A LETTER TO GOD

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. What were the feelings did Lencho have when he found
the letter with money in it? What did he do after opening
the letter?
Ans. Lencho was not at all surprised to see the money in the
letter as he was fully confident about it. He knew that God will
send money to him. On opening the letter he found seventy pesos
instead of a hundred. So, he wrote another letter to God to send
rest of the amount but now not through the mail as the post office
employees were crooks.
2. Whom did Lencho write a letter? What did he ask for?
Ans. When Lencho’s annual crop was completely destroyed due
to heavy rains and hailstorm and there was no one to help hint
during the crisis. At that time Lencho wrote a letter to God.
He wrote the letter requesting Him to send 100 pesos so that he
could sow his fields again till the next crop.
3. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why
does he sign the letter ‘God’?
Ans. The postmaster was a kind, generous, helpful and God
fearing man. When he received the letter written to God asking
for 100 pesos, he felt sympathetic towards Lencho. Hence, he
decided to help Lencho. He gave a part of his salary and asked
the other employees to help. He signed the letter ‘God’ in order to
preserve the man’s faith in God.
4. How far would you agree that one’s positivity can bring
in a spark of brightness even in adverse circumstances’?
Ans. It is absolutely true that optimism can bring about a spark of
brightness even in adverse situations. It was Lencho’s innocent
optimism that eventually led to his getting seventy pesos. In fact,
it was his positivity despite the hailstorm that he even wrote a
letter to God in the first place. His hope finally triumphed.
5. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter with money in it?
Why/Why not?
Ans. Lencho was not at all surprised to receive the envelope with
the money in it because he had utter faith in God. His
unshakeable faith gave him firm confidence.
6. What impression do you form the postmaster after
reading the story ‘A Letter to God’?
Ans. The postmaster was a kind, generous, helpful, amiable and
God-fearing man. He was generous, as he helped Lencho with 70
pesos. He also wrote a reply to Lencho’s letter in order to
maintain his faith in God.
7. Why was Lencho angry? What did he do?
Ans. Lencho had deep faith in God and hence wrote a letter to
God asking for 100 pesos. But when he received 70 pesos instead
of 100, he was angry. He wrote another letter to God asking him
to send the rest of the money, but not through the post-office as
they were a ‘bunch of crooks’.
8. Lencho calls the raindrops ‘new coins’. Why does he call
them so?
Ans. Lencho hoped to get good crops because of raindrops. He
thought he would earn good money so he called them new coins.
But raindrops soon turned into hailstones which destroyed all his
crops and ruined his hopes.
9. Why were Lencho and his family in distress? Whom did
he ask for help?
Ans. Lencho’s crops were completely destroyed by the hailstones.
He feared that he and his family would go hungry. He had no one
to help but he had full faith in God whose eyes see everything. He
wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos to sow the crop
and live until the next harvest.
10.”Now we’re really going to get some water woman.” Is
Lencho sure that it is going to rain? Give a reason for your
answer.
Ans. Yes. Lencho is sure that it is going to rain. He needs rain for
his crops. He has been gazing at the sky since morning. He has
perhaps seen some signs of coming rain. True to his prediction. It
soon starts raining.
11. What are the raindrops compared to and why?
Ans. It starts raining. Lencho is very happy. He compares the big
drops of rain to ten-cent pieces and the little ones to five-cent
pieces. Lencho needs rain for a good harvest. If he has good
crops, he will get money. That is why he compares the raindrops
to coins.
12. Did the letter reach God? Why did the postmaster send
a reply to Lencho?
Ans. No, the letter did not reach God. The postman saw the letter
addressed to God. He took the letter to the postmaster. The
postmaster did not want to shake Lencho’s faith in God. So he
sent a reply to Lencho. He sent seventy pesos to him
13. Why was Lencho angry when he received the letter?
Ans. Lencho had asked God to send him a hundred pesos. But
when he opened the envelope he found only seventy pesos in it.
He thought that the post-office employees had taken the rest of
the money. So he became angry when he received the letter.
14. Lencho describes the post office employees as “a
bunch of crooks.”
(1) Were they a bunch of crooks?
(ii) How would you describe them?
Ans. Lencho thought that the post office employees had cheated
him. So he calls them “a bunch of crooks.” But they were not
crooks. They were kind persons. They wanted to help Lencho. So
they collected seventy pesos and sent the money to Lencho by
mail.
15. Where was Lencho’s house situated?
Ans. Lencho was a farmer. His house was the only one in the
valley. It was situated on the top of a low hill overlooking the
valley. From this height, he could see the river. He could also see
his fields of ripe corn dotted with flowers. The flowers always
promised a good harvest.
16. What did Lencho and the earth need
immediately?
Ans. The only thing the earth needed was rain. Lencho, being a
farmer wished for heavy rain. At least, a shower was necessary.
His fields needed water immediately otherwise the crop would be
completely mined. So, he would constantly look at the sky
towards the north-east.
17. How did the rain come as predicted by Lencho
and how did he receive it?
Ans. Lencho’s wife was preparing supper. The older boys were
working in the field. It was during the meal, in the north-east huge
mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. Then, as Lencho
had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. Lencho went out to
have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body. To him, the
raindrops were like the new coins.
18. Why were the raindrops like new coins for
Lencho?
Ans. Lencho had been impatiently waiting for the rain. The earth
needed a downpour immediately. At least, a shower was
necessary to save the crops. Fortunately for Lencho, in the north-
east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. Big
drops of rain began to fall. Every drop was precious for the fields
and the crops. The bigger drops were worth ten cent pieces and
the little ones were fives.
19. Why did Lencho’s happiness change into deep
concern?
Ans. As Lencho had predicted the rain did come. At the meal
time, it came in the form of big drops. Naturally, the rain
