A Strange Wrestling Match Summary, Explanation, and Question Answers

 

By Jyoti Verma

NCERT Class 6 English A Pact with the Sun Book Chapter A Strange Wrestling Match Summary, Explanation and Question Answers

A Strange Wrestling Match – NCERT Class 6 English A Pact With The Sun book Lesson A Strange Wrestling Match Summary and Detailed explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words. All the exercises and Question Answers are given at the back of the lesson have been covered.

 

Introduction

Through a brave and open mind one can win over anything, even ghosts, still one should avoid boasting.. This is what this story reveals. It revolves around a man who was caught up in trouble and had to face a ghost because of his boasting.Though in the end he wins over the game.

A Strange Wrestling Match Summary

A Strange Wrestling Match – Everyone believed that Vijay Singh, the famous wrestler, was just unbeatable. Boasting about big things was his weakness. Once because of this habit of boasting, he was caught up. He told everyone that he was not afraid of ghosts, rather he wished to meet one ghost. Hearing this someone advised him to visit Haunted Desert where ghosts roamed freely.
Vijay Singh was ready and walked miles to enter the Haunted Desert. There, a ghost named Natwar appeared in front of him. To hide his fear, Vijay Singh insulted the ghost by calling him a plain and stupid ghost.
Though Vijay was scared, he wanted to win this game psychologically, so he expressed his wish to fight with the ghost to prove his strength. Vijay’s words left the ghost speechless. He also told the ghost not to go by his appearance as the appearances of the person are often deceptive.
Seeing his strength and power the ghost thought of defeating Vijay Singh by some other means. So he invited him to his house to spend a night with him.
Vijay agreed to it after some negotiation. At night, the ghost tried to kill him by hitting him. Fortunately, Vijay Singh was not on the bed and was saved. When in the morning, the ghost found him alive, he got scared of Vijay Singh and ran away from the place leaving behind all the wealth he had looted from the people.
After that no visitor haunted the place.

 A Strange Wrestling Match Summary in Hindi

एक अजीब कुश्ती मैच (A Strange Wrestling Match) – सभी का मानना ​​था कि मशहूर पहलवान विजय सिंह बस अपराजेय हैं। बड़ी-बड़ी बातों का घमण्ड करना उसकी कमजोरी थी। एक बार शेखी बघारने की इसी आदत की वजह से वह फंस गया था। उसने सबसे कहा कि वह भूतों से नहीं डरता, बल्कि वह एक भूत से मिलना चाहता है। यह सुनकर किसी ने उन्हें प्रेतवाधित रेगिस्तान की यात्रा करने की सलाह दी जहां भूत खुलेआम घूमते थे।
विजय सिंह तैयार था और मीलों पैदल चलकर प्रेतवाधित मरुस्थल में प्रवेश कर गया। वहां उसके सामने नटवर नाम का भूत प्रकट हुआ। अपने डर को छुपाने के लिए विजय सिंह ने भूत को सादा और मूर्ख भूत कहकर उसका अपमान किया।
हालाँकि विजय डर गया था, वह इस खेल को मनोवैज्ञानिक रूप से जीतना चाहता था, इसलिए उसने अपनी ताकत साबित करने के लिए भूत से लड़ने की इच्छा व्यक्त की। विजय के शब्दों ने भूत को अवाक कर दिया। उसने भूत से यह भी कहा कि वह उसके रूप पर न जाए क्योंकि व्यक्ति का रूप अक्सर धोखा देने वाला होता है।
उसकी शक्ति और पराक्रम को देखकर भूत ने विजय सिंह को किसी और तरीके से हराने की सोची। इसलिए उसने उसे अपने साथ एक रात बिताने के लिए अपने घर बुलाया।
कुछ बातचीत के बाद विजय इसके लिए राजी हो गया। रात में भूत ने उसे मारकर जान से मारने की कोशिश की। सौभाग्य से, विजय सिंह बिस्तर पर नहीं था और बच गया। सुबह जब भूत ने उसे जीवित पाया, तो वह विजय सिंह से डर गया और लोगों से लूटी गई सारी संपत्ति को छोड़कर वहां से भाग गया।
उसके बाद किसी भी आगंतुक ने उस जगह का दौरा नहीं किया।

 

A Strange Wrestling Match Explanation

I

Passage – There was once a wrestler called Vijay Singh. A tall man with massive shoulders and muscular arms, he towered over others like a giant. Vijay Singh, people said, was a born wrestler and could beat all other wrestlers in the world.

