Who Will Be Ningthou – Class 5 English NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for “Who Will Be Ningthou,” Class 5 English NCERT. This story teaches children important values about leadership and compassion. It shows that true leadership isn’t about physical strength or skills, but about having empathy and caring for all living beings. Through Sanatombi’s character, students learn that a good leader is one who understands and feels the pain of others, whether they are people, animals, or even trees.

Summary in English

“Who Will Be Ningthou” is a story from Manipur about choosing a worthy ruler. In the land of Kangleipak, a king (Ningthou) and queen (Leima) ruled with great love for their people and nature. They had three sons and a daughter named Sanatombi. To choose the future king, they held a horse race where all three sons finished together. Then each son performed different feats with a banyan tree – one pierced through it, another jumped over it, and the third uprooted it. However, little Sanatombi showed compassion for the destroyed tree and the displaced birds, demonstrating that she understood the true meaning of leadership. This led to her being chosen as the future queen.

हिंदी में सारांश (Summary in Hindi)

“हू विल बी निंगथौ” मणिपुर की एक कहानी है जो एक योग्य शासक के चयन के बारे में है। कांगलीपक की भूमि में, एक राजा (निंगथौ) और रानी (लीमा) अपनी प्रजा और प्रकृति के प्रति बहुत प्यार के साथ शासन करते थे। उनके तीन बेटे और एक बेटी सनातोम्बी थी। भावी राजा चुनने के लिए, उन्होंने एक घुड़दौड़ का आयोजन किया जहां तीनों बेटे एक साथ समाप्त हुए। फिर प्रत्येक बेटे ने बरगद के पेड़ के साथ अलग-अलग करतब दिखाए – एक ने इसे भेद दिया, दूसरे ने इसके ऊपर से छलांग लगाई, और तीसरे ने इसे उखाड़ दिया। हालांकि, छोटी सनातोम्बी ने नष्ट किए गए पेड़ और विस्थापित पक्षियों के लिए करुणा दिखाई, जो दर्शाता है कि वह नेतृत्व का सच्चा अर्थ समझती थी। इस कारण उसे भविष्य की रानी चुना गया।

Word Meanings

Reading is Fun

1. How did the king want to select their future king?

The king wanted to select the future king through a fair contest instead of following the old tradition of making the eldest son the king. He organized a horse race where the contestants had to reach the banyan tree (khongnang). When all three sons finished the race together, they were asked to perform different feats to prove their worthiness.

2. What kind of child was Sanatombi?

Sanatombi was an exceptional child with beautiful inner qualities. She was soft-hearted, compassionate, and deeply loved by everyone. Her ability to understand and feel the pain of others, whether it was people, animals, birds, or even trees, made her stand out. This sensitivity and empathy showed her true leadership qualities.

3. Name the place in Manipur where the Ningthou and Leima ruled.

The Ningthou and Leima ruled in the land of Kangleipak, which is located in Manipur. This was their kingdom where they governed with love and care for all living beings.

4. Why did the people of Kangleipak love their king and queen?

The people of Kangleipak loved their king and queen because they were truly caring rulers who:

• Always thought about the happiness of their people (meeyam)
• Cared not only for humans but also for birds, animals, and trees
• Wanted everyone in their kingdom to live in peace
• Ruled with compassion and understanding

5. Why did the Ningthou want to choose a future king?

The Ningthou wanted to choose a future king because:

• The children had grown up and were ready to take on responsibilities
• He wanted to ensure the kingdom would have a worthy ruler in the future
• He believed times had changed and the old tradition of making the eldest son king needed to be reconsidered
• He wanted to select someone who would be most worthy of becoming a king based on their qualities

6. Have you ever seen an animal or a bird in pain? What did you do?

Yes, I once found an injured pigeon in our garden. Here’s what I did to help:

• I carefully approached the bird to avoid frightening it further
• Gently picked it up and brought it home in a soft cloth
• Created a safe, quiet space for it to rest
• Provided water and appropriate bird food
• Applied antiseptic on its visible wounds
• Took care of it for two weeks until it recovered
• Once it was strong enough, I released it in a nearby park where other pigeons gathered

Let’s Listen and Talk

1. Where is Manipur on the map of India?

Manipur is located in the northeastern part of India. It shares borders with Nagaland, Mizoram, and Assam, and also has an international border with Myanmar. It’s known for its beautiful valleys, hills, and rich cultural heritage.

