Class 5: Unit 6 | Prose
The Talkative Barber
Day 1
Picture-Based Interaction
- Who do you see in this picture? (a king and a queen)
- Have you heard any stories about kings and queens from your elders?
- What are the other names for a king? (sultan)
- Where does the Sultan live?
[Write the words given in brackets (and bolded) on the blackboard – subtext. Make sure that you read the words syllable-wise as you write them on the board.]
Narrative
Let us listen to the story of a Sultan.
Once the Sultan was sitting and looking at his head in the mirror. On seeing his long-grown hair, he thought of shaving his head. So, he called a barber to do the same. The barber summoned by the Sultan lived in the city of Cashgar and was very talkative.
After entering the Sultan’s room, the barber started talking non-stop instead of shaving the Sultan’s head.
Naturally, the Sultan got angry. “When are you going to stop talking! Stop talking and start working!” he yelled.
Questions for Interaction
- Why did the Sultan call the barber? (to shave his head)
- What did the barber do? (talk non-stop)
- What did the Sultan ask the barber? (Stop talking and begin to do your work.)
Picture-Based Interaction
- What is in the hands of the barber? (razor)
- Can you guess what the barber is talking about?
- Some faces have been shown in the picture. Who do you think they are?
- Look at the man’s picture that is fourth from the top left. What can you see on his back?
- What do you call a person who has a hump?
- Look at the picture of the man with his hand behind his ear. Why has he kept his hand like that?
- Look at the man’s picture that is first from the top left. What do you think about his eyes?
Narrative
The Sultan called the barber a non-stop talker. “You are a chatterer,” he said.
“Sultan, you are hurting me. I am not a chatterer. All my brothers are chatterers.”
He then started to give details about his six brothers.
“One is humpback; one is toothless; one is half blind; one is quite blind; one is deaf, and one has a speech defect.”
The Sultan lost his patience and called his attendants.
“Come here! Send this barber away. Give him three pieces of gold.”
“No, Sultan. I won’t go. First, I will shave your head and then go. I will leave only after that.”
Questions for Interaction
- How many brothers did the barber have? (six brothers)
- According to the barber, who were talkative in his family?
- What else did the barber tell about his brothers? (One is humpback; one is toothless; one is half blind; one is quite blind; one is deaf, and one has a speech defect.)
- Why did the Sultan want to send the barber away?
- What was the barber’s reply?
- Do you think the barber started his work?
Reading Practice
Ask the students to do the following:
- Come in groups of 3-5 and read the subtext from the blackboard. They can use a pointer while reading.
- Read the first two paragraphs of the story individually, from “Long long ago, a sultan . . .” till “. . . house till I have shaved you”;
Put question marks (?) on words, ideas, or passages they did not understand;
Sit in groups and discuss what they understood;
Later the teacher can ask the students to clarify their doubts (words that they are not able to read or unable to comprehend).
The teacher can then read out the passage. Ask students to follow the text with their fingers.
Comprehension Questions (to check whether the students have comprehended the passage)
- Who narrates the story to the Sultan? (his queen)
- Where was this story taken from? (the Arabian Nights)
- What is the name of the village where the barber lived?
- What kind of a man was the barber?
- Was the Sultan happy with the barber’s work?
- How many brothers did the barber have?
- Did the barber’s brothers have any defects?
- Can you list them?
- Was the barber talkative or quiet in nature?
- How many gold pieces did the Sultan give the barber? Why did he do so?
- Was the Sultan’s head shaved?
- Why did the barber refuse to leave the palace?
Home Assignment
Now that you know the Sultan’s story, answer the following questions:
- Describe the barber presented in this story?
- What is your opinion about the Sultan?
- List the defects of the barber’s brothers?
Day 2
Now, let’s continue with the story. Listen carefully.
Narrative
The barber lost half an hour by narrating another story.
The Sultan said angrily, “Don’t talk of unwanted things. Do your work quickly. I have another affair of greatest importance, which I must tend to. I have to go out at noon.”
The barber pleaded, ‘O Master! Do not be angry. I will begin to shave your head.”
Then, the barber washed the Sultan’s head and started shaving it. But, he hadn’t even touched the Sultan’s head four times with the razor before he stopped and said, “My master, you are acting hastily in this matter.”
The Sultan ordered, “Just shave my head, and speak no more.”
