Madam Rides the Bus — Class 10 English
First Flight · Chapter 7
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Chapter summary
The story in steps
- Valli watches the bus from her doorway and develops a strong wish to ride in it.
- She learns the fare and route by listening carefully and saves money for a round trip.
- One afternoon, while her mother naps, Valli boards the bus alone and behaves like a grown-up.
- She enjoys the fields, canal, and town, but refuses snacks and does not get off the bus.
- On the return journey, she sees the same cow lying dead and feels shocked and sad.
- Valli reaches home before her mother wakes and quietly keeps her little adventure to herself.
Key ideas & terms
- Valli
- An eight-year-old girl curious about the world outside her village.
- The bus
- The object of Valli’s fascination and her secret adventure.
- Curiosity
- Valli’s eager desire to see and experience the world.
- Independence
- Valli’s insistence on doing things on her own.
- The dead cow
- The sight that introduces Valli to the reality of death.
- Sixty paisa
- The round-trip fare Valli saves to pay for her bus ride.
शब्दार्थ · Word meanings
- fascinating
- very interesting and attractive
- devoted
- gave full time and attention
- wistfully
- with quiet longing
- canal
- man-made water channel
- haughtily
- proudly and rudely
- conductor
- person who manages passengers on a bus
- gleaming
- shining brightly
- drab
- dull and unattractive
- thriftily
- in a careful money-saving way
- gaped
- stared with open mouth
Extra questions & answers
What was Valli’s deepest desire, and how did she fulfil it?
She longed to ride the bus through her village; she saved coins, learned the fare and details, and secretly took the bus while her mother slept.
How did Valli prepare for her bus journey?
She saved every coin she got, refused treats to keep her money, and carefully listened to passengers to learn the fare, timing and route.
Why did Valli refuse the help offered by fellow passengers?
She wanted to prove that she was a grown-up, independent girl who could manage everything by herself.
How did the sight of the dead cow affect Valli?
It shocked and saddened her, dampening her earlier excitement and giving her a first glimpse of the sorrow of death.
What was Valli’s favourite pastime, and why?
Standing at the front doorway watching the street; having no playmates, she found the sights of the world outside — especially the passing bus — a great delight.
What details about the journey did Valli patiently gather?
By listening to neighbours and fellow passengers she learned the fare, the route, the timing and how long the round trip would take.
Describe Valli’s feelings during the bus ride.
She was thrilled and proud, delighting in the canal, green fields, distant mountains and the little towns, behaving like a confident grown-up.
Why did Valli refuse the cold drink and the offer of help?
She was determined to be independent and self-respecting; she did not want to waste her carefully saved money or be treated as a helpless child.
How did the conductor treat Valli, and how did she respond?
The conductor was friendly and teasing, calling her “madam”; Valli answered with dignity and insisted on being treated as a proper grown-up passenger.
What does Valli’s adventure reveal about her character?
It shows her curiosity, courage, careful planning, independence and self-respect, along with a child’s fresh sense of wonder at the world.
Activity
1. Look at the words and phrases given below. Then put a tick against the ones you think you will find in the text.
___ a set of passengers ___ get on the bus
___ get off the bus ___ platform
___ Tickets, please ___ a roar and a rattle
___ a row of seats ___ slowing down to a crawl
___ blowing a whistle
Tick “a set of passengers,” “get on the bus,” “get off the bus,” “a roar and a rattle,” “a row of seats,” “slowing down to a crawl,” and “blowing a whistle.” Do not tick “platform” or “Tickets, please,” because these expressions do not occur in the story.
2. You must have travelled by bus more than once. What can you see from a fast-moving bus? Given below are some suggestions. Speak briefly about some of these scenes, or about other such scenes that you have seen; or write a sentence or two about them.
rivers green fields hills
roadside shops market places railway tracks
moving trains vehicles on the road trees
a crowd clothes in shops animals
From a fast-moving bus, I can see green fields, trees, hills and roadside shops appearing to rush past. I may also see rivers, railway tracks, moving trains, crowded markets, animals and other vehicles travelling along the road.
Oral Comprehension Check
1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?
Valli’s favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching everything that happened in the street outside.
2. What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?
The bus that passed through her street every hour, carrying a different set of passengers, was a source of unending joy for Valli. Her strongest desire was to ride on that bus at least once.
