ISWARAN THE STORYTELLER

REFERENCE TO CONTEXT (TO BE DONE IN REGISTER)

“I am not easily frightened by these things, sir. I am a brave fellow. But one horrible ghost of
a woman which appears off and on at midnight during the full moon... It is an ugly creature
with matted hair and a shrivelled face, like a skeleton holding a foetus in its arms.”

(a) What is ‘it’ here and who is describing ‘it’?

‘It’ here is the female ghost who is being described by Iswaran, the cook.
(b) Why was ‘it’ ugly?
‘It’ was ugly because it had matted hair and shrivelled face like a typical ghost.
(c) Who had seen ‘it’, when and where?
It was claimed to have been seen by Iswaran at midnight during the full moon in the factory
area supervised by Mahendra.
(d) What effect does this description of the ugly creature have on Mahendra?
This description made Mahendra shiver with horror although he put up a brave show by
dismissing Iswaran’s belief in ghosts or spirits as a figment of his imagination.

SHORT QUESTION ANSWER

1. Do you think that Iswaran was an asset to Mahendra? If yes, how?
Yes, Iswaran was surely an asset to Mahendra. He was not just a cook but also a loyal
companion. Iswaran managed all household work like cleaning, washing, and cooking delicious
meals, which made Mahendra’s life very comfortable. He also had a special talent for
storytelling, through which he entertained Mahendra and removed his loneliness. His cheerful
nature, devotion, and ability to handle difficult situations calmly made him very valuable and
important in Mahendra’s life.
2. How did Iswaran manage to make even the simplest incident interesting? Give an
example.
Iswaran narrated events with dramatic expressions, gestures, and suspense. His storytelling
style made even ordinary events gripping. For example, he described a fallen tree on the road
as if it were a huge beast lying dead, keeping the listener fully absorbed.
3. ⁠What havoc was created by the elephant in the outskirts of town?
The elephant went berserk, breaking fences, uprooting plants, and destroying stalls. It entered
a school and smashed furniture. Teachers and students ran for safety. The situation was
brought under control only when young Iswaran bravely knocked the elephant down with a
crowbar.
4. Why did Mahendra resolve to leave the haunted place the very next day?
Mahendra decided to leave because he was deeply disturbed by Iswaran’s ghost story. One
night, he actually felt he saw a ghostly woman outside his window. The frightening experience
shook his courage and convinced him to move away from the place.
5. Write the daily routine of Iswaran.
Iswaran would rise early, clean the house, cook delicious meals, and serve Mahendra with
devotion. He also accompanied him on walks, managed household chores, and narrated
thrilling stories in the evenings. His disciplined routine made life easy and pleasant for
Mahendra.
6. Why did Mahendra enjoy Iswaran's tales?
Mahendra enjoyed Iswaran’s tales because they were full of vivid descriptions, suspense, and
dramatic gestures. Iswaran’s storytelling skill made even simple incidents sound extraordinary.
Though sometimes exaggerated, the stories entertained Mahendra and provided relief from
his monotonous, isolated life at the worksite.

LONG QUESTION ANSWERS

1. Iswaran was a storyteller. Sketch the character of Iswaran in your own words.
Iswaran was a very loyal and dedicated companion of Mahendra. Though he worked as a cook,
he was more like a caretaker and friend. He was hardworking and disciplined in his daily
routine. He kept the house neat, cooked delicious food, and looked after Mahendra’s comfort
in every possible way. The most striking quality of Iswaran was his love for storytelling. He
could narrate even the simplest incident in such a dramatic and detailed manner that it
became thrilling and full of suspense. His expressions, gestures, and use of imagination made
his stories very entertaining. For instance, he once described a fallen tree as a giant animal
lying dead on the road. He also narrated ghost stories with great effect, which sometimes
frightened Mahendra. Iswaran was also brave, as shown when he knocked down a mad
elephant with a crowbar. Thus, Iswaran was cheerful, resourceful, and entertaining, making
him an inseparable part of Mahendra’s life.
2. What did Iswaran tell Mahendra about a ghost? Describe Mahendra's horrible experience
one night.
Iswaran once told Mahendra a frightening story about the ghost of a woman. He said that the
place they were living in was haunted and that he had often seen a ghostly figure of a woman
with matted hair and shriveled face, carrying a foetus in her arms, wandering at night.
Mahendra laughed at the story and did not believe it at first. But one night, he had a horrible
experience. He woke up to the sound of a low moan outside his window. When he looked
through the window, he saw a dark, shadowy figure of a woman. She seemed to be staring at
him. Terrified, Mahendra quickly shut his eyes and pulled the blanket over his head. The next
morning, he was so disturbed by the incident that he decided to leave the place immediately.
RECAPITULATION
Iswaran the Storyteller – Recap
⬇
Iswaran – Loyal Companion
→ Cook, cleaner, caretaker of Mahendra
⬇
Master Storyteller
→ Made simple events dramatic & exciting
→ Added suspense, gestures, imagination
⬇
Bravery
→ Knocked down a mad elephant with a crowbar
⬇
Ghost Story
→ Spoke of a ghostly woman in the area
→ Frightened Mahendra with his tale
⬇
Result
→ Mahendra got scared and decided to leave the place