“The Unlikely Best Friends” is a heartwarming story about Gajaraj, an elephant, and Buntee, a dog. Although they are very different animals, they become close friends.
Gajaraj lives comfortably in the royal stables but feels lonely because he has no friend. One day, a stray dog enters his stable. Gajaraj shares his food with the dog, and a beautiful friendship develops between them.
The story teaches us that true friendship does not depend on appearance, size, species or differences.
Let Us Do These Activities Before We Read
1. Why are friends an important part of our lives?
Answer:
Friends are important because they give us company, support and happiness. We can share our feelings, play together, help each other and enjoy our time with them.
Complete the sentences
With my friend I:
- play
- talk
- share things
With my friend I feel:
- happy
- comfortable
- loved
2. What can be the meaning of ‘unlikely’?
Answer:
Unlikely means something that is not expected to happen or is surprising.
In the title, “The Unlikely Best Friends” means that Gajaraj, an elephant, and Buntee, a dog, were unexpected friends because they were very different animals.
3. Can you think of some unlikely friends?
Answer:
Yes. A cat and a dog, an elephant and a dog, or a bird and a cat can be examples of unlikely friends.
Let Us Discuss – Page 4
1. What did Gajaraj and Buntee do together?
The story describes several activities that the two friends enjoyed together.
Answer:
Gajaraj and Buntee:
- played together,
- shared food,
- went together to the pond,
- spent time together,
- Gajaraj gave Buntee a ride on his back.
2. Why did the farmer hug Buntee?
Answer:
The farmer hugged Buntee because Buntee was his lost dog. He had been looking for Buntee ever since the dog disappeared from his house. He was very happy to find him.
3. Do you think Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer?
Answer:
Yes, Buntee will probably go home with the farmer because the farmer is his owner. However, Buntee will miss Gajaraj because they have become close friends.
Let Us Discuss – Page 7
1. Why did Gajaraj not eat his food?
Answer:
Gajaraj did not eat his food because he was sad after being separated from his friend Buntee. He missed his friend so much that he lost interest in food.
2. Who were friends at the end of the story?
Answer:
At the end of the story:
- Gajaraj and Buntee were friends.
- The mahout and the farmer also became friends.
The mahout says that it was not only Gajaraj who found a friend; he had also found one in the farmer.
Let Us Think and Reflect
I. Read the following lines and answer the questions
1. “In spite of royal comforts, Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends.”
(i) Complete with one word
mahout : kind :: Gajaraj : __________
Answer: sad
The mahout was kind, while Gajaraj was sad because he had no friend.
(ii) The mahout was a good caretaker because he gave ______ to Gajaraj and a ______ in the pond.
Answer:
food; bath
The mahout served Gajaraj food and gave him a bath in the elephant pond every day.
(iii) What is the difference between a friend and a caretaker?
Answer:
A caretaker looks after someone and takes care of their needs, while a friend shares feelings, spends time with them, gives companionship and enjoys activities together.
2. The Farmer and Buntee
(i) The farmer uses the word __________ to refer to the elephant.
Answer:
friend
The farmer asks Buntee if he is missing his friend, referring to Gajaraj.
(ii) How did the farmer know that Buntee was hungry?
Answer:
The farmer knew Buntee was hungry because Buntee had not eaten his food since he was brought home.
(iii) Why did the farmer remove the rope with which he had tied Buntee?
Answer:
The farmer understood that Buntee was missing Gajaraj. He did not want Buntee to remain hungry and unhappy, so he removed the rope and allowed him to return to his friend.
(iv) Complete with one word
Gajaraj : Buntee :: __________ : farmer
Answer:
friend
Both Gajaraj and Buntee were friends, just as the mahout and farmer became friends.
II. Give two examples to show that Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend.
Answer:
- Gajaraj playfully splashed water on Buntee while they were at the pond.
- When Buntee returned, Gajaraj picked him up with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing.
