NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Unit 1 Fables and Folk Tales Chapter 01 A Bottle of Dew

Let us do these activities before we read.

Question 1. Circle the picture that matches with each word. Check your answers by sharing them with your classmates and teacher.
(a) worried
(b) plantation
(c) sage
(d) surprise
Answer:
(a) worried: Circle the first picture showing the sad girl lying down.
(b) plantation: Circle the first picture showing a field of young banana plants.
(c) sage: Circle the first picture showing the holy man sitting down.
(d) surprise: Circle the second picture showing the boy with his mouth open in shock.
In simple words: Look at the two pictures for each word. Circle the one that shows exactly what the word means.

Exam Tip: Pay close attention to the expressions on the faces or the details in the pictures to match the words correctly.

Question 2. Answer these questions and discuss them with your classmates and teacher.
(a) Think of a time when you worked hard. What did you do then?
(b) How did it help you?
(c) How did it make you feel?
Answer:
(a) Once, I worked very hard on a science project for school. I wanted to make a model volcano that could erupt. For many days, I read books and looked up how to make it look real and safe. I collected all the things I needed, tried many times until it worked, and made a big poster to show how real volcanoes erupt.
(b) Doing this project helped me learn a lot about science and volcanoes. It also taught me how to plan my day well, because I still had to do my daily homework. In the end, my project did very well at the fair, and I got the first prize.
(c) I felt extremely happy and proud of myself. It was wonderful to see my hard work turn into success, and my teachers and friends praised me. This made me feel more confident. Now I know that I can do great things if I try my best.
In simple words: When you work hard and finish a tough task, it helps you learn new skills and makes you feel very proud and happy.

Exam Tip: When writing about personal experiences, use simple past tense verbs like "worked", "helped", and "felt" to keep your sentences clear and natural.

Let us read

I

Question 1. What did Rama Natha believe?
Answer: Rama Natha thought that a special magic liquid existed which could change any item into real gold.
In simple words: Rama Natha believed that a magic drink could turn anything into gold.

Exam Tip: Keep your answer short and to the point, mentioning the "magic potion" and its power to "turn objects into gold".

Question 2. How did the sage help Rama Natha?
Answer: The holy man, Mahipati, shared a way to make this magic drink. He told Rama Natha that he had to grow banana plants and water them carefully. Then, during winter, he must collect the wet dew from their leaves. Once he gathered five liters of this dew, the sage promised to change it into the magic liquid with special words.
In simple words: The wise sage told him to grow banana plants and collect five liters of morning dew from their leaves so he could make the magic drink.

Exam Tip: List the specific steps the sage gave: planting bananas, watering them, and collecting five liters of winter dew.

Question 3. Do you think Rama Natha will be able to collect the dew? Give a reason.
Answer: It seems very hard for Rama Natha to gather so much dew. Collecting five liters of dew drop by drop from leaves will take a very long time. It needs a lot of hard work and patience. Since Rama Natha has never worked on his land before, this task will be a huge challenge for him.
In simple words: It is very hard to collect five liters of dew because it takes a lot of time and patience, and Rama Natha is not used to working hard.

Exam Tip: State your opinion clearly ("Yes" or "No/Unlikely") and back it up with the reason, focusing on the difficulty of collecting five liters of dew.

II

Question 1. Why was Rama Natha angry?
Answer: Rama Natha got angry because the magic drink did not work. He spent six years gathering the dew, but it failed to change a copper pot into gold. He felt that the sage had lied to him and all his years of hard work were wasted.
In simple words: He was angry because the dew he spent six years collecting did not turn a copper pot into gold.

Exam Tip: Make sure to mention the time spent (six years) and his disappointment when the copper vessel did not turn into gold.

Question 2. How did Rama Natha and Madhumati create wealth?
Answer: The husband and wife became rich by growing a huge field of bananas. Rama Natha looked after the plants while gathering the dew, and Madhumati harvested the bananas and sold them at the market. By working hard together for many years, their banana farm grew very successful and earned them a lot of money.
In simple words: They got rich by growing and selling bananas from their large plantation through years of hard work.

