NCERT Solutions for Class 4 English Chapter 5 the Old Stag (PDF) – 2027

The story in short: A kind old stag lived on a hillock of tender grass. When he fell ill, his friends visited him but ate up his grass, so he grew weaker. Ashamed, they found food elsewhere and brought him fresh leaves. After the rain the grass grew back and he got well.

Lesson: “Nature has enough for everybody. But we need to use its resources wisely.”

Meanings of the new words:

The old stag was popular because he was very kind. Each day he warmly greeted the other animals and birds, and he came down the hillock every day to meet his friends. So all the animals and birds loved him.

The old stag had fallen ill and was too weak to go down. He told the deer, “Too weak to come down and meet you all.”

The animals who came to visit the sick stag ate the fresh green grass of the hillock. Word spread that the grass was tender and tasty, so every visitor ate some. Soon very little grass was left.

Yes. The animals felt ashamed of their greed. They:

1. decided to find food elsewhere in the forest;
2. did not disturb the hillock any more;
3. brought fresh leaves for the stag (some of them).

Yes, they did the right thing in the end. When they saw their mistake, they stopped eating the hillock grass and brought the stag fresh leaves. So the grass grew back and the stag got well. They made up for their mistake.

The green plants around us would soon disappear, just like the grass on the hillock. Plants take time to grow back. Without them there would be no shade, no fruit and less clean air, and birds and animals would lose their food and homes.

Lush forest → green and dense woods/forest

Lush means green and full of healthy plants; dense means the trees grow close together.

Tender grass → delicate young grass

Tender means soft and young. Tender grass is the soft new grass that has just come up.

Shaded spot → cool resting place

A shaded spot gets no direct sun (it is often under a tree), so it stays cool and is good for resting.

Healthy food → nourishing wholesome food

Nourishing food helps the body grow strong; wholesome food is good for us.

Speedy recovery → quick healing

Speedy means quick; recovery means getting well again.

Sample answer (draw this): a thick, deep green forest — many tall trees growing close together, thick leaves on top, and bushes, creepers and grass on the ground. Use dark and light greens.

Sample answer (draw this): a close-up of short, soft, light green blades of grass growing close together, with their tips bending a little. You may add a drop of dew, or a small hillock behind.

Sample answer (draw this): a plate or thali with roti or rice, a bowl of dal and a vegetable, some fruit at the side (banana, apple, guava) and a glass of milk or water. No sweets, chips or cold drinks.

Encircle: badly, cheerfully, quietly, carefully, fast, loudly.

These six tell how something is done (adverbs of manner). The other words tell when, where, how often or how much.

1. Our team played badly in the first match.
2. The children cheerfully cleaned the classroom.
3. I closed the door quietly.
4. The nurse carefully tied a bandage on my knee.
5. The deer ran fast across the field.
6. The elephant trumpeted loudly.

“Yes, we will not eat anything till the sun goes down.”

The bubble starts with Yes, so this monkey agrees to fast.

“But my tummy is already rumbling. Sunset is so far away!”

This bubble is empty, so you choose what the monkey feels. A monkey who is not sure about the fast suits the story best.

“We have collected a big pile of ripe bananas. We will eat them all after sunset.”

The picture shows a heap of bananas on the ground, so the words must be about the bananas.

“No harm in holding one banana in my hand. I am not eating it, am I?”

The little monkey has picked up a banana and is making an excuse.

“Just smelling the sweet bananas makes me feel comforted.”

Your words must join on to the printed feel comforted (feel better).

“Let us all peel our bananas now, so that they are ready the moment the sun sets.”

The monkeys have gone one step further: now they are peeling the bananas.

“Do not worry, my friends. Look at the sky — it will be sunset soon.”

Your words must lead up to the printed will be sunset soon.

“Mmm… this banana smells so sweet. Let me take just one bite!”

The monkey is giving in at last, while the other two stare at him.

My best friend’s name is Meera. She is a girl. She is nine years old. She studies in class 4. There are five members in her family. Her hobbies are reading and drawing. She wants to be a doctor. When we are together, we play badminton. She is my best friend because she always helps me.

Write about your own friend. Use he/his for a boy and she/her for a girl.

I would feel sorry and a little ashamed, because I took more than my share while my friends waited. I would give my jalebi to a friend who had not had enough.

The bowl will soon be empty. Everyone keeps taking and nobody adds more, so the friends who waited may get none.

Sharing is fair and keeps everyone happy. The jalebis are for all of us. If one person takes too many, others get none and feel left out. When we share, everyone gets a taste.

First we count the children and the jalebis, and divide them equally. We can put each share on a plate, or ask one person to serve. Everyone takes one before anyone takes a second.

Sample answer (draw this): the old stag in the middle, standing on the green hillock, with his friends around him — a deer, an elephant, a giraffe, a rabbit, a bear and birds. Write THANK YOU in big letters and colour the card brightly.