1st PUC ENGLISH NOTES - AROUND A MEDICINAL CREEPER- 2 MARKS / 3 MARKS / 4 MARKS - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1st PUC ENGLISH NOTES - AROUND A MEDICINAL CREEPER- 2 MARKS / 3 MARKS / 4 MARKS - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Answer the following questions 2-Marks Questions and
Answers
- Why did Mara tie the creeper to a tree?
Ans: Mara believed the plant would disappear unless tied to a tree, as it was cursed by a sage.
- What did Mara use to brush his teeth?
Ans: He used a small stick from an unknown plant which caused him to lose teeth on one side.
- Why was the white man surprised at Mara’s wound?
Ans: The white man was shocked as there was no wound or blood after removing the leaf bandage.
- How did the mongoose cure itself of snakebite?
Ans: The mongoose chewed the leaves of a plant to heal itself after a snake bite.
- What happened when milk was mixed with the creeper’s
juice?
Ans: The milk turned thick and rubbery after mixing with the juice of the medicinal creeper.
- Why was Mara angry with Sanna?
Ans: Mara was angry because Sanna had unknowingly plucked a sacred medicinal creeper.
- What did Krishna mix with the tuber to cure piles?
Ans; Krishna ground the tuber with milk and drank it for five days to cure piles.
- What did Mara’s wife find in the meat packet?
Ans: She found a live wild buck instead of meat when she opened the packet.
- Why are native medicinal systems dying out?
Ans: Native doctors don’t share their knowledge fearing medicines will lose power if revealed.
- How long did it take the narrator to learn about the
creeper?
Ans: It took him nearly twenty years to understand the real value of the medicinal creeper.
11. What did Mara do
when he found the creeper?
Ans: Mara became very active. He caught hold
of one of the tendrils and tied it to a nearby tree.
12. Mention the curse
about the medicinal plant.
Ans:
The medicinal plant had been cursed by a sage. The curse was that when someone
needed that plant, they would not find it. At the point to find it, it must
immediately tie to a nearby plant so that it would be lying there.
13. What surprised the
white man?
Ans: Once Mara got injured white cutting the
shoot and someone had brought some leaf, pressed it against the wound and
bandaged it. Later he went to the white man. The white man opened the bandage
and removed the leaf and got surprised that there was no blood, no wound, in
fact no sign of any wound having been there.
14. How did the
mongoose and the cowcal cure themselves of a snake bite?
Ans: The mongoose and the cowcal cured
themselves by chewing the leaf of the medicinal plant when they were bitten by
a snake.
15.
Why had Mara lost his teeth on the right side?
Ans: Mara had lost his teeth on the right
side because when he broke a small stick from a nearby plant to brush, he felt
a sour taste in the mouth. He wanted to rinse his mouth. He took some water
from the stream, put it into his mouth and after churning it around in his
mouth, and spat it out. Surprise! All the teeth, which had been touched by that
stick, tumbled out of his mouth!
16. What did Mara’s
wife find on opening the packet of meat?
Ans:
Mara’s wife found a live wild buck on opening the packet of meat.
17. What happened when milk was mixed with the
juice of the creeper’s leaves?
Ans: When milk was mixed with the juice of
the creeper’s leaves then the milk became thick.
18. When would the
medicines lose their potency, according to the belief of native doctors?
Ans: According to the belief of native
doctors, the medicines would lose their potency if they told others about their
medicines.
Answer the following questions 3-Marks Questions and Answers
- How did Mara lose his teeth?
Ans: Mara once went to check a trap
he had set for a rabbit. Finding no animal, he decided to brush his teeth at a
nearby stream. He broke a stick from a nearby plant and used it to brush. He
felt a sour taste and rinsed his mouth. Suddenly, all the teeth on the side
touched by that stick fell out. He believed the plant was responsible for his
tooth loss. This story reflects the strange beliefs people hold about forest
plants and how deeply they trust local knowledge, even when it's unscientific.
