The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse for 11 English, CBSE ( Summary, Detailed Explanation, Word-Meaning, NCERT Solution, Question-Answer)
The Summer Of the Beautiful White Horse
By William Saroyan
Introduction of “The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse”
The story "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse" by William Sullivan highlights two crucial things: sacrifice for the sake of the family's reputation and the miserable condition of the Armenian refugees.
There are two main characters in the story: one is Mourad, and another is Aram. Some other characters are Uncle Khosrove and John Byro.
About the author Of The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse
William Saroyan was an American writer of Armenian descent with a special talent for expressing the joys and hardships of daily life. He was born to parents who were immigrants from Armenia in Fresno, California. His upbringing and community greatly influenced his stories. Saroyan rose to fame after the publication of his collection of short stories, "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze," He received an Academy Award for creating the screenplay for the movie "The Human Comedy". Among his other compositions are "The Human Comedy" (1943), "My Name is Aram" (1940), and "The Time of Your Life" (1939).
The theme of “The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse”
The story "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse" by William Saroyan centres on the theme of innocence, family values, and moral dilemmas. It shows how the two boys, Aram and Mourad, take a horse for a ride without permission, even though their family is known for honesty and truthfulness. This creates a moral conflict for the boys, as they know what they’re doing is wrong, but are drawn to the thrill of the adventure.
The story captures childhood innocence, where right and wrong aren’t always clear, especially when emotions and desires are involved. Mourad’s carefree and adventurous personality clashes with the family’s deeply rooted commitment to honesty.
At its core, the story highlights the importance of family reputation and moral choices, while also showing how kids navigate these big ideas as they grow up. The horse and the summer symbolise a brief moment of joy and freedom. At the same time, they also serve as a lesson about responsibility and integrity.
Summary of “The Summer Of the Beautiful White Horse”
Aram and Mourad were two boys from the Garoghlanian family. The tribe was known for their honesty despite poverty. One morning, while Aram was still asleep, his cousin Mourad came with a beautiful white horse. At first, Aram thought he was dreaming. But soon, he realised the horse was real. Since their family didn’t have much money, Aram couldn’t believe the horse was theirs and wondered if Mourad had stolen it. In the meantime, Mourad asked Aram to join him for a ride.
Aram quickly got dressed, climbed out of the window, and jumped onto the horse behind Mourad. They rode through the countryside along Walnut Avenue. After a while, Mourad told Aram to get off because he wanted to ride the horse alone. Aram asked if he could try riding by himself too. Mourad was unsure and said they’d see, worrying about Aram’s safety. Soon, Aram found out that Mourad had taken the horse a month ago and had been riding it every morning.
When Aram finally got his turn to ride alone, things didn’t go as planned. The horse ran off towards a vineyard, threw him off, and disappeared. They spent about half an hour searching before Mourad found the horse again. They took it back to a hidden vineyard. Mourad said that he had expertise in handling animals. For two weeks, they rode the horse every morning and then hid it again.
One day, John Byro, an Assyrian farmer, came to Aram’s house in the presence of uncle Khosrove, who was impatient and irritable. Byro told Khosrove that his horse, which he had bought for sixty dollars, had been missing for a month. He further said that he had to walk ten miles to reach the town. But Khosrove, in his usual loud way, shouted, "It’s no harm, pay no attention to it!"
Aram went to Mourad’s house and told him about John Byro’s missing horse. He asked Mourad not to return the horse as he wanted to learn how to ride it. Mourad replied that it would take him a whole year to learn. He also reminded Aram of the family's reputation. Mourad finally agreed to keep the horse for another six months.
One day, while they were taking the horse back to its hiding spot, they ran into John Byro. He carefully looked at the horse and expressed that it resembled his missing one. Further, he added that he could not suspect them as he trusted their family’s honesty. Finally, he said that it would be the twin of his missing horse.