Word meaning
Wrestler: a person who fights with others as a part of game or sport

Explanation of the above passage – Once there was a wrestler named Vijay Singh. He was a tall man with big shoulders and strong muscular arms. In comparison to others, he looked like a giant. People were of the opinion that he was a born wrestler and was unbeatable.

Passage – This pahalwan had but one shortcoming which often landed him in awkward situations. He was fond of boasting. One day, he was sitting in the market-place surrounded by several young men. After drinking many glasses of milk, he suddenly proclaimed, “Why are people afraid of ghosts? I am not. I wish I met a stout ghost. I’d teach him a lesson.”

Word meaning
Boasting: to speak too proudly about one’s belongings and accomplishments
Proclaimed: to announce something publicly
Awkward : to cause worry or problem
Stout : fat and solid

Explanation of the above passage – This pahalwaan had one flaw that landed him into troubles. It was his habit of speaking too proudly of his possessions. One day while sitting in the market with many young men and after having milk, he announced that he was not afraid of ghosts, rather he wanted to meet a ghost and teach him a lesson.

Passage – There were murmurs of applause as well as apprehension among the young men. “If you walk alone at night through the Haunted Desert,” one of them said, “you are sure to meet ghosts. They roam there freely. Strange shrieks and moans can be heard all over the place. Travellers have been looted and killed. Would you really want to go there?” Vijay Singh’s mighty heart missed a beat or two. Why did he have to boast? “Yes, I have heard of the Haunted Desert,” he said nonchalantly. “I think it’s just a fairy tale.”

 

Word meaning
murmurs : to speak in a low voice, whispers
apprehension: suspicion or fear about some future happening
Haunted: place visited by ghosts
Nonchalantly: to behave in a calm manner that shows disinterest

Explanation of the above passage – People started whispering. Some were praising and some were showing suspicion and fears. One young man told him, that at night if he could walk alone through the Haunted Desert, there he would surely meet ghosts. Ghosts roamed there freely. Strange sounds were often heard there. Travellers were looted and killed. Vijay Singh was little scared and also repented for speaking that. Yet he said very casually that he knew about the place and in his opinion it was nothing but a fairy tale.

Passage – “Oh no,” said one of his admirers, “it’s true. This place is ten miles to the west on the road to Jaisalmer. The landmark is an ugly black rock that looks like the head of a camel. Beyond that there is nothing but sand and wilderness and, of course, ghosts.”

Word meaning
Landmark: place or building that can be easily recognised
Wilderness: an area which is not inhabited by human beings

Explanation of the above passage – One of his admirers exclaimed that was true and told him the location of the place. It was ten miles to the west on the road to Jaisalmer. The easily recognizable sign was an ugly looking black rock like the head of a camel. Beyond that, there was nothing except the jungle and ghosts.

Passage – Almost the entire village turned up that evening to bid farewell to Vijay Singh, who was ready to set out west. Just then an old woman came forward and thrust a small packet into his hands, and Vijay Singh started walking into the red sunset of the desert.

Word meaning
Thrust: to push forcefully

Explanation of the above passage – Vijay Singh set out for his journey to the haunted place and the whole village came to bid him farewell. An old lady threw a packet in his hands and he started walking towards the desert.

Passage – As he walked, the night deepened. The moon was bright and the stars shone clearly in the Rajasthan sky. Still a few miles short of his destination, Vijay Singh remembered the old woman’s packet. He opened it and found nothing but a lump of salt and an egg. The old woman was well-known for her eccentricities.

