Class 6 English Notes Chapter 10 (A Strange Wrestling Match) – A Pact with the Sun Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 10, 'A Strange Wrestling Match' from your 'A Pact with the Sun' book. This is an interesting folk tale with valuable lessons, often useful for comprehension sections in various exams. Pay close attention to the details.

Chapter 10: A Strange Wrestling Match - Detailed Notes

1. Introduction:

• This story is a popular Rajasthani folk tale.
• It revolves around a famous but boastful wrestler named Vijay Singh and his encounter with a ghost.
• The central theme is how intelligence and presence of mind can overcome brute strength and fear.

2. Main Characters:

• Vijay Singh:
  • A renowned wrestler, physically very strong.
  • Known for his boastfulness; often claimed he wasn't afraid of anything, including ghosts.
  • His main weakness was his tendency to boast excessively.
  • Despite his boasting, he shows remarkable cleverness and courage when faced with real danger.
• The Ghost (Natwar):
  • Lived in the Haunted Desert.
  • Believed to be strong and dangerous.
  • Appears fearsome but is ultimately tricked by Vijay Singh's intelligence.
  • Represents fear and the unknown, which can be overcome with wit.
• The Old Woman:
  • A wise character Vijay Singh meets on his way to the Haunted Desert.
  • Provides Vijay Singh with crucial advice and two seemingly ordinary items: a lump of salt and an egg.
  • Represents wisdom and the importance of seeking guidance.

3. Plot Summary:

• The Boast: Vijay Singh, a famous wrestler, boasts that he wishes to meet a ghost to teach it a lesson. People warn him against going to the Haunted Desert, but his pride compels him to go.
• The Journey and the Old Woman's Help: While travelling towards the desert, Vijay Singh meets an old woman. She realises he is boastful but perhaps not foolish. She gives him a small packet containing a lump of salt and an egg, advising him they will help him. She warns him about the ghost's deceptive nature.
• The Encounter: Vijay Singh enters the Haunted Desert and calls out for the ghost. A ghost named Natwar appears, initially trying to intimidate Vijay Singh by claiming he is his friend Natwar. Vijay Singh, remembering the old woman's warning, remains cautious.
• The Challenges: The ghost challenges Vijay Singh's strength.
  • Squeezing the Rock: The ghost picks up a rock and squeezes it into pulp. Vijay Singh cleverly takes out the egg (hidden in his hand) and squeezes it, letting the yolk and white ooze out, pretending it's fluid from a rock. The ghost is astonished.
  • Crushing another Rock: The ghost gives Vijay Singh another rock to crush. Vijay Singh takes out the lump of salt (hidden in his hand) and crushes it into powder, claiming it was the rock. The ghost is again fooled and unnerved.
  • (Implied Challenge - Throwing the Rock): Although not explicitly stated as a challenge in some versions, Vijay Singh's cleverness in the previous tasks implies he could outwit the ghost in any physical contest. The ghost is now convinced of Vijay Singh's superior strength.
• The Ghost's Cave: Impressed and somewhat scared, the ghost invites Vijay Singh to his cave for the night. Vijay Singh suspects a trap.
• The Trick with the Bolster: Inside the cave, the ghost offers Vijay Singh a bed. Sensing danger, Vijay Singh places the bolster in the middle of the bed, covers it with a blanket to make it look like he is sleeping there, and hides in a dark corner.
• The Attack and Escape: During the night, the ghost takes a stout club and strikes the bolster seven times, believing he has killed Vijay Singh. Vijay Singh waits, then groans as if waking up, complaining about insects disturbing his sleep. The ghost is terrified, believing Vijay Singh is indestructible. He flees the cave in panic.
• The Return: Vijay Singh waits until dawn, takes the ghost's valuable possessions left behind in the cave, and returns to his village. He shows the riches and recounts his adventure (likely exaggerating his bravery). The villagers are impressed, and the ghost is never seen again. Vijay Singh stops boasting excessively after this encounter.

4. Themes:

• Intelligence over Brute Strength: The story clearly demonstrates that cleverness and quick thinking are more powerful than mere physical strength. Vijay Singh outwits the ghost repeatedly.
• Bravery vs. Boastfulness: True bravery lies not in boasting but in facing danger courageously and intelligently. Vijay Singh's initial motivation is boastfulness, but he displays genuine courage and wit during the encounter.
• Overcoming Fear: The ghost represents fear. Vijay Singh, despite likely being scared, uses his mind to overcome the ghost and the fear associated with it.
• Appearances can be Deceptive: The ghost appears fearsome but is easily fooled. The salt and egg seem ordinary but prove invaluable. Vijay Singh appears only strong, but his real asset is his intelligence.

5. Key Vocabulary/Phrases:

• Boasted: Talked with excessive pride about oneself.
• Haunted Desert: A desert believed to be inhabited by ghosts.
• Pahilwan: Hindi word for wrestler.
• Surreal: Strange, dreamlike.
• Stout: Strong and thick.
• Bolster: A long, thick pillow placed under other pillows for support.
• Unnerved: Made someone lose courage or confidence.
• Presence of mind: The ability to act quickly and intelligently in a difficult situation.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Here are 10 questions based on the chapter for your practice:

1. What was Vijay Singh's main weakness?
   a) He was physically weak.
   b) He was afraid of ghosts.
   c) He was excessively boastful.
   d) He was not intelligent.

2. Who advised Vijay Singh before he entered the Haunted Desert?
   a) His friend Natwar
   b) An old woman
   c) The village elder
   d) Another wrestler

3. What two items did the old woman give Vijay Singh?
   a) A sword and a shield
   b) A magic lamp and a ring
   c) A lump of salt and an egg
   d) Water and food

4. What did Vijay Singh pretend to squeeze instead of the first rock shown by the ghost?
   a) A piece of cloth
   b) A lump of salt
   c) An orange
   d) An egg

5. How did Vijay Singh fool the ghost with the second rock?
   a) He threw it very far.
   b) He crushed a lump of salt instead.
   c) He hid the rock.
   d) He broke it easily with his hands.

6. What was the name of the ghost Vijay Singh met?
   a) Vikram
   b) Natwar
   c) Bhairav
   d) Rakshas

7. Why did the ghost invite Vijay Singh to his cave?
   a) He wanted to offer genuine hospitality.
   b) He was impressed and scared, planning to kill him later.
   c) He needed help with some work.
   d) He wanted to introduce Vijay Singh to other ghosts.

8. How did Vijay Singh escape being killed by the ghost in the cave?
   a) He fought the ghost and won.
   b) He hid in a dark corner after placing a bolster on the bed.
   c) He ran away before the ghost could attack.
   d) He used a magic spell given by the old woman.

9. What did the ghost hit with his club, thinking it was Vijay Singh?
   a) A pile of rocks
   b) The cave wall
   c) A bolster
   d) An empty bed

10. What is the main lesson conveyed by the story 'A Strange Wrestling Match'?
    a) Ghosts are real and dangerous.
    b) Physical strength is the most important quality.
    c) Boasting always leads to trouble.
    d) Intelligence and wit can overcome fear and brute force.

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c) He was excessively boastful.
2. b) An old woman
3. c) A lump of salt and an egg
4. d) An egg
5. b) He crushed a lump of salt instead.
6. b) Natwar
7. b) He was impressed and scared, planning to kill him later.
8. b) He hid in a dark corner after placing a bolster on the bed.
9. c) A bolster
10. d) Intelligence and wit can overcome fear and brute force.

Make sure you understand the plot, the characters' motivations, and the underlying message of the story. These notes should provide a solid foundation for your preparation. Keep revising!