- How did Mara and the narrator
think differently about the creeper?
Ans: When Mara saw the medicinal creeper, he immediately tied it to a tree, calling it a thief. He believed that the plant would disappear if not tied up, due to a sage's curse. The narrator, however, thought rationally. He believed the plant was seasonal and not magical. According to him, the plant bloomed during the rainy season and withered after. This difference of opinion shows the clash between native beliefs and scientific thinking. While Mara trusted folklore and experience, the narrator relied on observation and reason.
- How did Krishna get cured of
his illness?
Ans: Krishna suffered from piles and
couldn’t afford surgery. He sought help from a Malayali Sadhu who had earlier
cured him of boils. The Sadhu described a medicinal plant but couldn’t fetch it
due to his old age. Krishna searched for the plant and described it to the
narrator. The narrator recognized it as the creeper tied by Appanna and Mara.
They dug the root, and Krishna ground it, mixed it with milk, and drank it for
five days. Soon, he was cured. This incident highlights the hidden healing
powers of native medicinal plants.
- Narrate Mara’s story of the
wild buck.
Ans: Mara once caught a barking deer
with a friend. They divided the meat and took it home. Mara wrapped his portion
in leaves. But when his wife opened it to cook, a live wild buck jumped out and
escaped. While Mara ran after it, his wife unknowingly threw the special leaves
into the fire. Mara believed the meat turned back into a live animal because of
the leaves. This story reflects the magical beliefs and folklore associated
with forest plants in rural communities.
- How does the story show the
superstitious beliefs of native doctors?
Ans: The story shows how native healers believe that sharing the secret of a medicinal plant will reduce its effectiveness. Mara and others treat medicinal creepers as sacred and believe in curses or magical powers. For instance, Mara said the creeper would vanish unless tied to a tree. The Malayali Sadhu didn’t collect the plant himself but described it to Krishna. These beliefs prevent proper documentation and scientific understanding of valuable medicinal plants, leading to the slow extinction of traditional knowledge.
6.
How long did it take the narrator to learn the facts
about the medicinal creeper? What does it signify?
Ans: The narrator took nearly twenty years to
learn the facts about the medicinal creeper. Above all else, it shows that
lacking investigation work has gone into the field of home grown medication.
The unskilled locals realize that a few plants are healing; however they don't
have a clue about the specific advantages that can be harvested from these
plants. Additionally, even the ones who know the belief of the plants don't let
out the mystery due to the certainty that whenever spoken about, the plant may
lose its intensity. There is also the topic of misrepresentation. People like
Mara purposely or accidentally add a couple of tender pieces to their
encounters and henceforth, for a third person, it's hard to separate among
truth and fiction. Accordingly, even a reality is confounded about fiction.
Finally, even persons like the storyteller, who have an enthusiasm for the
medicinal creeper and definitive confirmation of its advantages, neglect to
seek after the issue in a reliable way with purposeful deeds.
7.
What does the incident of Mara’s wife throwing the leaves
into fire tell us about Indians in general?
Ans: At the point when a live wild buck
showed up in the spot of the meat of the deer and fled, Mara chased it. Mara's
without knowing the slightest bit about the foundation of the scene, gotten the
leaves and tossed them into the fire. It shows that even after such an odd
incident of the dead meat transforming into a live creature, the lady was not
keen on discovering what might have prompted the wonder.
8. How was Krishna
cured of his illness?
Ans: Krishna cured from piles problem.
Krishna had piles issue and the main remedy for it in allopathy was medical
procedure. Krishna, an ignorant, was scared by medical procedure and thus he
went to the town god man for therapy. The god man, being old, could just give
the idea of the creeper which could be utilized for his cure. Since the creeper
was none other than medicinal creeper, the author took him to the creeper which
Appanna had attached to a tree and Krishna drank the ground tuber of the
creeper with milk.
