A Grain As Big As A Hen's Egg
The Grain
Leo Tolstoy
A Grain As Big As Hen's Egg Story Summary And Question Answer MCQ Exam Note
Summary of the story a grain as big as a hen's egg
summary of a grain as big as a hen's egg
One day it was discovered by some children in a ravine, a thing shaped like a grain of corn with a groove down the middle. But the corn was as big as a hen's egg. A traveler passing by saw the thing and bought it from the children for a penny. He took the corn to the town and sold it to the king as a curiosity. The king called all the wise men together to find out what the thing was. No one could know the thing. Once it was lying on a window-sill, when a hen flew in and pecked at it till she made a hole in it. Then it was known by everyone that it was a grain of com.
The king was surprised and ordered the learned men to know when and where such corn had grown. But the learned men after searching in their books found no answer about the whereabouts of the com. But they suggested asking the peasants as some of them might have heard from their fathers about the size of the corn.
As per the king's order, his servants brought a very old peasant to him. He was old and bent, ashy, pale and toothless. He came with the help of two crutches into the king's presence. The king showed him the grain and asked if he had seen such corn or had sown such in his fields. He answered that he had never sown nor reaped any like that in his fields. He had never bought like that. He said that the grains were as they are now. He suggested the king that he might ask his father who might have heard where such grain had grown. So the king sent for the old man's father who was brought before the king. He came walking with one crutch.
The king showed him the grain. He was able to see it better than his son. Although the old man was rather hard of hearing, he still heard better than his son. When he was asked by the king whether he had sown such grain or had reaped such a corn like that, he answered that he had never sown nor reaped any such corn in his fields. As to buying, he never bought any, for in his time money was not yet in use. Exchange of goods for goods was prevailing. There was a sharing life. The com was larger and yielded more flour than present day grain. But he never heard any like that. He suggested that the king had better ask his father.
So the king sent for this old man's father. He was brought before the king. He walked without crutches. His eyesight was clear. His hearing was good too. He spoke
distinctly. The king showed him the grain. The old man looked at it and turned it about as in his hand and he tasted a piece off. The king wanted to know whether he had ever bought any like that or sown any like such in his fields.
The old man replied that corn like that used to grow everywhere in his time. They were sowing and reaping and threshing corn like that size. Each man had corn enough of his own. They had known nothing of money. The king wanted to know where his field was, where he grew corn like that. The old man replied that land was free. That was a thing no man called his own. Labour was the only thing called their own.
The king wanted the answer of two more questions from that old man. The first question was why the earth bore such grain then and ceased to do so now. The second question was why his grandson walked with two crutches, his son with one and he himself with none. His eyes were bright, his teeth sound and his speech clear. The old man replied that now-a-days men have ceased to live by their own labour and have depended on others. In old times, they lived according to God's law.
Glossary: (difficult word meaning)
ravine - a very deep narrow valley
shape - size
wise men - intelligent people
ponder - to think deeply
curiosity - unusual thing
make head or tail - not be able to understand
window-sill - a lodge forming the bottom part of the window sill below the window
groove - long narrow channel in the surface of hard material, cut with a tool
peck - bite or eat something with the beak
peasant - small farmers
ashy - gray in colour
pale - whitish, with very little colour, faint
totter - stand or walk unsteadily
reap - cut or gather
crutch - support for a lame person fitting under the armpit
yield - produce
thrash - beat grain from chaff
come about - happen
take to - fall into the habit of
covet - desire eagerly to possess, especially property of another
cease - stop
Question Answer of the story a grain as big as a hen's egg
1. What did the children find in the ravine?
Ans. The children found in the ravine a thing shaped like a grain of corn, with a groove down the middle, but as large as a hen's egg.
2. How did the wise men know that it was a grain of corn ?
Ans. One day the thing was lying on a window sill. Just then a hen happened to fly in and pecked at it till she made a hole in it. Only then did the wise men see that it was a grain of corn.
