Sympathy
One day the poet was in trouble. He was ill. A rich man who was proud came to know about the poet's grief. The rich man helped the poet with money, but he did not express any sympathy. After a few days the poet got well and returned the proud man his money and thanked him for his monetary help.
Once again the poet fell ill and lay in bed. Apoor man passed by that way. He sympathized with the poet. He bound his head, gave him food and water and nursed him for several days and nights. The poet got well again, but be could not repay the debt of the kind man's services. Surely, sympathy is greater than money.
This poem successfully brings out the importance of kindness and sympathy. Sympathy is a quality of God. We should not be indifferent towards the sufferings of other people. Money is great but greater than money is sympathy. If somebody helps with money, we can pay back his money. But the services done to us in sympathy cannot be paid back.
COMPREHENSION
Read the following stanzas and answerthe questions that follow :
[A] I lay in sorrow .........................................................kindly word.
Ans: In the first line ‘I’pronoun is used for the poet. He is in trouble.
Q2: Who heard his grief’?
Ans: Arich and proud man heard about his grief.
Q3: How did the proud man help him?
Ans: The proud man helped him with money.
Q4: What was lacking in proud man's help?
Ans: Sympathy was lacking in proud man's help.
[B] My sorrow passed........................................................his charity.
Q1: What is meant by "My sorrow passed"?
Ans: " My sorrow passed" means that the poet has recovered from his trouble.
Q2: When did the poet pay the proud man back?
Ans: The poet paid the proud man back when his sorrow was over.
Q3: How did he pay him?
Ans: The poet paid back his money and thanked him too.
Q4: What three things did the poet do??
Ans: The poet did the following three things:
(i) The poet paid back the money to the man.
(ii) He thanked him for his help.
(iii) The poet blessed his charity.
[C] I lay in want........................................................night and day.
Ans: The poet was ill. We know it by the words-grief and pain.
Q2: How did the poorman help the poet?
Ans: The poor man soothed the head of the poet. He gave him food and water. He looked after him day and night.
Q3: How was the poorman's help different from the proud man's help?
Ans: The poor man's help was full of sympathy, while the proud man's help was devoid of a single word of sympathy.
[D] How shall ......................................................................................sympathy.
Ans: The poet was unable to pay back the second time because the poet knows that money can be repaid but sympathy can never be repaid.
Q2: Why is sympathy called heavenly?
Ans: Sympathy is called heavenly because it is a noble gift of God. It is not based on selfish motive. It is above money and liked by Gods.
Q3: How can you say that poorman's help was greaterthan gold?
Ans: Poor man's help was greater than gold because gold and money can be repaid but man's gratitude or sympathy cannot be repaid.
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
Ans: When the poet was ill, a proud and rich man helped him with money.
Q2: Why was poet not satisfied with proud man's help?
Ans: The proud man helped him with money but it was lacking in sympathy. So the poet was not satisfied with proud man's help.
Q3: When and how did the poet pay back to the proud man?
Ans: The poet paid back his money when his sorrow was over. The poet paid back the money to the man and thanked him for his help and blessed him.
Q4: How did the poorman help the poet?
Ans: The poor man soothed the head of the poet. He gave him food and water. He looked after him day and night.
Q5: What was the difference in proud man and poorman's help?
Ans: The poor man's help was full of sympathy whereas the proud man's help was monetary and devoid of sympathy.
Ans: The poet could not pay back to the poor man because the poet feels that money can be repaid but sympathy can never be repaid.
Ans: Sympathy is called heavenly because it is a noble gift of God. It is not based on selfish motive. It is above money and is liked by gods.