The Unlikely Best Friends | CBSE Class 6 English Notes

This note covers the story of Gajaraj the elephant and Buntee the dog: a part-by-part summary, the characters, how their bond is shown, the difference between a caretaker and a friend, the themes, key quotations, the language and grammar lessons, answers to the questions, the activities, and exam-style questions.

What is this story about?

A Unique Friendship

This text is a narrative of a unique friendship that blossoms between Gajaraj, the elephant, and Buntee, the dog. It explores how these two different animals form a special bond.

The title, “The Unlikely Best Friends”, refers to the nature of their relationship. An unlikely connection suggests a friendship that might not be expected between such different creatures.

The Bond of Gajaraj and Buntee

The story follows Gajaraj, who lived in the best booth of the royal stables. Despite having royal comforts, the elephant felt sad because he had no friends.

His life changed when a stray dog entered the stable one late evening. This visitor eventually became his companion, proving that even unlikely pairings can result in deep friendship.

The narrative shows how the two animals interacted and found joy in each other's company. Their connection stands in contrast to the formal role of a caretaker.

What happens in the story, part by part?

The Lonely Elephant

Gajaraj, an elephant, lived in the best booth of the royal stables. Although the king was fond of him and ensured he was well looked after, the elephant was sad.

He had no friends to interact with. His only contact was the mahout, a kind man who provided food and daily baths in the elephant pond.

The mahout was a good caretaker, but he was not a friend. Gajaraj thought, “I wish I had a friend I can play with.”

An Unexpected Visitor

One late evening, a stray dog entered the stable. Gajaraj could see that the visitor was tired and hungry.

The elephant pushed some of his munching food towards the dog. The dog wagged his tail to convey thanks and then fell asleep after eating.

The next morning, the mahout saw the dog and noticed that Gajaraj seemed to enjoy the company. The two animals began to spend time together.

Growing Companionship

The dog accompanied Gajaraj when he went for a bath. The elephant playfully splashed water on his friend using his long trunk.

The dog yelped because he hated showers, which made the mahout laugh. On their way home, the elephant gave the dog a ride on his back.

The dog was delighted to be carried. However, a passing farmer recognised the dog and called him Buntee.

Separation and Sadness

The farmer explained he had been looking for his dog since he disappeared. The mahout allowed the farmer to take Buntee home.

When the farmer pulled the rope, Buntee realised he was being taken away. Both the elephant and the dog were in tears.

Both animals stopped eating their food. Gajaraj did not react when the mahout asked if he was hungry, and the mahout first thought he might have slight indigestion.

A Joyous Reunion

At the farmer's house, Buntee also refused to eat. The farmer realised the dog was missing his friend and decided to let him go.

Buntee sprang to his feet and ran back to the stable. Gajaraj picked him up with his trunk for a joyous swing.

The mahout was relieved and provided food for both. The farmer joined them, and the mahout remarked that he had also found a friend.

Who are the characters?

Gajaraj

Gajaraj is an elephant who lives in the best booth of the royal stables. Although he receives royal comforts, he is sad because he has no friends.

He shows his affection for his new companion by picking up the dog with his trunk. He also gives the dog a joyous swing once they are reunited.

• Lonely: He feels sad because he only interacts with his mahout.
• Generous: He pushes some of his food towards the stray dog.
• Playful: He uses his trunk to splash water on his friend.

Buntee

Buntee is a stray dog who wanders into the stable while tired and hungry. He becomes an unlikely friend to the elephant.

He shows his gratitude by wagging his tail and looking up at Gajaraj. He is delighted to receive a ride on the elephant's back.

• Grateful: He wags his tail to convey his thanks after eating.
• Loyal: He refuses to eat his food at the farmer's house because he misses his friend.
• Determined: Though weak, he sprang to his feet and ran back to the stable once the rope was removed.

The Mahout

The mahout is a kind man and the elephant trainer. He serves Gajaraj food and provides a daily bath in the elephant pond.

He is a good caretaker, though he is not a friend to the elephant. He eventually feels relieved when the two animals are back together.

• Caring: He provides food and baths for Gajaraj daily.
• Observant: He notices that Gajaraj seems to like the dog's company.
• Compassionate: He does not mind the stray dog and throws it some crumbs, and he does not force Gajaraj to eat.

The Farmer

The farmer is a man who had been looking for Buntee since the dog disappeared from his house. He first sees him while passing by, with the dog riding on the elephant's back on the way home from the bath.

