NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 10: The Book That Saves the Earth

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The twentieth century was called the "Era of the Book" because in that period, books were found everywhere — in stores, homes, libraries, schools, and offices. People read books on every conceivable subject, from anteaters to Zulus. Books influenced people's lives profoundly — they told them what to eat, how to cook, how to raise children, how to keep dogs, and even how to build swimming pools. There were books about everything imaginable, and they educated, informed, and entertained people. Books were the dominant medium of knowledge and culture during that era.

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Think-Tank, the commander-in-chief and the Great and Mighty ruler of Mars, tried to invade the Earth in the twenty-first century. He considered himself the most powerful and intelligent being in the entire universe and commanded the Martian invasion force to take over Earth, which they called the "insignificant planet".

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Noodle is Think-Tank's apprentice and trainee on Mars. He is clever and tactful. He helps Think-Tank interpret what they see on the screen by offering gentle suggestions without directly contradicting his master. Noodle always begins with phrases like "I__(beg your pardon" or "__(with all due respect" before offering a different interpretation. For instance, when Think-Tank calls books sandwiches, Noodle carefully suggests they might be used for communication instead. He lets Think-Tank believe that every correct idea actually originated from Think-Tank himself, thereby managing his master's enormous ego while steering him toward the right conclusions.

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Think-Tank orders Captain Omega to eat a book because he initially believes that books are sandwiches — a form of food consumed by Earthlings. When the crew lands in a library and finds it full of books, Think-Tank identifies them as a "refreshment stand" and orders Omega to eat one to confirm his theory. Omega reluctantly takes a bite of the book, finding it__(dry and__(not very tasty.

(ii) Why does Think-Tank__(_(order the__(_(__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(Martians to__(_(__(_(_(turn__(_(the__(pages__(of the__(books?

Answer: After Noodle suggests that books might be communication devices that need to be__(opened and__(_(_(_(_(_(_(looked at, Think-Tank orders the Martians to open__(the books and__(_(_(_(turn the pages. He believes the__(_(_(_(_(Earthlings watch the__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(pages — that it is a visual communication device. This leads__(to the Martians looking at the pages of a book of nursery rhymes, which they then try to decode and interpret literally.

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The Martians interpret nursery rhymes literally and with great alarm. When they read "Mistress Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells..." Think-Tank concludes that Earthlings have advanced agriculture and can grow crops of__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(precious metals and__(_(__(_(__(_(__(_(__(__(_(__(_(__(_(__(_(shells. When they read "Hey Diddle Diddle, the__(_(_(cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon," Think-Tank panics, believing Earthlings have developed a space program powerful enough to__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(launch__(_(cows over the moon. Finally, "Humpty Dumpty" with the__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(illustration of an__(_(_(_(_(egg-shaped figure is interpreted by Think-Tank as his own image, making him believe Earthlings are planning to__(_(_(_(_(_(capture him. This terrifies him into calling off the invasion entirely.

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Think-Tank decides to call off the invasion of Earth because of his misinterpretation of the nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty." When the Martians decode the__(_(_(_(rhyme and see the illustration of Humpty Dumpty — a__(_(_(_(round, egg-shaped figure sitting on a wall — Think-Tank believes it is a__(_(_(_(_(_(_(portrait of himself. He interprets "__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(had a great fall" as a threat that Earthlings are planning to__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(overthrow and__(_(_(_(_(_(capture him. Terrified, he orders an immediate retreat, commands the entire Martian fleet to escape to the galaxy Alpha Centauri, a hundred million miles away, and cancels the invasion of Earth. Thus, a simple book of nursery rhymes saved the Earth from a Martian invasion.

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At the end of the play, we learn from the Historian that Think-Tank was__(_(_(replaced__(_(_(_(_(by Noodle as the__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(commander of Mars. Noodle__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(became a__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(wiser and__(_(_(_(_(_(more__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(humble leader. Under Noodle's leadership, Martians__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(became__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(friends with Earth and established peaceful__(_(_(_(_(relations. However, even after centuries, Martians still__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(cannot__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(stand the sight of books — they__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(shudder at the very thought of them. The play concludes in the twenty-fifth century, and the Historian notes that Noodle__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(was__(_(_(_(_(a far better ruler than Think-Tank ever was.