The next morning, Aram and Mourad quietly returned the horse to John Byro’s vineyard and left it in the barn. Later that day, Byro visited Aram’s house and told his mother that his horse had come back. He was surprised to see that the horse was healthier and more well-behaved. As usual, uncle Khosrove shouted and said his horse was back, so he should stop talking about it.
The story "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse" by William Sullivan highlights two crucial things: sacrifice for the sake of the family's reputation and the miserable condition of the Armenian refugees.
There are two main characters in the story: one is Mourad, and another is Aram. Some other characters are Uncle Khosrove and John Byro.
Word- Meaning (The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse)
Magnificence – exceptionally beautiful
Longings – strong desire
Garoghlanian – an Armenian tribe
Pious – showing deep belief in religious
Trot– to move faster
Descendant – offspring
Streak – thin line or mark
Enormous – huge
San Joaquin Valley – A valley in California
Capricious – changing behaviour
Vagrant – a wanderer/not constant
Vazire – my heart ( in Armenian)
Reared – stood on the back leg
Snorted – breathed out with a sound
Dawned – realised
Alfalfa – a grassy plant
Parlour – sitting room
Surrey – a small carriage with four wheels
Detailed Explanation and Extract-Based Questions and Their Answers ( Class 11, English, The Summer Of the Beautiful White Horse)
Text
One day back there in the good old days ………………….. I jumped out of bed and looked out of the window.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
The narrator's name is Aram. According to him, when he was quite young, around 9, his life was full of imagination. Everything seemed to be so beautiful.
It was early morning when his cousin Mourad arrived, and he started tapping on the window and calling his name. Mourad was considered to be crazy by everybody.
Q. Name the lesson and its author.
Ans. The name of the lesson is “The Summer of The Beautiful White Horse” and the author is William Saroyan.
Q. Who is the narrator in the story?
Ans. Aram is the narrator.
Q. How old was Aram?
Ans. 9 years old.
Q. Who was Mourad?
Ans. Mourad was Aram’s cousin.
Q. What was Mourad considered by others?
Ans. Crazy.
Q. How was the world when he was 9 years old?
Ans. The world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence.
Q. Who tapped Aram’s window?
Ans. It was Mourad.
Q. Why was Aram surprised?
Ans. It was because early in the morning somebody tapped his window. When he looked outside, he found his cousin Mourad sitting on the back of a horse. As a result, he was completely taken aback.
Text
It wasn’t morning yet, but it was summer …………………………………………………………
This was the wonderful part.
In the second place, we were poor
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
When Aram looked outside, he was thoroughly surprised to find his cousin Mourad sitting on the back of a horse. First, he thought that he might be dreaming.
So to confirm whether it was reality or a dream, he stuck out his head and rubbed his eyes. That very moment, he realised that he was not dreaming at all.
According to Aram, his cousin Mourad enjoyed his life in full. But still, he had not expected that he would ever be on the back of the horse.
According to Aram, since his early childhood, he had only one dream, and that was to ride a horse. This dream was unexpectedly going to be fulfilled as his cousin Mourad was inviting him to ride the horse. Moreover, the whole tribe was so poor that none of its members could afford a horse.
Q. What did Aram first think when he saw his cousin Mourad sitting on the back of the horse?
Ans. First of all, Aram thought that he was dreaming.
Q. How did Aram confirm whether he was dreaming or not?
Ans. Aram stuck his head out of the window and rubbed his eyes to confirm whether he was dreaming or, in reality, his cousin Mourad was sitting on the back of a horse.
Q. What had been the earliest memories of Aram?
Ans. His earliest memories were the memories of horses, and his earliest desire was to ride a horse.
Q. Why was Aram unable to believe when he saw his cousin Mourad sitting on the back of a horse?
Ans. First of all, they were poor and thus could not afford a horse. Moreover, his intense desire since his early childhood had been to ride a horse, and that was going to be fulfilled.
