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The Unlikely Best Friends

NCERT Class 6 · English Based on NCERT Class 6 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter is a story about an elephant named Gajaraj and a stray dog named Buntee who become unlikely best friends. It exists in the syllabus to teach students the value of true friendship, empathy, and companionship beyond differences in size or species. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that real friendship is based on mutual care and emotional connection, not on outward appearances or social status.
Key Concepts (32)
unlikely
Not likely to happen or be true; surprising because it is not expected.
e.g. A big elephant and a small dog becoming best friends is unlikely because they are so different.
booth
A rectangular space or enclosure, often used for animals.
e.g. Gajaraj lived in the best booth of the royal stables.
stables
Living spaces for animals, especially horses or elephants.
e.g. The king had royal stables where Gajaraj was kept.
interacted with
Communicated or spent time with someone.
e.g. The mahout was the only one Gajaraj ever interacted with.
strayed
Came by mistake or wandered away from the usual place.
e.g. A dog strayed into the stable one evening.
munching
Chewing food steadily and often noisily.
e.g. Gajaraj was munching his food when the dog arrived.
wagged
Moved from side to side, usually a dog's tail to show happiness.
e.g. The dog wagged his tail to thank the elephant.
convey
To communicate or express a feeling or message.
e.g. The dog looked up at the elephant to convey his thanks.
accompanied
Went with someone to a place.
e.g. The dog accompanied Gajaraj to the pond for a bath.
plunging
Jumping or diving into something, especially water.
e.g. Gajaraj enjoyed plunging into the water for his bath.
trunk
The long nose of an elephant used for breathing, smelling, and picking up objects.
e.g. The elephant used his trunk to splash water on the dog.
yelped
Cried out sharply, usually in pain or surprise.
e.g. The dog yelped when the elephant splashed water on him.
splashed
Threw or caused liquid to scatter in drops.
e.g. The elephant playfully splashed water on his friend.
crumbs
Small pieces of food, especially bread or biscuits.
e.g. The mahout threw some crumbs to the dog.
disappeared
Was not seen anymore; vanished.
e.g. The dog had disappeared from the farmer's house.
delighted
Very happy and pleased.
e.g. The dog was delighted to get a ride on the elephant's back.
hugged
Held someone closely in one's arms to show affection.
e.g. The farmer hugged the dog when he found him.
winced
Shrunk back in pain or distress.
e.g. The elephant winced when the dog was pulled away.
chores
Daily duties or small tasks done regularly.
e.g. The mahout finished his other chores before checking on Gajaraj.
realise
To understand or become aware of something.
e.g. The dog realised he was being taken away from his friend.
slight
A little; small in amount or degree.
e.g. The mahout thought Gajaraj had slight indigestion.
indigestion
An upset stomach; difficulty in digesting food.
e.g. The mahout thought Gajaraj was not eating due to indigestion.
tummy
Stomach, especially of a child or animal.
e.g. The mahout ran his hand on Gajaraj's tummy to check for problems.
sprang
Jumped up quickly and suddenly.
e.g. The dog sprang to his feet when the farmer removed the rope.
joyous
Very happy; full of joy.
e.g. The elephant gave the dog a joyous swing with his trunk.
relieved
Thankful and relaxed because a worry has been removed.
e.g. The mahout was relieved when the dog returned and Gajaraj started eating.
satisfaction
Happiness or contentment because something good has happened.
e.g. The farmer and mahout watched the friends eating with satisfaction.
neither...nor
Used to connect two negative choices; means 'not one and not the other'.
e.g. Neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed that the friends were in tears.
either...or
Used to connect two positive choices; means 'one or the other'.
e.g. Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting.
simple past tense
Used to show that an action happened earlier; formed by adding -d or -ed to the verb (second form).
e.g. Gajaraj lived in the royal stables. The mahout gave him food.
past progressive tense
