Back to: Maharashtra Board Class 9th English Guide & Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
This skit is about young boys and their mothers. We see different mothers from the present and the past tell their sons to make their beds. The sons say that they have finished their chores and wish to go out and play, but the mothers continue nagging and narrate tales of their ancestors working even harder.
Neel and his Mom
A boy named Neel tells his mom that he put the dishes in the dishwasher, just as she had asked him to. He says he is going out to meet his friends. His mom enters in a modern outfit and tells him that he has not cleaned up his room. Neel exclaims that he cleaned it only 2 days ago. His mom says he has to clean it up every day.
Neel picks up his things from the floor and bed and puts them in their places, asking if it necessary to clean up every day because it does not make much of a difference.
His mom says it builds up the right habits and attitude but Neel cuts her off by saying he gets enough lectures at school. After Neel finishes his chores, his mom says that he forgot to make his bed. He is allowed to go out if he does that.
Neel is irritated because it’s getting late and asks why he has to make his bed when it is going to be messed up again when he sleeps after lunch.
His mom says that reminds her of something she heard about his Grandpa when he was in his teens. He had many more daily chores to finish and much tougher ones too.
Mothers and Sons of the Past
A teenage boy from the 1950s wearing loose trousers and shirt enters with his mother in a silk saree. The mother tells him to make his bed before going out. The 1950s boy asks her why he needs to make his bed because he has already watered the garden, brought home the groceries, dusted the living room and cleaned his bicycle. The boy’s mother starts telling him about his grand-father in his teens.
A 1910 boy enters dressed in kurta-pyjamas with his mother in a nine-yard saree. The mother says the boy can’t go out unless he makes his bed. The 1910s boy tells her that he fetched water, filled up the pots, swept the terrace, collected wood for the stove and cleaned the grinding stones. He says that he promised to go to the riverside with his friends, and asks why he has to make his bed right then. His mother starts telling him about his great-grandfather who lived in the 19th century.
An 1800 boy enters the stage in a dhoti with his mother in a nine-yard saree and traditional jewellery. The mother tells her son to make everyone’s beds. He says that he has washed clothes, chopped wood, fixed the broken fence, and taken the goats up the hill to graze. He wants to play atya-patya with his friends, and asks why he has to make the beds. His mother says that’s his daily work. His great, great grandfather did even more.
A 1500 boy enters with his mother. Neel asks where this forefather of his is from. His mother replies that he is from the 16th century.
The 1500 Boy tells his mother he has already milked the cows, taken them to graze, fetched vegetables from their farm, stacked them, and swept their yard. He asks if he may go to play Ashtapada and why he should make his bed right then. His mother tells him to think of his double great-great-great grandfather when he was about 14 years old.
A 1000 boy enters with his mother. He tells his mother that he has fetched water from the lake, watered their crops, cleared the blocked channels, pulled out weeds, and patched the cracks in their home’s mud walls. He wishes to go to watch a puppet show and asks why he has to make his bed.
His mother tells him not to grumble because his triple great, triple great, triple great grandfather had to do much more when he was his age. A 1st century boy and his mother enter. The boy says that he fed the poultry, tended the sheep, kept the birds away from their field and plastered the yard with dung. He wishes to go play Bagh-chal and asks why his mother wants him to make his bed right then. His mother says that is what boys have to do and starts talking about his ancestor 3000 years ago.
A boy from 3000 BCE enters with his mother. He tells her in primitive language that he has hunted food, helped his father carve stone bricks, dusted their leather clothes and moulded pots. He needs her permission to go play Chaupar. He too asks why he needs to make his bed. His mother says he has to do it because that’s what she says.
Neel states that young teenage boys always have had chores to do and his mom agrees. Neel wishes he had a robot to make his bed. His mom says he can make such a robot if he works hard, but right then he should go make his bed.
Conclusion
This skit shows us the unique bond between teenage boys and their mothers. The boys finish all their chores and wish to go out to play, but the mothers want them to make their beds. This skit shows us how teenagers should fulfil their duties at home because their chores are just as important as their playtime with friends.
