THE HOMECOMING

,Rabtndranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861 into a rich

family of Bengal. Later he became a well-known liter~ figure.
He was not only a poet but also a novelist and short-stocy
writer of repute. He was a versatile genius. From time to time •
he participated in the Indian National Movement, though in his
own non-sentimental and visionacy way. Mahatma Gandhi was
bis devoted . friend. Tagore was knighted by the ruling British
Government in 1915, but within a few years he returned the
honour as a protest against the British policies in India. Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
got an early success as a writer in his native Bengal. With his
translations of some of his poems, he became rapidly known in the west. His popular
works are 'Gitanjali', 'Raja', 'Dakghar' (The Post Office) and 'Gora'.
In his short stories, he describes Bengal's rural charm in a beautiful manner.
His description of the rural scene gives us an insight into the lives and times of the
people who lived on this land. He was given the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for
'Gitanjali'.

Toe Home Coming' is a tale of a 14 year old boy who was a nuisance to his mother.
He was sent to the city with his maternal uncle. He is admitted into school but he does
not fare well. He can't understand the lessons and so he is punished by the teacher.
'
He ls ridiculed by his cousins and other students and slighted by his aunt. His uncle
too remains silent. He longs to go back home but he is a told to wait till the holidays
come. Unable to bear all this he leaves the city, is caught in shower and falls ill. On
the 'request of his uncle two policemen bring him home. His mother is informed. She
comes but it is too late. He is unable to talk. In a frenzy of illness he asks his mother.
•Mother, have the holidays come." These are his last words.

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 Two Brothers
Phatlk Chakravorthi was a fourteen year old Bengali boy whose father ha
very early. He grew up lazy, wild and disobedient. Compared to him his youngerbd ~
Makhan Chakravorthi was quiet, good and fond of reading. Phatik thought of~
some new mischief everyday. One day he and his friends thought of a new nusc d~
wooden log meant to be shaped into the mast of a boat was lying near the riv hter, ~
decided to push it into the river. Makhan, objecting to it, sat firmly on the log::;~
a word. The boys were puzzled for a moment. Makhan was pushed, rather t.inu Ui°"
one of the boys. He was told to get up but he remained unconcerned. Phatik be dly, ~
ringleader ordered the boys to roll the log alongwith Makhan. The log was pusi!' !Iii
Makhan was thrown into water. At home when he was questioned about this h ~
not only his brother but also his mother. ·' e~
Life in Calcutta
Pathik's uncle, Bishamber arrived. With the permission of his mother h
Phatilc to Calcutta to educate him. Phatlk's uncle had three sons of his own, and e toot
aunt did not like this new addition in their family. A fourteen year old boy Will have his
own problems too. He was fast growing up. He was neither a child nor a man. bta
The School
Phatilc was admitted to a school. ·School was also a miserable experience for hhn.
He could neither blend in nor impress the teachers. He missed the meadows, mountain
and river of his native village. No wonder he become a failure at school. He anSWercd
no questions, was beaten badly daily at school. He was also ridiculed by all including
his cousins. He grew homesick and wanted to return home. One day he lost his book
for which he was both insulted and reprimanded by his schoolmates and his aunt
Phatik Catches Fever
Upon returning .home that day Phatik tries to escape back home. However ~
was caught in a torrent of rain. He caught a severe malarial cold. His uncle lodged
complaint as he was missing. The police found him and brought him back. He
further criticised. Unable to bear it any longer Phatlk cried and said that he wan
go home. His uncle told him that he would be able to go when the holidays come.
he started asking when the holidays would come.
Phatlk's Mother arrives •
In his fever Phatik moved his hands restlessly up and down. His conditl~n
critical and his mother in the village was sent for. When the mother arrived m
and crying he was nearing his death. In his hallucination he begged his mother
beat him. His last words to his mother were "Mother, the holidays have come."
►

riJlgl one who lead s othe rs in mischievous ti

1. eader ac vitles
upri ght supp qrt for the sails
2. 111ast beat with a stick, as puni shm ent
. 3, thfaSh
hono ur and resp ect
4. glory
roug h and hars h
5. hoarse
ange r
6. furY
take little bites
7. nibble
hatefully
' 8. indignantly
; 9. sullenly sadly, unwilling to talk
looked foolish
10. looked sheepish
11. prejudice opinion not base d on reas on
12. generosity large hear tedn ess
13. gazed looked long and steadily
14. laughing stock pers on who is laug hed at
15. clumsy awkward
16. country lout ill-mannered villager
17. futile usel ess
18. delirious • talking incoherently
19. vacantly blankly
l

