CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew: This Is Jody's Fawn NCERT Solutions

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

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 8 PDF

CBSE Class 8 English Honeydew, Chapter 6, 'This Is Jody's Fawn' solutions explore Jody's compassionate journey. The chapter delves into his deep sense of responsibility and empathy towards an orphaned fawn whose mother was killed to save his father. Students will analyze Jody's motivations for rescuing the fawn, the challenges he encountered bringing it back home, and the tender care he provided. These solutions highlight the profound bond that can form between humans and animals, emphasizing themes of gratitude and moral obligation. By examining Jody's actions and feelings, students gain a deeper understanding of the narrative's emotional core and its valuable life lessons, aiding in their comprehension and exam preparation.

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Board	CBSE
Class	Class 8
Subject	Honeydew
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	6. This Is Jody’s Fawn

Chapter summary

NCERT Solutions for 'This Is Jody's Fawn' (Class 8 English Honeydew) offers in-depth answers to questions about Jody's quest to save and raise an orphaned fawn. The solutions explain the story's core conflict: Jody's father being bitten by a snake and the subsequent killing of the doe, the fawn's mother. They highlight Jody's empathy and sense of duty towards the fawn, detailing his efforts to bring it home and care for it, emphasizing the theme that actions have consequences and gratitude is important.

Learning outcomes

Understand the plot and character motivations in 'This Is Jody's Fawn'.
Analyze Jody's emotional development and sense of responsibility.
Explain the theme of gratitude and its significance in the story.
Describe the challenges Jody faced in rescuing and caring for the fawn.
Identify the moral lessons presented in the chapter.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Jody's father's snakebite
The role of the doe's liver and heart
Jody's empathy for the fawn
The decision to rescue the fawn
Jody's journey to find the fawn
Challenges in bringing the fawn home
Caring for the orphaned fawn
Themes of responsibility and gratitude
Human-animal bond
Character analysis of Jody

Important topics

Jody's motivation to save the fawn
The concept of gratitude and reciprocity
Jody's journey and challenges
The care provided to the fawn
Themes of empathy and responsibility

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Questions and Solutions

Comprehension Check - Q1

What had happened to Jody's father?

Solution: Jody's father, Penny Baxter, had been severely bitten by a dangerous rattlesnake while he was out in the woods.

Comprehension Check - Q2

How did the doe save Penny's life?

Solution: The doe, the fawn's mother, was killed by Jody's father and Mill-wheel to obtain its liver and heart. These organs were then used as an antidote to draw out the deadly poison from Penny Baxter's body after the rattlesnake bite.

Comprehension Check - Q3

Why does Jody want to bring the fawn home?

Solution: Jody feels a deep sense of empathy and responsibility towards the fawn. He knows that the fawn is now orphaned because its mother was killed to save his father. He cannot bear the thought of the fawn starving to death or being left alone and scared in the forest, so he wants to bring it home to care for it.

Comprehension Check - Q4

How does Jody know that the fawn is a male?

Solution: Jody identifies the fawn as a male based on the pattern of its spots. He recalls his father telling him that in a male fawn, the spots on its body are arranged in a straight line, whereas in a female fawn (doe-fawn), the spots are scattered in different directions.

Comprehension Check - Q5

Jody didn't want Mill-wheel with him for two reasons. What were they?

Solution: Jody did not want Mill-wheel to accompany him all the way for two main reasons. Firstly, if he failed to find the fawn, he did not want Mill-wheel to witness his disappointment and sadness. Secondly, if he did find the fawn, the reunion would be such a private and emotional moment that he felt he could not endure sharing it with anyone else.

Comprehension Check - Q6

Why was Mill-wheel afraid to leave Jody alone?

Solution: Mill-wheel was concerned about leaving Jody by himself because he feared that the young boy might get lost in the vast and unfamiliar forest. He was also worried about Jody's safety, specifically the risk of him encountering another dangerous snake, similar to the one that had bitten Penny.

Comprehension Check - Q7

How did Jody bring the fawn back home?

Solution: Jody carefully approached the fawn, gently stroking its neck to avoid frightening it. He then put his arms around it and lifted it, carrying it through the thick bushes while shielding its face from sharp vines. He would carry it for a while, then put it down to let it walk, and sometimes it followed him on its own. When they reached home, the fawn was hesitant to climb the stairs, so Jody picked it up again and carried it inside.

Comprehension Check - Q8

Jody was filled with emotion after he found the fawn. Can you find at least three words or phrases which show how he felt?

