Questions Answers of A Horse and Two Goats Treasure Trove

Structured Questions Answers from A Horse and Two Goats by R.K. Narayan

QUESTION AND ANSWERS from A Horse and Two Goats

Read the extract and answer the following questions: 

1. His fortunes had declined gradually, unnoticed. From a flock of forty which he drove into a pen at night, his stock had now come down to the two goats, which were tethered to the trunk of a drumstick tree which grew in front of his hut and from which occasionally Muni could shake down drumsticks.This morning he got six. he carried them in with a sense of triumph. Although no one could say precisely who owned the tree, it was his because he lived in its shadow.

1. Which village has been referred to here? What is the meaning of that village? Give the picture of that village.

OR

Describe the village that has been referred to in this passage. Where is it located and what does it mean?

Answer

There are seven hundred thousand villages in India. The village referred here is 'Kritam' that hardly finds a place on the map and is supposed to be the tiniest one which is indicated by a microscopic dot on the survey map of the district Tamil Nadu. But the size has nothing to do with its meaning. Krita in Tamil means "coronet" or "crown" on the brow of this subcontinent. The village has less than thirty houses among which the only one is built with brick and cement.

2. What is the difference between the 'big house' and the other houses in the village 'Kritam'?

Answer

The village Kritam is a small village that consisted of less than thirty houses out of which only one is built with brick and cement. It is painted in bright yellow and blue all over with marvellous carvings of Gods and gargoyles on its pillars. This is a big house. The other houses are distributed in four streets that are made up of bamboo thatch, straw, mud and other material.

3. What was Muni's daily routine? How many cattle did he have in his prosperous days?

Answer

Muni lived in an extremely small village of Tamil Nadu named Krita. His house was last in the fourth street beyond which there were stretched fields. He had once a flock of forty sheep and goats in his prosperous days and he used to set out the daily morning for grazing them to the highway a couple of miles away. There was a clay statue of a horse where he would sit on its pedestal while his cattle grazed around. He had a crook at the end of a bamboo pole and snapped foliage from the avenue trees to feed his flock. He collected the bundle of sticks and carried them home for the fuel.

4. How did Muni's wife carry out her daily household chores? What did she give Muni for breakfast?

Answer

Muni's wife was a homely woman. Her work included preparing meals for her husband and herself and doing various kinds of works at the big house to run her home. In the morning, she lit the domestic fire, boiled water in a mud pot, put some millet flour in it, added salt and then gave it to Muni as the first nourishment for the day. She handed him the packed lunch when he started out and it was the same millet cooked into a little ball which he used to eat with raw onion at midday.

5. Which lines show that Muni and his wife were leading a life of extreme poverty?

OR

What was the economic condition of Muni's family?

Answer

Muni and his wife were living a miserable life where they had only a handful of millet to satisfy their appetite both the times of the day. His stock of cattle had also come down from forty to two goats. There was a drumstick tree in front of his house from which he could shake down drumsticks occasionally. He was tired of eating the boiled leaves of the tree with salt, so on a particular day when he got six drumsticks; he showed his desire to cook them in the sauce. But his wife displayed her inability as they had nothing at home to prepare the sauce for the drumsticks.

2. "You have only four teeth in your jaw, but your craving is for big things. All right, get the stuff for the sauce, and I will prepare it for you. After all, next year you may not be alive to ask for anything. But first get me all the stuff, including a measure of rice or millet, and I will satisfy your unholy craving. Our store is empty today. Dhall, chilly, curry leaves, mustard, coriander, gingelley oil, and one large potato. Go out and get all this."

1. Why was Muni's wife angry with him? What did she ask him to bring?

OR

What was Muni craving for and why?

