The Tale of the Melon City

-By Vikram Seth

Introduction:The tale is humorous even though it is unrealistic and unbelievable. It
ridicules the king, the ministers, the wise men and the common people. All
of them behave foolishly. No one of them applies his brain. The tone of the
poem is satirical.
Summary:It is a humorous poem which shows how stupid the king, the ministers and
the people of a certain kingdom were. It was, in fact, a kingdom of fools.
Once the king ordered the construction of an arch over the main street to
impress the onlookers. The arch was made. When the king rode down the
thoroughfare, his crown was knocked down. The king at once ordered that
the chief of builders should be hanged. While being led to the gallows the
victim shouted that the fault lay with the workmen. The king called the
proceedings to a halt and ordered that the workmen should be hanged
instead. The workmen blamed the masons who in turn blamed the architect.
The architect pointed out that it was the king himself who had made certain
amendments in the plans. This put the king in a tricky spot and he called for
advice from the wisest man. The old man said the culprit was the arch as it
had knocked off the king's crown, so it must be punished. The Councillor
expressed his view that something which had touched the king's head could
not be put to so much disgrace. So ultimately the king set aside
consideration of guilt and looked for a man who would fit the high noose.
The only one tall enough was the king who finally was hanged. It was just as
well that this happened as the public might have rebelled against him. The
ministers then announced that the person who passed the City Gate next
would choose the ruler. An idiot was
questioned and he replied that a melon should be the king. Thus the melon
was crowned and carried to the throne. People did not bother much about
who or what their king was. They only wanted that they should be left to do
whatever they desired.
Summary in Points:1.
2.

Once there was a king who was just and cool headed.
One day the king ordered to construct an arch over the main highway.

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3.
his

Soon the arch was built. The next time when the king rode through it,
crown banged the side of the arch and fell from his head. The peaceloving king lost his peace in an instant and ordered to hang the chief

of
4.
the

the builders.
When the rope and gallows were arranged and the culprit was led to

gallows, the innocent chief of the builders cried out that he was not
guilty and placed the blame upon the workmen.
5.
The king was very wise, too, so he asked to halt the hanging and
ordered
to hang the workmen.
6.
The workmen were brought to the gallows to be hanged. The crowd
watched the proceedings. When they were under the gallows, the
workmen
cried out that the fault was not theirs! They blamed the masons who
made the
wrong bricks.
7.
Again the king had to halt and decide. When the mason was brought to
the
gallows, he put the blame on the architect who made the plans. Well,
the mason
escaped and the architect was called to the gallows.
8.
The architect was smarter than the rest of him. He was so bold that he
blamed
the king for having made a little changes in the plan that he drew for
the arch.
Everyone turned to the king.
9.
The king saw that he had brought him into chaos. Being wise, he
ordered his
men to bring the wisest man to advise him. They found a man who was
so old
that he could neither walk nor see. They thought he was the wisest
and carried
him to the king.
10. The wise man opinioned that the king was not guilty, but the arch.
Having
knocked the kings crown, the arch was to be hanged now.
11. Well, a wise man is to be respected. The king, having made a narrow
escape,
ordered the arch be hanged.
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12. While being carried to the gallows, the arch didnt cry out for help, but
someone
else remarked it was unjust. How can you hang an arch that touched
the kings
crown! The crowd listened.
13. The king saw all eyes turning to him once again for it was his turn again
and this
time it would fix him forever.
14. An idea struck the kings brain and it was soon decided that anyone
whose
height matches that of the noose noose is the rope that hangs the
culprit.
Everyone was brought to the gallows, his height was checked with the
noose but
none so accurately fitted as the one whose turn was the final one and
the
unfortunate one was, again, the king! The king was hanged. The
ministers were
thankful that someone at last had been found to be hanged. The
shouted, Long
live the king! The king is dead.
15. The ministers heaved a sigh of relief after hanging the king but a new
crisis was
encountered who will be the next king?
16. Ministers and councillors came to this decision the next man who
passed the
city gate will choose the king and there came that man, an idiot. The
guards
stopped him and asked whom he chose the next king and his reply was
a
melon, because it was his standard answer to all questions. He liked
melons so
much.
17. A melon was soon brought to the throne and was declared king.
Short-Answer Questions:
1.How do you think a just and placid king would be after reading the first
two lines?
Ans: The qualities of justness and placidity fits a king. After reading the first
two lines of the poem we feel that the king would be truth loving and
serious about his administration.
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2. How did the king react when the people responsible for tumbling the
kings crown started blaming each other?
Ans: The king started immediately accepting the other ones statement and
declaring punishment for them.
3. Ultimately, who was held responsible in the matter of fixing the charges
for insulting the crown?
Ans: The king himself was held responsible for insulting the crown as no one
was of the height to fit the rope.
4. The Tale of Melon City is an irony. Describe giving instances from the
poem.
Ans: The instance of deciding the issue of the wisest man and the next king
is an irony on the decision making process in modern government while the
Kings getting executed by his own order is an irony on the nature of so
called just laws.
Long Answer Questions:
1. Sometimes stressing too much on rules and regulations is also
difficult for smooth functioning and may lead to chaos and anarchy.
Explain in wake of the theme of the poem Tale of Melon
City.
Value points:
-Rules are made for systematizing working
-Following all rules in all conditions not possible
-Need of change in rules as per circumstances
-Kings stress on his just and placid nature
-The disastrous result.
Questions for Practice: Long Questions:
1.Describe the different twists and turns of the story.
2.What larger picture of politics does the story in the poem paint?
3.Describe the exercise undertaken by the king and his men to frame
charges for the crowns insult. What was its final result?
Short Questions:
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1.What is the tone of the poem? Is it ironical and satiric or sarcastic?

