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0648 – A PACT WITH THE SUN ISBN 81-7450-484-2

Textbook for Class VI

First Edition ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

February 2006 Phalguna 1927 q No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
Reprinted photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the
publisher.
January 2007 Magha 1928
q This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade,
October 2007 Kartika 1929 be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of without the publisher’s
March 2009 Phalguna 1930 consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.
December 2009 Agrahyana 1931 q The correct price of this publication is the price printed on this page, Any
January 2011 Pausa 1932 revised price indicated by a rubber stamp or by a sticker or by any other means
January 2012 Magha 1933 is incorrect and should be unacceptable.

December 2012 Agrahayana 1934

OFFICES OF THE PUBLICATION
November 2013 Kartika 1935
DIVISION, NCERT
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P.O. Navjivan
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 FOREWORD

THE National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005, recommends that

children's life at school must be linked to their life outside the school.
This principle marks a departure from the legacy of bookish learn-
ing which continues to shape our system and causes a gap between
the school, home and community. The syllabi and textbooks devel-
oped on the basis of NCF signify an attempt to implement this basic
idea. They also attempt to discourage rote learning and the mainte-
nance of sharp boundaries between different subject areas. We hope
these measures will take us significantly further in the direction of a
child-centred system of education outlined in the National Policy of
Education (1986).
The success of this effort depends on the steps that school
principals and teachers will take to encourage children to reflect on
their own learning and to pursue imaginative activities and questions.
We must recognise that, given space, time and freedom, children
generate new knowledge by engaging with the information passed
on to them by adults. Treating the prescribed textbook as the sole
basis of examination is one of the key reasons why other resources
and sites of learning are ignored. Inculcating creativity and initiative
is possible if we perceive and treat children as participants in learning,
not as receivers of a fixed body of knowledge.
These aims imply considerable change in school routines and
mode of functioning. Flexibility in the daily time-table is as necessary
as rigour in implementing the annual calendar so that the required
number of teaching days are actually devoted to teaching. The
methods used for teaching and evaluation will also determine how
effective this supplementary reader proves for making children’s
life at school a happy experience, rather than a source of stress or
boredom. Syllabus designers have tried to address the problem of
curricular burden by restructuring and reorienting knowledge at
different stages with greater consideration for child psychology and
the time available for teaching. The book attempts to enhance this
endeavour by giving higher priority and space to opportunities for
contemplation and wondering, discussion in small groups, and
activities requiring hands-on experience.

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 iv

The National Council of Educational Research and Training

(NCERT) appreciates the hard work done by the textbook development
committee responsible for this book. We wish to thank the Chairperson
of the advisory group in languages, Professor Namwar Singh and
the Chief Advisor for this book, Professor R. Amritavalli for guiding
the work of this committee. Several teachers contributed to the
development of this book; we are grateful to their principals for
making this possible. We are indebted to the institutions and
organisations which have generously permitted us to draw upon
their resources, materials and personnel. We are especially grateful
to the members of the National Monitoring Committee, appointed
by the Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of
Human Resource Development under the Chairpersonship of
Professor Mrinal Miri and Professor G.P. Deshpande for their valuable
time and contribution. As an organisation committed to systemic
reform and continuous improvement in the quality of its products,
NCERT welcomes comments and suggestions which will enable us
to undertake further revision and refinements.

Director
New Delhi National Council of Educational
20 December 2005 Research and Training

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 A NOTE FOR THE TEACHER

THE main objective of this supplementary reader is to promote

among learners the habit of reading independently with interest,
understanding and enjoyment. It seeks to enable them to read
independently in the sense that they would not expect the book to
be taken up page by page in the classroom. They would rather
read it on their own and later share and confirm their responses
and appreciation with the teacher and the peer group through
discussions, questions and, wherever possible, even role-play.
The book contains ten pieces. Each piece has been divided into
two or three manageable parts, each part briefly summarised in
point form without revealing crucial turns and twists of the storyline,
thus sustaining readers’ curiosity and interest. This format is being
tried to make comprehension easier and concentration keener. Each
piece is followed by a set of questions as aids to understanding
and, at places, an idea for discussion. The questions may be
attempted orally before well-formulated answers are put down on
paper. Discussion on related topics should be encouraged so that
learners get an opportunity to go beyond the book and feel inspired
to reach hitherto undiscovered vistas of knowledge and pleasure.
The stories, amply illustrated, deal with themes of cooperation,
compassion, respect for elders, sound decision-making, the magic
of music, health, adventure, peace and social harmony. It is hoped
that learners will find the book enjoyable and rewarding.