Text
We were poor. We had no money…………………………… None of us would take advantage of anybody in the world, let alone steal.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
In this paragraph, the narrator talks about what kind of life they were living. They belonged to the Garoglanian tribe, which was poverty-stricken. Nobody knew how they were going to fill their stomachs; even their elders did not know. But they had been famous for their honesty for centuries. They were honest first and proud also. They believed in right and wrong and could not take advantage of anybody's bad situation. Nobody could believe that a member of the tribe could be a thief.
Q. For what was the Garoghlanian tribe famous?
Ans. The Garoghlanian tribe was famous for honesty and truthfulness.
Q. How does the author describe the Garoghlanian tribe?
Ans. According to the author, for 11 centuries the Garoghlanian tribe had been famous for their honesty. What to talk about stealing, they could not even take undue advantage of anybody’s difficult situation. But they were poverty-stricken.
Q. Which tribe did Mourad and Aram belong to?
Ans. The Garoghlanian tribe.
Q. How was the past of the Garoghlanian tribe?
Ans. For 11 centuries, the Garoghlanian tribe had been famous for their honesty. What to talk about stealing they could not even take undue advantage of anybody’s difficult situation.
Text
Consequently, even though I could see the horse, so magnificent; …………………….. . There was a pious stillness and humour in each of them which on the one hand delighted me and on the other frightened me.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
According to Aram, he could see the horse, smell the horse, and even hear it breathing. But still, he could not believe that the horse had to do anything with him, his cousin Mourad or any of the members of the Garoglanian tribe. Their condition was not such that they could purchase a horse.
Aram thought if Mourad had not purchased the horse, he might have stolen it. He could not believe that he had stolen because no member of the Garoghlanian tribe could be a thief.
Aaram was confused and began to stare at Mourad as well as the horse. There was a kind of pious stillness in the eyes of both Mourad and the horse. He was feeling both delighted and frightened. He was delighted because he had been invited to ride the horse. On the other hand, he was frightened to think that Mourad had stolen the horse.
Q. Why was Aram unable to believe that Mourad had purchased the horse?
Ans. Mourad belonged to the Garoghlanian tribe, which was poverty-stricken. No member of the tribe could afford a horse.
Q. Why did Aram think the horse had not been stolen by Mourad?
Ans. The Garoghlanian tribe was famous for its honesty. Nobody could even think that any number of the Garoghlanian tribe could steal anything.
Q. Why did Aram feel both delighted and frightened?
Ans. He had an opportunity to ride the horse; this made him delighted. On the other hand, he was frightened to think that Mourad had stolen the horse.
Text
Mourad, I said, where did you steal this horse?.............................................................................
I jumped down to the yard from the window and leaped up onto the horse behind my cousin Mourad.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
As Aram doubted that Mourad had stolen the horse, he asked where he had stolen it. Instead of giving a reply, Mourad asked Aram if he wanted to ride, he should come quickly.
At this point, it was quite clear to Aram that he had stolen the horse and he had come to invite him to ride.
Aram started thinking that there was a kind of difference between stealing a horse for riding and stealing something else like money. Aram thought Mourad had stolen the horse just for riding and that he would never sell the horse, and thus it was not a case of stealing. Therefore, he told Mourad to wait and very quickly put on clothes and jumped out.
Q. What was Mourad’s reply when Aram asked him where he had stolen the horse?
Ans. Mourad, instead of giving a straightforward reply, asked Aram if he wanted to ride the horse, he should come immediately.
Q. How did Aram justify the stealing of the horse by Mourad?
Ans. Aram thought there was a difference between stealing something like money and stealing a horse for a ride. He was sure that neither Mourad nor he would ever sell the horse. Thus, it was not stealing at all.
Text
That year we lived at the edge of town, on Walnut Avenue. ……………………………… the craziest members of our family began to sing. I mean, he began to roar.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
According to Aram, in those days they were living on Walnut Avenue. Just behind their houses, there was the countryside with vineyards, orchards, irrigation ditches, etc.