Solution: After finding the fawn, Jody was overwhelmed with emotion. Three phrases or descriptions that show his feelings are: he "put his arms around it" (showing affection and protectiveness), he "shielded its face from the sharp vines" (demonstrating care and concern), and the text implies a deep sense of relief and joy when he finally had the fawn with him, ready to care for it.

Comprehension Check - Q9

How did the deer drink milk from the gourd?

Solution: The fawn initially did not know how to drink milk from the gourd Jody offered. It nudged the gourd playfully but couldn't figure out how to get the milk. To help it, Jody dipped his fingers into the milk and gently pushed them into the fawn's soft, wet mouth, allowing it to suckle and drink the milk.

Comprehension Check - Q10

Why didn't the fawn follow Jody up the steps as he had thought it would?

Solution: The fawn, being a wild animal accustomed to life in the forest, was unfamiliar and likely intimidated by the strange environment of Jody's house and the sight of the steps. Its hesitation to climb the stairs was similar to its initial confusion with the milk gourd; it simply didn't know how to navigate this new, man-made situation.

Working With The Text - Q1

Why did Penny Baxter allow Jody to go find the fawn and raise it?

Solution: Penny Baxter, Jody's father, allowed him to go find the fawn because he felt it would be ungrateful to let the fawn starve after its mother had sacrificed her life to save his. He agreed with Jody that they had killed the doe for their own survival, and the fawn was orphaned through no fault of its own. He felt a moral obligation to care for the creature.

Working With The Text - Q2

What did Doc Wilson mean when he said, "Nothing in the world ever comes quite free"?

Solution: Doc Wilson's statement, "Nothing in the world ever comes quite free," means that every action has a consequence or requires a reciprocal response. In this context, Penny Baxter's life was saved by the doe's sacrifice (her liver and heart). Therefore, there was a debt or obligation to ensure the doe's fawn did not suffer and starve, implying that life and survival often involve a natural exchange or a need for gratitude.

Working With The Text - Q3

How did Jody look after the fawn, after he accepted the responsibility for doing this?

Solution: After accepting the responsibility, Jody cared for the fawn with great tenderness, much like a mother would. During the journey home, he made sure to shield its face from sharp vines. He carried it when it was tired and allowed it to walk and follow him when it could. He patiently coaxed it to drink milk by dipping his fingers in it and placing them in its mouth. His actions demonstrated deep care and commitment to the fawn's well-being.

Common mistakes

Confusing the reasons why Jody wanted to go alone.
Misinterpreting the meaning of 'Nothing in the world ever comes quite free'.
Overlooking the details of how Jody cared for the fawn.
Not fully grasping the fawn's initial fear and unfamiliarity with the house.

Revision tips

Reread the story focusing on Jody's feelings and decisions.
Pay close attention to the dialogue between Jody and his father/Mill-wheel.
Summarize the key events in your own words to check understanding.
Consider the moral or ethical questions raised by Jody's actions.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What animal had bitten Jody's father?

Q2. Why did Jody feel it was necessary to save the fawn?

Q3. What was the primary reason Jody didn't want Mill-wheel to accompany him all the way?

Q4. How did Jody initially try to get the fawn to drink milk?

Q5. What did Doc Wilson mean by 'Nothing in the world ever comes quite free'?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main story of 'This Is Jody's Fawn' about?

The story is about a young boy, Jody, who decides to go into the forest to find and raise an orphaned fawn after its mother was killed to save his father's life. It explores themes of responsibility, empathy, and gratitude.

Why did Jody's father allow him to go alone?

Jody's father, Penny Baxter, allowed him to go because he understood Jody's deep concern for the fawn and believed Jody was responsible enough. He also felt it was important to show gratitude for the doe's sacrifice.

What challenges did Jody face while bringing the fawn home?

Jody faced challenges such as navigating the dense forest, protecting the fawn from sharp vines, carrying it when it was tired, and later, getting it to enter the house, as the fawn was initially hesitant and scared.

What does the phrase 'Nothing in the world ever comes quite free' mean in the context of the story?

It means that the life saved by the doe's sacrifice (Penny's life) came at a cost to the doe, and therefore, there was a moral obligation to care for and save the fawn, its offspring, as a form of repayment or gratitude.

How does the story show Jody's maturity?

Jody shows maturity through his deep empathy for the fawn, his determination to care for it despite the difficulties, his understanding of responsibility, and his thoughtful actions, like shielding the fawn's face and patiently coaxing it to drink milk.

What is the significance of the fawn following Jody home?

The fawn following Jody signifies a growing bond and trust between them. It shows that despite its wild nature, the fawn is beginning to accept Jody as a caregiver, mirroring the natural mother-child relationship.

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