The Unlikely Best Friends Questions & Answers | Class 6 English | CBSE NCERT

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1. 1. Where did Gajaraj live?
(a) In a jungle
(b) In the best booth of the royal stables
(c) In a farmer's house
(d) Beside the elephant pond

Gajaraj, the elephant, lived in the best booth of the royal stables. The king was fond of Gajaraj, and he had ordered that the elephant should be well looked after. In spite of royal comforts, Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends. The mahout, or elephant trainer, was the only one he ever interacted with. The mahout was a kind man who served Gajaraj food, and gave him a bath in the elephant pond daily. He was a good caretaker, but not a friend.

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2. 2. How do we know that the king cared for Gajaraj?
(a) He played with Gajaraj every day
(b) He had ordered that the elephant should be well looked after
(c) He took Gajaraj for walks
(d) He fed Gajaraj himself

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3. 3. In this extract, the word 'interacted with' means:
(a) fought with
(b) communicated with
(c) ran around with
(d) slept beside

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4. 4. Fill in the blank: The mahout gave Gajaraj food and a daily ______ in the elephant pond.

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5. 5. Why was Gajaraj sad even though he had royal comforts?

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6. 6. Do you think comfort and good food can make up for the absence of friends? Why or why not?

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7. 1. When did the dog come into the stable?
(a) Early in the morning
(b) At noon
(c) One late evening
(d) At midnight

"I wish I had a friend I can play with," thought Gajaraj. One late evening, a dog strayed into the stable. Gajaraj could see that the visitor was tired and hungry. He pushed some of the food he was munching towards the dog. The visitor wagged his tail, looked up at the elephant to convey his thanks, and then turned his full attention to the food in front of him. As soon as he finished eating, he fell asleep.

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8. 2. How did the dog convey his thanks to Gajaraj?
(a) He barked loudly
(b) He wagged his tail and looked up at the elephant
(c) He licked the elephant's trunk
(d) He brought the elephant some food

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9. 3. The word 'strayed' in this extract means:
(a) ran very fast
(b) was brought on purpose
(c) was chased away
(d) came in by mistake

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10. 4. True or False: Gajaraj pushed food towards the dog because he saw that the visitor was tired and hungry.

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11. 5. What did Gajaraj wish for?

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12. 6. What does Gajaraj's act of sharing his food tell you about his character?

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13. 1. How did the mahout react when he found the stray dog?
(a) He chased it away
(b) He did not mind the dog
(c) He was angry with Gajaraj
(d) He locked the stable

The next morning, the mahout found the stray dog in the stable. He did not mind the dog. He also noticed that Gajaraj seemed to like the company. So, he threw some crumbs to the dog, which the animal accepted wagging his tail. When the elephant went out for a bath, the dog accompanied his friend. Plunging into the water, the elephant gave himself a shower using his long trunk, as the dog watched. The elephant took a trunkful of water and playfully splashed the water on his friend. The dog yelped for he hated taking showers. The mahout laughed.

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14. 2. Why did the dog yelp?
(a) He was hurt by the elephant
(b) He hated taking showers
(c) He was happy to see the farmer
(d) He was frightened of the water

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15. 3. 'Plunging into the water' means:
(a) walking slowly into the water
(b) jumping into the water
(c) standing in the water
(d) drinking the water

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16. 4. One-word answer: The elephant splashed a ______ of water on his friend.

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17. 5. How did the mahout know that Gajaraj liked the dog's company?

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18. 6. What does the elephant's playful splash tell us about his friendship with the dog?

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19. 1. Who was Buntee?
(a) The elephant
(b) The mahout
(c) The farmer's lost dog
(d) The king's dog

On their way home, the elephant picked up the dog with his trunk and placed him on his back. The dog was delighted to get a ride. A farmer passing by saw the dog. "Buntee," he yelled. The dog ran to him. The farmer hugged the dog and told the mahout that he was looking for his dog ever since he disappeared from his house. He was glad he found him now. The mahout had no objection to the farmer taking the dog home. The farmer tossed a rope round the neck of the dog, saying, "Come Buntee, let's go home."

