Question

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

There was a pious peasant in Russia, satisfied with his limited means. Once an imp stole his only piece of bread. The peasant drank a glassful of water and felt happy. The imp got irritated. He disguised himself and worked with the peasant as his servant. On his advice the peasant produced good crop. The imp then instigated him to prepare wine from the surplus corn. The peasant did so. He invited his friends and began to make merry. Under the effect of intoxication, the peasant lost good senses. He abused his beloved wife and quarrelled with his friends. He fell into mud and grunted like a pig. It's true; when you have limited means, the animal within you is under control. If you possess means or power more than your needs, you get corrupt and your fall is inevitable.

Questions:

(i) What sort of man was the peasant ?

(ii) What did the imp advise him?

(iii) Why did the peasant abuse his beloved wife?

(iv) What lesson do you get from the story?

Answer 1

(i) The peasant was a pious man, content with his limited means and satisfied with what he had.

(ii) The imp advised the peasant to produce a good crop and later encouraged him to prepare wine from the surplus corn.

(iii) Under the effect of intoxication from the wine, the peasant lost his senses, which led him to abuse his beloved wife and quarrel with his friends.

(iv) The lesson from the story is that when people have more than they need, they can become corrupt and lose control, leading to their downfall. With limited means, a person is more likely to remain humble and in control of their behavior.