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Gist of the Lesson
The Day the River Spoke is a beautiful story about Jahnavi, a young village girl who dreams of going to school. One day, while sitting sadly near the river, she hears the River speaking to her. The River listens to her worries, encourages her to be brave, and inspires her to believe that girls are as capable as boys. Motivated by the River’s words, Jahnavi gathers the courage to express her wish to study. Eventually, her parents agree, and she decides that when she grows up, she will become a teacher and help other girls receive an education. The story highlights the importance of education, courage, gender equality, and respect for nature.
Summary of the Lesson
Jahnavi lives with her parents and three brothers in a coastal village. She dreams of going to school but feels afraid because girls in her village are generally not encouraged to study. One day, while crying beside the river, she is surprised to hear a gentle, sleepy voice. She soon realizes that the River itself is speaking to her.
The River comforts Jahnavi and patiently listens to her worries. During their conversation, the River tells her about the sea, ships, and the wonderful world beyond her village. More importantly, it encourages her to speak to her parents about her dream of getting an education.
Inspired by the River’s confidence in her, Jahnavi gathers courage and joins her brother at school. Her teacher speaks to her father, and with her mother’s support, Jahnavi is finally allowed to attend school. Filled with happiness, she promises that when she grows up, she will become a teacher and encourage every little girl in her village to study. The River happily invites her to return and continue listening to its stories.
The story beautifully conveys that courage, determination, and education can change lives, while nature can become a source of wisdom and inspiration.
Difficult Words (English → Hindi)
| Word | Hindi Meaning |
|---|---|
| Splashed | छपाक से गिरना |
| Slithered | रेंगते हुए चलना |
| Murmuring | धीमी आवाज़ में बोलना |
| Bask | धूप सेंकना |
| Thicket | झाड़ियाँ / घना झुरमुट |
| Shrieked | तीखी आवाज़ में चिल्लाना |
| Startled | चौंक जाना |
| Puzzled | उलझन में पड़ना |
| Courage | साहस |
| Dream | सपना |
| Education | शिक्षा |
| Coastal | तटीय |
| Village | गाँव |
| Riverbank | नदी का किनारा |
| Fisherman | मछुआरा |
| Catamaran | लकड़ियों से बनी नाव (कटमरैन) |
| Teacher | शिक्षक |
| Encouragement | प्रोत्साहन |
| Opportunity | अवसर |
| Equality | समानता |
| Scared | डरा हुआ |
| Whisper | फुसफुसाना |
| Chuckle | धीमे से हँसना |
| Squatting | उकड़ूँ बैठना |
| Lad | लड़का |
| Brave | बहादुर |
| Journey | यात्रा |
| Sea | समुद्र |
| Sail | पाल लगाकर चलना |
| Learn | सीखना |
Let Us Do These Activities Before We Read
Activity I – Close your eyes and quietly listen to the sounds around you for a minute.
Q1. Are they trying to tell you something?
Sample Answer:
Yes. The sounds of birds, wind, flowing water, and rustling leaves make us feel that nature is alive. They remind us to stay calm, care for the environment, and enjoy the beauty around us.
Q2. Do you think the things around you also listen to you all day long?
Sample Answer:
Yes. Although trees, rivers, and birds cannot speak like humans, they seem to understand our feelings. Nature gives us peace and teaches us many valuable lessons.
Activity I – Jahnavi was a bright young girl who lived with her parents and three brothers in a coastal village in India. Her parents worked on the farm. She had a dream.
Q1. What could that dream be?
Sample Answer: Her dream could be to go to school, receive an education, and become a teacher.
Q2. How could she make her dream come true?
Sample Answer: She could make her dream come true by:
- speaking to her parents,
- studying sincerely,
- being courageous,
- never giving up on her goal.
Q3. What is your dream? What can you do to make your dream come true?
Sample Answer: My dream is to become a scientist. I can achieve my dream by studying regularly, working hard, learning new things every day, and believing in myself.
Let Us Discuss
Q1. What was Jahnavi’s dream? Was it important to her? Why?
Answer: Jahnavi’s dream was to go to school and learn to read like her brother Ettan and Meena. It was very important to her because she had a strong desire to learn and understand the secrets of nature (like why spiders are yellow or why frogs develop from tiny fish).
Q2. Do you think the river can help her in fulfilling her dream? How?
Answer: Yes. The river helped her by encouraging her, building her confidence, and advising her to take the first step by quietly slipping into the classroom.
