🐍 The Snake and the Mirror

🐍 The Snake and the Mirror

✨ Summary in Simple Words

The story is written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.

It is humorous and also has an element of suspense.

The narrator is a doctor who tells us about a scary yet funny incident from his youth.

Key Points:

The doctor was living in a small rented house.

He had no electricity, only a kerosene lamp.

He dreamed of becoming rich, handsome, and marrying a rich lady doctor.

While sitting in front of the mirror, a snake suddenly fell on his shoulder!

The snake slowly moved towards the mirror, as if admiring itself.

The doctor escaped silently.

When he came back later with friends, he found his room empty – even the snake was gone!

🌟 Theme

Combination of fear and humour.

Shows how human vanity and daydreams can be interrupted by reality.

Also highlights wit, quick thinking, and the unpredictability of life.

🎭 Characters

Doctor (narrator) – Young, poor, but ambitious.

Snake – Dangerous yet calm, almost human-like in behaviour.

🎭 Characters

Doctor (narrator) – Young, poor, but ambitious.

Snake – Dangerous yet calm, almost human-like in behaviour.

📘 NCERT Textbook Questions with Answers

Q1: “The sound was a familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? When and why did he realise his mistake?

Ans: The doctor heard the sound of something falling. He thought it was the sound of rats, which was common in his house. But when a snake wriggled over his shoulder and coiled around his arm, he realised it was not rats but a snake.

Q2: What two “important” and “earth-shaking” decisions did the doctor take while looking into the mirror?

Ans:

1. He decided to shave daily and keep a thin moustache to look more handsome.
2. He decided to always smile to look attractive

Q3: What did the doctor do when he saw the snake on his shoulder?

Ans: He sat completely still, sweating with fear. He prayed to God and did not move, as he knew any sudden movement could anger the snake.

Q4: How did the snake change the situation by looking into the mirror?

Ans: The snake turned its attention to the mirror, loosening its grip on the doctor’s arm. This gave the doctor a chance to escape silently.

Q5: What did the doctor find when he came back to his room later?

Ans: When he returned with his friends, the doctor found that the room had been looted. All his belongings, including his clothes, had been stolen, but the snake was gone.

📝 Extra Short Question Answers (20 for Practice)

1. Who is the author of the story?
   👉 Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.
2. Where did the doctor live?
   👉 In a small rented house.
3. What was his house made of?
   👉 Tiles.
4. What did the doctor have for light?
   👉 A kerosene lamp.
5. What was he doing before the snake came?
   👉 Looking at himself in the mirror.
6. What profession did he want his wife to have?
   👉 A rich lady doctor.
7. What did the doctor decide about shaving?
   👉 To shave daily.
8. What style of moustache did he want?
   👉 Thin moustache.
9. What habit did he want to adopt?
   👉 Smiling always.
10. Where did the snake land?
    👉 On the doctor’s shoulder.
11. How did the doctor react first?
    👉 He sat frozen in fear.
12. What did the snake do next?
    👉 Coiled around his arm.
13. Why did the snake move away?
    👉 It saw itself in the mirror.
14. How did the doctor escape?
    👉 Slowly got up and ran out.
15. Whom did he thank?
    👉 God, for saving his life.
16. What was stolen when he returned?
    👉 All his belongings.
17. Did the snake remain in the room?
    👉 No, it disappeared.
18. How does the story end?
    👉 With humour – the doctor laughed at his own vanity.
19. What does the story teach?
    👉 To stay calm in danger and not be too proud.
20. What is the tone of the story?
    👉 A mix of humour, suspense, and irony.