3. What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?
Valli learned that the town was six miles away, the one-way fare was thirty paise, and the journey took forty-five minutes. She also discovered that she could remain in the bus, pay another thirty paise and return on the same vehicle. She gathered these details by listening carefully to regular passengers and asking a few discreet questions.
4. What do you think Valli was planning to do?
Valli was planning to take the one-o’clock bus to town, stay in her seat for the return journey and reach home before her mother woke from her afternoon nap.
Oral Comprehension Check
1. Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?
The conductor calls Valli ‘madam’ playfully because she behaves like an independent grown-up, insists on boarding without help and speaks in a serious, self-confident manner.
2. Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
Valli stands on the seat because the canvas blind blocks the lower part of her window. From that position, she sees the canal, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, the blue sky, a deep ditch and vast green fields.
3. What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?
Valli tells him that nobody there is a child and that she has paid her thirty-paise fare like everyone else. Later, she declares that she is eight years old and can take care of herself.
4. Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Valli found the elderly woman repulsive because of her large ear holes, ugly earrings, the smell of the betel nut she was chewing and the betel juice near her lips. She also disliked the woman’s intrusive questions.
Oral Comprehension Check
1. How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?
Valli carefully saved every stray coin that came her way and resisted spending money on peppermints, toys, balloons and other pleasures. It was not easy; at the village fair, she even gave up her strong desire to ride the merry-go-round.
2. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
She saw a frightened young cow running in the middle of the road in front of the bus. The driver kept sounding the horn, but the cow only ran faster, and the sight made Valli laugh until tears came into her eyes.
3. Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?
Valli had planned only to enjoy a bus ride and return on the same bus. She was also afraid to explore the unfamiliar town all by herself.
4. Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?
Valli refused because she did not have any spare money and did not want the conductor to pay for her drink. This shows that she was careful with money, self-respecting, disciplined and determined to remain independent.
Thinking about the Text
1. What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.
Valli’s deepest desire was to ride the bus from her village to the town. The expressions “a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there,” “she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once,” and “an overwhelming desire” reveal how strongly she longed for the journey.
2. How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?
Valli listened to conversations, questioned regular passengers discreetly and worked out every detail of the journey. She learned that the town was six miles away, a one-way trip cost thirty paise and took forty-five minutes, and she could return on the same bus for another thirty paise. She saved sixty paise by collecting stray coins and refusing to spend them on sweets, toys, balloons or the merry-go-round. She chose the afternoon hours when her mother usually slept so that she could leave and return unnoticed.
3. What kind of a person is Valli? To answer this question, pick out the following sentences from the text and fill in the blanks. The words you fill in are the clues to your answer.
Valli is curious, determined, confident, independent, courageous, careful with money and highly self-respecting. She plans her journey patiently, refuses unnecessary help and insists that she can look after herself.
(i) “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised ________.
commandingly
(ii) “Yes, I ________ go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
simply have to
(iii) “There’s nobody here ________,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
who’s a child
(iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can ________. You don’t have to help me.”
“I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said, ________.
The missing expressions are “get on by myself” and “irritably.”
(v) “You needn’t bother about me. I ________,” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out.
can take care of myself
(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope ________.”
to see you again
4. Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?
The conductor uses ‘madam’ as a friendly joke because Valli speaks and behaves with the confidence and seriousness of a grown woman. Her insistence on travelling independently makes the title especially amusing.
5. Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.
The lines include: “Valli devoured everything with her eyes,” “Oh, it was all so wonderful!”, “Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee,” and “She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.” These lines show her excitement and delight during the ride.
6. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?
On the return journey, Valli sees the same young cow lying dead by the roadside. The sight shocks and saddens her so deeply that the memory haunts her, and she no longer wishes to look outside.
7. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.”
Valli is secretly referring to her own bus journey, which she completed without her mother or aunt knowing anything about it. Her mother’s remark about unknown events reminds Valli of her hidden adventure.
8. The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year-old’s point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?
Valli reacts to the world with a child’s wonder and imagination. She is fascinated by the bus’s gleaming paint, silver-like bars, soft seats and clock. She imagines that trees run towards the bus and then rush away in the opposite direction. She laughs uncontrollably at the cow racing before the bus and stares in amazement at the bright shops and crowds. Her excitement, simple comparisons and sudden sorrow at the cow’s death all reflect an eight-year-old’s point of view.
Speaking
This story has a lot of people talking in it. The conductor jokes and laughs with Valli, some passengers try to show their concern for her, and her mother and her aunt spend time chatting.
