This page helps students understand his first flight summary in a clear, exam-focused way. It covers the complete story by Liam O’Flaherty with simple explanation, key events, and the central idea. You will find detailed his first flight question answer sections, NCERT-style answers, extra questions, and useful notes for revision. The page also explains the his first flight theme and places the chapter within Two Stories About Flying for better context. Written in easy language, this content is ideal for Class 10 students preparing for board exams, tests, and quick last-minute revision.

his first flight summary

English summary

Have you ever stood at the edge of something scary, knowing you must jump but feeling frozen with fear? Imagine looking down from a high cliff at the endless sea below, your wings ready—but your courage missing. This is the moment that changes everything for a young bird who must learn to trust himself.

The chapter tells the story of a young seagull who is terrified of flying, even though flying is natural for him. Hunger, loneliness, and his mother’s clever push force him to finally leap into the air. In that leap, his fear breaks, and he discovers the joy and freedom of his first flight.  

The story begins with the young seagull standing alone on a narrow ledge on a high cliff above the sea. His two brothers and his sister have already flown away the day before. He had tried to run forward and flap his wings, but the sight of the vast sea below frightened him. It looked like a long drop—“miles down.” He was sure his wings would not support him. Afraid, he ran back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept. His parents scolded him and even threatened to let him starve if he did not fly, but fear held him still. He watched his family practice flying, skimming the waves and diving for fish, while he remained stuck, ashamed and alone.

Twenty-four hours pass. No one comes near him. The sun rises higher, blazing on the ledge that faces south. The heat makes him weak because he has not eaten since the night before. He steps slowly to the edge and pretends to sleep, hoping someone will notice him. He sees his brothers and sister resting on the plateau across the cliff. His father is preening his feathers. Only his mother watches him closely. She stands on a small hump of rock with a piece of fish at her feet, scraping her beak on the stone. “The sight of the food maddened him.” Hungry and desperate, he cries out, “Ga, ga, ga,” begging for food. His mother mocks him at first, but then she finally picks up the fish and flies toward him.

As his mother comes closer, hope rushes through him. He leans forward eagerly, tapping his feet on the rock to reach her. But just as she reaches him, she stops in mid-air. Her wings stay still. The fish is almost within his reach, but not close enough. Confused and starving, he waits only a moment. Then, driven by hunger, he dives at the fish. With a loud scream, he falls outward into empty space. Terror grips him. For a second, his heart stands still, and he hears nothing. But then something changes. His wings spread out. The wind presses against his feathers. He is not falling anymore. He is gliding, then soaring. Fear fades. He flaps his wings once—and rises into the air.

Joy bursts around him. His mother swoops past, crying, “Ga, ga, ga, Gaw-col-ah.” His father flies over him, screaming with pride. His brothers and sister circle him, diving and banking through the air. He forgets that he was ever afraid. He flies freely, shrieking with excitement. Soon, he is flying low over the green sea. He tries to land, but his legs sink into the water. Exhausted and weak, he panics, but the sea holds him up. He floats safely. His family gathers around him, praising him and offering scraps of dogfish. At last, the young seagull has made his first flight.

Characters

Young seagull – fearful but determined – the main character who learns to fly

Mother seagull – clever and firm – pushes her son to overcome fear

Father seagull – strict but proud – encourages and supports from afar

Brothers and sister – confident – show what the young seagull must learn

You learn that fear can stop you, but trust and effort can set you free. Sometimes, you must take a risk to discover your true strength. Growth begins the moment you dare to try.

his first flight Hindi Summary

क्या तुम कभी किसी डरावनी जगह के किनारे खड़े हुए हो, जहाँ कूदना ज़रूरी हो, लेकिन डर के कारण शरीर जड़ हो जाए? कल्पना करो कि तुम एक ऊँची चट्टान से नीचे फैले अंतहीन समुद्र को देख रहे हो, पंख तैयार हैं—लेकिन हिम्मत गायब है। यही वह पल है जो एक नन्हे पक्षी की पूरी ज़िंदगी बदल देता है, जब उसे खुद पर भरोसा करना सीखना होता है।

यह अध्याय एक युवा सीगल की कहानी बताता है जो उड़ने से बहुत डरता है, जबकि उड़ना उसके लिए स्वाभाविक है। भूख, अकेलापन और उसकी माँ का समझदारी भरा धक्का उसे आखिरकार हवा में छलांग लगाने पर मजबूर कर देता है। उसी छलांग में उसका डर टूट जाता है, और वह अपनी पहली उड़ान की खुशी और आज़ादी को महसूस करता है।

