Name of the Chapter:

L- The Friendly Mongoose

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TERM

I

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CLASS

VI

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SUBJECT

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SUBJECT TEACHER

ENGLISH

CLASS VI, ENGLISH SUPPLEMENTARY READER A PACT WITH THE SUN LESSON 2 THE FRIENDLY MONGOOSE

Introduction •

This is a story taken from Panchtantra.

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The story talks about the human tendency to jump to conclusions hurriedly and rashly.

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It also tells us how this tendency disturbs our life.

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The Moral is depicted through farmer’s wife.

Main Characters of the story: 1. A farmer 2. Farmer’s wife 3. The farmer ‘s baby 4. A friendly mongoose

ONCE a farmer and his wife lived in a village with their small son. They loved him very much. One day the farmer said to his wife “We must have a pet,” “When our son grows up, he will need a companion. This pet will be our son’s companion.” His wife liked the idea. One evening, the farmer brought with him a tiny mongoose. His wife said, “It’s a baby mongoose.” The farmer replied “but it will soon be a fully grown mongoose, He will be a friend to our son.” In five or six months the mongoose had grown to its full size. It became a lovely animal with a bushy tail. The farmer’s son was still a baby in the cradle, sleeping and crying alternately.

Cradle :a small bed for a baby Explanation: A farmer along with his wife and a small baby used to live in a village. Both he and his wife loved their child.One day the farmer spoke his mind to his wife and expressed a wish to bring a pet to his house to give as a companion to their son.His wife also liked that idea and agreed.The farmer brought a baby mongoose as a pet.Both the baby mongoose and his son grew with in five or six months. The mongoose grew to its full size whereas the farmer’s son was still a baby only.

One day, the farmer’s wife wanted to go to the market. She fed the baby and rocked him to sleep in his little cradle. Picking up the basket, she said to her husband, “I’m off to the bazar. The baby is sleeping. Keep an eye on him. Frankly, I don’t like to leave the child alone with the mongoose.” Rocked : to move or sway from one side to another Frankly : honestly Explanation: One day the farmer's wife had to go to the market.She fed the baby and moved him a little to make him sleep.She picked up the basket to go to the market and asked her husband to keep an eye as the baby was sleeping.She spoke that she didn’t like to leave her baby alone with the mongoose.

“You needn’t be afraid,” said the farmer. “The mongoose is a friendly animal. It’s as sweet as our baby and they are the best of friends, you know.” The wife went away, and the farmer, having nothing to do in the house, decided to go out and take a look at his fields not far away. He ran into some friends on the way back and didn’t return for quite some time. Explanation: The farmer told her not to be afraid as the mongoose was as sweet as their own child. Moreover both of them were good friends. The wife went to the market and the farmer as he had nothing to do at home also went to his fields which were not very far from the house. On the way he also met his friends and got late.

The farmer’s wife finished her shopping and came back home with a basketful of groceries. She saw the mongoose sitting outside as if waiting for her. On seeing her he ran to welcome her, as was customary. The farmer’s wife took one look at the mongoose and screamed. “Blood!” she cried. The face and paws of the mongoose were smeared with blood.

Explanation: The farmer’s wife came back from the market with her basket full of groceries. She noticed blood on the face\ and paws of the mongoose and started shouting and crying. She thought that it was her baby’s blood.

“You wicked animal! You have killed my baby,” she screamed hysterically. She was blind with rage and with all her strength brought down the heavy basket full of groceries on the blood-smeared mongoose and ran inside to the child’s cradle. The baby was fast asleep. But on the floor lay a black snake torn and bleeding. In a flash she realised what had happened. She ran out looking for the mongoose. Explanation: She thought that the mongoose had killed her baby.She was blinded by the fear inside her and she hit the mongoose with the heavy basket with full strength. After this she ran inside to her child’s cradle. She found that the baby was asleep and a black snake was lying on the floor.In a moment, she understood the whole story.She ran out looking for the mongoose.

“Oh!

You saved my child! You killed the snake! What have I done?” she cried touching the mongoose, who lay dead and still, unaware of her sobbing. The farmer’s wife, who had acted hastily and rashly, stared long at the dead mongoose. Then she heard the baby crying. Wiping her tears, she went in to feed him. Explanation: Realizing her mistake she started crying. She touched the mongoose who was lying dead. The farmer’s wife who acted unthoughtfully in a panic , was repenting but it was too late.

•Companion = fellow •Customary = usual •Screamed = cried •Smeared = stained/covered •Wicked = sinful •Hysterically = with wildly uncontrolled emotion •Rage = anger

NCERT book Question and Answers - The Friendly Mongoose Question 1:Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the house? Question 2: Why didn't the farmer's wife want to leave the baby along with the mongoose? Question 3: What were the farmer's comment on his wife's fears? Question 4: Why did the farmer's wife strike the mongoose with her basket? Question 5: Did she repent her hasty action? How does she show her repentance?

Solution 1: The farmer had a small son. He wanted to have a pet to give company to his child. So he brought home a baby mongoose to play with the child. Solution 2: The farmer's wife did not trust her pet mongoose so she didn't want to leave her son along with that animal. Solution 3: The farmer understood why his wife was afraid of leaving the baby alone with the mongoose. Therefore, he tried to remove her fear. He said that the mongoose was a friendly animal, it is sweet and gentle just like their own baby. Solution 4: The farmer's wife returned home with basket full of groceries. She noticed blood on the face and paws of the mongoose. She had no doubt that the mongoose had killed her son. So in anger she hit the mongoose with the heavy basket. The poor mongoose died on the spot. Solution 5: The farmer's wife saw the snake torn into pieces. Her own son was safely asleep. She realised her mistake. She felt very sorry. She touched the mongoose and cried. She saw the painful result of her hasty action.

VOCABULARY Use the clues given below to complete this crossword puzzle. Across 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

very tired had an angry look on the face short trousers a fault in a machine that prevents it from working properly a small and naughty boy-fairy DOWN 6.work that must be done everyday, often boring 7. a basket with a lid 8. gave a short, high – pitched cry

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Solution

Reference to Context “ It is as sweet as our baby and they are the best of friends, you know.” Q1. Name the lesson.

Q2. Name the speaker and the listener. Q3. Who are ‘they’? Q4. Pick out a poetic device from the above.

Answers

A 1 . The name of the lesson is

‘The Friendly Mongoose ’.

A 2. The speaker is the farmer and the listener is the farmer’s wife. A 3. ‘They’ is referred to the little boy and mongoose .

A 4. The poetic device used here is Simile.