That evening, the king approached the queen with a softened expression. "Thirumalambal", he began, his voice gentle, "I have been foolish. I see now that I overreacted. I let my pride blind me. I'm so sorry." The queen, who had longed for this moment, smiled and replied, "If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us. I would very much like to listen to your poem."
Complete the following with a suitable explanation. When the king said, "I let my pride blind me", he means that ____.
When the king said, 'I let my pride blind me', he means that his excessive pride in his poetry prevented him from seeing the situation clearly and fairly. He failed to recognize that the queen's yawning was a natural response to exhaustion, not an intentional insult to his poem. His pride made him interpret her behaviour as disrespect, causing him to react harshly and stay angry for weeks without considering the actual reason for her actions.
Why does the queen say, "If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us"?
The queen says, 'If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us' because she wants to assure the king that she has forgiven him and is ready to move forward. She uses gentle, non-demanding language ('If you like') to give the king space and not pressure him. Her response shows her grace and willingness to restore their relationship without holding grudges. She had longed for this reconciliation and responds warmly to his apology.
Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option from those given in the brackets. The king acknowledges that his pride clouded his judgement, which shows ____. (intelligence and courage/maturity and self-awareness)
maturity and self-awareness
State any one characteristic that the queen's response to the king's apology shows about her.
The queen's response shows that she is forgiving, as she readily accepts the king's apology without holding a grudge. (Alternative answers: She is gracious and kind; She is understanding and patient; She values harmony in relationships.)
Explanation
((i)) The king acknowledges that his pride in his poetic abilities clouded his judgment. The text shows that he 'scolding her harshly for yawning while he recited his poem' and 'let his pride blind him' to the fact that yawning is 'as natural as breathing.' ((ii)) The text describes the queen as someone 'who had longed for this moment' and who 'smiled' at the king's apology. Her response demonstrates forgiveness and a desire to restore harmony in their relationship. ((iii)) The king's ability to recognize his mistake, admit he 'overreacted,' and apologize sincerely demonstrates maturity and self-awareness. He reflects on his behaviour, understands where he went wrong, and takes responsibility for his actions—signs of emotional maturity. ((iv)) The queen's response—smiling and saying she would 'very much like to listen to your poem'—shows her forgiving nature. Despite weeks of being ignored, she responds with grace and warmth when the king apologizes.