Lesson 9 • The Great Stone Face – I — Nathaniel Hawthorne
Summary • Author • Hard Spellings • NCERT Original Questions + Answers (English & Hindi) • Grammar • Writing
Before You Read (Original)
Seen from a distance, hilltops and huge rocks seem to assume various shapes… The Great Stone Face is one such shape that reminds the inhabitants of the valley of a prophecy. What was it? Did it come true?
Summary (English)
Ernest and his mother live in a valley facing a natural rock formation—the Great Stone Face—whose features resemble a human face when seen from afar. A prophecy says that someone born in the valley will grow to be the greatest and noblest person of his time and his face will look exactly like the Great Stone Face. As Ernest grows up, he keeps gazing at the Face for inspiration. People first believe the rich merchant Gathergold is the prophesied man, but later realise he is not. Years pass; a famed general, “Blood-and-Thunder”, returns and people again claim the likeness. Ernest compares the faces and understands the prophecy remains unfulfilled. He keeps faith that “He will come”.
Summary (Hindi)
अर्नेस्ट और उसकी माँ की झोपड़ी जिस घाटी में है, वहाँ दूर पर्वत की चट्टानों पर मानव-चेहरे जैसा बना ग्रेट स्टोन फेस दिखता है। एक भविष्यवाणी के अनुसार इसी घाटी में जन्मा एक व्यक्ति अपने समय का सबसे महान और उदात्त बनेगा और बड़े होकर उसका चेहरा ठीक उसी पत्थर-चेहरे से मिलता-जुलता होगा। अर्नेस्ट बचपन से उसी चेहरे को देखकर प्रेरणा लेता है। पहले लोग अमीर व्यापारी गैदरगोल्ड को वही व्यक्ति मान लेते हैं, पर बाद में समझते हैं कि वह नहीं है। वर्षों बाद प्रसिद्ध सेनापति “ब्लड-एंड-थंडर” आता है; लोग फिर likeness मान लेते हैं, पर अर्नेस्ट तुलना कर समझ जाता है कि अभी भविष्यवाणी पूरी नहीं हुई—और वह आश्वस्त रहता है कि “वह आएगा।”
About the Author — Nathaniel Hawthorne
English: Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was a celebrated American writer. His works often explore morality and human character through allegory. “The Great Stone Face” reflects his interest in inner greatness over outward success.
Hindi: नथानिएल हॉथॉर्न (1804–1864) प्रसिद्ध अमेरिकी लेखक थे। उनकी रचनाएँ प्रतीकात्मकता के माध्यम से नीतिकथा-जैसी गहराई दिखाती हैं। “द ग्रेट स्टोन फेस” में बाहरी सफलता से अधिक भीतरी महानता को महत्त्व मिलता है।
Hard Spellings & Meanings
| Word | Hindi Uchcharan | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| perpendicular | परपेन्डिक्युलर | खड़ी/सीधी (खड़ी चट्टान) |
| immense | इमेंस | बहुत विशाल |
| gigantic | जायगैन्टिक | अत्यंत विशाल |
| clustering | क्लस्टरिंग | गुच्छों में इकट्ठा होना |
| benign | बेनाइन | दयालु, सौम्य |
| prophecy | प्रॉफ़ेसी | भविष्यवाणी |
| pensive | पेनसिव | विचारमग्न, गंभीर |
| industrious | इन्डस्ट्रियस | परिश्रमी |
| beheld | बिहेल्ड | देखा (भूतकाल) |
| renowned | रिनाउनड | प्रसिद्ध |
| banquet | बैंक्वेट | भोज/विषेष दावत |
| proclaimed | प्रोक्लेम्ड | घोषित/उद्घोषित |
| resemblance | रिज़ेम्ब्लन्स | सादृश्य/मिलता-जुलता रूप |
| commander | कमैन्डर | सैन्य-अधिनायक |
| sympathies | सिम्पैथीज़ | हृदयग्राही भावनाएँ/सहानुभूतियाँ |
Comprehension Check — True/False
- The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived. — False (It was miles away.)
- One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance. — True
- Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work. — True
- Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skilful merchant. — False (He became very rich.)
- Gathergold died in poverty and neglect. — True (His wealth had melted away.)
- The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the general. — True (“Fear not, Ernest; he will come.”)
Answer the following questions.
(ii) What did young Ernest wish when he gazed at it?
Answer (English): (i) A natural rock formation on a mountain cliff that, from a distance, looked like a human face. (ii) He wished it could speak; he also wished to see a man with such a kind face and to live to see the prophecy fulfilled.
उत्तर (Hindi): (i) पर्वत की खड़ी चट्टान पर बना प्राकृतिक शिलारूप, जो दूर से मानव-चेहरा लगता था। (ii) वह चाहता था कि यह बोल सके; साथ ही वह ऐसे ही दयालु चेहरे वाले मनुष्य को देखने की कामना करता था और भविष्यवाणी पूरी होते देखने की भी।
Answer (English): A prophecy that a child born in the valley would grow to be the greatest and noblest of his time and his face, in manhood, would exactly resemble the Great Stone Face.
