About the Author
Ruskin Bond is a famous Indian writer who loves writing stories and poems for children. He was born on May 19, 1934, in Kasauli, a small town in India. He grew up in places like Jamnagar and Dehradun and now lives in Mussoorie, a lovely hill town. Ruskin Bond has written over 300 books, including stories, novels, and poems. His first book, The Room on the Roof, came out when he was just 21 and won a special award. His stories are simple, fun, and full of love for nature, people, and small adventures. He uses easy words that make you feel like you’re part of the story. He has won big awards like the Padma Shri for his wonderful writing. Kids enjoy his stories because they are kind, exciting, and full of heart.
What’s the Story About?
This is a fun and short poem about a noisy electric fan that seems to talk! The poem is written as if a child is telling us about a fan in their house. The fan makes a strange sound, like it’s trying to say something or chat with people. The child listens to the fan’s hum and imagines it’s talking, whispering secrets or stories. The fan’s noise is loud and funny, like it’s singing or grumbling all day long.
But one day, someone puts oil in the fan to fix it. The oil makes the fan run smoothly, and the strange talking sound stops. Now the fan is quiet and spins without any noise. The child feels a bit sad because the fan’s “talking” was fun and made the house lively. The poem doesn’t tell us who the child is or where they live—it’s like a little daydream about an everyday thing, like a fan, becoming magical and interesting. The poem shows how kids can find wonder in small things and how even a boring fan can feel like a friend.
Who’s Who in the Story
- The Child (Narrator): The poem is told by a child who imagines the fan is talking. We don’t know their name, age, or if they’re a boy or girl. They love listening to the fan’s funny sounds and feel a bit sad when it stops.
- The Fan: The main “character” in the poem! It’s an electric fan that makes a loud, strange noise, like it’s chatting or singing. The child thinks it’s alive and full of stories.
- Someone: A person (maybe an adult) who puts oil in the fan to make it quiet. We don’t know who they are, but they stop the fan’s “talking.”
Themes and Moral
Themes (Main Ideas): The poem is about how kids use their imagination to make ordinary things, like a fan, seem magical and alive. It shows how children can find joy and wonder in everyday objects. It also talks about how fixing something (like oiling the fan) can make it work better but take away its special charm.
Moral (Lesson): Look at the world with a child’s eyes—find fun and magic in small things around you. Even simple objects can feel special if you use your imagination. Don’t be sad when things change; enjoy the wonder while it lasts.
Important Vocabulary and Phrases
Here are some key words and phrases from the poem. I explain them in easy words, like talking to a friend:
- Chatter: Talking a lot in a fast, noisy way, like birds singing all at once. (In the poem: The fan’s sound is like chatter, as if it’s trying to talk.)
- Whirring: A soft, spinning sound, like when a toy top spins fast. (The fan makes a whirring noise when it runs.)
- Mystery: Something strange or unknown that makes you curious, like a secret you want to solve. (The fan’s noise is a mystery because it sounds like talking.)
- Oiled: Putting oil on a machine to make it move smoothly without noise, like oiling a bicycle chain. (Someone oiled the fan, so it stopped making sounds.)
- Ceased: Stopped or ended, like when you stop playing a game. (The fan’s chatter ceased after it was oiled.)
Phrases:
- Talking fan: A fun way to describe the fan because its noise sounds like it’s saying something. (The child calls it a talking fan because of its funny sounds.)
- Ran as still as water: Moving very quietly and smoothly, like water staying calm in a glass. (After oiling, the fan runs as still as water, with no noise.)
- Electrical chatter: The buzzing or humming sound made by the fan, like it’s having a conversation. (The poem calls the fan’s noise electrical chatter.)