Introduction

The chapter "A Gift of Chappals" discusses children's innocence and charity. First, the narrative describes how children care for an orphaned cat. When the youngsters notice that the beggar's feet are covered in pink blisters, they offer to aid him by giving him a pair of chappals.

About the Author: Vasantha Surya is a writer, poet, and translator. She has written novels, short stories, and poetry in Tamil and English. She has translated a narrative folk song from Bundeli Hindi into English and the German poetry of Brecht and Rilke into Tamil. The Stalk of Time, which is up for the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, and A Word Between Us are her two books of English poetry. Her investigative pieces and evaluations on social and cultural development and education have appeared in major Indian media during the past four decades.

Summary

Mridu visits Rukku Manni's home.

Mridu is a little girl who lives with her grandparents, Tapi and Thatha, in Chennai. Tapi was once led to her aunt Rukku Manni's house by Mridu. There, she runs across her cousins Lalli, Ravi, and Meena. Mridu was received by everyone at Rukku Manni's home. Ravi took her to a sizeable bitter berry bush in their garden. Inside a ripped football was a little cat. The small animal was busily sucking milk from a coconut half-shell.

Kitten's Name

Meena told Mridu they had discovered the kitten outside their home that morning. They must, however, keep it a secret, or the grandma will leave their home immediately. Ravi was unhappy that they were given lessons on being animal-friendly. Still, when he tried, the elders yelled at him, calling the kitten filthy. His grandma became suspicious while he was getting milk for the cat from the kitchen. To convince her that the milk was for him, he had to drink more than half of it. To convince her that the milk was for him, he had to drink more than half of it.

Mridu was also informed that the kitten's name was Mahendra. Mridu liked the name since it seemed genuine, unlike the charming ones you retain for cats. According to Ravi, Mahendra Varma Pallava Poonai is its complete name, often known as the initials M P Poonai.

He told her that by its pelt, he could tell it was an excellent breed cat, a close relative of the lion family, like the one used in the Pallava kings' symbol. Mridu laughed, prompting Ravi to demonstrate his historical knowledge further. He saw a statue of a lion while on a field trip with his class at Mahabalipuram and believed it to be the progenitor of that cat. He claimed that his kitten was a descendant of the Rishi-Cat of Mahabalipuram. He made Mridu think of ancient Egyptian cat worship. He mistook it for a reincarnation of the cat deity Bastet.

The 'Kreech' Sound

Ravi bragged about his cat when a strange sound, 'Kreech...!' emerged through the window. Mridu was stunned, and Mahendran was afraid. The sight of scarlet chilies drying in the sun terrified Mahendran. Mridu inquired while the "screeching noise" continued in the background. Lalli had been learning the violin, according to Ravi. Mridu peered out the window and saw Lalli sitting further away from her music instructor, who was facing the window, holding the violin in an odd stance.

The teacher had greasy black hair falling about his ears and was bald. A gold chain was around her neck, and a ring was on her right hand. He was banging the ground with his large toe. While Lalli was straining, he played the notes flawlessly on the violin. His tunes were full of melody, while Lalli continued to miss the not CS.

The Beggar's Tale

When Rukku Manni summoned Ravi to send the beggar away, the children enjoyed peering out the window. She'd had enough of the beggar coming to their house for a week and told him to go somewhere. The beggar had established himself in the yard. He was reclining against the neem tree, his top garment stretched out underneath him. He was about to fall asleep when Ravi ordered him to go. When he learned this, he was shocked and phoned the housewife. Enraged, Rukku Manni pleaded with the beggar to go and informed Ravi that there was nothing left in the kitchen.

Ravi didn't need to repeat herself to the beggar because he could hear her voice. The beggar told them he would go after a brief break. His feet had blisters from the scorching weather. When the youngsters saw this, they were distressed and began making arrangements to gift him chappals.

The Gift

When Mridu entered Ravi's house, she noticed an old pair of grey chappals. She inquired of Ravi, who owned them. In exchange for the beggar's promise not to come again, Ravi gave him the chappals. The beggar walked away while wearing chappals and blessed the youngsters. The music instructor was about to leave at this point. He was on the lookout for his chappals. He summoned Lalli, and they searched everywhere but couldn't locate them. Lalli notified Rukku Manni about the situation. Rukku Manni asked the youngsters if they had seen anybody pick up the chappals.

Rukku Manni was enraged, and Mridu had lost his cool. She told her they had given the beggar the music teacher's chappals. Rukku Manni stepped inside and handed Gopu Mama's new chappals to the music instructor. The instructor was pleased with the new chappals but feigned that accepting them was difficult. The teacher referred to Ravi as a monkey, an avatar of Lord Hanuman, which clearly irritated Rukku Manni. She demanded that the instructor go immediately.

Rukku Manni is mainly regarded as a loving mom. She summoned the kids home after he departed and gave them some food. She praised God that she could go to work with chappals but required them immediately when she got home. She pondered what she would say to him, implying that she would accept responsibility.

FAQs on A Gift of Chappals

Q1. In the story, how would one describe Ravi's personality?

A. Ravi was a bright youngster. He was an excellent observer with a solid understanding of history. Right before Paati's eyes, he got milk for the kitten. He also demonstrated his intelligence by gifting the beggar a pair of music teacher's chappals. He was generous and compassionate and recalled the Kama tale that Rukku Manni had told him.

Q2. Contrast the music teacher's violin playing with Lalli's.

A. The music instructor played the violin with grace. His notes float flawlessly into the hidden grooves of the song. His hand gently manipulated the violin's stem, producing a delightful sound. On the other hand, Lalli appeared to be struggling with the violin. The instrument in her hands appears unhappy and helpless. She kept missing the rails and made an odd noise, which surprised Mahendran.

Q3. What was Ravi's beef with the elders?

A. Ravi was furious with the elderly people since he had always been told to be gentle with animals. But whenever he attempted, he was met with shouts. He had discovered the same elders referring to these animals as unclean creatures. She had heard about Kama from Rukku Manni, who was willing to give all up for others. Ravi had offered the beggar the music teacher's chappals to help him. Rukku Manni, on the other hand, was still angry with him.

Q4. What is the story's moral?

A. The lesson of the narrative is to assist those in need. The beggar required the slippers. His feet were covered with blisters. Since Gopu Mama can purchase another pair of slippers but the beggar cannot, they make the right choice. We should assist those in need. There is no harm in giving away some of what we no longer need. We should offer the poor food, clothes, and sweaters.

Q5. Why did the beggar flee instantly after being given a pair of chappals?

A. When he was ordered to go, the beggar lifted his eyes and peered frightened at the shining road in the afternoon heat. He was sure his feet would bum again. However, the beggar was taken aback when the youngsters brought him a pair of slippers. He tossed his towel over his shoulder hastily. Then he strolled through them and out, whispering a blessing to the youngsters. He had disappeared around the street bend in less than a minute. He was exhausted, and his feet hurt. He departed swiftly since he couldn't get anything better, and Rukku Manni needed him out of the home.