About the Author
This story is based on a folk tale, and the author is not named in the textbook. Folk tales are stories passed down from generation to generation, often told by people in villages. They teach lessons and show how people think about courage, honesty, and sometimes even magic. The writer of this story in the "A Pact with the Sun" textbook has retold it in simple words for children to enjoy and learn from.
What’s the Story About?
The story is about a man named Vijay Singh, who is very strong and brave. He lives in a village where everyone knows him for his wrestling skills. One day, Vijay hears about a haunted desert where a ghost scares travelers. The villagers are afraid, but Vijay is not. He decides to go to the desert and face the ghost.
On his way, Vijay meets an old woman who gives him a magical egg and a lump of salt. She says these will help him. When Vijay reaches the haunted place, the ghost appears. It looks scary, like a giant shadow, but Vijay stays calm. He tricks the ghost by pretending to be stronger than it. He challenges the ghost to a wrestling match.
The ghost tries to scare Vijay, but Vijay is clever. He uses the egg to fool the ghost into thinking he can crush stones. He squeezes the egg, and it breaks, making a sound like a stone cracking. The ghost gets nervous. Then Vijay uses the salt to make the ghost think he is super strong. The ghost, now scared, runs away and leaves behind a lot of treasure.
Vijay returns to the village with the treasure, and everyone praises him. The story shows how being brave and smart can help you win against even the scariest problems.
Who’s Who in the Story
- Vijay Singh: A strong and brave wrestler. He is not afraid of the ghost and uses his cleverness to win.
- The Ghost: A scary spirit that haunts the desert and frightens travelers. It looks big and strong but gets fooled by Vijay.
- The Old Woman: A kind lady who helps Vijay by giving him a magical egg and a lump of salt. She knows about the ghost.
- The Villagers: People in Vijay’s village who are scared of the ghost but cheer for Vijay when he wins.
Themes and Moral
Themes:
The story talks about important ideas like:
- Courage: Being brave even when something seems scary, like Vijay facing the ghost.
- Cleverness: Using your brain to solve problems, like Vijay tricking the ghost.
- Good vs. Evil: The story shows how a good person can beat something bad, like a ghost.
- Helping Others: The old woman helps Vijay, showing kindness matters.
Moral:
The main lesson is that courage and cleverness can help you overcome any fear or challenge. If you stay calm and think smart, you can solve big problems.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key words and phrases from the story, explained in simple words:
- Wrestling: A sport where two people fight by holding and throwing each other, like a strong game.
- Haunted: A place where people believe ghosts or spirits live, making it scary.
- Courage: Being brave and not running away from danger, like facing a bully.
- Trick: To fool someone by being clever, like playing a smart prank.
- Treasure: Valuable things like gold, jewels, or money, often hidden.
- Challenge: To invite someone to a contest or fight, like asking to race.
- "Face the challenge": To bravely take on a difficult task, like trying something hard.
- "Crush to dust": To break something completely, like smashing a dry leaf.
- Deceive: To make someone believe something that isn’t true, like lying to fool them.
- Victory: Winning something, like coming first in a game or fight.