In what way is Pambupatti different form any other village?
Unlike other villages, people of Pambupatti lived in peace. While there was unrest in other parts of the country, they did not fight in the name of religion or language and took care of each other.
Why is Prem determined not to return to his village?
Prem had witnessed a lot of violence in his village. In his village people burnt others’ houses and killed one another in the name of religion. He was ashamed of all these memories. Thus, he was determined not to return to his village.
Why did Makara dislike tortoises, snakes and lizards? Write a line about each.
Makara disliked tortoises because he considered them stupid and slow. He also did not like them carrying their houses on their backs.
He disliked snakes because they were very slimy and weird.
He disliked lizards because of their strange habits.
What went wrong when the tortoises, snakes and lizards left the forest?
With no tortoises, the jungle seemed to be rotting as the tortoises used to eat the rotting fruit and rotting animals in the river. When the snakes left the rats increased and became the biggest nuisance. When the lizards left, there was no fear of the insects and there were now millions of them growing bigger and nastier by the day. So the whole forest seemed to have gone crazy when the tortoises, snakes and lizards left it.
Why do you think Prem wants to tell the story of the reptiles to the people of his village?
The people of Prem’s village indulged in violence against each other. The story of Pambupatti gives a message of peace and cooperation. It tells why it is necessary for different kinds of individuals to live together. The old man told him the story so that he could tell the story to his villagers and help them live in harmony.
Do you agree that it is difficult not to go along with someone who is very strong and powerful? Express your views frankly and clearly.
Yes, it is difficult not to go along with someone who is very strong and powerful. It is human nature to try and be on the safe side. Disagreeing with a powerful person is likely to call for trouble. Moreover, even if someone is bold enough to oppose him, there are a lot of issues that follow. Such idealists may leave an impact on society, but they usually do so at the cost of their own ruin.
If you were a baby crocodile, would you tell Makara that he was wrong? What would you say to convince him?
As a baby crocodile, I would certainly wish to tell Makara that he was wrong. The elders can be frightened into silence more easily as Makara did in his meetings. It is, however, not so easy to shout at a baby because this lets down the person’s public image.
To convince Makara that he was wrong, I would make three important points. First, it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak and not to torture them. Secondly, a strong animal is strong only when there are the weak animals; eliminate the weak and the strong becomes the ordinary. Thirdly, all creatures together form the environment and the loss of one may be the loss of all.