Answer the following questions 4-Marks
Questions and Answers
- Explain how native medicinal
knowledge is vanishing, as shown in the story.
Ans: In “Around a Medicinal Creeper,” the narrator highlights how valuable native medicinal knowledge is slowly disappearing. The locals, like Mara and the Sadhu, have great experience with forest plants and their healing powers. However, their knowledge remains undocumented due to superstition. They believe that if they reveal the secrets of the plants, their healing powers will disappear. For example, Mara believed that the creeper would vanish unless tied to a tree. The Sadhu helped Krishna with just a description of the plant but couldn’t collect it himself. Additionally, exaggerated or unbelievable stories—like Mara’s tale of teeth falling or meat turning into a live buck—make it difficult for others to take native knowledge seriously. The narrator, even though educated, took almost twenty years to understand the importance of the medicinal creeper. Because this knowledge is passed on only by word of mouth and often mixed with superstition, it is at risk of being lost. The author suggests that instead of discarding traditional wisdom, it should be studied scientifically and preserved for future generations. This story urges us to value our natural resources and the ancient wisdom connected with them.
- Discuss the theme of blind
belief versus scientific reasoning in the story.
Ans: The story presents a clear contrast between blind belief and scientific thinking. Mara represents the voice of traditional knowledge and superstition. He believes that the medicinal creeper disappears due to a curse and that tying it to a tree prevents it from vanishing. He also shares strange tales—like his teeth falling after brushing with a plant or meat turning into a wild buck. These stories, though humorous, reflect a deep trust in folklore. On the other hand, the narrator thinks logically. He believes that the plant is seasonal, appearing only during the rains. He is skeptical but curious. Even though he does not believe all of Mara’s stories, he does not ignore them completely. He tries to verify facts, such as the medicinal effect of the tuber used by Krishna. In the end, he himself experiences some healing when he tastes a small piece of the tuber, suggesting that there may be truth in the old beliefs. The story does not reject either side but suggests that both faith and reason can coexist. It tells us to respect traditional knowledge while also applying scientific methods to study and preserve it.
3.
What story did Mara narrate about losing the teeth on the
right side of his mouth?
OR
What
was the story behind Mara’s loss of teeth in ‘Around a Medicinal Creeper’?
Ans: Mara’s stories were not limited to the
miraculous medicinal creeper. Mara explained the loss of the teeth on one side
of his face with another totally cock-and-bull story. Once Mara laid a trap for
the rabbit in the forest, so he went next morning to check it but there was no
animal in the trap. So he decided to brush his teeth as there was a stream
nearby to wash face before returning home. He broke a small stick from a nearby
plant to brush a third or fourth time; he felt a sour taste in the mouth.
According to him, when he brushed his teeth with a small stick of a plant, he
lost the teeth which had been touched by the stick. He wanted to try another
stick hut before that he wanted to rinse his mouth. He took some water from the
stream and after churning it around in his mouth, spat it out. He lost the
teeth on one side, which had been touched by that stick.
4.
How was Krishna cured when he had piles in ‘Around a
Medicinal Creeper’?
Ans: Krishna was suffering from piles and met
the narrator to get some help. But the narrator only helped him with some money
which was not enough for the treatment. But Krishna knew a Malavali Sadhu. This
godman had treated Krishna on an earlier occasion, when Krishna had started
developing boils all over his body. The godman had cured him with the barks of
a tree. Krishna went in search of the godman, hut he was too old and could not
search for the medicinal creepers. He described the features of the plant to
Krishna. Krishna went in search of the leaves and on the way he met the
narrator and described the leaves. The narrator understood that those were the
leaves which Mara and Appana had tied to the nearest tree. The narrator took
him to the plant and dug quite a hit to get the tuber. Krishna ground this root
with milk and drank it with milk. In this way, he was cured of piles within
five days.
5.
How did Mara and the narrator think differently about
tying the medicinal creeper to the tree in ‘Around a Medicinal Creeper’?
