EnglishCBSE Class 8 · Chapter 3

Wisdom Paves the Way Class 8: Summary, Characters and Questions

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Wisdom Paves the Way is a two-scene play in Poorvi, Unit 1. Four young men looking for work study a camel's tracks and work out that it is lame, blind in the right eye, short-tailed and in pain. A merchant accuses them of theft, but the King of Ujjain hears their reasoning and makes them his advisers.

What Wisdom Paves the Way is about

Wisdom Paves the Way is the play (drama) in Unit 1 (Wit and Wisdom) of Poorvi, the Class 8 English textbook. It has two scenes: Scene I on the road to Ujjain, and Scene II in the King's court.

Four young men, Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt and Dev Datt, have left their village to find work. On the way they study the fresh tracks of a camel. Each of them draws a different conclusion from small clues. When a worried merchant asks about his lost camel, they describe it perfectly but say they have never seen it, so he accuses them of stealing it. In court, each man explains how he reasoned from evidence, and the King of Ujjain clears them and makes them his advisers.

The play shows the difference between knowledge (facts) and wisdom (using knowledge with good judgement), and the power of observation and deduction. It also warns against jumping to conclusions.

CBSE sets no Class 8 paper; your school sets the exam. Expect extract questions, short and long answers on the clues, characters and message, plus grammar (modals, noun forms, phrases, words with several meanings) and a formal letter of complaint.

Weightage: CBSE sets no Class 8 English paper or marks: Class 8 is assessed by your school, which teaches from NCERT Poorvi. School papers usually mix extract questions, short answers (about 40-50 words) and longer answers (about 100-150 words), plus grammar and writing from the "Let us learn" and "Let us write" sections.Source: docs/research/cbse-8-2026-27.md (NCERT book list, Reprint 2026-27)

Wisdom Paves the Way: summary

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Before the play. The cast list names the young King of Ujjain, four young men (Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt and Dev Datt), a merchant and two sentries. The setting is a road with Ujjain visible in the distance, and later the richly decorated royal court, at midday.

Scene I: The Road to Ujjain. The four young men are tired from walking but determined. They have been away from their village for ten days, as Ram Datt points out exactly, and they still have no work. Ram Datt hopes that if they can meet the King of Ujjain, he will see their talents and employ them. Har Datt warns that meeting a king is not easy and that they need a plan. On the way, they notice fresh camel tracks and study them closely, each saying little. Each man discovers something different about the animal. As they are about to rest under a tree and share their findings, a merchant comes running, out of breath and worried.

The merchant has lost his camel. One by one, the young men ask whether it is lame in one leg, blind in the right eye, short-tailed and suffering from a stomach pain. The amazed merchant says yes to everything and even takes them for healers. But when they say they have never seen the camel, he becomes angry, calls them cheats and accuses them of stealing and selling it. Dev Datt calmly says they will wait under a banyan tree if the King wants them, but the merchant insists on taking them to the King.

Scene II: The King's Court. The merchant complains that the men know every detail of his camel, so they must be the thieves. The King questions each man. Ram Datt saw that only three feet left clear prints and the fourth was faint, so the camel limped. Shiv Datt saw that leaves had been eaten only on the left side of the road, so it was blind in the right eye. Har Datt saw small drops of blood along the track, probably from mosquito bites, which a long tail would have swished away, so the tail was short. Dev Datt saw that the front prints were deep and the healthy back foot's print faint, so the camel was drawing up its back legs in pain from its stomach.

The King praises their reasoning, declares that they are wise men and not thieves, and tells the merchant to be careful whom he accuses. The merchant leaves, red with shame. The King then invites the four to be his advisers. They accept with gratitude, the court applauds, and their search for work ends in a way they never expected.

Central idea: Careful observation and logical reasoning (wisdom) can solve problems and win respect, while hasty judgement, like the merchant's, leads to injustice and embarrassment.

Themes and message

Wisdom: observation plus reasoning

None of the four men sees the camel, yet each works out a true fact about it by noticing a small clue and reasoning from it. The play shows that wisdom is using what you notice with good judgement.

From the text: 'Your reasoning is flawless and speaks of wisdom that goes beyond mere sight.'