Answer

Muni was tired of eating boiled drumstick leaves, so he had a craving to chew the drumstick out of the sauce. At this his wife got angry and rebuked him by saying," You have only four teeth in your jaw, but your craving is for big things". Therefore she asked him to bring all the ingredients like dhall, chilly, curry leaves, mustard, coriander, gingelly oil and one large potato required for making the sauce as their store was empty. She agreed as she was doubtful whether he would be alive for the following year to ask for anything.

2. Comment on the appraisal of humour of shopman by Muni. What was Muni's purpose behind doing this?

Answer

On being asked by his wife to bring the stuff for preparing sauce, Muni went to the shop in the third street. He was impatient but the shopkeeper paid no attention on him. Muni kept clearing his throat, coughing and sneezing until the shopman had to ask him, "What ails you? You will fly off that seat into the gutter if you sneeze so hard, young man". Muni laughed in order to please him at being called "young man". This made the shopkeeper happy and he liked his sense of humour.
By doing so, Muni wanted him to give one or two items of food on the promise of later repayment. Whenever the shopkeeper was in good mood, he gave but when he lost his temper, he refused him and barked at him for daring to ask for credit.

3. How did Muni try to attract the shopkeeper's attention?

Answer

Muni walked off to the shop in the third street from his house. He sat patiently on an upturned packing case below the platform of the shop. When the shopman didn't pay heed, Muni cleared his throat, coughed and sneezed until the shopman could not tolerate any more and asked his problem. Muni laughed in order to please him when he called him 'Young man'. This completely won the shop man over and he liked his sense of humour to be appreciated.

4. How did Muni try to befool the shopkeeper? Did he succeed?

Answer

Muni owed rupees five and a quarter to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper asked for it when Muni again approached him for getting some food items on debt. At this Muni replied that he would pay off the debt on the first of the next month when his daughter would send him the money on his birthday. As the shopkeeper was very well aware of his tact, he asked him his age and caught him red handed saying that he had already celebrated his birthday five weeks ago.
Muni did not succeed as the shopkeeper denied giving him anything.

5. On what basis Muni used to calculate his age?

Answer

Muni was not sure of his age so he told the shopkeeper his age 'fifty'. He always calculated his age from the time of great famine when he was as tall as the parapet around the village well because he was not educated at all due to his low caste. Only the Brahmins were allowed to study. But the accuracy of such things could not be relied upon due to many famines occurring those days.

3. Only on the outskirts did he lift his head and look up. He urged and bullied the goats until they meandered along to the foot of the horse statue on the edge of the village. He sat on its pedestal for the rest of the day. The advantage of this was that he could watch the highway and see the lorries and buses pass through to the hills, and it gave him a sense of belonging to a larger world.

1. How did Muni's wife show her annoyance over Muni's failure of getting the ingredients for preparing sauce?

Answer

When Muni returned empty-handed from the shop and asked his wife to sell the drumsticks, his wife became annoyed and refused to give him anything the whole day. She told him to fast till the evening. She further asked him to take the goats and be off for grazing them immediately. She even cried, "Don't come back before the sun is down".

2. What trait of her character was Muni aware of?

OR

What impression of his wife's character do you get from Muni's words?

Answer

Muni and his wife were leading a life of poverty. When Muni returned home without anything to cook, his wife became angry and she asked him to move out of the house. But Muni knew that if he obeyed her, she would anyhow arrange something for food in the evening. So it was better not to argue with her at that very moment. Her temper was undependable in the morning but subsided by the evening. She would surely go out and work, grind corn in the Big House, sweep or scrub somewhere and earn enough to buy foodstuff and keep dinner ready for him in the evening.

3. Which words show that he was worried about his wife?

Answer

Muni was uncertain about his age. The shopkeeper had told him that he was seventy and then he realized that at seventy, one only waited to be summoned by God. And when he was dead, he thought that what his wife would do. They both had lived in each other's company since they were children. He had been told that when they got married, he was only ten years old and she was eight. They didn't have any children otherwise a large progeny would have taken care of them in the old age.