Comment.
2.How do the architects and the masons save themselves from the blame?
3.What does the melon being a King signify
Long Answer Questions
Q. What impression do you gather of a state where the king was
just and placid?
Ans. It was a kingdom of fools. No one in the state had any sense. The king
wanted to hang someone because his crown had hit against the arch and
fallen down. The king wanted to consult a wise man. The ministers brought
a man to the king. He said that the real; culprit was the arch and must be
hanged. The king allows himself to be hanged because no other man is tall
enough to fit the noose. The king is dead but the ministers make
declarations in the name of the king. An idiot says that a melon should be
the ruler of the state. The ministers crown a melon and set it down on the
throne. Thus we see that it was truly a kingdom of all fools.
Q. Suggest a few instances which highlight humor and irony.
Ans. The poem is full of humor and irony from the beginning to the end.
There is a king who has a triumphal arch built on the major road of his city.
But the same triumphal arch bangs his crown off. The king wants to punish
the guilty but in the end gets himself hanged. The king is dead but the
ministers make proclamations in the name of the king. All these are
examples of irony. And there is humor in the description of each character.
The king, the ministers, the wisest man of the city, the councilor and melon
idiot are all fools. In fact, it is a kingdom of fools. Nothing could be more
humorous than a melon being crowned and carried to the throne reverently.
1.

Narrate The Tale of Melon City in your own words

Ans:
The just and placed king once had a desire of building an arch
across the thoroughfare to edify the spectators. Workmen with great agility
constructed the arch. With an effervescent heart he tried to pass through
the arch. But his crown struck the arch and the king lost his crown. Furious
at the disgrace he ordered the chief of the builders hang. But the chief of
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the builders blamed the workmen for this. The workmen proclaimed the
mason to be guilty for the wrong brick size. The mason even brushed off the
blame blaming the architect. The architect put king in dilemma as the last
correction was of the kings. The king called for the wisest man to decide
the guild. The old man ridiculously blamed the arch. But the arch was not
punished as the arch touched the kings head. But the king assumed the
nerve of the public. As the public wanted a hang the king ordered for a hang
without any guilt. This proved boomerang for him. He was eventually
hanged. His mutton head ministers decided to choose the next kings an
awkward way i.e. whoever would first cross the gate, would choose the
king. It so happened that a mad entered and he chose a melon as the king.
And from then a melon ruled and the common people enjoyed complete
freedom as the king melon endowed them Laissez Faire.
2.
What impression would you form of a state where king was
just and placid?
Ans:
It seems that the state which is ruled by the king is the abode of
fools. The king is flaky and capricious. The king considers himself as the one
for whom the subjects are to be ruled like the ignorant. His desire of an arch
is promptly fulfilled by the subject. But he seems to be whimsical when he
chased them to punish. As if he is the law and his wish is command, he
dictates the death sentence. His ministers are like claques who flatter the
king and keep their self interest in sound state. The common masses are
illiterate and crazy. They are to enjoy a hang and they can go rebel if they
are deprived of it. They are boorish and do not care who is being hung,
even if the person is the king. They do not care whether they are ruled by a
king. What they care is their self interest. They want their self freedom, the
facility to do any business and irenic life.
3.
How according to you, can peace and liberty be maintained
in a state?
Ans:
Peace and liberty will be the outcome of a few key factors in running
a state.
A transparent and responsible administration free from partiality and
corruption will perpetuate peace. A well proven administrative system
where there are no unlawful activities and where service to people is of
most priority and delivered with ease; where grievance will be at lower
stake and people will maintain trust on state and will work collaboratively,
are what to be the priority. First priority must be to educate every child so
that future rulers are wise, strong, and capable to heighten the civilized
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sensibility. A state must be free from all negative dogmas. Superstitions,

blind religious hatred, favouring particular creed and caste must be matters
of trash bin. A state must be run by democratic process where there is no
scope for tyranny and autocracy.

4.
Suggest a few instances in the poem which highlight
humour and irony.
Ans:

The tale of melon city is best understood for its irony and humour.

Humour The king decides to make an arch across the thoroughfare

to edify the spectators. He creates a humorous scene when he dashes with
the arch and loses his crown.
-The king is of the mind of punishing the guilty that made the faulty arch.
His chasing one after another and their excuses and blaming the king
indirectly presents a ludicrous show.
-When the wisest man is called, his conclusion of pointing the arch to be the
culprit and their assay to hang it, giggles us.
-we cannot but grin when we find the king to be the fittest person for the
hang.
-The process of choosing the new king and melon as the king creates
utmost humour in us.
IRONY
-The king who desired for a hang to punish the guilty, gets hanged for the
public wanted a hang.
-The wise man was selected because he was old and he could not see
anything and points the arch to be the guilty and should be hanged without
any precision.
-The ministers chose a king on basis of a fools choice. i.e. a melon. And all
accepted without bothering whether the king was human or not.

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