Johnny Appleseed Chapter Notes | English Class 3 ICSE PDF Download

Introduction

Johnny Appleseed is a story about a real man named John Chapman (1774–1845). He was a farmer in America who became famous for planting apple trees in many places. People loved him for his kindness and care for nature. This chapter tells a simple folk tale about how he changed America’s land by growing fruit orchards.

Key Points

This story is about a poor farmer named John Chapman who wanted to make people happy.

• He had only a small boat and no money but found old sacks under a tree.
• He decided to use the sacks to collect seeds and floated his boat down the stream.
• He looked for apple orchards and offered to work for people living nearby.
• He did chores like cutting wood and carrying water, asking only for food and apple seeds.
• People were surprised but happily gave him the seeds.
• While cutting fruit, children gathered around, and he shared fruit and told them stories, saving the seeds.
• He traveled to many places, collecting apple seeds and cuttings of peach, pear, plum, and grape plants.
• He shared stories with children about the first people of North America, their colorful clothes, forest homes, dances, and jewelry.
• He sang songs and taught games, making children sad when he had to leave.
• He kept sailing until his sacks were full of seeds and cuttings.
• He reached empty lands with no houses or people.
• He planted seeds and cuttings in forest clearings and built fences to protect them from deer.
• He planted in many places across the land.
• His work led to many fruit orchards in Ohio and Mississippi Valley.
• Settlers later chose those places to live because of the fruit trees.
• John Chapman became famous as Johnny Appleseed for his kind work.

Explanation

A poor farmer with no money dreamed of making many people happy but didn’t know how. He only had a small boat. One day, while walking slowly and tired, he saw old sacks under a tree. Suddenly, he got a great idea, picked up the sacks, put them in his boat, and floated away on the stream. 

He watched the shore carefully and, when he saw an apple orchard, rowed to land, tied his boat, and asked nearby people for work. He cut wood, carried water, and did small chores, asking only for food and apple seeds in return. People were surprised but gave him the seeds gladly.

While cutting fruit, children gathered around. He shared the fruit with them and told nice stories, but saved the seeds in his sack. He traveled to other places, adding more seeds to his collection. Kind farmers sometimes gave him cuttings from peach, pear, plum, and grape plants. 

He told children exciting stories about the original people of North America—their colorful blankets, forest camps, dances, and beaded jewelry. He sang funny songs and taught games, and the children loved it so much they begged him to stay. But he moved on with his plan.

His boat sailed further, and he kept collecting seeds and cuttings until his sacks were full. He sailed until no houses were in sight. One day, he reached an empty place with no people, which was perfect for his idea. 

He landed, took his bag of seeds to an open forest area, planted them with the cuttings, and made a fence from branches to keep deer away. He did this in many places. Years later, settlers found these spots with fruit trees and stayed there. This man, John Chapman, became known as Johnny Appleseed.

Message

The story teaches us that even with little money, a kind person can help others and nature. It shows the value of sharing, kindness, and planting trees.

New Words with Meanings

• Orchard: A piece of land where fruit trees are grown.
• Trudged: Walked slowly like being tired.
• Splendid: Very good or wonderful.
• Rowed: Moved a boat using oars in water.
• Shore: The land next to a river or lake.
• Cutting: A small part of a plant used to grow a new one.
• Red Indians: An old, not nice word for the first people of North America before Europeans.
• Paused: Stopped for a short time.
• Brush fence: A barrier made from small branches, twigs, and wires.
• Ohio and Mississippi: Places or states in the United States.
• Owe: Here it means something exists because of someone’s work.
• Settler: A person who goes to live in a new area.