15. Summary

The lesson ‘Madam Rides the Bus’  by Vallikanan talks about a young girl named Valli who is inquisitive about life. She lives in a small village and therefore does not have enough exposure. She likes to stand by the door of her house and look at people passing by with their daily routines, animals, vehicles, and all the other interesting events. Of all the things that she witnessed, the bus was her favourite. She liked how it moved around with passengers. She saved money to experience the bus ride by sacrificing all her little desires. She subtly gathered information about the duration and other necessities from various people around her. She finally boarded the bus, which had a jolly fellow for a conductor. The conductor teased her and pulled her leg in jest throughout the journey. He called her Madam as she acted like an adult. Valli enjoyed the ride as she witnessed trees moving fast, rivers, crowded shops, and beautiful sceneries. She was so happy to see a cow trying to cross the road; it was funny to see vehicles dodging it. She took the same bus to reach her home. On the way back, she sees the same cow dead by the side of the road. This made her realise that life is trivial and anything can happen at any moment. Thus the lesson emphasises that we are unsure of all the events that transpire in the world and the reason behind them happening.