gladdened his heart. He could see better prospects of a good
crop. However, his happiness was short-lived. Suddenly, a strong
wind began to blow. The rain turned into big hailstones. The
falling of heavy ball of big hailstones for an hour completely
destroyed everything— leaves, trees and the standing crops.
Naturally, such a heavy loss put Lencho into a deep concern.
20. Describe the loss caused by the heavy fall of
hailstones in general and to Lencho in particular.
Ans. For an hour, the hailstones rained on the house, the garden,
the hillside and the cornfield. Actually, the whole valley was
covered with them. Leaves and flowers were destroyed. Lencho’s
fields were covered with a white layer. The corn was totally
destroyed. The hail had left practically nothing. There was no
chance of any corn that year for Lencho.
21. In the hearts of all who lived in that solitary
house …, there was a single hope ….’ What was that?
Ans. The hail had practically left nothing. The cornfields were
totally destroyed. Lencho and his family would have no corn that
year. He could expect no help from human beings. In the hearts
of all who lived in that solitary house, there was a single hope:
help from God. Only God could save them from such a miserable
situation.
22. Why did Lencho think of writing a letter to God?
What did he write in the letter?
Ans. The hailstones completely destroyed Lencho’s cornfields.
They would have no corn that year. Having lost all hopes, Lencho
thought of writing a letter to God. He requested God to send him
a hundred pesos to sow his fields again. He wrote that he needed
money to live until the new crops came. If God didn’t help, his
family would face starvation.
23. What was the address written and how was the
letter sent to God?
Ans. Lencho had an unshaken faith in God and His mercy.
Therefore, he decided to write a letter to God for help. He wrote
‘To God’ on the envelope and put the letter inside. He went to the
post office and placed a stamp on the letter. Finally, he dropped it
into the mailbox.
24. How did the postmaster react when a postman
showed him the letter to God?
Ans. When a postman received Lencho’s letter, he laughed
heartily and took that letter to the postmaster. The postmaster
looked at the letter to God and laughed heartily too. However, he
soon grew serious. He was impressed with the sender’s faith in
God who tried to correspond Him. “What a faith”! he could utter
only such words.
25. Why did the postmaster decide to answer
Lencho’s letter?
Ans. After laughing at the very idea of a letter to God, the
postmaster became serious soon. He was impressed with the
unshaken faith of the sender in God. He wished he had the faith of
the man who wrote that letter to God. So, in order not to shake
the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster decided to answer the
letter.
26. How did the postmaster answer Lencho’s letter by
sending him the money?
Ans. The postmaster didn’t want to shake the writer’s faith in God
and so decided to help him. It needed something more than
goodwill. So he collected money from his employees and himself
contributed a part of the salary. He could collect only seventy
pesos. He put the money into the envelope and put a single word
`God’ as signature and posted it to Lencho.
27. Why did Lencho go a bit earlier than usual to the
post office the following Sunday?
Ans. Lencho had firm faith in God and His mercy. He did expect a
reply from Him. So, on the following Sunday, he went to the post
office a bit earlier than usual. The postman handed over the letter
to Lencho. The postmaster was only contented to perform a good
deed.
28. Why did Lencho show no surprise on seeing the
money?
Ans. Lencho had a firm faith in God. He did expect help from Him.
He didn’t show any surprise when he received the sum of seventy
pesos. He believed in the mercy of God and expected definite
help from him. So, he showed no surprise when he received the
money.
29. Why was Lencho angry after he counted the
money?
Ans. Lencho had demanded a sum of a hundred pesos as an
immediate help from God. He did hope in God’s mercy and help.
However, his happiness was short lived when he counted the
money. The sum was short by 30 pesos. Lencho believed that God
did send him a hundred pesos but the dishonest post office
employees embezzled the money.
 30. Why did Lencho ask help from God? Did he
receive it?
Ans. Lencho had written a letter to God requesting him to send a
sum of one hundred pesos. This money was necessary to show his
fields again and to live until the new crop came. The help did
come in the form of 70 pesos. Actually, it was not God but the
kind-hearted postmaster who had collected the money and sent
to Lencho by post signing God.’
31. What did Lencho write in his second letter to
God? Why did he ask Him not to send the rest of the
money by post mail?
Ans. Lencho wrote to God that he received only 70 pesos out of
the 100 that he had asked for. He asked God to send him the rest
of the money as he needed it very much. He even asked God not
to send the money through the postal mail. He said that the post
office employees were dishonest and ‘a bunch of crooks’.
32. Lencho has great faith in God. Does he have the same
kind of faith in man? Taking examples from the story
describe his attitude towards God and man.
Ans. Lencho’s crop was totally destroyed. He had great faith in
God. He wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos as help.
The postmaster and the employees collected seventy pesos and
sent the money to him. Lencho thought that the employees had
stolen 30 pesos. He wrote another letter to God asking for 30
pesos more but not through the post office. He called the
employees ‘a bunch of crooks’. This highlights Lencho’s attitude
to God and man. He had full faith in God but doesn’t have any
faith in man.
33. What is the ironical about the ending of the
story?
Ans. The end of the story is rather ironical. The postmaster was
greatly impressed by Lencho’s faith in God. He didn’t want to
shake his faith in God. He collected a sum of seventy pesos from
his employees and contributed a part of his salary. However, his
great act of charity was not recognised and appreciated by the
man who received help. On the contrary, the helpers were
ironically called ‘a bunch of crooks’.
II Answer the following questions in 100-120
words:
1. Lencho received the money and a letter from God but
still, he was not happy. Was it not in his attitude to be
happy with what he achieved? Did he not know the
pleasure of being grateful to others? Reflecting on the
values required to lead a happy life, explain in about 100-
120 words.
Ans. Lencho had full faith in God and hence, had written a letter
to God asking for 100 pesos. But when he received the money