4. Which was his usual place for grazing his goats?

Answer

Muni used to take his goats for grazing on the outskirts of the town. He bullied the goats until they meandered along to the foot of the horse's statue on the edge of the village. Muni sat on its pedestal for the whole day whereas the goats would graze. The benefit of sitting there was that he could watch the highway and see the lorries and buses that passed through to the hills. Seeing them he felt as if he belonged to a larger world. The pedestal was large enough that he could move around under it as the sun sore high. He could also crouch under the belly of the horse for shade.

5. Give a vivid description of the horse statue?

Answer

The horse statue was very huge. It was made out of clay which was baked, burnt and brightly coloured. It reared its head proudly, prancing its forelegs in the air and flourishing its tail in a loop. Beside it, there stood a warrior with scythes like moustache and a curved nose like an eagle. The horse was as white as a dhobi-washed sheet and its back was covered with a pure brocade of red and black lace which matched the multicoloured sash around the warrior's waist. It was untouched by the young vandals of the village. It was once closer to the population of the village when this spot bordered the village.

4. The foreigner faithfully looked in the direction indicated by Muni's fingers, gazed for a while at the two goats and the rocks, and with a puzzled expression took out his silver cigarette case and lit a cigarette. Suddenly remembering the courtesies of the season, he asked, "Do you smolce ?" Muni answered, "Yes, no." Whereupon the red-faced man took a cigarette and gave it to Muni, who received it with surprise, having had no offer of a smoke from anyone for years now. 

1. What did Muni notice while waiting for the sun to go westward?

Answer

The sun had not set yet and it was not the time for him to go back home. If he went too early, his wife would give him no food. Therefore, he decided to wait there for some more time. Then only he noticed a new type of vehicle coming at full speed. It looked like a motor car and a bus. He was used to such spectacles earlier also. When he saw this yellow vehicle coming down, he was thinking about how to describe it to his wife. Suddenly the vehicle stopped in front of him. A red-faced foreigner got down and went around, looking and poking under his vehicle.

2. Why did stranger halt? What did he ask Muni for?

Answer

When Muni was waiting for the right time to go back home, he observed a yellow motor vehicle coming down. All of a sudden it halted and a red-faced foreigner, who had been driving it, got down. He looked around and under the vehicle, and then he straightened up, looked at the dashboard and stared in Muni's direction. He approached him and asked for a nearby gas station. It became obvious that he ran out of fuel.

3. Describe the first encounter of Muni and the American.

Answer

The red-faced man got down from his motor vehicle and approached towards Muni. He was wearing khaki clothes and from his appearance, he seemed to be a policeman or a soldier. Muni thought that if he ran, the foreigner would either chase or shoot him as the dogs chase only those who run. He couldn't understand why that man was after him. Meanwhile, the foreigner cried "Marvelous!" Looking at the horse statue with his eyes fixed on it Muni was frozen with fear and tried to edge away. Suddenly the other man joined his palms together and with a smiling face said, "Namaste! How do you do?"

4. Muni was in a fix when the American talked to him in a language unknown to him. Elucidate.

Answer

Muni was totally uneducated and he didn't know the English language except for the two words, "Yes, No". He couldn't understand what the foreigner was speaking. When he was exhausted with the only English words he was well versed in, he started speaking in Tamil and gave him his introduction. The foreigner also looked in the direction indicated by the Muni's fingers as he also didn't know a single word in Tamil. He gazed at the two goats and the rocks for a while and gave a puzzled expression.

5. How did Muni react when the stranger offered a cigarette to him?

Answer

When the foreigner offered him a cigarette, Muni received it with a surprise as no one had offered him smoke for years now. He had always liked to smoke a cigarette. Only once the shopkeeper had given him one on credit and he remembered how good it had tasted. The foreigner flicked the lighter and offered it to Muni. Muni was so confused and didn't know what to do, so he blew on it and put it out. The foreigner was also puzzled at this but presented the lighter again and lit Muni's cigarette himself. Muni drew a deep puff and started coughing. It was racking but extremely pleasant.

