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Chapter Analysis
Beginner14 pages • EnglishQuick Summary
The chapter tells the story of an honest and hardworking old couple whose only companion is a dog. They are rewarded for their kindness, while their greedy neighbors try to replicate their success through dishonest means but end up suffering instead. The theme explores honesty, kindness, and humility, highlighting the moral that good deeds bring rich rewards.
Key Topics
- •Kindness and its rewards
- •Greed and its consequences
- •Supernatural guidance
- •Magic and fantasy
- •Moral justice
- •Neighborly relations
- •Cultural practices in Japan
Learning Objectives
- ✓Understand the relationship between kindness and reward
- ✓Analyze the impact of greed on individuals
- ✓Interpret the role of supernatural elements in moral stories
- ✓Discuss cultural elements presented in the story
- ✓Reflect on moral lessons and their significance in real life
Questions in Chapter
Why did the neighbours kill the dog?
Page 59
What evidence of the old farmer's kindness do you find in the first two paragraphs?
Page 57
What did the dog do to lead the farmer to the hidden gold?
Page 57
How did the spirit of the dog help the farmer first?
Page 61
How did the spirit of the dog help him next?
Page 63
Why did the daimio reward the farmer but punish his neighbour for the same act?
Page 65
Additional Practice Questions
Describe how the dog's spirit helped the old man after its death.
easyAnswer: The spirit of the dog appeared in a dream and instructed the old man to cut down the pine tree it was buried under to make a mortar and a mill. When they used these, gold started falling instead of the expected dough and sauce. This made the couple rich.
What moral lessons can be learned from the story 'The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom'?
mediumAnswer: The story teaches us that kindness and humility are rewarded while greed and cruelty lead to ruin. The honest old couple received blessings due to their good deeds, whereas the greedy neighbors faced consequences.
How did the old couple become rich initially?
easyAnswer: The old couple became rich when their pet dog led the farmer to a hidden treasure of gold buried under the ground in their garden.
What actions did the wicked neighbors take after learning about the old couple's good fortune?
mediumAnswer: The wicked neighbors tried to lure the dog to find treasure for them, and when unsuccessful, they killed it. Later, they borrowed the magic mill and mortar, trying to replicate the old couple's success, but ended up destroying their means and wrecking their own fate.
Why is it significant that the story includes a supernatural element with the dog's spirit?
hardAnswer: The supernatural element adds a sense of wonder and moral justice to the tale, highlighting that virtuous actions transcend the physical world and bringing comfort and blessings to those who act with integrity.