English--- W S The Ballad of Father Gilligan

English The Ballad of Father Gilligan

I. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option from the box.
1. He was quite ___________ after the busy day at work. weary
2. His bicycle was ________________against the wall. leaning
3. The trees ___________to and fro with the wind. swayed
4. She ____________the gift with a silver paper. wrapped
5. The wizard's _____________ flowed in the air as he waved his wand.
robe

II. Choose the correct option:
1. Father Gilligan fell asleep as _____________________.
a. he was very tired attending to his flocks
b. it was his sleeping time
c. he had a heavy dinner
d. he was sick
2. Father Gilligan was in grief when he woke up from his sleep because he
_______________.
a. did not have anything to eat
b. lost his memory
c. was in a forest when he opened his eyes
d. could not perform his duty for the dying man

III. Answer briefly
1. The old priest Peter Gilligan
Was weary night and day;
For half his flock were in their beds,
Or under green sods lay.
a. Why was Father Gilligan weary throughout?
Father  Gilligan  was  thoroughly  exhausted  by  performing  his  priestly
obligations  day  and  night,  probably  during  an  epidemic  in  the  Irish
countryside. He had to not only give the last communion to his poor folks
who  were  dying  in  large  numbers  but  also  conduct  funeral  services  for
wrapped leaning robe weary swayed them. This made him weary.

b. Why were his flocks either in bed or lying under green sod?
The  parishioners  of  Father  Gilligan  were  either  afflicted  with  the  fatal
epidemic and  were  on  bed or  they  have  already  become  the  victims  of
the deadly disease are lying in the grave.

2. Once, while he nodded on a chair,
At the moth-hour of eve,
Another poor man sent for him,
And he began to grieve.
a. What is referred to as moth- hour of eve?
Moth hour is the time when moths come in swarms; this happens usually in
the evening and also in the morning.
Moth-hour  of  eve  here  refers  to  the  evening  time  when  the  moths
congregate in large numbers.

3. And God covered the world with shade, / And whispered to mankind?
a. What nature of God is brought up here?
Here God is compared to a tender loving mother putting her child to sleep,
covering the child  with blanket and singing soft lullaby to it. Similarly, the
loving and all caring God brings relief to the toiling humanity by covering
the  earth  with  the  comforting  darkness  of  night  and  blessing  the  troubled
souls with balm of soothing sleep.

IV. Answer the following.
1. What  do  you  understand  about  the  character  of  Father  Gilligan  from  his
words ‘Had pity on the least of things’?
Father Gilligan was immensely grateful towards God for His intervention to
rescue  him  from  probable  damnation.  The  words  of  Gilligan  speak  of  the
priest’s deep religious belief and also his endearing humility.