The Adventures in a Banyan Tree_Part 3

Summary _Part 3 ( 12-19)

The moment the cobra struck the mangoose, the crow and the myna flew towards the snake and mangoose. But they collided with each other twice and making a sharp cry, they returned to the cactus plant.The cobra struck again and missed the object.

The third round was different. The birds dived at the cobra, but they missed their aim. The myna went back but the crow flew towards the snake. The cobra whipped his head back and struck the crow with great force and it died soon.

The cobra was weakening but the mongoose continued his attack. He raised himself on his short legs and picked the cobra by its nose. The cobra  even coiled around the mongoose but all in vain. The mongoose hung grimly on, until the cobra had ceased struggling. The mongoose gripped around the hood and dragged it into the bushes. The myna, with a shrill cry of congratulation, flew away.

The boy  also got down from the tree and told the grandfather about the fight he had seen. The grandfather was happy to hear that the mongoose had won the fight . He had encouraged the mongoose to live in the garden to keep away the snakes.  He fed it regularly with scraps from the kitchen. He knew that a wild mongoose was more useful. He often saw the mongoose going round the garden. He knew that his grandmother would forgive it for stealing eggs from poultry hose as it  kept snakes away from the house.

Glossary

hurl - to throw with great force

collide -  crash into

shriek - sharp cry

glisten - to shine brightly 

sprang - jumped

bumped- smashed; hit

determined - having taken a strong decision 

Take part: participate

whipped - (here) hit or smashed forcefully

snout - the long nose of an animal 

thud - strike with a dull sound

flung - (fling, flung, flung)-  thrown

flutter - flap the winigs ( ചിറകടിക്കുക)

refrained - held back 

writhe - to twist the body in pain (വേദനകൊണ്ടു പുളയുക)

no avail – no use

quivering - trembling (വിറയ്‌ക്കുന്ന)

gripipng  - holding tightly

cautiously - carefully

hopped - jumped

peered – looked

descent - an act of moving downwards

scrap - (here) small pieces of food left over after use.

Tame- domesticate (ഇണക്കി വളർത്തുക)

patrol - go round 

Scaffolding Questions;

1. How did the cobra regard his opponent? Were they true warriors?

(The cobra regarded his opponent as a superb fighter, clever and aggressive. Yes, they were true

warriors.)

2. How did the mongoose manage to escape from the snake's bite?

(The thickness of the mongoose’ hair helped it to save itself from the snake’s bite.)

3. What did the crow and myna do?

(The crow and myna hurled themselves at the snake.)4. The cobra was a good fighter. Pick out one of his fighting techniques.

(The cobra stood on the defensive, swaying slowly from side to side. It was trying to mesmerize his opponent into making a false move.)

5. The mongoose proved that he was clever. Can you cite any instance of his cleverness?

(The mangoose knew the power of glassy unwinking eyes of the cobra . So he fixed his gaze below

the cobra's hood. Then it began the attack.)

6. What were the reactions of the spectators when the cobra struck?

(The spectators- the myna and the crow- hurled themselves at the cobra and collided heavily in

mid-air , returned to the cactus plant.)

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Thank you All

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