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20. 2. How did the dog feel about riding on the elephant's back?
(a) Frightened
(b) Delighted
(c) Bored
(d) Angry

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21. 3. Why had the farmer been searching for the dog?
(a) The dog had disappeared from his house
(b) The dog had been sold
(c) The king had taken the dog
(d) The dog had run to the palace

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22. 4. Fill in the blank: The farmer tossed a ______ round the neck of the dog.

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23. 5. How did the elephant give his friend a ride home?

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24. 6. Why do you think the mahout had no objection to the farmer taking the dog home?

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25. 1. When did the dog realise he was being taken away from his friend?
(a) When the farmer called his name
(b) Only when the farmer pulled the rope
(c) When the mahout stopped him
(d) When he reached the farmer's house

Only when the farmer pulled the rope did the dog realise that he was being taken away from his friend. He yelped, the elephant winced, but neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed that the two friends were in tears. The next day at lunch time the mahout served Gajaraj his favourite food. When the mahout came back after finishing his other chores, he was surprised to see that the food had remained untouched.

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26. 2. What did the elephant do when the dog yelped?
(a) He trumpeted loudly
(b) He winced
(c) He ran away
(d) He ignored the dog

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27. 3. The word 'winced' means:
(a) shouted in anger
(b) shrunk back in pain or distress
(c) jumped with joy
(d) fell asleep

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28. 4. True or False: The farmer and the mahout noticed that the two friends were in tears.

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29. 5. What surprised the mahout at lunch time the next day?

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30. 6. Why do you think both friends were in tears?

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31. 1. What did the mahout first think was wrong with Gajaraj?
(a) A fever
(b) An injury
(c) Slight indigestion
(d) Tiredness

"Why Gajaraj, aren't you hungry?" he asked concerned. The elephant did not react. "He may have slight indigestion. Let me not force him to eat," thought the mahout. That night too, Gajaraj did not touch his food—nor the next day. Now, the mahout was worried. He ran his hand on Gajaraj's tummy and felt there was nothing wrong. "Why was he not eating then? Is he missing his friend, that dog?" the mahout wondered.

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32. 2. How did the mahout check Gajaraj's health?
(a) He called the king's doctor
(b) He ran his hand on Gajaraj's tummy
(c) He took Gajaraj to the pond
(d) He watched Gajaraj walk

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33. 3. For how long did Gajaraj refuse to eat?
(a) Only one meal
(b) That night only
(c) That night and the next day as well
(d) A whole week

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34. 4. One-word answer: The mahout wondered if Gajaraj was ______ his friend, that dog.

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35. 5. How did the mahout finally guess the real reason Gajaraj was not eating?

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36. 6. What does Gajaraj's refusal to eat teach us about how the loss of a friend affects someone?

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37. 1. What did the farmer remember when he saw Buntee sad?
(a) The day Buntee was born
(b) The happy look on Buntee's face while sitting on the elephant's back
(c) The day he bought Buntee
(d) The rope he had tied

Meanwhile at the farmer's house, the dog had also not touched his food ever since he was brought home. "Are you missing your friend?" asked the farmer remembering the happy look on Buntee's face while sitting on the elephant's back. "I cannot see you go hungry," said the farmer, "If you miss your friend so much, go to him."

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38. 2. The word 'Meanwhile' tells us that this scene happened:
(a) many years later
(b) before Gajaraj met the dog
(c) at the same time as the events at the stable
(d) only in the farmer's dreams

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39. 3. Why did the farmer decide to set Buntee free?
(a) He was angry with the dog
(b) He could not see the dog go hungry
(c) The mahout asked him to
(d) The dog bit him

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40. 4. Fill in the blank: "If you miss your friend so much, ______," said the farmer.

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41. 5. What had happened to Buntee at the farmer's house?

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42. 6. What qualities of the farmer are shown in these lines?

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43. 1. What did the dog do as soon as the rope was removed?
(a) He ate some food
(b) He licked the farmer's hand once and then ran
(c) He barked at the farmer
(d) He fell asleep

The farmer removed the rope with which he had tied the dog. The dog, though weak, sprang to his feet. He licked the farmer's hand once and then ran. He stopped only when he arrived at the stable. The elephant picked up the dog with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing. The mahout was relieved. He quickly brought the food. "Both of you eat first," he said.