Exam Tip: Explain both of their roles: Rama Natha looked after the plants, and Madhumati sold the bananas to make money.

Let us think and reflect

Question 1. Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow.
(a) He spent all his time to learn about the magic potion. People cheated him often, promising to tell him about it, but he did not give up. His wife, Madhumati, was tired of this and also worried because she saw how much money Rama Natha was spending. She was sure that soon they would be without money.
(i) Complete the sentence with a suitable reason.
Rama Natha did not 'give up' because ____________.
(ii) Read the column which shows 'what happened' and write the correct outcome in the next column.
(iii) Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. Madhumati was troubled about what her husband did.
b. Rama Natha was very happy digging his fields.
c. The sage wanted to show the right path to Rama Natha.
Answer:
(i) Rama Natha did not 'give up' because he had strong faith that the magic potion was real and was set on finding it.
(ii)

(iii)
a. True
b. False
c. True
In simple words: Rama Natha kept looking for the magic drink because he really believed it was real. This caused his wife to worry about money. In the end, the sage helped him learn the truth.

Exam Tip: For fill-in-the-blank and True/False questions, refer back to the passage carefully to find clues that support your answers.

Question 1 (b). Carefully, he took the bottle to the sage. The sage smiled and muttered something over the water. Then he returned the bottle and said, "Try itout." Rama Natha sprinkled a few drops on a copper vessel and waited for it to turn to gold. To his surprise nothing happened!
(i) Choose the option that lists the events given below in the correct order.
a. The sage smiled.
b. Rama Natha gave the bottle to the sage.
c. Rama Natha dropped a few drops of water on a copper vessel.
d. He said something in a low voice over the water.
e. Rama Natha waited to see if the magic worked.
1. a, e, d, b, c
2. b, a, d, c, e
3. c, d, a, b, e
4. a, d, b, e, c
(ii) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the lines given above.
Seeing that the plant had dried up, the gardener _________ some water on it.
(iii) How might Rama Natha have felt when nothing happened to the copper vessel?
Answer:
(i) 2. b, a, d, c, e
(ii) sprinkled
(iii) Rama Natha must have felt shocked, sad, and very angry when the pot did not change. He probably felt like he was tricked, and thought that all his hard work and lost years were for nothing.
In simple words: First, he gave the bottle to the sage, then the sage smiled and spoke quietly over it. Next, Rama Natha put drops on the pot and waited, but nothing happened, leaving him feeling very sad and tricked.

Exam Tip: To find the correct sequence of events, track the actions in the passage step-by-step from beginning to end.

Question 2. Answer the following questions.
(a) What did the sage ask Rama Natha to do to make the magic potion?
(b) Why did the sage ask Rama Natha to do everything himself?
(c) How could Rama Natha have a big banana plantation after six years?
(d) How did the sage make Rama Natha believe that there is no magic potion?
(e) Fill in the 'before' and 'after' table about Rama Natha.
Answer:
(a) The sage told Rama Natha to grow banana plants and water them by himself every day. He had to collect the morning dew from their leaves in the cold winter. He needed to collect five liters of this dew and bring it to the sage, who promised to say magic words to make the special drink.
(b) The sage made Rama Natha do all the work alone to teach him that hard work and patience are very important. By growing plants and gathering dew himself, Rama Natha spent his time doing real, useful work. In the end, this helped him realize that true riches come from working hard, not from magic tricks.
(c) Rama Natha had a huge banana plantation after six years because he kept planting and caring for more banana plants year after year. His wife, Madhumati, helped by selling the bananas in the market. The money they made let them grow even more bananas. Their continuous hard work made the farm very big and successful.
(d) The sage showed Rama Natha that there was no magic drink by letting him do the hard work of gathering five liters of dew first. When Rama Natha brought the dew, the sage did a trick, but it did not turn copper to gold. The sage then explained that the real gold was the money he earned from his banana farm. He showed him that his own hard work, not magic, made him rich.
(e)

In simple words: The sage tricked Rama Natha into working hard on a banana farm so he would stop looking for magic. Through this farm, Rama Natha and his wife grew many bananas, sold them, and became rich by their own efforts.