In less than 3 minutes, they were able to reach Olive Avenue, and the horse started trotting. According to Aram, when the horse started running, he felt so delighted and excited. The air seemed to be new to him. It was wonderful to sit on the back of the horse. When they came out of the population, Mourad began to sing. According to Aram, by no means it was singing, but roaring. It clearly shows that Mourad was a crazy fellow.
Q. Where did Mourad and Aram live in those days?
Ans. They lived at the edge of the town on Walnut Avenue.
Q. What was behind their houses?
Ans. According to Aram, just behind their houses, there was countryside with vineyards, orchards, irrigation ditches, etc.
Q. How did Aram feel when the horse started trotting?
Ans. Aram seemed to be so delighted and excited. The air seemed to be fresh and lovely.
Q. What did Mourad do when they came out of the population?
Ans. After coming out of the population, Mourad began to sing while riding the horse.
Text
Every family has a crazy streak in it somewhere, ………………………….So Khosrove roared, Enough, it is no harm, I say.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
According to the narrator, in every family, there is a crazy streak. In Aram’s generation, it was Mourad.
In the previous generation, Uncle Khosrove was thought to be crazy. He was a huge man with a powerful head, black hair, and the largest moustache in the San Joaquin Valley. He was irritable and impatient. He did not allow anyone to speak. He used to stop anybody, saying, “It is no harm: pay no attention to it”.
One day Uncle Khosrove was getting his moustaches trimmed at a barber’s shop. His son Arak came and informed him that their house was on fire. Uncle Khosrove did not listen at all and said, “It is no harm pay no attention to it”.
The barber then tried to make him realise the seriousness of the situation and said the boy was saying his house was on fire. But again, Uncle Khosrove said, “It is no harm”.
Q. Who was considered crazy in Aram’s generation?
Ans. Mourad, who was Aram’s cousin, was considered crazy in his generation.
Q. Whose natural descendant was Mourad?
Ans. Mourad was considered to be the natural descendant of uncle Khosrove.
Q. Describe the physical appearance of uncle Khosrove.
Ans. Uncle Khosrove was a huge man with a powerful head, black hair, and the largest moustache in the San Joaquin Valley.
Q. What kind of person was uncle Khosrove?
Ans. Uncle Khosrove was quite an irritable, furious, and impatient person. He did not allow anyone to speak in front of him. He stopped anybody, saying, “It is no harm pay no attention to it” whatever the situation was.
Q. What were uncle Khosrove's pet words?
Ans. His pet words were “It is no harm pay no attention to it”.
Q. Who was Arak?
Ans. Arak was uncle Khosrove’s son.
Q. What did Arak inform uncle Khosrove?
Ans. Arak informed uncle Khosrove that their house was on fire.
Q. How was uncle Khosrove's reaction when his son informed him that their house was on fire?
Ans. Uncle Khosrove got irritated and said, “It is no harm pay no attention to it”. He also did not listen to the barber.
Text
My cousin Mourad was considered the natural descendant …………………………………….The distribution of the various kinds of spirit of our tribe had been from the beginning capricious and vagrant.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
According to Aram, his cousin Mourad was considered to be the natural descendant of uncle Khosrove. Mourad’s father, Zorab, was a quite sensible and practical person. But in his family, the distribution of various types of spirits had been inconstant and unsettled. The son might look like his father, but it was not necessary that he would have the same qualities as his father.
Q. Who was Zorab?
Ans. Zorab was Mourad’s father.
Q. What kind of person was Mourad’s father, Zorab?
Ans. Mourad’s father was quite sensible and practical.
Q. What does Aram say about the distribution of spirit in his tribe?
Ans. According to Aram, the distribution of spirit had been unsettled and inconstant in his tribe.
Text
We rode and my cousin Mourad sang. For all anybody knew we were still in the old country where, at least according to …………………………………………………………………………………………..
