CBSE Class 9 English Chapter 4 In the Kingdom of Fools Notes 2025-26
⏱ Reading Time: 10 minutes
Introduction to Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes
Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes cover the story In the Kingdom of Fools from your NCERT Moments book. This is a funny and wise folktale. It comes from Karnataka, India.
The story teaches a big lesson. It shows what happens when foolish people are in power. The guru is wise. The disciple learns the hard way. You will enjoy reading this chapter!
All notes here are based on the official NCERT textbook and CBSE syllabus 2025-26. This guide is 100% free for all Class 9 students.
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Table of Contents
- Chapter Overview
- Key Characters
- Detailed Chapter Summary (Scene by Scene)
- The Chain of Blame — Step by Step
- Important Definitions and Key Terms
- Moral and Theme of the Story
- Important Questions and Answers (2-Mark + 5-Mark)
- MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers
- Quick Revision Points
- Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
- Featured Snippet Answer
- People Also Ask
- FAQs
- Conclusion
- More Notes from This Subject
Chapter Overview — Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes
Here is a quick overview of the chapter. Read this first!
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Chapter Name | In the Kingdom of Fools |
| Book | Moments (Supplementary Reader) |
| Class | Class 9 |
| Board | CBSE |
| Session | 2025-26 |
| Author/Source | A.K. Ramanujan (Kannada Folktale) |
| Genre | Folktale / Humour |
| Main Theme | Foolishness vs Wisdom |
| Moral | Foolish rule never lasts long |
Key Characters in the Story
These are the main characters in Class 9 English Chapter 4.
| Character | Role in Story |
|---|---|
| The King | Foolish ruler of the kingdom |
| The Minister | King’s equally foolish helper |
| The Guru | Wise teacher, saves the disciple |
| The Disciple | Greedy student, loves cheap food |
| The Merchant | House owner, accused of murder |
| The Bricklayer | Built the weak wall |
| The Dancing Girl | Distracted the bricklayer |
| The Goldsmith | Made the dancer walk up and down |
| The Thief | Broke into the merchant’s house, died |
Detailed Chapter Summary — Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes
[Image 2: in-the-kingdom-of-fools-class-9-summary.jpg | Alt: “Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes In the Kingdom of Fools Summary NCERT”]
Scene 1: The Foolish Kingdom
In the Kingdom of Fools, the king and minister were both stupid. They changed day and night. People had to work at night and sleep during the day. Anyone who disobeyed was killed.
People obeyed out of fear. The king was happy with his strange rules.
Scene 2: Guru and Disciple Arrive
One day, a guru and his disciple came to the city. It was daytime. But the city was completely empty. Everyone was asleep!
At night, the city suddenly came alive. Everyone started working. The shops opened. The guru and disciple were very surprised.
Scene 3: Everything Costs One Duddu
When the shops opened, the guru and disciple went shopping. They got a big shock. Everything cost the same — just one duddu (a small coin). Rice, bananas, wheat — all one duddu.
The disciple was very happy. He had never seen such cheap food!
Scene 4: Guru Warns the Disciple
The guru was worried. He knew this kingdom was run by fools. He told the disciple: “This is no place for us. Let us go.”
But the disciple refused. He wanted to stay and enjoy cheap food. The guru left alone. The disciple stayed back and grew fat eating bananas, ghee, rice, and wheat every day.
Scene 5: The Thief and the Wall
One day, a thief broke into a rich merchant’s house. He made a hole in the weak wall. The wall fell on him and killed him.
The thief’s brother went to the king. He said the merchant was responsible. The king agreed to give justice.
Scene 6: The Chain of Blame
This is the most important part of Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes. The blame kept passing from one person to another!
Step 1: Merchant is blamed — his wall fell on the thief.
Step 2: Merchant says — the bricklayer built the weak wall. Not me!
Step 3: Bricklayer says — a dancing girl distracted me. Not me!
Step 4: Dancing girl says — the goldsmith made me walk up and down. Not me!
Step 5: Goldsmith says — the rich merchant gave me urgent orders. Not me!
Step 6: The blame comes back to the same merchant! Justice goes full circle.
The king decided the merchant’s family must be punished. He ordered death by the stake.
Scene 7: The Disciple is Chosen for Execution
The merchant was too thin for the stake. The king looked for a fat man. The servants found the disciple — who had grown fat eating cheap food!
