Little Girls Wiser Than Men Summary, Explanation, Difficult Words | BSEB Class 10 English Lesson 8

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Little Girls Wiser Than Men Summary

 

Bihar Board Class 10 English Lesson 8 Little Girls Wiser Than Men Summary, Lesson Explanation with difficult word meanings and Question Answer from Panorama-II Book

 

Little Girls Wiser Than Men– Are you looking for Summary and Lesson Explanation for Bihar Board Class 10 English Lesson 8 Little Girls Wiser Than Men from Panorama-II Book. Get notes, summary of the Lesson followed by line by line explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words and Question and Answers.

 

Little Girls Wiser Than Men Bihar Board Class 10 English 

Leo Tolstoy 

 

 
 

Little Girls Wiser Than Men Introduction

In this chapter, two little girls meet in a village lane just after, riding on sledges down snowy hills and slopes. Water flows down the street as they play near a large puddle. Wearing new dresses, they cautiously walk through the puddle after removing their shoes and stockings. When Malasha accidentally splashes water on Akoulya’s dress, a small quarrel ensues. This leads to conflict between their mothers, escalating into a neighborhood dispute. However, the girls’ innocent actions ultimately diffuse the tension. They create a small stream diverting water from the puddle, drawing attention away from the quarrel. Their playful interaction reminds the adults of the simplicity and joy of childhood, resolving the conflict.

 

 

 

Theme of the Lesson Little Girls Wiser Than Men

The theme of the chapter is innocence, reconciliation, and the contrast between the purity of childhood and the conflicts of adulthood. Through the interactions of the two little girls, the narrative highlights the simplicity and joy of childhood play, which serves as a contrast to the adult quarrels and disputes that arise. Later, the girls’ innocent actions and their ability to quickly move past conflicts shows the importance of reconciliation and the potential for innocence to bring about some resolution in the face of conflict.

 

 

 

Little Girls Wiser Than Men Summary

The chapter “Little Girls Wiser Than Men ” by Leo Tolstoy talks about two young girls, Malasha and Akoulya, and how they meet in a village lane after playing in the snow. Excitedly showing off their new dresses, they start playing near a big puddle of water formed by the melted snow. Akoulya warns Malasha not to step into the puddle with her shoes on to avoid getting them dirty. They both take off their shoes and carefully walk through the water. However, Malasha accidentally splashes water on Akoulya’s dress, causing her to get upset. This leads to a small argument between them, and their mothers also get involved after Akoulya’s mother hits Malasha on the back of her neck. Rather than escalating the conflict, the girls decide to work together. They come up with the idea to make a small stream to divert the water away from the puddle. As they work on this together, the adults watching realize the silliness of their argument. Seeing the girls happily cooperating and solving the problem peacefully, the adults stop arguing and even laugh at themselves. This chapter teaches us a valuable lesson about solving conflicts with kindness and cooperation, as shown by the innocence and wisdom of children.

 

 

 

Little Girls Wiser Than Men Summary in Hindi

लियो टॉल्स्टॉय का अध्याय “लिटिल गर्ल्स वाइज़र दैन मेन” दो युवा लड़कियों, मलाशा और अकुल्या के बारे में बात करता है, और कैसे वे बर्फ में खेलने के बाद एक गाँव की गली में मिलती हैं। उत्साहपूर्वक अपनी नई पोशाकें दिखाते हुए, वे पिघली हुई बर्फ से बने पानी के एक बड़े पोखर के पास खेलना शुरू कर देते हैं। अकुल्या ने मलाशा को चेतावनी दी कि वह गंदे होने से बचने के लिए अपने जूते पहनकर पोखर में न उतरे। वे दोनों अपने जूते उतारते हैं और सावधानी से पानी में चलते हैं। हालाँकि, मलाशा ने गलती से अकुल्या की पोशाक पर पानी छिड़क दिया, जिससे वह परेशान हो गई। इससे उनके बीच एक छोटी सी बहस शुरू हो जाती है और अकुल्या की माँ द्वारा मलाशा की गर्दन के पिछले हिस्से पर वार करने के बाद उनकी माताएँ भी इसमें शामिल हो जाती हैं। संघर्ष को बढ़ाने के बजाय, लड़कियों ने मिलकर काम करने का फैसला किया। वे पानी को पोखर से दूर ले जाने के लिए एक छोटी सी धारा बनाने का विचार लेकर आए। जैसे ही वे इस पर एक साथ काम करते हैं, देखने वाले वयस्कों को उनके तर्क की मूर्खता का एहसास होता है। लड़कियों को खुशी-खुशी सहयोग करते और शांति से समस्या का समाधान करते देखकर, वयस्क बहस करना बंद कर देते हैं और खुद पर हंसते भी हैं। यह अध्याय हमें दयालुता और सहयोग के साथ संघर्षों को हल करने के बारे में एक मूल्यवान सबक सिखाता है, जैसा कि बच्चों की मासूमियत और बुद्धिमत्ता से पता चलता है।