Read the conversations carefully. Then think of similar people, or similar situations that you have experienced. Mimic a person or persons who spoke to you, saying what they said, along with your replies.
Once, while I was travelling with my family, a cheerful conductor jokingly asked, “And where is our young traveller going today?” I replied seriously, “I know the stop, and I have my ticket ready.” He smiled and said, “Very responsible, sir! Perhaps you should check everyone else’s tickets too.” I laughed and answered, “I will leave that job to you.” His playful manner reminded me of the conductor’s friendly conversation with Valli.
Writing
Write a page — about three paragraphs — on one of the following topics.
1. Have you ever planned something entirely on your own, without taking grown-ups into your confidence? What did you plan, and how? Did you carry out your plan?
Once I decided to prepare a surprise birthday breakfast for my mother without telling any grown-up. I wanted to make the morning special, so I planned the meal several days in advance and listed everything I would need.
I saved a little pocket money and bought bread, fruit and juice. On the previous evening, I quietly arranged the plates and made a birthday card. The next morning, I woke early, prepared simple sandwiches and placed everything neatly on the table. I avoided using anything unsafe and worked carefully.
I successfully carried out my plan. My mother was surprised and delighted when she saw the breakfast. The experience taught me that independent planning can be rewarding when it is thoughtful, safe and meant to make someone happy.
2. Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way? What made it memorable?
One of my most unforgettable journeys was a train trip to the mountains with my family. It was my first time travelling such a long distance by train, and I stayed awake for hours watching the scenery change outside the window.
The crowded city gradually gave way to farms, rivers and forested hills. At small stations, vendors called out, passengers shared food and children waved from nearby houses. Early the next morning, mist covered the hills and the rising sun coloured the sky.
The journey was memorable because it showed me how varied and beautiful the country is. More than the destination, I remember the changing landscapes, the people we met and the excitement of seeing unfamiliar places for the first time.
3. Are you concerned about traffic and road safety? What are your concerns? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable?
I am concerned about speeding, careless overtaking, distracted driving and the failure of some road users to obey signals. Pedestrians and cyclists are especially vulnerable when crossings, footpaths and cycle lanes are missing or blocked.
Road travel can be made safer by enforcing speed limits, maintaining vehicles and roads, improving street lighting and clearly marking crossings. Drivers should avoid mobile phones, wear seat belts and respect pedestrians. Motorcyclists must wear helmets, and passengers should never distract the driver.
Travel would also become more enjoyable if public transport were clean, punctual and comfortable. Patient behaviour, less unnecessary honking and greater respect among all road users would reduce stress and prevent many accidents.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. The students should be given two or three days to collect old (used) tickets from their friends, relatives and acquaintances: they could be bus tickets, train tickets, plane tickets, cinema tickets, tickets to cultural events, etc. By the time they finish the lesson they should be able to get a good collection in place. Get them to make a collage using as many as possible of the tickets collected, on a sheet of poster paper. This can then form the basis for many interesting activities: classification according to type of tickets (for what?) or price (how much?), etc; the most desirable tickets, the tickets no one wants, etc. — let students think of more ways to classify them. Get students to write a paragraph with the collage as base, and their imagination as guide.
My collage contains bus, train, cinema and cultural-event tickets arranged according to their purpose and price. Each ticket represents a different journey or experience. The faded bus ticket reminds me of an ordinary trip through familiar streets, while the train ticket suggests a long journey to an unfamiliar place. The colourful cinema and event tickets recall shared moments of entertainment. Together, the tickets form a record of movement, memories and occasions that might otherwise be forgotten.
2. You can also ask the students do the following.
The following two activities can be completed through pair and group discussions.
(i) In the story Valli has to save money and make plans to be able to ride the bus. In pairs, discuss how you spent your pocket money last month. Did you spend it on yourself, or on someone dear to you?
Last month, I divided my pocket money into spending and saving portions. I used some of it to buy a notebook for myself, saved a small amount for later and spent the rest on a simple gift for a family member. This helped me enjoy my money while also practising careful planning and generosity.
(ii) Valli's enthusiasm is dampened and the memory of the dead cow haunts her. In groups, discuss an incident which may have troubled or discouraged you.
An incident that troubled me was seeing an injured bird near a busy road. Its helplessness stayed in my mind and made me feel sad for the rest of the day. The experience also encouraged me to think more seriously about protecting animals and behaving responsibly around them.