Used to show that an action was going on and not finished; formed with was/were + verb + ing.
e.g. The dog was munching the food. The mahout was looking at them.
past perfect tense
Used to show that an action was completed before another action; formed with had + third form of verb.
e.g. The king had ordered that the elephant be well looked after. The dog had followed the farmer.
How It Works
How Gajaraj and Buntee became friends
  1. Gajaraj, the elephant, was sad because he had no friends despite royal comforts.
  2. One evening, a stray dog entered the stable, tired and hungry.
  3. Gajaraj pushed some of his food towards the dog, who ate and fell asleep.
  4. The next morning, the mahout saw the dog and did not mind him; he noticed Gajaraj liked the company.
  5. The dog accompanied Gajaraj to the pond for a bath, and they played together.
  6. On the way back, Gajaraj picked up the dog with his trunk and gave him a ride.
  7. A farmer claimed the dog (Buntee) and took him home, separating the friends.
  8. Both Gajaraj and Buntee stopped eating because they missed each other.
  9. The farmer realised Buntee's sadness and set him free to go back to Gajaraj.
  10. The dog returned to the stable, and the friends were reunited joyfully.
💡 Students often forget that the friendship began with Gajaraj sharing food, not with the dog asking for help. The key moment is Gajaraj's initiative to share.
How to form opposites using prefixes
  1. Identify the base word (e.g., happy, kind, appear).
  2. Add a prefix before the word to create its opposite.
  3. Common prefixes: un- (unhappy), in- (incorrect), dis- (disconnect), mis- (misuse).
  4. Use the opposite word in a sentence to show the contrast.
💡 Students often add the wrong prefix. For example, they write 'inhappy' instead of 'unhappy'. Memorise common prefixes for each word.
How to use past tense forms correctly
  1. For simple past: use the second form of the verb (e.g., looked, gave, served).
  2. For past progressive: use was/were + verb + ing (e.g., was looking, was munching).
  3. For past perfect: use had + third form of the verb (e.g., had ordered, had followed).
  4. Choose the correct tense based on whether the action was completed, ongoing, or completed before another action.
💡 Students often confuse past progressive and past perfect. Past progressive is for an ongoing action in the past; past perfect is for an action completed before another past action.
How to use 'neither...nor' and 'either...or'
  1. Use 'neither...nor' to connect two negative choices (both are not true).
  2. Use 'either...or' to connect two positive choices (one of them is true).
  3. Place the pair around the two options being compared.
  4. Ensure the verb agrees with the subject closest to it in the sentence.
💡 Students often use 'neither...or' or 'either...nor' by mistake. Remember: 'neither' always pairs with 'nor', and 'either' always pairs with 'or'.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'caretaker' with 'friend'
✗ The mahout was Gajaraj's friend because he gave him food and a bath.
→ The story explicitly says the mahout was a good caretaker but not a friend. A caretaker performs duties, while a friend shares emotional connection and play.
✓ The mahout was a good caretaker who served Gajaraj food and gave him a bath, but he was not a friend because Gajaraj wanted someone to play with and share feelings.
⚠ Misunderstanding 'unlikely' as 'impossible'
✗ Unlikely means impossible, so an elephant and a dog cannot be friends.
→ Unlikely means 'not expected' or 'surprising', not impossible. The story proves they can be friends despite their differences.
✓ Unlikely means not likely or surprising. The friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee is unlikely because they are very different in size and species, but they still became best friends.
⚠ Using wrong prefix for opposites
✗ The opposite of 'appeared' is 'unappeared'.
→ The correct prefix for 'appeared' is 'dis-' to form 'disappeared', as used in the story. Not all words take 'un-'.
✓ The opposite of 'appeared' is 'disappeared'. The opposite of 'happy' is 'unhappy'. The opposite of 'kind' is 'unkind'.
⚠ Confusing past progressive with past perfect
✗ The farmer had tied Buntee (when the story says he tied him the day before).
