DAV Class 6 English Literature Book Solutions Chapter 2 The White Elephant

Exploring different literary analyses in DAV Class 6 English Literature Book Solutions Chapter 2 The White Elephant enhances critical thinking.

DAV Class 6 English Literature Chapter 2 Question Answer – The White Elephant

Pre-Reading Task

Question 1.
Do you like animals?
Answer:
Yes, I like animals.

Question 2.
Have you ever been to a zoo? What is your attitude towards the caged animals?
Answer:
Yes, I have been to a zoo twice. I don’t like the concept of zoo where the animals are kept in cages, away from their natural habitat.

Question 3.
Do you watch them standing very close or from a safe distance?
Answer:
I watch them closely.

Question 4.
What would you do if you find someone troubling or teasing an animal? Would you
(i) not bother at all?
(ii) try to save the animal yourself?
(iii) inform P.F.A. (People For Animals) authorities?
Answer:

Question 5.
Given below is a zig-zag puzzle. Find out the names of at least ten animals or birds hidden in it horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

Answer:

I. Understanding the Story
A. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences:

Question 1.
How did the elephant help the forester?
Answer:
The elephant helped the forester by letting him ride on his back and leaving him on the outskirts of the Benaras city.

Question 2.
Why did the elephant’s mother advise him not to help the man in distress?
Answer:
The elephant’s mother advised him not to help the man in distress because she was an experienced old elephant. She knew that these are the tricks of human beings of gaining sympathy of animals and then capturing them for their use.

Question 3.
How did the forester repay the elephant’s good deed?
Answer:
The forester was a very greedy and cunning man. He knew that the king’s favourite elephant had died and if he told the king about such a fine elephant, he would surely be rewarded. In this way the greedy forester repaid the elephant’s good deed.

Question 4.
Why did the white elephant refuse to eat anything in the palace?
Answer:
The white elephant refused to eat anything in the palace because he ivas very caring and loving towards his blind mother. He was worried about his blind mother. He knew that nobody would be providing her food in his absence. She must be starving. All these things were making him anxious.

Question 5.
How did the king help the white elephant?
Answer:
When the king came to know that the elephant was eating nothing, he visited him and asked him about his problem. Being a kind-hearted person, the king helped the white elephant by understanding his problem and letting him go back to his blind mother.

B. Given below are some incidents from the story. Enter the thoughts/reactions of each character to the given situation. In the space given below, write what personal qualities of the characters are revealed through these reactions. The first one has been done for you.

Answer:

Answer:

Answer:

Answer:

II. HOTS

‘Noble animal, your goodness puts mankind to shame.’ Discuss the characters of the forester and the white elephant in the light of this comment by the king.
Answer:
Character sketch of the White Elephant: The white elephant was very generous and kind. He was loving and caring. He couldn’t see anybody in trouble. That’s why he went to help the forester after hearing his cries although his mother tried to stop him. He was also a devoted son. He would bring fresh fruits for his mother everyday and was angry when other animals stole her food.
Character sketch of the forester: The forester was a treacherous man. He was crying for help when the white elephant reached him and took pity. Still, the forester betrayed him and told the King about him. He was only money-minded – expecting good rewards in lieu of the elephant.

III. Life Skills

Let us forget the treachery of the forester and think only of the king’s goodness. Discuss with your partner the importance of developing such a positive attitude towards life.
Answer:
The story The White Elephant’ teaches many positive values. One is that not all the human beings are bad. There are both good and bad people in this world. There will be people like the cunning forester and then like the generous king. Secondly: one good deed is rewarded by the other. The white elephant was very kind and helpful. His kindness didn’t go unrewarded. The king understood his plight and let him go. Also it teaches never to disobey one’s parents. With this positive attitude one can always climb the ladder of success.

