# Madhu’s Wish

## Overview

This story is about a boy named Madhu who loves food. One day, his kind act towards an old man brings him a magical reward — a wish that changes his view on what’s truly important. Through magical events, Madhu learns a valuable life lesson about the importance of water and the limits of desire.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. Madhu's Love for Food

- Madhu loved eating and enjoyed trying different kinds of food.
- Every afternoon, he would sit under a banyan tree to eat his lunch.

### 2. A Kind Deed

- One day, Madhu shared his food with an old man.
- Touched by Madhu’s kindness, the old man granted him a magical wish: he could ask for anything from the banyan tree.

### 3. The Magical Wish

- Madhu wished for different kinds of food and nothing else.
- He first asked for laddoos, which appeared immediately.
- Then he wished for fruits like grapes, mangoes, apples, bananas, jackfruit, melons, guavas, and oranges.
- Eventually, he wanted savouries such as matri, samosas, kachori, potato chips, and vadas.

### 4. Trouble Begins

- While eating, Madhu got hiccups and needed water.
- However, the tree reminded him that he had only wished for food, not water.

### 5. Realisation and Change

- Madhu tried drinking sharbat, kheer, and badam milk, but his hiccups wouldn’t stop.
- Desperate, he wished for all the food to disappear and asked only for water.
- When he got a jug of water, he drank it with relief, and the hiccups stopped.
- Madhu understood that no other drink could replace water.

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## New Words and Meanings

| Word | Simple Meaning |
|-------------|------------------------------------------------|
| forever | for all time |
| immediately | at once; right away |
| appeared | came into sight |
| savouries | salty or spicy snacks |
| hiccups | sudden sounds made in the throat |
| disappear | to go away |
| instead | in place of something |
| replace | to take the place of |
| thirsty | needing to drink water |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)

1. **Who did Madhu share his food with?**
→ An old man.

2. **What did Madhu ask for first?**
→ Laddoos.

3. **What was the first drink Madhu tried when he got hiccups?**
→ Sharbat.

### Medium (2)

4. **Why did the tree not give Madhu water in the beginning?**
→ Because Madhu wished only for food, not water.

5. **What lesson did Madhu learn at the end of the story?**
→ He learned that water is very important and cannot be replaced by anything else.

### Difficult (3)

6. **List any four fruits Madhu received from the tree.**
→ Grapes, mangoes, bananas, and oranges.

7. **What does Madhu’s change in wish show about his understanding?**
→ It shows he realized the value of water and that desires should be thoughtful.

8. **What did Madhu say when the tree asked if he was sure about removing the food?**
→ “Yes, I am sure. Now I know the importance of water.”

### Very Difficult (2)

9. **Describe how the story uses magical elements to teach a real-life lesson.**
→ The magical tree grants wishes instantly, but the story shows how even magic can’t satisfy basic human needs if they are not wisely chosen.

10. **Do you think Madhu was greedy? Why or why not?**
→ Yes, at first he was greedy for food, but he learned from his experience and changed.

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