CBSE Class 9 English Moments NCERT Solutions: Chapter 4 - In the Kingdom of Fools

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

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 9 PDF

This chapter, 'In the Kingdom of Fools,' from the CBSE Class 9 English Moments textbook, presents a humorous and cautionary tale about a kingdom where everything operates backward. The guru and his disciple stumble upon this peculiar land where day is night and night is day, and all items, regardless of their value, cost the same single 'duddu.' The solutions provided break down the narrative, explaining the strange customs of the kingdom and the characters' interactions. They delve into why the disciple is tempted to stay, the convoluted justice system that leads to a chain of accusations, and the guru's clever strategy to outwit the foolish king and save his disciple. These solutions are designed to help students grasp the story's moral and thematic elements, aiding in their understanding and exam preparation.

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Quick info

Board	CBSE
Class	Class 9
Subject	Moments
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	4. In The Kingdom Of Fools

Chapter summary

NCERT Solutions for 'In the Kingdom of Fools' (Class 9 English Moments) cover the unique customs of a bizarre kingdom where day and night are reversed, and all goods are priced uniformly. The solutions explain the disciple's temptation to remain due to the cheap prices and the guru's foresight about the kingdom's foolishness. They detail the absurd trial process, tracing the blame for a thief's death through various characters, and highlight the guru's ingenious plan to escape the execution stake by posing as a potential king.

Learning outcomes

Understand the peculiar customs and logic prevalent in the 'Kingdom of Fools'.
Analyze the reasons behind the disciple's decision to stay and the guru's apprehension.
Identify the characters brought to trial and the justifications given for their accusations.
Explain the guru's clever strategy to save himself and his disciple from execution.
Recognize the moral of the story regarding foolishness and wisdom.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Kingdom of Fools customs
Guru and disciple's journey
Strange pricing system
Disciple's temptation
Guru's wisdom
The convoluted trial
Chain of accusations
Merchant's house
Bricklayer's fault
Dancing girl's distraction
Goldsmith's delay
Guru's clever escape plan

Important topics

The unique customs of the Kingdom of Fools
The disciple's decision to stay
The absurd justice system and trial
The guru's wisdom and strategy
The moral of the story

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?

Solution: The guru and his disciple discovered two highly unusual customs in the Kingdom of Fools. Firstly, the entire population of the kingdom slept soundly throughout the day and conducted all their activities, work, and business only during the night. Secondly, the pricing system was bizarre: whether it was a staple like a measure of rice or a fruit like a bunch of bananas, everything cost exactly the same – a single 'duddu', which was equivalent to one rupee.

Question 2

Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?

Solution: The disciple decided to stay in the Kingdom of Fools primarily because he was extremely pleased with the incredibly low prices of everything. He found it delightful that all food items, no matter how substantial or small, cost only one duddu. This cheapness appealed greatly to his desire for good and affordable food. However, the guru considered it a very bad idea. He recognized the kingdom's inhabitants as 'fools' and sensed that such an unnatural and illogical system could not last. He was concerned about their future and what unpredictable situations they might face.

Question 3

Name all the people who are tried in the king's court, and give the reasons for their trial.

Solution: The king's court conducted a series of trials based on a peculiar chain of blame following the death of a thief who was crushed by a collapsing wall:

The Merchant: He was the first to be accused because the wall that fell and killed the thief belonged to his house. The king initially held him responsible for the poor construction.
The Bricklayer: The blame then shifted to the bricklayer who had built the wall. The court reasoned that his shoddy workmanship must have made the wall weak and prone to collapse, leading to the thief's death.
The Dancing Girl: She was summoned because she had allegedly distracted the bricklayer while he was laying the wall. Her jingling anklets, as she walked up and down the road, supposedly drew his attention away from his work, resulting in a weak wall.
The Goldsmith: The dancing girl accused the goldsmith of delaying her order for jewelry. She had to visit his shop numerous times, which coincided with the period the bricklayer was working on the wall, thus indirectly causing the distraction.
The Merchant's Father (deceased): The goldsmith claimed that he couldn't finish the dancing girl's order on time because the merchant's father had pressured him earlier, causing delays in other work. Thus, the fault was passed on to the merchant's father.
The Merchant (again): The blame eventually circled back to the original merchant, as he had inherited his father's business and property. However, he escaped immediate execution because he was too thin to fit the newly made execution stake.

