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Watchman of the Lake Questions & Answers

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Comprehension I

1. Why was the headman in a hurry to complete the road work?

Ans: The king was passing that way

2. The village headman asked Mara to keep away from the road workers because

Ans: he didn’t want a fool like Mara to show up and disturb the workers.  

3. How did Mara manage to draw the attention of the king? Why?

Ans: By jumping down from a tree. Since he couldn’t appear in public, he was hiding in a tree.

4. The Goddess’ command to Mara was to

Ans: build a tank across the river Veda.

5. How does the king respond to Mara’s information about the tank?

Ans: That Mara’s words are weighty and the King asks Mara to accompany him to the capital.

6. What does Mara advise his son in saving the lake and the creatures?

Ans: He advises his son that nothing that flies or swims or walks around the lake should ever be killed.

7. Why did the visitor approach Mara?

Ans: For water.

8. Mara rushed to the king because he wanted to save

Ans: c. the lake.

9. Mara was trembling at the king’s palace because

Ans: he was worried about the lake.

10. On what condition did Mara make the Goddess wait for him?

Ans: That she had to wait until he returned.

 II

1.   Was the headman justified in calling Mara a lunatic? Give reasons.

Ans: No. The headman was not justified in calling Mara a lunatic since he had a very important message to convey to the King. The headman calls Mara a lunatic merely on the ground that he was obstructing the roadwork. Though Mara tries to convince the headman that the Goddess had appeared in his dream, the village headman instead, orders his workmen to catch him and lock him up in the cellar. Here, the village headman is focussed on completing the roadwork, the most important priority for him as the King is to arrive there. He does not see any essence in Mara’s words when he talks about his dream. It is also clear from the background that the village headman and the workmen already knew Mara as a mischief maker. When the workmen were disturbed, the village man comes to know that Mara was peeping at them.   We can also make out in Mara’s comical dialogues that it is hard for the village headman to believe in Mara’s words. In fact, Mara’s humour sprinkled conversation and mannerism hardly give any scope for the village headman to think that what he really wishes to convey to the King is worthy of consideration. Even when Mara offers to tell the headman about the Goddess appearing in his dream and commanding him to convey an important message to the King, the headman chooses to ignore Mara’s words.

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