Hasty judgement and false accusation

The merchant decides the men are thieves only because they know so much. He does not ask how they know. The King's fair hearing shows how wrong a quick conclusion can be.

From the text: 'You are deceivers! You must have stolen it and sold it off.'

Justice and a wise ruler

The King listens to both sides, asks each man to explain, judges by evidence and then rewards talent. A just ruler values wise people and protects the innocent.

From the text: 'These are men of wisdom, not thieves.'

Unity, patience and hope

The four friends travel together, share one hope and stay calm when accused. Their patience is rewarded in an unexpected way: the accusation brings them the audience with the King they had hoped for.

From the text: 'Indeed, we ought to be united in this hope.'

Characters

Ram Datt

One of the four young men; works out that the camel is lame.

Confident and hopeful (believes the King will recognise their talents)
Precise ('Ten days, to be precise')
Observant: reads the uneven pattern of footprints

'They may tell us more than meets the eye.'

Shiv Datt

One of the four; works out that the camel is blind in its right eye.

Alert: first points out the fresh tracks
Notices what is missing (untouched leaves on the right)
Supportive of his friends

'I share your belief.'

Har Datt

One of the four; works out that the camel has a short tail.

Cautious and practical: wants a plan before meeting the King
Thinks about cause and effect (blood drops, mosquitoes, tail)
Thoughtful

'We need to devise a strategy.'

Dev Datt

One of the four; works out that the camel has a stomach pain.

Patient and calm, sees the bigger picture
Makes the subtlest deduction (the camel's pain)
Polite and composed when accused

'Ten days are but a short span in the grand scheme of things.'

The Merchant

Owner of the lost camel who accuses the four men.

Anxious and impatient
Suspicious and quick to judge
Ashamed once proved wrong

'I do not trust your words.'

The King of Ujjain

A young ruler who hears the case and appoints the men as advisers.

Fair: hears every side before judging
Values intelligence and rewards it
Firm in keeping order in his court

'I shall not tolerate any confusion in my court.'

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
Stage directions	'(Wiping his brow)'; '(Astonished)'; '(Indignant)'	Written in brackets and italics, they tell actors how to move and speak and show readers the characters' feelings.
Dramatic build-up (suspense)	The men say they have each found something 'peculiar' but do not reveal it until questioned.	Readers, like the merchant, wonder how they know so much; the explanations in Scene II pay off the suspense.
Irony	The men hoped to 'secure an audience with the King'; a false charge of theft brings them before him.	An unexpected twist: the accusation meant to punish them becomes the path to their success.
Idiomatic expressions	'more than meets the eye'; 'in the grand scheme of things'	Give the dialogue a formal, old-world flavour and hint at the play's message about looking deeper.

Key quotations

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

We need to devise a strategy.
Har Datt: On the road, about how to meet the King.
Shows Har Datt's careful, planning nature.
They may tell us more than meets the eye.
Ram Datt: Looking at the fresh camel tracks.
Sets up the play's idea that small clues hide important information.
You are deceivers! You must have stolen it and sold it off.
The Merchant: After the men describe his camel but say they have not seen it.
Hasty judgement: he jumps to a conclusion without asking how they know.
These are men of wisdom, not thieves.
The King: After hearing all four explanations.
The verdict: reasoning proves their innocence.
be mindful of whom you accuse in the future
The King: His warning to the merchant.
The play's lesson about false accusations.
Your Highness, it is an honour we had not dared to dream of.
Ram Datt: Replying to the King's offer to make them advisers.
Shows humility and how far the reward exceeds their hopes.

Key concepts

Observation and deduction: the four clues

To deduce is to reach a conclusion by reasoning from evidence. Each man follows the chain clue -> reason -> conclusion:

Ram Datt: three feet left clear prints, one faint -> uneven weight -> lame in one leg.
Shiv Datt: leaves eaten only on the left side of the road -> it could not see the right side -> blind in the right eye.
Har Datt: drops of blood along the track, likely mosquito bites -> a long tail would have kept pests away -> short tail.
Dev Datt: front prints deep, the healthy back foot's print faint -> drawing up its back legs, moving carefully -> pain in the stomach.

Tip: in answers, always give both the clue and the conclusion.

