CBSE Class 7 Honeycomb Chapter 4: The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom NCERT Solutions

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

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 7 PDF

This chapter, "The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom," from the CBSE Class 7 Honeycomb textbook, tells a moral story about a kind old farmer and his dog, Muko. The narrative highlights the contrast between genuine kindness and greed. When the dog leads the farmer to a treasure, the farmer and his wife use their newfound wealth generously. In contrast, their greedy neighbours, who mistreat the dog, are met with misfortune. The story further explores themes of loyalty and the supernatural, as the dog's spirit helps the farmer even after death. These NCERT Solutions break down the story's events, character motivations, and underlying messages, providing clear explanations and answers to comprehension and text-based questions. They are designed to help students understand the nuances of the story, analyze the characters' actions, and grasp the moral lessons about kindness, honesty, and the consequences of greed, making it an excellent resource for exam revision.

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Quick info

Board	CBSE
Class	Class 7
Subject	Honeycomb
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	4. The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom

Chapter summary

Chapter 4, "The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom," presents a Japanese folktale about a devoted dog whose spirit helps his kind owner. The solutions cover comprehension questions about the neighbours' cruelty and multiple-choice questions testing understanding of the farmer's love for the dog, their generosity, and the neighbours' greed. Working with the text questions delve into the farmer's kindness, how the dog led him to gold, and the magical properties of the dog's ashes, explaining the contrasting rewards and punishments given by the daimio.

Learning outcomes

Understand the story of the kind farmer and his magical dog.
Analyze the contrast between kindness and greed as depicted in the story.
Identify the moral lessons about loyalty, honesty, and generosity.
Explain the significance of the magical ashes and their effect on the trees.
Answer comprehension questions based on the narrative.
Evaluate the consequences of the neighbours' greedy actions.

Topics covered

Paper topics

The story of Muko the dog
Kindness vs. Greed
Loyalty and Friendship
Supernatural elements in stories
Moral lessons from folktales
Character analysis (farmer, wife, neighbours)
Magical ashes
Consequences of actions
Understanding narrative structure
Comprehension skills
Working with text
Moral storytelling

Important topics

The contrast between the kind farmer and greedy neighbours
The magical properties of the dog's ashes
The moral lesson about kindness and its rewards
The theme of loyalty and its impact
Understanding the story's supernatural elements

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Questions and Solutions

Comprehension Check - Question 1

Why did the neighbours kill the dog?

Solution: The neighbours killed the dog because they were furious with it. They had coaxed the dog into their garden hoping it would find treasure for them, as it had brought good luck to the old couple. When the dog dug and found only a dead kitten, the neighbours became enraged and beat the dog to death, discarding its body in the hole.

Comprehension Check - Question 2 (i)

Mark the right item: The old farmer and his wife loved the dog

(a) because it helped them in their day-to-day work.

(b) as if it was their own baby.

Solution: The correct option is (b). The old farmer and his wife loved the dog as if it was their own baby. The text mentions that having no children, they cherished the dog dearly, treating it with immense affection.

Comprehension Check - Question 2 (ii)

Mark the right item: When the old couple became rich, they

(a) gave the dog better food.

(b) invited their greedy neighbours to a feast.

Solution: The correct option is (c). When the old couple became rich, they continued to live comfortably but also extended their generosity towards their less fortunate neighbours, demonstrating their kind and benevolent nature.

Comprehension Check - Question 2 (iii)

Mark the right item: The greedy couple borrowed the mill and the mortar to make

(a) rice pastry and bean sauce.

(b) magic ash to win rewards.

Solution: The correct option is (c). The greedy neighbours borrowed the mill and the mortar not for their original purpose, but with the selfish intention of using them to create a pile of gold, reflecting their avarice.

Working with the Text - Question 1

The old farmer is a kind person. What evidence of his kindness do you find in the first two paragraphs.

Solution: The first two paragraphs provide ample evidence of the old farmer's kindness. He and his wife treated their pet dog, Muko, with the same love and care as they would their own child, feeding him from their own chopsticks and ensuring he had plenty of rice. Furthermore, the farmer was gentle towards all living creatures, often deliberately turning over soil to expose worms and insects for birds to eat, showing his compassionate nature.

Working with the Text - Question 2

What did the dog do to lead the farmer to the hidden gold?

Solution: The dog, Muko, actively led the farmer to the hidden gold by exhibiting unusual behaviour. It ran to the farmer, whined persistently, and kept running back and forth towards a specific spot. This insistent behaviour prompted the farmer to follow him. Once at the location, the dog began scratching the ground energetically, signalling to the farmer where to dig.

Working with the Text - Question 3 (i)

How did the spirit of the dog help the farmer first?

Solution: The spirit of the dog first helped the farmer in a dream. It appeared to the farmer and instructed him to cut down the pine tree that stood over the dog's grave. The spirit advised the farmer to use this wood to craft a mortar for making rice pastry and a mill for grinding bean sauce, suggesting these items would bring good fortune.

Working with the Text - Question 3 (ii)

How did it help him next?

Solution: The dog's spirit helped the farmer next, also through a dream. It informed the farmer that the wicked neighbours had stolen and burnt the hand-mill. The spirit then advised the farmer to collect the ashes from the burnt mill. It revealed that sprinkling these ashes on any withered trees would cause them to bloom again, providing a magical solution.

Working with the Text - Question 4

Why did the daimio reward the farmer but punish his neighbour for the same act?

Solution: The daimio rewarded the farmer because he used the magical ashes with good intentions and genuine skill. When the farmer sprinkled the ashes on a withered cherry tree, it miraculously bloomed, impressing the daimio. In contrast, the neighbours, driven by greed, attempted the same act but failed, likely because their intentions were impure or their method flawed. Their previous cruelty towards the dog and their attempt to exploit the magic for personal gain likely contributed to their punishment.

Common mistakes

Confusing the actions of the kind farmer with those of his greedy neighbours.
Misinterpreting the dog's role and its supernatural assistance.
Failing to grasp the moral lesson about the rewards of kindness and the punishment of greed.

Revision tips

Read the story carefully to understand the plot and character motivations.
Focus on the contrast between the old couple and their neighbours.
Pay attention to the magical elements and their significance.
Review the answers to the comprehension and text questions to reinforce understanding.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Why did the neighbours beat the dog to death?

Q2. How did the old farmer and his wife show their love for the dog Muko?

Q3. What did the dog's spirit ask the farmer to make from the pine tree?

Q4. What magical property did the ashes of the mill possess?

Q5. Why did the daimio reward the farmer?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main story of "The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom"?

The story is about a kind old farmer and his dog Muko. After the dog dies, its spirit helps the farmer find treasure and later uses magical ashes to make trees bloom, contrasting with the cruel actions of the greedy neighbours.

What moral lesson does this chapter teach?

The chapter teaches that kindness, honesty, and generosity are rewarded, while greed and cruelty lead to misfortune. It emphasizes the importance of loyalty and compassion towards all living beings.

How did the dog's spirit help the farmer?

The dog's spirit appeared in dreams, guiding the farmer to hidden treasure and later revealing how to use the ashes of a mill to make withered trees bloom.

Why were the neighbours punished?

The neighbours were punished because they were greedy and cruel. They tried to use the dog and later the magical ashes for selfish gain, but their attempts failed and brought them punishment.

Are the solutions for Class 7 Honeycomb Chapter 4 available for download?

These solutions provide detailed answers and explanations for Chapter 4 of the Class 7 Honeycomb textbook, aiding in understanding and revision.

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