Wisdom Paves the Way – Class 8 English Poorvi Question Answer (NCERT 2026–27)

Complete solutions for Class 8 English Poorvi Unit 1 (Wit and Wisdom) – “Wisdom Paves the Way”, a two-scene play set in Ujjain: summary, theme, character list, word meanings and every textbook exercise (Let us discuss, think and reflect, learn) answered in full text. We keep the questions exactly as in the NCERT book, and write out every match, order-of-events and fill-in activity as readable text.

Class: 8 Subject: English Book: Poorvi Unit: 1 – Wit and Wisdom Piece: Play (Chapter 2) Session: 2026–27
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About the chapter

“Wisdom Paves the Way” is a short play (drama) in two scenes, part of Unit 1 ‘Wit and Wisdom’ of the Class 8 English textbook Poorvi. It tells the story of four young men – Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt and Dev Datt – travelling to Ujjain in search of work. On the way they read a camel’s tracks so closely that they describe an animal they have never seen. When a merchant who has lost his camel accuses them of theft, the King of Ujjain tests their reasoning, recognises their wisdom and appoints all four as his advisers. The play celebrates careful observation, logical deduction and the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Characters

As listed in the play’s opening:

  • The King of Ujjain – a young King.
  • Four Young Men – Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt and Dev Datt.
  • The Merchant – owner of the lost camel.
  • Two Sentries – palace guards.

Setting: A road leading to Ujjain (Scene I), then the King’s court adorned with rich tapestries, tall pillars and regal decor (Scene II). The time is midday.

Summary

Four friends – Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt and Dev Datt – have left their village and travelled for ten days, hoping to find work fit for all four of them. They dream of an audience with the King of Ujjain, certain that he will recognise their talents. As they walk the dusty road, Ram Datt spots fresh camel tracks. The four observe the trail closely, each noticing a different, peculiar detail about the animal.

Soon a distressed merchant rushes up, searching for his lost camel. Without ever having seen it, Ram Datt says it is lame in one leg, Shiv Datt says it is blind in the right eye, Har Datt says it has a short tail, and Dev Datt says it has been suffering from stomach pain. The astonished merchant assumes they must have stolen the camel and drags them before the King.

In the King’s court the merchant repeats his accusation. The King questions each young man in turn. Ram Datt explains the limp from the faint fourth footprint; Shiv Datt explains the blindness from leaves eaten only on the left side of the road; Har Datt explains the short tail from blood-spots of mosquito bites the animal could not swat away; and Dev Datt explains the belly-pain from the unevenly drawn-up hind legs. The King realises these are men of true wisdom, not thieves. He dismisses the merchant’s baseless charge, advising him to be careful whom he accuses, and offers the four men the honour of becoming his advisers. They accept gratefully, and the court erupts in applause – their journey rewarded in a way they had never imagined.

Summary in Hindi (सार)

“Wisdom Paves the Way” एक दो दृश्यों वाला नाटक (नाटिका) है। राम दत्त, शिव दत्त, हर दत्त और देव दत्त – ये चार युवक काम की तलाश में उज्जैन की ओर जा रहे हैं। रास्ते में वे ऊंट के ताज़े पदचिह्न देखते हैं और ध्यान से उसके बारे में कई बातें पता लगा लेते हैं – बिना ऊंट को देखे। तभी एक व्याकुल व्यापारी आता है जिसका ऊंट खो गया है। चारों की सटीक भविष्यवाणियां सुनकर व्यापारी उन्हें चोर समझकर राजा के दरबार ले जाता है। राजा हर युवक से प्रश्न पूछता है और उनके तर्कसंगत उत्तरों से प्रभावित होकर समझ जाता है कि ये चोर नहीं, बल्कि बुद्धिमान लोग हैं। वह व्यापारी को मुक्त कर देता है और चारों को अपना सलाहकार (अभिशासक) बना लेता है। कहानी सिखाती है कि सच्ची बुद्धि और सूक्ष्म निरीक्षण मुश्किल समस्याओं का हल निकाल सकते हैं।

Theme & message

The play’s central message is that true wisdom lies in careful observation and logical reasoning, not merely in knowing facts. The four young men “see beyond the obvious”: from ordinary tracks and tiny clues they reconstruct the whole truth about the camel. The play also teaches us not to jump to conclusions or accuse people without proof (as the merchant wrongly does), and that a wise ruler judges by evidence and reason. As the title says, it is wisdom – not luck or force – that ‘paves the way’ to success.

