CBSE Class 9 English Moments Notes Chapter 4: Chapter 4 of the Moments book, “In the Kingdom of Fools,” is a humorous yet thought-provoking story highlighting the consequences of foolish governance. Set in a kingdom where night is day and day is night, the chapter explores themes like wisdom, justice, and irony.
As per the CBSE syllabus, this story is important for understanding character traits and moral lessons. Students should focus on key events and character decisions to answer extract-based and analytical questions in line with the exam pattern. Preparing chapter summaries and NCERT questions will help score better in the literature section of the exam.
CBSE Class 9 English Moments Notes Chapter 4 In the Kingdom of Fools
This chapter is a popular Kannada folktale adapted from A.K. Ramanujan’s Folk Tales from India. It tells the story of a strange kingdom ruled by a foolish king and his equally silly ministers. The king passed an odd rule: everyone had to sleep during the day and work at night. The people had no choice but to follow these upside-down instructions.
One day, a wise guru and his disciple visited this strange land. They were surprised to see that everything, from food to goods—cost only one rupee. At first, they were happy. But the guru sensed danger in staying in such a kingdom run by fools and decided to leave. The disciple, however, stayed back because he loved the cheap and tasty food. Over time, he became fat from overeating.
Later, a thief tried to rob a rich man’s house but was crushed to death when a wall collapsed on him. The thief’s brother blamed the house owner and took the matter to the king. The king, without thinking deeply, called the merchant to court. The merchant blamed the bricklayer for building a weak wall. The bricklayer blamed a dancing girl who distracted him. The dancing girl, in turn, blamed a goldsmith who delayed her jewellery and made her walk the street repeatedly. The goldsmith finally blamed another merchant, who turned out to be the same rich man the case started with!
The king, sticking to his foolish ways, decided the merchant should be punished for the crime. But since he was too thin to be executed on the stake, the king ordered his men to find a fat person instead. They caught the disciple, who was now overweight. He pleaded for mercy, but no one listened.
In despair, he remembered his guru and prayed for help. The guru, with his spiritual powers, saw his disciple in trouble and rushed to save him. He whispered something secretly to his disciple and then asked the king to punish him instead. Confused, the disciple also asked to be executed. The king, puzzled by their argument, asked them why they were fighting to die.
The guru cleverly told the king that whoever was executed first would be reborn as the next ruler of the kingdom, and the second would become the minister. The foolish king, not wanting to lose his position in the next life, decided that he and his minister should die instead. That night, they disguised themselves as the guru and his disciple, went to the prison, and got themselves executed.
The next morning, the kingdom discovered that their king and minister were dead. The people, seeing the wisdom of the guru and his disciple, made them their new rulers. The guru, though hesitant at first, agreed and changed all the strange rules. From then on, the people lived normal, sensible lives like those in other kingdoms.
Conclusion of CBSE Class 9 English Moments Notes Chapter 4
The story “In the Kingdom of Fools” highlights the dangers of foolish leadership and the importance of wisdom and presence of mind. Through the humorous yet meaningful narrative, students learn how blind obedience and a lack of logic can lead to chaos.
The guru’s clever thinking not only saves his disciple but also restores order in the kingdom. This story, as per the CBSE Class 9 English Moments syllabus, is important for understanding satire and irony. Students must revise this chapter well, as it aligns with the exam pattern that includes extract-based and value-based questions.
CBSE Class 9 English Moments Notes Chapter 4 PDF
Below we have provided the PDF notes for Chapter 4 – "In the Kingdom of Fools" from the CBSE Class 9 English Moments book. These notes cover all the important points, summary, character sketches, and value-based insights in a simple and easy-to-understand format. The PDF is designed as per the latest CBSE class 9 syllabus and exam pattern, helping students to prepare effectively for their exams. Download the PDF below to revise the chapter quickly and score well in the literature section.