20. flung threw somebody suddenly

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..........
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~.............,............
~

I
; "Toe Homecoming" is a gripping story abou t a fourteen year
old Bengali boy whose
father has died and no one unde rstan ds his feelings. It has
a well knit plot without any

.! :digressions or irrelevant details.

Unable to cope with his wildness and new ~sch iefs every
h1m to Calcutta with her brot her to stud y there. He is
day his mother sends
j admitted in a school. But
Phatik feels ill at ease not only at hom e but also at scho
ol. He is unable to adjust to
new surroundings and is cons tantl y ridiculed, insu lted and
beaten. No one is there to
understand his emotions. Even his mate rnal uncl e Bisharnb
er who has brought him
to pa1cutta ignores him. Phatilc feels home sick and wan ts to retur
n to his village. He
~s away but he is brou ght back by the police. All this is
too much for him. He falls
m.:His mother is sent for. She comes but it is too late. His
dying words to his motber
8i· "Mother, the holidays have come."
book on Treasure Chest -A Collection of ICSE Short Stories
@
 Tilis plot is well-constiucted. There is gradual development of the stocy tJU .
which is highly poighout. . the~
~-rHeMiW
-..~....,-,..~......_~~~~~

Ille Home-coming.. is a touching story of a boy of fourteen years. 'Ine 1W j

explores a child's longing for love and acceptance. His high spirits are curbe ~
restrained and because of indifference and neglect he slips into depressto d -._
ultimately dies. ~ - n l
1. Phatik Chakravorthl ·
Phatik. the ringleader among the boys of the village, Is a boy of fourteen. lie j
popular among his friends and a vast expanse of land in which to play and ~
Unfortunately he does not realize. what he has, until it is gone. It is only when he •
compelled to live in Calcutta that he realizes it. He misses the meadows and I1Vi lrt
~~~ ~,
Phatlk's mother fails to understand him. When he feels that his mother takes~
side of his brother Ma.khan, he is rude to his mother. He antagonizes his brother
81111
continually tries to maintain his 'regal dignity'.
Phatik realizes the value of his home only when it is too late. When he ts sem to
Culcutta his problems lncerease. In the fumily of Bishrunber, his uncle, he Is
a burden. Bishamber's sons and his wife insult him again and again and ridicule
trj
He is so fed up that he runs away from there but the policemen bring him back. 1Jnalie
to bear this callous treatment Phatilc falls ill. His mother comes but it is too late. - - •
is already at the deaths door. His last words are ..Mother. the holidays have come•.
2. Makhan Chakarvorthi
Ma.khan Chakaivorthi, the younger brother of Phatilc, appears only in the
scene but he leaves a great impression on us. He presents a sharp contrast to
If Phatik is wild and high spirited, ~akhan is quiet and serious. In order to
Phatik's nefarious plan of pushing the log of wood into the river, he sits on the log.
boys, Phatik's followers, feel puzzled. unable to decide what to do.
. Makhan is unafraid of Phatik's friends. When he is asked to get up, he ren-alnS
unconcerned. He appears like a young philosopher meditating on the futility of
Even when the order is given by Phatilc to roll the log and Makhan all over •----
he makes it a point to stick to his decision. This shows that he is a boy ~
detenninatt.on.

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 "111e Homecomtng' is quite appropriate because Phatlk h
title
ssroads in the sto ry tha t involve coming hom e-b oth symb lias several
'11he
i ,~
different cro o ca1ly and
uterallY· t of the title refers to the ide a of a home.
one aspec Phatlk, once moves to Calcutta
ds hoW mu ch he mis ses his rur al village . He longs to retu rn h H
~~-
..,,derstail
~~~»~~ 0
...... ~ng at the holidays. In Cal
cut ta Pha tik is like a straome. e is'
""'nused y d th
p1.v tits master. He' very patntfully, rea lise s how unwelcome and unloved h~i~
baslos le's home. e s at .
biS unc .
tikdoes Poorly at school. He has. no friends and not hin g to do but drea f
Pha ·s tronical tha t wh en Phalli{ decides mo
to physically go home, he falls serious
bome, It 1 gets the bet ter of him and he can onl ly
His illness y suf fer in his unc les ho
ill- g of his own home. . me
dfeanrlJ l ight of his mo the r he is abl e to utt er only the se
At the s ,, words "Mother th
b. Udays have come • ' , e
? 'fllis ambiguous line spoken in delirium is very significant
reunited with his mo the r who obviously because it represents
loves him and this line also represents
~1ng --~ng' so the title is very sui tab le
'Home cow~.u , and appropriate.

