INDIAN SCHOOL AL WADI AL KABIR

Class 11 - English Core

THE SUMMER OF THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE
Question Bank
“The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse” is a story about two Armenian boys,
who belong to a tribe that despite poverty is known for its honesty. The boys take a
horse, which does not belong to them, due to their love for horse riding but are
conscience –stricken and hence return it to its owner.”

I. Short Answer Type Questions:

1.Write a brief note on the Garoghlanian tribe.
Ans: The Garoghlanian family lived in poverty. They were proud of their family. Although the
tribe was poor, they were known for their honesty for eleven centuries. They were honest, proud
and always believed in right and wrong. No one from the family would ever steal anything or
would take advantage of anyone in the world.
2. What were the two things for which the Garoghlanian family was famous?
Ans: The Garoghlanian family was famous for the following two things:
a. Their poverty b. Their honesty
3. What points were put forward by Aram in defense of Mourad’s act of stealing the horse?
Ans: Aram justified that stealing a horse for a ride was not the same thing as stealing something
else, such as money. And then he went a little further by saying that if one was so crazy about
horses the way Mourad and he himself were, it was not stealing at all. It would not become
stealing until they offered to sell the horse and he was sure that it was the last thing they would
ever be doing.
4. Why could Aram not believe his eyes when his cousin Mourad called him early one summer
morning?

Ans: When Aram looked through the window, he saw his cousin Mourad with a beautiful white
horse and it was a sight which was very difficult for him to believe for two reasons: First, the
whole of the Garoghlanian family to which the two boys belonged were extremely poor and
therefore it was not possible for Mourad to buy that horse. Secondly, in that case, it would mean
that Mourad had stolen that horse. But that was also not possible, because the Garoghlanian
family was also very famous for their honesty and therefore, Mourad could not have stolen the
horse either.

5. Describe narrator’s experience when he rode the white horse alone?

Ans: The narrator had a frightful experience when he rode the horse alone. He leapt to the back
of the horse but it did not move. As advised by Mourad, he kicked into the muscles of the horse.

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It reared and snorted and then began to run. It ran down the road to a vineyard and leapt over the
vines. As it leapt over the seventh vine the narrator fell of the horse. The horse continued
running.
6. Why was Aram unwilling to return the horse so soon?
Ans: Aram was crazy about riding the horse and he wanted to learn horse riding at all costs. The
horse would not let him to ride it and hence he was unwilling to return the horse at least until he
would learn to ride it.
7. What did the farmer John Byro tell the two boys when they accidentally met him with his
horse in their custody?
Ans: The farmer examined the horse when he found it with the two boys and he told them that he
could swear that the horse was his very horse which had been stolen from him many weeks ago.
He added that the fame of their family for honesty was very well known to him and therefore he
liked to say that the horse could be the twin of his stolen horse.
8. Where had Mourad been hiding the horse?
Ans: Mourad had been hiding the horse in the barn of a deserted vineyard which was owned by a
farmer named Fetvajian after riding it every morning.
9. What did John Byro tell Aram’s mother and Uncle Khosrove when he got his horse back?
Ans: After John Byro got his horse back mysteriously one day, he came to Aram’s house in his
surrey pulled by his horse. He told Aram’s mother and Uncle Khosrove that he did not know
what to think about the whole matter. It was because the horse was now stronger than ever and
better tempered too. Therefore, he thanked God.
II. Long Answer Type Questions-
1. You will probably agree that this story does not have breathless adventure and exciting action.
Then what in your opinion makes it interesting?
Ans: The story did not have exciting action and breathless adventures, yet it has suspense in the
story which made it interesting for the readers. It is a good psychological narration. Both the
boys wanted to try something adventurous. As their families were poor they could not afford to
own a horse, but they both wanted to ride a horse. Mourad stole a beautiful white horse and they
both rode it for quite some time. Riding the stolen horse and hiding it safely are feats of
adventure for the two boys. Readers eagerly follow the course of action taken by the two boys.
After they were seen with horse by the owner John Byro, who believes the Garoghlanian family
which is well known for its honesty says that he does not suspect them. This makes the boys to
return the horse to its original place and owner. This ending to the story heightens its appeal to
the readers.
2. Why did the two boys ultimately return the horse all of a sudden although they had planned to
keep it for at least six months?

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Ans: Although the two boys had planned to keep the horse for at least six months, they returned
it all of a sudden the next morning after they accidentally met the farmer John Byro from whom
Mourad had stolen the horse. The farmer examined the horse and told them that he could swear
that the horse was his very horse which had been stolen from him many weeks before if he did
not know their parents. He added that the fame of their family for honesty was very well known
to him and therefore he liked to say that the horse could be the twin of his stolen horse. What
John Byro told them served as an eye opener for the two boys especially Mourad and they
became conscious to how precious and strong their family’s fame for honesty was and therefore
they did not want to tarnish that name and prestige and immediately returned the horse.
3. Mourad was the natural descendant of the crazy streak of uncle Khosrove. Explain the
statement giving instances from the story, ‘The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse’.
Ans: Uncle Khosrove was considered in the Garoghlanian tribe as one of the craziest persons. It
was also believed by the tribe that Mourad was the natural descendant of the crazy streak in their
tribe. Uncle Khosrove’s craziness was out of the world. He had the largest moustache in the
surrounding. His talk was not less than roaring, which was but natural for him. Once when his
son came running to tell him about his house on fire, he simply said, ‘It is no harm; pay no
attention to it’. The barber who reminded him that it was his own house also got rebuked.
Khosrove also asked John Byro not to worry about the horse or the loss of money or even his
paining legs and answered in the same way. Mourad was considered the natural descendant of
this man though not a biological descendant mainly because of the crazy acts he was involved in.
The act of stealing a horse because he was crazy about riding is an example to prove the same.
Like the line of uncle Khosrove i.e. ‘It is no harm; pay no attention to it’ Mourad used to say that
he had a way with the things, animals and even people.
4. Listening to the conscience helps one to do the right. Give your own view in context to the
chapter, “The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse’.
Ans: Listening to the conscience undoubtedly helps one to do the right things, as we have seen in
the chapter. Mourad stole the horse of John Byro just for the sake of riding it, and he did not
have the intention of keeping it. He along with his cousin Aram rode the horse and hide it in a
deserted barn. Even after John Byro the owner of the horse complained about his missing horse
the boys continued to ride it. They loved riding it and wanted to satisfy their passion for riding.
After many days John Byro accidently sees the boys with his horse but keeping in view the
reputation of the Garoghlanian family’s honesty, he does not doubt the boys. He says it was the
twin of his horse. This evokes the guilty conscience of Mourad. He with his cousin returned the
horse to its owner the next morning. Our conscience is our moral compass. The voice of the
conscience never motivates anyone to do wrong. Therefore, before doing anything if we listen to
our conscience we will never do wrong.
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