5. "I am sure you know when this horse was made", said the red man and smiled ingratiatingly. Muni reached to the relaxed atmosphere by smiling himself, and pleaded, "Please go away, sir, I know nothing. I promise we will hold him for you if we see any bad character around, and we will bury him up to his neck in a coconut pit if he tries to escape; but our village has always had a clean record. Must definitely be the other village."

1. What was the first thing that occupied Muni's mind on seeing the American's card?

OR

What did Muni interpret when he saw the card in American's hand?

Answer

After offering him the cigarette, the American said that he had come from New York and took out a wallet from his pocket and presented it to Muni. Already Muni had the impression that he was either a soldier or policeman and was scared of him and this card solidified his fear. Above all he was wearing khaki. He moved away from the card thinking it to be the warrant to arrest him as he might have never seen the card. His mind warned him of khaki. He believed in accepting whatever was offered but never got caught.

2. In what possible way Muni tried to ward off the trouble?

Answer

Muni became afraid of seeing the card in the foreigner's hand. He wanted to run away but then he remembered his age as told by the shopkeeper and thought that it would be better to surrender rather than to get caught. And then an idea struck his mind that he could ward off the trouble by talk. So he started talking in Tamil in a simple manner. He swore before him that he had seen nothing and knew nothing of the case. If the murder had been committed, the convict wouldn't be able to escape. According to him, God was watching everything and pleaded the foreigner not to ask him anything. He also added that a body had been found mutilated and thrown under a tree between Kritam and Kuppam a few weeks ago.

3. How did Muni try to prove himself innocent? What promise did he make to the foreigner?

OR

What explanation did he give to the foreigner to prove himself innocent?

Answer

Muni requested the American not to ask him anything as he was unaware of any murder or such incident. He then assured him of catching the convict if they found him and bury him up to his neck in a coconut pit if he tried to escape. He then remarked that their village had a clean record and that must be done by some other village.

4. The American seemed to be a bit annoyed by Muni's conversation. How can you guess?

Answer

Among all the conversation in their own respective languages which was totally not understood by each other, Muni and the stranger continued to talk. But then the American realized that there was something wrong and he asked him earnestly, "Please, please I will speak slowly, please try to understand me." He asked Muni if he couldn't understand a simple English word where everyone seemed to know some English. He told that he had gotten with English everywhere in the country, but he didn't speak. Further, he made a taunt that if Muni had any religious or spiritual scruples against English speech.

5. How did the American make a plan for India on the pretext of visiting other civilizations?

OR

How did American make a plan for India visit and what did he tell Muni?

OR

Which difficulties were faced by the American while working in the Empire State Building?

Answer

The red-faced man was somewhat irritated after a long series of conversation as he was not
feeling satisfied with Muni's answers. Therefore he tried his best to explain to him everything very clearly. He uttered each syllable very carefully and with deliberation. He told him that last August they had the hottest summer in history and he worked in shirt-sleeves in his office on the fortieth floor of the Empire State Building. Once he was stuck also for four hours as there was a power failure and there was no elevator or air conditioning. Meanwhile, in the train, he kept on thinking and on reaching home he told about his plan to visit India in the coming winter. He wanted to look at other civilizations.

6. Perhaps he guessed by the way he sat on its pedestal; like another souvenir sellers in this country presiding over their wares. Muni followed the man's eyes and pointing fingers and dimly understood the subject matter and, feeling relieved that the theme of the mutilated body had been abandoned at least for the time being, said again, enthusiastically. "I was this high when my grandfather told me about this horse and the warrior, and my grandfather was this high when he himself...'