3. What did the king do to collect information about the grain ?
Ans. To collect information about the grain, the king ordered the learned men to find out when and where such corn had grown.
4. Were the learned men able to find out the answer ? What was their suggestion ?
Ans. No, the learned men were not able to find out the answer to the king's question. Their suggestion was that the king should ask the peasants, who may have heard from their fathers when and where grain grew to such a size.
5. What was the king's question to the old peasant who came first ?
Ans. The king's question to the old peasant who came first was whether he could tell him where such grain as that grew and whether he had ever bought such corn or sown such in his fields.
6. Was he able to hear and see ? What was his answer ?
Ans. No, the first old man was not able to hear or see. His answer was that he had never sowed nor reaped any like it in his fields, nor had he ever bought any such corn. He then added that when they bought corn, the grains had always been as small as they were then. He then suggested to the king that he might ask his father, who may have heard where such grain grew.
7. How did the old peasant's father come to the king ? Was he able to see ?
Ans. The old peasant's father came to the king walking with one crutch. He was quite able to see.
8. The king asked the same question to the old man's father. Now what could be his answer, will he be able to recognise the grain ? Let's read the remaining part of the story to know when exactly these grains were harvested.
Ans. No, he won't be able to recognise the grain.
A grain as big as a hen's egg Question Answer
1. How big was the corn in his fathers' time?
Ans. In the first old man's father's time, the corn was larger and yielded more flour than the present day grain.
2. Read the lines that describe the old man's grandfather. Or,
What was the old man's grandfather like?
Ans. The old man's grandfather was quite halo and hearty. He entered walking easily and with- out crutches. His eyes were clear, his hearing was good, and he spoke distinctly. He was able to recognise the grain and said it was the same kind that grew in his time.
3. What was the grandfather's reply to the king's question ?
Ans. The grandfather's reply to the king's question was that corn like that used to grow everywhere in his time. He lived on com like that In his young days and led others on it. It had been grain like that they used to sow and reap and thrash.
4. Did the people in grandfather's time buy or sell bread ?
Ans. No, the people in grandfather's time, never thought of such a sin as buying or selling bread.
5. Was the land free during his time ? Say the lines that suggest It.
Ans. In his time land was free. The lines that suggest this are- "My field was God's earth. Wherever I ploughed, there was my field. Land was free. It was a thing that no man called his own. Labour was the only thing that men called their own."
6. What were the last two questions of the king ?
Ans. The king's last two questions were why the earth had borne such grain then and why it had ceased to do so then and why his grandson walked with two crutches, his son with one and he himself with none.
7. What reply did the grandfather give ?
Ans. The grandfather gave the reply in this way. The things in the present time are so because men have ceased to live by their own labour and have taken to depending on the labour of others. Moreover, in the old time people lived according to God's law, they had what was their own, and did not covet what others had produced.
A grain as big as a hen's egg long question and answer
Answer the following questions in about fifty (50) words.
1. How did the grain of corn reach the king ?
Ans. One day some child found the grain of corn while playing in a ravine. A traveller passing by saw the grain of corn with the children and bought it from them for a penny. Then the traveller took it to town and sold it to the king as a strange or unusual thing. In this way the grain of com reached the king.
2. How did the wise men know that it was a grain of corn ?
Ans. The wise men thought deeply about the strange thing, and falled to make head or tail of it, It so happened that one day the thing was lying on a window sill and a hen flew in and pecked at it till she made a hole in it. Only then were the wise men able to know that the strange thing was a grain of corn.
3. What suggestion did the learned men make to the king to find out when and where such corns had grown ?
Ans. The suggestion that the learned men made to the king was that he would have to ask the peasants about when and where such corn had grown. They thought that the peasants in his kingdom may have heard from their fathers about it.