• it~.....7e rnN9■
....... ..........
,..~~
~ ~~~
•
; The story is set partly in a village and par
tly in Culcutta where the stoxy ends with
the death of Phatik. When the sto ry ope
ns Pha tlk and his friends are playing in
open near a river, thinking of new In!-schief. the
1
Soon after this Pha tik' s ma ter nal unc le
comes on the scene. He is meeting his
~dowed sister after years. Learning from
his sister tha t Phatlk is a perpetual nuisan
Bishamber kindly offers to tak e Pha tlk to ce
Cu lcu tta and edu cat e him there. To this
suggestion Phatik and his mo the r readily
' •
agree.
'. The rest of the sto ry is set in Ca lcu tta
wh ere Pha tlk is admitted to a school. He
d!)ts poorly at school, is ridiculed by his cou
sin s and slighted by his aunt. Eventually
it is in Culcutta tha t he dies. His mo
the r does come wh en he is at the point of
He fails to receive love and affection from death.
his mo the r even before death.
I
I
\
l~-STYLia
---------------------
\ 'Toe Homecoming" is a highly gripping
1~moves story written in a traditional narrative styl
smoothly from pre sen t to future. e.
~d When the story opens Phatlk, the pro
tagonist is living in a village with his moth
i brotber. He is happy enjoying life in the er
village. Bu t soon after he accompanies his
~ on Treasure Chest- A Collection of ICSE Short Stories
@
 maternal uncle to Culcutta where he is admitted in the school. But unabJ
the suffocating abnosphere of the town he falls ill and ultimately meets J.., e to
'!JS end
The language used by Tagore is simple, straightforwa rd. Here and th •
adds his comments, especially, when he describes how a boy of fourtee ere l:
nUisance. These comn1ents contain great truths of life and help in awakentn n ill ,
to the needs of teenagers. g tht

lhe Hon1econling " is a poignant story which traces the tumultou

Phatlk-from a ringleader to the like of a 'stray dog that has lost its rnas jto~
the stoxy opens Phatlk is a village boy laced with a carefree attitude. lies er·•
in several acts of mischief. He is the ringleader of the boys. His change of18be
begins when he is about to leave for Calcutta. He makes peace With his broth
and gives him his toys. This is a good change. It appears that Phatlk must get er~
to embrace the changes that come in life. But he is swept away by those very ~-
Unfortunately this 'country lout' and 'overladen ass' fails to 'chip in' through th~
of city life. j
Phatlk's stay in Calcutta is marked by a string of attitudinal coldness disp
by the city people. His aunt dispises him, his cousins tease him, his teachers flog
Even his uncle r~mains _a mute spectator. Eventually be meets his death.
When his mother comes, he is able to speak only this much ..Mother, have
holidays come".