and a letter from God, he was not happy. It was not his attitude to
be happy with what he received, nor was he ungrateful to God. He
was angry because he had received 70 pesos instead of 100. He
did not doubt God for it. He wrote another letter to God asking
him to send the rest of the money but not through the post-office
as they were a bunch of crooks. This shows that Lencho had full
faith in God and was confident that his desire would be fulfilled. It
was Lencho’s innocent optimism that eventually led to his getting
seventy pesos. Optimism and faith can lead to a happy life.
2. The postmaster represents such people who still
believe in helping others mention those values of the
postmaster which you would like to emulate in yourself.
Write in 100-120 words.
Ans. The postmaster was a kind, generous, helpful, amiable and
God-fearing man. He received a letter from Lencho which was
written to God asking for 100 pesos so that he could sow his fields
again. The postman felt sympathetic towards Lencho. He decided
to help Lencho. He gave up a part of his salary and asked all other
employees to help. Even friends were made to contribute for a
cause of charity and he managed to collect 70 pesos. He sent the
money to Lencho along with a reply. He did so in order to
preserve the man’s faith in God. This shows the postmaster was a
nice man at heart.
3. “If you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry
this year.” Lencho had faith in God but he didn’t manage
to solve the problem by himself. Did he lack the courage
to resolve his matter himself? What values did he lack?
Explain it in 100-120 words.
Ans. Lencho was a hardworking farmer. He was completely
dependent upon the crops of his fields. His annual crop was
completely destroyed due to heavy rains and hailstorm. In the
entire village, there was no one to help him during the times of
financial crisis. He had the firm belief in God and hence wrote a
letter requesting Him to send 100 pesos so that he could sow his
fields again till the next crop. This act did not prove that he lacked
the courage to resolve his problem but shows that he did not
have any option left for himself He had a firm belief in God. He
was an ox of a man but lacked money to stand again.
4. Give the character-sketch of Lencho.
Or
“I wish I had the faith of the man.” Describe Lencho’s
character in the light of the above statement.
Ans. Lencho was a hardworking farmer. He laboured like an ox.
He had good knowledge of farming and knew his crop needed a
downpour to give him good yield.
Lencho had great faith in God. He knew how to read and write. He
wrote a letter to God for help when his crops were totally ruined
by hailstones.
He was a simple and innocent farmer. He could not reason out
things. He blamed the post-office employees for cheating him of
30 pesos and called them ‘A bunch of crooks’.
But Lencho was a caring head of the family. He got sad and
worried that his family would have to go hungry.
5.(i) What did the postmaster need to answer the letter?
How did he collect it?
(ii) How did Lencho react to help?
Ans. (i) Lencho’s crop had been destroyed. He needed God’s
help. So he wrote a letter to God. He posted the letter. At the
post-office, a postman took the letter out of the letterbox. He
laughed at reading the address. He showed the letter to the
postmaster. The postmaster also laughed. But he praised
Lencho’s firm faith in God. He did not want to shake this faith. He
was very kind. He decided to help Lencho. He and the post-office
employees collected some money. The postmaster gave a part of
his salary. They put the money into an envelope and addressed it
to Lencho.
(ii) The next Sunday Lencho came to the post-office. He asked if
there was any letter for him. The postman gave him the envelope.
Lencho opened the letter. He found that the money was less than
what he had requested for. He thought that God could not have
made a mistake. He wrote another letter to God. He asked God to
send him the rest of the money. But he should not send it through
the mail as the post-office employees were a bunch of crooks.
6. How do you think the postmaster felt when he received
Lencho’s second letter? What do you think he did?
Ans. When Lencho opened the letter, he found only seventy
pesos in it. He thought that God could not make a mistake.
Perhaps the post office employees had cheated him. He wrote
another letter to God. He wrote that the post office employees
were a bunch of crooks. The story does not tell us what the
postmaster felt when he received the second letter. Perhaps he
felt shocked. It is possible that he realized that sometimes even
good intentions are misunderstood. I think he met Lencho and
explained everything to him. He told him that the post-office
employees were not a bunch of crooks. In fact, they were kind
and helpful. They had collected money to help him.
7. Write the story of Lencho’s faith in God.
Or
Write a brief summary of the story ‘A Letter to God’.
Ans. Lencho was a simple farmer. He was very hard-working. But
one year, his harvest was completely destroyed by the hailstorm.
He had firm faith in God. He wrote a letter to God asking for a
hundred pesos. The postmaster saw the letter. He decided to help
Lencho. He collected money from his employees. He gave some
part of his own salary also. But the money was less than what
Lencho had asked for. The postmaster put the money into an
envelope and addressed it to Lencho. Next Sunday Lencho came
to collect his letter. When he counted the money he became
angry. He wrote another letter to God. He asked God to send him
the rest of the money. But he asked God not to send the money
through the mail as the employees of the post-office were a
bunch of crooks.
8. Lencho described the post-office employees as a ‘bunch
of crooks’. Were they really a bunch of crooks? How would
you describe them?
Ans. A crook is a person who cheats others. He earns his living by
dishonest means. Lencho requested God for a hundred pesos. He
received a letter in the mail. When he opened it he found seventy
pesos in it. He thought that the post-office employees had taken
the rest of thirty pesos. So he called them a bunch of crooks. But
in fact, they were kind and generous people. They did not want to
shake Lencho ‘s faith in God. So they raised money to help him.
But they could not raise a hundred pesos. So they put seventy
pesos in an envelope and addressed it to Lencho. The post-office
employees were good people. They did an act of kindness and
Charity. It was wrong for Lencho to call them a bunch of crooks
9. Give a character sketch of the Postmaster in your own
words. Don’t you think that he should have deserved a
better recognition and appreciation of his act of charity?