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44. 2. Where did the dog stop running?
(a) At the farmer's house
(b) At the elephant pond
(c) At the stable
(d) At the market

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45. 3. 'Sprang to his feet' means:
(a) crawled slowly
(b) stood still
(c) fell down
(d) jumped up quickly

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46. 4. True or False: The dog was strong and well-fed when the farmer removed the rope.

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47. 5. How did Gajaraj welcome Buntee back?

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48. 6. What does the mahout's words, "Both of you eat first," show about him?

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49. 1. Who followed the dog to the stable?
(a) The mahout
(b) The king
(c) The farmer
(d) Nobody

By then the farmer who had followed the dog, joined him. The two of them watched with satisfaction the two friends eating food. "It's not only Gajaraj who has found a friend," said the mahout hugging the farmer, "I've also found one."

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50. 2. How did the farmer and the mahout feel while watching the two friends eat?
(a) Jealous
(b) Satisfied
(c) Worried
(d) Bored

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51. 3. Who had found a new friend by the end of the story?
(a) Only Gajaraj
(b) Only Buntee
(c) The mahout and the farmer
(d) The king

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52. 4. One-word answer: The mahout was ______ when the dog returned and the friends were reunited.

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53. 5. What did the mahout mean by "It's not only Gajaraj who has found a friend"?

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54. 6. What lesson do you learn from the ending of the story?

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55. 1. Describe where Gajaraj lived.
Gajaraj, the elephant, lived in the best booth of the royal stables. The king was fond of him and had ordered that the elephant should be well looked after.

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56. 2. Why was Gajaraj sad in spite of royal comforts?
Gajaraj was sad because he had no friends. The mahout was the only one he ever interacted with, and he was a good caretaker, but not a friend.

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57. 3. What did the mahout do for Gajaraj every day?
The mahout served Gajaraj his food and gave him a bath in the elephant pond daily. He was a kind man and a good caretaker of the elephant.

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58. 4. What was Gajaraj's one wish?
Gajaraj wished, "I wish I had a friend I can play with." He wanted companionship and not just comfort and care.

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59. 5. How did Gajaraj help the stray dog when it first came to the stable?
Seeing that the visitor was tired and hungry, Gajaraj pushed some of the food he was munching towards the dog. The dog ate it gratefully and fell asleep.

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60. 6. How did the dog show his thanks to Gajaraj?
The dog wagged his tail and looked up at the elephant to convey his thanks. Then he turned his full attention to the food in front of him.

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61. 7. How did the mahout treat the stray dog?
The mahout did not mind the dog staying in the stable. Seeing that Gajaraj liked the company, he threw some crumbs to the dog, which the animal accepted wagging his tail.

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62. 8. What happened at the elephant pond when the two friends went for a bath?
The elephant plunged into the water and showered himself with his trunk while the dog watched. Then he playfully splashed a trunkful of water on the dog, who yelped because he hated showers, and the mahout laughed.

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63. 9. How did the dog enjoy a ride on his way home?
The elephant picked up the dog with his trunk and placed him on his back. The dog was delighted to get the ride.

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64. 10. Who was Buntee, and how did he return to his owner?
Buntee was the stray dog who had become Gajaraj's friend. One day, a farmer passing by saw him, called out "Buntee," and the dog ran to him — thus finding the owner he had disappeared from.

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65. 11. What happened when the farmer pulled the rope to take Buntee home?
The dog yelped and the elephant winced, but neither the farmer nor the mahout noticed that the two friends were in tears. They were separated without anyone understanding their sorrow.

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66. 12. How did the mahout first react when Gajaraj refused to eat?
The mahout thought that Gajaraj might have slight indigestion and decided not to force him to eat. He was not worried at first.

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67. 13. How did the mahout make sure that Gajaraj was not ill?
The mahout ran his hand on Gajaraj's tummy and felt that there was nothing wrong. He then wondered whether the elephant was missing his friend, the dog.

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68. 14. What did the farmer notice about Buntee at his house?
The farmer noticed that Buntee had not touched his food ever since he was brought home. Remembering the happy look on Buntee's face on the elephant's back, he asked, "Are you missing your friend?"

