NCERT Class 8 English It So Happend: Chapter 3 — The Selfish Giant
This chapter, 'The Selfish Giant,' from the NCERT Class 8 English book 'It So Happend,' introduces a beautiful garden that children loved to play in. The Giant, upon returning from a seven-year visit, claims the garden as his own, builds a high wall, and puts up a 'No Trespassing' sign. Consequently, the children are denied entry, and the garden remains in perpetual winter while the rest of the country experiences spring. The chapter highlights the Giant's selfishness and the children's sadness at being excluded from the lovely garden. It sets the stage for a potential change in the Giant's heart, exploring themes of possessiveness versus community and the impact of seasons on the environment.
Quick info
| Board | CBSE / NCERT |
|---|---|
| Class | Class 8 |
| Subject | English |
| Book | It So Happend |
| Chapter | Chapter 3 — The Selfish Giant |
| Language | English |
| PDF type | NCERT Textbook |
| Session | CBSE 2026 |
| Reading time | 2 minutes |
| Word count | 375 |
Learning outcomes
- Understand the concept of selfishness and its consequences.
- Analyze character motivations, particularly the Giant's.
- Identify the impact of human actions on nature and seasons.
- Learn new vocabulary related to descriptions and legal terms.
- Appreciate the importance of sharing and community.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cornish ogre | a giant of Cornwall (in the U.K.) |
| ogre | a cruel giant who eats people; a frightening person |
| gruff | rough; surly |
| trespassers | those who enter somebody's land/property without his/her permission |
| prosecuted | tried in a court of law (here, punished) |
The complete chapter text is read in the official NCERT PDF viewer below (streamed from ncert.nic.in). This page provides NCERT Help study material — summary, vocabulary, practice questions, and FAQs — not a full reproduction of the textbook.
Read chapter online
This PDF is loaded from the official NCERT website (ncert.nic.in). Use the page buttons below to read — download is disabled on NCERT Help.
Read page by page below. PDF is streamed from the official NCERT website — no download button on this page.
Practice questions
- Why did the children love to play in the Giant's garden? Answer: The Giant's garden was large, lovely, with soft green grass, beautiful flowers, and twelve peach-trees that bore rich fruit. Birds also sang sweetly there.
- What did the Giant do when he returned and saw the children playing? Answer: He cried in a very gruff voice, 'My own garden is my own garden... I will allow nobody to play in it but myself.' He then built a high wall around it.
- What notice did the Giant put up on his wall? Answer: He put up a notice-board that read: 'TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED'.
- How did the children feel after the Giant built the wall? Answer: They had nowhere to play and felt sad. They used to wander around the high walls, talking about the beautiful garden inside and how happy they were there.
- What was the state of the Giant's garden when Spring came? Answer: While Spring came to the rest of the country with blossoms and birds, it was still winter in the Giant's garden.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main theme of the beginning of 'The Selfish Giant'?
The main theme is selfishness and its negative consequences, as the Giant's possessiveness deprives children of joy and affects the natural environment.
Who was the Giant and where did he go?
The Giant was a selfish owner of a beautiful garden. He had been away visiting his friend, the Cornish ogre, for seven years.
What did the Giant build to keep children out of his garden?
He built a high wall all around his garden and put up a notice-board.
What did the notice-board say?
The notice-board warned: 'TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED'.
How did the Giant's garden differ from the rest of the country in Spring?
While the rest of the country experienced Spring with blossoms and birds, the Giant's garden remained in winter.
What does the word 'gruff' mean in the context of the Giant's voice?
'Gruff' means rough and surly, indicating the Giant's unfriendly and harsh tone.
Related resources
Important topics
Topics covered
NCERT Class 8 English — It So Happend — Chapter 3 — The Selfish Giant. Verified by NCERT Help Editorial Team. Reviewed on 29 Jul 2026. Last updated 10 Aug 2026.