This document provides teaching materials for an 8th standard English class on the short story "When Wishes Come True" by Rabindranath Tagore. It includes an introduction to the story, background on the author, character descriptions, and summaries of the story's plot presented across several slides in a comic-like format. The story is about a father and son who wish to trade places in age with each other and learn that different stages of life each have advantages and disadvantages.

1. Teaching Aid for 8th Standard English
Prepared by
Pinky Prakash

2. Introduction
In the field of education innovation is to create something new
which deviates from traditional practices. Creativity is a process
where the individual locates gaps in ideas, think of alternative
solutions to a problem. It is a spark of genius which is inherent in
a person.
Considering the importance and utility of innovations in teaching,
I have made an attempt to present the section “When Wishes
Come True” innovatively. I expect this will help the students to
visualize and understand the story line and also help to improve
the self learning capabilities.

3. “WHEN WISHES
COME TRUE”
RABINDRANATH
TAGORE

4. About the Author
Rabindranath Tagore was a famous poet and writer from India who won the Nobel Prize
for literature .
in 1913. He is the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Though most of Tagore’s work was written in Bengali originally, he translated several of
them to English. His most famous pieces of writing include 'Chocher Bali' translated in
1903 to Eyesore and Nashtanir or The Broken Nest. He later wrote Gitanjali, which is an
outstanding collection of songs. Some of his other well known works include Jatri and
Vichitra. A substantial part of Tagore’s work was in the form of stories and articles
published in local publications. His song “Our Golden Bengal” is the national anthem of
Bangladesh.
He also spread his ideas about life and living in this way for the benefit of others. In this
process he created an educational setup called ShantiNiketan based on practical
activities that has now flourished in to a big university. His personal life as well as the
activities of ShantiNiketan included things like composing music and singing, staging
dramas, painting, making handicrafts, and designing and wearing new kind of clothes for
greater comfort.
•Gitanjali, Kabuli Wala, Gora, Rajarshi , Jogajog (Relationships), Ghare Baire (The home and the
World) are some his well know works.
•Tagore is best known for collection of poems called Gitanjali, for which he received a Nobel
Price in literature in 1913

5. Preface
“When Wishes come True” is a short story by Rabindranath Tagore. Its a Story
about a farmer called Subal Chandra and his son Sushil Chandra. The story
emphasis that people are not always true to their names. The meaning of the
word ‘Subal’ is “the strong one” and ‘Sushil’ means “gentle and quiet”. But they
are just opposite to the meaning of their names. The story apparently talks
about the distinct thoughts, on different stages of human life. The story
includes the Indian Mythology with Goddess and boon. The Goddess wishes
them to interchange the ages between Father and Son. Through this, author
was trying to convey the different priorities and distinct thoughts of humans in
different stages of life and difficulties in comparing each other.

6. Characters
Sushil Subal

7. Why are you still in
bed? Aren't You
going to school?
I have a terrible
Stomach Ache
On time to go to school, subal saw his son on bed and asked.
I have geography test
and want to see the
fireworks at Bose’s
house. So better not to
go to school !!
Lazy son Sushil, replied

8. Subal locked his son Sushil inside and told
I’am going to prepare
a brew for your
stomach-ache

9. Subal prepared the brew and instructed the sushil.
Drink this brew and lie
here quietly for the rest of
the day.”
I’am fine now. My
stomach-ache has
gone.I’m going to
school.
Sushil, Who was planning to go to Bose’s house to see firework
was in dilemma, as his father said lie down in the bed.

10. Sushil shed tear and thought
I would be able to do
whatever I want to,
if only I could be as
old as my father
I would not waste a
single minute playing
and I would spent all
my time studying if I
could be young again
Subal was disturbed about his son’s behavior and thought

11. The Goddess heard their Prayers and she granted boon
Lets your
wishes comes
true from
Tomorrow

12. Subal :- Becomes young. Teeth were all back,
Moustache &beard had vanished, Clothes were too big

13. Sushil :- Grows older. Not able to open eyes, Clothes
were too tight, Face covered with salt and pepper
beard &moustache , A gleaming pate instead of hair

14. After their wishes came true, Subal
became Young and Sushil became old
now I am not able to
climb trees,can’t swim in
water, not able to roam
with friends.I cant move
my body due to
rheumatism
I can’t take a puff of
tobacco, can’t join with
the old people and can’t
comment on their
discussion, my son will
always scold me for silly
matters
Next day onwards,
they were not able to
do, what they used
to. So both prayed
the goddess to regain
their original shape

15. Goddess
fulfilled
their
wishes
Next day both Sushil and Subal regains
their original shape.

16. Next day, Both Sushil and Subal thought that they are woken up from a bad
dream. And everything was back to the same.
Sushil, Why aren’t you
studying your grammar
aloud
Father ….. ! ,
I have lost my book.

17. T
Pinky Prakash
HANK YOU