The disciple cried that he was innocent. But the king said: “It is the royal decree.”
Scene 8: The Guru Saves the Disciple
The disciple prayed to his guru. The guru had magic powers. He saw the future. He came rushing to save his student.
The guru whispered a clever plan to the disciple. Then he went to the king. He said: “Put me on the stake first. I am the guru. I am greater.”
The disciple also started shouting: “No! Put me first!”
The king was confused. Why would they fight to die first?
Scene 9: The Guru’s Clever Trick
The guru told the king a secret. He said: “This stake belongs to the god of justice. Whoever dies on it first will be reborn as the next king. The second will be the next minister. We want to be reborn as rulers!”
The king was greedy. He did not want to lose his kingdom. He decided he and his minister would secretly go on the stake themselves — so they would be reborn as king and minister again!
That night, the king and minister went to the prison. They released the guru and disciple. Then they disguised themselves and got executed in their place.
Scene 10: The Happy Ending
The people of the city were shocked to see the king and minister dead. They panicked. Someone thought of the guru and the disciple.
They begged the guru to become their new king. The disciple quickly agreed. The guru took longer. Finally both agreed — on one condition. They would change all the old foolish laws.
From that day: night was night, day was day, and prices were normal. The kingdom became like any other place.
Important Definitions and Key Terms
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Duddu | An old coin of very small value |
| Bailiff | A court officer who enforces court orders |
| Scrape | A difficult or dangerous situation |
| Sanyasi | A religious person who has given up worldly life |
| Disciple | A student or follower of a teacher (guru) |
| Stake | A pointed wooden post used for execution |
| Folktale | A traditional story passed down through generations |
| Ascetic | A person who lives simply, giving up pleasures |
Moral and Theme of the Story
What is the moral of In the Kingdom of Fools?
The moral is simple. Foolish rulers cause problems for everyone. Wise people know when to stay and when to leave.
Key themes in this chapter:
- Foolishness in power — The king and minister were idiots. Their rules caused chaos.
- Greed leads to trouble — The disciple stayed for cheap food. He almost got killed.
- Wisdom always wins — The guru used his brain. He saved himself and his student.
- Justice can be twisted — The king’s court was unfair. Blame passed like a game.
- Consequences of ignoring good advice — The disciple ignored the guru. He suffered.
Important Questions and Answers — Class 9 English Chapter 4
2-Mark Questions
Q1. What are the two strange things the guru and disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?
A. The first strange thing is that the king has reversed day and night. People work at night and sleep in the day. The second strange thing is that everything costs the same — just one duddu — no matter what you buy.
Q2. Why does the disciple stay in the Kingdom of Fools?
A. The disciple stays because food is very cheap. Everything costs one duddu. He loves eating bananas, ghee, rice, and wheat. He ignores the guru’s wise advice and stays for the cheap food.
Q3. What is a duddu?
A. A duddu is a very small old coin. In the Kingdom of Fools, everything — whether rice or bananas — costs just one duddu. This is one of the foolish rules of the king.
5-Mark Questions
Q4. Name all the people tried in the king’s court and give the reasons.
A. The king tried these people one by one:
- The merchant — his house wall fell on the thief and killed him.
- The bricklayer — he built the weak wall that fell.
- The dancing girl — she distracted the bricklayer with her anklets.
- The goldsmith — he made the dancer walk up and down all day.
- The merchant (again) — the goldsmith was delayed because of the merchant’s jewellery order.
The blame kept shifting until it came back to the same merchant. The king decided to punish the merchant’s son.
Q5. How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?
A. The guru arrives after seeing a vision. He tells the disciple a clever plan. Then he goes to the king and says the stake is magical — whoever dies on it first will be reborn as king.
The king becomes greedy. He does not want someone else to become king. So he goes on the stake himself at night, disguised as the guru. The minister goes next. Both are executed.
The guru and disciple are freed. The people then make them the new king and minister.
Q6. What are the guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?
A. The guru’s words of wisdom were: “This is a city of fools. You don’t know what they will do next.”
The disciple remembers these words when the king’s servants come to take him for execution. He had grown fat from cheap food. Now he was chosen for the stake. It was then he realised the guru was right.
