The Tale of Melon City – Questions & Answers

Very Short Answer Questions (1–2 lines each)

1. Who is the writer of “The Tale of Melon City”?
   Ans. Vikram Seth.
2. Who was the ruler of the city in the story?
   Ans. A just and peace-loving king.
3. What was the king’s governing principle?
   Ans. He believed in “let the people have what they want.”
4. What construction did the king order?
   Ans. He ordered an arch to be built to honour a victory.
5. Why was the chief of builders punished?
   Ans. The king thought the arch was unsatisfactory and blamed the builder.
6. How did the king react after punishing the builder?
   Ans. He kept shifting blame, punishing different people.
7. Who did the people finally blame for the mistake?
   Ans. The king himself.
8. What was the king’s reaction when declared guilty?
   Ans. He accepted the verdict and demanded execution.
9. What did the people decide when asked to choose their next ruler?
   Ans. They decided the next ruler should be chosen according to their custom.
10. Whom did they finally make the ruler?
    Ans. A person was asked to decide, and he said he wanted “a ruler who lets me live freely” — so they crowned a Melon.

Short Answer Questions (30–50 words each)

1. Why was the king executed?
   Ans. The king was declared guilty by the crowd after he himself invited judgment. He accepted the verdict calmly and insisted on being executed, as he always believed in giving his people exactly what they wanted.
2. What does the crowning of a melon as the ruler signify?
   Ans. It signifies the people’s preference for personal freedom over active governance. They did not care about who ruled them as long as they were left undisturbed in their lives.
3. How does the story reflect satire?
   Ans. The story satirises absolute justice, blind traditions, and people’s indifference to governance. It mocks the idea of a ruler being chosen not for wisdom or power but because of a random, meaningless custom.
4. What kind of political system is depicted in the city?
   Ans. A strange form of democracy where the people’s will is supreme. The citizens’ unusual wish resulted in a melon being crowned king, yet they were content as long as they enjoyed liberty.
5. What message does Vikram Seth give through this story?
   Ans. The story conveys that true happiness lies in freedom. It also highlights how people sometimes blindly follow customs without questioning them, exposing the absurdities of governance and society.

Long Answer Questions (120–150 words each)

1. How does Vikram Seth use humour and irony in “The Tale of Melon City”?
   Ans. Vikram Seth narrates the story in a humorous, ironic style. The king, though just, takes justice to an absurd level by punishing people at random. Ultimately, he punishes himself, leading to his execution. Irony lies in the fact that the people, instead of being shocked, calmly follow their custom of choosing the next ruler by asking the first passer-by. Even more ironic is their satisfaction with a melon as king because it allows them to live freely. The humour comes from the absurdity of events and the deadpan way they are narrated, while the irony highlights the irrationality of blind justice and indifferent governance.
2. What does the story reveal about the relationship between rulers and the ruled?
   Ans. The story shows that people often care less about who governs them as long as their personal freedom is intact. The king’s death and the crowning of a melon did not disturb the citizens; instead, they felt satisfied. This reflects a society that prioritises liberty over active leadership. It also critiques blind adherence to customs, showing that when people blindly follow tradition, they may accept absurd outcomes. Vikram Seth cleverly suggests that governance should balance justice with practicality, and freedom with responsibility. The story ultimately portrays a ruler as symbolic rather than functional, questioning the real need for authority when people are content with independence.