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69. 15. Why did the farmer remove the rope from Buntee's neck?
The farmer could not see Buntee go hungry. He said, "If you miss your friend so much, go to him," and removed the rope to set the dog free.

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70. 16. What did Buntee do after the rope was removed?
Though weak, Buntee sprang to his feet, licked the farmer's hand once, and ran without stopping until he arrived at the stable where Gajaraj lived.

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71. 17. How did the two friends reunite at the stable?
The elephant picked up the dog with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing. The relieved mahout quickly brought food and said, "Both of you eat first."

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72. 18. What was 'unlikely' about the friendship of Gajaraj and Buntee?
Their friendship was unlikely because they were so different — Gajaraj was a huge royal elephant, while Buntee was a small stray dog. In spite of this difference, they became the best of friends.

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73. 19. Give the meanings of the words 'strayed' and 'winced' as used in the story.
'Strayed' means came in by mistake, as the dog wandered into the stable. 'Winced' means shrunk back in pain or distress, as Gajaraj did when Buntee was taken away.

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74. 20. What does the story teach us about friendship?
The story teaches that friendship matters more than comfort, and that true friends can be very different from each other. It also shows that a true friend's happiness lies in the other's happiness, as seen in the farmer, the mahout, Gajaraj and Buntee.

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75. 1. Write a character sketch of Gajaraj.
Gajaraj was a royal elephant who lived in the best booth of the royal stables. In spite of all comforts, he was sad and lonely because he had no friend to play with. He was kind-hearted and generous — he shared his food with a hungry stray dog without a second thought. He was also faithful, for he loved Buntee so much that he stopped eating when his friend was taken away. His joyous swing on Buntee's return shows how warm and loving he was.

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76. 2. Write a character sketch of Buntee.
Buntee was a small stray dog who wandered into the royal stable one late evening, tired and hungry. He was grateful, for he wagged his tail and looked up at Gajaraj to convey his thanks. He was a playful and loyal friend who accompanied Gajaraj everywhere and hated to be separated from him. When he was taken home by the farmer, he refused food, and the moment he was set free, he ran weak but determined to the stable. His licking of the farmer's hand shows that he was also affectionate and thankful.

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77. 3. What kind of a person was the mahout? Support your answer with examples from the story.
The mahout was a kind and dutiful caretaker who served Gajaraj food and bathed him daily in the elephant pond. He was tolerant and understanding, for he did not mind the stray dog and even fed him crumbs when he saw that Gajaraj liked his company. He was observant — when Gajaraj stopped eating, he checked the elephant's tummy and wisely guessed that he was missing his friend. Finally, his words, "Both of you eat first," and his hug for the farmer show his warm and generous nature.

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78. 4. What kind of a person was the farmer? Support your answer with examples from the story.
The farmer was Buntee's loving owner who had searched for his dog ever since he disappeared. He was affectionate, for he hugged Buntee as soon as he found him. Most importantly, he was unselfish and kind-hearted: when he saw that Buntee was going hungry out of missing his friend, he said, "I cannot see you go hungry... If you miss your friend so much, go to him," and removed the rope. He even followed the dog to the stable and watched the friends eat with satisfaction.

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79. 5. Why is the title 'The Unlikely Best Friends' a suitable one for this story?
The title is suitable because the friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee seemed impossible — one was a huge royal elephant living in comfort, and the other a small, ordinary stray dog. Nobody would expect such different animals to become friends. Yet they shared food, played at the pond, enjoyed rides and missed each other so much that neither would eat when separated. In spite of being 'unlikely' friends, they proved to be the best of friends.

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80. 6. How does the story show that friendship is stronger than food and comfort?
Both friends valued each other more than anything else. Gajaraj lived in royal comforts yet remained sad without a friend. When Buntee was taken away, Gajaraj did not touch even his favourite food for two days, and Buntee too refused to eat at the farmer's house. Only when they were reunited did both of them eat happily. This shows that no amount of comfort or food can replace the company of a true friend.

