The Lost Child Notes Chapter 1 Class 9 English CBSE

Written by: Mulk Raj Anand
Theme: The story shows the innocence of a child and the strong bond between parents and their child.
It highlights how a child’s world revolves around his parents. When he loses them, everything else loses meaning.

It was the festival of spring.
People were going to the fair dressed in bright clothes. Some walked, others rode on horses, bullock carts, or were carried in bamboo carts.
A little boy was very happy and excited as he went to the fair with his parents.

The child was attracted by many things on the way:
- Toys in shops
- Mustard fields that looked like melting gold
- Dragonflies, butterflies, insects, and flowers
He kept lagging behind, stopping to look at everything.
His parents called out, “Come, child, come!” and he ran after them each time.

As they reached the fair, there were many shops and attractions:
- A sweetmeat seller selling gulab jamun, rasgulla, burfi, and jalebi.
- A flower-seller selling garlands of gulmohur.
- A balloon-seller with balloons of many colours.
- A snake-charmer playing his flute.
- A roundabout full of people enjoying rides.
The child wanted to buy many things – sweets, garland, balloons, and a ride on the roundabout – but he did not ask because he knew his parents would refuse.

When the child finally asked to ride on the roundabout, he received no reply.
He turned around and realised that his parents were not there.
Panic and fear filled his heart. He cried loudly, “Mother! Father!”
He ran here and there, searching for them, but couldn’t find them.
His clothes got muddy, and his turban came untied.

In the crowd near a temple, the child almost got crushed.
A kind man heard his cries, lifted him up, and tried to comfort him.
The man took him to different stalls to distract him:
- He offered him a ride on the roundabout.
- He took him to the snake-charmer, the balloon-seller, the flower-seller, and the sweet shop.
But the child refused everything and only cried,“I want my mother, I want my father!”

The Child: Innocent, curious, and attracted to simple joys of life.
The Parents: Loving and caring but strict; they guide and protect the child.
The Kind Man: A symbol of human kindness and compassion.

Innocence of Childhood: The child’s joy and curiosity represent pure innocence.
Parental Love: The story shows that for a child, parents mean more than any worldly thing.
Fear of Separation: The child’s happiness turns into fear when he loses his parents.
Irony: The things he desired earlier lost all meaning when his parents were gone.