Let Us Discuss 1
- Talk about the things that Gajaraj and Buntee did together.
They shared food, spent time together in the stable, Gajaraj gave Buntee a ride on his back, and they went to the elephant pond where Gajaraj playfully splashed water on Buntee. - Why did the farmer hug Buntee?
The farmer hugged Buntee because he was happy to find his dog after searching for him since Buntee had disappeared. - Do you think Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer?
No, Buntee is more likely to stay with Gajaraj because they became close friends and missed each other when separated.
Let Us Discuss 2
- Why did Gajaraj not eat his food?
Gajaraj did not eat his food because he was sad and missed his friend Buntee after the dog was taken away by the farmer. - Who were friends at the end of the story?
At the end of the story, Gajaraj and Buntee were friends, and the mahout and the farmer also became friends.
Let Us Think and Reflect
- (a) Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow.
(i) mahout: kind :: Gajaraj: lonely
(ii) The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave food to Gajaraj and a bath in the pond.
(iii) The difference between a friend and a caretaker is that a friend shares a close bond of affection and spends time together, while a caretaker is responsible for taking care of someone’s needs without that emotional connection.
(b) (i) The farmer uses the word friend to refer to the elephant.
(ii) The farmer knew Buntee was hungry because Buntee had not eaten since being brought home.
(iii) The farmer removed the rope because he saw that Buntee missed his friend, Gajaraj, and wanted to go back to him.
(iv) Gajaraj: Buntee :: mahout: farmer
- Give two examples to show that Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend.
- Gajaraj shared his food with Buntee and pushed some towards him when he was hungry.
- Gajaraj gave Buntee a ride on his back, showing his affection and playfulness.
- How did the mahout come to know that Gajaraj was sad?
The mahout noticed that Gajaraj was not eating his food and seemed uninterested, which made him suspect that Gajaraj was missing his friend, Buntee. - Why do you think Buntee licked the farmer’s hand?
Buntee licked the farmer’s hand as a way of showing gratitude and affection for letting him go back to his friend, Gajaraj. - What was ‘unlikely’ about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee?
The unlikely part of their friendship was that Gajaraj was a large elephant, and Buntee was a small dog, yet they formed a deep bond of friendship despite the difference in their sizes and species.
Let us learn
- Gajaraj was sad without a friend and when he met Buntee, he was filled with joy. ‘Sad‘ and ‘filled with joy‘ are opposites. Opposites can also be formed by adding some letters before a word. For example, un– unhappy, in– incorrect, dis– disconnect, mis– misuse.
Now, take help from the words given as hints and fill up their opposites in the puzzle. (Note: All the words are from the story you have just read.)
ANSWER:
Across:
3. kind
7. laughed
8. asleep
9. worried
10. found
Down:
- finished
- disappeared
- happy
- touched
- love
- Now, complete the paragraph with some of the words you have used in the puzzle.
My pencil was missing. I was very worried 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 laughed and told me to look under my pillow. I was relieved when I found the pencil there.
- The words that tell us about an action are called verbs. In the story, the author tells us what happened before. To do that, the past form of the action word (verb) is used. Let us learn about the three forms of past tense.
Given below are some verbs from the story. Put the verbs in their correct column in the table given above.
- was looking
- was missing
- was munching
- told
- had tied
- looked
- hated
- went
- asked
- joined
- gave
- had followed
- had remained
- felt
- arrived
- had ordered
- noticed
- served
- touched
- threw
ANSWER:
| Simple Past Tense | Past Progressive Tense | Past Perfect Tense |
|---|---|---|
| told | was looking | had tied |
| looked | was missing | had followed |
| hated | was munching | had remained |
| went | had ordered | |
| asked | ||
| joined | ||
| gave | ||
| noticed | ||
| served | ||
| touched | ||
| threw | ||
| arrived | ||
| felt |
Select the correct form of the verb to complete the passage. Check your answers with the teacher.
The farmer came back and noticed that Buntee was sad. He had tied Buntee with a rope the day before. He asked Buntee why he was sad. The farmer felt that Buntee was missing Gajaraj and set him free.
Let us listen
- You will listen to a story about ‘Unlikely Friends’. Use exact words from the story to fill up the missing details in the paragraph. (refer to page 71 for transcript)
ANSWER:
The leopard is a wild animal but it became a friend of a cow. When the leopard grew up, it left the village. It came in the night to meet the cow. The leopard would sit beside the cow. They also played together. Villagers were surprised at their friendship.