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81. 7. What is the difference between a caretaker and a friend? Explain with reference to the story.
A caretaker is someone who looks after our daily needs, while a friend shares our joys and gives us company. In the story, the mahout was a good caretaker — he fed Gajaraj and bathed him daily — but he could not be a playmate, so Gajaraj remained sad. Buntee, on the other hand, shared Gajaraj's food, played with him at the pond and enjoyed rides with him. The moment Buntee arrived, Gajaraj's loneliness disappeared, proving that friendship completes what care alone cannot.

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82. 8. How did the friendship of the two animals bring the humans together?
The dog's return to the stable was followed by the farmer, and the mahout welcomed him warmly. Together they watched with satisfaction the two friends eating food. Seeing the animals' love for each other, the mahout hugged the farmer and said, "It's not only Gajaraj who has found a friend... I've also found one." Thus, the animals' friendship created a new friendship between the mahout and the farmer.

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83. 9. Do you think the farmer did the right thing by letting Buntee go back to the elephant? Give reasons.
Yes, the farmer did the right thing. Buntee was refusing food and growing weak because he missed his friend so much. A pet that is unhappy cannot be truly happy at home even with a loving owner. By setting him free, the farmer saved Buntee's life and happiness. Moreover, his kindness was rewarded, for he found a new friend in the mahout and could still meet Buntee at the stables.

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84. 10. What might have happened if the farmer had kept Buntee tied at home? Predict and explain.
Buntee would have continued to refuse food and would have grown weaker and weaker, and Gajaraj would also have remained sad and stopped eating. Both friends might have fallen seriously ill without anyone understanding the cause. The farmer would have had an unhappy, unhealthy dog instead of a joyful one. Fortunately, the farmer understood Buntee's sorrow in time and prevented such a sad ending.

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85. 1. Write a detailed character sketch of Gajaraj, the elephant.
Gajaraj was a royal elephant who lived in the best booth of the royal stables. The king was fond of him and had ordered that he be well looked after. Yet, in spite of all these royal comforts, Gajaraj was a sad and lonely elephant, because he had no friends. The mahout was kind and looked after his needs, but he was a caretaker, not a friend. Gajaraj's longing for companionship is clear from his thought, "I wish I had a friend I can play with."
Gajaraj was generous and kind-hearted. When a tired and hungry dog strayed into his stable one late evening, he immediately pushed some of the food he was munching towards the visitor, without being asked. He was playful too — at the pond, he splashed a trunkful of water on his friend and gave him rides on his back.
Above all, Gajaraj was a faithful and loving friend. When Buntee was taken away by the farmer, he wept secretly and refused to touch even his favourite food for two days. When Buntee returned, he picked him up with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing, showing how deeply he had missed him. Gajaraj teaches us that loyalty and affection are the true marks of a friend.

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86. 2. Write a detailed character sketch of Buntee, the dog.
Buntee was a small dog who once strayed into the royal stable, tired and hungry. Though he had no home at that moment, he was cheerful and grateful. When Gajaraj shared his food, Buntee wagged his tail and looked up at the elephant to convey his thanks before eating — a sign of his grateful nature.
Buntee was a playful and devoted companion. He accompanied Gajaraj to the elephant pond, watched his friend shower himself with his trunk, and accepted rides on his back with delight. He hated taking showers, and yelped when Gajaraj splashed him, but this only shows how comfortably they played together.
Buntee's loyalty is the most striking part of his character. When the farmer pulled the rope to take him home, Buntee yelped and shed tears at being separated from his friend. At the farmer's house, he refused all food because he missed Gajaraj. The moment the rope was removed, he licked the farmer's hand once — showing his thankfulness — and then ran without stopping until he reached the stable. Even weakness could not keep him from his friend. Buntee shows us that a true friend never forgets, and never stops trying to return.

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87. 3. Compare the mahout and the farmer as kind human beings in the story.
Both the mahout and the farmer are gentle, kind and understanding men who put others' happiness before their own. The mahout was a dedicated caretaker who served Gajaraj food and bathed him in the elephant pond daily. He was large-hearted, for he did not mind the stray dog in the stable and even threw him crumbs when he saw that Gajaraj liked his company. He was patient and thoughtful — when Gajaraj refused food, he did not force him, checked his tummy, and wisely guessed that the elephant was missing his friend.
The farmer, likewise, was full of love. He had searched for his lost dog ever since he disappeared, and hugged Buntee the moment he found him. His greatest quality was his selflessness: he could not watch Buntee go hungry in sorrow, so he removed the rope and told him, "If you miss your friend so much, go to him."
Together, their kindness completes the story's happy ending. The farmer followed the dog to the stable, and the two men watched with satisfaction as the friends ate. The mahout hugged the farmer and said, "I've also found one." Both men prove that kindness to animals and respect for their feelings bring human beings closer to each other.