It took him half an hour to find the horse and bring him back
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
Both Mourad and Aram went far away from the population, and then Mourad asked Aram to get down, saying he wanted to ride alone. Aram insisted that he should also be allowed to ride the horse alone. Mourad was hesitant to think about Aram’s safety. Aram did not move from his demand. Then Mourad said they would see and asked him to get down. Aram got down, but again he reminded Mourad that he must be allowed to ride alone.
After Aram got down from the horse, Mourad kicked the horse with his heels and shouted ‘Vazire’. Thereafter, the horse stood on its back legs and then started running. After almost 5 minutes, Mourad arrived, and he was dripping wet.
After that, Mourad got down and allowed Aram to ride alone. Aram quickly jumped on the horse's back, but he did not know how to start. Then it was Mourad who instructed Aram to kick the horse with his heels, and then the latter did it.
Once again, the horse stood on its back legs, snorted, and then started running. As Aram was inexperienced, he did not know how to control the horse. Consequently, the horse started going in some other direction. It reached the vineyard and began to jump over the vines. As a result, Aram fell to the ground.
Then his cousin Mourad came and asked Aram to go in one direction and try to find the horse as early as possible. He also instructed Aram that if he found the horse, he must inform him immediately. Almost half an hour later, Mourad was able to find the horse.
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Q. Why did Mourad ask Aram to get down from the horse?
Ans. As Mourad wanted to ride the horse alone, he asked Aram to get down.
Q. What did Aram demand?
Ans. Aram asked Mourad to allow him to ride the horse alone.
Q. How did Mourad address the horse?
Ans. Mourad called it ‘Vazire’.
Q. What did Mourad do to make the horse run very fast?
Ans. Mourad kicked the horse with his heels and shouted, ‘Vazire’. As a result, the horse started running fast.
Q. Who refers to ‘I’ in these lines?
Ans. ‘I’ refers to Aram.
Q. What happened when it was Aram’s turn to ride the horse?
Ans. When it was Aram’s turn, he did not have the least idea about controlling the horse. As per the instructions given by Mourad, he kicked the horse, and then it stood on its back legs, snorted, and finally started running. The horse went out of control and jumped over the vine, and as a result, Aram fell.
Q. What did Mourad remark when Aram fell to the ground?
Ans. Mourad went there running and remarked that he was not worried about him (Aram). Instead, he was worried about the horse thus he wanted it to get back immediately.
Text
All right, he said, jump on. The whole world is awake now. What will we do? I said……………
He walked the horse quietly to the barn of a deserted vineyard which at one time had been the pride of a farmer named Fetvajian. There were some oats and dry alfalfa in the barn.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
When the horse was found after half an hour Mourad asked Aram to hurry because people would get up and they might be caught.
Aram asked Mourad what they would do with the horse. Mourad replied saying either they would return or hide it. Mourad did not appear to be least worried. Therefore, he asked Mourad where the horse would be hidden. In reply, he said that he knew a place. They hid the horse in the barn of the deserted vineyard.
Suddenly Aram realised that Mourad had been riding the horse for a long time. Therefore he asked since when he had been riding the horse. In reply, Mourad said from that day only. Then he explained if they were caught they would have to say the same. Both of them would say that it was their first day to ride or they would be called liars.
Q. What was Mourad’s plan about the horse?
Ans. In fact, Mourad had no intention to return the horse. He wanted to hide it.
Q. What did Mourad ask Aram to say if both of them were caught?
Ans. Mourad instructed Aram to tell others that it was their first day to ride the horse in case they were caught.
Q. Where did Mourad hide the horse?
Ans. Mourad hid the horse in the barn of a deserted vineyard of a farmer named Fetvajian.
Text
We began walking home. It wasn’t easy, he said, to get the horse to behave so nicely…………………………………………………………….He got up and stalked out of the house, slamming the screen door.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
While they were returning after hiding the horse, Mourad said that in the beginning the horse was not behaving nicely and it was quite difficult for him to control it. As he had a kind of understanding with the horse, he could control it easily. Listening to him, Aram wished he would also have such type of understanding.