Exam Tip: Remember the core lesson of the story: true wealth comes from dedication and hard work, not from looking for easy shortcuts like magic.

Let us learn

Question 1. Read the following words from the story. Use the words correctly to complete the paragraph given below. There are two extra words in the box that you do not need.
promised, spending, cheated, luck, remember, huge, difficult, market

There was a farmer who had a ___________ coconut plantation. He worked hard and did not depend on ___________. Every day was ___________ but he did not give up. One day, a man bought a bag of coconuts from him, and ___________ to pay him the money the next day. Days passed and the man did not pay him anything. The farmer felt ___________. About two months later, he met the same man and asked him about his money. The man said, "Oh! I had forgotten. Now, I ___________ buying coconuts from you." And he paid the money.
Answer: There was a farmer who had a huge coconut plantation. He worked hard and did not depend on luck. Every day was difficult but he did not give up. One day, a man bought a bag of coconuts from him, and promised to pay him the money the next day. Days passed and the man did not pay him anything. The farmer felt cheated. About two months later, he met the same man and asked him about his money. The man said, "Oh! I had forgotten. Now, I remember buying coconuts from you." And he paid the money.
In simple words: The farmer had a very big farm. He worked hard instead of waiting for good luck. A customer forgot to pay and made him feel cheated, but later remembered and paid him back.

Exam Tip: Read the entire passage first to understand its meaning before filling in the blanks from the given word box.

Question 2. Read the words from the story in Column A. Read the new words in Column B. Complete the meanings of the words given in Column B. Meanings of some words are given.
Answer:

In simple words: This table shows pairs of words that sound exactly the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. These are called homophones.

Exam Tip: Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings and definitions. Learn their spellings to avoid mixing them up in writing.

Question 3. Choose four pairs of homophones from the table above, and for each pair write a sentence that uses both homophones in the same sentence. Check your answers by sharing them with your teacher and classmates. An example has been given below: I ate eight bananas for breakfast today.
Answer:
1. I shut my left eye to see the tiny bird.
2. If you're not busy, please clean your room.
3. The wet dew on the grass dried quickly because our class was already due.
4. The father sat in the warm sun while watching his young son play.
5. Only one runner won the gold medal today.
6. From the top of the hill, we can see the deep blue sea.
In simple words: Write one sentence for each pair of sounding-alike words so that both words are used correctly in that same sentence.

Exam Tip: Double-check the spelling of each homophone in your sentences to ensure you haven't swapped their meanings.

Question 4. Match the phrases in Column A with the phrases in Column B. Use the connecting words given in the middle column to make meaningful sentences.
Answer:
Matched Sentences:
- The children submitted their work before the deadline.
- He did not want to try rock climbing because of his fear of heights.
- The children ran towards the gate as soon as the bell rang.
- Nitin was late to school today as there was a traffic jam.

Additional practice sentences:
- She completed her school tasks before dinner.
- They shouted with joy as soon as their team made a goal.
- He revised his lessons deeply because he wished to score well.
- The kitten rushed to its dish as soon as the food can was opened.
- She wore her rain jacket before going out into the storm.
- They slept early because they had to catch a morning flight.
- The puppy wagged its tail as soon as its master returned.
- He inspected his bags once more before starting for the airport.
- They began the discussion as soon as all members joined.
- She grinned because she got an unexpected present.
In simple words: Connect the first part of a sentence with the correct second part using words like "before", "because", "as", or "as soon as".

Exam Tip: Use "before" for time deadlines, "because" or "as" to explain reasons, and "as soon as" for actions that happen immediately after another.

