The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse-Question and Answer

Reading with Insight

1. You will probably agree that this story does not have breathless adventure and exciting action.

Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?

Ans: The story did not have exciting action and breathless adventures’ yet it had suspense in the story
which made it interesting for the readers. It was a good psychological narration and both the boys
wanted to try something adventurous. As their family was poor and they both wanted to ride a horse.
Mourad stole it and they both rode it for quite some time. After they were over their game play, they
took it back to its original place and owner.

2. Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were afraid?

Ans: The boys returned the horse not because they were afraid but because of their conscience. Their
family was known for its honesty yet they had stolen the horse months ago. When they met John Byro
on his way to town, the horse was with them. He carefully examined it and shared that it looked exactly
like the one he had just like a twin. It felt like it was his own horse but since he knew his parents, he
didn’t believe it was his horse they were carrying. This struck the boys and they decided to take the
horse back to the farmer’s vineyard to put it in the barn.

3. "One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of every imaginable
kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream..."The story begins in a mood
of nostalgia. Can you narrate some incident from your childhood that might make an interesting story?

4. The story revolves around characters who belong to a tribe in Armenia. Mourad and Aram are
members of the Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on the atlas and prepare a write-
up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about people, their names, traits, geographical and
economic features as suggested in the story.

Ans: Garoghlanian tribe is said to be a work of fiction by author William Saroyan in his book of the year
1940 ‘My name is Aram’. They were Armenian. They were poor people who hardly managed to gather
food to feed their stomach every day but they were known for honesty. Hospitality is one of the
important aspects of the tribe. Most of the Armenian people followed Christianity. They have a huge
variety of food at social gatherings. They focussed on forgiveness of sins and on the spirit of tolerance.

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.

To which tribe did Mourad and Aram belong? Which traits of the tribe are highlighted in the story ‘The
Summer of the Beautiful White Horse’?

Answer:
Mourad and Aram belonged to the Garoghlanian tribe. The Garoghlanians were extremely poor but they
were known for honesty for centuries. They were proud first, honest next and believed in doing the right
deeds. No one of their tribe would ever steal. Everyone trusted them.

Question 2.

What are the unique traits of the Garoghlanian tribe?

Answer:

The unique traits of the Garoghlanian tribe were that they were extremely poor but still they were 1
famous for their honesty for centuries. They were proud as well as honest; they believed in doing the
right deeds. No one o^ their tribe would ever steal. They were trustworthy.

Question 3.

Why did Aram find it hard to believe that Mourad had stolen the horse?

Answer:

Though Mourad was too poor to buy a horse, Aram found it difficult to believe that he had stolen it. This
was because Mourad came from a family that firmly upheld honesty as their special trait and were
proud of it.

Question 4.

Why was Aram delighted and frightened at the same time when he saw his cousin Mourad on a
beautiful white horse?

Answer:

Aram was delighted because of the beautiful white horse. He wanted to ride. He was delighted and
frightened by ‘the pious stillness and humour’ in Mourad and the horse. This means that he was
frightened because Mourad was on a horse which he could never have bought.

Question 5.

How can we say that Aram and Mourad were very fond of riding?

Answer:

Mourad brought a horse which did not belong to him. Though he knew that their tribe was well- known
for honesty, but he could not help stealing John Byro’s horse for riding. They enjoyed riding at 4:00 a.m.
when it was still dark. They used to race the horse across fields, vineyards, orchards, irrigation ditches
and country roads. Thus we can say that Aram and Mourad were very fond of riding.

Question 6.
Mourad said, “I have a way with a horse”. Do you agree? Give an example to prove your point.

Answer:

Yes, we agree that Mourad had a way with a horse. When John Byro got the horse back, he found the
horse better tempered because Mourad was good at dealing with a wild white horse. The horse wanted
to run wild in the beginning but Mourad felt he could make the horse do anything he wanted.

Question 7.

What were the peculiarities in Uncle Khosrove’s behaviour?

Answer:

Uncle Khosrove, who had a furious temper was known to be crazy. He was so impatient and irritable
that he stopped anyone from talking by roaring, ‘It is no harm; pay no attention to it.’ His son came to
him to tell him that their house was on fire. He silenced him saying ‘enough’. ‘It is no harm, I say’. He
was irritated and snubbed when John Byro told him about his horse having been stolen.

Question 8.

What did John Byro say to the boys when he found them walking with it one morning?

Answer:

John Byro met the boys walking with his horse which had been stolen. He studied the horse, asked its
name and examined its teeth. He said if he did not know their parents’ honesty he would swear that it
was his horse. He only called it the ‘twin’ of his horse.

Question 9.

What do you think induced the boys to return the horse to its owner?

Answer:

The boys belonged to the Garoghlanian tribe which was well known for its honesty. When John Byro
met the boys walking with his horse which had been stolen, he studied the horse, asked its name and
examined its teeth. He said if he did not know their family’s honesty, he would swear that it was his
horse. The boys became conscience-stricken. They realized that what they did was wrong and this could
bring disgrace to their family. This made them return the horse.

Question 10.