→ If the action of tying happened before another past action (like the farmer noticing Buntee was sad), we use past perfect: 'had tied'. But if the action was ongoing, we use past progressive: 'was tying'.
✓ The farmer had tied Buntee with a rope the day before. (Past perfect because it was completed before the farmer noticed Buntee's sadness.)
⚠ Using 'neither...or' instead of 'neither...nor'
✗ Neither the farmer or the mahout noticed the tears.
→ The correct pair is 'neither...nor'. 'Neither' always pairs with 'nor', and 'either' always pairs with 'or'.
✓ Neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed that the two friends were in tears.
⚠ Forgetting that Gajaraj stopped eating because of sadness, not illness
✗ Gajaraj did not eat because he had indigestion.
→ The mahout initially thought it was indigestion, but later realised Gajaraj was missing his friend. The real reason was emotional, not physical.
✓ Gajaraj did not eat because he was sad and missing his friend Buntee, not because of any physical illness.
Compare & Contrast
Role and emotional connection
Friend
Caretaker
A friend shares play, feelings, and companionship, while a caretaker performs duties like feeding and bathing without emotional bonding. The mahout was a caretaker, not a friend.
Time of action completion
Simple Past Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Simple past tense shows an action that happened at a specific time in the past (e.g., 'Gajaraj lived in the stable'). Past perfect tense shows an action that was completed before another past action (e.g., 'The king had ordered that the elephant be well looked after').
Choice type (negative vs positive)
Neither...nor
Either...or
Neither...nor connects two negative choices meaning both are not true (e.g., 'Neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed'). Either...or connects two positive choices meaning one of them is true (e.g., 'Either Bhavesh or Abha made this painting').
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each) on vocabulary and comprehension, 1 short answer (2-3 marks) on character or theme, 1 long answer (5 marks) on grammar (tenses or conjunctions) or a value-based question on friendship.
Most asked: Difference between a friend and a caretaker · Meaning of 'unlikely' and why the friendship is unlikely · Use of past tense forms (simple, progressive, perfect) · Use of 'neither...nor' and 'either...or' · Opposites using prefixes (un-, dis-, in-, mis-) · Reasons for Gajaraj and Buntee's sadness and reunion
Don't skip: Explain why Gajaraj and Buntee were 'unlikely' best friends. (3-5 marks); Fill in the blanks with correct past tense forms. (3-5 marks); Write a paragraph using 'neither...nor' and 'either...or'. (3 marks); Compare and contrast a friend and a caretaker with examples from the story. (5 marks)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. Gajaraj was a royal elephant who was sad because he had no friends.
  2. A stray dog named Buntee became Gajaraj's unlikely best friend.
  3. The mahout was a good caretaker but not a friend because he did not play with Gajaraj.
  4. Gajaraj shared his food with the hungry dog, starting their friendship.
  5. The dog yelped when Gajaraj playfully splashed water on him during bath.
  6. Gajaraj picked up Buntee with his trunk and gave him a ride on his back.
  7. The farmer took Buntee home, causing both friends to stop eating out of sadness.
  8. The farmer realised Buntee missed Gajaraj and set him free to return.
  9. Neither the farmer nor the mahout initially noticed the friends were in tears.
  10. Unlikely means not expected; an elephant and a dog being friends is unlikely but possible.
  11. Simple past tense uses the second form of the verb (e.g., looked, gave).
  12. Past progressive tense uses was/were + verb + ing (e.g., was munching).
  13. Past perfect tense uses had + third form of verb (e.g., had ordered).
  14. Use 'neither...nor' for two negative choices and 'either...or' for two positive choices.
  15. Opposites can be formed by adding prefixes like un- (unhappy), dis- (disappeared), in- (incorrect).
  16. The mahout and the farmer also became friends at the end of the story.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Why was Gajaraj unhappy at the beginning even though he lived in the best booth of the royal stables?