Ans: Once the author was putting up a shade
over a coffee seedbed. They needed something to tie the cane pieces placed
across the frame. So, he sent Sanna to get some creepers from the forest. Sanna
brought a whole bundle. Mara opened the bundle and while sifting him suddenly
looked at one of the creepers and scolded Sanna for plucking it. On knowing
from Sanna that there were many of these creepers in the forest, the writer
along with Mara and Sanna went to the forest out of curiosity. There he saw
Mara tying the creeper to a nearby tree referring to it a thief. Mara believed
that the plant would not be seen when anyone needed it urgently because it had been
cursed by a sage. On the contrary, the author believed that the medicinal
creeper was a seasonal plant which appeared only after the rains, put forth
flowers and fruits and died quickly. That is why no one saw it until the next
rainy season.
6.
Narrate Mara’s story about the meat of the barking deer
changing into a live wild buck.’
Ans: Once Mara and his friend laid a trap and
caught a barking deer, as they had to divide it equally between them, they took
it near to the stream and divided the meat. They wrapped their portions in some
leaves and brought them home. In Mara’s house, they got ready to cook hut when
Mara opened the packet to take out the meat. It was a surprise instead of the
meat, there was a live wild buck when it saw Mara. He jumped up and ran out of
his house. When Mara was trying to catch it as usual. Mara’s wife ignorantly
took the leaves and three of them into the fire. ‘[his incident shows that
Indians do not think of what happened and why? But simply they go according to
the situations and never turn the circumstances towards them. This is the big
weakness of Indians.
7.
India’s native medicinal systems are on the verge of
extinction because of the superstitious ‘beliefs of the native doctors’.
Examine this with reference to ‘Around a Medicinal Creeper’.
Ans: The lesson titled ‘Around a Medicinal
Creeper’, presents a few anecdotes which tell us interesting stories about
Indian medicinal plants growing in their natural habitat. To cite a few
examples, in the first part of the lesson the author tells us about a medicinal
creeper which was plucked by Sanna so as to tie up a bundle of bamboo shoots.
Incidentally, Mara, his friend, informs that the creeper has a lot of medicinal
properties and they need to secure it by tying it to a nearby tree. If he does
not secure it that way carefully, it will disappear because it has been cursed
by a sage. Next, he tells another story in which he had used the leaves of some
plant to stop a bleeding wound. However, when he went to the doctor, there was
no sign of the wound. In another incident, Mara tells us how he lost the teeth
on the right side of his mouth. In the next part of the lesson, the author
tells the story of a Malayali Sadhu who had given Krishna, the author’s
farmhand, the bark of some tree as medicine and had cured the boils on his
body. However, the next time, when Krishna went to him seeking his help to cure
his piles, the godman asked Krishna himself to search for the tuberous root,
mix it with milk and drink it for five days.
Finally, in the concluding part of the essay,
the writer opines that Indian native medicinal systems are on the verge of
extinction because of the superstitious beliefs of the native doctors who fear
that if they disclosed the secrets of these medicines, the medicines would lose
their potency. What the author has said is undoubtedly true because the author
has given enough anecdotes which cannot withstand any logical examination.
8.
“Our natural resources are our vital resources”. Explain
the statement in the light of several development projects that are being
promoted today.
Ans: In the present story, we realize the
importance of natural resources such as plants and their medicinal value.
However, when we speak of developmental projects, they are directed towards
technology and allopathic medicines. Only a few measures are taken to create
awareness we are losing a lot of natural resources, such as land and trees
towards the utility of space for construction purposes. While doing so, we are forgetting
the key point – natural resources such as trees that bring rain and prove as
starting materials for making medicine. Also through development, we are in
fact giving rise to more diseases. The atmosphere that we had in historic times
was far healthier and safer than the atmosphere we breathe in today. Thus,
whatever development we are aiming for, should primarily revolve around the
lines of conserving our natural resources and its utilization.
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