Worked example

How did Shiv Datt know the camel was blind in its right eye?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Clue: only leaves on the left of the road were eaten.
Reason: a camel eats what it sees; the right side was ignored.
Conclusion: it could not see with its right eye.

Answer: He noticed that the camel had eaten leaves only on the left side of the road and left the right side untouched, so he reasoned it could not see with its right eye.

Modal verbs and their functions

Modals (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, ought to, need to) add meaning to the main verb. The play uses many:

ability: can, could
possibility: may, might, could (might = weaker)
logical conclusion: must have ('You must have stolen it')
hypothetical (imagined) possibility: would have ('would have fended off')
necessity: need to, must
moral obligation or advice: ought to, should
wish or blessing: May ('May your wisdom shine...')
command: shall with 'you' ('You shall come with me')
willingness: will ('I will gladly pay')

Modals are followed by the base form of the verb (must go, not must goes).

Worked example

Name the function of the modal: 'The road is wet; it must have rained at night.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Evidence: the road is wet.
Speaker draws a confident conclusion about the past.

Answer: Logical conclusion (must have + past participle).

Noun forms, phrases and words with many meanings

Verb to noun: deduce -> deduction, observe -> observation, scrutinise -> scrutiny, accuse -> accusation, recognise -> recognition, decide -> decision.

Phrases from the play: 'to be precise' (exactly), 'gain an audience with' (get a meeting with an important person), 'catch one's breath' (rest after effort), 'taken aback' (surprised), 'more than meets the eye' (hidden facts), 'erupts in applause' (bursts into clapping), 'with all our hearts' (sincerely), 'grand scheme of things' (the bigger picture).

Same word, different meanings: 'face' can be a noun (part of the head; front of a clock) or a verb (turn towards; deal with a difficulty). 'Bear' can be a noun (the animal) or a verb (tolerate; accept; produce fruit). Decide the part of speech from the sentence.

Worked example

Give the meaning of 'bear' in: 'Mango trees bear fruit in summer.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

It is a verb (after the subject 'trees').
Fruit is produced.

Answer: To produce (verb).

Features of a play

A play is written to be performed. It has a list of characters, a setting (place and time), scenes, dialogue with the speaker's name before each line, and stage directions in brackets. 'Curtain' marks the end. When writing about a play, refer to scenes (not chapters) and dialogue (not narration).

Speaking tips from the lesson: sentence stress changes meaning (stressing a different word shifts the focus), and statements and exclamations usually end with a falling tone.

Worked example

In 'I lent him my bike', what does stressing 'my' suggest?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Stress shows contrast.
My, not someone else's.

Answer: That it was my bike he borrowed, not anyone else's.

Formal letter of complaint

Format: sender's address, date, receiver's designation and address, subject line, salutation (Sir/Madam), body, complimentary close (Yours faithfully), name and designation or address.

Body in three paragraphs: (1) purpose and the problem; (2) details and effects (danger, health, inconvenience); (3) suggestions and a polite request for quick action. Keep the tone firm but polite, and the language formal (no short forms like 'don't').

Worked example

Write a letter to the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, complaining about broken streetlights in your area.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Format: address, date, receiver, subject, Sir/Madam.
Para 1: purpose. Para 2: effects. Para 3: request.
Close: Yours faithfully, name.

Answer: 14, Lake View Colony, Nagpur
15 July 20XX

The Commissioner
Municipal Corporation, Nagpur

Subject: Broken streetlights in Lake View Colony

Sir/Madam,

I am writing to draw your attention to the broken streetlights on the main lane of Lake View Colony, which have not worked for over three weeks.

After sunset the lane becomes completely dark. Elderly residents have fallen on the uneven road, and children returning from tuition feel unsafe. Two bicycles were also stolen last week. As a result, people avoid going out in the evening.

I request you to repair the lights at the earliest and to arrange regular checks so that faults are fixed quickly. I look forward to prompt action.

Yours faithfully,
Aditi Rao
Resident, Lake View Colony

Wisdom Paves the Way in real life

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

Deduction from clues

Suppose you come home and find a wet umbrella by the door, muddy footprints and an extra pair of shoes.

How would you reason like the four young men?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

List the clues without guessing first.
Ask what each clue most likely means.
Combine them into one conclusion, but stay open to correction.