Word meanings

WordMeaning
adornedbeautified, decorated
tapestriesheavy decorative woven fabrics
resolutedetermined
bustlingbusy and lively
eludesis difficult to obtain
devise(here) to think of, to plan
deliberateto think carefully
scrutiniseto look carefully at
in hastein a hurry
pursued(here) chased
countenancefacial expression
distressedworried, troubled
astrayaway from the correct path
indignantangry (at unfair treatment)
yonderover there
grievancecomplaint
accusationsclaims that someone has done wrong
deduceto determine by reasoning
discernto see or notice something
insighta clear, deep understanding
flawlessperfect, without faults
chastenedfelt sorry, humbled
counseladvice
beaconguiding light

Before you read

I. Why do we seek advice of the elderly in our family?

ANSWERWe seek the advice of elders because they have years of experience and have faced many situations in life. Their wisdom helps us avoid mistakes, take better decisions and look at problems calmly from different points of view. (Share your own thoughts in class.)

II. Classify each situation as ‘knowledge’ or ‘wisdom’.

ANSWER
KnowledgeWisdom
1. Riya’s understanding of plant care (a learnt skill).2. Mr. Kumar values time with family over wealth.
3. Karuna’s expertise in computer programming.4. Rohan understood the value of time management.
6. Ms. Vaijayanthi delivered a lecture on Classical music.5. Ramesh chose to forgive his friend.
Reason: 1, 3 and 6 show knowledge (facts/skills learnt), while 2, 4 and 5 show wisdom (using good judgement in life).

III. Observe the picture. What do you think might have happened?

ANSWER(Sample) The picture suggests travellers studying the ground or tracks on a road. It looks as if they have noticed clues left by an animal and are reasoning about what passed that way – hinting at the camel mystery of the play. (Describe what you see in your own words.)

Let us discuss (Scene I)

I. Complete the following sentences with suitable reasons. (Example 1 done in the book.)

ANSWER2. Dev Datt said they ought to be united and press on towards Ujjain because only by staying together and hopeful could the four friends gain an audience with the King and find work suited to all of them.3. Har Datt said a camel had passed because he noticed fresh tracks on the road and realised, from their freshness, that the animal had gone that way only a short while before.4. Shiv Datt said the merchant looked as if pursued by trouble because the man was running breathlessly with an anxious, worried expression on his face.5. The merchant said the men must be healers because they described his camel’s exact ailments – including its two-week stomach pain – without ever having seen the animal, which amazed him.6. Dev Datt told the merchant he was free to do as he wished because the four men were innocent and confident; they had nothing to hide and were willing to face the King to clear their names.

Let us discuss (Scene II)

I. Arrange the following events in order of their occurrence from Scene II of the play. (Example: item 1 = the 8th/last event.)

ANSWER – correct order8 → 3 → 2 → 5 → 7 → 6 → 4 → 1i.e. (8) The merchant accuses the four men → (3) The King asks the merchant to state his accusation clearly → (2) Ram Datt explains the camel is lame → (5) Shiv Datt reveals it is blind in its right eye → (7) Har Datt clarifies the short tail → (6) Dev Datt explains the camel’s belly-pain and careful movement → (4) The King praises the men and dismisses the merchant’s accusation → (1) The King makes the four young men his advisers.

Let us think and reflect

I.1. Extract – “Ten days are but a short span… We need to devise a strategy.”

ANSWER(i) The false statement is A. Dev Datt believes that finding employment is an easy task. Rectified: Dev Datt believes finding employment may take time and many more roads to wander – it is not easy.(ii) Ram Datt’s confidence shows that he is optimistic, self-assured and trusts in his own and his friends’ abilities; he believes their talents are worth recognising.(iii) B. moving forward with determination.(iv) C. He is cautious and thoughtful, preferring to plan ahead.

I.2. Extract – “You have demonstrated remarkable intelligence… it is an honour we had not dared to dream of.”

ANSWER(i) B. Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A). (The merchant felt ashamed because his accusation was proved baseless, not because the King appointed the men as advisers.)(ii) C. notice details that others might overlook.(iii) Ram Datt called it ‘an honour we had not dared to dream of’ because they were ordinary, jobless travellers who had only hoped for any work – being made the King’s advisers was far beyond their wildest expectations.(iv) The King’s offer shows that he is fair, wise and merit-respecting – he values intelligence and sound reasoning over wealth or rank, and rewards true ability in his kingdom.

II. Answer the following questions.

ANSWER1. The dusty road, travelled for ten days under a high midday sun, shows that the young men’s journey was long, tiring and uncertain – they were travel-worn yet resolute, facing hardship in their search for work.2. The merchant grew suspicious because the four men knew every detail of his missing camel yet claimed never to have seen it; he assumed they must be the thieves. This shows he was hasty, distrustful and quick to accuse without proof.3. Their observations are the turning point: what first makes the merchant accuse them of theft is later, before the King, shown to be brilliant deduction. The same details that seemed to prove guilt end up proving their innocence and wisdom.4. The King believed the four men because each gave a clear, logical reason for his observation (the faint footprint, leaves eaten on one side, blood from mosquito bites, unevenly drawn-up hind legs). Their flawless reasoning proved they had deduced, not stolen.5. Their sharp observation, careful reasoning and ability to ‘see beyond the obvious’ are exactly the qualities a ruler needs in counsellors – such minds can guide wise decisions, so the King found them fit to be his advisers.6. The merchant feels ashamed because he had publicly accused innocent men of stealing, when in truth they had only used keen observation. Proved wrong before the King, he realises he judged them unfairly and leaves embarrassed and humbled.