He is a kind owner who decides to let the dog return to the elephant. He says, “If you miss your friend so much, go to him.”

• Loving: He hugs the dog when he finds him.
• Understanding: He recognises the happy look on Buntee's face and lets him go.

How is the bond between Gajaraj and Buntee shown?

Acts of Kindness and Companionship

The bond between Gajaraj and Buntee begins with a simple gesture of sharing. When the tired and hungry dog strayed into the stable, the elephant pushed some of the food he was munching towards the visitor.

The dog showed his gratitude by wagging his tail and looking up at the elephant to convey his thanks. This interaction marked the start of their connection.

Their friendship grew through shared daily routines. When the elephant went for a bath, the dog accompanied his friend. While the elephant used his trunk to shower, the dog watched him.

The elephant even playfully splashed water on the dog. Although the dog yelped because he hated showers, they continued to spend time together.

Shared Joy and Connection

The elephant expressed his affection through physical closeness. On their way home, Gajaraj used his trunk to pick up the dog and place him on his back. The dog was delighted to get a ride.

Their deep emotional connection is evident when the dog is taken away. When the farmer pulled the rope, the dog realised he was being separated from his friend. The elephant winced at this moment.

The strength of their bond is most visible through their shared sadness. Both animals stopped eating their food when they were apart, and the two friends were in tears over the separation, though no one noticed.

When the dog finally returned to the stable, Gajaraj picked him up with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing. This reunion brought relief to the mahout and happiness to the two friends.

What is the contrast between a caretaker and a friend?

The Role of the Mahout

The mahout, or elephant trainer, served as a good caretaker for Gajaraj. He provided the elephant with food and gave him a bath in the elephant pond every day.

However, despite these kind actions, the mahout was not a friend. Gajaraj felt sad because he had no friends and the mahout was the only one he ever interacted with.

The elephant's loneliness is highlighted by his thought: “I wish I had a friend I can play with,” which shows that caretaking is different from companionship.

The Depth of Friendship

The bond between Gajaraj and Buntee is shown through their emotional distress when they are apart. When the farmer took Buntee, the dog yelped and the elephant winced.

The separation caused deep pain, as “neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed that the two friends were in tears.” This shows a level of connection beyond simple interaction.

Their friendship also affected their physical well-being. Gajaraj did not touch his food at lunch time, that night or the next day, and Buntee also had not touched his food since being brought home.

The animals' unlikely friendship was proven when Buntee sprang to his feet to run back to the stable after being released. This reunion brought joyous moments to both animals.

How does sadness affect the animals?

The pain of separation

When the farmer pulled the rope to take the dog home, the animals felt deep distress. The dog yelped and the elephant winced at the situation.

The two friends were in tears at the separation, but neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed.

Loss of appetite

The sadness caused Gajaraj to stop eating. When the mahout served his favourite food, the elephant left it untouched and did not react when the mahout asked if he was hungry.

The mahout was surprised to see that the food had remained untouched. He even wondered if the elephant was suffering from “slight indigestion”.

Gajaraj continued to refuse food for the next day as well. The mahout became worried and checked the elephant's tummy to see if anything was wrong.

Buntee also experienced this sadness at the farmer's house. The dog had also not touched his food ever since he was brought home.

The farmer noticed this and remembered the “happy look” on Buntee's face when he was riding on the elephant's back. He realised the dog was missing his friend.

What are the themes?

Theme 1: The Importance of Friendship

The story highlights how vital companionship is for well-being. Even with royal comforts, Gajaraj felt sad because he had no friends.

The elephant's loneliness is evident when he thinks, “I wish I had a friend I can play with,” showing that social connection is a deep need.

When the animals are separated, both suffer. This demonstrates that friends are important parts of life, as they provide happiness and comfort.

Theme 2: Unlikely Connections Between Species

The narrative explores how bonds can form between different species. An elephant and a stray dog become close companions despite their differences.

Their friendship is considered unlikely because they are not the same kind of animal. They find joy in simple activities together.

The dog accompanies the elephant to the pond and even rides on his back. This shows that unexpected friendships can blossom in any setting.

Theme 3: Animal Emotions and Empathy

The text portrays animals as beings capable of complex feelings and emotions. Gajaraj experiences profound sadness when he is alone.

The animals also show empathy and joy. When the farmer pulls Buntee away, the dog yelps and Gajaraj winces, and he gives the dog a joyous swing upon his return.