Answer: The wet umbrella and mud suggest someone came in from the rain, and the extra shoes suggest a visitor. So a guest probably arrived recently in the rain. Like the brothers, I move from clue to reason to conclusion.

Memory hook: Clue, reason, conclusion.

Not jumping to conclusions

Imagine your pencil box goes missing and a classmate knows exactly what was inside it.

Should you accuse the classmate? What does the play suggest?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Knowing details is not proof of theft.
Ask how they know (maybe they saw you use it).
Look for evidence before blaming.

Answer: No. Like the merchant, I would be judging only because they know a lot. They may simply have noticed my things. I should ask calmly and search properly; a false accusation could hurt a friend and embarrass me.

Memory hook: Ask before you accuse.

Using evidence in a complaint

Say potholes on your lane fill with water every monsoon and breed mosquitoes.

How can the play's reasoning help you write an effective letter of complaint?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Give specific facts (where, how long, what happens).
Link cause and effect (stagnant water, mosquitoes, illness).
Suggest a practical solution politely.

Answer: Like the brothers convincing the King, I should present clear evidence and logical links: the exact location, how long the potholes have existed, and the dangers they cause. A specific, reasoned letter is far more likely to get action than an angry one.

Memory hook: Facts persuade, anger doesn't.

Topics in this chapter

How the school exam asks Wisdom Paves the Way

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Extract-based (5 x 1 mark)	A passage of dialogue with MCQs, word meanings, inference about a character and assertion-reason items.	Note who is speaking and to whom; for meanings use the sense in context (e.g. 'sound' = healthy).
Short answer (2 marks, 40-50 words)	How did a particular brother reach his conclusion? Why was the merchant suspicious? Why did the King believe the men?	State the clue and the conclusion; add one detail from the text.
Long answer (5 marks, 100-150 words)	Difference between knowledge and wisdom; the King as a just ruler; lessons about hasty judgement; a diary entry or letter in a character's voice.	Introduction, two or three points each backed by an event from the play, conclusion.
Grammar from 'Let us learn'	Modals and their functions, noun forms, phrases, words with more than one meaning.	Read the clue word (ability, necessity, advice) before choosing the modal.
Writing: formal letter of complaint	Complain to a civic official about a local problem (roads, garbage, water-logging).	Correct format, three-paragraph body (problem, effects, request), formal tone.

Tricks to remember Wisdom Paves the Way

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

Who found what (in order)
'Ram Limps, Shiv Squints, Har's tail is Half, Dev's tummy aches': Ram = lame, Shiv = blind right eye, Har = short tail, Dev = stomach pain.
Use it when: Matching brothers and clues.
The clues
'Prints, Plants, Pricks, Pressure': faint print (lame), eaten plants on one side (blind), mosquito pricks with blood (short tail), deep front prints (pain).
Use it when: Short answers on deductions.
Modals
'Must have' = Sherlock (logical conclusion); 'would have' = daydream (imagined possibility); 'May you...' = blessing.
Use it when: Matching modal functions.
Letter body
'P-E-R': Problem, Effects, Request.
Use it when: Letter of complaint.

Wisdom Paves the Way: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: The merchant questions the four

Shiv Datt : Is it blind in the right eye?
Merchant : Precisely! It is blind in one eye, the right one, as you say.
Har Datt : And does it have a short tail?
Merchant : (Astonished) You describe it perfectly! Yes, it has a short tail.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Just before this, the merchant tells the three brothers that his camel 'has gone astray' and asks if they have seen it; Ram Datt asks whether the camel is lame in one leg, and the surprised merchant says it is. The word 'astray' here means:
(a) asleep (b) away from the correct path (c) sold (d) injured
(2) · 1 mark · Short answer
Why is the merchant 'astonished' by Har Datt's question?
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
(See the context given in the first question.) Which clue did Ram Datt use to ask his question?
(a) bitten leaves (b) faint print of one foot (c) blood drops (d) deep front prints
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
Assertion (A): The merchant believes the men have seen his camel.
Reason (R): They describe it accurately.
(a) Both true; R explains A (b) Both true; R does not explain A (c) A true, R false (d) A false, R true
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
What will make the merchant change from surprise to anger soon after this extract?

