EnglishCBSE Class 11 · The Tale of Melon City

The Tale of Melon City (Vikram Seth): Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame, Class 11

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The Tale of Melon City satirises foolish rulers, blind custom and the passing of blame. The King orders a low arch, loses his crown, and demands a hanging; the blame passes from the builders to the workmen, masons, architect and arch, until the noose fits only the King. By custom an idiot picks a melon as ruler, and the people accept it as long as they have peace and liberty.

Follow the arrows: each person passes the blame on until it returns to the King, the only one the noose fits; then custom crowns a melon.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame

The chain of blame. After the arch knocks off his crown, the King orders the chief of builders hanged. The chief blames the workmen, they blame the bricks, the masons blame the architect, and the architect reminds the King that he changed the plans. Each person passes the blame on, which shows how a flawed system avoids responsibility.

Foolish authority. The King is "just and placid", yet he cannot see that his own order caused the problem. The "wisest" man is so old he can neither walk nor see, and he declares that the arch must be hanged. A Councillor objects that it would be shameful to hang what touched the King's head. The humour comes from the contrast between words such as "just" and "wise" and what the characters do.

Mob mentality. The restless crowd wants a hanging. The King declares that the nation wants it at once and that finer points of guilt can wait. The noose is set high, and only the King is tall enough to fit it.

Custom and the melon. The Ministers are relieved. By custom the next man through the City Gate chooses the ruler, and an idiot says "A melon". The melon is crowned. The people accept it so long as they are left in peace and liberty, which the poet calls laissez faire.

Form. The poem is in rhyming couplets and uses irony, exaggeration and a straight face. Neighbouring material (line summary) is on the chapter page.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

There was a just and placid King.
Poet: The opening line.
Introduces the ironic picture of a ruler who is neither wise nor just.
So old (and therefore wise) was he
Poet: About the wisest man.
Irony: age is wrongly equated with wisdom.
Leaves us in Peace and Liberty
People: About the melon King.
The people want freedom, not a clever ruler.

The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame: key facts

Chain of blame: Builders
Workmen
Masons
Architect
King; Each person passes the blame.
Satire answer: Target
Device
Effect; Name what is mocked, how, and why.
Irony examples: just
wise
custom; Words that mean the opposite of what happens.

How to answer The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame questions

Use this for any question on satire, irony or the theme of the poem.

1State what the poem satirises: rulers, custom, blame.
2Choose two examples from the story.
3Name the device, irony or exaggeration, and quote.
4Explain the effect or the target.
5End with the melon King and the people's peace and liberty.

The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Passing the buck

Suppose a pothole damages a car and the owner complains. The office points to the road contractor, who blames the labourers, who blame the municipal drawing, which blames the office.

Which part of the poem does this match?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Each person blames the next.
Nobody takes responsibility.
The cycle returns to the start.

Answer: It matches the chain of blame from the builders to the architect and back to the King's own changes.

Memory hook: Blame goes round and round.

Tricks to remember The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

B-W-M-A-K
Builder, Workmen, Masons, Architect, King.
Use it when: The chain of blame.
J-W-C
Just, Wise, Custom.
Use it when: Three ironic ideas.

The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Who wrote the poem · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

The Tale of Melon City is by
(a) Vikram Seth (b) Idries Shah (c) Ted Hughes (d) Walt Whitman

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Vikram Seth wrote the poem, retelling a folk tale (1 mark).

Answer: (a)

Example 2: The arch · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

Why did the workmen build such a low arch? Answer in 30-40 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

They obeyed the King (1).
They built it only because he was the King (1).
Nobody questioned the order (1).

Answer: The workmen built the arch only because the King ordered it. Nobody questioned or checked the order, and the result was an arch so low that it knocked off the King's crown.

Example 3: Passing the blame · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

How does each person in the poem pass on the blame? (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Chief blames workmen (1).
Workmen blame bricks, masons blame the architect (1).
Architect blames the King's own changes (1).

Answer: The chief of builders blames the workmen, who blame the bricks' wrong size. The masons blame the architect, and the architect reminds the King that he changed the plans. Nobody accepts responsibility.

Example 4: Satire and irony · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Show with three examples how Vikram Seth uses irony to satirise rulers. (120-150 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Just and placid King (2).
Wisest man, old and blind (2).
King hanged by his own decree (1).
Conclusion (1).

