1. Introduction to The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom
Hello students! Welcome to the complete study notes for Class 7 English Chapter 4: “The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom” (JAC Board & NCERT). This story is a beautiful Japanese folktale that teaches us the value of kindness, compassion, and the law of Karma. It shows how good deeds are always rewarded, while greed and cruelty ultimately lead to destruction. Let’s dive into this magical and touching tale of an honest old couple and their loyal pet dog!
2. Characters Detail
- The Good Old Couple: A kind, honest, and hardworking couple who treat their pet dog like their own child. Their goodness brings them great fortune.
- Muko: A loyal and magical pet dog belonging to the good couple. Even after his death, his spirit continues to help and guide his master.
- The Wicked Old Couple: The greedy, cruel, and envious neighbors who always try to steal the good couple’s fortune but end up facing severe punishment.
- The Daimyo: The wealthy landlord (ruler) of the village who rewards the good old man but severely punishes the wicked old man.
3. Full Summary: The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom Class 7
The Kind Couple and Their Pet Dog Muko
In the good old days of the Daimyos, there lived an old, honest couple in a Japanese village. Since they had no children, they loved their pet dog, Muko, as if it were a baby. They fed him fish and boiled rice. In return, Muko was very loyal and followed the old man to the fields every day.
The Hidden Treasure
One day, Muko led the old man to a specific spot under a pine tree and started scratching the ground. Thinking there might be a buried bone, the old man struck his hoe into the earth. To his surprise, he found a gleaming pile of gold coins! The good old couple became rich overnight. They bought land, hosted a feast for their friends, and gave money to their poor neighbors.
The Greed of the Wicked Neighbors
In the same village lived a wicked and greedy old couple. Hearing about the gold, they dragged Muko into their garden, hoping he would find treasure for them too. However, Muko only sniffed at a dead kitten buried in the dirt. Furious and disappointed, the wicked old man beat Muko to death and buried him under a pine tree.
The Magic Mortar and Mill
The good old man wept bitterly for his dog. That night, Muko’s spirit appeared in his dream and asked him to cut down the pine tree over his grave to make a wooden mortar and a hand-mill. The old man obeyed. When the new year approached, he used the mortar to pound rice dough, and the dough magically turned into gold coins! The beans ground in the mill also turned into dropping gold. Seeing this through the window, the envious wicked neighbors borrowed the mortar and mill. But when they used it, the dough and beans turned into foul-smelling worms. In anger, they chopped the mill into pieces and used it as firewood.
The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom
Muko’s spirit appeared in the good old man’s dream once again. He told his master to collect the ashes of the burnt mill and sprinkle them on withered trees to make them bloom. The good old man begged the wicked neighbors for the ashes. When he sprinkled a pinch of the ashes on his bare cherry tree, it miraculously sprouted blossoms and gave off a sweet perfume.
The Reward and the Punishment
When the noble Daimyo was passing through the village, the good old man climbed a withered cherry tree and sprinkled the ashes. The tree instantly burst into beautiful pink blossoms. Pleased by this miracle, the Daimyo rewarded him with silk robes, sponge-cake, and fans. Hearing this, the greedy wicked old man also gathered some ashes and climbed a tree as the Daimyo’s procession approached. He threw the ashes, but no flowers bloomed. Instead, the wind blew the fine dust into the eyes and noses of the Daimyo and his wife. The Daimyo’s guards dragged the wicked old man down and beat him to death. The good old couple lived happily to a green old age.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Where is the story “The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom” set?
(a) China | (b) Japan | (c) India | (d) Korea
Answer: (b) Japan
Q2. What was the name of the good old couple’s pet dog?
(a) Kuro | (b) Hachiko | (c) Muko | (d) Taro
Answer: (c) Muko
Q3. What did Muko find for the good old man under the earth?
(a) A buried bone | (b) A pile of gold | (c) A dead kitten | (d) A magic wand
Answer: (b) A pile of gold
Q4. What did the wicked couple find when they forced Muko to dig?