Question 5. Here are two sentences with letter "b". Read them slowly the first time. As you read them a few more times, read them faster each time. Bunty bhaiya bought a big bunch of bananas. A big bunch of bananas was bought by Bunty bhaiya. Now, try to create a tongue twister on your own and share it with your peers.
Answer:
- Betty bought a bit of butter, but the butter Betty bought was bitter.
- Charlie chased the cheetah, but the cheetah chose to chase Charlie.
- Danny danced daringly during the delightful disco.
- Fred's friends fried fresh fish on Fridays.
- Jack juggled jellybeans joyfully in July.
- Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
In simple words: A tongue twister is a sentence where many words start with the same sound, making it fun and tricky to say very fast.

Exam Tip: Practice saying these tongue twisters slowly at first to pronounce each letter sound clearly, then gradually increase your speed.

Let us listen

Question. You will listen to what Madhumati does with the bananas in her plantation. As you listen, number the events in the correct order in which they happen. Write the number in the box beside each event.
(a) Gives two bananas to a boy who is hungry ( )
(b) Meets her friend Kalawati in the market ( )
(c) Visits her mother and gives her two dozen bananas ( )
(d) Chooses to go home as only some bananas were left ( )
(e) Visits her neighbour and gifts them a bunch of bananas ( )
(f) Gives twelve bananas to her friend ( )
(g) Goes to the market to sell the bananas ( )
Answer:
(a) Gives two bananas to a boy who is hungry (4)
(b) Meets her friend Kalawati in the market (2)
(c) Visits her mother and gives her two dozen bananas (5)
(d) Chooses to go home as only some bananas were left (7)
(e) Visits her neighbour and gifts them a bunch of bananas (6)
(f) Gives twelve bananas to her friend (3)
(g) Goes to the market to sell the bananas (1)
In simple words: This shows the order of what Madhumati did: she first went to sell bananas, met a friend, shared some bananas with others and a hungry boy, visited her mother and neighbour, and finally went home with the leftover bananas.

Exam Tip: Listen carefully for transition words like "first", "next", "then", and "finally" to track the sequence of events in a listening passage.

Let us speak

Question 1. Read aloud the following words from the story. sage, promising, wisdom, trees, surprise. All these words have the letter "s" in them. But the sound of letter "s" is not always the same.
• in sage and promising - the letter "s" has a /s/ sound
• in wisdom - the letter "s" has a /z/ sound
• in trees - the letter "s" has a /z/ sound
• in surprise - the first letter "s" has a /s/ sound and the second has a /z/ sound.

Now, speak each word clearly along with your teacher and classmates. Your teacher will now say some words. Listen carefully to the sound of "s". Write the sound next to the word.
beds, sand, clothes, sea, was, keys, bags, nose
Answer:
beds: /z/
sand: /s/
clothes: /z/
sea: /s/
was: /z/
keys: /z/
bags: /z/
nose: /z/
In simple words: Some words use the 's' letter but sound like 's' (as in "snake"), while other words use the 's' letter but sound like 'z' (as in "zebra").

Exam Tip: Say the words aloud and feel the vibration in your throat. A vocal cord vibration means the 's' is pronounced as /z/, whereas a quiet breath sound means it is pronounced as /s/.

Question 2. Discuss the following questions with a partner. You may use the hints given in brackets while speaking.
(a) What does hard work mean to you? (It means ... / It is something ... / Well, you see ... /What I mean is ...)
(b) Give three reasons why you think hard work is important. (Firstly, I feel ... because ... / Secondly, I think ... since ... /Lastly, I believe ... as ...)
(c) Share three ideas you would give to someone who needs to work hard. (To begin with, it is important that ... /Next, you could ... / Finally, I think you should ...)
Answer:
(a) Well, you see, hard work means putting all your energy and focus into finishing a task or reaching a goal. It is about not giving up easily and staying strong. What I mean is, trying your best is key to success because it helps you learn, improve, and face difficult times.
(b) Firstly, I feel hard work matters because it helps us grow and learn new things. We get better at what we do. Secondly, I think staying focused is important since it teaches us self-control and good habits, which we need to reach big goals. Lastly, I believe working hard is useful as it brings good results and makes us feel proud of what we did.
(c) To begin with, it is important that you set clear and simple goals that you can actually reach. This keeps you focused. Next, you could make a daily plan to manage your time well and work step-by-step. Finally, I think you should keep a happy mind and never give up when things get hard, because good effort always brings rewards.
In simple words: Hard work means giving your best effort to reach a goal. It is important because it makes you stronger, teaches you discipline, and brings great results. To work hard, set clear goals, plan your time, and stay positive.