1. What did Muni explain the American on being distracted from his continued explanation?

Ans. The American was telling Muni how he made the plans to visit India with his wife to see the new civilizations. At this Muni began to tell, "When I was this high", and no one knew what he was going to explain when the American interrupted him. Muni forgot what he had started to say and began to talk about his cattle. He remarked that they too lose their cattle sometimes. They were carried by Jackals and Cheetahs and sometimes were being stolen and then they came to know who had done it. Their temple priest could see the face of the thief in the camphor flame and when caught was chopped. The last word he explained through gestures.

2. Which gestures made by Muni excited the American and how did they remind him of his hobby?

Answer

The gestures made by Muni were that of chopping the thief who had stolen their cattle. The American watched his hands keenly and guessed he was talking about the chopping of wood. He enquired about his axe and asked to give it to him as he also likes chopping wood. He revealed that it was his hobby and he enjoyed that work. He told Muni that on Sundays he did nothing except chopping wood he got along the backwater, near his house.

3. What made Muni understand that the American was referring to the horse statue?

Answer

Muni was trying hard to get away from the place and as soon as he turned to go back, the foreigner seized his shoulder and desperately asked him if there was no one who could translate for him. He then looked at the deserted road in the hot afternoon. Pointing towards the statue, he asked Muni if it belonged to him and why didn't he sell it to him. Then only Muni realized that he was referring to the statue.

4. How did the American conclude that the horse statue belongs to Muni?

Answer

The American interrupted Muni when the latter was telling about his childhood days and the story of that horse and the warrior. He showed his interest in buying the statue and offered him a good price. He had concluded without any doubt that the horse clay statue belonged to Muni. He might have guessed by the way Muni was sitting on its pedestal as the other souvenir sellers in the country preside over their wares.

5. At what point did Muni was relieved from the theme of a crime he was expecting the American was talking about?

Answer

The American was least interested in any of the Muni's talks. He only had a keen interest in buying the horse. Interrupting Muni, he indicated towards the horse and following his eyes and pointing fingers Muni ultimately understood the subject matter and felt relieved that the theme of the mutilated body had been abandoned at least for that particular time and the American had diverted his course of conversation to the horse statue.

7. "I could give a sales tall for this better than anyone else.... This is a marvellous combination of yellow and indigo, though faded now.... How do you people of this country achieve these flaming colours ?" Muni, now assured that the subject was still the horse and not the dead body, said, “This is our guardian, it means death to our adversaries. At the end of Kali Yuga, this world and all other worlds will be destroyed, and the Redeemer will come in the shape of a horse called 'Kalki'; this horse will come to life and gallop and trample down all bad men." 

1. What reason did Muni put forth for not going to school?

Anwer

Muni told the American that he had never been to school because in the earlier days, they had to go out to work in the fields since morning till night, from sowing to harvest time. During Pongal time, they had to cut the harvest and his father allowed them to play out with others at the tank. That was the reason for not knowing the Parangi language. Besides, only Brahmins went to school is the upper caste.

2. Comment on the few words of appreciation spoken by American for the statue.

Answer

Muni smoked another cigarette offered by the foreigner with much ease and decided to stay back if he kept on giving him more to smoke. The American now stood upon the pedestal of the statue in the manner as if a demonstrative lecturer did. He ran his fingers along with the carved decorations around the horse's neck and appreciated it at length. He explained to Muni that he could give a sales talk for the statue better than anyone else. He praised the vibrant colours of the statue although they were faded now.

3. What assurance did the foreigner give Muni with regard to the horse? What did he tell him about its accommodation?

Answer

The foreigner assured Muni that the horse statue would find the best accommodation in the U.S.A. He further told him that he would shift the bookcase that he had, to some other place although he loved books very much and was the member of five book clubs. The bonus volumes were mounted up in a pile in his living room which was as high as the horse. But he would remove them all to which his wife might object but he would convince her.

4. A pinch of humour has been introduced in between all the misunderstandings when the American talked about his coffee business. What were they?