Both animals react to separation by refusing to eat. This physical response shows how sadness and longing affect their bodies and spirits.

What are the key quotations?

These selected lines highlight the emotional connection between the animals and the kindness shown by the humans who help them reunite.

I wish I had a friend I can play with

Speaker: Gajaraj. Context: Gajaraj lives in the royal stables but feels sad because he has no companions. This thought shows his deep desire for friendship despite his royal comforts.

Come Buntee, let’s go home.

Speaker: the farmer. Context: A farmer recognises the stray dog and tells the mahout he has been looking for him. He uses a rope to lead the dog away from the elephant.

Why Gajaraj, aren’t you hungry?

Speaker: the mahout. Context: The mahout notices that the elephant has not eaten his favourite food at lunch time. He expresses concern because the food remains untouched.

Is he missing his friend, that dog?

Speaker: the mahout. Context: After Gajaraj does not touch his food that night or the next day, the mahout becomes worried. He wonders if the elephant is grieving for the dog that was taken away.

If you miss your friend so much, go to him.

Speaker: the farmer. Context: The farmer notices that Buntee has not eaten since returning to his house. He decides to remove the rope and allow the dog to return to the stable.

I’ve also found one.

Speaker: the mahout. Context: The mahout hugs the farmer after the two animals are reunited at the stable. He realises that he has gained a new friend through this event.

What are the language and grammar lessons?

Prefixes and Opposites

Opposites can be formed by adding certain letters before a word. Examples include un- for unhappy, in- for incorrect, dis- for disconnect, and mis- for misuse.

The following table contains opposites found in the story:

Verb Tenses

Verbs are words that tell us about an action. The story uses the past tense to describe events that happened before. There are three forms of the past tense to learn.

• Simple Past Tense: This is the second form of the verb, often created by adding -d or -ed. Examples include looked, served, asked, and arrived.
• Past Progressive Tense: This shows an action was going on and did not finish. It uses was or were plus the verb with -ing, such as was looking, was munching, or was missing.
• Past Perfect Tense: This shows an action was completed. It uses had plus the third form of the verb, such as had ordered, had remained, or had tied.

Connecting Choices

The words neither and nor are used to state that two people (or things) both did not do the same thing. For example, neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed the friends were in tears. This connects two negative choices.

To choose between two things, you may use either and or. This means one option or the other is selected, such as when someone wants to play either cricket or kho-kho.

What are the answers to the questions?

Let us discuss

• What are the things that Gajaraj and Buntee did together? Buntee and Gajaraj played together. Gajaraj shared his food with the dog, the dog accompanied him to the pond for his bath, and the elephant gave the dog a ride on his back.
• Why did the farmer hug Buntee? The farmer was looking for his dog since Buntee had disappeared from his house. He was glad to have found him.
• Do you think Buntee will leave Gajaraj and go home with the farmer? A sample answer is that Buntee might go home because the farmer is his owner and has been looking for him. However, he might not want to leave because he is friends with Gajaraj.

Let us think and reflect

• What is the difference between a friend and a caretaker? A caretaker, like the kind mahout, provides food and baths. A friend is someone you can play with.
• How did the mahout come to know that Gajaraj was sad? The mahout noticed that Gajaraj's favourite food remained untouched. He also wondered if the elephant was missing his friend.
• Why did the farmer remove the rope with which he had tied Buntee? The farmer saw that Buntee was missing his friend and was not eating. He remembered the happy look on Buntee's face while sitting on the elephant's back and could not see the dog go hungry, so he let him go to Gajaraj.
• Give two examples to show that Gajaraj was very happy to have a friend. Gajaraj playfully splashed water on the dog during their bath. He also gave the dog a joyous swing with his trunk.
• Why do you think Buntee licked the farmer's hand? A sample answer is that Buntee licked the farmer's hand to say thank you for letting him go back to his friend, and to show his affection.
• What was ‘unlikely’ about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee? It was unlikely because one was an elephant and the other was a stray dog.

What are the activities to do?

Listening and Speaking Activities

The listening activity involves hearing a story about a leopard and a cow from Vadodara, Gujarat. Students use exact words from the story to fill in missing details in a paragraph.

After listening, students must number the sentences in the correct order. This task tracks the leopard's journey from being a cub to visiting the cow at night.