Let us learn

I. Fill in the noun form of the words in brackets.

ANSWER1. deduction   2. observations   3. scrutiny   4. accusations   5. recognition

II. Match the expressions with their meanings.

ExpressionMeaning
1. with all our hearts(vi) complete sincerity
2. to be precise(iv) exact and accurate
3. gain an audience with(v) meeting or hearing someone
4. catch his breath(vii) to pause or rest for some time
5. erupts in applause(ii) starts cheering together
6. grand scheme of things(viii) overall plan of life in a larger context
7. taken aback(i) surprised
8. more than meets the eye(iii) hidden information that is not obvious
SAMPLE SENTENCES (any five)• I thank you with all my heart for your help.• The journey took ten days, to be precise.• The merchant managed to gain an audience with the King.• He stopped to catch his breath before speaking.• When the truth came out, the court erupted in applause.

III. Different meanings of ‘face’ and ‘bear’.

Word & meaningCorrect sentence
face 1 (n.) front of the head(iii) She has a smiling face.
face 2 (v.) to be positioned towards(i) Ravi turned to face his father.
face 3 (v.) to deal with a difficult situation(iv) We should be ready to face life’s challenges.
face 4 (n.) front surface of a thing(ii) The face of the clock was painted red and blue.
bear 1 (v.) tolerate(iv) I can’t bear the sound of vehicles honking.
bear 2 (v.) accept (a responsibility)(iii) Riya agreed to bear the heavy responsibilities with confidence.
bear 3 (n.) a large mammal(ii) I spotted a bear on a wildlife safari.
bear 4 (v.) produce / give birth(i) The trees I planted took a long time to bear fruit.

IV. Match the highlighted words with the functions they express.

ANSWER1. → (ix) willingness   2. → (v) logical conclusion   3. → (x) command4. → (i) expression of disbelief   5. → (xi) possibility   6. → (ii) imagined (hypothetical) possibility7. → (viii) prediction   8. → (vi) wish or hope   9. → (iii) moral obligation or advice10. → (vii) necessity   11. → (iv) challenge

V. Complete the story with modal verbs.

ANSWER1. can   2. must   3. should   4. might   5. need to   6. may   7. could

VI. Rewrite the sentences using appropriate modal verbs.

ANSWER2. You need not worry about things beyond your control.3. A person cannot gain experience without taking risks.4. You must treat others with kindness, even when they disagree with you.5. You must not interrupt when someone else is speaking.

(The Let us listen, Let us speak, Let us write and Let us explore sections are listening, speaking, letter-writing and stage-enactment activities to be done in class.)

Extra questions

Short answer

1. Where were the four young men going, and why?

ANSWERThey were travelling to Ujjain in search of work, hoping the King would recognise their talents and appoint all four to his service.

2. What four things did the young men deduce about the camel?

ANSWERThat it was lame in one leg, blind in the right eye, had a short tail and was suffering from a pain in the stomach.

3. Why did the merchant come running to the four men?

ANSWERHis camel had gone astray, and he was anxiously asking everyone on the road whether they had seen it.

4. How did Shiv Datt know the camel was blind in the right eye?

ANSWERThe camel had nibbled leaves only on the left side of the road; the right-side foliage was undisturbed, showing it could not see on that side.

5. What reward did the King give the four young men?

ANSWERHe cleared them of the false charge and honoured them by appointing them as his advisers, whose counsel would guide his kingdom.

Long answer

6. ‘Wisdom paves the way.’ How does the play justify its title?

ANSWERThe title is justified because it is the young men’s wisdom – their keen observation and logical reasoning – that decides their fate. Jobless and unknown, they could easily have been punished as thieves on the merchant’s accusation. Instead, by explaining clearly how each clue (a faint footprint, half-eaten leaves, blood-spots, uneven hind tracks) revealed the camel’s condition, they prove their innocence and impress the King. Their reasoning ‘goes beyond mere sight’, so the King makes them his advisers. Thus it is wisdom, not luck or force, that opens the way to honour and success – exactly what the title promises.

