Download - Short stories - Synopsis
7/27/2019 Short stories - Synopsis
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Sai Sankalp Singh English
Story 1:
Name: The Umbrella
Author: Roald Dahl
Location: London, United Kingdom
Main characters: Mother, 12-year old child, the old man with the umbrella.
Protagonist’s personality: She has an inquisitive and caring personality. Thesetraits are seen when the girl does not want to take the umbrella in return for the
money and also when she wants to investigate more about him.
Summary of the story: The narrator of this story is a 12-year-old girl who has
gone to London with her mother to visit the dentist. They decide to get a taxi
home. An old man tells them that he would like to sell them his umbrella in
return for taxi fare back to his home. The mother likes the sound of the deal, but
the little girl worries that they're taking advantage of the old man. The
transaction is made. The daughter notices that the old man is hurrying away.
They decide to follow him and find out. Eventually they find themselves at a pub
and watch through the window as he enters and uses the pound note to pay for adrink. They watch as the old man finishes his drink and goes to retrieve his coat
and hat. Just before he leaves the pub, he smoothly plucks a wet umbrella from
the coat rack. They see him head back to the main street and sell the umbrella to
another unsuspecting person. Then he heads off in another direction for another
pub.
Story 2:
Name: King Midas & the golden touch
Author: Greek mythology
Location: Greece
Main characters: King Midas, his wife & daughterProtagonist’s personality: King Midas is a greedy and careless man who was
always in need of more money and gold. He also did not care much about his
family.
Summary of the story: In the story, a fairy grants Midas a wish and he wishes
that everything he touches should turn into gold. The fairy grants his wish and he
converts his whole house into gold. He sits at the table for a meal but as soon as
he touches the food, it turns to gold. He panics and holds his daughter, who is
immediately turned into a gold idol. His wife panics and flees from the house.
Hence it teaches us that too much greed is never healthy.
Story 3:
Name: The story of Ekalavya
Author: Indian mythology – Veda Vyasa
Location: A village in India
Main characters: Ekalavya, Dronacharya.
Protagonist’s personality: The protagonist is devoted to his teacher and is
strongly committed towards learning the art of archery.
Summary of the story: Sage Dronacharya taught all the princes archery.
Ekalavya, a poor commoner boy also wanted to be Drona’s pupil but Drona
refused to teach him. Ekalavya was a determined boy. He carved a statue of
Drona on a tree trunk in the forest and started practicing in front of it. Arjun wasaiming at a difficult target, an arrow pierced the target. They saw Ekalavya,
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Sai Sankalp Singh English
Drona asked who was his teacher.. Ekalavya quietly led him to the statue. Drona
did not want anyone to be better than Arjun. He asked him for gurudakshina and
wanted Ekalavya’s thumb. Ekalavya wordlessly cut off his right thumb and laid it
at Drona’s feet.
Story 4:
Name: Hansel & Gretel
Author: Grimm Brothers
Location: Germany
Main characters: Hansel, Gretel, The wicked witch.
Protagonist’s personality: Hansel and Gretel are both caring and help each
other in need. They also find their way through several difficult situations with
their clever ideas.
Summary of the story: A poor woodcutter and his wife had two children named
Hansel and Gretel. The step mother took the children into the forest and left
them there. Hansel and Gretel went deeper and deeper into the forest. They were
hungry and tired. Finally, after walking for a long time, they saw a cottage made
of chocolate, candies, and cake. A wicked witch lived there. When she saw Hansel
and Gretel, she wanted to eat them. She grabbed the children and locked them in
a cage. The witch decided to make a soup out of Hansel and eat him first. Gretel
crept out of her cage. She gave the wicked witch a mighty push from behind and
the witch fell into the boiling water. Hansel and Gretel found treasure lying
around the cottage. They carried it home with them. Their father welcomed them
back with tears of joy.
Story 5:Name: Little Red Riding Hood
Author: Charles Perrault
Location: In the woods, in France
Main characters: Little red riding hood, the wolf, grandmother & the hunter.
Protagonist’s personality: Little red riding hood is shown as a daring girl who
saves both herself and her grandma. She is slightly careless as she gives details
about her to a stranger.
Summary of the story: One day, Little Red Riding Hood was going to her grandma’s
in the woods. On her way she met the Big Bad Wolf who asked her where she was
going and she replied. The Big Bad Wolf then ran to her grandmother’s cottage much
before Little Red Riding Hood, and knocked on the door. When Grandma opened the
door, he locked her up in the cupboard. The wicked wolf then wore Grandma’s
clothes and lay on her bed, waiting for Little Red Riding Hood. When Little Red
Riding Hood reached the cottage, she entered and went to Grandma’s bedside. He
tried to eat and she screamed and the woodcutters in the forest came running to the
cottage. They saved both of them. The Big Bad Wolf ran away never to be seen again.
Little Red Riding Hood had learnt her lesson and never spoke to strangers ever again.