  • A. He did not like his food
  • B. He had no friends to play with ✓
  • C. The mahout was unkind to him
  • D. He wanted to live in the forest

Answer: B — The story clearly states that Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends, even though he had royal comforts and a kind mahout.

Q2. What does the word 'unlikely' in the title mean?

  • A. Very certain to happen
  • B. Not expected or surprising ✓
  • C. Happy and joyful
  • D. Strong and powerful

Answer: B — Unlikely means something that is not expected or surprising, which fits the title because an elephant and dog becoming best friends is unexpected.

Q3. How did Gajaraj help Buntee when they first met in the stable?

  • A. He gave him a bath in the pond
  • B. He pushed some food towards the hungry dog ✓
  • C. He called the mahout to help
  • D. He took him to the farmer

Answer: B — When Gajaraj saw the tired and hungry dog, he pushed some of the food he was munching towards the visitor.

Q4. Fill in the blank: The mahout was a good _________ because he fed Gajaraj and gave him a bath daily.

  • A. friend
  • B. trainer
  • C. caretaker ✓
  • D. elephant

Answer: C — A caretaker is someone who takes care of basic needs like food and bathing, which is what the mahout did for Gajaraj.

Q5. What did both Gajaraj and Buntee stop doing after they were separated?

  • A. Playing together
  • B. Touching their food and eating ✓
  • C. Taking baths
  • D. Sleeping at night

Answer: B — The story says both the elephant and dog did not touch their food after separation because they were missing each other.

Q6. Why did the farmer decide to remove the rope and let Buntee go?

  • A. He did not love his dog anymore
  • B. He realized Buntee was missing his friend and did not want to see him hungry ✓
  • C. The mahout asked him to do so
  • D. Buntee became too weak to walk

Answer: B — The farmer said he could not see Buntee go hungry and understood that if the dog missed his friend so much, he should go to him.

Q7. In the story, what is the main difference between the mahout and a real friend to Gajaraj?

  • A. The mahout was kind but did not understand Gajaraj's feelings of loneliness ✓
  • B. The mahout did not give Gajaraj food or water
  • C. The mahout was stronger than Buntee
  • D. The mahout lived in the forest

Answer: A — The story explains that the mahout was a good caretaker but not a friend because he only took care of physical needs, not Gajaraj's emotional need for companionship.

Q8. Based on the story, which of these activities shows that Gajaraj and Buntee were truly happy together? (Choose the best example)

  • A. They slept all day
  • B. The elephant picked up the dog and played games; the dog wagged his tail and did not want to leave ✓
  • C. They stayed in different parts of the stable
  • D. The dog hid from the elephant

Answer: B — The story shows they were truly happy by describing them playing together, the elephant giving rides, and their reluctance to separate.

Q9. What is the opposite of 'appeared' (as in 'Buntee appeared at the stable')? _________ appeared in his house.

  • A. Re-appeared
  • B. Dis-appeared ✓
  • C. Un-appeared
  • D. Mis-appeared

Answer: B — The opposite of appeared is disappeared, formed by adding the prefix 'dis-' to the word, which means to stop being seen.

Q10. Who became unexpected friends by the end of the story, besides Gajaraj and Buntee?

  • A. The mahout and the elephant
  • B. The dog and the farmer
  • C. The mahout and the farmer ✓
  • D. The elephant and the farmer

Answer: C — The mahout hugged the farmer at the end and said he had also found a friend, showing that the mahout and farmer became friends too.

Flashcards

Why was Gajaraj sad at the beginning of the story?

Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends to play with, even though he lived in royal comforts and had a kind mahout to care for him.

What does the word 'unlikely' mean in the title 'The Unlikely Best Friends'?

Unlikely means something that is not expected or surprising, so an elephant and a dog becoming best friends was unexpected.

How did Gajaraj show he wanted to be friends with Buntee when they first met?

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

What did both Gajaraj and Buntee do that showed they missed each other after separation?

Both stopped eating their food because they were sad and missing each other.

Why did the farmer decide to remove the rope from Buntee's neck?

The farmer realized that Buntee missed his friend Gajaraj so much that he was not eating, so he let the dog go back to be with the elephant.

What is the difference between a caretaker and a friend based on the story?

A caretaker feeds you and looks after your body like the mahout did, but a friend plays with you and understands your feelings like Buntee did for Gajaraj.

Who else became friends by the end of the story besides Gajaraj and Buntee?

The mahout and the farmer became friends after they watched Gajaraj and Buntee eat together happily.

What activities did Gajaraj and Buntee do together in the story?

They played together, ate together, bathed together in the pond, and the elephant gave the dog rides on his back.

How did the mahout know that Gajaraj was missing his friend?

The mahout realized Gajaraj was missing Buntee because the elephant had not touched his favourite food for many days even though there was nothing physically wrong with him.

What did Buntee do when the farmer opened the rope at his house?

Buntee jumped to his feet, licked the farmer's hand once, and then ran away to find his friend Gajaraj at the stable.