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2022-23
 TEXTBOOK DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE

CHAIRPERSON, ADVISORY GROUP IN LANGUAGES

Professor Namwar Singh, formerly Chairman, School of Languages,
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

CHIEF ADVISOR
R. Amritavalli, Professor, English and Foreign Languages University
(EFLU), Hyderabad

CHIEF COORDINATOR
Ram Janma Sharma, Former Head, Department of Education
in Languages, NCERT, New Delhi

MEMBERS
Amita Kochar, PGT (English), Chiranjeev Bharati School, Gurgaon
Parminder Dutta, Principal, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Airports Authority
of India, New Delhi
R. Meganathan, Assistant Professor, Department of Education
in Languages, NCERT, New Delhi
Shalini Advani, Formerly Principal, British School, New Delhi

MEMBER-COORDINATOR
Nasiruddin Khan, Former Reader in English, Department of
Education in Languages, NCERT, New Delhi

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 Constitution of India
Part IV A (Article 51 A)

Fundamental Duties
It shall be the duty of every citizen of India —
(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the
National Flag and the National Anthem;
(b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle
for freedom;
(c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
(d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to
do so;
(e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all
the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or
sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of
women;
(f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;
(g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes,
rivers, wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;
(h) to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and
reform;
(i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
(j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective
activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour
and achievement;
*(k) who is a parent or guardian, to provide opportunities for education to
his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and
fourteen years.

Note: The Article 51A containing Fundamental Duties was inserted by the Constitution
(42nd Amendment) Act, 1976 (with effect from 3 January 1977).
*(k) was inserted by the Constitution (86th Amendment) Act, 2002 (with effect from
1 April 2010).

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

THE National Council of Educational Research and Training is

grateful to Professor M.L. Tickoo, formerly of the Central Institute
of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad, and the Regional
Language Centre, Singapore, for going through the manuscript
and making valuable suggestions.
NCERT would like to thank Orient Longman Private Limited,
New Delhi for permission to reproduce the following pieces in this
book: ‘What Happened to the Reptiles’ from Gul Mohar – Reader 7
and ‘The Old-Clock Shop’ from Gul Mohar – Practice Book 6.
Special thanks are also due to the Publication Department,
NCERT, for their support. NCERT gratefully acknowledges the
contributions made by Bharati Guleria, Copy Editor, and Vijyanti
and Uttam Kumar, DTP Operators.

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 CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
Part III (Articles 12 – 35)
(Subject to certain conditions, some exceptions
and reasonable restrictions)
guarantees these
Fundamental Rights
Right to Equality
• before law and equal protection of laws;
• irrespective of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth;
• of opportunity in public employment;
• by abolition of untouchability and titles.
Right to Freedom
• of expression, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession;
• of certain protections in respect of conviction for offences;
• of protection of life and personal liberty;
• of free and compulsory education for children between the age of six and fourteen years;
• of protection against arrest and detention in certain cases.
Right against Exploitation
• for prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour;
• for prohibition of employment of children in hazardous jobs.
Right to Freedom of Religion
• freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion;
• freedom to manage religious affairs;
• freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion;
• freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in
educational institutions wholly maintained by the State.
Cultural and Educational Rights
• for protection of interests of minorities to conserve their language, script and culture;
• for minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
Right to Constitutional Remedies
• by issuance of directions or orders or writs by the Supreme Court and High
Courts for enforcement of these Fundamental Rights.

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 Foreword . . . . . iii
A Note for the Teacher . . . . . v

1. A Tale of Two Birds . . . . . 1

2. The Friendly Mongoose . . . . . 4
3. The Shepherd’s Treasure . . . . . 7
4. The Old-Clock Shop . . . . . 11
5. Tansen . . . . . 15
6. The Monkey and the Crocodile . . . . . 20
7. The Wonder Called Sleep . . . . . 25
8. A Pact with the Sun . . . . . 28
9. What Happened to the Reptiles . . . . . 33
10. A Strange Wrestling Match . . . . . 43

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