IV. Values

Imagine yourself to be the king. Deliver a speech to your countrymen highlighting the importance of love for animals and condemning man’s cruel treatment of animals.
Answer:
Dear Countrymen,
Today, I want all of you to be kind towards the animals that you see around you. Animals are the gift of God. Without animals and birds our ecological balance will be disturbed and we don’t want this to happen.
Let’s not be cruel towards animals. Let’s not make them only beasts of burden. They also have feelings like us. Just like my white elephant who always worried about his blind mother. Nobody likes to live in captivity. We are also killing animals for their skin, bones, etc. Let’s take a pledge today that we will not harm animals for our selfish interests.

V. Writing Skills

On behalf of the mother elephant, write a request letter to the King pleading for the release of her son.
Answer:
Sunderban Forest
Sunderban
Dear King,
I am writing this letter to you because my son, the white elephant, has been captured by your guards and they have taken him to Benaras. I have come to know that that is your favourite now.
Dear king, I am in a lot of trouble. As I am blind, I am at the mercy of other animals. Sometimes they bring fruits for me and sometimes they don’t. Very often I have to go hungry. I miss him so much. Therefore, I request you to release my son at the earliest. I shall be very thankful to you.
Yours truly,
A grieving mother.

DAV Class 6 English Literature Chapter 2 Solutions – The White Elephant

Question 1.
What was the white elephant doing when the trainers reached him?
Answer:
The white elephant at that time was gathering bamboo stems for his blind mother like a devoted son. On seeing the trainers he tried to run for his life but was pursued and caught.

Question 2.
What was the reaction of the king on seeing the white elephant?
Answer:
The king was overjoyed to see such a beautiful white elephant. He declared that he would ride no other animal. The elephant’s stable was richly decorated in his honour and the king rode him in state throughout the city.

Question 3.
What was the king’s reaction on listening to white elephants story?
Answer:
The king said that his goodness had put mankind to shame and that he would let him go so that he can look after his blind grieving mother.

Question 4.
Did the elephant agree with his mother when she said, ‘All humans are bad’?
Answer:
No, because he defended the king who was a good human being. Had he not listened to him, he would still be in captivity.

Question 5.
Do you think the white elephant was captured due to disobeying his mother?
Answer:
Mothers are always right. They always guide their offsprings to save them from any mishappening. It is true that mother elephant was experienced. She knew about the selfish nature of human being. So she advised her son to ignore the cry of the forester. If the white elephant did not disobey her mother, he would not have been captured by the king’s men.

Question 6.
What type of person was the forester?
Answer:
The forester was a very cunning, greedy and selfish person. Instead of feeling gratitude to the white elephant, he fulfilled his interest by informing the king about the elephant. In reality, he was a cruel person.

Question 7.
‘All humans are not the same’. Justify it on the basis of the story The White Elephant’.
Answer:
It is true that most of the human beings have turned greedy and selfish but still there are a few who have pity and compassion for other creatures also. In the story, the king proves this statement by making the white elephant free from his captivity.

Question 8.
You are a king. You started to love white elephant but as a kind and true human being, you made the elephant free. Write a page of your diary entry.
Answer:
Jaipur
10th September 20XX
Dear Diary,
What a lovely elephant it was! I was fond of him. I never thought to be separated from him but when I came to know that his mother is blind, good sense prevailed. I thought many times but I found myself guilty every time. At last I made the elephant free. On the one hand, my heart was heavy on leaving my loving elephant, on the other hand, my heart was full of contentment that I had done something meaningful. May God keep the white elephant happy with his mother!

Question 9.
You are a white elephant. After coming back to your mother and finding her safe your heart filled with gratitude for the king. Write a letter to the king expressing your gratitude.
Answer:
Green Forest
11th September 20XX
Dear King,
I have no words to express my gratitude to you for setting me free. In your captivity, I started to think that all human beings are treacherous, but your humble attitude changed my views. I found my mother alive and took a sigh of relief. My mother who could never trust human beings was awestruck when I told her about you. She blessed you from the core of her heart. I really miss you. I hope you would visit me and my mother. I will give you a wonderful ride all around the forest.
Yours sincerely
White elephant

Question 10.
Though an animal, the white elephant was kind and considerate contrary to the cruel forester. Comment.
Answer:
The white elephant was very kind and considerate. When he heard the loud cries of the forester he was eager to help him. Though his mother told him that it might be some treachery, even then he went to help the forester. He took the man seated on his back and led him back to his city.