The same afternoon uncle Khosrove came to his house for coffee and cigarettes. In the meanwhile another visitor named John Byro, an Assyrian, arrived. His mother offered John Byro coffee and tobacco to smoke.
John Bbyro informed that his missing horse had not been found. In his usual style, uncle said,” It is no harm: pay no attention to it. Further, he added that all of them had lost their homeland and John Byro was crying over the loss of a horse
Listening to this, John Byro said that it might be simple for a person living in the city, but it was quite difficult for him. He also added that his surrey had become useless. John Byro also said that he had to walk ten miles to reach the town and that his left leg had some pain. Moreover, John Byrosaid that he had paid sixty dollars for the horse. Listening to this, once again uncle Khosrove got irritated and said that he would spit on the money and then went out slamming the door.
Q. What did Mourad say about how the horse behaved at first?
Ans. Mourad said the horse was difficult and didn’t behave well initially, making it hard for him to control.
Q. How did Mourad eventually manage to handle the horse?
Ans. Mourad told Aram that he had developed an understanding with the horse which helped him control it easily.
Q. What did Aram wish after hearing Mourad talk about the horse?
Ans. Aram wished he would have the same kind of understanding with the horse.
Q. Who came to visit Aram’s house that afternoon?
Ans. Uncle Khosrove came over first, and then John Byro, who was an Assyrian, also arrived.
Q. What news did John Byro share with the family?
Ans. John Byro mentioned that his missing horse still hadn’t been found.
Q. How did Uncle Khosrove react to John Byro’s complaint about the lost horse?
Ans. Uncle Khosrove wasn’t concerned at all. He said, "It’s no big deal, don’t worry about it," and acted like it wasn’t important.
Q. Why was John Byro so upset about losing the horse?
Ans. John Byro was upset because, without the horse, his surrey was useless. He had to walk ten miles to town, his leg hurt, and he had spent sixty dollars on the horse.
Q. What did Uncle Khosrove say when John Byro mentioned the money he spent?
Ans. Uncle Khosrove got annoyed and said, “I spit on the money,” before storming out angrily and slamming the door.
Text
The farmer went away and I ran over to my cousin Mourad’s house. …………………
When? I said.
In six months at the latest, he said.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
After the departure of John Byro Aram went to meet Mourad. he found Mourad sitting under the tree and trying to repair the damaged wings of a robin. Actually, the robin was injured and he was trying to make it fly and finally, he was successful also. This highlights that Mourad had sympathy and kindness towards birds and animals.
Aram informed Mourad that John Byro had arrived and wanted his horse back. Then he asked Mourad not to return the horse until he did not know how to ride a horse. Listening to this, Mourad said that it would take him at least one year to learn horse riding. In reply, Aram said that they would keep the horse for one year. This made Mourad almost jump in surprise. He said that they could not keep the horse for one year for the sake of the reputation of the tribe. Finally, they decided to keep the horse for six months.
Q. Why did Aram rush to Mourad’s house?
Ans Aram went to Mourad’s house to inform him that John Byro wanted his horse and also to take a promise from him not to return the horse till he knew how to ride a horse.
Q. What did Aram find Mourad doing when he reached his place?
Ans. Aram found Mmourad trying to repair the damaged wings of a robin and to make it fly.
Q. Where was Mourad sitting?
Ans. Mourad was sitting under the peach tree?
Q. What does this extract or part show about the character of Mourad?
Ans. Mourad was kind-hearted and loved birds and animals. He was also concerned about the reputation of his family. That's why he said that they could not keep the horse for one year as it would be stealing.
Text
Early every morning for two weeks my cousin Mourad and I took the horse out of the barn of the deserted vineyard where we were hiding it and rode it,............................... Yet the horse is the twin of my horse. A suspicious man would believe his eyes instead of his heart. Good day, my young friends.