The speaking task encourages students to talk to a friend about their common likes and dislikes. They can share how they are similar or different from one another.

Writing and Exploring Tasks

In the writing exercise, students write six sentences about a friend. They may take help from words such as same, different, and both to show how they are alike and different.

The explore section introduces the Jataka tales, which are ancient Buddhist stories. Students are encouraged to find and read another story from this collection.

Finally, students can discuss the historical roles of elephants in Indian culture. They may also learn about a real-life friendship between Tarra and Bella in a United States sanctuary.

Glossary

• Stables — Living spaces for animals, which is where Gajaraj the elephant lived in the best booth.
• Interacted with — Communicated with, used to describe how the mahout was the only one Gajaraj ever spoke to.
• Strayed — Came by mistake, referring to the dog that entered the elephant's stable one late evening.
• Munching — Chewing, describing how Gajaraj was chewing his food when he pushed some towards the dog.
• Wagged — Moved from side to side, which the dog did to convey thanks and when accepting crumbs.
• Convey — Communicate, used when the dog looked up at the elephant to show his thanks.
• Accompanied — Went with someone, describing how the dog went with the elephant when he went for a bath.
• Plunging — Jumping in, used when the elephant jumped into the water for his bath.
• Trunk — A long nose, which the elephant used to shower himself and splash his friend.
• Yelped — Cried, which the dog did because he hated taking showers.
• Splashed — Threw, describing how the elephant playfully threw water on the dog.
• Crumbs — Small pieces of food, which the mahout threw to the dog in the stable.

Common errors and misconceptions

• Misconception: The mahout was Gajaraj's friend. Correct: The mahout was a kind man and a good caretaker, but he was not a friend.
• Misconception: Gajaraj was unhappy because he lacked royal comforts. Correct: In spite of royal comforts, Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends.
• Misconception: The dog entered the stable because he wanted to play with the elephant. Correct: The dog was a stray who entered the stable feeling tired and hungry.
• Misconception: The dog enjoyed the elephant's water shower. Correct: The dog yelped because he hated taking showers.
• Misconception: The farmer was angry that the mahout had the dog. Correct: The farmer was glad to find Buntee and told the mahout he had been looking for him.
• Misconception: Gajaraj stopped eating because he was sick with indigestion. Correct: While the mahout thought he might have slight indigestion, Gajaraj was actually missing his friend.
• Misconception: The dog refused to eat because he was being punished. Correct: The dog had not touched his food ever since he was brought home because he was missing his friend.

Exam-style questions with model answers

Q1. Gajaraj the elephant lived in the best booth of the royal stables, but he was sad because he had no friends. Why was Gajaraj sad despite having royal comforts? [2 marks]

1. Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends to interact with.
2. The only one he ever interacted with was his mahout, who was a kind caretaker but not a friend.

Q2. A farmer saw the dog and yelled, “Buntee,” and then hugged him. Why did the farmer hug the dog? [2 marks]

1. The farmer was looking for his dog ever since the animal had disappeared from his house.
2. He was glad that he had found the dog again.

Q3. The mahout noticed that Gajaraj's favourite food had remained untouched at lunch time. Why did the elephant not eat his food? [3 marks]

1. Gajaraj was missing his friend, the dog, who had been taken away by the farmer, which caused the elephant to not react when the mahout asked if he was hungry.
2. The elephant had winced when the dog was being taken away, and the two friends were in tears at that moment, though neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed.
3. The mahout first thought of slight indigestion, but when he ran his hand on Gajaraj's tummy he felt nothing wrong, so he wondered if the elephant was missing his friend.

Q4. Gajaraj the elephant lived in the best booth of the royal stables, but “In spite of royal comforts, Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends.” Describe Gajaraj's life and his only interaction before meeting Buntee. [3 marks]

1. Gajaraj lived in the best booth of the royal stables and the king had ordered that the elephant should be well looked after.
2. The elephant was sad because he had no friends to play with.
3. His only interaction was with the mahout, a kind man who served him food and gave him a bath in the elephant pond daily.

Q5. The farmer remembered the happy look on Buntee’s face while sitting on the elephant’s back and said, “If you miss your friend so much, go to him.” Describe how the friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee was restored. [4 marks]

1. The farmer removed the rope used to tie the dog, allowing Buntee to spring to his feet and run to the stable.
2. Upon arriving at the stable, the elephant picked up the dog with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing.
3. The mahout felt relieved and quickly brought food for both animals to eat.
4. The farmer joined them and watched with satisfaction as the two friends ate their food together.