Answer

Muni asked a question from the foreigner in such a tone that was easily understood by him. The American replied that he was not a millionaire instead he had a modest business of coffee. Amidst all the confusions, Muni caught the word "coffee". He suggested him to drive to another town where he could get "kapi". There they had the Friday market where many Kapi-otels' were opened. The word 'Kapi' uttered by Muni in his uneducated accent creates humour in the story.

5. Finally realizing that too much time was wasted in conversation, how did the American introduce the topic of money?

Answer

The visitor was now too much tired of all the conversation and finally asked Muni whether he would accept a hundred rupees for the statue or not. Muni also wished to take the whiskered soldier but he had no space that year. For carrying the statue the American said that he would have to cancel his air ticket and take a boat home. His wife Ruth could go by air if she wanted but he would go with the horse and keep it in his own cabin all the way.

8. In answer to these questions, the red man dashed his hand into his pocket and brought forth his wallet in order to take immediate advantage of the bearish trend in the market. He flourished a hundred-rupee currency note and said, "Well, this is what I meant." The old man now realized that some financial element was entering their talk. He peered closely at the currency note, the like of which he had never seen in his life; he knew the five and ten by their colours although always in other people's hands, while his own earning at any time was in coppers and nickels. 

1. How did the foreigner make a plan to carry away the horse statue?

Answer

The foreigner told Muni that he would have to cancel his air ticket and take a boat home to carry the horse statue and imagined himself voyaging across the seas hugging his horse. He planned to pad it with straw to prevent it from any breakage. He asked Muni for help to keep the horse in his station wagon after he pushed the seatback. He thought of lifting the horse from its pedestal after picking out the cement joints.

2. Why did Muni feel oblige when the American talked to him and how did he explain it to him?

Answer

When the topic of money was introduced and the foreigner displayed his plans of carrying the statue to Muni, the guessing game of the words and language seemed to come to an end. Muni asked him if he had many children. He said this because the American appeared good to him as he stayed with an old man and talked to him when nobody showed interest in him. It was evident from Muni's answer that whole day; he had none to talk except if somebody stopped by to ask for a piece of tobacco.

3. Again what misunderstanding took place when the American gave him a hundred rupee currency?

Answer

When the American showed a hundred rupee currency note to Muni, he realized that some sort of financial element had been taking place in their conversation. The old man had never seen that currency in his life. He knew the five and ten by their colours in other people's hands. He thought that the American was flourishing the note for a change and he gave the reference of village headman who was also a moneylender. This again added to humour in the story.

4. What did Muni tell about the village headman?

OR

How did Muni describe the village headman?

Answer

When the misunderstanding with reference to hundred rupee note aroused in the mind of Muni, he directed the foreigner towards the village headman. He told the American that the headman was a moneylender and he could change a lakh of rupees in gold sovereigns. The headman had no idea that everybody in the village knew this. If one dug the floor of his puja room he could see the head. He only disguised in rags just to mislead the public.

5. What was Muni's lifetime dream and how was it going to be fulfilled?

Answer

The American followed Muni's look when he talked of his goats and thought that it was a policy to show interest in the old man's pets. He went and stroked their backs showing courtesy. The old man realized that the American was making an offer for the goats and his dream was about to be fulfilled. He had reared them up in the hope of selling them one day at a good price and with that money opening a small shop on that very spot. He dreamt of putting a thatched roof, spread a gunny sack on the ground and display on it fried nuts, coloured sweets and green coconuts for the thirsty and weary wayfarers on the highway.

9. Muni hurried homeward with the cash securely tucked away at his waist in his dhoti. he shut the street door and stole up softly to his wife as she squatted before the lit oven wondering if by a miracle food would drop from the sky. Muni displayed his fortune for the day. She snatched the notes from him, counted them by the glow of the fire, and cried, "One hundred rupees! How did you come by it? Have you been stealing ?"