कहानी की शुरुआत समुद्र के ऊपर एक ऊँची चट्टान पर बनी संकरी कगार पर अकेले खड़े युवा सीगल से होती है। उसके दो भाई और उसकी बहन एक दिन पहले ही उड़ चुके थे। उसने भी आगे दौड़कर पंख फड़फड़ाने की कोशिश की थी, लेकिन नीचे फैले विशाल समुद्र को देखकर वह डर गया। उसे यह बहुत लंबी गिरावट लगी—“मीलों नीचे।” उसे पूरा यकीन था कि उसके पंख उसका भार नहीं संभाल पाएँगे। डर के मारे वह कगार के नीचे बने छोटे से छेद में वापस भाग गया, जहाँ वह रात को सोता था। उसके माता-पिता ने उसे डाँटा और यहाँ तक धमकी दी कि अगर वह नहीं उड़ा तो उसे भूखा मरने देंगे, लेकिन डर ने उसे जकड़े रखा। वह अपने परिवार को उड़ने का अभ्यास करते देखता रहा—लहरों के ऊपर से उड़ते और मछलियों के लिए गोता लगाते हुए—जबकि वह खुद वहीं फँसा रहा, शर्मिंदा और अकेला।

चौबीस घंटे बीत जाते हैं। कोई उसके पास नहीं आता। सूरज और ऊपर चढ़ जाता है और दक्षिण की ओर वाली कगार पर तेज़ धूप पड़ने लगती है। रात से कुछ न खाने के कारण गर्मी उसे कमज़ोर बना देती है। वह धीरे-धीरे किनारे तक जाता है और सोने का नाटक करता है, इस उम्मीद में कि कोई उसे देख ले। वह सामने की चट्टान पर बने पठार पर अपने भाई-बहन को आराम करते देखता है। उसका पिता अपने पंख सँवार रहा होता है। सिर्फ उसकी माँ उसे ध्यान से देख रही होती है। वह एक छोटी सी चट्टान पर खड़ी होती है, उसके पैरों के पास मछली का एक टुकड़ा रखा होता है, और वह अपनी चोंच पत्थर पर रगड़ती है। “खाने का दृश्य उसे पागल कर देता है।” भूखा और बेबस होकर वह चिल्लाता है, “गा, गा, गा,” और खाने की भीख माँगता है। उसकी माँ पहले उसका मज़ाक उड़ाती है, लेकिन फिर वह मछली उठाकर उसकी ओर उड़ने लगती है।

जैसे-जैसे उसकी माँ पास आती है, उसके भीतर उम्मीद दौड़ जाती है। वह आगे झुककर उत्साह से अपने पैर चट्टान पर थपथपाता है ताकि उसके पास पहुँच सके। लेकिन जैसे ही माँ उसके सामने पहुँचती है, वह हवा में ही रुक जाती है। उसके पंख स्थिर रहते हैं। मछली उसकी चोंच के बहुत पास होती है, लेकिन पूरी तरह पहुँच में नहीं। उलझन और भूख से तड़पते हुए वह बस एक पल रुकता है। फिर भूख से मजबूर होकर वह मछली पर झपट्टा मार देता है। एक तेज़ चीख के साथ वह बाहर की ओर, खाली अंतरिक्ष में गिर पड़ता है। डर उसे जकड़ लेता है। एक पल के लिए उसका दिल थम सा जाता है और उसे कुछ सुनाई नहीं देता। लेकिन फिर कुछ बदलता है। उसके पंख फैल जाते हैं। हवा उसके पंखों से टकराती है। वह अब गिर नहीं रहा होता। वह फिसलते हुए उड़ने लगता है, फिर ऊँचा उठता है। डर गायब हो जाता है। वह एक बार पंख फड़फड़ाता है—और हवा में ऊपर उठ जाता है।

खुशी चारों ओर फैल जाती है। उसकी माँ उसके पास से झपट्टा मारकर गुजरती है और चिल्लाती है, “गा, गा, गा, गॉ-कोल-आह।” उसका पिता उसके ऊपर से उड़ता है, गर्व से चीखता हुआ। उसके भाई और बहन उसके चारों ओर चक्कर लगाते हैं, गोता लगाते और हवा में मुड़ते हुए उड़ते हैं। वह यह पूरी तरह भूल जाता है कि कभी वह उड़ने से डरता था। वह आज़ादी से उड़ता है, खुशी में तेज़ आवाज़ें निकालता हुआ। थोड़ी देर बाद वह हरे-भरे समुद्र के ऊपर नीचे उड़ने लगता है। वह उतरने की कोशिश करता है, लेकिन उसके पैर पानी में धँस जाते हैं। थका हुआ और कमज़ोर होकर वह घबरा जाता है, लेकिन समुद्र उसे सहारा देता है। वह सुरक्षित तैरने लगता है। उसका परिवार उसके चारों ओर इकट्ठा हो जाता है, उसकी तारीफ़ करता है और डॉग-फिश के टुकड़े उसे देता है। आखिरकार, युवा सीगल अपनी पहली उड़ान पूरी कर लेता है।