(a) Silver | (b) Gold coins | (c) A dead kitten | (d) Diamond rings
Answer: (c) A dead kitten
Q5. What did the wicked old man do to Muko?
(a) He adopted him | (b) He fed him | (c) He sold him | (d) He beat him to death
Answer: (d) He beat him to death
Q6. What did the dog’s spirit ask the good old man to make from the pine tree?
(a) A wooden house | (b) A mortar and a hand-mill | (c) A boat | (d) A walking stick
Answer: (b) A mortar and a hand-mill
Q7. What happened when the wicked neighbors used the magic mortar and mill?
(a) They got gold | (b) The food turned into foul worms | (c) They became young | (d) It broke immediately
Answer: (b) The food turned into foul worms
Q8. What miracle happened when the good old man sprinkled ashes on the bare cherry tree?
(a) The tree died | (b) It turned into gold | (c) It blossomed with pink flowers | (d) It grew fruits instantly
Answer: (c) It blossomed with pink flowers
Q9. Who rewarded the good old man for making the tree bloom?
(a) The King | (b) The Daimyo | (c) The Mayor | (d) The villagers
Answer: (b) The Daimyo
Q10. What happened to the wicked old man when he threw ashes at the Daimyo?
(a) The tree bloomed | (b) He got rewarded | (c) He was beaten to death by guards | (d) He became rich
Answer: (c) He was beaten to death by guards
5. Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words)
Q1. How did the good old couple treat their dog Muko?
Ans. The good old couple had no children, so they loved Muko like a baby. They fed him titbits of fish from their own chopsticks and all the boiled rice he wanted. They were extremely kind to him.
Q2. Why did the wicked couple kill the dog?
Ans. The wicked couple dragged Muko to their garden, hoping he would find hidden gold for them. When Muko only dug up a foul-smelling dead kitten, they became furious and beat him to death in anger and disappointment.
Q3. What did the dog’s spirit tell the old man to do first?
Ans. Appearing in a dream, Muko’s spirit told the good old man to cut down the pine tree over his grave and make a wooden mortar for rice pastry and a hand-mill for his bean sauce.
Q4. How did the wicked neighbors ruin the mill?
Ans. The wicked neighbors borrowed the magic mortar and mill to get gold. However, when they ground their rice and beans, it turned into foul worms. Angry at this, they chopped the mill into pieces to use as firewood.
Q5. Why was the wicked old man punished by the Daimyo?
Ans. The wicked old man threw ashes on a tree as the Daimyo passed by, hoping for a reward. Instead of blooming, the ash blew into the eyes and noses of the Daimyo and his wife, ruining the procession. Therefore, he was severely punished.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-80 Words)
Q1. Describe the difference in the character of the good old couple and the wicked old couple.
Ans. The good old couple was kind, patient, and compassionate towards all living beings. They loved their dog Muko like a child, shared their wealth with the poor, and never sought revenge. On the other hand, the wicked old couple was cruel, envious, and greedy. They harmed animals, stole from their neighbors, and were driven by immense greed for gold, which ultimately led to their painful downfall and death.
Q2. How did the dog Muko help his master even after his death?
Ans. Even after being killed by the wicked neighbors, Muko’s loyal spirit continued to help his master. First, he appeared in a dream and asked the old man to make a mortar and mill from the pine tree, which magically turned food into gold coins. Later, he instructed his master to sprinkle the ashes of the burnt mill on withered trees. This magic brought the cherry trees back to life, earning the good old man immense rewards and honor from the Daimyo.
Q3. What is the moral of the story “The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom”?
Ans. The moral of the story is that kindness, honesty, and compassion are always rewarded, while greed, cruelty, and envy only bring destruction. The good old couple received wealth and honor because of their pure hearts and love for their pet. In contrast, the wicked couple’s jealousy and cruel actions towards the innocent dog and their greedy attempts to copy the good man led to their miserable end. It strongly highlights the law of karma.
