Summary
Chapter 2 of NCERT Class 7 English (Honeycomb), "A Gift of Chappals", is a short story by Vasantha Surya about a young girl named Mridu who visits her cousins Ravi, Meena, and Lalli in Madras. The children secretly shelter a stray kitten named Mahendravarma Pallava Poonai. When a barefoot beggar arrives at the door, the kind-hearted children give away the music-master's brand-new chappals to protect his blistered feet, setting off a comic and touching chain of events that ends with Rukku Manni replacing the chappals from Gopu Mama's wardrobe.
Mridu visits her cousins Ravi, Meena, and Lalli at their home in Madras. In the backyard the children secretly tend to a stray kitten they have named Mahendravarma Pallava Poonai, sneaking milk past their watchful grandmother. When a barefoot beggar arrives with badly blistered feet, Mridu suggests finding him some chappals. Ravi spots the music-master's new chappals in the verandah and gives them to the beggar, who quickly vanishes. The music-master's distress forces Rukku Manni to replace his chappals with a pair belonging to Gopu Mama. The story explores childhood compassion, impulsive generosity, and the gentle humour of family life.
Key points & formulas
- 01Mridu is a young girl from Madras who visits her aunt Rukku Manni's house and meets her cousins Ravi, Meena, and Lalli.
- 02The children secretly keep a stray kitten named Mahendravarma Pallava Poonai (M.P. Poonai), hidden behind a bitter-berry bush, and struggle to smuggle milk past their grandmother.
- 03Ravi spins an elaborate story claiming the kitten is descended from the ancient Pallava dynasty's lion emblem and even the Egyptian cat-goddess Bastet.
- 04Lalli's painful attempts to learn the violin from a music-master provide comic contrast — her playing startles the kitten into a tray of red chillies.
- 05A regular beggar arrives at the gate with large, pink, blistered feet; Mridu suggests finding him chappals, and Ravi gives him the music-master's brand-new chappals without permission.
- 06The music-master discovers his chappals are missing and is upset; Rukku Manni apologises and replaces them with Gopu Mama's hardly-worn new chappals.
- 07The story's central theme is spontaneous compassion: the children act out of genuine kindness for the beggar even though it causes trouble, and Rukku Manni ultimately laughs at the absurdity of the situation.
Frequently asked questions
01Who are the main characters in 'A Gift of Chappals'?
The main characters are Mridu (the visiting girl), her cousins Ravi, Meena, and Lalli, their mother Rukku Manni, and their grandmother (Paati). The music-master and the barefoot beggar play key supporting roles.
02Who wrote 'A Gift of Chappals'?
The story is written by Vasantha Surya and is taken from her work 'Mridu in Madras: Goruchaka Turns Up'.
03What is the secret the children are keeping in the backyard?
The children have secretly taken in a stray kitten they found outside the gate. They keep it hidden behind a thick bitter-berry bush because their grandmother (Paati) would leave the house if she knew there was a cat.
04What is the kitten's full name and why does Ravi give it that name?
Ravi names the kitten Mahendravarma Pallava Poonai (M.P. Poonai for short). He claims the kitten is descended from the ancient Pallava dynasty's lion emblem and, further back, from the Egyptian cat-goddess Bastet — a story Mridu finds amusing but far-fetched.
05How does Ravi manage to get milk for the kitten?
Ravi told his grandmother he was hungry and wanted to drink the milk himself, drank most of it to avoid suspicion, then poured the rest into a coconut half-shell for the kitten, washed the tumbler, and returned it before Paati grew suspicious.
06Why does Lalli's violin playing frighten the kitten?
Lalli is learning the violin from a music-master. Her playing produces a loud 'Kreech' sound that startles Mahendran (the kitten) so badly that he bounces up, scurries into a bamboo tray of red chillies, and tips them over himself.
07Why does the beggar come to Rukku Manni's house?
The beggar has been coming to the house every day for a whole week to beg for alms. He says the ladies of the house are very kind souls and that he has 'kept body and soul together' on their generosity.
08Why do the children decide to give the beggar chappals?
The beggar has large, pink, peeling blisters on the soles of his bare feet. Mridu feels he cannot afford chappals, Meena's eyes fill with tears saying 'It's not fair!', and Ravi decides they must find him something to wear before he has to walk on the melting tar road.
09Whose chappals does Ravi give to the beggar, and what happens as a result?
Ravi gives the music-master's brand-new chappals, which had been left on the verandah, to the beggar. After the lesson, the music-master cannot find them; Rukku Manni realises what happened and apologises, giving him Gopu Mama's hardly-worn new chappals as a replacement.
10How does Ravi justify giving away the music-master's chappals?
Ravi compares himself to Karna, the legendary hero known for extreme generosity. Rukku Manni sharply corrects him, pointing out that Karna only gave away his own possessions, not other people's.
11What does Rukku Manni do after the music-master leaves, and why does she laugh?
Rukku Manni invites Mridu and Meena inside for tiffin and scolds the children. As she walks to the kitchen, she suddenly starts laughing because she realises she has given away Gopu Mama's chappals — and he always rushes to put on his chappals the moment he comes home from work, so he will certainly notice they are gone.
12Is the NCERT Class 7 English Honeycomb PDF available for free?
Yes. The full NCERT Class 7 English Honeycomb PDF, including Chapter 2 'A Gift of Chappals', is available for free on CBSE PrepMaster. No sign-up or payment is required.
More chapters in Honeycomb
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