Lesson 11: The Blind Boy

(a) In the poem, 'I' refers to (i) the blind boy (ii) the sun (iii) the light

(b) The blind boy cannot enjoy the blessings of (i) taste (ii) sight (iii) speech

(c) The blind boy identifies the sun by its (i) shape (ii) light (iii) warmth

(d) The boy is (i) happy (ii) sad (iii) angry

(a) The poor blind boy wants to know what is the thing called light and the blessing of sight.

(b) The blind boy feels the difference between day and night by when he sleeps or plays.

(c) The boy often hears mournings about his hapless woe (unfortunate sorrow).

(d) The boy does not want his cheer of mind to be destroyed.

The blind boy is speaking to people who have the gift of sight. He addresses them as 'You' and asks them to explain things like light and the sun, which they can see but he cannot.

(a) What would happen if the blind boy kept awake?
If the blind boy kept awake, it would always be day for him because he creates his own day and night based on his activities like playing or sleeping.

(b) What does the blind boy bear with patience?
The blind boy bears the loss of sight with patience, a loss that he has never known and therefore does not mourn.

(c) Why does the blind boy think that he is a king?
The blind boy thinks that he is a king because he does not let what he cannot have (sight) destroy his happiness. He finds joy in singing and is content with his state of being.

(d) Quote any two lines from the poem that suggest that the boy has a positive attitude towards life.
The two lines are:
"But sure with patience I can bear
A loss I ne'er know."
And,
"Whilst thus I sing, I am a king,
Although a poor blind boy."

There was once a little girl who lived in the middle of a deep, dark forest with her parents.

(i) My mother spent many sleepless nights when I was unwell.

(ii) I was impatient to know the result of my examination.

(iii) It was an enjoyable moment.

(iv) The brightness of the day made me happy.

(i) poor → rich

(ii) warm → cold

(iii) awake → asleep

(iv) destroy → create

Day: Dear friend, I must declare I am more important than you.

Night: I don't know how you can say that.

Day: The sun rises during the day. People work and children play. I bring light and energy to the world.

Night: Everyone takes rest during my hours. I bring peace and quiet after a long day's work.

Day: You bring darkness, I bring light.

Night: I have the light of the moon. I make the surroundings cool, you make them warm.

Day: Indeed, that's true. We can then say we are both important in our own ways.

Night: Yes. Mankind needs both of us equally.

The Greedy Doctor and The Clever Lady

An old lady lost her vision and called a doctor, promising a large fee if cured. The greedy doctor visited daily and stole one piece of furniture each time. When she was finally cured, he demanded his fee. The lady refused to pay, cleverly stating, "My vision is not fully restored, for I cannot see any of my furniture."