Std-7 English Ch-4 The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom

 

Std-7 English Ch-4

The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom

1: Title Slide

Title: The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom

Subtitle: Class 7 English – Honeycomb (NCERT)

Image: Cherry blossoms / Old Japanese countryside

Your name, class, subject

 2: About the Author

The story is a Japanese folktale (not written by a single modern author).

Passed down through generations in Japan.

Retold in English in Japanese Fairy Tales by William Elliot Griffis.

Highlights:

Japanese culture

Values of honesty, kindness, and hard work

3: Main Characters

Old Man:

Kind, honest, hardworking rice farmer

Loves and cares for his pet dog like a child

Old Woman (his wife):

Gentle, caring, treats the dog with affection

The Dog (Muko):

Loyal, loving, helps his master find treasure

Spirit returns after death to guide the couple

Greedy Neighbours:

Cruel, jealous, and greedy

Mistreat the dog and suffer punishment

 4: Introduction of the Story

An old, childless couple had a pet dog named Muko.

They treated it like their own child.

The dog was loyal and followed the old man everywhere.

The couple was kind to animals and nature.

 5: Rising Action

One day, the dog guided the old man to a spot.

Digging there, the old man found treasure.

The greedy neighbors tried the same but found only dirt and foul things.

Out of jealousy, they killed the poor dog.

 6: Climax

The old man and woman were heartbroken.

The dog’s spirit appeared in dreams, guiding them:

To make a mortar from the dog’s remains → produced gold.

Later turned to ashes → had magical power to make cherry trees bloom.

7: Falling Action

The greedy neighbors tried to use the mortar and ashes.

Instead of gold, they got filth.

Instead of blooming trees, they withered.

As punishment, they were disgraced.

8: Visual Summary

Flowchart / Diagram:

Old couple → love dog → treasure → neighbors greedy → dog killed → dog spirit helps → ashes bloom trees → greedy punished.

✨Detailed Summary

This Japanese folk tale is about a kind old couple and their pet dog, contrasting their good-heartedness with the greed of their neighbors.

1. The Kind Old Couple and Their Dog

An old man and his wife lived in a village. They were childless but loved their pet dog, Muko, like their own child.

They were hardworking, honest, and kind to everyone.

One day, Muko started barking and guiding his master to a spot in the garden.

Trusting the dog, the old man dug there and found a treasure of gold and silver.

The couple became wealthy but remained humble and generous, sharing with neighbors.

2. The Greedy Neighbors

A mean and greedy old man and his wife lived nearby.

They borrowed the dog, hoping it would lead them to treasure.

But Muko only led them to a spot with foul-smelling dirt.

Angry, they beat the dog cruelly, and tragically, the poor dog died.

The kind couple was heartbroken but still loved the dog even in death. They buried him under a pine tree.

3. The Spirit of the Dog

One night, Muko’s spirit appeared in a dream to the kind old man.

The dog asked him to cut down the pine tree (over his grave) and make a mortar and pestle from its wood.

The old man obeyed, and soon, when he used the mortar, rice turned into gold coins and other precious things.

The greedy neighbors again borrowed it, but when they tried, all that came out was worms and foul things.

In anger, they broke the mortar and burnt it.

4. The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom

Once again, the dog’s spirit appeared to the kind old man in a dream.

The spirit told him to collect the ashes of the burnt mortar and sprinkle them on withered trees.

When he did, the dead trees bloomed beautifully with flowers.

The fame of the kind old man spread everywhere, and even the king heard about the miracle.

The king invited him to try it in his palace garden.

When the old man sprinkled the ashes, the cherry trees bloomed magnificently.

The king was so impressed that he rewarded the old man with riches and honor.

5. Punishment of the Greedy Neighbors

The greedy neighbor tried to copy this, pretending to scatter ashes on trees before the king.

But instead of blooming, the ashes blew into the king’s eyes.

Furious, the king punished the greedy man, and he was driven away in disgrace.

Moral of the Story

Kindness, honesty, and compassion always bring blessings.

Greed, cruelty, and dishonesty l

ead to downfall and punishment.

True wealth comes from good deeds, not from selfish desires.