Answer: Seth uses irony to expose foolish rule. First, the King is called "just and placid", but he orders a hanging after his own faulty order costs him his crown. Second, the wisest man is introduced as "So old (and therefore wise) was he", yet he can neither walk nor see, and his advice is that the arch must be hanged, which is absurd. The Councillor's remark that it would be shameful to hang what touched the King's head sounds grave, but it only shows the court's confused sense of justice. Finally, the noose is set so high that only the King fits it, so he is hanged by his own decree. Each example uses words that mean one thing while events show the opposite, and the straight-faced tone makes the satire sharper.

Example 5: Message of the ending · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

"The people care about peace and liberty, not about who rules." Does the ending support this? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Support: they accept the melon (1).
Limit: they do not question the custom (1).
Judgement (1).

Answer: It supports the view, since the people accept a melon as long as they are left in peace and liberty. But their acceptance also shows they do not question a foolish custom, so the ending is both a comment on their wisdom and their passivity.

Where students lose marks in The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Retelling without comment
A satire needs analysis.
Wrong working
The King was hanged and a melon was crowned.
Right working
The King's hanging by his own order is ironic, and the melon shows the absurdity of custom.
Do this: Add a comment after each event.
Usually costs: 2 marks of 6.
Mistake: Calling the King wise
He is called just only ironically.
Wrong working
The wise King was hanged.
Right working
The "just and placid" King acted foolishly.
Do this: Use quotes around just.
Usually costs: 1 mark of 3.
Mistake: Missing the chain of blame
It is the key example.
Wrong working
The workmen were hanged.
Right working
The blame passed from builders to workmen, masons, architect and King.
Do this: Name the chain.
Usually costs: 2 marks of 6.

Exam tips

Define satire and irony in one line.
Use the chain of blame as the central example.
Quote "just and placid" and "So old (and therefore wise)".
Explain what the melon King shows.
Keep a 3-mark answer to 40-50 words and a 6-mark answer to 120-150 words.

Practice questions on The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
By custom, who chooses the new ruler?
(a) the Ministers (b) the next man through the City Gate (c) the wisest man (d) the Councillor
Hint
He passes through the gate.
Answer
(b)
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
The noose is set high and only the King fits it. What is ironic about this outcome? (40-50 words)
Hint
Think of who ordered the hanging.
Answer
The King declared that the nation wanted a hanging and let finer points of guilt wait. The high noose fits only him, so he is hanged by his own decree. The ruler becomes the victim of his own order.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
What does the idiot's answer "A melon" show? (40-50 words)
Hint
The idiot gives his usual answer.
Answer
The idiot gives his usual answer without thinking, and the Ministers crown a melon. It shows that the choice of ruler is meaningless and that blind custom can lead to absurd results.
Q4 · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Narrate the tale of Melon City in your own words. (120-150 words)
Hint
Use sequence: arch, blame, hanging, custom, melon.
Answer
A just and placid King ordered an arch to be built across the main road. When he rode under it, the low arch knocked off his crown. He ordered the chief of builders hanged. The chief blamed the workmen, the workmen blamed the bricks, and the masons blamed the architect. The architect reminded the King that he had changed the plans. The wisest man declared that the arch must be hanged. A Councillor objected that it would be shameful to hang what had touched the King's head. The King declared that the nation wanted a hanging at once and finer points of guilt could wait. The noose was set high, and only the King fitted it. By custom the next man through the City Gate chose the ruler. An idiot said, "A melon", and the Ministers crowned it. The people accepted it, as long as they had peace and liberty.
Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Do you think the poet approves of the people's attitude at the end? Give a reasoned answer. (3 marks)
Hint
Notice the poet's tone.
Answer
The poet's tone is humorous and detached. The people want only peace and liberty, which is reasonable, but they accept an absurd ruler without protest. The poet probably smiles at this, neither approving fully nor condemning.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.Who wrote the poem?Show answer
Vikram Seth.
2.How is the King described at the start?Show answer
Just and placid.
3.Why does the crown fall?Show answer
The arch is too low.
4.Who is hanged in the end?Show answer
The King.
5.What is crowned as ruler?Show answer
A melon.

The Tale of Melon City: Satire on Rulers and Passing the Blame: frequently asked questions

What does the poem satirise?

Foolish rulers, blind custom and passing the blame.

What is laissez faire here?

Leaving people alone in peace and liberty.

In which collection is the poem?

It is in Snapshots, the Class 11 CBSE supplementary reader, by Vikram Seth.