Class 6 English Chapter 8 Practice Question Answers - A Pact with the Sun

Q1: Why did the farmer’s wife strike the mongoose with her basket?
Ans: The farmer’s wife strikes the mongoose with her basket because she thought that the mongoose had killed her son.

Q2: Why didn’t the farmer’s wife want to leave the baby alone with the mongoose?
Ans: The farmer’s wife didn’t want to leave the baby alone with the mongoose because she was afraid that the mongoose would harm him.

Q3: Where did the farmer and his wife want to go?
Ans: The farmer wanted to go to his fields and his wife wanted to go to the market.

Q4: What is a mongoose?
Ans: The mongoose is a lovely, small animal with two shining black eyes and a bushy tail. It is known for killing snakes.

Q5: What did the farmer’s wife regret?
Ans: She regretted and repented her hasty action. But it was all too late.

Q6: Why did the farmer think of having a pet?
Ans: The farmer loved his only son very much. He wanted the boy to have a companion when he grew up. So he decided to bring home a pet to give his son company.

Q7: What pet did the farmer bring for his son?
Ans: The farmer brought a baby mongoose for his son.

Q8: What did the farmer’s wife see on returning from the market?
Ans: On returning home from the market, the wife saw the mongoose sitting outside. The face and paws of the mongoose were smeared with blood.

Q9: What made the farmer’s wife blind with rage?
Ans: The sight of blood on the face and paws of the mongoose made the farmer’s wife mad with anger. She took for granted that the mongoose had killed her son.

Q10: What did his wife ask him to do?
Ans: She said the baby was sleeping and asked him to keep an eye on him.

Q11: Narrate the story after the farmer’s wife returned from the market.
Ans: When the farmer’s wife returned from the market, the mongoose greeted her at the door as he always used to do. The farmer’s wife noticed blood on its mouth and paws and concluded that the mongoose had harmed her baby. So she angrily hit the mongoose and killed it instantly. But when she reached inside and saw her baby sleeping peacefully. A black snake was lying dead on the floor she realized what had happened. She regretted and repented for her hasty action.

Q12: Animals are more loyal and faithful than human beings. Do you agree?
Ans: It is considered that human being is intelligent of all animals. However their actions do not justify this statement. Their rash act often leads to accidents. No one think of consequences for their irresponsible and atrocious behaviour. Mongoose in His story performed, his duty and saved the innocent child but it was punished because it failed to convince or change the heart of the lady. One should learn honesty, integrity and loyalty from animals like mongoose.

Q13: Hasty decision leads to regret’. Comment in the light of the story ‘The friendly Mongoose’.
Ans: The farmer’s wife has a preconceived notion that the mongoose would not be trusted. Whereas, it saved the child from snake, when farmer’s wife left for market she did not trust her husband’s words. Even though he assured her that mongoose is a sweet friend to their child. But without giving a second thought she acted in haste and killed it. Her imaginary fear and whims had taken a life of an innocent animal. Impulsive action leads to loss of something valuable. So one should think twice before taking an action.

Q14: What made the farmer’s wife first kill the mongoose and then repent soon after?
Ans: The farmer’s wife had gone to the market. She left the baby to the care of her pet, the friendly mongoose. She came back home and saw blood on the face of the pet. Blind with anger, she killed the mongoose. Soon she discovered that . her baby was all right: the mongoose had killed a snake. And thus saved the baby’s life. She repented and wept. But it was too late.

Q15: What is your opinion about, we should not act hastily and rashly? Support your answer with proper arguments.
Ans: It is true that one should never act hastily and rashly. If they act hastily they tend to do mistakes. There is no use of crying over something that has already happened. The farmer’s wife acted hastily and killed the mongoose who had saved her baby from a deadly snake. She realized her mistake after killing the mongoose. But now it was of no use The family had lost a good and trustworthy friend out of anger. She should have looked for her baby before killing the mongoose. So we should always act after thinking of consequences.

Q16: How did the mongoose oblige its master? What was the reward of his ser­vice
Ans: A farmer lived in a village with his wife and a small son. In order to give company to the child, the farmer brought with him a small mongoose. It became a good friend of the infant. One day the mother went to the market. The child was left in the company of the mongoose. A snake was going to bite the baby. But the mongoose killed it. The mother after she came back home saw blood on the animal’s face. In anger she killed the mongoose. Soon after she discovered how the mongoose had saved the child’s life. She wept bitterly.

Q17: Why did the farmer’s wife kill the mongoose? What made her any after killing the mongoose?
Ans: When the farmer’s wife returned home with a basketful of groceries. she noticed that the face and paws of the mongoose were smeared with blood, she was scared. She thought that the mongoose had killed her baby. She hit the mongoose with her basket full of groceries. It was a hard blow and the mongoose died on the spot. Afterwords she came to know that her baby was asleep. She saw a black snake lying dead on the floor. Seeing it, the farmer’s wife realized her mistake that she had killed the mongoose out of rage. Which saved her baby’s life. She ran out looking for the mongoose. She touched the dead animal and cried to show her sorrow. She was full of remorse.