The barber suggested further, “I will give my opinion if you share with me the details of your important affair.”
The barber left the Sultan’s head half shaved.
“My patience is over!” shouted the Sultan.
The barber continued to shave and said, “My master, please be calm.”
At last, the Sultan decided to satisfy the barber and told him about his important work. “I am going to throw a feast for some of my friends at noon.”
Questions for Interaction
- What did the barber do next? (He began narrating another story.)
- What did the Sultan say? (I have another affair of greatest importance. I have to go out at noon.)
- Why did the barber want the Sultan to tell him about his ‘affair of greatest importance’? (He could give advice which would be useful to the Sultan.)
- What did the barber say about the Sultan’s actions? (My master, you are acting hastily in this matter.)
- What was the important work that the Sultan had to do at noon? (He was giving a feast to some friends at noon.)
Reading Practice
- Subtext reading
Ask students to read the next two paragraphs of the story individually, from “He then began narrating . . .” till “. . . he was in a hurry to leave”;
Follow the reading protocols as on day 1.
Home Assignment
- What were the events that happened at the Sultan’s palace?
- Who all were involved in these events?
Day 3
Picture-Based Interaction
- What do you see in this picture?
- How does the Sultan’s head look?
- Why do you think these food items have been arranged on the table?
- Does the barber look happy? What made the barber happy and why?
- What do you call a sweet food item that you eat at the end of a meal? (dessert)
Narrative
When the Sultan finished telling the barber about the feast he had planned, the barber said, “Yesterday, I had invited over some of my friends. They are coming today. But, O Sultan! I forgot to make any preparations!”
On hearing this, the Sultan got an idea. He said, “Then, be quick and finish your work. Don’t worry about the food. I shall give you all the food that has been prepared for me today.”
The barber replied, “Please Sultan, let me see the food.” He then went and checked the food items. “I doubt this food will be enough for my friends,” the barber remarked.
“I have enough food for you,” the Sultan responded and called out his attendant, “Come here. Bring all the food from the kitchen.”
As per the Sultan’s command, the attendants brought all the food prepared for the feast.
The barber started to check again. “This is very good. Thank you, Sultan. But, I want some fruits too as dessert.”
Questions for Interaction
- What did the barber tell on hearing about the Sultan’s feast? (I have invited some of my friends. I forgot to make any preparations.)
- What did the Sultan offer the barber? (I shall give you all the food that has been prepared for me today.)
- Do you think the Sultan is generous?
- What was the barber doubtful about? (whether the food will be enough for his friends)
- What did the Sultan order to his attendants? (all the food prepared for his feast to be brought in)
- What else did the barber want? (some fruit for dessert)
Picture-Based Interaction
- What do you see in this picture?
- What is the barber trying to do here?
Narration
The barber stopped shaving the Sultan’s head when the food was brought in. He examined each dish carefully.
The Sultan got very angry and stamped his feet. But, the barber did not hurry a bit.
“Come here, and finish shaving my head!” ordered the Sultan.
Then, the barber picked up his razor and resumed his work. But, he stopped soon again and cried, “O Sultan! You are so generous.”
Questions for Interaction
- What did the barber do when the food was brought in by the attendants? (He examined each dish carefully.)
- How did the Sultan express his anger? (The Sultan stamped his feet.)
- What did the barber say in the end? (You are so generous.)
- Do you think the Sultan’s head was shaved properly at the end?
- Do you think the barber is clever? Why?
Reading Practice
- Subtext reading
Ask the students to read the rest of the story individually, from “When the barber heard the Sultan . . .” till “. . . I never knew that you were so generous.”
Follow the reading protocols.
- Comprehension questions can be asked to check the students’ understanding of the story.
Day 4 | Enacting a Drama
Ask the students to do the following:
- Jot down the main events in the story.
- Identify the places where these events take place (for instance, at the palace, in the kitchen, and so on; each location needs a different scene setting).
- Determine the characters associated with each of these incidents (e.g., the king, the barber, and his brothers).
- Insert dialogues and monologues uttered by the characters wherever necessary.
Let the groups work together to plan the drama.
Scene 1
- The location; the characters;
- The positions and movements of the characters (when they enter or exit the scene);
- The actions that take place;
- The dialogues and/or monologues.
Plan the remaining scenes in the same manner.
Term: Term 2
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