CBSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LITERATURE

Detailed explanation-1: -Answer. Answer: The merchant was a wise man and escaped punishment by telling the king that the wall had been built in his father’s time. So the bricklayer who built such a weak wall was responsible for the thief’s death and should get the punishment.

Detailed explanation-2: -Since his father was long dead, he could not be held responsible for the death of the thief. On consulting his ministers, the king came to the conclusion that the merchant’s father was the culprit.

Detailed explanation-3: -Who does the brick-layer blame for the weak wall that he had built? Answer: The brick-layer blames the dancing girl for distracting him by walking up and down the road in front of him with her anklets jingling.

Detailed explanation-4: -After such demand the king tried the merchant. He heard the case and decided to punish the merchant but the merchant put the blame on the bricklayer for building such a weak wall. Then the bricklayer pleaded with the king to punish the dancing girl who distracted him during the building of the wall.

Detailed explanation-5: -Explanation: The thief had died because the wall of the merchant’s old house had collapsed and fallen on his head. According to the thief’s brother, the rich merchant was to be blamed for this because he had not built a good, strong wall.