 

 

 

Little Girls Wiser Than Men Lesson Explanation

 

Passage: It was an early Easter. Sledging was only just over; now still lay in the yards; and water ran in streams down the village street.

Two little girls from different houses happened to meet in a lane between two homesteads, where the dirty water after running through the farm yards had formed a large puddle. One girl was very small, the other a little bigger. Their mothers had dressed them both in new frocks. The little one wore a blue frock, the other a yellow print, and both had red handkerchiefs on their heads. They had just come from church when they met, and first they showed each other their finery, and then they began to play. Soon the fancy took them to splash about in the water, and the smaller one was going to step into the puddle, shoes and all, when the elder checked her: 

‘Don’t go in so, Malasha,’ said she, ‘your mother will scold you. I will take off my shoes and stockings, and you take off yours.’

Word Meanings:
sledging (n):  to ride on a sledge (an object for traveling over snow)
streams (n): a narrow moving mass of liquid
puddle (n): small shallow pool of liquid that had spread on the ground
finery (n): wearing impressive clothes and jewelry on special occasions.
splash (v): to hit or disturb water in a noisy way
scold (v): to speak angrily when someone does something wrong

Explanation: The narrator begins by stating how Easter has arrived, and the snow from sledging is starting to melt in the yards. There are streams of water flowing down the village street. Two little girls from different families meet by chance in a lane between two houses. The lane has a big puddle of dirty water from the farm yards. One girl is very small, and the other is a bit bigger. Both girls are wearing new dresses – one in blue and the other in yellow. They also have red handkerchiefs tied on their heads. They had just come from church, and they first showed each other their nice clothes. Then, they start to play together. They decide to splash around in the water, but the older girl tells the smaller one, Malasha, not to step into the puddle with her shoes on because their mothers would be upset. So, they both take off their shoes and stockings to play in the water.

Passage: They did so, and then, picking up their skirts, began walking towards each other through the puddle. The water came up to Malasha’s ankles, and she said: 

‘It is deep, Akoulya, I’m afraid!’

‘Come on,’ replied the other. ‘Don’t be frightened. It won’t get any deeper.’ 

When they got near one another, Akoulya said: 

‘Mind, Malasha, don’t splash. Walk carefully!’

She had hardly said this, when Malasha plumped down her foot so that the water splashed right on to Akoulya’s frock. The frock was splashed, and so was Akoulya’s eyes and nose. When she saw the stains on her frock, she was angry and ran after Malasha to strike her. Malasha was frightened, and seeing that she had got herself into trouble, she scrambled out of the puddle, and prepared to run home. 

Word Meanings:
frightened (adj.): terrified
scrambled (v): to move in a hurried way

Explanation: After taking off their shoes and stockings, the girls pick up their skirts and start walking towards each other through the puddle. The water reaches up to Malasha’s ankles, making her feel scared because she thinks it is deep. However, Akoulya reassures her, telling her not to be afraid because the water won’t get any deeper. As they approach each other, Akoulya warns Malasha not to splash and to walk carefully. But, Malasha accidentally splashes water on Akoulya’s dress and even onto her face. Akoulya becomes angry when she sees the stains on her dress and runs after Malasha to hit her. Malasha, realizing she’s in trouble, quickly gets out of the puddle and gets ready to run home. This shows how a simple accident can lead to conflict and fight, despite their initial intention to play together.

Passage: Just then Akoulya’s mother happened to be passing, and seeing that her daughter’s skirt was splashed, and her sleeves dirty, she said:
‘You naughty, dirty girl, what have you been doing?’‘
Malasha did it on purpose,’ replied the girl.
At this Akoulya’s mother seized Malasha, and struck her on the back of her neck. Malasha began to howl so that she could be heard all down the street. Her mother came out.