Thinking about the Poem
1. Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
The characters are Belinda, her little black kitten Ink, her little grey mouse Blink, her little yellow dog Mustard and her pet dragon Custard. A pirate also enters the story, but he is not one of Belinda’s pets.
2. Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”?
Custard cried for a safe cage because he appeared timid and wanted protection from danger. The others called him a “cowardly dragon” because he repeatedly asked for safety while Belinda, Ink, Blink and Mustard boasted of being fearless. However, his brave response to the pirate proves that the label is unfair.
3. “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful...” Why?
Belinda tickled Custard to tease him for behaving timidly and asking for a safe cage. She and the other pets laughed at him because they considered themselves much braver.
4. The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. For example:
“Clashed his tail like iron in a dungeon” — the poetic device here is a simile. Can you, with your partner, list some more such poetic devices used in the poem?
The poem uses several poetic devices. Similes include “sharp as Mustard,” “brave as a barrel full of bears,” “brave as a tiger in a rage,” “Mouth like a fireplace,” “snorting like an engine” and “like a robin at a worm.” Repetition appears in “little,” “suddenly, suddenly” and “realio, trulio.” Alliteration occurs in expressions such as “Belinda was as brave,” “Custard cried” and “clatter and a clank.” Onomatopoeic words include “growled,” “Meowch,” “yelp,” “clatter,” “clank” and “jangling.” The poet also uses humorous exaggeration when the characters claim that they chase lions or are as brave as many bears.
5. Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon.
Custard is described as a fierce-looking dragon with large sharp teeth, spikes on his back, scales underneath, a mouth like a fireplace, a chimney-like nose and toes compared to daggers.
6. Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?
The stanzas generally follow the rhyme scheme aabb. For example, “house” rhymes with “mouse,” and “wagon” rhymes with “dragon.” Similarly, “Ink” rhymes with “Blink,” while “Mustard” rhymes with “Custard.”
7. Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean. Can you trace some images used in the poem?
The poem creates vivid images of Belinda’s little white house, the differently coloured pets and the little red wagon. Custard appears with sharp teeth, spikes, scales, a fireplace-like mouth and dagger-like toes. The pirate is pictured with a black beard, a wooden leg, pistols in both hands and a bright cutlass between his teeth. The sounds and movements of Custard attacking the pirate create another strong image of action and courage.
8. Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or a light-hearted poem? Give reasons to support your answer.
The poem is mainly light-hearted and humorous. It uses playful names, exaggerated claims, deliberately comic expressions such as “realio, trulio,” and amusing rhymes. Even the frightening arrival of the pirate is presented in a lively, cartoon-like manner. At the same time, the poem conveys a serious idea: true courage is revealed through action, not boasting.
9. This poem, in ballad form, tells a story. Have you come across any such modern song or lyric that tells a story? If you know one, tell it to the class. Collect such songs as a project.
Yes, many modern songs use lyrics to narrate a sequence of events involving characters, conflict and an ending. For the project, I would collect age-appropriate narrative songs, note the main characters and events in each one, and compare their rhythm, rhyme, repeated lines and storytelling methods with those of a traditional ballad.
Writing
Have fun writing your ballad. Gather information (choose/decide an idea/theme), organise your materials under characters and story and then write. Revise and edit your ballad to make it entertaining. Use the following guidelines to write your ballad.
• Purpose of writing the ballad: to entertain and interest
• To whom I am writing: decide for whom you are writing
• How should I structure features?:
– Tell a simple narrative
– A few major characters
– A strong rhythm and rhyme
– May have a refrain (single or two line(s) repeated often)
– Divide into verses
The Lantern in the Rain
Mira walked home in the silver-grey rain,
Past the empty field and the rattling train;
She carried a lantern, steady and bright,
To guide every traveller home through the night.
“Keep the small flame glowing,” she sang,
While thunder rolled and the church bell rang;
“Keep the small flame glowing tonight,
A little brave heart can carry the light.”
Beside the old bridge stood Ravi alone,
His bicycle broken, his warm jacket gone;
Mira held up the lantern and called through the rain,
“Walk close beside me; we’ll soon find the lane.”
They crossed the wet bridge as the wild wind blew,
The flame bent low, but it struggled through;
“Keep the small flame glowing tonight,
A little brave heart can carry the light.”
At last they reached Ravi’s welcoming door,
Where worried faces smiled once more;
Mira walked onward through darkness and rain,
Her lantern shining along the lane.