1. What was the favourite pastime of Valli?
Valliammai or Valli was eight years old. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house. From there, she watched what was happening in the street outside. For her, standing at the front door was as enjoyed as any of the games other children played.
2. What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street?
Watching the bus travel between her village and the nearest town was the most fascinating thing for Valli. The bus always filled each time with new set of passengers. It was the source of unending joy for Valli.
3. What was the tiny wish that crept into Valli’s head?
The sight of the bus was the most fascinating thing for Valli. Day after day she watched the bus. A tiny wish crept into her head. She wanted to ride on that bus. At least, just once. This wish became so strong that it grew into an overwhelming desire.
4. Why did Valli listen to the conversation? What did she get from them?
Valli was anxious to know more and more about the bus journey. She had nourished a strong desire to enjoy a bus from her village to the nearest town. She listened to the neighbours and people who regularly used the bus. She was collecting the necessary details from them to plan out her bus journey. Such details could help her in her mission.
5. How did Valli calculate and plan the bus journey?
Valli had gathered all the necessary details about the bus journey from those who regularly used the bus. The town was six miles from her village. The one-way fare was thirty paise. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes. If she took the one o’clock bus, she could reach the town at one forty-five. She calculated that she could be back home by about two forty-five.
6. How did Valli board the bus? Why did she say, ‘I can get on by myself’?
When Valli sighted the bus she shouted ‘stop the bus! Stop the bus!’ She raised her tiny hand ‘commandingly’. The bus slowed down and finally stopped. She told the conductor that she wanted to go to the town and she tried to handover the money. The conductor seeing that she was just a child, stretched out his hand to help her up. Valli replied that she could get on by herself and didn’t need any help.
7. Why was Valli overcome with shyness and avoided everyone’s eyes?
It was the slack time of the day. There were only six or seven passengers on the bus. They were all looking at Valli and laughing with the conductor. Valli was overcome with shyness. She tried to avoid everyone’s eyes. She walked quickly to an empty seat and down.
8. What did Valli see when peered over the blind?
Valli found that a canvas blind cut off her view. So, she peered over the blind to look outside. The bus was going along the bank of a canal. Beyond it were palm trees and grassland and distant mountains. And then, there were acres of green fields as far as her eyes could see.
9. Why didn’t Valli like the remark of the elderly man? What did she say to him?
An elderly man saw Valli standing in the bus. He asked her to sit down. He had honestly felt concerned for her. Valli didn’t like to be called herself a ‘child’. She retorted that she was not a child. She had paid thirty paise like everyone else.
10. How did Valli react when the conductor called her ‘a very grown-up madam?”
The bus conductor teased Valli by calling her ‘a very grown-up madam’. Valli reacted sharply saying that she was not a madam. She reminded him that he had not yet given her ticket. The conductor mimicked her tone and said, ‘I’ll remember.’ Everyone laughed and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter.
11. Why did Valli find the elderly woman absolutely repulsive?
The elderly woman who was sitting beside Valli in the bus looked absolutely repulsive to Valli. She had big holes in her ears and had ugly earrings in them. She didn’t relish the smell of the betel nut that she chewing. The betel juice was about to spill over her lips at any moment. She couldn’t be social with such a woman.
12. How careful and painstaking elaborate plans did Valli have to make for her first journey and how did she save money for it?
Valli had to make careful and painstaking plans for her first bus journey. Saving sixty paise for the both ways fare was not an easy job. She saved thriftily every stray coin that came in her way. She had to give up the temptation of buying peppermints, toys and balloons and stifle her desire to ride on the merry-go-round.
13. What was the next problem after Valli had enough money?
After she had saved enough money, Valli had her next problem. It was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge. She solved this problem easily. Every day after lunch her mother would nap from about one to four or so. She could easily venture out on her mission.
14. Why did Valli laugh until there were tears in her eyes?
Valli saw a young cow running very fast in the middle of the road. It was right in front of the bus. The bus slowed down to a crawl. The driver sounded the horn loudly again and again. But more he honked; the more frightened the animal became and galloped right in front of the bus. Valli laughed until there were tears in her eyes.
15. Why didn’t Valli get the bus when the bus stopped at the town?
Valli’s destination, the nearest town from her village, had come. Everyone got off except Valli. The conductor reminded that her destination had come and she should get off the bus. Valli told that she was going back on the same bus. She handed thirty more coins to the conductor and asked for the ticket. She just felt like having a bus ride again.