On the other hand, the forester was very cruel. He was very greedy. When he came back to the city, he told the king to capture the white elephant in return of which he would get a huge reward.

Even being an animal, the white elephant was kind and considerate. And the forester was cruel and greedy even though he was a human being.

Question 11.
Read the following extracts from the story:
Long ago, a great herd of elephants lived in a forest.
They lived near a glade of wild fruit trees.
..the elephant saw the forester and the band of trainers.
The bold words in the above sentences are collective nouns. These denote a collection of things. A few more examples of collective nouns are given below:
a pack of cards, wolves, dogs
a gang of thugs, thieves, robbers
a class of pupils, students
a team of players
a bunch of keys, flowers, grapes, bananas
Now provide suitable collective nouns for the following:
Answer:
1. A group involved in a riot mob
2. People watching sports or games spectators
3. People at a large public meeting members
4. A large group in a street or on a beach, etc. crowd

Question 12.
In the phrases given below, collective nouns have been mixed up. Encircle the wrong collective nouns and replace them with the correct ones. One example has been done for you.
Answer:
1. A team of bees – swarm
2. A swarm of chicken – brood
3. A shoal of ships – fleet
4. A sheaf of players – team
5. A fleet of fish – shoal
6. A brood of arrows – sheaf

Question 13.
With the help of the clues given on the right side of the table, transform the following by changing one letter at a time.
1. WILD to TAME in 5 steps
Answer:

2. RUDE to KIND in 5 steps
Answer:

The White Elephant Summary in English

Once upon a time there lived a herd of elephants in a forest near the Himalayas. In the herd there was a beautiful white elephant whose mother was old and blind. He gathered fruits for his mother every day but the other elephant stole her food. One day the white elephant got angry and told his mother that they should leave that place and live somewhere else. The mother elephant agreed to it and both of them started living happily in an open place where there were many fruit trees. One day they heard cries of a man in distress. The white elephant told his mother that he would go and help the man. The mother elephant told him that human beings are very clever and do such tricks to catch the elephants. Even then the white elephant wanted to help the forester.

The white elephant went near the forester and asked him about his problem. The forester told him that he had been lost for seven days and wanted to go back to his home in Benaras. The white elephant told him to sit on his back and led him back to the city of Benaras. The forester thought if he informed the king about this elephant, the king would reward him as the king’s favourite elephant had died. The forester went to the king and told him about the elephant. Hearing this the king ordered his trainers to go and capture the elephant. The trainers were led to the place where the white elephant lived as the forester had very cleverly noted the landmarks. The mother elephant realized the fact. The baby elephant was also quite worried about his mother.

The elephant was kept in a beautiful stable but he refused to eat anything. When the trainer told it to the king, the king became worried and he went to the elephant’s stable to see him. The king asked the elephant about his problem. The white elephant told the king that he wanted to go back to his blind mother who could not live without him. Though the king had become attached to the elephant, yet he allowed him to return to his mother. The white elephant went back to the forest and was overjoyed to see his mother alive. The mother elephant told him that human beings are always clever. But the white elephant replied that some human beings are equally good and also told about the kindness of the king.

The White Elephant Summary in Hindi

एक बार हिमालय पर्वत के पास एक जंगल में हाथियों का झुंड रहता था। उस झुंड में एक छोटा – सा सफ़ेद हाथी भी रहता था, जो बहुत ही खूबसूरत था। उसकी माँ बहुत ही बूढ़ी और अंधी थी। सफ़ेद हाथी अपनी माँ के लिए रोज़ जंगल से फल लाता था, लेकिन उन्हें दूसरे हाथी चुराकर खा लेते थे। एक दिन उस सफ़ेद हाथी को बहुत क्रोध आया और उसने अपनी माँ के साथ वह स्थान छोड़कर कहीं और जाने का निश्चय किया। उसके बाद वे दोनों एक – दूसरे से सहमत होकर एक ऐसे खुले स्थान पर रहने लगे, जहाँ फलों वाले बहुत सारे पेड़ थे । एक दिन उन्होंने वहाँ पर किसी आदमी की दर्द भरी चीख सुनी।

