When The Trees Walked (Prose)

Unit 2 – Prose

When the Trees Walked

Warm-up

Look at the picture.

A. Describe the picture.
You can begin like this:
- This picture is about …
- In this picture we can see …
- There are …

B. Discuss and answer.
1. What are the children doing? Describe their activities.
2. Would you like to be in their place? If so, what would you enjoy the most?

Section I – Reading

Listen to your teacher read the first part of the story. Many things described in the story can be seen in the picture. Find and name them.

One morning while I was sitting beside Grandfather on the veranda steps, I noticed the tendril of a creeping vine trailing nearby. As we sat there in the soft sunshine of a North Indian winter, I saw the tendril moving slowly towards Grandfather. Twenty minutes later, it had crossed the step and was touching his feet.

There is probably a scientific explanation for the plant’s behaviour—something to do with light and warmth perhaps—but I liked to think it moved across the steps simply because it wanted to be near Grandfather. One always felt like drawing close to him.

Sometimes when I sat by myself beneath a tree, I would feel rather lonely but as soon as Grandfather joined me, the garden became a happy place. Grandfather had served many years in the Indian Forest Service and it was natural that he should know trees and like them. On his retirement, he built a bungalow on the outskirts of Dehradun, planting trees all around—lime, mango, orange and guava, also eucalyptus, jacaranda, and Persian lilacs. In the fertile Doon Valley, plants and trees grew tall and strong.

There were other trees in the compound before the house was built, including an old peepul that had forced its way through the walls of an abandoned outhouse, knocking the bricks down with its vigorous growth. Peepul trees are great show-offs. Even when there is no breeze, their broad-chested, slim-waisted leaves will spin like tops—determined to attract your attention and invite you into the shade.

Grandmother had wanted the peepul tree cut down but Grandfather had said,

‘Let it be, we can always build another outhouse.’

Grandmother didn’t mind trees, but she preferred growing flowers and was constantly ordering catalogues and seeds. Grandfather helped her out with the gardening—not because he was crazy about flower gardens but because he liked watching butterflies.

‘There’s only one way to attract butterflies,’ he said, ‘and that is to grow flowers for them.’

Did you know?
India has more than 17,000 species of flowering plants. Tamil Nadu, with more than 5,000 species—nearly one-third of the total flora of India—probably has the highest diversity in India.

Discuss and answer

1. When did the garden become a happy place for the author?
2. What are the two reasons the author gives for the plants moving towards Grandfather?
3. Why does the writer think that the peepul tree is a great show-off?

Glossary

• fertile – able to produce a lot of plants or crops
• abandoned – left without care
• vigorous – healthy and strong

Section II

Read this section silently. Underline the most important events of the story. Discuss what you have underlined with your partner.

Grandfather wasn’t content with growing trees in our compound. During the rains, he would walk into the jungle beyond the river-bed armed with cuttings and saplings which he would plant in the forest.

‘But no one ever comes here!’ I had protested, the first time we did this. ‘Who’s going to see them?’

‘See, we’re not planting them simply to improve the view,’ replied Grandfather. ‘We’re planting them for the forest and for the animals and birds who live here and need more food and shelter.’

‘Of course, men need trees too,’ he added, ‘to keep the desert away, to attract rain, to prevent the banks of rivers from being washed away, for fruit and flowers, leaf and seed. Yes, for timber too. But men are cutting down trees without replacing them and if we don’t plant a few trees ourselves, a time will come when the world will be one great desert.’

The thought of a world without trees became a sort of nightmare to me and I helped Grandfather in his tree-planting with greater enthusiasm. And while we went about our work, he taught me a poem by George Morris:

Woodman, spare that tree!
Touch not a single bough!
In youth it sheltered me,
And I’ll protect it now.

‘One day the trees will move again,’ said Grandfather. ‘They’ve been standing still for thousands of years but there was a time when they could walk about like people. Then along came an interfering busybody who cast a spell over them, rooting them to one place. But they’re always trying to move. See how they reach out with their arms! And some of them, like the banyan tree with its travelling aerial roots, manage to get quite far.’

We found an island, a small rocky island in a dry river-bed. It was one of those river-beds so common in the foothills, which are completely dry in summer but flooded during the monsoon rains. A small mango tree was growing on the island.

