2.3 The Value of Time
Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade Six English.
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About the chapter
This story is about a hard-working farmer and his lazy son, Bhikhu. The farmer tries to teach Bhikhu the value of time. He tells him about some gold hidden in a tree. Bhikhu delays, and a woodcutter finds the gold instead.
Key points
- Bhikhu wasted his time sleeping and gossiping.
- The farmer hid gold in the hollow of a barren tree.
- Bhikhu kept putting off going to bring the gold.
- The next day, a woodcutter cut the tree and found the gold.
- Bhikhu regretted his laziness.
- Message: money once spent can be got back, but time once lost is lost forever.
Words to remember
- barren – dry; not producing anything
- hollow – an empty space inside something
- twilight – the dim light just after sunset
- repentance – feeling sorry for a mistake
- precious – very valuable
Correct order: (iv) → (v) → (ii) → (i) → (iii)
The farmer hid gold in the hollow of a barren tree. He asked Bhikhu to go in the morning and bring it. But Bhikhu was lazy. He thought, “Where is the hurry? Nobody knows about the gold.” So he put it off for another day.
The next day, a poor woodcutter came there. He cut down the dry tree and found the bag of gold. He took it home. So Bhikhu lost the gold only because of his laziness.
The story teaches that time once lost never comes back. I can use this lesson in these ways:
- I will wake up early so that the whole day is useful.
- I will finish my homework on the same day.
- I will study a little every day before a test.
- I will not waste time on gossip, mobile phone or TV.
- I will make a daily timetable and follow it.
- (i) The woodcutter found the bag of gold in the tree. — Simple Past
- (ii) The farmer works hard in his field every day. — Simple Present
- (iii) The farmer called his son and gave him advice. — Simple Past
- (iv) Bhikhu spends his time sleeping and gossiping. — Simple Present
- (v) Bhikhu will learn the value of time one day. — Simple Future
- tone — note
- eat — tea (also: ate)
- net — ten
- top — pot (also: opt)
More verbs with their past tense forms:
go – went · eat – ate · see – saw · take – took · give – gave · come – came · buy – bought · write – wrote · speak – spoke · teach – taught · catch – caught · run – ran · sing – sang · sleep – slept
Make a list of activities you did / you will do:
This is a personal-response activity. Students should write about what they did yesterday, last month and last year, and what they will do tomorrow, next month and next year.
The Morning Bhikhu Did Not Sleep
That night, Bhikhu remembered his father’s words, “Time once lost is lost forever.” Early next morning, he got up and went to the barren tree. The bird had flown away. He pushed aside the dry leaves and found a heavy bag of gold.
He ran home and gave the bag to his father. The farmer smiled and said, “My son, today you have found something more precious than gold — the value of time.”
The way his life changed: Bhikhu stopped sleeping late and gossiping. He got up with the sun and worked in the field till twilight.
The lesson he learnt: He learnt that time once lost never returns. Work must be done at the right time.
The way he spent his wealth: He did not waste the gold. He bought good seeds and two strong bullocks. He dug a well for his field. He also helped poor farmers of his village.
This is an acting and presentation activity. Students should write and enact their own dialogue in class.
Characters students may use: the farmer, Bhikhu, the woodcutter and a narrator. The dialogue can be built around three scenes — the father’s advice, Bhikhu’s delay, and the woodcutter finding the gold.
This is a creative activity. Students should make their own puzzle.
Words from the lesson that may be used: twilight, horizon, breeze, barren, hollow, tempted, fortune, repentance, sermonising, laziness, woodcutter, precious.