Word Meanings:
howl: making long, loud cry expressing pain, anger or unhappiness
seized (v): to take hold of quickly, grab 

Explanation: Akoulya’s mother walks by and notices that her daughter’s skirt is splashed and her sleeves are dirty. She scolds Akoulya, calling her a dirty girl, and asks what she has been doing. Akoulya blames Malasha for splashing her on purpose. Hearing this, Akoulya’s mother grabs Malasha and hits her on the back of her neck. Malasha starts crying loudly, and her cries can be heard throughout the street. Malasha’s mother comes out of their house after hearing her daughter’s cries. It is shown here how quickly a misunderstanding can escalate into a fight between the two families, with accusations and physical punishment being exchanged towards each other.

Passage: ‘What are you beating my girl for?’ said she; and began scolding her neighbor. One word led to another and they had an angry quarrel. The men came out and a crowd collected in the street, everyone shouting and no one listening. They went on quarreling, till one gave another a push, and the affair had very nearly come to blows, when Akoulya’s old grandmother, stepping in among them, tried to calm them.

Word Meanings:
quarrel (n): an angry disagreement, argument
blows (n): to hit with fist or weapon

Explanation: After Malasha’s mother comes out and questions why her daughter is being punished, she starts scolding Akoulya’s mother. This leads to a heated argument between the two women. The situation gets tense as more people get involved, and soon, a crowd gathers in the street, with everyone shouting. The fight escalates to the point where it almost turns physical, with one person pushing another. At this moment, Akoulya’s grandmother intervenes and comes in between the fight, trying to calm everyone down.

Passage: ‘What are you thinking of, friends? Is it right to behave so? On a day like this, too! It is a time for rejoicing, and not for such folly as this.’ They would not listen to the old woman and nearly knocked her off her feet. And she would not have been able to quiet the crowd, if it had not been for Akoulya and Malasha themselves. While the women were abusing each other, Akoulya wiped the mud off her frock, and went back to the puddle. She took a stone and began scraping away the earth in front of the puddle to make a channel through which the water could run out into the street. Presently Malasha joined her, and with a chip of wood helped her dig the channel. Just as the men were beginning to fight, the water from the little girl’ channel ran streaming into the street towards the very place where the old woman was trying to pacify the men. The girls followed it; one running each side of the little stream.

Word Meanings:
chip (n): a small broken piece of something
channel (n): a navigable body of water
folly (n): foolish action, mistake
pacify (v): to restore peace, calm the anger  

Explanation: Akoulya’s grandmother questions their behavior, reminding them that it’s a day for rejoicing as it is Easter, not for fighting. However, her words fall on deaf ears, and the situation remains tense. The crowd continues to argue, almost hurting the old woman. While the adults are still arguing, Akoulya cleans the mud off her dress and returns to the puddle. She starts digging a channel to divert the water away from the puddle, with Malasha joining in to help. As the men and women are fighting, the water from the girls’ channel starts coming into the street, catching everyone’s attention. The girls follow the stream, playing and running alongside it, bringing a sense of calmness to the chaotic situation. The innocence and wisdom of children, who take positive action to resolve conflicts and bring peace is shown here. 

Passage: ‘Catch it, Malasha! Catch it!’ shouted Akoulya; while Malasha could not speak while laughing.
Highly delighted, and watching the chip float along on their stream, the little girls ran straight into the group of men; and the old woman, seeing them, said to the men:
‘Are you not ashamed of yourselves? To go fighting and account for these lassies, when they themselves have forgotten all about it, and are playing happily together. Dear little souls! They are wiser than you!’
The men looked at the little girls, and were ashamed, and laughing at themselves, went back each to his own home.
‘Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven.’

Word Meanings:
ashamed (adj.): overcome with shame, guilt
delighted (adj.): extremely pleased
lassies (n): a young woman, girl

Explanation: As the girls divert the water, they notice a chip floating on their stream. Akoulya asks Malasha to catch it, and Malasha, unable to speak due to laughter, joins in the fun. The girls are filled with joy as they watch the chip float along their stream. They run happily into the group of men, catching their attention. Seeing the girls playing together peacefully, Akoulya’s grandmother talks to the men, questioning their behavior and reminding them of the innocence and wisdom of children. Feeling ashamed of themselves, the men laugh at their own actions and disperse, each going back to his own home. The grandmother’s words, quoting a scripture, explain the importance of the innocence and purity of children. The simple and joyful actions of children can serve as a powerful reminder to adults to let go of their conflicts and embrace peace and harmony as shown in the passage.

 

 

Related Link : BSEB Class 10 English Syllabus 2024-25

 

Also See : 

BSEB Class 10 English Summary, Explanation Notes, Difficult words

 

 

BSEB Class 10 English Question Answers

 

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