4. What were the replies given by the old peasant and his father regarding the corn?
Ans. The reply given by the old peasant was that I grain in his fields nor had he bought any such. When they bought corn, the grains had always had never sow nor reap any such being as small as they were then. The old peasant's father's reply was that he had never sowed nor reaped any corn like that in his field. As to buying he had never bought any, for in his time money was not yet in use. Everyone grew their own com and when there was any need, they shared it with one another. He did not know where corn like that had grown. Their grain was larger and yielded more flour than the present-day grain but he had never seen any like that. He had heard from his father that in his time the grain grew bigger and yielded more flour than theirs.
5. How were the three old men in the story described ?
Ans. The first old man was bent, ashy pale and toothless. He tottered into the king's presence with the help of two crutches. He could not see things properly. He was quite deaf. The second old man walked with one crutch. He was able to see things but was hard of hearing. The third old man walked without crutches. His eye was clear, his hearing good and he spoke distinctly. He was hale and hearty.
6. Briefly describe the lifestyle of the people during grandfather's time.
Ans. In grandfather's time buying and selling bread was considered to be a sin. People knew nothing of money. Everybody had enough corn to maintain themselves. One could plough any field one liked since it was God's earth, Land was free and nobody called it their own. Labour was the only thing that people called their own.
7. What comments did the grandfather give on the lifestyle of people today?
Ans. Nowadays people have ceased to live by their own labour and have to depend on the labour of others. People do not live according to God's law. They violate the rules of morality, They are not content with what they have and covet other people's possessions.