Show the answersAnswers

(b) away from the correct path
Because a stranger has correctly described yet another detail of his camel, the short tail.
(b) faint print of one foot
(a) Both true; R explains A
The men say they have never seen the camel, which he takes as a lie, so he accuses them of theft.

Extract 2: The King's verdict

(Turning to the Merchant) Your accusations are baseless and misguided. These are men of wisdom, not thieves. Go, and continue your search for your camel, and be mindful of whom you accuse in the future.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Just before this, the King, marvelling, tells the brothers that though they never saw the camel they know it 'intimately', and that their reasoning shows 'wisdom that goes beyond mere sight'. 'Intimately' in the extract means:
(a) lovingly (b) in a detailed way (c) secretly (d) quickly
(2) · 1 mark · Short answer
(See the context given in the first question.) What does 'wisdom that goes beyond mere sight' suggest?
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which word in the extract means 'without any basis or proof'?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
The King's last sentence is mainly:
(a) a reward (b) a warning (c) a joke (d) a question
(5) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What quality of the King does this extract show?

Show the answersAnswers

(b) in a detailed way
That the men understood the camel through reasoning from clues, not by actually seeing it.
baseless
(b) a warning
He is fair and just: he judges by reasoning and evidence, not by the accuser's word.

Wisdom Paves the Way: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Har Datt's deduction · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Explain how Har Datt concluded that the camel had a short tail. Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Clue: small drops of blood along the track.
Cause: mosquito bites.
Reason: a long tail swats pests away, so the tail must be short.

Answer: Har Datt noticed small drops of blood along the track and guessed they came from mosquito bites. A camel with a long tail could easily have driven the insects away. Since it had been bitten so much, he reasoned that its tail must be short.

Example 2: Understanding the merchant · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

The merchant's camel had been unwell for two weeks before it went missing. How does this help explain, though not excuse, the way he treats the four men? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Situation: a sick camel, now lost; he is breathless and distressed.
Effect: worry makes him read their exact knowledge as proof of theft.
Judgement: understandable, but he should have asked how they knew.

Answer: His camel had been unwell for two weeks and was now lost, so he was anxious and breathless when he met the men. Worry made him suspicious, and he took their exact knowledge as proof of theft. Yet worry is no excuse; he should have asked how they knew.

Example 3: Knowledge or wisdom · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

The play is called 'Wisdom Paves the Way', not 'Knowledge Paves the Way'. Why is 'wisdom' the better word? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Knowledge = facts; wisdom = using them with judgement.
The men reason from clues and stay calm.
Their wisdom leads to their job.

Answer: Knowledge is knowing facts; wisdom is using what you know with good judgement. The men did not simply know about camels; they reasoned from small clues, stayed calm when accused and explained clearly. This wise use of observation is what opened the way to their new careers.

Example 4: The irony of the accusation · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

How does the merchant's accusation turn out to help the four young men? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Their goal: an audience with the King.
The accusation takes them to court.
There they display their wisdom and are hired.

Answer: The men had been hoping for a meeting with the King but knew it would not be easy. The merchant's false charge took them straight to his court, where they could show their reasoning. So the accusation, meant to punish them, became the path to becoming royal advisers.

Example 5: The King as a just ruler · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

How does the King of Ujjain show the qualities of a wise and just ruler? Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Hears the complaint and asks for it clearly.
Questions each accused man; listens to reasons.
Judges by evidence; clears the innocent; warns the merchant.
Rewards talent by appointing advisers.
Conclusion: fairness and respect for wisdom.

Answer: The King shows fairness from the start. He asks the merchant to state his complaint clearly and does not allow confusion in his court. Instead of believing the accuser at once, he questions each young man in turn and asks how he reached his conclusion. He listens carefully, praises sound reasoning and decides the case on evidence, declaring that they are wise men, not thieves. He also teaches the merchant a lesson by warning him to be careful whom he accuses in future, yet he lets him go without harsh punishment. Finally, he recognises rare talent and invites the four men to become his advisers, hoping their wisdom will guide the kingdom to prosperity. A ruler who listens, judges by facts and values wise people over power is truly just.

