Chapter 7 in the Class 10 English book, ‘First Flight’, consists of a prose text named Madam Rides the Bus written by Vallikkannan. This is a touching story about an eight-year-old girl who takes her first exciting bus ride beyond her village. This journey becomes a lesson for her about the realities of life and death.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLcNeI2UOSI&t=1004s
CBSE Class 10 English: Madam Rides the Bus Summary
The story is about a curious eight-year-old girl named Valli who lived in a Tamil village. Valli didn’t have friends to play with, so she spent her time watching the activities on the street from her house. She was fascinated by the bus that traveled between her village and the nearby town. The new passengers on the bus brought her immense joy. Valli, feeling the urge for an adventurous journey, gathered information about the bus timings from people’s conversations. She discovered that the bus journey to the nearest town was about six miles, and the fare was thirty paise for a one-way ride. Valli started saving money to fulfill her dream of taking a bus ride.
Valli planned to ride the bus in the afternoon when her mom was napping. She waited on the roadside for the bus. When it came, she told the cheerful conductor she wanted to go to town. The conductor, a friendly person, called her ‘madam’ and asked her to get on the bus and find a seat. Valli hopped onto the bus, noticing its new green and white stripes. The seats were comfy, and the ride was smooth. She enjoyed looking at the green scenery outside and the beautiful natural views during the journey. Valli was having a great time when suddenly a young cow rushed in front of the bus and crossed the road. The driver honked loudly as the cow passed.
As Valli enjoyed the pretty view outside, fewer people were on the bus as they got off at their stops. The conductor then asked if she wanted to explore the town’s stalls, but she explained she had limited money for the return trip. The conductor smiled and she stayed on the bus, buying a ticket from him to go back to her village. The bus moved again, she noticed a dead cow, realizing it was the same one that had rushed in front of her bus earlier. Seeing the injured cow made her very sad, and she learned about life and death from this incident. The bus dropped her near her home, and she made it back just in time. So, her family didn’t find out about her exciting bus journey that she took all by herself without telling them. This made Valli even more excited as she realized her dream of riding a bus had finally come true.
Conclusion of Madam Rides the Bus
The chapter ‘Madam Rides the Bus’ explains the heartfelt desire of a young girl’s wish to take a bus ride from her village to the nearby town. However, during her journey, a sad event teaches her the significance of life and death.
We trust that this summary of the CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Prose, “Madam Rides the Bus,” has provided you with a quick grasp of the chapter. Stay connected with GK Publications for the latest updates on CBSE and study materials. Explore sample papers and question papers from various years to enhance your preparation for the Board exams.
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