7. Write a character sketch of the King of Ujjain.

ANSWERThe King of Ujjain is a young but wise and just ruler. He is fair – he refuses to condemn the four men on mere accusation and asks each to explain his reasoning. He is discerning, quickly recognising true intelligence and praising ‘observation and deduction’ that others miss. He is balanced, gently rebuking the merchant for accusing people carelessly. Above all he is far-sighted: instead of letting such rare talent pass, he appoints the men as his advisers so their wisdom can benefit his kingdom. He embodies the ideal that a good ruler values merit and judges by evidence.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. “Wisdom Paves the Way” is a:

(a) poem   (b) play   (c) short story   (d) biography

ANSWER(b) play.

2. The four young men were travelling to:

(a) Vijayanagara   (b) Ujjain   (c) Delhi   (d) Hampi

ANSWER(b) Ujjain.

3. Which of these did the friends NOT deduce about the camel?

(a) Lame in one leg   (b) Blind in the right eye   (c) Carrying gold   (d) Short tail

ANSWER(c) Carrying gold.

4. Ram Datt concluded the camel was lame because:

(a) it had a short tail   (b) only three feet left distinct prints   (c) it was blind   (d) it ate one side

ANSWER(b) only three feet left distinct prints (the fourth was faint).

5. Har Datt deduced the short tail from:

(a) hoof marks   (b) half-eaten leaves   (c) blood-spots from mosquito bites   (d) the smell

ANSWER(c) blood-spots from mosquito bites (a short tail could not swat them away).

6. The merchant accused the four men of:

(a) lying to the King   (b) stealing his camel   (c) blocking the road   (d) harming the camel

ANSWER(b) stealing his camel.

7. Dev Datt’s special observation was that the camel:

(a) was very old   (b) had a stomach pain   (c) was thirsty   (d) was tall

ANSWER(b) had a stomach pain (shown by its drawn-up hind legs).

8. How did the King finally treat the four young men?

(a) Jailed them   (b) Fined them   (c) Made them his advisers   (d) Sent them away

ANSWER(c) Made them his advisers.

9. The phrase ‘see beyond the obvious’ means the ability to:

(a) predict the future   (b) notice details others overlook   (c) read minds   (d) see far away

ANSWER(b) notice details others overlook.

10. The main message of the play is that:

(a) wealth brings respect   (b) wisdom and reasoning lead to success   (c) travel is dangerous   (d) kings are unjust

ANSWER(b) wisdom and reasoning lead to success.
MCQ Answer Key: 1-(b), 2-(b), 3-(c), 4-(b), 5-(c), 6-(b), 7-(b), 8-(c), 9-(b), 10-(b).

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): The four young men could describe the camel though they had never seen it.

Reason (R): They studied the camel’s tracks and surroundings with great care and reasoned from the clues.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

2. Assertion (A): The merchant accused the four men of stealing his camel.

Reason (R): The men had openly confessed to taking the camel.

ANSWER(c) A is true, but R is false (they never saw or took the camel; the merchant accused them only because they knew so much).

3. Assertion (A): The King appointed the four young men as his advisers.

Reason (R): He was impressed by their sharp observation and flawless reasoning.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

4. Assertion (A): The merchant left the court feeling ashamed.

Reason (R): His accusation was proved baseless and the men were shown to be wise, not thieves.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

5. Assertion (A): Shiv Datt said the camel was blind in its right eye.

Reason (R): The camel had eaten leaves only on the left side of the road, leaving the right untouched.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.
A–R Answer Key: 1-(a), 2-(c), 3-(a), 4-(a), 5-(a).

Exam tips

  • Remember this piece is a play – mention the two scenes (the road, then the King’s court) and use the characters’ names correctly.
  • Learn the four clue–deduction pairs (footprint→lame, leaves on one side→blind eye, blood-spots→short tail, uneven hind prints→belly pain). These are the most asked questions.
  • Link the title to the theme: wisdom – observation + reasoning – leads to success.

Common mistakes

  • Do not confuse the four similar names – Ram, Shiv, Har and Dev Datt each made a different observation.
  • The men did not see or steal the camel – they only reasoned from clues; never write that they had met the camel.
  • Do not call this chapter a story or poem – it is a drama/play.

FAQs

Is ‘Wisdom Paves the Way’ a story or a play?

It is a play (drama) in two scenes – Scene I on the road to Ujjain and Scene II in the King’s court.

Who are the four young men in the play?

Ram Datt, Shiv Datt, Har Datt and Dev Datt – four friends travelling to Ujjain in search of work.

How could the men describe a camel they had never seen?

They observed the camel’s tracks and surroundings closely – a faint footprint, leaves eaten on one side, blood-spots and uneven hind prints – and reasoned out its condition.

What is the moral of ‘Wisdom Paves the Way’?

True wisdom lies in careful observation and logical reasoning; such wisdom, not luck or force, leads to success and respect.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Poorvi textbook; summaries and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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