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Extract from the Story
‘Have a cherry, Grandfather,’ he said, as soon as he saw his grandfather in the garden.
Grandfather took one cherry and Rakesh promptly ate the other two. He kept the last seed in his mouth for some time, rolling it round and round on his tongue until all the tang had gone. Then he placed the seed on the palm of his hand and studied it.
‘Are cherry seeds lucky?’ asked Rakesh.
‘Of course.’
‘Then I’ll keep it.’
‘Nothing is lucky if you put it away. If you want luck, you must put it to some use.’
‘What can I do with a seed?’
‘Plant it.’
So Rakesh found a small space and began to dig up a flowerbed.
‘Hey, not there,’ said Grandfather. ‘I’ve sown mustard in that bed. Plant it in that shady corner, where it won’t be disturbed.’
Rakesh went to a corner of the garden where the earth was soft and yielding . He did not have to dig. He pressed the seed into the soil with his thumb and it went right in.
Grandfather took one cherry and Rakesh promptly ate the other two. He kept the last seed in his mouth for some time, rolling it round and round on his tongue until all the tang had gone. Then he placed the seed on the palm of his hand and studied it.
‘Are cherry seeds lucky?’ asked Rakesh.
‘Of course.’
‘Then I’ll keep it.’
‘Nothing is lucky if you put it away. If you want luck, you must put it to some use.’
‘What can I do with a seed?’
‘Plant it.’
So Rakesh found a small space and began to dig up a flowerbed.
‘Hey, not there,’ said Grandfather. ‘I’ve sown mustard in that bed. Plant it in that shady corner, where it won’t be disturbed.’
Rakesh went to a corner of the garden where the earth was soft and yielding . He did not have to dig. He pressed the seed into the soil with his thumb and it went right in.
Summary in Bullet Points
- Rakesh first wants to keep the seed as a lucky object.
- Grandfather changes the idea of luck. He suggests that something becomes meaningful when we use it instead of merely storing it.
- Rakesh plants the seed simply. He presses it into a soft, shady corner with his thumb and then runs off to play.
NCERT Questions (from the Textbook)
Let us Think and Reflect
Let us Think and Reflect
How does the grandfather’s advice reflect his view about luck and effort?
How to answer:
Explain both ideas: luck and action.
View Answer
Grandfather believes that luck alone has no value unless a person acts. The seed becomes meaningful only when Rakesh plants it and gives it a chance to grow.
Board Pattern
Questions Mapped to Exam Format
Short Answer
2 marks
What does Grandfather mean by saying, “Nothing is lucky if you put it away”?
2 Marks
How to answer:
Give the key point and one relevant detail from this section.
View Answer
Answer: He means that good fortune has value only when a person acts and puts an opportunity to use. Merely keeping the seed would achieve nothing.
Longer Short Answer
3 marks
How does this conversation establish one of the story’s central ideas?
3 Marks
How to answer:
Explain the idea and connect it with the story’s development.
View Answer
Answer: It links growth with action and care. Rakesh does not receive a ready-made tree; he plants a tiny seed and later watches the result of that small action over several years.