Ans. It takes all kinds of people to make this world. The

postmaster has all that is good in human thinking and behaviour.
He has a thorough understanding of a sharp, sympathetic and
sensitive mind. He knows how the mind of a God fearing rustic
like Lencho works. He is sensitive and sympathetic to human
feelings. He doesn’t want to break the deep faith of the writer in
God. The fat and friendly postmaster had a large heart too. First,
he laughed at the man who wanted to have a direct
correspondence with God. But he soon became serious. After
reading the letter, he was deeply moved and impressed by
Lencho’s faith in God.

He knew that merely goodwill was not sufficient. The farmer

needed financial help. So he collected a sum of 70 pesos from his
employees. He also contributed a part of his salary. He did so as
to keep Lencho’s faith in God. He wrote a single word as a
signature: God.

It is ironical that a simpleton like Lencho could never know his

real benefactor. Nor did he ever try to know how and from whom
he received those seventy pesos. Naturally, his work of charity
deserved better recognition and appreciation from the receiver.
Ironically, the postmaster and his employees who had sent
seventy pesos were called ‘a bunch of crooks’ by Lencho.

1. “That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger.” All through the
night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God,
whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even
what is deep in one’s conscience. Lencho was an ox of a man,
working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write.
(a) What was Lencho’s only hope?
(b) How did Lencho work in the field?
(c) Find the exact word of similar meaning ‘moral sense’ given in
the passage.
(d) Explain ‘an or of a man’.

Answer:
(a) Lencho’s only hope was the help of God.
(b) Lencho worked as an ‘ox’ in the field.
(c) The word is ‘conscience’.
(d) It means a man working hard like an ox or animal.