The Old Stag

Given: The story describes the old stag's nature and behaviour towards other animals.

The old stag was popular because he was kind, friendly, and warm-hearted. Each day, he warmly greeted his fellow animals and birds. He was loved and respected by all the creatures of the forest for his gentle and caring nature.

Given: The old stag lived on a hillock and fell ill.

The old stag did not go down the hillock to meet his friends because he had fallen ill. He was too weak and unwell to walk down and could not move around freely. He stayed on the hillock to rest and recover from his illness.

Given: Many animals visited the old stag on the hillock.

The green cover of the hillock slowly vanished because a large number of animals came to visit the old stag every day. As they walked up and down the hillock, they trampled the grass and plants. They also ate the tender grass and leaves growing there. Over time, all the green plants were destroyed and the hillock lost its green cover.

Given: The animals had unknowingly destroyed the green cover of the hillock.

Yes, the animals did realise their mistake towards the end. When they understood that their constant visits had destroyed the green cover and left the old stag without food, they felt sorry. They decided to stop visiting the hillock so that the grass could grow back. They also promised not to disturb the hillock. Some of them even brought fresh leaves for their sick friend so that he would have enough to eat while he recovered.

Yes, the animals did the right thing in the end. When they realised that their frequent visits had destroyed the green cover of the hillock and left the old stag without food, they stopped going there. They also brought fresh leaves for their friend. This shows that they cared for the old stag's well-being and understood the importance of protecting nature. By giving the hillock time to recover, they allowed the grass to grow back, which helped the old stag get better. It was the responsible and caring thing to do.

If each one of us thought only of our own needs, the green plants around us would be destroyed very quickly. People would cut down trees, pluck all the leaves, and trample the grass without thinking about others or about nature. There would be no trees left to give us shade, clean air, or food. Animals would lose their homes and food sources. The environment would become dry and barren. This story teaches us that we must use nature's resources wisely and think about the needs of others as well.

The correct matches are:

1. Lush forest → green and dense woods/forest
2. Tender grass → delicate young grass
3. Shaded spot → cool resting place
4. Healthy food → nourishing wholesome food
5. Speedy recovery → quick healing

This is a creative drawing activity. Students should read each descriptive phrase carefully and draw the picture it brings to their mind. For example:
- 'Lush forest' — draw tall, green, dense trees with lots of leaves.
- 'Friendly animals' — draw animals like deer, rabbits, and birds playing together happily.
- 'Shaded spot' — draw a cool, shady area under a big tree.
- 'Tender grass' — draw soft, short, bright green grass.
- 'Healthy food' — draw fresh fruits, vegetables, or green leaves.

Note: There is no single correct answer. Students are encouraged to use their imagination and creativity.

Adverbs that describe HOW something is done (adverbs of manner) are:

✔ badly — describes how something is done
✔ cheerfully — describes how something is done
✔ quietly — describes how something is done
✔ carefully — describes how something is done
✔ fast — describes how something is done
✔ loudly — describes how something is done

Note to students: Words like 'soon', 'lately', 'early', and 'regularly' tell us WHEN something is done (adverbs of time/frequency). 'Nearby' tells us WHERE (adverb of place). 'Highly' can describe degree. The adverbs of manner (how) to be encircled are: badly, cheerfully, quietly, carefully, fast, loudly.

Sample sentences for each adverb of manner:

1. badly — The boy fell badly while playing football.
2. cheerfully — The children cheerfully sang the morning prayer.
3. quietly — The cat quietly crept up to the mouse.
4. carefully — She carefully carried the glass of water.
5. fast — The cheetah runs very fast.
6. loudly — The teacher spoke loudly so that everyone could hear.

Note: Students may write their own sentences. These are sample answers.

This is a creative writing activity based on the pictures provided. Since the images cannot be seen, students should observe each picture carefully and write suitable dialogues. Below are sample dialogues based on the hints given in the text:

Panel 1 (Monkeys deciding to fast):
Monkey 1: 'Let us fast today. We will not eat anything at all!'
Monkey 2: 'Yes! That is a great idea. We will show how strong our willpower is!'

Panel 2 (Monkeys seeing food / temptation):
Monkey 1: 'Look at all those ripe bananas! They smell so good!'
Monkey 2: 'Let us all peel just one... it will be sunset soon.'

Panel 3 (Monkeys giving in):
Monkey 1: 'Mmm... just one bite!'
Monkey 2: 'Well... maybe fasting takes more self-control than we thought!'

Note: Students should use the hint phrases already given in the text ('Let us all peel', 'will be sunset soon', 'Mmm... just one bite!', 'Well... maybe fasting takes more self-control than we thought!') and add their own creative dialogues for the earlier panels.

This is a personal writing activity. A sample completed paragraph is given below. Students should fill in the blanks with details about their own best friend.

Sample Answer:

My best friend's name is Riya.
She is a girl. She is 9 years old. She studies in class 4. There are four members in her family. Her hobbies are reading books, painting, and playing badminton. She wants to be a doctor. When we are together, we play games, share our tiffin, and laugh a lot. She is my best friend because she is always kind, helpful, and honest. She makes me feel happy whenever I am sad.

Note: Students must use correct pronouns (he/his for a boy, she/her for a girl) while filling in the blanks.

I would feel sad and a little guilty. It would not be fair if some friends did not get enough jalebis while others had too many. I would feel that we should have shared equally from the beginning so that everyone could enjoy them.

After some time, the bowl of jalebis will become empty. If everyone keeps taking more and more without thinking about others, the jalebis will finish very quickly and some people will not get any at all.

It is important to share because sharing makes everyone happy. When we share, no one feels left out or sad. Sharing also shows that we care for others and are not selfish. It helps us build good friendships and teaches us to think about the needs of others, not just our own.

We can make sure there are enough jalebis for everyone by taking only our fair share and not being greedy. We should wait for our turn and check if everyone has received some before taking more. We can also divide the jalebis equally among all friends so that everyone gets the same amount.

This is a creative activity. Below is a sample thank you message that the old stag might write:

Front of the Card: Draw a picture of the stag standing on the hillock, surrounded by his friends — rabbits, birds, deer, and other animals — in a lush green forest.

Inside the Card:

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for all the love and care you showed me when I was ill. Your visits made me feel less lonely, and the fresh leaves you brought kept me going. When you realised that your visits were harming the hillock, you made a great sacrifice by staying away so that the grass could grow back. That truly showed how much you care — not just for me, but for nature too.

Your kindness and wisdom have taught me that true friendship means thinking about others and making the right choices, even when it is difficult.

I am grateful to have friends like you.

With love and gratitude,
Your friend,
The Old Stag