NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Supplementary Reader Chapter 3 The Story Teller by Saki (H.H. Munro)
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Supplementary Reader Chapter 3 – The Story Teller by Saki (H.H. Munro)
"The Story Teller" by Saki is a witty and engaging tale that focuses on the interaction between a storyteller, a group of children, and their aunt during a train journey. Through the narrative, the author critiques the conventional approach to storytelling and highlights the importance of creativity and imagination in capturing attention. The story explores themes of moral lessons, social norms, and how stories can be shaped to entertain or teach. The conclusion of the story, with its twist, delivers a satire on the idea of “moral lessons” in storytelling. Download the worksheet and practice alongside solutions for better clarity. Book a free trial now to get expert guidance.
What this NCERT chapter covers?
1. Introduction to the Characters: The
story features a group of children, their aunt, and a storyteller who is a stranger on the train.
2. The Storytelling Contest: The aunt begins telling a story with a moral, but the children lose interest. The storyteller then creates a more engaging and adventurous tale.
3. Themes of Morality: The aunt’s traditional story tries to teach a lesson, while the storyteller’s tale subverts expectations and adds an element of surprise.
4. Creativity in Storytelling: The difference between the aunt’s moralistic tale and the storyteller’s more captivating narrative is a key theme.
5. The Irony of the Ending: The story has a twist ending that critiques how stories with morals may sometimes fail to engage the audience.
6. Character Sketches: We explore the contrast between the aunt, who embodies conventional values, and the storyteller, who focuses on creativity.
Key Themes
1. Moral vs. Entertainment: The aunt's story is moralistic, while the storyteller creates a tale that is more engaging, showing the importance of entertainment in storytelling.
2. Imagination and Creativity: The storyteller uses imagination and creativity to capture the children's attention, highlighting the power of storytelling.
3. Satire on Traditional Values: The story subtly mocks traditional, moralistic storytelling, contrasting it with the modern, entertaining approach.
4. Engagement through Narratives: The storyteller teaches that sometimes engaging stories are more effective than those with forced lessons.
How to Use These NCERT Solutions 1. Read the Chapter Thoroughly: Understand the contrast between the two types of stories in the chapter.
2. Answer Questions Independently: After reading the chapter, attempt the questions before checking the solutions to improve comprehension.
3. Character Development: Focus on how the aunt and the storyteller are characterized and how their different approaches to storytelling affect the children.
4. Write Value-Based Answers: Practice answering questions that involve analyzing the moral or thematic lessons of the chapter.
5. Discussion: Discuss the importance of creativity in communication and storytelling.
6. Teacher’s Role: Teachers can encourage students to reflect on how different storytelling techniques can influence audiences.
7. Parent Involvement: Parents can guide students to connect the story's lesson to their own experiences in learning and teaching.
Important Tips & Tricks for Students 1. Understand the Characters: Focus on the aunt’s and the storyteller’s differing approaches to storytelling.
2. Analyze the Ending: The twist at the end carries important commentary about the nature of storytelling.
3. Identify the Irony: Recognize how the ending reveals the aunt's failure to hold the children’s attention despite the lesson in her story.
4. Avoid Overcomplicating Answers: Keep your answers concise, sticking to the primary points from the text.
5. Engage in Discussions: Consider how entertainment and moral lessons can be balanced in stories.
6. Focus on Imagery: Pay attention to how the storyteller’s creativity makes the story more engaging.
NCERT Solutions – Complete Answer Key
1. Why did the aunt scold the children?
Sample Answer: The aunt scolded the children because they were not listening to her story attentively. They kept interrupting and expressing disinterest, which led her to criticize them for not appreciating her attempt at teaching them a moral lesson.
2. What made the children interested in the storyteller’s tale?
Sample Answer: The children became interested in the storyteller’s tale because it was adventurous and engaging. Unlike the aunt’s moralistic story, the storyteller's narrative included thrilling and unexpected elements, capturing their attention.
3. What is the moral of the aunt’s story?
Sample Answer: The moral of the aunt’s story was that being good, kind, and obedient leads to positive outcomes. It was a traditional story meant to teach a lesson about morality and proper behavior.
4. How did the storyteller’s tale differ from the aunt’s story?
Sample Answer: The storyteller’s tale was filled with adventure, excitement, and unexpected twists. It was entertaining and lacked any overt moral lesson, contrasting sharply with the aunt’s story, which was intended to teach a moral.
5. Why did the storyteller add a twist at the end of his tale?
Sample Answer: The storyteller added a twist at the end of his tale to shock the aunt and demonstrate that stories without a moral could be equally or more engaging. The twist serves as a satire on moralistic storytelling.
6. What lesson do we learn from the story?
Sample Answer: The story teaches us that creativity and entertainment are essential in storytelling, and sometimes, the most engaging stories do not have to carry an explicit moral. It also shows that traditional methods may not always be the most effective.
Suggested Activities
1. Role Play:
Explanation: Students can act out key scenes, such as the storyteller narrating the story or the children reacting to the aunt’s moralistic tale. This helps understand the differences in the approaches to storytelling.
Objective: To comprehend the characters’ perspectives and emotions.
2. Write a Creative Story:
Explanation: Students can try their hand at writing a story that is both entertaining and contains a subtle moral lesson, inspired by the storyteller’s technique.
Objective: To practice creativity in writing and improve storytelling skills.
3. Group Discussion:
Explanation: Discuss the impact of moralistic storytelling versus imaginative storytelling. Which approach do the students think is more effective in holding attention and engaging an audience?
Objective: To develop critical thinking and communication skills.
4. Art Activity:
Explanation: Students draw scenes from both the aunt’s and the storyteller’s versions of the story to compare the themes visually.
Objective: To connect the visual with the textual and understand story themes better.
Why NCERT Solutions Help Students 1. Improved Comprehension: The solutions break down the story’s complex elements, such as the satirical ending and the contrast in storytelling styles.
2. Encouraging Critical Thinking: The answers highlight the importance of creativity and offer deeper insights into the themes of the story.
3. Better Exam Preparation: Structured answers ensure clarity and help students focus on key points when preparing for exams.
4. Enhances Writing Skills: The sample answers guide students on how to approach writing concise, insightful answers. Help your child build strong English fundamentals with expert-guided learning support.