The Snake and the Mirror NCERT Solutions, Summary & Word Meanings Class 9 PDF
Subject: English (Beehive) | Chapter: 5 | Author: Vaikom Muhammad Basheer
📥 Download Notes PDF 📢 Join Telegram📖 Chapter Summary: The Snake and the Mirror
This is a humorous and thrilling autobiographical story narrated by a homeopathic doctor. He lived in a small, poorly lit, rented room with a tiled roof. The room was infested with rats that constantly made noises. He had just started his medical practice and had very little money.
One hot summer night, unable to sleep, he sat at his table in front of a large mirror. Being an unmarried young doctor, he was quite proud of his looks. Looking into the mirror, he made two "important and earth-shaking" decisions: first, he would shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome; second, he would always keep an attractive smile on his face. He also decided to marry a wealthy, fat woman doctor so that if he ever made a silly mistake and had to run away, she wouldn't be able to catch him!
Suddenly, the constant scuttling sound of the rats stopped, and a dull "thud" was heard. Before he could react, a large cobra dropped from the roof and coiled itself tightly around his left arm. The doctor was paralyzed with fear; he didn't jump, tremble, or cry out. He realized how close death was and suddenly felt the presence of God. His vanity vanished, and he realized he was just a "poor, foolish, and stupid doctor."
Miraculously, the snake saw its own reflection in the mirror on the table. Fascinated by its own beauty, the snake slowly uncoiled from the doctor's arm and crept onto the table to get a closer look at the mirror. Taking advantage of this, the doctor silently slipped out of the room and ran for his life to a friend's house. The next morning, when he returned with his friend to pack his belongings, he found that a thief had stolen everything, leaving behind only his dirty vest as a final insult.
📚 Part 1: NCERT Solutions (Textbook Questions)
Q1: The sound was a familiar one. What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? When and why did the sounds stop?
Ans: The doctor heard a scuttling sound from above. He thought it was the familiar sound of the rats that lived in the tiled roof of his room. He heard the sound three times. The sound suddenly stopped when a heavy snake dropped down from the roof with a dull "thud". The rats had fled because of the snake.
Q2: What two "important" and "earth-shaking" decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the mirror?
Ans: While admiring his reflection, the doctor took two decisions:
1. An "important" decision to shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome.
2. An "earth-shaking" decision to always keep an attractive smile on his face.
Q3: "I looked into the mirror and smiled," says the doctor. A little later he says, "I forgot my danger and smiled feebly at myself." What is the doctor’s opinion about himself when he first smiles, and when he smiles again?
Ans: When the doctor first smiles into the mirror, he is full of vanity and pride. He thinks he is a handsome, unmarried doctor who deserves to look his best.
When he smiles the second time (with the snake coiled around his arm), he realizes his absolute helplessness. He smiles feebly (weakly), mocking his own pride. He realizes that he is not a great man, but just a "poor, foolish, and stupid doctor" who doesn't even have medicines for a snakebite in his room.
⚡ Part 2: Extra Practice Questions
Q4: What kind of woman did the doctor want to marry and why?
Ans: The doctor wanted to marry a woman doctor who had plenty of money and a good medical practice. Humorously, he also wanted her to be very fat, so that if he ever made a silly mistake and needed to run away, she wouldn't be able to run after him and catch him.
Q5: How was the doctor saved from the snake?
Ans: The doctor was saved purely by chance and the presence of the mirror. While the snake was coiled tightly around his arm, it suddenly turned its head and looked into the large mirror on the table. It seemed fascinated by its own reflection. Wanting to get a closer look at itself, the snake slowly uncoiled from the doctor's arm and slithered onto the table towards the mirror. Finding the snake distracted, the doctor held his breath, stood up quietly, and sprinted out of the house.
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Q: When the doctor returned to his room the next morning, what was the only thing the thief had left behind?
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🔤 Important Word Meanings
- 1. Homeopath (n): A doctor who treats illnesses using very small amounts of natural substances.
- 2. Meager (adj): Very small in quantity; inadequate (Bahut kam).
- 3. Solitary (adj): Single; alone (Akela).
- 4. Paced (v): Walked back and forth anxiously or thoughtfully.
- 5. Slithered (v): Moved smoothly over a surface, like a snake (Rengna).
- 6. Feebly (adv): In a weak manner, lacking strength.
- 7. Smeared (v): Coated or covered with a sticky or greasy substance.