उत्तर (Hindi): भविष्यवाणी यह थी कि इसी घाटी में जन्मा एक बालक बड़ा होकर अपने समय का सबसे महान और उदात्त व्यक्ति बनेगा और उसका चेहरा ग्रेट स्टोन फेस से हूबहू मिलता होगा।
Answer (English): News that the immensely rich merchant, Gathergold (born in the valley), was returning; people thought his face resembled the Great Stone Face.
उत्तर (Hindi): जब अत्यंत धनी व्यापारी गैदरगोल्ड (घाटी का ही) लौट रहा था—लोगों को लगा उसका चेहरा ग्रेट स्टोन फेस से मिलता है, इसलिए भविष्यवाणी पूरी होने वाली है।
(ii) Who did he confide in and how was he proved right?
Answer (English): (i) No. (ii) He confided in his own heart, as if guided by the Great Stone Face. Later, when Gathergold lost his wealth, people themselves agreed there was no likeness.
उत्तर (Hindi): (i) नहीं। (ii) उसने अपने हृदय/अंतःप्रेरणा पर भरोसा किया—मानो ग्रेट स्टोन फेस उसे कह रहा हो। बाद में जब गैदरगोल्ड का धन चला गया, तो लोगों ने भी माना कि कोई सादृश्य नहीं था।
(ii) Ernest compared the man’s face with the Stone Face. What did he conclude?
Answer (English): (i) His fame as a victorious commander and a supposed resemblance made people believe so. (ii) Ernest concluded there was no true likeness; the prophesied man had not yet come.
उत्तर (Hindi): (i) उसकी युद्ध-ख्याति और कथित समानता के कारण लोग उसे वही व्यक्ति मान बैठे। (ii) अर्नेस्ट ने तुलना कर निष्कर्ष निकाला कि वास्तविक सादृश्य नहीं है—वह व्यक्ति अभी नहीं आया।
Working with Language
like – likeness • punctual – punctuality
The words on the left are adjectives and those on the right are their noun forms.
Write the noun forms of the following words by adding -ness or -ity to them appropriately. Check the spelling of the new words.
(i) lofty (ii) able (iii) happy (iv) near (v) noble (vi) enormous (vii) pleasant (viii) dense (ix) great (x) stable
Answers: (i) loftiness (ii) ability (iii) happiness (iv) nearness (v) nobility (vi) enormity* (vii) pleasantness (viii) density (ix) greatness (x) stability
*Note: “enormity” is the standard noun form (usage differs from “enormousness”).
perfect • near • kind • pleasant • eager
- (i) We all were eagerly waiting for you.
- (ii) Kindly write your name and address in capital letters.
- (iii) I was pleasantly surprised to see him at the railway station.
- (iv) It is perfectly believable that I am not responsible for this mess.
- (v) He fell over the step and nearly broke his arm.
- (i) I will phone you when I get home from school.
- (ii) Hurry up! Madam will be annoyed if we are late.
- (iii) If it rains today, we will not go to the play.
- (iv) When you see Mandal again, you will not recognise him. He is growing a beard.
- (v) We are off today. We will write to you after we are back.
Writing
Sample (English): My mother said her mother had told her an old prophecy: that a child born in our valley would become the greatest and noblest of his time, and when he grew to manhood, his face would be the exact likeness of the Great Stone Face. Many still believed it; others called it idle talk. But she asked me to keep faith and perhaps, someday, we would see him.
नमूना (Hindi): माँ ने कहा कि उनकी माँ ने एक पुरानी भविष्यवाणी सुनाई थी—कि हमारी घाटी में जन्मा एक बालक बड़ा होकर अपने समय का सबसे महान और उदात्त बनेगा और जवान होने पर उसका चेहरा ग्रेट स्टोन फेस से हूबहू मिलेगा। कुछ लोग आज भी मानते हैं, कुछ इसे कोरी बात समझते हैं; पर माँ ने कहा—आस्था रखो, शायद एक दिन हम उसे देखेंगे।
Sample (English): My carriage rolled in with four horses. People shouted that the prophecy had come true. Yet I saw doubt in a boy’s eyes. Wealth had defined me, but when my gold melted away, the valley realised I was not the likeness of the Great Stone Face.
नमूना (Hindi): मेरी बग्घी जैसे ही पहुँची, लोग चिल्लाए—भविष्यवाणी पूरी हो गई! पर एक लड़के की आँखों में संदेह था। मेरी पहचान धन से थी; जब मेरा सोना चला गया तो घाटी ने स्वीकार किया कि मैं ग्रेट स्टोन फेस जैसा नहीं था।
End • Lesson 9 • The Great Stone Face – I — Complete (NCERT Original Questions Preserved)