Chapter 4 Summary

Chapter 4 once again returns to the perspective of of the omniscient narrator as Raju speaks with a large group of villagers at the ancient temple. Raju learns that the villagers are not sending their sons to school during the day, preferring instead to have the boys take the cattle out for grazing. He suggests sending the boys to school in the evenings. Raju asks the villagers to send the schoolmaster to the temple. The next day, Raju speaks with the schoolmaster and convinces the man to teach the children their lessons at the temple in the evenings. The schoolmaster apologizes to Raju for only being able to bring a dozen or so children to the temple. He tells Raju that the children are apprehensive about crossing the river at night because they are afraid of being eaten by crocodiles. The schoolmaster asks Raju...