Describe Mourad’s parting from the beautiful white horse.

Answer:
Mourad had spent some time looking after the horse. He loved it even though it was not his own. When
he left it in John Byro’s vineyard, he put his arms around his neck, pressed his nose into the horse’s nose
and patted it. The horse had grown stronger and better tempered in his care.

Question 11.

Why did John Byro visit Aram’s house in his surrey after getting his horse back?

Answer:

John Byro visited Aram’s house to show the horse that had been stolen and returned. He showed that
the horse was stronger than ever and better tempered.

Question 12.

How did little Aram define stealing when he had to decide whether or not to ride the horse?

Answer:

Little Aram was crazy about horses and was longing for a joyride on the horse. When he guessed that
Mourad had stolen the horse, he defined that stealing a horse for a ride was not like stealing money. It
would become stealing if he and Mourad wanted to sell the horse.

Question 13.

Why did Mourad steal the horse and then return it?

Answer:

Mourad stole the horse because he had passion to ride but was too poor to buy one. He returned the
horse because he had no intention of stealing it. Besides farmer, John Byro, reminded him of the high
reputation of his family for honesty.

The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.

Aram did not think they had stolen the white horse even though they kept it with them for a long time.
Why did Mourad steal the horse? Why did they return it?

Answer:

Aram did not think they had stolen the white horse even though they kept it with them for a longtime
because in his opinion it would become stealing only when they had the intention to sell the horse for
money or keep it with them forever. Therefore, they did not think they had stolen the horse.

Mourad stole the horse because he had passion for riding; but he was too poor to buy a horse. They
returned the horse back because their conscience instructed them to do so. The meeting with John Byro
changed Mourad’s mind and heart. John Byro did not claim the horse, though he felt that it was his lost
horse. He only spoke about the honesty of their family which prompted them to return the horse to its
rightful owner.

Question 2.

What impression do you form of the narrator (Aram) after reading the story?

Answer:

Aram is a nine years Armenian boy who narrates the story. He is longing for a joyride on a horse. He is
the only character in the story who not only narrates incidents and actions but also gives useful
information about other characters and their traits as well. He also provides the description of the
Garoghlanian, tribe, their traits, etc.

He finds it hard to believe that Mourad has stolen a horse because he comes from a family that firmly
upholds honesty as their special trait and are proud of it. In his opinion, stealing a horse for a ride is not
the something as stealing something else, such as money. He convinces himself by saying this that it
would become stealing when they offer to sell it. Aram enjoys riding the horse.

The temptation to ride a beautiful horse cannot be resisted by him. Aram loves adventure that’s why he
decides not to talk about the stolen horse.

Question 3.

The narrator mentioned ‘a crazy streak’ running in his family. Which two characters showed this streak
in their behaviour and words? Write briefly about them showing how they could be called crazy.

Answer:

Mourad and Uncle Khosrove were the two characters who showed a crazy streak in their behaviour.
Mourad was a thirteen-year old Armenian boy. He belonged to Garoghlanian tribe. He was fond of riding
to the point of craziness. He sang out of joy when riding a stolen horse. He said confidently that he had a
way with horses.

He was crazy like his uncle Khosrove and was considered the natural descendent of his crazy uncle.
Uncle Khosrove had a furious temper1 and was known to be crazy. He was so impatient and irritable
that he stopped anyone from talking by roaring, ‘It is no harm; pay no attention to it’. He said this even
when his son came running to tell him that their house was on fire. He got irritated and snubbed John
Byro when he told him about his horse having been stolen.

Question 4.

Do you think John Byro recognised his horse? Why did he not accuse the boys of stealing his horse?

Answer:
Yes, John Byro recognized his horse. When he met the boys, walking with his horse which had been
stolen, asked its name and examined its teeth. He said it must be the twin of his stolen horse. He said
that he trusted their family’s honesty, so he was not willing to create a fuss and did not have any
intention to call them thieves.

Though he recognized his horse but he told them that he would not even suspect them of stealing a
horse. John Byro did not blame the boys nor made any formal complaint regarding the theft of his horse.
He merely touched upon their family honour. This had the desired effect on the children and they
returned the horse.

Question 5.

“We had been famous for our honesty for something like eleven centuries,” the narrator describes his
family in these words. Do you think it is possible to remain honest in modern times?

Answer:

Yes. It is possible to be honest in modern times too as seen in the story. Mourad and Aram were honest
too. Mourad took the horse because he loved to ride but could not afford to buy one – he had all the
intention of returning the horse. There are many examples of honest behaviour – Gandhiji inspired
truthfulness by his example Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) was adopted as national motto of
India on 26th January, 1950.

Even today, honest people such as Anna Hazare are ready to fast unto death for upholding honesty.
Many such activists have put their lives at stake to fight for and uphold truth. Some of them have even
laid down their lives. Young people are very idealistic and wish to eliminate corruption and dishonesty.
Unfortunately many amongst us find it difficult to follow the future gains at the cost of present-day
hardships and therefore, we tend to choose the easy way out. But truth is like a bitter pill that actually is
good for our health in the long run.