Word meaning
Eccentricities: strange behaviors

Explanation of the above passage – As he kept walking, the night grew dark, the moon became bright and the stars were clearly visible in the Rajasthan sky. After few miles, Vijay Singh recalled the packet given by that old lady. He opened it and found a lump of salt and an egg. This old woman was famous for her strange behaviors.

Passage – As Vijay Singh stepped into the Haunted Desert, he heard a voice. “Vijay Singh, Vijay Singh! You will get lost in the desert. Come this way. I am your friend, Natwar.” At once Vijay Singh realised it was not his friend but a ghost. Trying to sound brave, he called back, “Where are you, my dear Natwar? It’s dark and I cannot see you. Come here and show me the way.” Like all good wrestlers, Vijay Singh wanted to size up his enemy.

 

Word meaning
size up: to guess

Explanation of the above passage – As soon as Vijay Singh stepped into the Haunted Desert a voice called him and asked him follow it. This voice told him that he was his friend Natwar. Vijay Singh came to know that it was a ghost. Showing that he was not scared, rather brave, Vijay Singh called back and asked the ghost his whereabouts as he was not able to see him due to the darkness. Seeing the ghost, just like a good wrestler,Vijay wanted to guess his enemy’s power.

Passage – Soon the ghost appeared at his side. Vijay Singh peered into his face and declared, “You are just a plain, lying ghost. Anyway, now I don’t have to walk all night. I was longing to meet you.” Not used to insults, the ghost was taken aback. People generally started back in horror when they met him.They often fainted. But here was this unfeeling creature claiming he wanted to meet a ghost. It didn’t make sense.
“Really, I don’t know why you longed to meet me,” the ghost said.
peered into; To look at carefully to search something

Word meaning
taken aback: surprised

Explanation of the above passage – Shortly, the ghost made himself visible and Vijay Singh looked at his face carefully and said that the ghost was a liar. Hehad wanted to meet him for quite a long time and would not have to walk any more. Hearing this kind of insulting words the ghost was surprised. Generally, people were scared of him and seeing him, they started running and fainted. But this case was completely opposite. He wanted to meet the ghost. In surprise, the ghost asked him if that was true.

Passage – “That proves,” said Vijay Singh in a bored voice, “that you are a stupid ghost. The least a ghost can do is to read a man’s thoughts. However, a worthless ghost like you is better than no ghost. The fact is, I am tired of wrestling with men. I want to fight a ghost”.
The ghost was speechless. Marshalling his ghostly wits, he made an attempt to look Vijay Singh scornfully in the eye. “Frankly,” he said, “you don’t appear all that strong to me.”

Word meaning
Marshalling: reordering

Explanation of the above passage – Vijay Singh called the ghost stupid and unable to read a man’s thoughts. He said that he was a useless ghost. Vijay further told him that he was tired of fighting with men. That’s why now he wanted to fight with a ghost. The ghost did not have any reply and tried to scare Vijay. He said that Vijay did not appear to be strong enough.

Passage – “Appearances can be deceptive,” Vijay Singh said. “Take your own case. You claim to be Natwar, though actually you are a rascal of a ghost. If you doubt my strength, let me give you a demonstration of it.”

Explanation of the above passage – Vijay Singh told the ghost not to go by his appearance and abused the ghost. Vijay even offered to the ghost that if he was interested, Vijay could prove his strength.

A Strange Wrestling Match Question Answers

Q1. What was Vijay Singh’s weakness? Which awkward situation did it push him into?
A. His weakness was boasting. He was pushed to land on a haunted desert.

Q2. Was the old woman’s gift to Vijay Singh eccentric? Why?
A. Yes, it was eccentric- an egg and a lump of salt.

Q3. Why did Vijay Singh ask the ghost disguised as Natwar to come closer?
A. He asked him to come closer because as a good wrestler he wanted to guess the power of his enemy.

Q4. What made the ghost speechless? Why?
A. Vijay Singh’s brave and insulting words made the ghost speechless because noone ever spoke and behaved like that with him.

Q5. Why did Vijay Singh say “Appearances can be deceptive”?
A. Vijay Singh said so to scare the ghost.

Also See: Class 6 CBSE English Lessons