1. Chapter Introduction
“Kali and the Rat Snake” is an inspiring story written by Zai Whitaker. It revolves around a young boy named Kali who belongs to the Irula tribe, a community famous for their snake-catching skills. Kali hates going to school because he feels different from the other children and has no friends. However, an unexpected incident involving a large rat snake completely changes his life at school, teaching us the value of unique skills and the importance of acceptance.
2. Characters Detail
- Kali: A young boy from the Irula tribe. He feels lonely and alienated at school because of his tribal background but is incredibly brave and skilled at catching snakes.
- The Teacher: A strict teacher who gets absolutely terrified and hides under his desk when a snake suddenly enters the classroom.
- Classmates: The other children in the school who initially ignore Kali but later admire his bravery and fight to become his friends.
3. Full Summary
Kali’s Dislike for School
Kali was a boy from the Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu, a community well-known for their knowledge of snakes and snake-catching. Kali did not like going to school. He had been attending for two months but still had no friends. He felt that he didn’t belong there. The other children found him weird, especially because of his tribal habits, leaving him feeling completely isolated.
The Secret Lunch
During the lunch break, Kali would sit alone. He was embarrassed about his tiffin. While other children brought normal food like rice or bread, Kali’s lunch consisted of fried termites (white ants), which was a delicacy for his tribe. He would hide and eat quickly, fearing that the other students would find it disgusting and laugh at him if they saw his food.
Panic in the Classroom
One day, while the class was going on, a large rat snake dropped from the thatched roof of the classroom. There was instant panic. The children started screaming and running around in fear, scrambling over desks to get away. Even the teacher was terrified and hid under his desk. The loud noise and confusion also frightened the snake, making it defensive.
Kali the Hero
While everyone was terrified, Kali was delighted. Catching snakes was what he did best, and he had learned this skill from his father. He calmly walked towards the snake. Without any fear, he used his tribal knowledge to easily catch the rat snake behind its head and securely put it in a bag.
A Happy Ending
The entire class watched in absolute awe. When Kali successfully caught the snake, the classroom erupted in cheers. Suddenly, the boy who had no friends became the hero of the school. The children gathered around him, praising his bravery, and everyone wanted to be his friend. Kali finally felt accepted and was happy to be at school.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Who is the author of “Kali and the Rat Snake”?
(a) Ruskin Bond | (b) Zai Whitaker | (c) R.K. Narayan | (d) Sudha Murty
Answer: (b) Zai Whitaker
Q2. To which tribe did Kali belong?
(a) Santhal | (b) Munda | (c) Irula | (d) Bhil
Answer: (c) Irula
Q3. What are the people of the Irula tribe famous for?
(a) Farming | (b) Fishing | (c) Catching snakes | (d) Hunting tigers
Answer: (c) Catching snakes
Q4. Why did Kali hate going to school?
(a) The teachers were strict | (b) He had no friends | (c) He hated studying | (d) The school was too far
Answer: (b) He had no friends
Q5. What did Kali bring for lunch?
(a) Rice and dal | (b) Bread and jam | (c) Fried termites | (d) Fruits
Answer: (c) Fried termites
Q6. Where did the snake drop from?
(a) A tree | (b) The window | (c) The thatched roof | (d) The teacher’s bag
Answer: (c) The thatched roof
Q7. What kind of snake entered the classroom?
(a) Cobra | (b) Python | (c) Rat snake | (d) Viper
Answer: (c) Rat snake
Q8. Where did the teacher hide when the snake appeared?
(a) Outside the class | (b) Under his desk | (c) Behind the blackboard | (d) On the chair
Answer: (b) Under his desk
Q9. How did Kali react when he saw the snake?
(a) He was scared | (b) He started crying | (c) He was delighted | (d) He ran away
Answer: (c) He was delighted
Q10. What happened after Kali caught the snake?
(a) He was punished | (b) The snake bit him | (c) Everyone wanted to be his friend | (d) The school was closed
Answer: (c) Everyone wanted to be his friend
5. Short Answer Questions (35 Words)
Q1. To which tribe did Kali belong and what were they famous for?
Ans. Kali belonged to the Irula tribe of Tamil Nadu. The people of this tribe were famous for their deep knowledge of snakes and their unique snake-catching skills.
Q2. Why did Kali hate going to school?
Ans. Kali hated going to school because he had been there for two months and still had no friends. He felt alienated and thought the other children found his tribal background weird.
Q3. What did Kali bring for lunch and why did he hide while eating?
Ans. Kali brought fried termites for lunch, a delicacy in his tribe. He hid while eating because he feared the other students would find it disgusting and laugh at him.
Q4. How did the teacher and students react to the snake?
Ans. The sudden appearance of the large rat snake caused massive panic. The students started screaming and scrambling over desks, while the terrified teacher hid under his desk.
Q5. How did the students react after Kali caught the snake?
Ans. After Kali bravely caught the snake, the students were amazed. They cheered for him, admired his bravery, and suddenly everyone started fighting to become his friend.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-70 Words)
Q1. Describe Kali’s feelings about school before the snake incident.
Ans. Before the snake incident, Kali felt extremely lonely and out of place at school. Coming from the Irula tribe, he felt different from the other children. Despite attending school for two months, no one spoke to him or played with him. He was embarrassed about his culture and his lunch, leading him to hide from his peers. He simply wanted to quit school.
Q2. Describe the scene in the classroom when the rat snake fell from the roof.
Ans. When the rat snake fell from the thatched roof, absolute chaos broke out in the classroom. Children started screaming in terror, pushing each other, and running to the corners of the room. The teacher was so frightened that he crawled under his desk to hide. The loud noise and confusion also terrified the snake, making it confused and defensive.
Q3. How did Kali catch the rat snake?
Ans. While everyone else was terrified, Kali was delighted because catching snakes was a skill he had learned from his father. He calmly approached the snake without any fear. Using his traditional Irula tribe techniques, he carefully grabbed the rat snake right behind its head to prevent it from biting, and then securely placed it inside a bag.
Q4. How did the incident with the rat snake change Kali’s life at school?
Ans. Before the incident, Kali was a lonely outcast. When the snake appeared, he bravely caught it while everyone else panicked. This heroic act amazed his classmates. They cheered for him, and suddenly, everyone wanted to be his friend. The incident earned him the respect of his peers, made him popular, and completely changed his negative feelings about attending school.
Q5. What message does the story “Kali and the Rat Snake” convey?
Ans. The story conveys a beautiful message about acceptance and the value of unique skills. It teaches us that we should not judge or isolate someone just because they are different or belong to a marginalized community. Everyone has unique talents. Kali’s tribal knowledge, which he was initially embarrassed about, ultimately made him a hero and helped him gain the friendship and respect of his peers.
