Question

Describe the farmer’s painful journey up the mountain.

Answer 1

• Introduction:
  In this paragraph, we are going to see about the painful journey of the farmer who loved his mother very much, up to the mountain.
• Farmer’s thoughts:
  Shining was ruled by a cruel leader. He ordered the entire province that the old must be killed. The farmer wanted his mother to die at the summit of Obatsuyama.
• Painful journey:
  At sunset, the farmer carried his mother and took some unwhitened rice. He also took a gourd filled with cool sweet water. The road was long and steep. The path was crossed and recrossed by many wood cutters and farmers.
  In some places, he lost the path and got confused. But he didn’t mind it. He went blindly upwards. His mother was anxious about her son’s safe return. So she dropped some piles of twigs on their path. Weary and heart sick he gently released his burden. He made a comfortable place for her mother.
• Conclusion:
  Thus the farmer, with sorrow hearted left her mother in the mountains of Obatsuyama. Thus, he ended the painful journey up the mountain.

Answer 2

Title: The Aged mother
Author: Matsuo Basho (1644 – 1694)
Character: The farmer, his mother
Theme: “Blood is thicker than water”

At sunset, the farmer took some cooked and dried unwhitened rice. He tied it in a cloth and swung it in a bundle round his neck with a gourd of cool sweet water. He took his helpless mother on his back and started his journey up the mountain. The narrow path was crossed.

His mother was anxious that her son did not know many mountain paths. She dropped piles of twigs on their path to help her son return home safely. Weary and heart sick he released his burden. He also prepared a place of comfort as his last duty to her mother. Thus he ended his painful journey up the mountain.

Answer 3

1. At sunset, the farmer took some cooked and dried unwhitened rice.
2. He tied it in a cloth and swung around his neck
3. He took a gourd with cool sweet water.
4. He lifted his helpless mother to his back and started his journey.
5. The long narrow road was crossed by many paths.
6. Tired and heart sick, he put down his burden
7. He silently prepared a place of comfort for her mother
8. Thus he ended his painful journey.