The Unlikely Best Friends – Class 6 English NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for “The Unlikely Best Friends,” Class 6 English NCERT. This heartwarming story teaches children valuable lessons about true friendship, looking beyond differences, and how friendship has no boundaries. The story shows that love and companionship can exist between the most unexpected pairs, teaching children to be open-minded and accepting of others.

Story Summary (English)

The story “The Unlikely Best Friends” revolves around Gajaraj, a royal elephant, and Buntee, a stray dog who become unlikely friends. Despite living in royal comfort, Gajaraj was lonely until Buntee wandered into his stable one evening. Their friendship blossomed as they shared food, played together, and enjoyed each other’s company. When Buntee’s original owner, a farmer, finds him and takes him home, both friends become sad and stop eating. Understanding their strong bond, the farmer eventually allows Buntee to return to Gajaraj. The story ends with not just Gajaraj and Buntee’s reunion but also a new friendship between the mahout and the farmer.

कहानी का सारांश (Hindi)

कहानी “द अनलाइकली बेस्ट फ्रेंड्स” गजराज नामक एक शाही हाथी और बंटी नामक एक आवारा कुत्ते की अनोखी दोस्ती की है। शाही सुख-सुविधाओं के बावजूद गजराज अकेला था, जब तक एक शाम बंटी उसके अस्तबल में नहीं आया। दोनों की दोस्ती परवान चढ़ी जब वे खाना साझा करते, साथ खेलते और एक-दूसरे की कंपनी का आनंद लेते। जब बंटी का मालिक, एक किसान, उसे ढूंढकर घर ले जाता है, तो दोनों दोस्त दुखी हो जाते हैं और खाना खाना बंद कर देते हैं। उनके मजबूत रिश्ते को समझते हुए किसान अंततः बंटी को गजराज के पास लौटने की अनुमति दे देता है। कहानी न केवल गजराज और बंटी के मिलन के साथ, बल्कि महावत और किसान की नई दोस्ती के साथ समाप्त होती है।

Word Meanings

Let us do these activities before we read

1. Friends are an important part of our lives. Why do you think so? Share your ideas with your friend. What do you do when you are with your friends and how do you feel?

Friends are an important part of our lives because they:

• Support us during difficult times and share our happiness in good times
• Help us learn new things and grow as individuals
• Make life more enjoyable through shared experiences
• Teach us important values like sharing, caring, and understanding

With my friends, I:

• Play games and sports
• Share stories and experiences
• Study together and help each other
• Go on adventures and explore new places

When I’m with my friends, I feel:

• Happy and energetic
• Safe and understood
• Free to be myself
• Excited to try new things

2. (a) What can be the meaning of ‘unlikely’? Discuss in groups, and then discuss with your teacher.

‘Unlikely’ means something that is not expected to happen or something that seems unusual or improbable. In the context of friendship, unlikely friends are those who we wouldn’t normally expect to be friends, perhaps because they are very different from each other in size, nature, species, or background.

2. (b) Can you think of some unlikely friends? Share your answer with your teacher.

Here are some examples of unlikely friends:

• A cat and a mouse living peacefully together
• A big dog and a tiny kitten playing together
• A bird and a cat becoming friends
• A lion and a lamb being companions
• A turtle and a rabbit racing together

Let us discuss

1. Talk about the things that Gajaraj and Buntee did together.

Gajaraj and Buntee did many activities together:

• They shared food – Gajaraj would push some of his food towards Buntee
• They went for baths together at the elephant pond
• They played together – Gajaraj would splash water on Buntee
• They went on rides – Gajaraj would carry Buntee on his back
• They spent time in each other’s company at the stable

2. Why did the farmer hug Buntee?

The farmer hugged Buntee because he was overjoyed to find his lost dog. He had been searching for Buntee ever since the dog had disappeared from his house, and finding him safe made him very happy and relieved.

3. Do you think Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer?

Based on the story’s progression, while Buntee initially goes with the farmer because he’s pulled by the rope, he isn’t happy about leaving Gajaraj. This is evident when both friends are shown to be in tears during their separation. The strong bond between Buntee and Gajaraj suggests that their separation won’t last long, which proves true later in the story when Buntee stops eating at the farmer’s house due to missing his elephant friend.

Let us discuss (Second section)

1. Why did Gajaraj not eat his food?

Gajaraj did not eat his food because he was deeply missing his friend Buntee. He was so sad about their separation that he lost his appetite. Even when served his favorite food, he left it untouched for multiple days, showing how strong his attachment was to Buntee and how much the separation affected him emotionally.

2. Who were friends at the end of the story?

At the end of the story, there were two sets of friends:

• Gajaraj and Buntee – who were reunited and continued their unlikely friendship
• The mahout and the farmer – who developed a new friendship while watching their charges (Gajaraj and Buntee) eat together

Let us think and reflect

1. (a) Complete with one word: mahout : kind : : Gajaraj : ___________

The answer would be “sad”. Just as the mahout is described as kind, Gajaraj is described as sad in the beginning of the story due to his loneliness.

(b) The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave _________ to Gajaraj and a ______ in the pond.

The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave food to Gajaraj and a bath in the pond.

(c) What do you think is the difference between a friend and a caretaker?