Exam Tip: When speaking, use sentence starters like "Firstly", "Secondly", and "Lastly" to structure your thoughts clearly so your listener can follow easily.

Let us write

Question 1. Work in pairs to complete the description of a banana. You may take the help of the words given in brackets. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Now, use the information given in the picture to write eight sentences about a banana. Share your responses with your classmates and teacher.
Answer:
Completed Description:
I enjoy having a banana for breakfast because it is very healthy and offers quick energy. It contains many rich vitamins and makes me feel full. A banana tastes nice and sweet, and its skin feels very smooth when you touch it. It also has a fresh, fruity scent. The skin is bright yellow, and the soft fruit inside is white.

Eight Sentences:
1. I love to eat a fresh banana with my breakfast to get quick energy.
2. Eating bananas is healthy since they are full of vitamins and keep us full.
3. A ripe banana has a very sweet taste, making it a delicious snack.
4. When you touch a banana, its outer skin feels very smooth.
5. It has a pleasant, fruity smell that makes you want to eat it.
6. A yellow outer skin shows that the banana is ready to eat.
7. Once you peel it, the soft fruit inside looks clean and white.
8. Eating this fruit regularly is wonderful for our skin and body.
In simple words: Bananas are healthy, sweet, and soft fruits. They give us vitamins and energy, have a smooth yellow skin, and are great to eat at breakfast.

Exam Tip: Use descriptive adjectives (like "sweet", "smooth", "yellow", and "soft") to make your paragraphs descriptive and engaging.

Question 2. On the basis of the story "A Bottle of Dew" develop a script with dialogues and enact it with expressions. Present it in the assembly or your classroom.
Answer:
Title: A Bottle of Dew
Characters:
- Rama Natha
- Madhumati
- Sage Mahipati
- Narrator

Scene 1: Rama Natha's Home
Narrator: (Voiceover) Rama Natha was a rich landlord's son. He inherited huge fields from his father, but he wasted all his hours looking for a magic liquid that could turn things into gold.
Rama Natha: (Determined, walking around) I am certain that a magic potion exists. I must discover it!
Madhumati: (Worried, coming near him) Rama Natha, you have wasted so much wealth and time on this search. We will run out of money very soon!
Rama Natha: (Firm) I cannot stop now, Madhumati. Finding it is my goal.

Scene 2: Meeting Sage Mahipati
Narrator: (Voiceover) One day, a well-known wise sage called Mahipati arrived in their town. Rama Natha went to meet him, feeling very hopeful.
Rama Natha: (Excited) Sage Mahipati, they say you have secrets of the magic potion. Please share it with me!
Sage Mahipati: (Quiet, wise) Yes, during my journey in the high mountains, I learned the secret of making it. However, the path is very tough.
Rama Natha: (Very eager) Please tell me, wise one! I am ready to do whatever it takes.
Sage Mahipati: (Teaching) You must plant banana trees and water them yourself. During winter, gather the fresh morning dew from their leaves. Once you have five liters of this dew, bring it to me. I will say magic spells to change it into the potion.
Rama Natha: (Concerned) But winter lasts only a short time. Gathering five liters will take me many years!
Sage Mahipati: (With a smile) You can grow as many banana trees as you like. But remember, you must tend to them alone and gather every drop yourself.