Good day, John Byro, my cousin Mourad said
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
Every morning both Mourad and Aram went horse riding and when it was Aram’s turn to ride the horse it ran wild and he fell. But still, he was hopeful that with time everything would be all right and he would learn horse riding
One day while they were returning after riding the horse, they came across John Byro. Mourad instructed Aram saying that he would have a conversation with John Byro and added that he had a way with the farmers. Very confidently, Mourad wished John Byro. John Byro also wished them back saying “Good morning son of my friends”. Then John Byro asked them what the name of the horse was. Mourad said that the name of his horse was “my heart”.
John Byro looked at the horse and remarked that the horse was looking like the one he had lost a month ago.
John Byro asked Mourad and Aram if he could examine the horse. After examining the horse, John Byro said “tooth for tooth”. It means everything was the same as his lost horse.
John Byro further said that he could not suspect them because of their family reputation He concluded by saying that the horse might be the twin of his lost horse.
John Byro said, “A suspicious man would believe his eyes instead of heart”. Here, he wanted to say that although the horse was just like his lost horse, he could not suspect them because of their family reputation.
Q. Who did Mouradand Aram encounter while they were returning after the horse ride?
Ans. They ran into John Byro.
Q. How did Mourad face John Byro, the owner of the White Horse which they had been riding?
Ans. Mourad faced John Byro confidently. Even he wished him and when John Byro asked what the name of his horse was, he said that it was “my heart”.
Q. What did John Byro remark after looking at the horse?
Ans. John Byro said that the horse looked the same as the one he had lost a month ago.
Q. What did John Byro remark after examining the horse?
Ans. After examining the horse John Byro said that there was no difference between the horse he had lost and the horse that Mourad and Aram had in their possession. But he could not suspect them because of their family reputation.
Text
Early the following morning we took the horse to John Byro’s vineyard and put it in the barn. The dogs followed us around without making a sound. …………………………..
My cousin Mourad put his arms around the horse, pressed his nose into the horse’s nose, patted it, and then we went away.
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
The words of John Byro made the two boys realise that they were disreputing their tribe. As a result, they decided to return the horse.
The following morning they went to the vineyard of John Byro to return the horse. On the way, Aram was a bit afraid to see the dogs thinking they would start barking. But Mourad was not worried. He said they would not bark at him because he had a way with the dogs and really the dogs did not bark at them. Just before leaving the horse in the vineyard, he patted the horse and even put his nose on the nose of the horse.
Q. Why did Mourad and Aram return the horse?
Ans. The words of John Byro affected Mourad and Aram deeply. They realised that they were putting the reputation of the family in danger. Therefore, they decided to return the horse.
Q. What happened when Mourad Aram were going to return the horse?
Ans. A few dogs started following Mourad and Aram, but they did not bark. It clearly shows that Mourad really had an understanding with dogs.
Q. How did Mourad give farewell to the horse?
Ans. Just before leaving the horse in the vineyard, he patted the horse and even put his nose on the nose of the horse.
Text
That afternoon John Byro came to our house in his surrey and showed my mother the horse ……………………………..Your horse has been returned. Pay no attention to it.
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| Surrey |
Explanation of the above text and Question-Answer
That afternoon John Byro arrived in his surrey and told that the horse which he had lost last month was found. Further, he added that the horse appeared to be stronger as well as better behaved. When uncle Khosrove listened to it, he once again said your horse has been returned. Pay no attention to it”
Q. What did John Byro say about his horse?
Ans. John Byro said that he had got his lost horse back. Moreover, he said that it was looking stronger as well as better behaved.
Q. How did uncle Khosrove react when John Byro informed him that he had got his horse back, and then started talking about it?
Ans. His reply was as usual. He asked John Byro to be quiet saying he had got his horse. And then he retreated his pet words “Pay no attention to it”.
NCERT Solution of The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse
Q. You will probably agree that this story does not have breathless adventure and exciting action. Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?