- Now, listen to the story again and number the sentences in correct order. The first one has been done for you.
ANSWER:
Below is the correct order of the sentences based on the transcript:
- The cow took care of the leopard cub as a mother.
- The leopard left the village after growing up.
- The leopard came to meet the cow at night.
- The leopard stopped coming regularly.
Let us speak
Gajaraj and Buntee had a wonderful time with each other even if they were ‘unlikely’ friends. Talk to your friend and find out your common likes and dislikes. Share your answers with the class.
Now, tell your classmates about your friend. You may take help of the cues given below.
• My friend and I like to play. Both of us want ___________.
• I like to ___________ but my friend likes to ___________.
• We are different as she/he is ___________ and I am ___________.
ANSWER:
- My friend and I like to play. Both of us want to travel to new places.
- I like to read adventure books, but my friend likes to draw.
- We are different as he is more creative, and I am more interested in sports.
Let us write
Write six sentences about your friend with the help of the facts collected in the above task. Mention how you are not only similar but also different. You may take help of the words given below.
same – different – both – neither – still – nor – and – like – either – but – unlike – or
ANSWER:
My friend Ahmed and I both like watching movies.
- We are the same when it comes to travelling, as both of us enjoy exploring new places.
- Unlike me, Ahmed likes to play cricket, while I prefer football.
- Neither of us likes to stay indoors for too long, and we love being active.
- I enjoy reading adventure books, but Ahmed prefers drawing.
- Even though we have different hobbies, we still get along well and share many interests.
Let us explore
- The story, ‘The Elephant and the Dog’ is found in the Jataka tales. These stories are ancient Buddhist stories of life values and wisdom. These stories have been told from one generation to the next for over two thousand years. Find and read another Jataka story.
ANSWER:
The Monkey King (a jataka story)
Once upon a time, a large troop of monkeys lived in a forest, and their king was wise and strong. The monkeys ate the sweet fruits from a large mango tree that stood near the river. The wise Monkey King warned them to never let a fruit fall into the river, as it might float downstream and reach the people who lived there, bringing danger to them.
One day, despite their carefulness, a ripe mango fell into the river. It floated down and was found by a king who ruled a nearby city. The king tasted the mango and was so delighted with its sweetness that he wanted more. He ordered his soldiers to trace the river upstream, where they found the huge mango tree with the monkeys.
The king ordered his men to capture the monkeys so they could have the tree’s fruits all to themselves. When the Monkey King saw this, he knew he had to save his troop. He found a bamboo stalk and used it to create a bridge between two cliffs so his monkeys could escape. However, the stalk was not long enough to reach both sides.
The Monkey King, using his body as the last link in the bridge, stretched himself across the gap, allowing his troop to cross over his body to safety. One by one, the monkeys crossed. The strain on the Monkey King’s body was immense, and he was severely injured.
When the human king saw the Monkey King’s bravery and selflessness, he was deeply moved. He ordered his soldiers to stop the capture and had the Monkey King taken care of. As the Monkey King lay dying, he imparted words of wisdom to the human king, teaching him the importance of compassion and self-sacrifice. The human king was so touched by the Monkey King’s actions and wisdom that he vowed to be a just and kind ruler. - Elephants have historically held significant roles in Indian culture, spanning history, warfare, religion, festivals and more. However, contemporary ecological challenges have strained the relationship between humans and elephants. Have a discussion in the class.
ANSWER:
Elephants in Indian Culture Discussion:
Elephants have been revered in Indian culture for centuries, symbolizing strength, wisdom, and prosperity. They are present in religious festivals (like Lord Ganesha) and were once a key part of warfare. However, in modern times, habitat destruction and human-elephant conflict due to shrinking forests have become significant issues. This topic can spark a discussion on how we can preserve elephant habitats and ensure coexistence. - Given below is a news report from an Elephant Sanctuary in the United States about a real-life friendship between an elephant and a dog. The elephant’s name is Tarra and the dog’s name is Bella. Bella came inside a forest for elephants and became Tarra’s friend. Tarra spent
most of her time with Bella. One day, Bella had an injury so she could not walk. She was kept inside a building for three weeks. Tarra stood outside for three weeks. Finally, they met and were very happy.
You can read and watch the story here: Tarra and Bella: Elephant loses man’s best friend