed on him, causing his death. The thief’s brother complained to the king, blaming the rich man for the weak wall that led to the tragedy. When summoned, the rich man shifted the blame to the bricklayer who had built the wall. The bricklayer, in turn, claimed that he was distracted by a dancing girl who passed by several times while he worked. The girl, when questioned, said her frequent trips were due to a goldsmith who delayed making her jewelry. The goldsmith defended himself by stating that he was busy completing a large order for the rich man’s father, which caused the delay. Since the rich man’s father was no longer alive, the king and his minister decided to execute the rich man in his father’s place.

Q2: What did the Guru and his disciple see in the Kingdom of the Fools? Why did the guru decide to leave the kingdom at once?

Ans: In the Kingdom of Fools, the guru and his disciple encountered a bizarre world where day was night, and night was day. The king and his minister had reversed the natural order, forcing people to work at night and sleep during the day. Disobedience to this rule was punishable by death, so the citizens complied out of fear. The guru and disciple were also surprised to find that everything, regardless of value, cost just one duddu. Sensing danger in such absurdity, the guru decided to leave immediately, warning his disciple that living under the rule of fools could be life-threatening. However, the disciple, lured by the cheap prices, chose to stay. The guru, foreseeing trouble, departed alone.

Q3: How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?

Ans: The guru used his wisdom and magical powers to save his disciple. Upon hearing his disciple's silent prayer, the guru arrived instantly in the kingdom. He cleverly expressed his desire to die before his disciple, confusing the king. Flattering the king’s ego, the guru claimed that the execution stake was blessed by the god of justice and that whoever died on it first would be reborn as the next king, followed by the minister. Greedy for power in the next life, the king and minister decided to execute themselves instead. Thus, the guru saved his disciple and rid the kingdom of its foolish rulers.

Q4: Fools cannot continue with their follies for long. How can you justify this statement in relation to the story?

Ans: In the story, the king and his minister made foolish laws, reversing night and day simply to be different. They enforced their absurd rules until their own foolishness caught up with them. When the guru outwitted them with a clever plan, the king and his minister fell into their own trap, believing they would be reborn as rulers by dying first on the execution stake. Their lack of foresight and blind trust in absurdity led to their downfall. This shows that while fools may persist in their folly for a while, it ultimately leads to their undoing.

Q5: Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.

Ans: The first person tried was the merchant, whose house had a collapsed wall that killed the thief. He blamed the bricklayer for building a weak wall. The bricklayer was then tried, but he blamed the dancing girl for distracting him with her jingling anklets. The dancing girl, in turn, accused the goldsmith of delaying her jewelry order, which forced her to walk by the bricklayer multiple times. The goldsmith blamed the merchant’s father for pressuring him to prioritize a wedding order. Since the father was deceased, the blame shifted back to the merchant, who inherited the house where the incident occurred.

Q6. The guru was as wise as King Solomon. Discuss.
Ans: The guru’s wisdom, like that of King Solomon, was evident in how he saved his disciple and outwitted the foolish king and minister. His calm demeanor during the crisis allowed him to devise a clever plan, using the king’s greed to trap him. The guru's ability to perceive danger early and his strategy to manipulate the king into executing himself shows the depth of his wisdom. Like Solomon, the guru demonstrated that wisdom is an invaluable asset in solving seemingly impossible problems and overcoming foolishness.

Q7. Decisions should be made with a cool and rational mind. Discuss with reference to the story “In the Kingdom of Fools”.

Ans: The story teaches the importance of making decisions with a calm and rational mind. The disciple, tempted by the cheap food in the Kingdom of Fools, ignored his guru’s warning and chose to stay. His hasty decision put his life in danger when the foolish king ordered his execution based solely on his physical size. The king and his minister also acted rashly, seeking to secure their future lives by executing themselves, without thinking through the consequences. Had both the disciple and the king paused to consider the situation, they could have avoided disaster. The story emphasizes the need for thoughtful decision-making to prevent dire outcomes.

Q8. Arguing with a fool proves there are two. How does the wise guru find a way out without arguing with the king?

Ans: The guru knew that arguing with the foolish king would be pointless. Instead, he used flattery and manipulation to escape the situation. By pretending to fight with his disciple over who should die first and praising the king’s judgment, the guru aroused the king’s curiosity and greed. Without direct confrontation, the guru cleverly led the king to believe that dying on the stake would grant him rebirth as a ruler. The king, blinded by his own foolishness, fell into the trap. Thus, the guru avoided a futile argument and skillfully resolved the situation.

Q9. Values determine character. Discuss this statement with reference to the characters of the guru and the disciple.

Ans: The guru’s values of wisdom, foresight, and calmness set him apart from his disciple, who was ruled by greed and short-sightedness. The guru quickly recognized the dangers of staying in the Kingdom of Fools and left, while the disciple stayed for cheap food, despite the risks. When the disciple found himself in danger, it was the guru’s wisdom and rational thinking that saved him. The guru’s calm approach to problem-solving contrasted with the disciple’s impulsive behavior. This highlights how strong values shape character and can guide individuals through challenging situations.