The story, "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse" does not offer any thrilling adventure or exciting action. However, it tells a heart-touching story about two Armenian boys, Aram and Mourad, who are crazy for riding horses. Mourad’s desire to ride leads him to steal a beautiful white horse. On the other hand, Aram justifies the stealing of the horse thinking that it is different from stealing something to sell for money. Both Aram and Mourad start riding the horse for some time and enjoy it. But they never forget the values like honesty and trust, which have been the identity of his tribe. That's why, in the end, they uphold their family’s honour by returning the horse to its owner.
William Saroyan tells this story simply and engagingly. The writing is clear, and the pace is slow yet natural, which keeps the reader interested from the beginning to the end. Although there are no dramatic twists in the story, the narrator captures the innocence and adventurous spirit of childhood beautifully.
Q. Did the boys return the horse because they were conscience-stricken or because they were afraid?
The action of Aram and Mourad to give the horse back to its rightful owner, John Byro brings up two important questions, if they were conscience-stricken or they were simply afraid? The answer is straightforward—they were driven by guilt. Both belonged to the Garoghlanian family, a family known for its honesty and truthfulness despite poverty. No one from their tribe had ever been accused of dishonesty. Aram and Mourad were not willing to break that proud tradition. They had to protect the good name and honour of the Garoghlanians. So, they overpowered their childish desire and decided to return the horse. Indeed, they had the fear of being caught and called thieves. Thus, they had the fear of bringing shame to their tribe through their actions.
Initially, Aram justified the Mourad's action of stealing. He felt that taking a horse for riding or fun wasn’t the same as stealing it to sell for money. However, their sense of guilt for taking someone else’s horse continued to be in their mind. In the end, it was this guilt that impelled them to return the horse to John Byro.
Q. One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream...” The story begins in a mood of nostalgia. Can you narrate some incident from your childhood that might make an interesting story?
One day, back in the days when everything felt full of wonder, I found myself standing at the edge of the woods behind my grandmother’s house. Those woods felt like my own little world, where every tree and hidden path promised adventure. My cousin had once mentioned a giant tree deep in the forest, one with a hollow at its base, large enough for a child to crawl into. He swore that if you whispered a wish inside, it would come true.
One summer afternoon we set out to locate the tree. We went deeper into the forest than we had ever gone before. We passed through the tall trees hopping over roots, and crushing the dry leaves. The forest seemed to come to life as we descended farther—we could hear birds chirping overhead, leaves moving, and the blowing of the gentle breeze.
Eventually, we found the tree. It was far bigger than I had anticipated. Its bark was thick and rough. I was sitting near the deep, dark, hollow area in the trunk of the tree. I stood and listened to the silence for a moment. It amazed me.
I made a simple wish— to enjoy more days like this one, where the sun was warm on my face, the air was filled with possibilities, and everything felt alive. We didn’t find any treasure or magic in that tree. However, there was something about the moment that I could never forget.
As I grew older, I realised that in its way, my wish had come true. Some of my most treasured memories are from those carefree and amazing days spent in the forest. When life feels overwhelming even now, I remember those afternoons when everything looked magical and the world appeared wonderful. Perhaps that is the real magic that I had been wishing for.
Q. The story revolves around characters who belong to a tribe in Armenia. Mourad and Aram are members of the Garoghlanian family. Now locate Armenia and Assyria on the atlas and prepare a write-up on the Garoghlanian tribes. You may write about people, their names, traits, and geographical and economic features as suggested in the story.
Ans. The Garoghlanian family belonged to an Armenian tribe that, centuries ago, was one of the wealthiest in their region. But now, every branch of the family lived in what could only be described as comical poverty. Despite their lack of money, no one could quite figure out how they managed to keep themselves fed. However, their honesty remained intact despite poverty and deprivation.
For generations, honesty had been their trait. They took pride in their family’s name and valued doing what was right above all else. No Garoghlanian would ever think of stealing or taking advantage of anyone. Their elders often talked about the loss of their homeland. The tribe had moved from place to place over the years. They cherished the countryside, especially the vineyards, orchards, and groves of olives and walnuts that surrounded them.
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