CBSE Class 6 English NCERT Solutions: The Friendly Mongoose

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 6 PDF

This chapter, 'The Friendly Mongoose,' from the CBSE Class 6 English 'A Pact With The Sun' textbook, presents a touching tale centered on trust, misinterpretation, and devotion. The story unfolds with a farmer bringing a pet mongoose home, much to his wife's unease. As the narrative progresses, a tragic misunderstanding occurs, highlighting the consequences of jumping to conclusions. The solutions accompanying this chapter aim to clarify the story's events, the characters' feelings, and the profound moral lesson about the perils of hasty judgments. They offer students a clear understanding of the plot, character motivations, and the story's underlying message, making it easier to comprehend the text and prepare for assessments by providing detailed insights into the chapter's core themes and narrative arc.

Home

Quick info

Board	CBSE
Class	Class 6
Subject	A Pact With The Sun
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	2. The Friendly Mongoose

Chapter summary

Chapter 2, 'The Friendly Mongoose,' of the CBSE Class 6 English 'A Pact With The Sun' series, presents a narrative centered around a farmer's family, their pet mongoose, and a tragic misunderstanding. The NCERT Solutions cover the reasons for bringing the mongoose home, the wife's fear for her baby's safety, the farmer's reassurances, and the wife's impulsive action leading to the mongoose's death. The solutions highlight the story's moral about the consequences of acting without understanding the full situation.

Learning outcomes

Understand the story of the friendly mongoose and its implications.
Analyze the characters' motivations and actions.
Identify the theme of trust and misunderstanding in the story.
Explain the consequences of hasty decisions.
Appreciate the importance of patience and careful observation.

Topics covered

Paper topics

The farmer's decision to get a pet
The role of the mongoose as a companion
The wife's fear and suspicion
The farmer's perspective on the mongoose
The confrontation with the snake
The tragic misunderstanding
The wife's realization and repentance
The moral of the story: consequences of hasty actions

Important topics

Understanding the story's plot and characters
Analyzing the theme of trust vs. suspicion
The moral lesson about avoiding hasty judgments
Character motivations and their impact

PDF preview

Read page by page below. PDF is streamed from the official NCERT website — no download button on this page.

Loading document …

Page of

Loading page …

Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the house?

Solution: The farmer decided to bring a baby mongoose into his home because he and his wife wanted their young son to have a companion as he grew up. They hoped the baby mongoose would become a lifelong friend and playmate for their child in the future.

Question 2

Why didn't the farmer's wife want to leave the baby alone with the mongoose?

Solution: Although the mongoose was still young when brought into the house, it grew into its full size within five to six months. During this time, the farmer's baby was still a very young child. The farmer's wife became increasingly worried that the fully grown mongoose might accidentally harm her baby, and therefore, she did not want to leave them alone together.

Question 3

What was the farmer's comment on his wife's fears?

Solution: The farmer tried to calm his wife's anxieties by telling her that she had no reason to be afraid. He explained that the mongoose was a very gentle and friendly animal. He reassured her by saying that the mongoose was as sweet and loving as their own baby and that they had become the best of friends.

Question 4

Why did the farmer's wife strike the mongoose with her basket?

Solution: When the farmer's wife returned home, she saw the baby mongoose's face and paws smeared with blood. Without pausing to investigate or consider other possibilities, she immediately concluded that the mongoose must have attacked and killed her baby. Overcome with shock and grief, she screamed about the blood and hysterically accused the animal. Blinded by rage and sorrow, she struck the mongoose with all her might using the heavy basket full of groceries she was carrying.

Question 5

Did she repent her hasty action? How does she show her repentance?

Solution: Yes, the farmer's wife deeply regretted her impulsive and rash action. She realized with horror that the mongoose had not harmed her baby but had actually saved the child's life by killing a dangerous black snake that had entered the nursery. Her lack of trust and quick judgment had led her to commit a terrible mistake. She showed her repentance by rushing outside to find the mongoose, lamenting her actions, and saying, "Oh! The mongoose saved my baby! It killed the snake and saved my child. How foolish of me!" She then went to the lifeless mongoose, touched it, and wept, realizing the tragic consequence of her hasty decision.

Common mistakes

Jumping to conclusions without understanding the full situation.
Misinterpreting actions based on fear or assumptions.
Acting impulsively without gathering all the facts.

Revision tips

Read the story carefully to understand the sequence of events.
Discuss the characters' feelings and decisions with a friend or teacher.
Focus on the moral of the story: the danger of hasty judgments.
Try to retell the story in your own words, emphasizing the key turning points.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the house?

Q2. What was the farmer's wife's main concern about the mongoose?

Q3. How did the farmer try to reassure his wife about the mongoose?

Q4. What did the farmer's wife see that made her believe the mongoose had harmed her baby?

Q5. What did the mongoose actually do before the wife returned?

Q6. How did the farmer's wife show her repentance?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main story of 'The Friendly Mongoose'?

The story is about a farmer's family who gets a pet mongoose. The mother, fearing for her baby's safety, impulsively kills the mongoose, only to discover it had actually saved her baby from a venomous snake.

Why is the mongoose called 'friendly' in the story?

The mongoose is called friendly because it was brought up with the farmer's baby and was intended to be a companion. It also acted protectively by killing the snake.

What is the key lesson from 'The Friendly Mongoose'?

The key lesson is the danger of making hasty decisions and jumping to conclusions without understanding the full situation. It teaches the importance of trust and patience.

Who are the main characters in this chapter?

The main characters are the farmer, his wife, their baby son, and the pet mongoose.

How do these NCERT Solutions help Class 6 students?

These solutions provide clear, rewritten answers to the chapter's questions, helping students understand the story's plot, characters, and moral, which aids in their comprehension and exam preparation.

Content reviewed by the NCERT Help team. Editorial Team and update policy

NCERT Solutions PDF PDF on NCERT Help. URL unchanged for search indexing.