2. What language do the people of Manipur speak?

The people of Manipur speak Maithailon (option ii). This language, also known as Manipuri or Meiteilon, is the primary language of the state and reflects its rich cultural heritage.

3. Who do you think should have been made the future king? Why? Who was made the future queen and why?

In my opinion, none of the three sons showed qualities essential for being a good ruler:

• Sanajaoba showed strength by piercing through the tree, but destroyed part of nature
• Sanayaima demonstrated skill by jumping over the tree, but showed no leadership quality
• Sanatomba displayed power by uprooting the tree, but showed disregard for the environment

• She showed empathy towards the birds who lost their homes
• She understood that the tree was a living being that felt pain
• She demonstrated wisdom beyond her years
• She embodied the true qualities of a leader – compassion and care for all beings

Word Building

1. Say aloud the following names in your mother tongue

This is an activity for students to practice pronunciation of Manipuri words:

• Ningthou
• Leima
• Meeyam
• Khongnang

2. Write the meanings of the following in English

Here are the Manipuri words and their English meanings:

• Tunggi Ningthou – The future king
• Thouro! Thouro! – Bravo! Bravo!
• Phajei! Phajei! – Wonderful! Wonderful!
• Shagol thauba nupa! – Such fine horsemen!

Fun with Sound Words

Complete these sound words with what makes these sounds

Here are creative completions for the sound words:

• Click! went the computer mouse
• Chirp! went the baby sparrow
• Whisper! went the autumn leaves
• Bravo! went the excited audience
• Oh! went the surprised child
• Ah! went the satisfied customer
• Hurrah! went the winning team
• Alas! went the disappointed student
• Wonderful! went the proud teacher
• Hi! went the friendly neighbor
• Ho! went the jolly Santa
• Hop away! went the playful rabbit

Language Use

1. Fill in the correct word in the blanks and complete the story

In a forest, there lived a goblin named Cruel. One day, he met an old man wandering in the forest. Immediately, Cruel leapt on to the old man’s shoulders and ordered him, “Let’s go. Move fast.” The frightened old man obeyed the nasty goblin and walked on. As they moved on, he noticed that the goblin’s feet were very tender. The old man asked Cruel, “Sir, how are your feet so soft and tender?” Cruel replied, “I have taken a vow that I will not touch the ground with my feet, till I wash them.” They soon came to a pool. The goblin instructed the old man to wait for him while he entered the pool. The old man thought to himself, “Now that the goblin has wet his feet, he does not need me. Let me run for my life or he will surely eat me up.” So he ran off.

2. Sit in groups of five and tell stories

This is a group activity where students should:

• Form groups of five students
• Each student tells one story of their choice
• Group members listen carefully to each story
• Discuss what makes each story special
• Vote to select the best storyteller
• Declare that person as the group’s Ningthou or Leima

3. Find out stories about other great people’s lives

Here are two inspiring stories about great personalities: Story 1: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam – The Missile Man

• Born in a humble family in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
• Sold newspapers as a child to help support his family
• Studied aerospace engineering despite financial challenges
• Became India’s leading missile scientist
• Served as India’s 11th President from 2002 to 2007
• Known for his love for teaching and inspiring youth

• Born in a small village in Manipur
• Started boxing despite limited resources
• Balanced training with helping her parents in farming
• Won Olympic medal and multiple world championships
• Inspires girls across India to pursue their dreams

4. Read the lesson carefully and put a circle around all the action words with -ed at the end. Write them in one column and their present form in another.

5. Make a list of the action words from this story