Summary: The Turkish Cap
In the story “The Turkish Cap”, the narrator and his friends are playing gilli
danda during recess. They are playing in the ground outside the school, as the
school compound is too small. Kunal, the narrator’s friend, seems to be playing
really well. When the narrator swings the gilli at him, Kunal strikes the gilli
hard, making it fly high in the air. Just then, a gentleman wearing a Turkish cap
happens to be passing by. The gilli hits his cap and knocks it off his head, onto
the ground; the gilli too lands inside the cap! This makes the man really angry.
Even after the boys apologise to him, the man goes into the principal’s office,
and complains against the boys. The principal, Mr Ahmed, makes the boys
apologise to the man immediately. The man seems satisfied with the apology,
and starts to leave the office. Just then, Mr Ahmed asks the boys who had
made that shot. Fearing the worst, the boys hesitate to tell him the truth. Just
when the narrator decides to take the blame, Kunal himself speaks up and tells
the principal that it was his shot that had landed everyone in trouble. But to
their surprise, Mr Ahmed’s expression changes and he starts beaming. He
praises Kunal for making such a stroke that not only knocked off the cap but
also made the gilli fall inside the cap. Surprised, the boys almost burst into
laughter. The man with the Turkish cap also seems amused.
The story is told in the first person by a young boy. The boy narrates the game
of gilli danda in detail and with excitement. Since the story is told from his
point-of-view, the principal’s reaction in the end comes as a surprise to both
the narrator as well as the readers.
THE TURKISH CAP
A. Answer in brief.
1. In The Turkish Cap, what did the students do when the school bell rang?
Ans: The students rushed out of the classroom. The narrator took the gilli out of his bag and Kunal
took the danda. They reached the ground outside their school compound where they usually
played.
2. What did the principal ask the students to do after listening to the gentleman’s complaint and
what was his reaction?
Ans: The principal, Mr Ahmed, made the students apologise to the gentleman for hitting his cap
accidently with the gilli. The man was amused and went away smiling.
B. Answer in detail.
1. Describe the incident that took place when the students were playing gilli danda outside their
school compound.
Ans: While playing gilli danda, the gilli flew towards the narrator. He was ready to catch it, but
it never came. All of a sudden, there was a lot of noise. A man in a kurta and dhoti was standing
in the middle of the playground. His Turkish cap was lying on the ground, upside down. The gilli
seemed to have hit the cap and landed inside the cap.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. “You naughty boys! See, what you have done.”
a. Who said this and to whom?
b. What had they done?
c. What did Kunal say?
Ans: a. The man with a Turkish cap said this to the boys playing gilli danda.
b. They had accidently hit his cap with the gilli and it had fallen from his head.
c. Kunal said he was very sorry and that he had not done that on purpose.
2. “A master player, no doubt!”
a. Whom did the principal call a master player?
b. Why did he call him a master player?
c. Do you think the principal was angry?
Ans: a. The principal called Kunal a master player.
b. Kunal struck the gilli, hit a man’s cap, the cap fell and the gilli landed inside it, so he called
Kunal a master player.
c. No. The principal was amused and appreciated Kunal’s playing skills.
D. Answer in brief. (Think and answer)
1. In the beginning of the lesson The Turkish Cap, how did the boys display team effort?
Ans: Each one took different responsibilities. Paresh drew a circle, Kunal placed the gilli in the
centre, everyone took their positions. They were ready for the game.
2. Do you think the man with the Turkish cap wanted the boys to be punished? How do you know?
Ans: Yes. He was very angry and went straight to the principal to complain. / No. He just wanted
the boys to learn responsibility and his anger disappeared when they apologised.
E. Answer in detail. (Think and answer)
How do we know that the boys in this lesson are honest? What have you learned from this story?
Ans: The narrator is ready to take the blame for the Turkish cap incident, when Kunal himself owns up
to it. This shows that Kunal is honest, and is ready to accept the result of his own actions, no matter
how good or bad they might be. The other boys also do not tell the principal whose mistake it was.
We have learned that we should stand up for our friends and support them when they need us. Also,
when we make a mistake, we must own up to it.
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