III. How did the mahout come to know that Gajaraj was sad?
Answer:
The mahout noticed that Gajaraj stopped eating his favourite food. He checked Gajaraj and found that there was nothing physically wrong with him. He then realised that Gajaraj might be missing Buntee.
IV. Why do you think Buntee licked the farmer’s hand?
Answer:
Buntee probably licked the farmer’s hand to show his love, gratitude and affection. He was thankful to the farmer for understanding his feelings and allowing him to return to Gajaraj.
V. What was ‘unlikely’ about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee?
Answer:
Their friendship was unlikely because Gajaraj was a huge elephant while Buntee was a small dog. They were also different kinds of animals, yet they developed a strong friendship and cared deeply for each other.
Let Us Learn
1. Opposites – “We Are Opposites!”
The chapter asks us to find opposites using words from the story.
Answers
| No. | Given word | Opposite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | started | stopped |
| 2 | appeared | disappeared |
| 3 | unkind | kind |
| 4 | sad | happy |
| 5 | untouched | touched |
| 6 | hate | love |
| 7 | yelped | laughed |
| 8 | awake | asleep |
| 9 | relieved | worried |
| 10 | missing | found |
2. Complete the Paragraph
Question:
My pencil was ___________. I was very _____________ as it was a gift from my friend. I woke up my elder brother who was __________ on the bed. I told him that my pencil seemed to have _____________. He _____________ and told me to look under my pillow. I was _____________ when I _____________ the pencil there.
Answer:
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.
3. Forms of Past Tense
The textbook introduces three forms of the past tense: Simple Past, Past Progressive and Past Perfect.
Simple Past Tense
Used for an action that happened in the past.
Answers:
- looked
- gave
- hated
- noticed
- went
- served
- told
- asked
- felt
- touched
- joined
- arrived
- threw
Past Progressive Tense
Used for an action that was continuing at a particular time.
Answers:
- was looking
- was missing
- was munching
Past Perfect Tense
Used for an action that had already been completed.
Answers:
- had ordered
- had followed
- had remained
- had tied
4. Select the Correct Form of the Verb
Completed passage:
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.
Answers in order:
- noticed
- had tied
- asked
- felt
- was missing
5. Neither–Nor and Either–Or
The chapter explains that neither...nor connects two negative choices, while either...or is used when choosing between two possibilities.
Examples
Neither Shikha nor Anuj likes to tell stories.
Meaning: Shikha does not like to tell stories and Anuj does not like to tell stories.
Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting.
Meaning: Bhavesh or Abha made the painting.
Let Us Listen
1. Unlikely Friends – Leopard and Cow
The textbook provides a listening activity about a leopard and a cow. The transcript on page 71 explains that the leopard is a wild animal, the cow is a domestic animal, and the leopard later returned to meet the cow at night.
Fill in the blanks
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.
2. Number the sentences in the correct order
The transcript gives the sequence of events.
| Sentence | Correct number |
|---|---|
| The leopard stopped coming regularly. | 4 |
| The cow took care of the leopard cub as a mother. | 1 |
| The leopard came to meet the cow at night. | 3 |
| The leopard left the village after growing up. | 2 |
Final order:
1 → Cow cared for leopard cub → 2 → Leopard left village → 3 → Leopard came at night → 4 → Leopard stopped coming regularly
Let Us Speak
This is an activity in which students compare their likes and dislikes with those of a friend. The textbook asks students to find common interests and differences.
Model Answer
I am: Rahul
I like:
- playing cricket
- reading books
My friend is: Aman
My friend likes:
- playing football
- watching movies
Both of us like:
- playing outdoor games
- listening to music
Speaking Activity
My friend and I like to play. Both of us want to play outdoor games.
I like to play cricket but my friend likes to play football.
We are different as he is quiet and I am talkative.
Let Us Write
Write Six Sentences About Your Friend
Model Answer
- My friend and I both like playing outdoor games.
- We both enjoy listening to music.
- I like cricket, but my friend likes football.
- My friend is quiet, while I am more talkative.
- We are different in some ways, but we still enjoy spending time together.