‘If a small tree can grow here,’ said Grandfather, ‘so can others.’

As soon as the rains set in and while rivers could still be crossed, we set out with a number of tamarind, laburnum, and coral tree saplings and cuttings and spent the day planting them on the island.

Did you know?
The Western Ghats is home to nearly 325 globally-threatened flora and fauna.

Discuss and answer

1. Why do we need trees? List four reasons that Grandfather gives.
2. Why did the author help his Grandfather plant trees?
3. What made Grandfather plant saplings on the rocky island?

Glossary

• protested – opposed or disagreed
• nightmare – a frightening dream
• interfering – stopping

Section III

Take turns and read this section aloud. Work in pairs, discuss, describe and list the three main events in this section.

The monsoon season was the time for rambling about. At every turn, there was something new to see. Out of the earth and rock and leafless boughs, the magic touch of the rains had brought life and greenness. You could see the broad-leaved vines growing. Plants sprang up in the most unlikely of places. A peepul would take root in the ceiling; a mango would sprout on the window-sill. We did not like to remove them but they had to go if the house was to be kept from falling down.

‘If you want to live in a tree, that’s all right by me,’ said Grandmother crossly. ‘But I like having a roof over my head and I’m not going to have my roof brought down by the jungle.’

Then came the Second World War and I was sent away to a boarding school. During the holidays, I went to live with my father in Delhi. Meanwhile my grandparents sold the house and went to England. Two or three years later, I too went to England and was away from India for several years.

Some years later, I returned to Dehradun. After first visiting the old house—it hadn’t changed much—I walked out of town towards the river-bed. It was February. As I looked across the dry water-course, my eye was immediately caught by the spectacular red blooms of the coral blossom. In contrast with the dry river-bed, the island was a small green paradise. When I went up to the trees, I noticed that some squirrels were living in them and a koel, a crow pheasant, challenged me with a mellow ‘who-are-you, who-are-you.’

But the trees seemed to know me; they whispered among themselves and beckoned me nearer. And looking around I noticed that other smaller trees, wild plants and grasses had sprung up under their protection. Yes, the trees we had planted long ago had multiplied. They were walking again. In one small corner of the world, Grandfather’s dream had come true.

Ruskin Bond
Ruskin Bond is an award-winning Indian author of more than 500 books, short stories, essays and novels. He writes poetry and books for children as well as adults. He lives with his adopted family in Landour, in Mussoorie, India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2014.

Discuss and answer

1. What did Grandmother feel about trees growing in the house?
2. Why did the author leave town?
3. How did Grandfather’s dream come true?
4. Describe what the author saw when he went back to the island.

Glossary

• rambling – wandering
• sprout – when seeds begin to grow into small plants
• spectacular – eye-catching
• beckoned – to signal (someone) with your hand to ask the person to come closer or follow

Read and Understand

A. Tick the most appropriate option.

1. According to the author the tendril was moving towards Grandfather because it
   a. needed light and warmth.
   b. did not like the light and warmth.
   c. wanted to be near Grandfather.
   d. wanted to escape from the winter.

2. Grandmother had wanted the peepul tree cut down because
   a. she did not like trees.
   b. she wanted to grow flowers.
   c. it was an old tree.
   d. it was knocking down the bricks of the outhouse.

3. Grandfather helped Grandma out with the gardening because he
   a. liked gardening.
   b. wanted to grow flowers to attract butterflies.
   c. wanted to beautify the garden.
   d. wanted to make the house green.

4. The author did not want to plant saplings in the forest because
   a. no one would come to see them.
   b. it was dangerous to enter the forest.
   c. it would not be of any use to them.
   d. no one would appreciate them.

5. Grandfather felt planting trees would help the forest because
   a. he wanted to make the view beautiful.
   b. the river-bed was dry.
   c. animals and birds in the forest would love him.
   d. the animals and birds would find it easier to live.

6. When the author returned from England to Dehradun, he found Grandfather's dream had come true because the
   a. old house had changed.
   b. river was full.
   c. trees had red flowers.
   d. forest covered the island.

B. Story Map

Complete the flow chart:

Grandfather built a bungalow and planted trees around it.
During the rains Grandfather walked into the jungle planting saplings.
During the Second World War the author was sent to boarding school.
They found a small rocky island and Grandfather planted saplings on it.
Some years later, the author returned and saw the island turned into a green paradise.
He looked around and noticed the trees had multiplied and sheltered new life.

