Notes For All Chapters – Kumarbharati English Class 9
How the First Letter was Written
1. Introduction
- The story is set in a very early time, during the Neolithic Age (or New Stone Age).
- People lived in caves and wore very few clothes.
- They didn’t know how to read or write.
- A man named Tegumai Bopsulai (called Tegumai for short) is the main character.
- His wife was Teshumai Tewindrow (called Teshumai), and his daughter was Taffimai Metallumai (called Taffy).
2. The Problem
- One day, Tegumai went to the river to catch fish with a spear. Taffy went with him.
- Tegumai broke his spear and needed a new one.
- Their home was far away, and Tegumai didn’t have a spare spear.
- Taffy suggested going back home to ask her mother for the spear.
- Tegumai thought it was too far for Taffy to walk.
3. The Stranger
- A man from another tribe (the Tewaras) came by. He didn’t speak Tegumai’s language.
- Taffy asked the stranger to go to her mother to get the spear.
- The stranger didn’t understand her words.
4. Taffy’s Idea
- Taffy decided to draw a picture to explain what they needed.
- She used a shark’s tooth to draw on a piece of birch bark.
- Her drawing showed Tegumai, the broken spear, the spear they needed, herself, and her mother’s location.
5. The Stranger’s Mistake
- The stranger thought Taffy’s drawing was a warning about a battle.
- He believed that Tegumai was in danger.
- So, he ran off to warn Tegumai’s tribe.
6. Teshumai’s Reaction
- The stranger gave the drawing to Teshumai.
- Teshumai misunderstood the picture. She thought it showed Tegumai being attacked.
- She and the other women got angry and attacked the stranger.
7. The Result
- Taffy’s attempt to send a message led to confusion and trouble.
- The story shows how the first attempts at writing could be misunderstood.
Key Points
- The story is a fictional explanation of how writing might have begun.
- It highlights the challenges of communication before writing was developed.
- The characters’ names have meanings that describe them:
- Tegumai Bopsulai: “Man-who-does-not-put-his-foot-forward-in-a-hurry”
- Teshumai Tewindrow: “Lady-who-asks-a-very-many-questions”
- Taffimai Metallumai: “Small-person-without-any-manners-who-ought-to-be-spanked”
- The story is told in a conversational and engaging style.
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