Q6. When the farmer took Buntee home, “Only when the farmer pulled the rope did the dog realise that he was being taken away from his friend.” Explain the events that followed for both Gajaraj and Buntee. [5 marks]

1. The dog yelped and the elephant winced, though neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed the two friends were in tears.
2. Gajaraj did not eat his favourite food at lunch time or the following day, which made the mahout worried.
3. The mahout wondered if the elephant was missing his friend, the dog.
4. At the farmer's house, Buntee also had not touched his food ever since he was brought home.
5. The farmer realised Buntee missed his friend and decided to remove the rope so the dog could go to him.

Q7. The mahout observed that Gajaraj's food remained untouched and later said, “It’s not only Gajaraj who has found a friend... I’ve also found one.” Discuss how the friendship between the animals was restored and how the mahout felt. [5 marks]

1. After the farmer removed the rope, the dog, though weak, sprang to his feet and ran to the stable where he stopped.
2. The elephant picked up the dog with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing, which showed they were happy to be together again.
3. The mahout felt relieved when the two friends were reunited and he quickly brought food for both of them to eat first.
4. The farmer, who had followed the dog, joined them and the two men watched with satisfaction as the two friends ate their food.
5. The mahout expressed his happiness by hugging the farmer and stating that he had also found a friend.

Q8. The text uses various forms of verbs to describe actions. Based on the rules for Simple Past Tense (adding -d or -ed), Past Progressive Tense (was/were + verb + ing), and Past Perfect Tense (had + third form of the verb), identify the tense used in these sentences: 1. "The food had remained untouched." 2. "The dog was delighted to get a ride." 3. "The farmer told the mahout that he was looking for his dog." [6 marks]

1. The first sentence uses the Past Perfect Tense because it uses "had" with the third form of the verb, "remained".
2. The second sentence uses the Simple Past Tense because "was" is the second (past) form of "be" and has no "-ing" or "had" with it.
3. The third sentence uses the Past Progressive Tense because it uses "was" with the verb ending in "ing".
4. Simple Past Tense is used to show that the action had happened earlier.
5. Past Progressive Tense is used to show that the action did not finish and was going on.
6. Past Perfect Tense is used to show that the action was completed.

Key takeaways

• Gajaraj the elephant lived in the best booth of the royal stables, and the king had ordered that he should be well looked after.
• Despite having royal comforts, Gajaraj felt sad because he had no friends and only interacted with his kind mahout.
• A tired and hungry stray dog entered the stable one evening and Gajaraj shared some of his food with the visitor.
• The dog and the elephant became friends, with the dog accompanying Gajaraj to the pond for his daily bath.
• A passing farmer recognised the dog as Buntee and took him home after he had disappeared from his house.
• Both Gajaraj and Buntee refused to eat their food because they were missing each other after being separated.
• The farmer realised Buntee missed his friend and allowed the dog to run back to the elephant at the stable.
• The two men watched the friends eating with satisfaction, and the mahout said that he too had found a friend, in the farmer.

Test yourself

Who was the only person Gajaraj the elephant interacted with in the stables?

Gajaraj interacted only with his mahout, a kind elephant trainer who served him food and gave him a daily bath.

How did Gajaraj show kindness to the stray dog when it first arrived?

Gajaraj pushed some of the food he was munching towards the dog to help the tired and hungry visitor.

What happened when the elephant tried to splash water on the dog during their bath?

The elephant playfully splashed water on his friend, but the dog yelped because he hated taking showers.

How did the farmer react when he saw the dog on the elephant's back?

The farmer yelled "Buntee", hugged the dog, and told the mahout he had been looking for him since he disappeared.

Why did Gajaraj and Buntee both stop eating their food?

Both stopped eating because each was missing the other. Gajaraj did not touch his food, and Buntee had not touched his food since being brought home.

What did the farmer do after noticing Buntee was missing his friend?

The farmer removed the rope he had used to tie the dog and allowed Buntee to go back to his friend.

How did the elephant greet the dog when Buntee returned to the stable?

The elephant used his trunk to pick up the dog and gave him a joyous swing.

What did the mahout mean when he said he had also found a friend?

He meant that he had found a friend in the farmer, just as Gajaraj had found one in Buntee. He said this while hugging the farmer after the two men watched Gajaraj and Buntee eating their food together.