lfiµSs1GN
-...~
MENrfa
....... .........
..........~~~~.........~ ~~,_...~ ~

1. TEXT BASED MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Read the questions given below and answer by choosing the correct option.
(i) The log lying near the river was to be usedfor ................. .
(a) making.furnit ure (b) making a boat
(c) making a mastfor a boat (d) all of the above
(ii) Who cwne and sat on the log when the boys were about to push it?
(a) Bishamber (b) Makhan
(c) Owner of the log (d) One of Phatik's rivals
(ill) Who stepped on slwre when a boat came up on the landing ?
(a) a man with grey beard (b) Phatik's mother
(c) Bishamber (d) Phatik's teacher
@~iiiiiiiiiE iEiiiiiiiil---- -------work book on Treasure Chest -A Collection of ICSE ShOtt
. ther had lost her husband while her brother was still in ................ .
·v) p/l{ltik'5 ,no (b) Bombay doing his business
(t caZcutta
[a} . ·country (d) studying in london
, ill aJoreign
• (c) was hapPY to get rid of him because ... ................ .
• tik's ,nother
.(v) phO- as preiudiced againSt him
a) shew ~
{i bin nuisance
~ hewasa ~
(b. 'ld, lazy and disobedient
(c) he was wi
[d} all of the above . . .
displeased with hrs amval because ................. .
ti)c's aunt Was
(vO Pha • d laz
[a} phatik was wild an Y • •
(b) phatik was uncultured
(c) he was a boy offourteen
(d} she had three sons quite enough to 11lllIU:'!Je.
(vill A lad offourteen becomes ••••••••••••••••• •
. (a} suddenly unattractive
(b) painfully self conscious
(c} ww,uly shy
(d} intentionally mischievous _
(viul With chiding and scolding a boy offourteen becomes ............... .. . •
(a} extremely shameless
(b) a problemfor his parents
(c) like a stray dog that has lost its master
(d) self willed and stu.Qbom
(u.1 Suffocated in Calcutta houses and walls Phatik kept remember(ng ................. .
(a) meadows where heflew kites
(b) narrow brook where he used to swim
(c) river ban!c5 where he used to sing and shout all day
(d) an of the above
1 (xf One day at school Phatik lost his .......•............ .
{a) school bag • (b) wooden slate
{c) lesson book (d) notebook

•••••••••••••••••••••••••·············· ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

.. . . .
.. ...... ..... .. .'
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••···························••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

onTre • • •.
---:::::as~ure~C~he~st~-JlA9Co~lle~ct~ion~o~fl~CS~EL.§S~h o~rt_!St~orl!; &S!------------- -8
 2. COMPREHENSION PASSAGES
questions tha t follow each.
Read the ext rac ts and answer the
Pa ssa ge 1 th
ong the boys of e village. A new
Phatil{ Chak:ravorthi was rtngleader am "'lliJ'
Jog Jying on the mu d-f lat of the river
got Into his hea d. There was a heavy t
ped into a ma st for a boat. He dec ided tha t the y sho uld all work at~
e sha n~
ce and roll it away. The owner of the ~!et
shi ft the log by main force from its pla n~ %~
uld all enjoy the fun. Evei:y one seco
be ang iy and surprtsed, and they wo ed ~
ly.
proposal, and it was carrted unanimous
(0 Wh at new mischiefgot into Pha
tik's hea d?
•••••••··· .··••,,,..
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
········•••••••
··········································
.

••••••••··.···••,,,,
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
·················································••••••••
••••••··· ·······••,
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
···············································•·•••••••••
d-jl a.t of the river ?
(iiJ For wh at wa s the log lying on the mu
•••••••···· ······••,
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••···············································••••••••
••••••····· .....,,,
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•••••••••••••••••···•··•··•····•·•··•••••••••••••••••
•••••••••··· ·····••,,._
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
(M What did Ph atik decide ?
•••••••··· ... ·······•,,
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•••••···· ..... ·········
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••··········
............
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••
(iv) What would the boy s enjoy
?

..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
. ............................................
..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..

..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... . ....................... ........... "
..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....

..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... . .......................... ·········•.. ·"

..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....