16. Why didn’t Valli want to have a look at the sights alone?
The conductor asked if Valli didn’t want to have a look at the sights in the town. She replied that she would be too afraid to visit them all alone. The conductor reminded that she was travelling all alone by bus. Valli replied that there was nothing to be afraid of in the bus.
17. Why didn’t Valli accept a free drink from the bus conductor? What does this act show about her character?
The bus conductor asked Valli to let him bring her a cold drink. She replied that she didn’t have enough money for that. He should just give him her ticket. The conductor offered to give it totally free. She said firmly, ‘Please, on.’ This shows how proud and self-respecting Valli was.
18. What dampened Valli’s enthusiasm during the return journey?
During her return journey, Valli saw a young cow lying dead by the side of the road. She was the same lovable and beautiful cow that she saw only a little while ago. Now, it looked so horrible and frightening as it lay there. There was a fixed stare in her lifeless eyes and she was smeared with blood. The sight dampened her enthusiasm and she stopped looking outside.
19. Did Valli’s bus ride remain a secret for her mother and aunt?
When Valli entered her house, she found her mother awake and talking to one of her aunts. Her aunt was a real chatterbox. She asked where she had been so far. Valli’s mother spoke casually. She didn’t expect a reply. Both these ladies could know nothing about Valli’s pleasure ride on the bus.
20. Why did Valli’s smile to herself? Did her mother and aunt have any chance of knowing the secret of her smile?
Valli agreed with her mother that many things were happening outside in the world without their knowledge. Ironically, the two ladies didn’t know anything about Valli’s bus journey. They didn’t know that ‘just a chit of a girl’ had done such a great feat. Valli smiled to herself. There was no chance of her secret being exposed.
21. Why would Yall stand at the front door?
Valli would stand at the front door because she watched what was happening in the street outside very carefully. She also watched the bus every day. The sight of the b was a source of unending joy for Valli.
22. How did Valli react when she saw the dead cow by the roadside?
When Valli saw the dead cow by the roadside, looking so horrible, she was terribly shocked and became very sad. She could not imagine how such a beautiful creature lost its charm and life!
23. How did Valli save money for her first bus journey?
Valli saved money by sacrificing all her childlike desires and temptations in order to fulfil her indomitable wish to ride the bus. She stopped buying toys, peppermints, balloons, and the like. Thus, she thriftily saved money required for her first bus journey.
24. Why didn't Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does it tell you about her?
Valli did not want to go to the stall and have a drink because she did not have money to buy it. Even she refused the offer of a drink by the conductor. It tells us that she was wise girl and had control on her feelings.
25. Why does the conductor call Valli, 'madam"?
The conductor calls Valli, 'madam' because she behaves like a mature woman. She has a great confidence in her and looks wiser than her age. Above all her behaviour and way of talking shows her self-dependence and maturity.
26. Give examples to show that Valli was a good planner.
Valli was indeed a good planner at her very young age. She made careful plans for her visit to the town by bus. She saved every coin she could to ride the bus. She calculated the time to cover the complete journey. She decided to take the one o'clock bus so that she would come back by two forty-five to her village.
27. What was Valli's favourite pastime?
Valli's favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching what was happening in the street outside. Moreover, she had no playmates. So, this was all that she had to do.
28. How can you say that the conductor was a good-natured jolly fellow? Support your answer with examples.
Undoubtedly, the conductor was a good natured jolly fellow. If we study his behaviour towards Valli, an eight-year-old girl in the story, we can make out his conduct. When she entered the bus, he guided her towards the seat. Jokingly he called her 'my fine madam' as a comment because she behaved like a mature woman.
29. Why does Valli stand upon the seat? What does she see now?
Valli stands upon the seat because the bus curtains had covered the lower part of her window and she was not able to see the sights. Now, she sees that the bus was moving along the bank of a canal. The road was narrow. She saw mountains, green grass fields and palm trees.
30. What sight did Valli experience during her first journey by bus?
During her first journey by bus, Valli experienced beautiful sights such as mountains, green grass fields and palm trees on the way. More fascinating was her journey when she was a cow galloping in front of the bus. This made her laugh heartily.
31. What was Valli’s favourite pastime and what was the source of unending joy for her?
Valli’s favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching everything outside the street carefully. This gave her many unusual experiences. The sight of the bus was a source of unending joy foe Valli as she had the attraction for the bus and the passengers.