CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb Chapter 3: Gopal and the Hilsa Fish NCERT Solutions

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 7 PDF

This chapter, 'Gopal and the Hilsa Fish,' from the CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb textbook, unfolds a delightful tale of intelligence and cleverness. The NCERT Solutions explore how Gopal, a wise courtier, devised a unique strategy to present a Hilsa fish to the king amidst a time when everyone was obsessed with discussing the fish. The solutions meticulously break down the story, highlighting the king's annoyance with the incessant chatter about Hilsa, Gopal's peculiar yet effective disguise, his triumphant journey to the palace, and how his eccentric actions successfully shifted the focus away from the fish itself. These explanations are designed to help students grasp the narrative's progression, the characters' motivations, and the central message about using wit to solve problems, serving as a valuable tool for exam preparation.

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Quick info

Board	CBSE
Class	Class 7
Subject	English Honeycomb
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	Chapter 3

Chapter summary

Chapter 3, 'Gopal and the Hilsa Fish,' focuses on a story where cleverness triumphs over common obsession. The NCERT Solutions cover questions about the king's annoyance with the Hilsa fish chatter, Gopal's challenge to bring the fish unnoticed, his peculiar disguise, his methods to enter the palace, and how his appearance made the fish irrelevant to conversations. The solutions also include true/false statements to test comprehension of Gopal's character and the story's events.

Learning outcomes

Understand the plot and characters of 'Gopal and the Hilsa Fish'.
Analyze Gopal's strategy to fulfill the king's challenge.
Explain the king's reaction to the widespread discussion of Hilsa fish.
Identify the reasons behind Gopal's unusual appearance.
Evaluate Gopal's cleverness in diverting attention.
Distinguish between true and false statements related to the story.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Gopal and the Hilsa Fish story comprehension
King's frustration with Hilsa fish talk
Gopal's clever strategy
Gopal's disguise
Gaining entry to the palace
Diverting attention
Character analysis (Gopal, King)
True/False statements comprehension

Important topics

Gopal's challenge and strategy
The reason for Gopal's disguise
How Gopal entered the palace
The effectiveness of Gopal's plan
Understanding the king's perspective

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Why did the king want no more talk about the hilsa-fish?

Solution: The king desired an end to the constant discussion about the hilsa-fish because it had become an overwhelming topic of conversation everywhere. Whether in the royal court, the marketplace, or among common people and courtiers, everyone seemed to be talking only about hilsa-fish, which had become tiresome for the king.

Question 2

What did the king ask Gopal to do to prove that he was clever?

Solution: To demonstrate his cleverness, the king challenged Gopal to bring a hilsa-fish to the palace. The condition was that throughout Gopal's journey from the market to the court, no one should be able to say even a single word about the hilsa-fish.

Question 3

What three things did Gopal do before he went to buy his hilsa- fish?

Solution: Before setting out to purchase the hilsa-fish, Gopal performed three specific actions to prepare himself for the king's challenge: Firstly, he shaved off half of his beard. Secondly, he applied ash all over his face. Thirdly, he deliberately wore old, torn, and dirty clothes.

Question 4

How did Gopal get inside the palace to see the king after he had bought the fish?

Solution: After purchasing the hilsa-fish, Gopal approached the palace guards and courtiers, seeking permission to enter and see the king. When they initially refused him entry, Gopal began to sing and dance loudly in front of the palace. The unusual noise and spectacle attracted the king's attention, who then ordered his messenger to summon Gopal inside.

Question 5

Explain how no one seemed to be interested in talking about the hilsa-fish which Gopal had bought.

Solution: Gopal's peculiar appearance was the key to his success. By shaving half his face, smearing ash on it, and wearing tattered clothes, he looked like a madman. This bizarre sight captivated everyone's attention. People were so engrossed in talking about Gopal's strange and disheveled look that they completely forgot or ignored the hilsa-fish he was carrying, thus fulfilling the king's condition.

Question 6

Write 'True' or 'false' against each of the following sentences.

The king lost his temper easily.
Gopal was a madman.
Gopal was a clever man.
Gopal was too poor to afford decent clothes.
The king got angry when he was shown to be wrong.

Solution:

True
The king lost his temper because the topic of hilsa-fish was being discussed excessively by everyone, which he found irritating.
False
Gopal was not actually a madman. He deliberately acted in a strange manner as part of a clever plan to win the king's challenge.
True
Gopal proved his cleverness by devising and successfully executing a plan that met the king's difficult conditions.
False
Gopal chose to wear dirty, torn clothes not because he was poor, but as a deliberate disguise to attract attention to himself and away from the fish.
True
The story implies the king got angry when everyone was talking about the fish, and he likely felt challenged by Gopal's unusual approach, though the text focuses more on his initial frustration with the fish talk.

Common mistakes

Misinterpreting Gopal's disguise as genuine madness.
Failing to connect Gopal's appearance to the king's challenge.
Overlooking the king's initial frustration as the story's premise.
Confusing Gopal's poverty with his deliberate choice of attire.

Revision tips

Reread the story focusing on Gopal's actions and their purpose.
Pay close attention to the king's changing moods and reactions.
Use the true/false questions to quickly check your understanding of key facts.
Discuss Gopal's strategy with a friend to solidify your comprehension.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Why was the king tired of hearing about Hilsa fish?

Q2. What was Gopal's challenge from the king?

Q3. Which of these was NOT something Gopal did before buying the fish?

Q4. How did Gopal manage to get inside the palace?

Q5. What was the main reason people didn't talk about the Hilsa fish Gopal carried?

Frequently asked questions

What is Chapter 3 of CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb about?

Chapter 3, 'Gopal and the Hilsa Fish,' is a story about Gopal, a clever courtier who accepts a challenge from the king to bring a Hilsa fish to the palace without anyone discussing the fish itself.

Why was the king annoyed in the story?

The king was annoyed because the topic of Hilsa fish was being discussed incessantly by everyone, everywhere, and he wanted the chatter to stop.

How did Gopal ensure no one talked about the Hilsa fish?

Gopal disguised himself as a madman by shaving half his beard, smearing ash on his face, and wearing torn clothes. This eccentric appearance drew all attention to him, making the fish irrelevant in conversations.

What did Gopal do to get inside the palace?

When initially stopped, Gopal started singing and dancing loudly outside the palace. The commotion attracted the king's attention, who then ordered Gopal to be brought inside.

Are these solutions helpful for exams?

Yes, these NCERT Solutions provide clear, step-by-step answers and explanations that help students understand the story's nuances, character motivations, and key events, aiding in exam preparation.

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