Scene 3: Rama Natha's Hard Work
Narrator: (Voiceover) Rama Natha returned home. He spoke to his wife and began clearing his land to plant long rows of banana trees.
Madhumati: (Helpful) I will stand by you, Rama Natha. Let us work as a team.
Rama Natha: (Happy) Thank you, Madhumati. We will make this work.
Narrator: (Voiceover) They put in a lot of effort, and in winter, they gathered the dew very carefully. As years went by, their farm grew much larger, and they made a lot of money by selling the bananas.

Scene 4: The Revelation
Narrator: (Voiceover) After six long years, Rama Natha succeeded in collecting five liters of dew. He rushed to the wise sage.
Rama Natha: (Full of hope) Here is the liquid, wise sage. Please speak your magic words now!
Sage Mahipati: (Smiling, chanting quietly) Now, try it out on a metal pot.
Rama Natha: (Pouring some drops on a copper pot, watching closely) Nothing changed! You have tricked me!
Sage Mahipati: (Quietly) Madhumati, please step forward now.
Madhumati: (Holding a heavy box, opening it) Look at this, Rama Natha!
Rama Natha: (Shocked) Real gold coins? Where did they come from?
Sage Mahipati: (With wisdom) No magic potion exists. The effort you put into the banana trees and your wife's hard work in the market created all this wealth. I showed you this path so you would understand that hard work is the real magic.
Rama Natha: (Realizing) Thank you, wise sage. I finally understand your lesson. I will continue to work hard from this day on.
Narrator: (Voiceover) From then on, both Rama Natha and Madhumati kept working with dedication, building a happy and rich life through their own efforts.
(Curtain closes)
In simple words: This script shows how Rama Natha stopped chasing imaginary magic and learned that true wealth is created by working hard with his own hands.

Exam Tip: When acting out a play, practice your voice expressions (like sounding excited, worried, or surprised) to bring the characters to life.

Let us explore

Question. Find out the varieties of bananas which are grown, cultivated and eaten in different parts of India. You can find information about them from websites.
Answer:
Here are some popular varieties of bananas grown and eaten in India:

1. Robusta
Region: Highly grown in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Description: This type is very common because it gives a big harvest and does not catch diseases easily. These bananas are medium-sized, have thick skin, and taste sweet.

2. Dwarf Cavendish
Region: Cultivated in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, and West Bengal.
Description: Famous for growing on short plants, which keeps them safe from strong winds. The fruits are of medium size with a smooth skin and sugary taste.

3. Poovan
Region: Mostly found in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Description: This kind has small or medium fruits with a unique flavor. People love to eat them fresh or use them in cooking.

4. Rasthali (Silk)
Region: Mainly grown in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Description: Loved for its sweet smell and sugary taste. It has a thin outer skin and is highly liked by everyone.

5. Nendran
Region: Grown mostly in Kerala.
Description: Also called Kerala bananas, they are long and have a thick skin. They taste a bit sour when green but sweeten as they ripen. They are perfect for making banana chips.

6. Monthan
Region: Grown in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Description: This banana is mostly used for cooking meals. The fruits are big and green, making them ideal for tasty vegetable dishes.

7. Red Banana
Region: Found in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
Description: It stands out because of its dark red-purple skin. It tastes sweet, creamy, and is packed with good nutrients.

8. Elakki Bale (Yelakki)
Region: Very popular in Karnataka.
Description: These are tiny, highly sweet bananas with a very strong scent. Often called baby bananas, they are loved for their sweet bite.

9. Grande Naine
Region: Mostly grown in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.
Description: Very similar to Robusta, it produces a large crop and stays healthy against plant diseases. The bananas are medium to large and taste sweet.

10. Karpuravalli
Region: Cultivated in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Description: This variety has large, slightly bent fruits with thick skin. They are famous for their amazing sweet taste and rich smell.
In simple words: India grows many kinds of bananas. Some are sweet and eaten fresh, like Yelakki or Red Banana, while others are big and used for cooking or chips, like Nendran and Monthan.

Exam Tip: Remember a few key varieties like Robusta (grown in the south), Nendran (used for chips in Kerala), and Yelakki (small and sweet) for your exams.