3. Complete the table given below with Jahnavi’s questions in Column 1 and the River’s answers in Column 2. Check your answers with the teacher
Answer :
| Column I – Jahnavi’s Questions | Column II -River’s Answers |
|---|---|
| Can little girls do as much as little boys? | Yes. Little girls can do as much as little boys. |
| What are ships like? | They are big boats that can carry hundreds of people and sail on the sea with lights shining all night. |
| Will they come here? | No. They cannot come here because the river is too small and shallow for such big ships. |
Let Us Think and Reflect
I Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
1. “You shouldn’t cry, you know,” the voice went on. “And you really
shouldn’t be scared, when you have been coming here to see me every
day, well, almost every day.” She was puzzled. It was such a voice,
like the river. It couldn’t be the river! “Well, tell me all about it,” said
the River, for it was the River. “I’ve got to hurry to reach the sea, you
know.”
(i) Complete the sentence with the correct option from those given in the brackets.
Answer :The tone of the River in the given extract is assuring.(assuring/sympathising)
(ii) Select a phrase from the extract which shows that Jahnavi was a frequent visitor to the spot.
Answer : “coming here to see me every day, well, almost every day”
(iii) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
Answer :The use of an exclamation mark at the end of the line, ‘It couldn’t be the river!’ expresses D. disbelief.
(iv) Choose three qualities of the River highlighted in the extract from the words in the box given below.
affectionate, forgiving, thoughtful, impatient, kind-hearted.
Answer : affectionate, thoughtful, kind-hearted
2. “Can I do something?” asked Jahnavi. “Well, it’s up to you,” said the
River. “Seems to me little girls can do as much as little boys—they swim
as fast as little boys. You just slip along one morning and sit there in
the school and listen to what’s going on, and maybe the teacher will let
you stay.”
“I couldn’t,” gasped Jahnavi. “I couldn’t! They’d scare me! They’d chase
me out.”
(i) Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason. According to the River, there was no difference between girls and boys because __________________.
Answer : According to the River, there was no difference because girls can swim as fast as boys and do as much as boys do.
(ii) Identify whether the following statement is true or false. The River encourages Jahnavi to have faith in herself and fulfill her desire to go to school.
Answer : TRUE
(iii) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence. When the River suggests that Jahnavi should ‘slip along’, it means that she should move __________________. A. quickly B. casually C. quietly D. confidently
Answer : When the River suggests that Jahnavi should ‘slip along’, it means that she should move quietly.
(iv) What does the repetition of the phrase I couldn’t, tell us?
Answer: It tells us that Jahnavi was frightened and lacked confidence about going to school.
II. Answer the Following Questions.
1. Why does the writer describe different aspects of nature in great detail at the beginning of the story? Why do you think the writer does this?
Answer: The writer describes nature in detail to create the setting of the story and to prepare the reader for the conversation between Jahnavi and the River.
2. How did the River know so much about Jahnavi?
Answer: The River knew about Jahnavi because she came to the river almost every day and the River had watched and listened to her.
3. Jahnavi says, “And I’m so old now, they’ll never let me go.” What can you infer about Jahnavi and the school from this line?
Answer: It shows that Jahnavi had not been admitted to school earlier and she believed she had become too old to begin going to school.
4. Why did the River laugh when Jahnavi said she would be scared at school?
Answer: The River laughed because it believed Jahnavi was brave enough and should not be afraid of going to school.
5. Why should Jahnavi follow the River’s advice?
Answer: She should follow the River’s advice because it would help her fulfil her wish of going to school and getting an education.
6. How does the conversation between Jahnavi and the River make the story more appealing?
Answer: The conversation makes the story interesting and imaginative because the River speaks to Jahnavi and encourages her.
7. What is the main message that the writer intends to convey?
Answer: The story conveys that girls and boys are equally capable, and every child should have the opportunity to receive an education.
Let us learn (Grammar & Vocabulary)
I. You have learnt that naming words are called nouns and only proper nouns begin with a capital letter. Why has the author used a capital letter for the ‘River’ even when it is a common noun?
(Clue: Has the River been given qualities of a human being?)
Answer : The author capitalised ‘River’ because it is personified as a character who talks and gives advice like a human.
II. There are a few words related to sound in the text. Pick the words from the text and write them next to the correct definition.
Answer :
| Definition | Word from the text |
|---|---|
| 1. made a high-pitched piercing sound | shrieked |
| 2. to cause liquid to strike or fall on something | splashed |
| 3. a low continuous background noise | murmur |
| 4. cry with loud uncontrollable gasps | sobbed |
| 5. to make a soft dry sound, like paper or leaves moving | rustled |
| 6. took a short quick breath through the mouth due to surprise, pain or shock | gasped |
| 7. shaking rapidly to make continuous short, sharp sounds | rattling |
| 8. making a lot of noise | noisy |
| 9. made a long, high cry, usually because of pain or sadness | wailed |
