Line 17

“He slips the brush into her hand”
1. Literal Meaning

The man secretly places the magic brush in Gopi’s hand.

2. Literary Meaning

The man secretly places the magic brush in Gopi’s hand. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

3. Poetic Devices
No special device to identify — This line mainly carries the narrative forward; there is no need to force a literary term onto every line.
Example: A plain story line can still be important. In the poem: The line states the next action or detail clearly. Effect: It keeps the folk-tale narrative moving.
4. Theme

power with responsibility

5. Tone

The tone is serious and instructive .

6. Mood

The reader feels trust with seriousness .

7. Rhyme / Sound

This narrative poem mostly uses a simple ABCB rhyme pattern. The short lines and recurring rhymes keep the folk-tale action moving.

Questions for Line 17
What does Line 17, “He slips the brush into her hand”, mean? 2 Marks
How to answer: Explain this exact line in simple words.
View Answer

Answer: The man secretly places the magic brush in Gopi’s hand.

Why is Line 17, “He slips the brush into her hand”, important at this point in the poem? 3 Marks
How to answer: Connect the line with what changes in the story at this moment.
View Answer

Answer: The man secretly places the magic brush in Gopi’s hand. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

Line 18

“And tells her to be sure,”
1. Literal Meaning

He makes sure she understands that the gift comes with a condition.

2. Literary Meaning

He makes sure she understands that the gift comes with a condition. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

3. Poetic Devices
No special device to identify — This line mainly carries the narrative forward; there is no need to force a literary term onto every line.
Example: A plain story line can still be important. In the poem: The line states the next action or detail clearly. Effect: It keeps the folk-tale narrative moving.
4. Theme

power with responsibility

5. Tone

The tone is serious and instructive .

6. Mood

The reader feels trust with seriousness .

7. Rhyme / Sound

This narrative poem mostly uses a simple ABCB rhyme pattern. The short lines and recurring rhymes keep the folk-tale action moving.

Questions for Line 18
What does Line 18, “And tells her to be sure,”, mean? 2 Marks
How to answer: Explain this exact line in simple words.
View Answer

Answer: He makes sure she understands that the gift comes with a condition.

Why is Line 18, “And tells her to be sure,”, important at this point in the poem? 3 Marks
How to answer: Connect the line with what changes in the story at this moment.
View Answer

Answer: He makes sure she understands that the gift comes with a condition. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

Line 19

““Paint not for the wealthy ones,”
1. Literal Meaning

She must not use its power to make things for rich people.

2. Literary Meaning

She must not use its power to make things for rich people. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

3. Poetic Devices
Contrast — Contrast places opposing ideas side by side.
Example: “Need, not greed.” In the poem: Paint not for the wealthy ones, Effect: It establishes the moral difference between helping the needy and enriching the wealthy.
4. Theme

power with responsibility

5. Tone

The tone is serious and instructive .

6. Mood

The reader feels trust with seriousness .

7. Rhyme / Sound

This narrative poem mostly uses a simple ABCB rhyme pattern. The short lines and recurring rhymes keep the folk-tale action moving.

Questions for Line 19
What does Line 19, ““Paint not for the wealthy ones,”, mean? 2 Marks
How to answer: Explain this exact line in simple words.
View Answer

Answer: She must not use its power to make things for rich people.

Why is Line 19, ““Paint not for the wealthy ones,”, important at this point in the poem? 3 Marks
How to answer: Connect the line with what changes in the story at this moment.
View Answer

Answer: She must not use its power to make things for rich people. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

Line 20

“But only for the poor.””
1. Literal Meaning

The brush is meant to help poor and needy people instead.

2. Literary Meaning

The brush is meant to help poor and needy people instead. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

3. Poetic Devices
Contrast — Contrast places opposing ideas side by side.
Example: “Need, not greed.” In the poem: But only for the poor. Effect: It establishes the moral difference between helping the needy and enriching the wealthy.
4. Theme

power with responsibility

5. Tone

The tone is serious and instructive .

6. Mood

The reader feels trust with seriousness .

7. Rhyme / Sound

This narrative poem mostly uses a simple ABCB rhyme pattern. The short lines and recurring rhymes keep the folk-tale action moving.

Questions for Line 20
What does Line 20, “But only for the poor.””, mean? 2 Marks
How to answer: Explain this exact line in simple words.
View Answer

Answer: The brush is meant to help poor and needy people instead.

Why is Line 20, “But only for the poor.””, important at this point in the poem? 3 Marks
How to answer: Connect the line with what changes in the story at this moment.
View Answer

Answer: The brush is meant to help poor and needy people instead. This establishes the ethical rule that will later cause the main conflict.

Questions for Stanza 5
What happens in Stanza 5? 3 Marks
How to answer: Summarise all four lines in sequence.
View Answer

Answer: The gift comes with a moral rule: its power should serve need, not wealth.

How does Stanza 5 develop the idea of power with responsibility? 3 Marks
How to answer: Name the idea and show how the stanza expresses it.
View Answer

Answer: The gift comes with a moral rule: its power should serve need, not wealth. It develops power with responsibility through the choices and consequences shown in these four lines.

Why is Stanza 5 important to the movement of the whole poem? 5 Marks
How to answer: Explain the stanza’s role in the larger narrative.
View Answer

Answer: Stanza 5 is important because the gift comes with a moral rule: its power should serve need, not wealth. It moves the folk-tale from one clear stage to the next and prepares the following consequence.

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CA Maninder Singh is a Chartered Accountant with 16+ years of practical experience and 20+ years of teaching experience. At Teachoo, he simplifies Accounts, Tax and GST with step-by-step examples so students can apply concepts confidently in exams and real life.

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