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,




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.

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