NCERT Solutions For Class 9 English Moments Chapter 10: The Beggar

"The beggar" is written by Anton Chekov, which involves transforming a beggar into a good man. The story started when a beggar was begging an advocate, Sergei. The beggar told Sergei that he was offered a Kaluga position, but he needs some money for that. Sergei understood that the beggar was lying. After some threatening, the beggar confessed that he was the part of Russian Choir and was expelled because of his drinking habits. Sergei brought the beggar to his place and offered him work as a woodchopper. Sergei asked Olga, his maidservant, to help Lushkoff to the woodshed. He used to come on the first day of every month and do his work and earn half a rouble each time.

One day when Lushkoff came and looked sober, Sergei helped him in getting a decent job. After two years of meeting Lushkoff at the theatre, he realised that Lushkoff earned 35 roubles a month and worked as a notary. Sergei was thrilled, and he used to think that he had made the life of a beggar very better, but later, he found out that Olga made him what he was. When Lushkoff used to go to Sergei's place, he was too weak to work, so Olga used to cry for his fortune and chopped the woods for him. Lushkoff said that Olga's kindness had transformed him into what he is now and made him stop drinking and start earning his living by work. This story is based on the change of a degraded alcoholic through kindness, compassion, and selflessness.

In this story, the poet tells about the future where everything, including schools, is digitalized in a mocking tone. He thinks that the future generations will never have that fun they used to have in their schools.