Characters

युवा सीगल – डरा हुआ लेकिन दृढ़ – मुख्य पात्र जो उड़ना सीखता है

माँ सीगल – समझदार और सख़्त – अपने बेटे को डर से बाहर निकालती है

पिता सीगल – अनुशासित लेकिन गर्वित – दूर से हौसला देता और सहारा देता है

भाई और बहन – आत्मविश्वासी – यह दिखाते हैं कि युवा सीगल को क्या सीखना है

तुम सीखते हो कि डर तुम्हें रोक सकता है, लेकिन भरोसा और कोशिश तुम्हें आज़ाद कर सकती है। कभी-कभी अपनी असली ताकत जानने के लिए जोखिम उठाना ज़रूरी होता है। जब तुम कोशिश करने की हिम्मत करते हो, उसी पल से विकास शुरू होता है।

his first flight Keywords with meanings:

Ledge – narrow rocky shelf on a cliff​

Brink – edge of a steep drop​

Upbraiding – scolding harshly​

Skim – glide lightly over surface​

Herring – small sea fish​

Plateau – flat high area on cliff​

Preening – cleaning feathers neatly​

Whet – sharpen the beak​

Curveting – leaping in the air​

Banking – tilting wings while flying​

Seagull – sea bird that flies over water​

Soaring – flying high upwards​

Important Phrases :

“great expanse of sea stretched down beneath”​

“fly or starve on his ledge”​

“taunting him with his cowardice”​

“The sight of the food maddened him”​

“Ga, ga, ga”​

“Gaw-col-ah”​

“maddened by hunger”​

“monstrous terror seized him”​

“wings spread outwards”​

“wind rushed against his breast feathers”​

“floating on it”​

“his first flight”​

his first flight question answer

text based questions and answers

Q1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make their first flight, or are some birds more timid than others? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first steps?

Answer:The young seagull was afraid to fly because the great expanse of sea stretched miles down beneath, and he felt his wings would never support him.

He ran to the brink but always turned back in fear.

Yes, some birds like him are more timid, while others fly easily; just like a human baby hesitates before taking its first steps, facing the same fear of falling.

This shows first tries build courage for everyone.​

Q2. The sight of the food maddened him. What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?

Answer: The sight of the food maddened him because he hadn’t eaten since the previous nightfall and craved tearing fish like his mother.

It suggests extreme hunger overpowered his fear.

His mother flew with fish close but halted; maddened by hunger, he dived at it and fell into space.

Hunger became the push that made his wings work instinctively.​

Q3. They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly. Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?

Answer: The parents threatened to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away, upbraiding him shrilly.

They also showed off flying skills, teaching dives for fish and skimming waves to cajole him.

All morning, the family taunted his cowardice from the plateau.

Their tough love created pressure that finally sparked his courage.​

Q4. Have you ever had a similar experience, where your parents encouraged you to do something that you were too scared to try? Discuss this in pairs or groups.

Answer: Yes, like when parents push you to ride a bike alone after training wheels come off, even if falls scare you.

They cheer or withhold playtime, just like the seagull’s family threatened starvation.

In groups, we share stories – my friend feared swimming but jumped after dad held the float; success feels amazing.

Sharing builds confidence for real-life challenges.​

Q5. In the case of a bird flying, it seems a natural act, and a foregone conclusion that it should succeed. In the examples you have given in answer to the previous question, was your success guaranteed, or was it important to try, regardless of a possibility of failure?

Answer: Bird flying looks natural, but the seagull proves even instincts need a push past fear, not a sure success.

In my bike example, falls were possible, yet trying mattered – I wobbled but pedalled steady after crashes.

Success isn’t guaranteed for humans or timid birds; the key is attempting despite failure risk, turning fear into skill.

This mindset turns scary firsts into proud flights.​

Grammar

 Do as Directed (Based on “Two Stories about Flying”)

. (Fill in the blanks with correct tense forms of verbs given in brackets.)

The young seagull _____ (run) to the brink but _____ (become) afraid

(Use the correct form of ‘upbraiding’ in the sentence.)

His parents _____ him shrilly, threatening to let him starve.

(Fill in the blanks with skim/dived – choose correct tense.)

He watched his family _____ the waves and _____ for fish.

(Change to passive voice.)

The great expanse of sea stretched down beneath.

(Change to indirect speech.)

“Fly away or starve on your ledge!” screamed the parents.

(Change to indirect speech.)

Ga, ga, ga, he cried begging her to bring food.

(Change to indirect speech.)

Gaw-col-ah, she screamed back derisively.

(Fill in the blanks with correct prepositions.)