Q10. Imagine you are the disciple. You have just been sworn in as the new minister of the Kingdom of Fools. Draft a speech to be delivered in the courtroom addressing the people on the new vision with which the kingdom would be governed henceforth.

Ans:

Dear Citizens of the Kingdom. 

It is a new morning and we are here to begin a fresh chapter in the history of this great kingdom. This beautiful land shall be different from other places because of its new vision. The senseless regime when the day was night, and the night was day is over and a new rule of reason and justice has dawned. We shall move ahead together under the able leadership of our wise king, my guru. His fine sense of judgment and vast experience of the ways of the world shall guide us toward a promising future. Our coming generations shall be proud of us and this great kingdom shall stand as a tall example of good governance. Our new king has revoked all previous orders from this moment onwards and commands you all to resume life in a normal way. Henceforth, no one will be denied the opportunity of presenting the difference of opinion and all decisions will be taken in a rational and just manner after proper consultation with the wise advisors of the royal court. Let us dedicate ourselves to the well-being of our new kingdom. Hail the king and long live our great motherland! 

Thank you!

Q11. Why, according to you, is it always risky to live among the fools? Elaborate your answer with reference to the story “In the Kingdom of Fools”.

Ans: Living among fools is dangerous because their actions are unpredictable and often irrational. In the story, the king and his minister ruled with foolish laws that defied logic. The guru recognized the risk and left the kingdom, but his disciple, tempted by cheap food, stayed behind and nearly paid with his life. The king's decision to execute someone based on their physical size illustrates how foolish rulers can endanger lives with their arbitrary judgments. Ultimately, the king’s own foolishness led to his downfall, showing how perilous it is to live under the rule of fools.

Q12. Discuss the importance of wisdom in life.

Ans:

• Life is a precious gift of God. We should enjoy it. We can make our lives both a bed of roses and a bed of thorns. It depends upon our wisdom. 
• Life without wisdom is useless. It becomes dangerous too many a time. One who leads a life without wisdom can never enjoy it. 
• We can enjoy our life when we are full of wisdom. Life is a combination of positive and negative aspects. 
• It depends upon us what side we choose. It is our wisdom only that helps us distinguish between wrong and right. 
• Wisdom makes our life full of comfort and provides us with various sources of enjoyment. Life without wisdom has no meaning.

Q13. The disciple failed to obey his Guru and did not follow his advice. What was the danger that occurred to him?

Ans: The disciple, enticed by the cheap food in the Kingdom of Fools, ignored his guru’s warning and decided to stay. However, the unpredictable behavior of the foolish king soon put him in danger. When the king decided that someone needed to be executed, the disciple’s physical size made him the chosen victim. Although the execution was meant to be a random punishment, the disciple’s decision to remain in the kingdom placed his life at risk. Only the guru’s wisdom saved him from the king’s senseless decree.

Q14. The people of the Kingdom of Fools were not so foolish after all. They made the Guru as their kings. Comment. 

Ans:

• In the Kingdom of Fools, everything looked odd. The disciple was arrested in place of the rich merchant. 
• He was to be executed soon, but the disciple started praying. The guru reached there and made a plan to save the disciple’s life. 
• The king and his minister became the victims of this plan and got themselves executed. Now there was no king in the kingdom. The throne was vacant. People wanted a wise person should become the king. 
• After the death of the king and the disciple, the people were impressed by the wisdom and power of the Guru. 
• They thought that if the Guru and his disciple became the king and the minister, there would be peace all around. So the people chose to crown the Guru and his disciple.

Q15. What is the role of the guru (teacher) in our life? Comment with reference to the story ‘In the Kingdom of Fools’.

Ans:

• One who removes the darkness of our ignorance and gives the light of knowledge is called a guru. Guru is the person who guides us to take the right path. So, one who gives us knowledge is sacred and deserves the highest respect. 
• Those who obey their guru and follow the guided path face no trouble. 
• The teacher plays the greatest enabling role by helping one to cultivate and refine the use of one’s thinking ability. 
• The knowledge provided by the teacher helps one to mold one’s character. In the story, “In the Kingdom of Fools” it was the guru who guided his disciple about impending danger in that kingdom of fools and when the disciple fell into trouble, he realized his mistake and remembered his guru. 
• The guru came forward and saved his life with his wit.

Q16. Does obeying guru (teacher) bring misery? Comment on the basis of “In the Kingdom of Fools”.

Ans: 

• A Guru is always a well-wisher of his disciple. The disciple who does not obey his guru falls in misery while those who follow the path told by Guru live a happy and healthy life. 
• In the story, the disciple did not obey his Guru and so fell into trouble. If he had followed his Guru and left the kingdom, he would not have been in trouble. 
• He was greedy and decided to remain in the kingdom because everything was so cheap there. 
• He used to eat to his fill and became fat. One day he fell into trouble as he was chosen to be executed due to his fatness. 
• The Guru was a wise man. He was right in his predictions. And his predictions came true. 
• It was he who came on his call and saved his life with his wisdom.