- Neither of us likes fighting, and we always try to help each other.
The textbook specifically asks students to mention both similarities and differences and provides words such as same, different, both, unlike, neither, nor, either and or as help.
Let Us Explore
1. What are Jataka Tales?
Answer:
The story “The Elephant and the Dog” is found in the Jataka Tales. These are ancient Buddhist stories that teach values and wisdom. According to the textbook, these stories have been passed from one generation to another for more than two thousand years.
Example of another Jataka story
The Monkey and the Crocodile is a famous Jataka tale. It teaches us the importance of intelligence, presence of mind and friendship.
2. Elephants and Indian Culture
Model Answer:
Elephants have played an important role in Indian culture for centuries. They have been associated with history, warfare, religion and festivals. However, today elephants face several ecological challenges. Protecting forests and ensuring safe habitats are important for maintaining a healthy relationship between humans and elephants.
3. Real-Life Friendship Between Tarra and Bella
The textbook gives an example of a real-life friendship between an elephant named Tarra and a dog named Bella. Bella entered a forest for elephants and became Tarra's friend. When Bella was injured and kept inside a building for three weeks, Tarra remained outside waiting for her. When they finally met again, both were very happy.
What does this teach us?
Answer:
This real-life example shows that friendship can develop between very different animals. True friendship is based on love, care, companionship and emotional connection, rather than physical similarities.
Important Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Booth | A rectangular space |
| Stables | Living spaces for animals |
| Interacted | Communicated with |
| Strayed | Came by mistake |
| Munching | Chewing |
| Wagged | Moved from side to side |
| Convey | Communicate |
| Accompanied | Went with someone |
| Plunging | Jumping into |
| Trunk | Elephant's long nose |
| Splashed | Threw water |
| Yelped | Cried |
| Crumbs | Small pieces of food |
| Delighted | Very happy |
| Disappeared | Was not seen |
| Hugged | Held closely |
| Realise | Understand |
| Winced | Shrunk back in pain or distress |
| Chores | Daily duties |
| Tummy | Stomach |
| Indigestion | Upset stomach |
| Sprang | Jumped |
| Joyous | Happy |
| Relieved | Thankful |
| Satisfaction | Happiness |
These meanings are taken from the vocabulary boxes accompanying the story.
Chapter Summary
The Unlikely Best Friends tells the story of an elephant named Gajaraj and a dog named Buntee.
Gajaraj lived in a royal stable and received excellent care, but he was lonely because he had no friend. One evening, Buntee, a tired and hungry stray dog, entered the stable. Gajaraj shared his food with him. Soon, the two animals became close friends.
They spent time together, played together and went to the pond together. Gajaraj even playfully splashed water on Buntee.
Later, Buntee's owner, a farmer, found him and took him home. Both Gajaraj and Buntee became sad after being separated. Neither wanted to eat. The farmer understood that Buntee missed Gajaraj and released him. Buntee immediately returned to his friend.
The story ends happily. Gajaraj and Buntee are reunited, and the mahout and farmer also become friends.
Moral of the Story
True friendship is based on love, care and understanding, not on differences.
Gajaraj and Buntee were an unlikely pair, but their friendship was genuine. Their story teaches us that we should not judge others based on their appearance or differences and should value people—and animals—who care for us.
Quick Revision – Important Questions
Who was Gajaraj?
Gajaraj was an elephant who lived in the royal stables.
Who was Buntee?
Buntee was a dog who became Gajaraj's best friend.
Why was Gajaraj sad?
He was sad because he had no friend.
How did Gajaraj help Buntee?
He shared his food with the hungry dog.
Why did Buntee stop eating?
He missed Gajaraj after being taken home by the farmer.
Why did Gajaraj stop eating?
He missed Buntee.
Who released Buntee?
The farmer released Buntee after understanding that he missed Gajaraj.
What is unusual about their friendship?
They were a huge elephant and a small dog, yet they became close friends.
What is the main message?
Friendship is built through love, care, companionship and understanding.