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MCQs — In the Kingdom of Fools | Class 9 English Chapter 4
Test yourself with these 10 MCQs! All answers are given below.
Q1. Where does the story “In the Kingdom of Fools” come from? a) Hindi folktale b) Kannada folktale c) Bengali folktale d) Tamil folktale
✅ Answer: b) Kannada folktale
Q2. Who collected this folktale? a) R.K. Narayan b) Rabindranath Tagore c) A.K. Ramanujan d) Ruskin Bond
✅ Answer: c) A.K. Ramanujan
Q3. What is the punishment for disobeying the king’s orders? a) Jail b) Fine c) Death d) Exile
✅ Answer: c) Death
Q4. What does everything cost in the Kingdom of Fools? a) One rupee b) One paisa c) One duddu d) Nothing — it’s free
✅ Answer: c) One duddu
Q5. Why does the disciple grow fat? a) He exercises a lot b) He eats cheap food every day c) He drinks magic potions d) He works as a cook
✅ Answer: b) He eats cheap food every day
Q6. Who broke into the merchant’s house? a) The goldsmith b) The bricklayer c) A thief d) The disciple
✅ Answer: c) A thief
Q7. Why is the disciple chosen for execution? a) He stole from the market b) He killed the thief c) He was fat enough to fit the stake d) He disobeyed the king
✅ Answer: c) He was fat enough to fit the stake
Q8. What does the guru tell the king about the stake? a) The stake is cursed b) Whoever dies on it first becomes the next king c) The stake brings bad luck d) It is a holy object from God
✅ Answer: b) Whoever dies on it first becomes the next king
Q9. Who ultimately gets executed on the stake? a) The merchant and his son b) The guru and the disciple c) The king and his minister d) The goldsmith and the dancer
✅ Answer: c) The king and his minister
Q10. What condition does the guru put before becoming king? a) He will rule for only one year b) He wants all the gold in the kingdom c) He will change all the old foolish laws d) He wants the disciple to be minister
✅ Answer: c) He will change all the old foolish laws
Quick Revision Points — Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes
Read these 15 points the night before your exam. Super useful for last-minute prep!
- The king and minister are both foolish rulers.
- They reverse day and night in the kingdom.
- Everything costs one duddu — a very small coin.
- A guru and his disciple arrive in the city.
- The guru warns the disciple to leave. The disciple refuses.
- The disciple grows fat eating cheap food every day.
- A thief breaks in and dies when a wall falls on him.
- The blame shifts: Merchant → Bricklayer → Dancer → Goldsmith → back to Merchant.
- The king orders the merchant’s son to be executed.
- The merchant is too thin for the stake. They look for a fat man.
- The disciple is chosen because he is fat.
- The guru arrives after seeing a vision. He has magic powers.
- The guru tricks the king with a story about rebirth.
- The greedy king executes himself to be reborn as king.
- The guru and disciple become new king and minister. They change all the laws.
Previous Year Questions (PYQs) — Class 9 English Chapter 4
These questions have appeared in CBSE board exams and school exams. Practice them well for the 2025-26 session!
PYQ 1 (2019): Why did the guru want to leave the Kingdom of Fools?
Answer: The guru knew the kingdom was run by fools. He said their rules were dangerous and unpredictable. He warned the disciple that nobody can know what fools will do next.
PYQ 2 (2020): Describe the chain of blame in the king’s court.
Answer: The blame passed like a chain. The merchant blamed the bricklayer. The bricklayer blamed the dancing girl. The dancing girl blamed the goldsmith. The goldsmith blamed the merchant. The blame came full circle — back to the same merchant.
PYQ 3 (2022): What trick did the guru play to save his disciple?
Answer: The guru told the king that the stake was magical. The first person to die on it would be reborn as king. The greedy king wanted that for himself. So he disguised himself and got executed — setting the guru and disciple free.
PYQ 4 (2023): What does the story tell us about foolish rulers? Write in 3–4 sentences.
Answer: The story shows that foolish rulers make harmful laws. They punish innocent people. Their greed makes them easy to trick. In the end, wise people always replace foolish rulers. Good governance needs wisdom, not just power.
Featured Snippet Answer Block
What is the summary of In the Kingdom of Fools — Class 9 English?