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88. 4. What is the theme of the story 'The Unlikely Best Friends'? Explain with examples from the text.
The central theme of the story is that true friendship gives happiness which wealth and comfort cannot buy. Gajaraj lived in the best booth of the royal stables, and the king had ordered that he be well looked after. Yet he was sad, because he had no friend to play with. The moment the little dog entered his life, he shared his food, played at the pond and gave him rides — his loneliness vanished.
A second theme is that friendship can exist between the most unlikely of beings. A huge royal elephant and a small stray dog — so different in size and status — became the best of friends, proving that friendship depends on love, not on similarity.
The story also highlights loyalty and the pain of separation. Both friends stopped eating when they were parted, and both were in tears when the rope was pulled. Finally, it shows that true love is selfless: the farmer let Buntee go because he could not see him go hungry. In the end, the story beautifully suggests that friendship multiplies — the mahout and the farmer also became friends, hugging each other at the stable.

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89. 5. What values do you learn from the story? Support each value with evidence from the text.
The story teaches us several lasting values. First, the value of sharing and kindness: Gajaraj pushed some of the food he was munching towards the hungry dog the very first time they met, without expecting anything in return. Second, the value of loyalty and faithfulness: Gajaraj refused his favourite food for two days when Buntee was taken away, and Buntee refused food at the farmer's house; both friends wept at being separated.
Third, the story teaches empathy — understanding others' feelings. The farmer understood that Buntee was missing his friend and said, "I cannot see you go hungry." The mahout likewise guessed, "Is he missing his friend, that dog?"
Fourth, it teaches selfless love: the farmer set his own dog free so that the dog could be happy. Fifth, it teaches that happiness grows when shared — the mahout and the farmer found friendship in each other while watching the two friends eat. These values show that love, sacrifice and understanding are the foundation of every true friendship.

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90. 6. 'Comforts cannot replace companionship.' How can you apply the lesson of this story in your own life?
The story shows that Gajaraj had everything — the best booth in the royal stables, the king's affection and a caretaker who fed and bathed him — yet he was unhappy because he had no friend to play with. His sadness ended only when Buntee came, and it returned when Buntee left. This proves that human beings, like animals, need companions more than comforts.
I can apply this lesson in my own life in many ways. I can spend less time alone with toys, screens and possessions, and more time playing and talking with friends and family. I can be like Gajaraj and share what I have with a lonely classmate at school — someone new, or someone sitting alone. I can also be like the farmer: if a friend is happier elsewhere or needs something more than I do, I should be generous and let go of my own wishes. Most importantly, I should value my friends while they are with me, and stay loyal to them in their difficult times, just as Buntee and Gajaraj stayed true to each other.

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91. 7. Imagine you are the mahout. Write a diary entry describing the day Buntee returned to the stable.
Dear Diary,
Today was the happiest day I have seen in a long time. For two days, Gajaraj had not touched his food. I served him his favourite dishes, I ran my hand on his tummy, but there was nothing wrong with his body. Only then did I understand — he was missing that little dog.
This morning, the farmer, who had taken the dog home, came running behind Buntee. The poor dog had not eaten at the farmer's house either, so the kind man had removed the rope and set him free. Though weak, the dog ran straight to our stable without stopping. What a sight it was! Gajaraj picked him up with his trunk and swung him joyously from side to side. My heart was so relieved that I quickly brought their food at once and said, "Both of you eat first."
I watched them eating together with the farmer, and something wonderful happened. I hugged the farmer and told him, "It's not only Gajaraj who has found a friend — I've also found one." I realise now that Gajaraj was never really asking for more food or a better booth; he was asking for a friend. Money and comforts could not give him what one small dog gave him. Tonight both friends are sleeping peacefully, and I have made a new friend too.
— The Mahout