Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are printed in bold to help you to locate them while answering some of the questions.
They yearly festival was close at hand: The store room was packed with silk fabrics, gold ornaments, clay bowls full of sweet curd and platefuls of sweetmeats. The orders had been placed with shops well in advance: The mother was sending out gifts to everyone. The eldest son, a government servant, lived with his wife and children in far off lands. The second son had left home at an early age: As a merchant he travelled all over the world. The other sons had split up over petty squabbles, and they now lived in homes of their own. The relatives were spread all across the world. They rarely visited. The youngest son, left in the company of a servant, was soon bored left her and stood at the door all day long, waiting and watching. His mother, thrilled and excited, loaded the presents on trays and plates, covered them with colourful kerchiefs, and sent them off with maids and servants. The neighbours looked on.
The day came to an end. All the presents had been sent off.
The child came back into the house and dejectedly said to his mother, “Maa, you gave a present to everyone, but you didn’t give me anything!”
His mother laughed, “I have given all the gifts away to everyone, now see what’s left for
you.” She kissed him on the forehead.
The child said in a tearful voice, “Don’t I get a gift?”
“You’ll get it when you go far away.”
“But when I am close to you, don’t I get something from your own hands?”
His mother reached out her arms and drew him to her, “This is all I have in my own hands. It is the most precious of all.”