⭐ Chapter 7: Madam Rides the Bus

The story is about Valli, an 8-year-old girl who is very curious.
Her favourite activity is to stand at her house doorway and watch the bus that passes every hour.
She dreams of riding the bus to the town one day.

Valli listens to people’s conversations and collects all information — bus fare (30 paise), time (45 minutes), and return fare (30 paise).
She saves money by not buying toys, balloons, and peppermints.
One afternoon, when her mother is sleeping, Valli secretly takes the bus.

On the bus, the conductor jokingly calls her “madam.”
She enjoys the journey — green fields, mountains, canal, trees, shops, and a running cow that made her laugh.

When the bus reaches the town, Valli refuses to get down because she is scared to go alone.
She returns in the same bus.
On the return journey, she sees the same cow lying dead on the road.
This makes her sad, and she learns about the reality of life and death.

At home, her mother and aunt talk about how many things in the world happen without our knowledge.
Valli smiles secretly because she now knows she experienced something big without anyone’s knowledge.

⭐ HINDI

यह कहानी वल्ली नाम की 8 साल की जिज्ञासु लड़की की है।
उसे घर के दरवाज़े पर खड़े होकर बस को देखना बहुत पसंद था।
वह एक दिन बस में बैठकर शहर जाना चाहती थी।

उसने लोगों की बातें सुनकर पूरी जानकारी जुटाई—भाड़ा 30 पैसे, दूरी 6 मील, समय 45 मिनट।
उसने पैसे बचाने के लिए कोई खिलौना, गुब्बारा या पेपरमिंट नहीं खरीदा।

एक दिन दोपहर को जब उसकी माँ सो रही थी, वल्ली चुपचाप बस में बैठ गई।
कंडक्टर मज़ाक में उसे “मैडम” बुलाता है।
वल्ली रास्ते के नज़ारे देखकर खुश होती है — हरे खेत, नहर, पेड़ और रास्ते में भागती गाय।

शहर पहुँचकर वह बस से नहीं उतरती क्योंकि उसे अकेले डर लगता है।
वह उसी बस से वापस लौटती है।

वापसी में वह वही गाय सड़क पर मरी पड़ी देखती है और पहली बार जिंदगी–मौत का अहसास उसे होता है।

घर लौटकर वह अपनी माँ की बातों पर मुस्कुराती है, क्योंकि उसे पता है कि उसने कुछ बड़ा काम बिना किसी को बताए किया।

⭐ TOUGH WORDS MEANING (Easy Hindi)

⭐ VERY SHORT QUESTIONS (1 MARK)

Q1. What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

Ans. Standing at her doorway and watching the street.

Q2. What was Valli’s deepest desire?

Ans. To ride the bus to the town.

Q3. How much was the bus fare one way?

Ans. Thirty paise.

Q4. Why did the conductor call Valli “madam”?

Ans. Because she acted like an adult.

Q5. What made Valli laugh during the journey?

Ans. The running cow in front of the bus.

⭐ SHORT QUESTIONS (2–3 MARKS)

Q1. How did Valli collect the bus journey details?

Ans. Valli listened carefully to passengers, neighbours, and asked polite questions.
She learned the fare, distance, and timing by observing and hearing people talk.

Q2. How did Valli save money for the bus fare?

Ans. She saved stray coins and avoided buying balloons, toys, and peppermints.
She controlled her desires strictly.

Q3. Why didn’t Valli get down from the bus in the town?

Ans. She was scared to explore alone and felt unsafe.
So she decided to return in the same bus.

Q4. Why did Valli refuse the conductor’s offer of a drink?

Ans. She had no extra money and didn’t want to accept anything for free.
This shows her self-respect and discipline.

⭐ LONG QUESTIONS (5–6 MARKS – CBSE PATTERN)

Q1. Describe Valli’s planning and preparation for her first bus ride.

Answer (Easy):
Valli was very determined. She collected information by listening to people’s conversations about the bus.
She learned the fare, distance, and travel time.
She saved money by controlling her temptations to buy peppermints, toys, balloons.
She even resisted the joy ride at the village fair to save money.
She used the afternoon time when her mother slept to secretly go to the bus stand.
Her planning was careful and mature for an eight-year-old child.

Q2. What lesson did Valli learn from seeing the dead cow?

Answer:
On the onward journey, Valli laughed at the running cow.
But while returning, she saw the same cow lying dead on the road.
This shocked her and made her sad.
She realized how quickly life can change and how fragile life is.
This was her first experience of death.
It made her understand a deeper reality of life and taught her maturity.

Q3. What does the story tell you about Valli’s character?

Answer:
Valli is shown as:

• Curious — learns everything about the bus.
• Determined — saves money, suppresses desires.
• Bold — travels alone confidently.
• Self-respecting — refuses free drink.
• Sensitive — saddened by the cow’s death.
• Responsible — secretly manages everything.

She is intelligent, brave, mature, and independent despite being only eight years old.