Example 6: Diary of the merchant · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Imagine you are the merchant. Write a diary entry for the evening after the court scene, reflecting on what you learnt. Answer in 100-150 words. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Date, day, time; first person; reflective tone.
Recall: lost camel, the strangers' questions, the accusation.
Court: their explanations and the King's warning.
Feelings: shame, admiration.
Lesson and resolution.

Answer: Monday, 9 p.m.

What a day! My poor sick camel wandered off this morning, and in my panic I ran down the road looking for it. Four young travellers described it exactly: lame, blind in the right eye, short-tailed, with a stomach ache. When they said they had never seen it, I was sure they were thieves and dragged them before the King. How wrong I was! In court, each one explained how he had read the tracks, the eaten leaves and the drops of blood. The King called them wise men and warned me to be careful whom I accuse. My face burned with shame. Today I learnt that worry should never replace thinking. Tomorrow I will search more calmly, and if I ever meet those four again, I will apologise to them.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

How did Dev Datt know that the camel was in pain? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks) (2 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: front prints deep and clear, healthy back foot's print faint; camel drawing up its back legs and moving carefully because of stomach pain.	1
Expression: clear, accurate answer within the word limit.	1

Write a letter of complaint to the Health Officer, Municipal Corporation, about an open drain overflowing near your school. (5 marks) (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Format: addresses, date, subject, salutation, complimentary close.	1
Content: problem, effects, suggestions and request.	2
Organisation into paragraphs and formal tone.	1
Accuracy of grammar and spelling.	1

Where students lose marks in Wisdom Paves the Way

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

Mistake: Mixing up which brother found which clue
The four names sound alike.
Wrong working
Dev Datt found that the camel was lame.
Right working
Ram Datt found that it was lame; Dev Datt found the stomach pain.
Do this: Learn the order: Ram, Shiv, Har, Dev = leg, eye, tail, stomach.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Giving the conclusion without the clue
Students forget the reasoning is the point.
Wrong working
Shiv Datt knew the camel was blind in the right eye.
Right working
He saw that only the leaves on the left of the road had been eaten, so it could not see on its right.
Do this: Always write clue + reason + conclusion.
Usually costs: 1 mark of 2.
Mistake: Saying the men had seen the camel
Careless reading of the merchant's claim.
Wrong working
They had seen the camel on the road, so they knew about it.
Right working
They never saw it; they saw only its tracks and signs.
Do this: Remember the King's words: knowledge beyond 'mere sight'.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Wrong letter format or informal tone
Mixing formal and informal letters.
Wrong working
Dear Uncle Commissioner, the road is really bad, please fix it fast. Yours lovingly.
Right working
Sir/Madam, I am writing to draw your attention to... Yours faithfully.
Do this: Formal letter: subject line, Sir/Madam, Yours faithfully, no short forms.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks of 5.
Mistake: Using a modal with the wrong verb form
Adding -s or -ed after a modal.
Wrong working
He must goes now. / She can sang well.
Right working
He must go now. / She can sing well.
Do this: Modal + base verb, always.
Usually costs: 1 mark.

