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The Wit that Won Hearts
Unit 1: Wit and Wisdom | Poorvi (Class 8)
Video Lesson
Quick Revision Notes
👑 The Golden Era of Vijayanagara
King Krishnadeva Raya was a wise and powerful monarch of the Vijayanagara Empire. His reign was a “Golden Era” where art, literature, and architecture flourished. He was not just a warrior, but a gifted poet himself.
📜 The Ashtadiggajas & Tenali Rama
The King’s court was home to eight celebrated poets known as the Ashtadiggajas. Among them was Tenali Ramakrishna, famously known as Tenali Rama. He was beloved for his quick wit, humour, and clever solutions.
😔 A Trivial Quarrel
One evening, the King recited a vague poem to Queen Thirumalambal. Because she was exhausted, she yawned. The King felt deeply disrespected, stormed off, and refused to speak to her for weeks. Distraught, the Queen sought Tenali Rama’s help.
🌾 The Brilliant Trap
Tenali Rama stepped into court with a plateful of “revolutionary” seeds, claiming they would yield a harvest three times greater. However, he stated they would only work if sown by a person who never yawns. The court erupted in laughter, and instinctively, the King yawned.
🤝 The Reconciliation
Rama pointed out that yawning is as natural as breathing. Realization dawned on the King. He remembered scolding the Queen for the same natural reflex and realized how unfair and proud he had been. That evening, he apologized, and the royal bond was restored!
Comprehension Check
Vocabulary Master
Printable CBSE Worksheet
Includes Revision Map, Extract Questions, Subjective Q&A, and Teacher Key.
Smart English Resources Academy
cbse.smartresourcesacademy.com
Chapter: The Wit that Won Hearts
(Tenali Rama & King Krishnadeva Raya)
SECTION 1: COGNITIVE ANCHORS & REVISION
The Big Picture: This humorous and thoughtful lesson highlights how the legendary poet Tenali Rama used his presence of mind and sharp wit to resolve a trivial but stubborn royal dispute over a natural human reflex—yawning!
Character Check
- King Krishnadeva Raya: A powerful, talented emperor who let his pride momentarily cloud his judgement over a small incident.
- Queen Thirumalambal: Innocent and exhausted, she sought help when her husband misunderstood her natural fatigue for disrespect.
- Tenali Rama: The star of the Ashtadiggajas. He is unfazed, brilliantly observant, and knows how to teach a lesson without causing offense.
Timeline of Events
The Incident
The King recites a poem. The exhausted Queen yawns. The King storms off in anger.
Weeks Later
The palace is forlorn and quiet. The distraught Queen asks Tenali Rama for help.
Next Morning
Rama brings “revolutionary” seeds to court, demanding they be planted by someone who never yawns.
The Resolution
The King yawns, realizes the absurdity of his anger, and apologizes to the Queen.
Vocabulary Mastery
| Target Word | Contextual Meaning | Usage in Text |
|---|---|---|
| Absurd | Wildly unreasonable, illogical. | “That sounds absurd, Rama…” |
| Orchestrated | Carefully planned to get a desired result. | “Rama, who had orchestrated this settlement…” |
| Unfazed | Not worried by something unexpected. | “Rama smiled, completely unfazed.” |
Smart English Resources Academy
SECTION 2: EXAM-PATTERN WORKSHEET
Part A: Reference to Context (8 Marks)
“I have revolutionary seeds. If we plant these, our harvest will be three times bigger… But the real problem isn’t the seeds. It’s the person who plants them.”
1. Who is the speaker and whom is he addressing in the court? (1M)
2. According to the speaker, what was the “real problem” regarding the person planting the seeds? (1M)
3. How did the courtiers immediately react to this statement? (1M)
4. Find a word from the extract that means ‘involving a dramatic and major change’. (1M)
“The king wrote a poem… When he read it to me, I was so sleepy from a long day that I yawned. A few times, he thought I was being disrespectful and stormed off.”
5. Who is speaking these lines and to whom? (1M)
6. Why did the speaker actually yawn during the poem recitation? (1M)
7. What was the direct consequence of the King “storming off”? (1M)
8. Give the antonym for the word ‘disrespectful’ from your understanding. (1M)
Smart English Resources Academy
Part B: Subjective Questions (9 Marks)
9. (SAQ – 30 words): Why was the reign of King Krishnadeva Raya referred to as the “Golden Era”? (2 Marks)
10. (SAQ – 30 words): Why was Tenali Rama considered the “star” of the Ashtadiggajas? (2 Marks)
11. (LAQ – 100 words): Describe how Tenali Rama cleverly used a plate of ordinary paddy seeds to make the King realize his unfairness toward the Queen. (5 Marks)
Part C: Higher Order Thinking Skills
12. Extrapolative Writing: Imagine you are King Krishnadeva Raya writing in your diary on the evening you apologized to the Queen. Describe your feelings of regret, the foolishness of your pride, and your appreciation for Tenali Rama’s clever lesson. (5 Marks)
Smart English Resources Academy
SECTION 3: TEACHER’S EVALUATION KEY & SCAFFOLDING
Q1-Q4 (Extract 1)
1. Tenali Rama to King Krishnadeva Raya. 2. The person planting them must not have a habit of yawning. 3. They whispered, giggled, and snickered. 4. Revolutionary.
Scaffolding: For Q2, remind students of Rama’s trick. Ask: “What bodily function did Rama say would ruin the harvest?”
Q5-Q8 (Extract 2)
5. Queen Thirumalambal to Tenali Rama. 6. She was exhausted/sleepy after a long day. 7. He stopped talking to her for weeks, making the palace forlorn. 8. Respectful / Courteous.
Scaffolding: For Q6, point students to the exact phrase “so sleepy from a long day”. For Q7, ask: “What happened to the atmosphere of the palace after this fight?”
Q9 (SAQ) Because art, literature, and beautiful buildings flourished under his wise rule.
Scaffolding: Provide sentence starter: “It was called the Golden Era because under his rule…”
Q10 (SAQ) He was famous for being incredibly clever, funny, and capable of solving tricky, insurmountable problems easily.
Scaffolding: Ask: “What two qualities (funny, smart) did he use to solve problems?”
Q11 (LAQ) Rama claimed seeds would yield 3x harvest if planted by someone who never yawns. Court laughed; King yawned. Rama pointed out yawning is natural like breathing. King realized his folly.
Scaffolding: Provide 3-step framework: 1. The false claim about the seeds. 2. The impossible condition (no yawning). 3. The King’s reaction when he yawned himself.
Q12 (HOTS) Diary Entry format. Markers: Realization of pride; acknowledging yawning is a natural reflex; feeling foolish for ignoring the Queen; gratitude towards Rama.
Scaffolding: Give struggling writers a format skeleton (Date, Time, “Dear Diary”). Prompt: “How did you feel when you yawned in court and realized your mistake? What will you say to the Queen?”