1. What joke did Muni crack about his only treasure, the two goats to the American?

Answer

The old man was sure in his mind that the American was interested in buying his goats and when he put a hundred rupee note currency on Muni's palm, he felt extreme joy and asked if he was carrying them at the station wagon. The old man then explained to him that it was the goats' first ride in a motor car and he should carry them off only after he (Muni) was out of sight otherwise they would never follow him but only Muni even if he was travelling on the path to Yama Loka. Saying this, Muni laughed at his own joke.

2. Who helped the American to detach the horse statue and how?

Answer

After taking money, Muni left the place and the American thought he had gone to fetch some help. He waited for some time at the place and when he saw a truck coming downhill, he stopped it and asked for the help. A couple of men helped in detaching the statue from its pedestal and placed it in his station wagon. The American gave them five rupees each and for further payment, they siphoned off-gas from the truck to start his engine.

3. What explanation did Muni give to his wife about the money?

Answer

Muni was extremely happy by selling his goats for a hundred rupees to a foreigner. He had never expected such a deal. After getting money and leaving his goats grazing at the same place, he rushed towards his home excitedly. His wife was sitting before the lit oven expecting some miracle food to be dropped from the sky. He displayed his fortune to her and told that he had sold his goats to a red-faced man who was absolutely crazy about them. The American gave him all that money and carried them off his motor car.

4. What was Muni's wife's reaction when he showed her a hundred rupee note?

Answer

Muni excitedly rushed home with cash tucked carefully at his waist in his dhoti. On reaching home, he displayed the money to his wife who snatched it and thought that he might have stolen them from somewhere. When he was telling the story of selling the goats, they heard the bleating outside. His wife saw them and declared that if the police came to arrest him she would go away to her parents.

5. What did Muni get irritated on seeing his goats back? How did he react?

Answer

Muni was in the opinion that he had sold his goats to the American for he was crazy for his goats and offered him a hundred rupees for them. But when they heard bleating outside and his wife opened the door, she found the goats.

When Muni saw them at his doorstep, he muttered a great curse and seized one of the goats by its ears and shouted," Where is that man? Don't you know you are his? Why did you come back?" The goat wriggled in his grip. He did the same thing with the other goat.

Compound Questions and Answers

1. (a) Describe the conversation between Muni and the shopkeeper.

Answer

On being asked by his wife to bring the ingredients to prepare the sauce, Muni went to the shop in the third street. He was impatient but the shopkeeper paid no attention to him. Muni kept clearing his throat, coughing and sneezing until the shopman had to ask him, "What ails you? You will fly off that seat into the gutter if you sneeze so hard, young man". Muni laughed in order to please him and also at being called "young man". This made the shopkeeper happy and he liked his sense of humour.
The shopkeeper asked for five rupees and a quarter which Muni owed to him. At this Muni replied that he would pay off the debt on the first of the next month when his daughter would send him the money on his birthday. As the shopkeeper was very well aware of his tact, he asked him his age and caught him red-handed saying that he had already celebrated his birthday five weeks ago. Muni did not succeed in his attempt, as the shopkeeper denied to give him anything.

(b) Why was Muni scared to see the red-faced foreigner?

Answer

While Muni was watching his goats grazing on the outskirts of the town Kritam, a red-faced man got down from his motor vehicle and approached towards Muni. He was wearing khaki clothes and from his appearance, he seemed to be a policeman or a soldier. Muni thought that if he ran, the foreigner would either chase or shoot him as the dogs chase only those who run. He couldn't understand why that man was after him. Meanwhile, the foreigner cried "Marvelous"! Looking at the horse statue with his eyes fixed on it, Muni was frozen with fear and tried to edge away. Suddenly, the other man joined his palms together and with a smiling face said, "Namaste! How do you do?"

(c) Trace the circumstances in which Muni gets ready to part with his goats.

