By Jyoti Verma
NCERT Class 6 English Chapter 2 The Friendly Moongoose Summary, Explanation and Question Answers
- Introduction
- The Friendly Moongoose Summary
- The Friendly Moongoose Explanation
- The Friendly Moongoose Question Answers
The Friendly Mongoose – NCERT Class 6 English A Pact With The Sun book Lesson 2 The Friendly Moongoose Summary and Detailed explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words. All the exercises and Question Answers are given at the back of the lesson have been covered.
Class 6 English (A Pact with The Sun book) Chapter 2
The Friendly Mongoose (a story from The Panchatantra)
Introduction of The Friendly Mongoose
This story talks about the human tendency to jump to conclusions hurriedly and how this tendency disrupts and causes disturbance in the system. This moral is depicted through a farmer’s wife.
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The Friendly Mongoose Summary
At the beginning of the chapter, a farmer who used to live in a village with his wife and a newborn child has been introduced. Once the farmer told his wife that he wished to have a pet as a companion for his son. His wife also gave a nod to this and the farmer brought a baby mongoose with him the next day.
One day leaving their son and the mongoose alone in the house, the farmer’s wife went to the market to buy some groceries. At that time, the farmer was also in the field.
When the farmer’s wife came back home, she saw the mouth and paws of the mongoose smeared with blood. She thought that it had killed their baby.So,she killed the mongoose by hitting it with a basket full of groceries.
Afterward, she realized that her baby was fast asleep, and a black snake was lying dead. She understood that the mongoose had killed the snake and saved her son. She repented her action but it was too late.
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The Friendly Mongoose Explanation
Passage – ONCE a farmer and his wife lived in a village with their small son. They loved him very much. “We must have a pet,” the farmer said to his wife one day. “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. “It’s a baby mongoose,” said his wife, “but will soon be fully grown. He will be a friend to our son.”
Both the baby and the mongoose grew. In five or six months the mongoose had grown to its full size — a lovely animal with two shining black eyes and a bushy tail. The farmer’s son was still a baby in the cradle, sleeping and crying alternately.
Word meaning
Cradle :a small bed for a baby
Explanation of the above passage – 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.
Passage – 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.”
Word meaning
Rocked : to move or sway from one side to another
Frankly : honestly
Explanation of the above passage – 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.
Passage – “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 of the above passage – 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.
Passage – 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 of the above passage – 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.
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Passage – “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.
Explanation of the above passage – 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.
Passage – 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 of the above passage – 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.
Passage – “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 of the above passage – 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.
The Friendly Moongoose Question Answers
Q1. Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the house?
A. The farmer brought a baby mongoose into the house to give a companion to his baby.
Q2. Why didn’t the farmer’s wife want to leave the baby alone with the mongoose?
A.She didn’t want to leave the baby alone with the mongoose because after all it was an animal.
Q3. What was the farmer’s comment on his wife’s fears?
A.His comment was that the mongoose was a lovely animal .It was as sweet as their own baby.
Q4. Why did the farmer’s wife strike the mongoose with her basket?
A.The farmer’s wife striked the mongoose with her basket because she thought that he had killed her baby.
Q5. Did she repent her hasty action? How does she show her repentance?
A.Yes,she repented.She showed her repentance by crying and saying what she had done and staring continuously at the dead animal.
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