Important Board Questions

What is the meaning of the word 'unlikely' used in the title 'The Unlikely Best Friends'? [1 mark]

Think about what makes Gajaraj and Buntee's friendship surprising. Use prefix 'un-' to understand: likely means expected, so unlikely means NOT expected.

Why did the mahout not mind when he found the stray dog in the stable? Give two reasons from the story. [2 marks]

Look at these two things: (1) how Gajaraj behaved with the dog, (2) what the mahout noticed about Gajaraj's feelings. The mahout was kind and observed changes.

Explain with an example from the story how you can tell the difference between a caretaker and a real friend. Use an example from your own life too. [3 marks]

In the story: mahout = caretaker (fed and bathed Gajaraj but Gajaraj was sad); Buntee = friend (played, understood feelings, made Gajaraj happy). Your example: think of someone who helps you (parent, teacher) vs someone you play with and share feelings with (classmate, friend).

How did the farmer show that he understood the true meaning of friendship? Explain what happened at the farmer's house and why his action was important for the story. [5 marks]

The farmer first tied Buntee with a rope but then realized something important by watching and remembering. He made a sacrifice. Show: (1) what the farmer observed (dog not eating, happy memory on elephant), (2) what he did (removed rope), (3) why this was true friendship (he gave up his own happiness for the dog's happiness), (4) how it helped solve the problem (both animals and mahout reunited with new friend).

True or False: Gajaraj stopped eating his food because he had indigestion. Give a reason from the story to support your answer. [2 marks]

Check: Did the mahout find anything physically wrong with Gajaraj? What did the mahout finally realize was the real reason? Use the word 'missing' in your reason.

Assertion-Reason Questions for The Unlikely Best Friends

Q1. Assertion (A):

Gajaraj did not eat his food after Buntee was taken away by the farmer.

Reason (R):

Gajaraj was angry with the mahout for not stopping the farmer.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is true - Gajaraj really did stop eating. However, the reason is false - he wasn't angry with the mahout. He stopped eating because he was sad and missing his friend Buntee, not because he was angry.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee was called 'unlikely' because they were different kinds of animals.

Reason (R):

An elephant and a dog are not expected to be friends because of their size and nature differences.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why the friendship was unlikely. Big animals like elephants and small animals like dogs don't naturally become friends, which is why their friendship was surprising and unlikely.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The farmer was a kind person.

Reason (R):

The farmer hugged Buntee when he found him after he disappeared.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true - the farmer was indeed kind, and he did hug Buntee. However, the reason (hugging the dog) doesn't fully explain his kindness. His real kindness was shown when he removed the rope and let Buntee go back to Gajaraj even though it meant losing his dog.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for The Unlikely Best Friends

Case Study:

Rahul's grandmother lives on a small farm near the city. One day, a stray kitten came to her farm looking hungry and tired. Grandmother gave the kitten milk and rice and let it rest in the corner of the kitchen. Soon, Rahul's pet parrot Kavi became the kitten's best friend. They would play together, sleep next to each other, and even eat from the same bowl. When Rahul's uncle wanted to take the kitten away to his house, both Kavi and the kitten stopped eating and sat quietly in a corner. Grandmother understood that they were missing each other.

Q1. Why did Grandmother give milk and rice to the stray kitten?

  • A. Because she wanted to keep it as a pet forever
  • B. Because the kitten looked hungry and tired and needed help ✓
  • C. Because her grandson Rahul asked her to do so
  • D. Because she had too much food in her kitchen

Answer: B

Q2. How did Grandmother come to know that Kavi and the kitten were missing each other?

  • A. They told her by meowing and chirping loudly
  • B. Rahul told her what they were feeling
  • C. Both animals stopped eating and sat quietly, just like Gajaraj and Buntee in the story ✓
  • D. She asked the uncle to explain

Answer: C

Q3. What is similar between the kitten-parrot friendship and Gajaraj-Buntee friendship from the story?

  • A. Both friendships were between farm animals
  • B. Both friendships were between different kinds of animals who became very close and couldn't bear to be separated ✓
  • C. Both stories happened in the same place
  • D. Both animals belonged to the same owner

Answer: B

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