Chapter 2

The Friendly Mongoose

(a story from The Panchatantra)

I.Summary (Write your own)

The story begins with a farmer suggesting to his wife that they should get a pet as a
companion for their small son. The farmer’s wife likes the idea and the farmer
brings home a baby Mongoose as a pet. In five to six months the Mongoose grows
to its full size while the farmer’s son is still a baby in the cradle who mostly either
cries or sleeps. One day the farmer’s wife goes to the market. She tells the farmer
that the baby is sleeping and he should keep an eye on him. She also expresses her
discomfort of leaving the child with the fully grown Mongoose. But, the farmer
takes this lightly. He tells his wife that the Mongoose is very friendly and she
should not be afraid. Once the wife leaves for the market the farmer also goes to
his fields. 

When the farmer’s wife returns from the market with a bagful of groceries the
Mongoose greets her as always. But, she notices blood on the face and paws of the
Mongoose and assuming that the Mongoose has killed her son, she hits the
Mongoose hard with her heavy grocery bag. She then runs inside the house to
check on her son who, she finds, is sleeping calmly. On the floor, though, is a
black snake all torn up and bleeding. 

Realizing that the Mongoose had actually saved the life of her son, she runs out
again to check on the Mongoose. She touches the Mongoose and realizes that the
Mongoose is dead. She cries and feels repentant for hastily coming to a conclusion
and killing the mongoose. 

Moral of the story:

One should not be judgmental and come to hasty conclusions. Before making a
decision the whole situation should be understood with a calm mind. Actions taken
in anger have a higher chance of going wrong. 
II.Glossary:

Numbers Words Meanings

A person or an animal with which one spends a lot of
1. Companion
time/friend
2. Cradle A baby's bed
3. Bushy tail Thick tail
4. Farmer A person who owns or manages a farm
5. Bazaar Marketplace
6. Keep an eye on Keep under careful observation
7. Groceries Items of food sold in a supermarket
8. Customary Habitual/as usual
9. Paw An animal's foot having claws and pads
10. Smeared Smudge/Spread
11. Wicked Acts in an evil way
12. Scream High-pitched sound
13. Hysterically With wildly uncontrolled emotion
14. Rashly Impatiently
15. Sobbing Crying noisily
I’m off to the
16. I'm going to the market
bazaar
17. Rage Violent uncontrollable anger
18. Asleep Sleeping
19. Torn Cut/ Split
20. Unaware Without knowing
21. Hastily Quickly/Carelessly
22. Stare Look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something
23. Wipe Clean
24. Tears Cry one's eyes out/cry one's heart out
III.Question and Answers

1. Why did the farmer bring a baby mongoose into the house?
Ans: The farmer had a small son. He wanted to have a pet to give company to his
child. So he brought home a baby mongoose to play with the child.

2. Why didn’t the farmer’s wife want to leave the baby alone with the
mongoose?
Ans:The farmer’s wife did not trust even her pet mongoose. She did n’t want to
leave her son alone with an animal.

3. What was the farmer’s comment on his wife’s fears?

Ans: The farmer understood why his wife was afraid of leaving the baby alone
with the mongoose. Therefore, he tried to remove her fear. He said that the
mongoose was a friendly animal, as sweet and gentle as their own baby.

4. Why did the farmer’s wife strike the mongoose with her basket?
Ans: The farmer’s wife returned home with a heavy basket. She noticed blood on
the face and paws of the mongoose. She had no doubt that the mongoose had killed
her son. So in anger she hit the animal with the basket. The poor mongoose died on
the spot.

5. Did she repent her hasty action? How does she show her repentance?
Ans: The farmer’s wife saw the snake tom into pieces. Her own son was
safely asleep. She realised her mistake. She felt very sorry. She touched the
mongoose and cried. She saw the painful result of her hasty action.

IV.LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How did the mongoose oblige its master? What was the reward of his ser-
vice?
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.
2. 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.

******************************************************************