(v) Who pos ed on obstacle is carrying o~t of the pla

n ? Ho w ?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••·
··············· ..................................................·········••"
;~ ... ..................................................
.....·········••"
····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ····· ·····
• • • • ,ii

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•• • • • • • • • • • •

••••••••••••••••••••••••·····
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• •
• • • • •• • • • • • •

of ICSE Sh ~
Workbook on Treasure Chest -A Collection
 e

2 d sat down on the edge of a sunken barge on the river

~ e wiped his fac;~ ~ piece of grass, ·A boat came up to the landing, and a
pna~ 1,egan to ch hair and dark moustache, stepped on shore. He saw the
bglllc, an ed Jllall, with grethtng and asked him where the Chakravortls lived. Phatlk
¢ddle- ~ tbere doillg n:s and
said: "Over there,• but It was quite Impossible to tell
bOY 5it cbewillg the gra~ger asked him again. He swung his legs to and fro on the
~ent 0~e patnted- 'fhe :aid. "Go and find out," and continued to chew the grass as
~nere barge, and '
side of the
before• w,iathadhaPpened a little earlierfor which Phatik had to wipe his face ?
(0
············ ············ ········-··· ············ ············ ············ ············ ············ ···
.....··••••• ·····•••••••••
......····••••••••• ···••••••••• ·····················•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
.....··••••••• ···••••••••• ·······················••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
WhO was this middle aged man who stepped on slwre ?

························•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
·······•••••••••••••

.......······························••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
.............··························••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
(~ What did the 'man' ask the boy ? What reply did the boy give ? What was wrong
with the answer ? 1
I
:

·····························•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•••••••

···························•••••••••••••••••••••••••
. .
••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............
.....
(iv) What can you say about Phatik's rude behaviour with the stranger?

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............
.....

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(v) Who came soon after this incident ? How did he talce Phatik home ?

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Passage 3
It was just at this critical juncture that the grey-haired stranger arrived
what the matter was. Phalli{ looked sheepish and ashamed. • lie~
But when his mother stepped back and looked at .the stranger, her an
changed to surprise. For she recognised her brother, and cried: "Why, Dact ger
have you come from? tAs she said these words, she bowed to the ground anctal
his feet. Her brother had gone away soon after she had married, and he hacttou~
business in Bombay. His sister had lost her husband while he was in I3 s
Bishamber had now come back to Calcutta, and had at once made enqlliries abotii~
0
sister. He had then hastened to see her as soon as he found out where she Was ut~
(0 Who is the grey haired stranger referred to here ? •

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.................................................................................................................... ' ,,,,,,,

(i.O Why was Phattk's mother angry ?

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........................................................................................................................ ,,.,

(iiO How did she welcome 'the stranger' '?

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(iv) Which tragic incident had taken place in the absence of the stranger ?

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(v) What shows that Bishamber was a caring brother ?

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......._e 4 e reached Calcutta, Phalli{ made the acquaintance of his aunt for
\\'ben the Yshe was by no means pleased with this unnecessary addition to her
a.-c::t tifil • d her own three boys quite enough to manage
e iµv foun Without taking
any
. she d to brtng a village lad of fourteen into their midst was terribly upsetting.
e else, ~hould really have though t twice before committing such an indiscretion.
5baJ11ber
(t1 Wfto are
'they' referred to in the.firs t line? From where And they come?
.................................................................................................................
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.............................................................................................................
·······•••••••• •
............. ................................................................................................................
id ph,atik's aunt react to his arrival ?
(it1 How d
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·······
(iii) Why was his aunt unhapp y with his additio n in the family ?

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.............................................................................................................................
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(iv) According to Phatik' s aunt what should Bisham ber have done?

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(v) What impression do youform of Phatik' s aunt.fro m the above passag e?