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Noodle is extremely tactful and diplomatic in expressing his opinions. He never directly contradicts Think-Tank, always beginning with phrases like "I beg your pardon, but..." or "With all due respect..." He presents his ideas as mere suggestions or humble observations, allowing Think-Tank to believe the correct idea was his own. For example, when Think-Tank calls books "sandwiches," Noodle says he has a "__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(silly__(_(_(_(thought" that they might be communication devices instead. This teaches us the value of diplomacy, patience, and tactful communication — sometimes the best way to correct someone is not through direct confrontation but through gentle suggestion. Noodle's approach shows wisdom, humility, and emotional intelligence.

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The play is set in the twenty-fifth century at the Museum of Ancient History on Earth. The Historian addresses the audience and narrates events from the twenty-first century. The__(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(_(main action takes place in two locations — Think-Tank's Mars Space Control room, where Think-Tank communicates via a__(_(_(_(_(screen, and a library in the town of Doraville on Earth, where Captain Omega and the Martian crew have landed. The library is filled with books, which the Martians have never seen before.

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The play is a satire on several levels. It mocks pompous, self-important leaders through Think-Tank, who demands flattery while making absurd decisions. It satirizes the dangers of interpreting things without understanding their context — the Martians take nursery rhymes literally and draw catastrophically wrong conclusions. The play also humorously highlights the power of books — a simple book of nursery rhymes, one of the most basic forms of literature, manages to save the entire Earth from alien invasion. The message is that knowledge and books are immensely powerful, that jumping to conclusions without understanding can lead to disaster, and that wise, humble leadership (like Noodle's) is far more effective than arrogant, ego-driven leadership (like Think-Tank's).

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Nursery rhymes are the pivotal plot device in the play. The Martians find a book of Mother Goose nursery rhymes in the library and attempt to decode them as intelligence reports about Earth's capabilities. "Mistress Mary" makes them believe Earthlings can grow precious metals. "Hey Diddle Diddle" makes them believe Earthlings can launch animals into space. "Humpty Dumpty" makes Think-Tank believe Earthlings have his portrait and are planning his capture. The significance is deeply ironic — the simplest, most childish form of literature on Earth, meant for toddlers, is interpreted as advanced military intelligence by the would-be invaders. This irony drives the entire comedy and delivers the play's central message about the power of books and the absurdity of misinterpretation.

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The play is titled "The Book That Saved the Earth" because a single book — a volume of Mother Goose nursery rhymes — inadvertently saves Earth from a Martian invasion. When the Martians land on Earth and find this book in a library, their literal interpretation of the nursery rhymes terrifies their leader Think-Tank so much that he calls off the entire invasion and orders a retreat to Alpha Centauri. The title emphasizes the irony that Earth's salvation came not from weapons, armies, or advanced technology, but from a humble children's book. It reinforces the theme that books have immense, sometimes unexpected power.

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The Historian serves as the narrator of the play, providing the framing device. She speaks from the twenty-fifth century at the Museum of Ancient History, looking back at events from the twenty-first century. She introduces the context — that the twentieth century was the "Era of the Book" — and sets up the main story of the Martian invasion attempt. At the end, she wraps up by telling the audience what happened afterward: Think-Tank was replaced by Noodle, Mars and Earth became friends, but Martians still shudder at the sight of books. The Historian gives the play a structure, provides necessary background information, and adds a sense of historical perspective and gentle humour to the narrative.

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The change from hostility to friendship was brought about by the change in leadership on Mars. After Think-Tank's humiliating retreat to Alpha Centauri, he was replaced by his apprentice Noodle as the new commander. Unlike Think-Tank, Noodle was wise, humble, rational, and genuinely intelligent. Under Noodle's leadership, Mars abandoned its aggressive plans of conquest and instead established friendly diplomatic relations with Earth. This shows that the nature of a relationship between groups or nations often depends on the quality and character of their leaders. A wise and humble leader can transform enemies into friends.

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Dear Diary, Today was the most bizarre day of my career as a Martian space captain. We landed on Earth in a place called Doraville, inside a strange building filled with thousands of rectangular objects. Think-Tank, our Great and Mighty Commander, first identified these objects as sandwiches and ordered me to eat one. It was the most horrible thing I have ever tasted — dry, papery, and utterly tasteless. Then Noodle suggested they might be communication devices, so we held them to our ears. Nothing happened. Finally, we were told to look at the pages. We found strange markings and pictures. When our chemical vitamins helped us decode the markings, we read the most alarming intelligence — Earthlings can grow silver and shells in their gardens, their cows can jump over the moon, and worst of all, they seem to have a portrait of our Commander! Think-Tank ordered an immediate evacuation. I have never seen him so frightened. We are now heading to Alpha Centauri at full speed. I still do not fully understand what happened today, but I am relieved we left that terrifying planet and its dangerous rectangular objects behind.