Class 7 English - MP Board | Quick Revision Notes

Chapter: The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom

1. Chapter Overview

This story is a Japanese folktale about an honest and hardworking old couple and their pet dog, Muko. It highlights the themes of kindness, greed, and the law of Karma (as you sow, so shall you reap).

2. Key Characters

• The Kind Old Couple: Hardworking rice farmers who treated their dog like their own child.
• Muko: The loyal pet dog who helped the couple even after his death.
• The Greedy Neighbors: A wicked and stingy old man and woman who lived next door.
• The Daimio: A wealthy Japanese landowner (Lord).

3. Sequence of Important Events

1. The Discovery of Gold: Muko leads the kind old man to a spot in the garden. Upon digging, the couple finds a pile of gold.
2. The Neighbors' Greed: The jealous neighbors borrow Muko, but when he leads them to a dead kitten instead of gold, they kill the dog in anger.
3. The Spirit of Muko: Muko appears in the old man's dream and tells him to cut down the pine tree over his grave to make a mortar (ओखली) and a mill (चक्की).
4. The Magic Mill: When the kind couple uses the mortar and mill, the rice pastry and bean sauce turn into gold coins.
5. The Second Theft: The greedy neighbors borrow the mortar and mill, but for them, the dough turns into a foul mass of worms. They burn the tools in rage.
6. The Magic Ashes: Muko’s spirit tells the old man to sprinkle the ashes of the burnt mill on withered (dried) trees. The ashes make a dead cherry tree bloom instantly.
7. Reward vs. Punishment: The kind man is rewarded by the Daimio for making trees bloom. The greedy neighbor tries the same, but the ash falls into the Daimio's eyes, leading to the neighbor's punishment and eventual death.

4. Key Vocabulary (English to Hindi)

5. Important Concepts for Exams

A. The Moral of the Story: Kindness and honesty are always rewarded, while greed and cruelty lead to disaster.

B. The Supernatural Element: The dog, Muko, acts as a guardian spirit. He communicates through dreams to guide the kind couple, showing that love transcends death.

C. Contrast between Characters:

• Kind Couple: Shared their wealth, loved animals, worked hard.
• Greedy Couple: Jealous, cruel to animals, wanted wealth without hard work.

6. Quick Revision Points (Formula for Success)

• Who wrote the story? William Elliot Griffis (Japanese Tale).
• What did the dog find first? A pile of gold.
• What did the ashes do? They made withered cherry trees bloom (blossom).
• Why was the neighbor punished? Because his ashes caused the Daimio and his wife to sneeze and choke, spoiling the procession.
• Final Outcome: The kind couple lived to a green old age (long and healthy life), while the wicked neighbor died in the mud.

Prepared for MP Board Students - Class 7 English (Honeycomb)