C. Retell the Story in Ten Sentences

Begin:
The author’s Grandfather served in the Indian Forest Service. After his retirement he built …
(Continue—each student adds one sentence.)

D. Write a summary based on the story map.

Language Check Point

Don’t say	Say	Note
Who do you want to meet?	Whom do you want to meet?	Use who for subject, whom for object.
Did not you meet him yesterday?	Didn’t you meet him yesterday?	Use contracted forms in questions.
How many luggage did you bring?	How much luggage did you bring?	How many for countable, how much for uncountable.
What colour do you want – red or green?	Which colour do you want – red or green?	Which for limited choices.

Vocabulary

E. Match the words to make new compound words.

• outhouse
• river-bed
• waterfall
• flower garden
• sunshine
• aerial root
• busybody
• window-sill
• footfall
• compound wall

F. Add –ly to form new words where possible.

• lonely
• fertile → fertilely (rare)
• vigorously
• constantly
• completely
• strongly
• immediately
• broadly

G. Antonyms (all begin with S)

• hard → soft
• fat → slim
• weak → strong
• big → small
• fast → slow
• hide → show
• rough → smooth
• dull → sharp

Listening

H. Listen to your teacher read about Nandhu. Tick the correct statements.
- The box fell out of a truck.
- Nandhu wanted to play with the lamp.

Speaking

I. Describe an item from your bag in three sentences. Let the class guess.

J. In groups, create a story for the comic strip and share it.

Pictogrammar

A sentence can:
1. State – ends with .
2. Ask – ends with ?
3. Command/Request – ends with .
4. Exclaim – ends with !

Use Grammar

K. Tick the correct option.
1. What a beautiful flower!
2. Can you play football?
3. Where did you go yesterday?
4. Let us go for a walk.
5. I like to play hide and seek.

L. Discuss punctuation differences.
M. Say the sentences aloud and notice intonation changes.
N. Mark S (statement), C (command), R (request):
1. S
2. S
3. R
4. S
5. R
6. S
7. C
8. S
9. C
10. S

Writing

O. Use the clues to write a paragraph on “Grow and Protect Trees”.

Creative Writing

Look at the picture and write a story starting:
If you cut down trees, your children will pay the fees.

Practice Practice Exercises

1. a beautiful flower!

2. play football?

3. did you go yesterday?

4. us go for a walk.

5. like to play hide and seek.

1. The tendril moved towards grandfather.

2. I want a roof over my head.

3. Please do not cut trees.

4. We spent the whole day planting saplings.

5. Will you please remove the trees growing on the wall?

6. There was a forest on the island.

7. Go to the river bed.

8. The island was a green paradise.

9. Grow more trees to protect nature.

10. Grandfather's dream had come true.

This picture is about

In this picture we can see

There are ...

1. What are the children doing? Describe their activities.

2. Would you like to be in their place? If so what would you enjoy the most?

1. When did the garden become a happy place for the author?

2. What are the two reasons the author gives for the plants moving towards grandfather?

3. Why does the writer think that the peepul tree is a great show off?

1. Why do we need trees? List four reasons that Grandfather gives.

2. Why did the author help his Grandfather plant trees?

3. What made Grandfather plant saplings on the rocky island?

1. What did Grandmother feel about trees growing in the house?

2. Why did the author leave town?

3. How did Grandfather's dream come true?

4. Describe what the author saw when he went back to the island.

a. needed light and warmth.

b. did not like the light and warmth.

c. wanted to be near Grandfather.

d. wanted to escape from the winter.

a. she did not like trees.

b. she wanted to grow flowers.

c. it was an old tree.

d. it was knocking down the bricks of the outhouse.

a. liked gardening.

b. wanted to grow flowers to attract butterflies.

c. wanted to beautify the garden.

d. wanted to make the house green.

a. no one would come to see them.

b. it was dangerous to enter the forest.

c. it would not be of any use to them.

d. no one would appreciate them.

a. he wanted to make the view beautiful.

b. the river-bed was dry.

c. animals and birds in the forest would love him.

d. the animals and birds would find it easier to live.

a. old house had changed.

b. river was full.

c. trees had red flowers.

d. forest covered the island.

After his retirement he built