Question 4

Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?

Solution: According to the king's illogical reasoning, the merchant was considered the real culprit because he inherited his father's business and property, and therefore, should also inherit his father's sins. However, the merchant escaped the punishment of execution because he was too thin to fit properly into the newly constructed execution stake. The king then decreed that a person of the correct girth, who would fit the stake, must be executed instead.

Question 5

What are the Guru's words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?

Solution: The Guru's words of wisdom were a stark warning about the nature of the Kingdom of Fools. He told his disciple, "This is a city of fools. You don't know what they will do next." He strongly advised the disciple to leave the city immediately, sensing the danger in such an irrational place. The disciple, however, was tempted by the cheapness of everything and chose to stay. He vividly remembers his Guru's words of caution only when he finds himself in a dire situation – specifically, when he is arrested and about to be executed by the king's order.

Question 6

How does the guru manage to save his disciple's life?

Solution: The Guru masterfully saved his disciple's life through a clever and deceptive strategy. Upon learning that his disciple was to be executed, the Guru arrived and created a commotion, expressing his own strong desire to be executed first. To further confuse the king and his court, the Guru told a fabricated story about himself and his disciple being destined to become king and minister, respectively, in their next lives. He claimed that the stake was a sacred one, meant for a king. This tale convinced the foolish king that if they were executed, they would return as king and minister, thus ensuring the kingdom's prosperity. The king, eager to become king again, agreed to be executed first, followed by the Guru. This ruse allowed the Guru to swap places with his disciple, and under the cover of darkness, they both escaped the kingdom, saving the disciple's life and escaping the clutches of the foolish rulers.

Common mistakes

Misinterpreting the disciple's motivation for staying.
Failing to follow the chain of blame in the king's court.
Underestimating the guru's intelligence compared to the king's foolishness.

Revision tips

Focus on the contrasting characters of the guru (wise) and the disciple (easily tempted).
Trace the sequence of accusations in the trial to understand the absurdity.
Analyze the guru's final plan and how it outsmarts the king.
Consider the moral lesson about the dangers of living in a foolish society.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What was the most striking unusual custom observed in the Kingdom of Fools during the day?

Q2. Why was the disciple initially happy to stay in the Kingdom of Fools?

Q3. Who was initially blamed for the thief's death when the wall collapsed?

Q4. Why did the king decide that the disciple should be executed instead of the merchant?

Q5. How did the guru manage to save his disciple's life?

Frequently asked questions

What are the two main unusual things about the Kingdom of Fools mentioned in the story?

The two main unusual things are that the entire kingdom sleeps during the day and works at night, and that everything, regardless of its type or quantity, costs the same single 'duddu' (one rupee).

Why did the disciple want to stay in the Kingdom of Fools?

The disciple wanted to stay because he was very happy with the extremely low prices. He could buy all the food he wanted for just one duddu.

Who were the people tried in the king's court and why?

The merchant (whose wall fell), the bricklayer (who built the wall), the dancing girl (who distracted the bricklayer), and the goldsmith (who delayed the dancing girl's jewelry) were tried. Each was blamed for the thief's death due to their alleged faults.

How did the guru save his disciple from being executed?

The guru cleverly tricked the king by expressing a desire to be executed first, claiming that fate decreed he and his disciple were destined to be king and minister in their next lives. This convinced the king to execute them instead.

What is the main lesson taught by the story 'In the Kingdom of Fools'?

The story teaches a lesson about the dangers of foolishness and the importance of wisdom. It shows how a foolish king and his subjects can create chaos, and how wisdom and cleverness can overcome even the most absurd situations.

What does 'duddu' represent in the story?

In the story, 'duddu' represents a unit of currency, equivalent to one rupee, used in the Kingdom of Fools.

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