A ghostly wife

RAPID READER :- A GHOSTLY WIFE.

CLASS:-XI ; SEM:- II

A GHOSTLY WIFE.

(i) How did the she-ghost replace the Brahman's wife in his house? Why did the surprise of the mother of the Brahman become greater and greater everyday?

Or,  Why did the 'Sankchunni' seize the woman by her throat? What did she do with her?

Or,   Who noticed the changes first in Sakchunni's behaviour and how?

Or,  What is Sankchunni? How did she enter the Brahman's house? What did she do there? 

Or,  Who are 'Sankchinnis? Why did the Sankchinni get angry with the Brahman's wife and what did she do to her? 2-3

Or,  What incidents led the Brahman and his mother to call for an 'Ojha'?

or, "Neither the Brahman nor his mother had any inkling of the change." --- What change is referred to here ? When did they inkling of the change ?

Or, "Both Mother and son began to watch the ghost more narrowly." --- What activities of the ghost did the mother and son see ? What was their reaction ?

Or, 

"The young woman was not his real wife but a she -ghost." --- Which young woman is mentioned here ? How did the person come to this conclusion ?

Or, "But she had apparently become quice a different person." --- Who had become a different person ? What were the changes ? What was the reaction of them ?

Or, " The woman lay almost dead with fear." --- Who is the woman referred to here ? Why did she lie almost dead in fear ?

Or, 

" And they both concluded ." --- What did they come to the conclusion ? What did they do next ?

Ans:- In Lal Behari Dey's folktale 'A ghostly Wife ' a Brahman lived in a village with his wife and his  old mother. One night the Brahman's wife had occasion to go to the tank, and as she went she brushed by a Sankchinni who stood near; on which the she-ghost got very angry with the woman, seized her by the throat, and thrust her into a hole in the trunk. There the woman lay almost dead with fear. The ghost put on the clothes of the woman and went into the house of the Brahman. Neither the Brahman nor his mother had any inkling of the change. But within few days the mother-in law discovered some change in her daughter-in-law. She had apparently become quice a different person. She now did the work of the house in an incredibly short time. The cooking of the household was done in much less time than before. When the mother-in-law wanted the daughter-in-law to bring anything from the next room, it was brought in much less time than was required in walking from one room to the other. One day she ordered her to bring a vessel from some distance and the she ghost unconsciouly stretched her hand to bring it.  One day the mother-in-law saw the woman using her foot as fuel to cook. Both Mother and son began to watch the ghost more narrowly and they decided to call an an Ojha. 

2. How did the Brahman get his wife back from the Sakchunni's capture? 5

Or, How did the Brahman and his family get released from the Sankchinni in 'A Ghostly Wife'? 

Or, "She screamed aloud." --- Who screamed aloud ? Why did she scream ? What happen then ?

 Or, ''Now this was an infalliable test " --- What was the infalliable test ? What happened in the test ?

Ans:- In Lal Behari Dey's folktale 'A ghostly Wife ' a Sankchinni  entered into the Brahman's house in the appearance of his wife. After watching the strange activities of the wife the Brahman and his mother  called an Ojha(Exorcist) to defeat the she ghost.  The exorcist came, and wanted in the first instance to ascertain whether the woman was a real woman or a ghost. For this purpose he lighted a piece of turmeric and set it below the nose of the supposed woman. Now this was an infallible test, as no ghost, can put up with the smell of burnt turmeric. The moment the lighted turmeric was taken near her, she screamed aloud and ran away from the room. The woman was caught hold of by main force and asked who she was. At first she refused to make any disclosures, on which the Ojha took up his slippers and began belabouring her with them. Then the ghost said that she lived on a tree by the side of the tank.  she had seized the young Brahmani and put her in the hollow of her tree.The woman was brought from the tree almost dead.  the ghost was again shoebeaten, after which process she was released from the spell of the Ojha.