In this post, ‘In the Kingdom of Fools Question Answer Class 9 English’, we’ll read NCERT Solutions for In the Kingdom of Fools Class 9th English. Below are clear, exam-friendly answers to each Think About It & Talk About It question (based directly on the NCERT text). I’ve kept them precise so you can write them easily in the exam. You can also read the Summary of In the Kingdom of Fools to understand these questions better.
In the Kingdom of Fools Think About It Questions
Q1. What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?
Ans. The two strange things they find are:
- People of the kingdom work at night and sleep during the day because the king and minister had reversed day and night.
- Everything in the market costs the same price, one duddu; whether it was rice, bananas, or gold.
Both these things surprised the guru and his disciple because they were completely against common sense and natural order.
Q2. Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?
Ans. The disciple decides to stay because everything was very cheap in the kingdom. He could eat as much as he wanted for very little money. However, it was not a good idea, because the kingdom was ruled by foolish people who could pass dangerous and unpredictable orders at any time. The guru warned him that living among fools could bring trouble and that warning later proved true.
Q3. Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.
Ans. The following people are tried in the king’s court:
- The Merchant – Because the wall of his house fell and killed a thief.
- The Bricklayer – Because he built the weak wall that fell on the thief.
- The Dancing Girl – Because her jingling anklets distracted the bricklayer while he was building the wall.
- The Goldsmith – Because he delayed making the dancing girl’s jewelry, forcing her to walk up and down the street many times.
- The Merchant (again) – Because the goldsmith said he delayed her work due to a big order from the merchant’s father.
Thus, everyone is foolishly blamed one after another, showing how absurd the king’s sense of justice is.
Q4. Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?
Ans. According to the king, the real culprit is the merchant’s father, who had ordered the jewellry that caused all the confusion in the first place. However, since the merchant’s father was already dead, the king decided that his son (the present merchant) must die in his place, because he had inherited both his wealth and his sins. This shows how foolish and unjust the king’s thinking was.
Q5. What are the Guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?
Ans. The guru’s words of wisdom were: “This is a city of fools. You never know what they will do next.” He meant that one should not live among foolish people because their decisions are unpredictable and dangerous. The disciple remembers these words when he is caught and chosen to be executed for no fault of his; simply because he was fat and fit the stake better than the thin merchant.
Q6. How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?
Ans. The guru comes to rescue his disciple and uses his cleverness and wisdom to save him. He tells the king that whoever dies first on the new stake will be reborn as the king, and the next person will be reborn as the minister. The foolish king and minister, greedy to become rulers again in their next life, decide to die on the stake themselves. That night, they secretly disguise themselves as the guru and disciple and are executed. Thus, through presence of mind and intelligence, the guru saves his disciple’s life.
In the Kingdom of Fools Talk About It Questions
“Q. In Shakespeare’s plays the fool is not really foolish. If you have read or seen Shakespeare’s plays such as King Lear, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, you may talk about the role of the fool.
Do you know any stories in your language about wise fools, such as Tenali Rama or Gopal Bhar? You can also read about them in Ramanujan’s collection of folk tales.”
Q1. In Shakespeare’s plays the fool is not really foolish. Talk about the role of the fool.
Ans. In Shakespeare’s plays, the fool is not truly a fool; instead, he is often the wisest and most insightful character.
The fool uses wit, humour, and clever speech to tell the truth to kings and nobles, truths that others are afraid to say directly.
For example:
- In King Lear, the Fool helps the king realise his mistake of trusting the wrong daughters.
- In As You Like It and Twelfth Night, the fools use jokes and riddles to reveal deep truths about human behaviour and society.
Thus, Shakespeare’s fool is a wise critic who hides his intelligence behind humour. He represents wisdom in disguise, a person who teaches others through laughter.
Q2. Do you know any stories in your language about wise fools, such as Tenali Rama or Gopal Bhar?
Ans. Yes, there are many stories in Indian languages about wise fools like Tenali Rama, Birbal, and Gopal Bhar.
They appear to be ordinary or funny men, but they use intelligence, humour, and quick thinking to solve difficult problems and teach lessons to kings and common people.
For example:
- Tenali Rama, who lived in the court of King Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagar, was famous for his wit. He often used his cleverness to expose greed, pride, or foolishness in others and make the king laugh while teaching moral lessons.
- Similarly, Gopal Bhar from Bengal and Birbal from Emperor Akbar’s court were known for their smart answers and logical thinking that helped bring justice and wisdom.
These stories show that sometimes humour and intelligence together can defeat power and pride, just like the guru in “In the Kingdom of Fools” used wisdom to overcome the foolish king and minister.
Talk About It (Combined Answer)
In Shakespeare’s plays, the fool is not really foolish but often the wisest character. He speaks truth through humour and clever words, even when others fear to do so. For example, in King Lear, the Fool helps the king realise his mistakes and understand human nature. Thus, the fool represents wisdom hidden behind wit.
Similarly, in Indian stories, there are many wise fools like Tenali Rama, Birbal, and Gopal Bhar. They use intelligence, humour, and presence of mind to solve problems, teach moral lessons, and expose the foolishness of others. Tenali Rama, for instance, used his wit to outsmart greedy and proud people in the king’s court.
Both Shakespeare’s fools and Indian wise men show that real wisdom is not about power or position, but about using one’s intelligence and humour wisely to bring truth and justice.
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