सफ़ेद हाथी ने अपनी माँ से कहा कि उन्हें उस आदमी की मदद करनी चाहिए। माँ ने उसे समझाया कि मनुष्य बहुत चालाक होते हैं और अक्सर जंगल के हाथियों ( जानवरों) को पकड़ने के लिए ऐसी आवाजें निकालते हैं। किंतु सफ़ेद हाथी ने अपनी माँ की एक भी न सुनी। वह उस आदमी के पास गया और उस की परेशानी के बारे में पूछा। उस आदमी ने बताया कि वह जंगल में . सात दिनों से भटक गया था और वापस अपने घर बनारस जाना चाहता था। सफ़ेद हाथी ने उसे उसके घर बनारस तक पहुँचाने का वायदा किया और अपनी पीठ पर बैठाकर उसके बनारस शहर की सीमा तक छोड़ आया। उस आदमी ने सोचा कि वह राजा को उस हाथी के विषय में बता देगा तो राजा उसे बहुत बड़ा इनाम देंगे क्योंकि राजा का प्रिय हाथी मर गया था। यह सोचकर वह राजा के महल की ओर चल दिया। उसने राजा को हाथी के विषय में बताया तो राजा उसे पाने के लिए बहुत ही उत्सुक हो गया। ऐसा सुनकर राजा ने जानवरों को पकड़ने वाले कुछ लोगों को उस आदमी के साथ हाथी पकड़ने के लिए भेजा। सभी लोग सफ़ेद हाथी को पकड़कर महल में ले आए। हाथी की माँ ने इस बात को समझ लिया। हाथी अपनी माँ के बारे में बहुत चिंतित था ।

हाथी को बहुत सुंदर अस्तबल में रखा गया । परंतु हाथी ने खाना पीना नहीं खाया। जब राजा को पता चला, तो राजा सफ़ेद हाथी को देखने स्वयं गया। उन्होंने हाथी से उसकी परेशानी का का कारण पूछा। हाथी ने राजा को अपनी अंधी माँ के विषय में बताया कि वह उसके बगैर नहीं रह सकती थी । उसने राजा से विनती की कि उसे अपनी माँ के पास जाने की अनुमति दे दें। यह सुनकर राजा सोच में पड़ गए। हालाँकि वे उस हाथी को बहुत चाहने लगे, लेकिन राजा ने उसे अपनी माँ के पास जाने की अनुमति दे दी। वहाँ जाकर अपनी माँ को सही सलामत देखकर उसकी खुशी की कोई सीमा नहीं रहीं। उसने जब माँ को अपनी आपबीती सुनायी तो माँ ने कहा कि सभी मानव चालाक होते हैं। किंतु सफ़ेद हाथी ने कहा कि अभी बहुत से मानव ऐसे हैं जो बहुत अच्छे हैं, जिनमें से एक राजा भी हैं। उसने अपनी माँ को राजा के दयालु स्वभाव के बारे में भी बताया।

• Tribe – race – जाति;
• Herd – group of animals – झुंड;
• Distress – a feeling of great worry or unhappiness – अत्यधिक पीड़ा;
• Rewarded – something that is given for doing good – पुरस्कार;
• Cheerfully – in good spirits – प्रसन्नतापूर्वक;
• Delighted – to take pleasure – खुश होना;
• Honour – high respect – सम्मान;
• Desire – a strong wish – इच्छा करना;
• Audience – body of hearers – दर्शकगण;
• Treachery – the act of causing harm to somebody who trusts you – धोखेबाजी;
• Betrayed – decieved – धोखा दिया;
• Triumph – victory – जीत ।