A grain as big as hen’s egg mcq question and answer
1. The king sent for the old man’s father with the suggestion of _______
Ⓐ wise men
Ⓑ courtiers
Ⓒ the old man
Ⓓ ministers
2. How many questions did the king ask to the first old man ?
Ⓐ one
Ⓑ two
Ⓒ three
Ⓓ four
3. Who was the writer of the story “ A Grain As Big As Hen’s Egg “ ?
Ⓐ Leo Tolstoy
Ⓑ Kalidas
Ⓒ Premchand
Ⓓ Ruskin Bond
4. Who could see clearly ?
Ⓐ the old man
Ⓑ the old man’s grandfather
Ⓒ the king
Ⓓ the wise man
5. The first old man came to the king with the help of ________
Ⓐ a stick
Ⓑ one crutch
Ⓒ two crutches
Ⓓ without crutch
6. When there was any need, people shared their _____ with one another.
Ⓐ money
Ⓑ flour
Ⓒ corn
Ⓓ wheat
7. Who entered walking easily and without cruthes ?
Ⓐ the old man
Ⓑ the grandfather
Ⓒ the old man’s father
Ⓓ the old peasant
8. Grandfather’s speech was _______
Ⓐ very clear
Ⓑ very loud
Ⓒ very slow
Ⓓ very unclear
9. According to grandfather people were living on _______
Ⓐ money
Ⓑ labour
Ⓒ corn
Ⓓ cultivation
10. In the past buying and selling bread was _______.
Ⓐ sin
Ⓑ virtue
Ⓒ ritual work
Ⓓ none of these
11. In grandfather’s time the land was ______.
Ⓐ costly
Ⓑ cheap
Ⓒ free
Ⓓ not free
12. What was the only thing men called their own ?
Ⓐ labour
Ⓑ money
Ⓒ corn
Ⓓ land
13. The king asked ______ questions to the grandfather at last.
Ⓐ one
Ⓑ two
Ⓒ three
Ⓓ four
14. Hard of hearing means ______.
Ⓐ slightly deaf
Ⓑ deaf
Ⓒ completely deaf
Ⓓ partial deaf
15. In the present day men have ceased to live by ______.
Ⓐ other’s labour
Ⓑ own labour
Ⓒ machinery labour
Ⓓ farmer’s labour
16. In the past people lived according to ______.
Ⓐ own wish
Ⓑ God’s law
Ⓒ earth’s law
Ⓓ none of the above
17. Who was the central character of the story “ A Grain as Big as Hen’s Egg “ ?
Ⓐ the old man
Ⓑ the wise man
Ⓒ the king
Ⓓ the grandfather
18. In the story “ A Grain as Big as Hen’s Egg “ man has broken the order of ______.
Ⓐ nature
Ⓑ cultivation
Ⓒ living
Ⓓ God’s law
19. King’s curiosity to know the reason behind the size of the grain was solved by ____.
Ⓐ the old man
Ⓑ the old man’s father
Ⓒ the wise men
Ⓓ old man’s grandfather
20. In the grandfather’s time his field was ______.
Ⓐ God’s earth
Ⓑ the sky and earth
Ⓒ plain land
Ⓓ all the plain and forest land
21. Who bit a piece off the grain and tasted it ?
Ⓐ the learned man
Ⓑ the first old man
Ⓒ the second old man
Ⓓ the third old man
22. Who was rather hard of hearing ?
Ⓐ the first old man
Ⓑ the second old man
Ⓒ the third old man
Ⓓ the traveller
23. Who bought the rare thing shaped like a grain of corn from children ?
Ⓐ a passer – by
Ⓑ a merchant
Ⓒ a traveller
Ⓓ a wanderer
24. Taking it to the town he sold it king as ___.
Ⓐ a curiosity
Ⓑ a new thing
Ⓒ a stranger thing
Ⓓ an old thing
25. The wise men came to know that it was a grain of corn _____.
Ⓐ from their discussion
Ⓑ when they read their books
Ⓒ when a hen pecked ate it
Ⓓ when they tasted it
26. Who brought the old peasant to the king ?
Ⓐ the king’s minister
Ⓑ the king’s courtiers
Ⓒ the king’s servants
Ⓓ the wise men
27. Who took a good look at the grain because he was still able to see ?
Ⓐ the old peasant
Ⓑ the old peasant’s father
Ⓒ the old peasant’s grandfather
Ⓓ the traveller
28. “ The old man was so deaf that he could hardly hear what the king said, “ Who was the ‘old man’ here ?
Ⓐ the old peasant
Ⓑ the old peasant’s father
Ⓒ the old peasant’s grandfather
Ⓓ the traveller
29. “ As to buying I never bought any, for in my time money was not yet in use.” Who is the speaker ?
Ⓐ the old peasant
Ⓑ the old peasant’s father
Ⓒ the old peasant’s grandfather
Ⓓ the king
30. Some children found a strange thing shaped like a grain in a_____.
Ⓐ raving
Ⓑ pit
Ⓒ desert
Ⓓ valley
31. Penny is a unit of money from ______.
Ⓐ America
Ⓑ France
Ⓒ England
Ⓓ Poland
32. The king ordered the wise men to find out ______.
Ⓐ what the thing was
Ⓑ where and when such grain had grown
Ⓒ when did it grow
Ⓓ where did it sowed
33. The traveller sold the strange thing to a ______.
Ⓐ business man
Ⓑ king
Ⓒ merchant
Ⓓ farmer
34. “ We can give you no answer “ Who said this ?
Ⓐ the traveller
Ⓑ the wise men
Ⓒ his ministers
Ⓓ his relatives
35. The old man came tottering because he was ______.
Ⓐ pale
Ⓑ ashy pale
Ⓒ weak
Ⓓ physically weak
36. The old man could hardly hear because he was ___.
Ⓐ deaf
Ⓑ dumb
Ⓒ partial deaf
Ⓓ very deaf
37. To collect information about the grain the king gave order to ____.
Ⓐ learned men
Ⓑ courtiers
Ⓒ ministers
Ⓓ soldiers
38. In the past people was leading a _____ life.
Ⓐ miserable
Ⓑ healthy
Ⓒ happy
Ⓓ unhealthy
39. Who suggested the king to ask the peasants ?
Ⓐ courtiers
Ⓑ the wise men
Ⓒ ministers
Ⓓ neighbours
40. The old man felt the grain with his ______.
Ⓐ leg
Ⓑ hand
Ⓒ elbow
Ⓓ palm
a grain as big as hen's egg long question answer
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