Answer

During a series of great misunderstanding between their conversation, the American followed Muni's gaze when he talked of his goats and thought that it was a policy to show interest towards the old man's pets. He went and stroked their backs showing courtesy. The old man thought that the American was making an offer for the goats and his dream of a lifetime was about to be fulfilled. He had reared them up in the hope of selling them one day at a good price and with that money opening a small shop on that very spot. He dreamt of putting a thatched roof, spreading a gunny sack on the ground and display on it, fried nuts, coloured sweets and green coconuts for the thirsty and weary wayfarers on the highway. Thus, he made a deal with the American without realizing the veracity.

2. (a) Depict the life of Muni and his wife at the beginning of the story, 'A Horse and Two Goats'?

Answer

Muni and his wife lived in 'Kritam', a tiny village in India. The name means, "coronet or crown" in Tamil. The village had less than thirty houses, only one of them built with cement and brick. Painted in yellow and blue with gorgeous carvings, it was known as Big House. Muni's mud-house was thatched with bamboo and straw. Muni had forty sheep in his good days, but it dwindled down to two. All-day he would graze his animals, sitting on the pedestal of a horse statue.
           
Muni's wife would cook the meagre supply of millet and salt, for breakfast and lunch. Occasionally, he would have drumsticks, but mostly they did not have the ingredients to make a sauce for them. At times, he would humour the local shopkeeper and buy things on credit, which he may never repay. Although the lady of the house would scold him, somehow she conjured up some food for the evening out of the money she made by working in the Big House or somewhere else.

Muni looked seventy and his only worry was what his wife would do once he was gone.

(b) Describe the horse statue. What is the significance of it in the story?

Answer

The village boast of a life-size horse statue, 'moulded out of clay, baked, burnt and brightly coloured'. It was a dynamic one, as though in motion, with its head held proudly, prancing its forelegs in the air and flourishing its tail in a loop. Besides the horse, there was the figure of a warrior with a curved moustache, bulging eyes and a sharp nose. Initially, the horse had been pure white and had a colourful brocade cover on its back, but with time it became a shadow of its former self. The statue was big enough for Muni to creep under its belly for shade.

When the foreigner came to visit the village, he was enamoured by the statue and wanted to buy it. Muni, who hardly knew English could not understand the man. When the man gave him money, Muni thought it was for his goats. The man took away the horse to America, and Muni was happy to get the money. Thus, the horse stands testimony to the misunderstanding which language can cause. Also, it shows how foreigners appreciate local art and how the locals pay no attention to such works.

(c) The way of life and language of Muni and the red-faced man differed and due to this their conversation creates a lot of humour. Elaborate.

Answer

There is a huge cultural difference between Muni and the foreigner. Muni is a poor villager in an obscure place in India while the red-faced man is an American who has come to see the local culture of India. He speaks English but Muni knows only Tamil and his knowledge of English is limited to two words- 'Yes' and 'No'.
     
Right from the initial greetings, this difference in culture and language makes the interactions of the two hilarious. The lack of connection through language results in verbal and situational humour. Just seeing the khaki-clad man, sent shivers of fear through the old man. He felt that the red-faced man was the police and when he offered his card, he thought that it was a warrant. He immediately denied any knowledge about the village murder and tried to deviate the conversation to theft in the village. He talked about his childhood, the other man talked about his holiday plans. He talked about buying the horse, Muni talked about selling off his goats. The misunderstandings were from both the sides and the confusion arising out of them is simply hilarious.
     
Cross-culture differences leading to humour can also be seen at the ending of the story. Muni thought that he had sold his goats and made a profit. The traveller thought that he had purchased the statue at market price. Humour is enhanced by the fact that Muni understood the significance of the statue, and yet could not understand that he had played a crucial role in the transaction. The red-faced traveller imagined the statue "in his living room," but failed to understand how it was a landmark for the locals. In the resolution to this misunderstanding, cultural differences in the form of language prevented either one from understanding the other. Yet, both got what they wanted. Muni got the money he so coveted. The foreigner got the statue he desired. Thus, in a way, the lack of cultural understanding manages to provide an ending that brought contentment for both.