Question

Read the story on page 122. In what ways is the monkey king similar to or different from the kings you read about in Chapters 5 and 10?

Answer 1

The monkey king in the story on page 122 is shown as a wise, selfless, and brave leader. He is ready to sacrifice his life to protect his followers from danger.

In comparison, the kings in Chapter 5 (Kingdoms, Kings, and an Early Republic) and Chapter 10 (New Empires and Kingdoms) were mainly focused on expanding their kingdoms. They collected taxes from people, built armies, and fought wars to increase their power and territory. For example, in Chapter 10, kings like Harshavardhana fought wars to expand their rule.

However, some kings, like those in Chapter 5, also had to take care of their people’s needs and maintain law and order. But the monkey king’s leadership is different, as he is willing to risk his life for his people’s safety, showing true care and responsibility for his subjects.

Thus, while both the monkey king and human kings are rulers, the monkey king’s sense of sacrifice and selflessness makes him different from the kings of Chapters 5 and 10.