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In this world of human affairs there is no worse nuisance
0 than a boy at the
fourteen. He is neither ornamental, nor useful. It is impossible
to shower
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affectton on him as on a little boy; and he is always getting in th
With a childish lisp he is called a baby. and if he answers ln a e \a/ay_ ~
is called impertinent In fact any talk at all from him is resent gto~-14 ~
the unattractive, growing age. He grows out of his clothes With in~· °ll)~~ \
voice grows hoarse and breaks and quavers; his face grows sudde ecellt b~,
unsightly. It is easy to excuse the shortcomings of early childh00qnly ~ ,
to tolerate even unavoidable lapses in a boy of fourteen. The lad hi_bttt ~
painfully self-conscious. When he talks with elderly people he ;Q,(n~}f ~
8
foIWard, or else so unduly shy that he appears ashamed of his very ettl}~
eJclste
(~ According to Tagore what is the biggest nuisance in the Worfd ti~.
Whyisu~? ~,

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(i-0 Why is the boy offourteen criticized. when he talks like a grow~··············")
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(iii) What are we told about physical. growth of a boy at the age offourteen?

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(u) What does a young lad's heart crave for most at this age?
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,_-ge 6 of fourteen his own home ts the only Paradise. To live in a strange house
ror a bOY 1 ts little short of torture, while the height of bliss ts to receive the
-'tb s~e pe<>P en and never to be slighted by them.
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loO i h to Phatil{ to be the unwelcome guest in his aunt's house d i d
s~s
Jt wa man and slighted, on every occasion. If she ever asked •~~ hi t d
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.., tbiS e for her, he would be so overjoyed that he would overdo it· and then shm o ldo
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be 50 stupid, but to get on with his lessons.
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~ (O What haJ)pens if a boy_ offowteen is continuously scolded ?

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.............................................................................................................................
({4 What is the height of bliss for a boy offowteen?

.............................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................... .....
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.............................................................................................................................
(iiil How didPhatik feel in his uncle's lwuse?
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
(iv) How did Phatik react wheneoer his aunt asked him to do something ?

.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
_(v) How is a boy offowtee n a big nuisance ?

..............................................................................................................................
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Passage 7
There was no more backward boy 41 the whole school than Phatlk. lie
remained silent when the teacher asked him a question, and like an ga~
patiently suffered all the blows that crune down on his back. When other ~\7erlaq~ ~
at play, he stood wistfully by the window and gazed at the roofs of the dis O,,s ~et't \
And if by chance he espied children playing on the open terrace of any !:ant ho~~
would ache with longing. roar, his h~
One day he summoned up all his courage, and asked his uncle· ..U
. •, • nc1e i
I go home?" . • ' \\'hen ~
CG How did Phatikfare at school._?
._, ~'

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(iz} How did he endure the pwtishment ?

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(iii) he stood wisifully by.~- window and gazed at the roofs of the distort
houses"
What light does this line throw a Phatik's state of mind?

................... ..............................................................................................................
.................................................... ...................................................................
............ .............................................................................................. ·············
{iv) "Looking at the
children playing on the open terrace filled his heart
longing". Which longing is being referred to here ?

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 tik ask his wicle one day ? What was his uncle's reply ?
~didPha.
(v)
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,.-t,e"'"'"8 heard h er words, and sobbed out l~:nid: "Uncle, I was just going home·' but
pha~ ain"
edmebackag • ','\.,
thef ~ very high, and all that night the boy was delirious. Bishamber
fever rose
'fhe a doctor. Phatlk opened his eyes flushed with fever, and looked up to the
brought ind said vacantly: "Uncle, have the holidays come yet? May I go home?"
cd)IIlg~:ber wiped the tears from his own eyes~. and took Phatik's lean and burning
Bis his own, and sat by him through the. _nig};lt. The boy began again to mutter.
5
}Jalld in ice became excited: "Mother," he crt~d. "don't beat me like that! Mother!
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I 8111 telling the truth!

(O What had the awit said that Phattk heard ·and began to weep ?

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(14 Who are 'they' referred to in the second line ?. - ~ did they bring Phatik lwme ?

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{iii) Tears came into Bishamber's eyes. Why ?

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~ on Treasure Chest -A Collection of ICSE Short Stories

 (iv) Bishamber sat by Phatik through the night. What light does this
character? ' ~
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