Practice questions on Wisdom Paves the Way

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 · MCQExam level
Where were the four young men going, and why?
(a) to Ujjain, to find work (b) to Ujjain, to sell a camel (c) home, after a trip (d) to a fair, to perform
Hint
Scene I opening.
Answer
(a) to Ujjain, to find work
Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
How long had the young men been away from their village?
Hint
Ram Datt corrects Shiv Datt.
Answer
Ten days.
Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
Match each brother with his conclusion: Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt, Dev Datt / short tail, stomach pain, lame leg, blind right eye.
Hint
Order of questions to the merchant.
Answer
Ram Datt: lame leg; Shiv Datt: blind right eye; Har Datt: short tail; Dev Datt: stomach pain.
Q4 · 1 mark · MCQHarder exam level
In Dev Datt's explanation, 'the sound hind foot' means:
(a) the noisy back foot (b) the healthy back foot (c) the injured front foot (d) the left front foot
Hint
'Sound' has more than one meaning.
Answer
(b) the healthy back foot
Q5 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Identify the function of the modal in each: (i) 'You might find the answer in the dictionary.' (ii) 'You ought to thank your teacher.' (iii) 'May you succeed in your exams!'
Hint
Weak possibility, moral advice, wish.
Answer
(i) weak possibility; (ii) moral obligation or advice; (iii) wish or blessing.
Q6 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Rewrite using a suitable modal: 'It is not necessary for you to bring lunch tomorrow.'
Hint
No necessity.
Answer
You need not bring lunch tomorrow. (Also: You don't need to bring lunch tomorrow.)
Q7 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
Write the noun forms of these words from the play: discern, conclude, explain, indicate.
Hint
-ment, -sion, -tion.
Answer
discernment, conclusion, explanation, indication.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Use 'face' as a verb meaning 'to deal with a difficulty' and 'bear' as a verb meaning 'to tolerate' in two sentences of your own.
Hint
Check the part of speech.
Answer
Sample: (1) Our team must face a stronger side in the final. (2) My grandmother cannot bear loud music.
Q9 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Dev Datt tells the merchant they will wait under the banyan tree if the King wants them. What does this reveal about the young men? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Would guilty men stay?
Answer
It shows they had a clear conscience. Thieves would try to escape, but Dev Datt calmly offers to wait to be called. The men are confident, honest and composed; they trust that a fair hearing will prove them right instead of arguing angrily with the merchant.
Q10 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose the King had believed the merchant without questioning the men. How might the play have ended, and what would it teach? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Injustice; loss of talent.
Answer
Four innocent men would have been punished as thieves, the real camel would still be lost, and the kingdom would have lost wise advisers. Such an ending would teach that hasty judgement harms everyone, which is exactly why the King's patient questioning matters.
Q11 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Write a formal letter (100-120 words) to the Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat, complaining about garbage dumped near the village school.
Hint
Problem, effects, request; Yours faithfully.
Answer
Format: sender's address, date, The Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat (village name), subject line, Sir/Madam. Para 1: garbage heap near the school gate for weeks. Para 2: foul smell, flies, stray animals, risk of disease for children; students cannot concentrate. Para 3: request removal, a covered bin and a regular collection day. Close: Yours faithfully, name, class or address.

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.In which city does the play's court scene take place?Show answer
Ujjain.
2.How many scenes does the play have?Show answer
Two: the road to Ujjain and the King's court.
3.What did the merchant first think the young men were?Show answer
Healers, since they knew the camel was unwell; he offered to pay their fee.
4.How long had the camel been unwell?Show answer
Two weeks.
5.Where did Dev Datt say they would wait?Show answer
Under a banyan tree.
6.What caused the blood drops Har Datt saw?Show answer
Probably mosquito bites.
7.How did the merchant leave the court?Show answer
Ashamed and embarrassed, his face red.
8.What post did the King offer the four men?Show answer
Advisers to the King.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Drama in two scenes; Poorvi Unit 1, Wit and Wisdom.
Characters: young King of Ujjain; Ram, Shiv, Har, Dev Datt; a merchant; two sentries.
The men had been away from home ten days looking for work.
Ram Datt: faint fourth footprint, so lame.
Shiv Datt: leaves eaten only on the left, so blind in the right eye.
Har Datt: blood drops from mosquito bites, so short tail.
Dev Datt: deep front prints, faint healthy hind print, so stomach pain.
Merchant accuses them of theft; King clears them and makes them advisers.
Grammar: modals and their functions; noun forms; phrases; face/bear.
Writing: formal letter of complaint (Problem, Effects, Request).

Wisdom Paves the Way: frequently asked questions

What is the story of 'Wisdom Paves the Way' in short?

Four young men seeking work deduce from a camel's tracks that it is lame, blind in the right eye, short-tailed and in pain. Its owner accuses them of theft, but the King of Ujjain hears their reasoning, clears them and makes them his advisers.

What are the names of the four young men?

Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt and Dev Datt.

Why did the merchant accuse them?

They described his camel perfectly but said they had never seen it, so he wrongly assumed they had stolen and sold it.

What is the message of the play?

Careful observation and sound reasoning (wisdom) solve problems and earn respect, while hasty judgement leads to injustice and shame.

What writing task goes with this lesson?

A formal letter of complaint to a civic authority (Commissioner, Municipal Corporation or Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat) about a damaged, water-logged road.

Based on: NCERT Poorvi, Textbook of English for Grade 8 (Reprint 2026-27); NCERT unit PDF: Poorvi Unit 1