The sun _____ blazing on his ledge that faced _____ south.

(Fill in the blank with correct tense form.)

He could feel his wings _____ (spread) outwards.

(Fill in the blank with correct modal: madden/could madden/maddened.)

The sight of food _____ him

(Fill in the blank with correct article/preposition.)

His brothers and sister had flown away _____ day before.

Join the sentences: (Use ‘and’ or ‘but’ to make one sentence.)

He dived at the fish. He fell outwards into space.

(Change to affirmative without changing meaning.)

No family member came near him.

(Change to question form.)

His wings would never support him.

(Change to superlative degree.)

The plateau is bigger than the ledge.

Editing Exercise:

The following passage has ten errors in the use of tenses, prepositions and articles. Spot the errors and write the correct form. (One has been done as example.)​

The young seagull were alone on his ledge. (a) His brothers and sister has already flew away. (b) He had took a run forward to a brink. (c) The sea stretched miles down beneath him. (d) His parents comes around calling to him. (e) He felt hungry from previous nightfall. (f) He standed on one leg pretending to sleep. (g) His mother was standed on a hump. (h) She tore at piece of fish at her feet. (i) He was maddened by hungers. (j)

Gap Filling (Cloze Test):

Fill in the blanks choosing the correct option from brackets.

The young seagull was afraid to fly because the sea looked like a great expanse _____ (of/below/in) doom. His family had _____ (already/yet/never) flown away the day before. Hunger made him _____ (maddens/maddened/maddening) when he saw the fish. Finally, he _____ (dive/dives/dived) and his wings _____ (spread/spreads/spreading) outwards.​

Here are grammar questions answers:

ran, became

upbraided

skimming, dive

The great expanse of sea was stretched down beneath.

The parents ordered him to fly away or starve on his ledge.

He cried ‘Ga, ga, ga’ begging her to bring food.

She screamed back ‘Gaw-col-ah’ derisively.

was, the

spreading/spread

maddened

the

He dived at the fish but fell outwards into space.

All family members kept away from him.

Would his wings ever support him?

The plateau is the biggest.

Editing: (a) was (b) had flown (c) taken, the (d) came (e) since (f) stood (g) standing (h) the (i) a (j) hunger

Gap Filling: of, already, mad, dived, spread​

Extra questions and answers

 Short Answer Questions (30-40 words)

Q1: Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?

Answer:The young seagull feared the great expanse of sea miles down beneath the ledge.

He felt his wings would not support him during the desperate plunge.

Even watching his shorter-winged sister fly made him run back to his hole.

​Q2: What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?

Answer:The sight of food maddened him as he starved for twenty-four hours.

His mother flew with a piece of fish but halted just opposite him.

Maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish and fell outwards into space.

​Q3: How did the young seagull feel during his first flight?

Answer:A monstrous terror seized him, and his heart stood still at first.

Then his wings spread outwards, and wind rushed against his feathers.

He felt dizzy but soon soared upwards, no longer afraid.

​Long Answer Questions (100-120 words)

Q1: Describe how the young seagull conquered his fear of flying.

Answer:The young seagull stayed alone on his ledge after his brothers and sister flew away.

His parents taunted his cowardice and threatened to let him starve, but he could not move.

Burning with hunger under the blazing sun, he begged his mother for food.

She flew across with a fish piece but stopped within reach, maddening him.

He dived desperately, screaming into space as terror gripped him.

His wings spread, cutting through air, and he soared, joining his family on the green sea.

They praised him with scraps of dog-fish; he had made his first flight.

​Q2: Explain the role of the seagull’s family in motivating him to fly.

Answer:The family first upbraided and threatened him shrilly to fly or starve on the ledge.

They flew about, skimming waves and diving for fish like herring, perfecting the art.

On the plateau, they taunted his cowardice, dozing while he watched hungrily.

His mother tore at fish, whetting her beak, ignoring his cries at first.

Finally, she picked up fish and flew towards him, halting to trick him into diving.

After his success, parents and siblings swooped, curveting and banking around him, offering food.

Their actions turned fear into triumph on the green sea.

​Extract-Based Questions

**Extract: “The sight of the food maddened him. … He leaned out eagerly, tapping the rock with his feet, trying to get nearer to her as she flew across. But when she was just opposite to him, she halted, her wings motionless, the piece of fish in her beak almost within reach of his beak.” **

​Q1: What does ‘maddened him’ suggest about the seagull’s state? (20 words)

Answer:It shows extreme hunger after not eating since previous nightfall.

He cried plaintively, Ga, ga, ga, begging desperately.

​Q2: Why did the mother halt with the fish? (30 words)

Answer:To compel him to fly by tricking him into diving.

Maddened, he fell outwards; his wings spread, turning fear to soaring.