The differences between a friend and a caretaker are:

• A caretaker has a duty or job to look after someone, while a friend chooses to spend time with you
• A caretaker focuses on physical needs (food, health, cleanliness), while a friend provides emotional support and companionship
• A caretaker maintains a professional relationship, while friendship is based on emotional bonds
• A caretaker’s care is often one-sided, while friendship involves mutual care and sharing

(d) The farmer uses the word __________________ to refer to the elephant.

The farmer uses the word “friend” to refer to the elephant when talking to Buntee, recognizing the special bond between the dog and Gajaraj.

(e) How did the farmer know that Buntee was hungry?

The farmer knew that Buntee was hungry because the dog had not touched his food ever since he was brought home. This unusual behavior of not eating indicated to the farmer that something was wrong, and he realized it was because Buntee was missing his friend Gajaraj.

(f) Why did the farmer remove the rope with which he had tied Buntee?

The farmer removed the rope because he understood and accepted Buntee’s strong friendship with Gajaraj. When he saw that Buntee wasn’t eating and was unhappy, he decided to let him go back to his friend rather than keeping him tied up and suffering. This shows the farmer’s compassion and understanding of true friendship.

(g) Complete with one word: Gajaraj : Buntee : : __________ : farmer

The answer would be mahout. Just as Gajaraj and Buntee became friends, the mahout and farmer also became friends by the end of the story.

2. Give two examples to show that Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend.

Two examples that show Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend:

• He would playfully splash water on Buntee during bath time and give him rides on his back, showing his joy in playing with his friend
• When Buntee returned to the stable after being away, Gajaraj picked him up with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing, showing his excitement and happiness at their reunion

3. How did the mahout come to know that Gajaraj was sad?

The mahout came to know that Gajaraj was sad when the elephant stopped eating his food, even his favorite meals. The mahout noticed that the food remained untouched for several days, which was unusual behavior for Gajaraj. After checking that there was nothing physically wrong with the elephant, he realized that Gajaraj was missing his friend Buntee.

4. Why do you think Buntee licked the farmer’s hand?

Buntee licked the farmer’s hand to show his gratitude and affection towards the farmer for understanding his feelings and letting him go back to his friend Gajaraj. It was his way of saying “thank you” before running back to the stable to meet his best friend.

5. What was ‘unlikely’ about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee?

The friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee was unlikely for several reasons:

• They were different species – an elephant and a dog – who normally wouldn’t be friends
• Their size difference was enormous – Gajaraj was huge while Buntee was small
• They had different backgrounds – Gajaraj was a royal elephant while Buntee was a farmer’s dog
• They had different natures – elephants and dogs typically don’t interact or play together

Let us learn

1. Complete the crossword puzzle with opposites (continued)

Down:

• 1. Finished (opposite of started)
• 2. Disappeared (opposite of appeared)
• 4. Happy (opposite of sad)
• 5. Touched (opposite of untouched)
• 6. Love (opposite of hate)

Across:

• 3. Kind (opposite of unkind)
• 7. Silent (opposite of yelped)
• 8. Asleep (opposite of awake)
• 9. Worried (opposite of relieved)
• 10. Found (opposite of missing)

2. Complete the paragraph with some of the words you have used in the puzzle.

My pencil was missing. I was very sad as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was asleep on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have disappeared. He appeared and told me to look under my pillow. I was relieved when I found the pencil there.

Let us listen

1. Fill in missing details from the story about ‘Unlikely Friends’

The story mentions a leopard and a cow. The missing details should be filled based on the audio transcript, but since the transcript isn’t available, I can provide a general framework for the type of words that might fit:

• The leopard is a wild animal
• It came in the evening/night to meet the cow
• The leopard would sit beside/near the cow
• The villagers were surprised at their friendship

2. Number the sentences in correct order

The correct order of events would be:

1. The cow took care of the leopard cub as a mother.
2. The leopard left the village after growing up.
3. The leopard came to meet the cow at night.
4. The leopard stopped coming regularly.

Let us speak

Talk about common likes and dislikes with a friend

Example response sharing likes and common interests:

• I am Rahul
• I like:
  • Playing cricket
  • Reading storybooks
• My friend is Priya
• My friend likes:
  • Playing badminton
  • Reading storybooks
• Both of us like:
  • Reading storybooks
  • Playing outdoor games

Let us write

Write six sentences about your friend

Example response:

1. My friend and I are different in many ways but still best friends.
2. Neither of us likes to stay indoors all day.
3. Both of us enjoy playing sports and reading books.
4. I like cricket but my friend likes football.
5. We are different as she is outgoing and I am quiet.
6. Still, we understand each other perfectly and enjoy spending time together.

Let us explore

1. Find and read another Jataka story

This is an activity for students to explore other Jataka tales on their own. Students can visit their school library or look online for Jataka tales, which are ancient Buddhist stories teaching moral values.

2. Have a discussion about elephants in Indian culture

Students can discuss:

• The importance of elephants in Indian mythology and religion
• The role of elephants in Indian festivals and ceremonies
• How elephants were used in ancient Indian warfare
• Current challenges facing elephant conservation in India
• The relationship between humans and elephants in modern times

3. Read about Tarra and Bella’s friendship

This real-life story parallels the friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee, showing that unlikely friendships between different species can exist in reality. Students can compare and contrast this real story with the fictional story they read, noting similarities and differences in how the friendships developed and were maintained.