In the Kingdom of Fools is a Kannada folktale from NCERT Class 9 English Moments. A foolish king reverses day and night. A greedy disciple stays for cheap food and is almost executed. His wise guru tricks the foolish king. The king executes himself thinking he will be reborn as king. The guru and disciple then become the wise new rulers.
People Also Ask — Class 9 English Chapter 4
Q1: What is the summary of In the Kingdom of Fools Class 9?
In the Kingdom of Fools is from Class 9 English Moments. A foolish king reverses day and night. A guru and disciple visit. The disciple stays for cheap food. When a thief dies, a chain of blame reaches the disciple. The guru tricks the king into executing himself. The guru and disciple become the new rulers and restore normal laws.
Q2: Who are the characters in In the Kingdom of Fools?
The main characters are the foolish King, his Minister, the wise Guru, the greedy Disciple, a Merchant, a Bricklayer, a Dancing Girl, and a Goldsmith. The thief dies at the start. The guru is the hero. The disciple learns an important lesson about greed.
Q3: What is the moral of In the Kingdom of Fools?
The moral is that foolishness in power leads to injustice. The greedy king makes absurd rules. His own greed causes his death. Wisdom always defeats foolishness in the end. Students should always listen to wise advice — just like the disciple should have listened to the guru from the start.
Q4: How does the guru save the disciple in In the Kingdom of Fools?
The guru tells the king a clever lie. He says the stake is magical and the first person to die on it will be reborn as king. The greedy king believes him. The king executes himself to keep his kingdom in the next life. The guru and disciple are freed. This is how wisdom defeats greed.
Q5: What are the two strange things in the Kingdom of Fools?
The two strange things are: First, the king has reversed day and night — people work at night and sleep in the day. Second, everything in the market costs the same one duddu — whether rice, bananas, or anything else. Both rules are foolish and unnatural.
FAQs — Class 9 English Chapter 4
FAQ 1: Is “In the Kingdom of Fools” a real folktale?
Yes! It is a real Kannada folktale. It was collected by scholar A.K. Ramanujan in his book Folk Tales from India. The story comes from Karnataka. It is a traditional story passed down through generations. It teaches important lessons about wisdom and foolishness through humour.
FAQ 2: Which book is Chapter 4 “In the Kingdom of Fools” from?
It is from the NCERT Moments supplementary reader for Class 9 English. The Moments book is part of your CBSE 2025-26 syllabus. It has short stories and folktales. This chapter is Chapter 4 in the Moments book.
FAQ 3: Why did the king and minister execute themselves?
The guru tricked them. He told them that whoever dies on the stake first would be reborn as king. The greedy king did not want to lose his kingdom in the next life. So he disguised himself and got executed. The minister followed. They were too foolish to see it was a trick.
FAQ 4: What is a “duddu” in the story?
A duddu is a very small old coin. In the Kingdom of Fools, every item — whether rice, bananas, or wheat — costs just one duddu. This seems great but it shows the kingdom has no proper economy. It is one of the foolish rules made by the king.
FAQ 5: Can I download free notes for Class 9 English Chapter 4?
Yes! You can download 100% free Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes from Nextoper.in. No signup required. All notes are based on the official NCERT textbook and CBSE syllabus 2025-26. The notes include summary, Q&A, MCQs, and quick revision points.
Conclusion
Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes on In the Kingdom of Fools are now complete. You have read the full summary, all characters, important questions, MCQs, PYQs, and quick revision points.
This story is simple but full of wisdom. It teaches you to listen to good advice. It shows that greed and foolishness always backfire. The guru’s clever thinking is the real hero of the story.
Remember this for your board exam 2025-26: The key lesson is — Wise rulers make good kingdoms. Foolish rulers destroy themselves.
Use these free Class 9 English Chapter 4 Notes to score full marks in your CBSE 2025-26 exam. You got this!
More Notes from This Subject
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- Class 9 English Chapter 2 Notes — The Adventures of Toto
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Author
This article is written by the Nextoper Editorial Team. We provide free CBSE study notes for Class 9 to 12 students. All our notes are based on the latest NCERT syllabus 2025-26.
Content Freshness Update Note
This blog was last reviewed and updated in June 2025 to match the latest NCERT and CBSE guidelines 2025-26.
Note: This chapter is included as per the CBSE syllabus 2025-26. All content has been verified against the official NCERT Moments textbook.
