This is Jody's Fawn
Overview
'This is Jody's Fawn' is a prose chapter from NCERT Class 8 English Honeycomb, adapted from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' novel 'The Yearling'. It tells the story of a young boy named Jody who is deeply concerned about a fawn whose mother was killed to save his father's life. Jody's love for animals, his sense of responsibility, and his father's understanding nature make this a touching story about compassion, gratitude, and the bond between humans and animals.
Typed Notes
Background and Jody's Concern
Jody's father Penny Baxter was bitten by a rattlesnake. To save his life, a doe (mother deer) was killed, and its organs were used as a folk remedy for the snakebite. After his father begins to recover, Jody cannot stop thinking about the fawn that the doe left behind. He feels guilty that the deer died to save his father and believes it is his duty to find the fawn and care for it. He asks his father for permission to bring the fawn home, and his father agrees, showing his understanding and kind nature.
The Journey into the Forest
Jody sets out with Mill-wheel, a neighbour, to find the fawn in the forest. Mill-wheel is helpful and supportive but wisely decides not to go all the way with Jody, fearing that the presence of two people might frighten the young animal. Jody goes alone into the dense forest, feeling a mix of excitement and worry. He wonders whether the fawn is still alive, whether it has been harmed by a predator, or whether it has wandered too far away. The forest setting creates a mood of suspense and anticipation throughout this part of the story.
Finding the Fawn and the Emotional Bond
Jody finds the fawn lying quietly in the bushes, exactly where the doe had died. The fawn is alive and unharmed. Jody approaches it gently and lifts it in his arms. The fawn licks his fingers, a sign of trust and affection. Jody is overwhelmed with joy and tenderness. He carries the fawn through the forest, and it becomes tired, so he has to carry it most of the way. When he finally brings it home, his mother is not very pleased, but his father warmly welcomes the fawn, understanding Jody's deep emotional connection with the animal.
Theme, Moral and Grammar Point
The central theme is compassion and responsibility towards animals. Jody's act of rescuing the fawn shows that kindness must be followed by action. The moral is that when we benefit from nature or from another living being's sacrifice, we owe them care and gratitude. An important grammar point in this chapter is the use of 'did' for emphasis and in questions: 'Did he drink it?' and 'He did drink it.' This emphatic 'do/did' is used to stress that an action truly happened, and students should notice how it functions in the dialogue between characters.
Key Concepts
Revision ke liye ek nazar — exam se pehle yahi padhna hai.
- 01Jody's father Penny was bitten by a rattlesnake and a doe (female deer) was killed to use its heart and liver as a snake-bite remedy.
- 02Jody feels responsible for the orphaned fawn and wants to bring it home and raise it.
- 03Mill-wheel accompanies Jody into the forest to find the fawn, but waits behind so the fawn is not frightened.
- 04Jody carries the fawn in his arms, and it licks his fingers, showing it trusts him — a deeply emotional moment.
- 05The chapter highlights themes of compassion, gratitude, responsibility, and the loving bond between a child and a wild animal.
Questions & Solutions
Pehle khud try karo — phir solution kholo. Yahi tariqa topper banata hai.
Why did Jody feel that he must bring the fawn home and take care of it?
Why did Mill-wheel decide not to go all the way into the forest with Jody?
How did the fawn react when Jody picked it up? What did this reaction show?
What was Jody's mother's reaction when he brought the fawn home, and how was it different from his father's reaction?
What does the chapter tell us about Penny Baxter's character as a father?
Jody's father Penny is saved from a rattlesnake bite by using a doe's organs as a remedy. Feeling responsible for the orphaned fawn, Jody seeks his father's permission to bring it home. He goes into the forest with Mill-wheel, then alone, and finds the fawn alive. The fawn trustingly licks his fingers. Jody carries it home, and his father warmly accepts it. The story beautifully portrays a boy's compassion, sense of duty, and love for a helpless animal.
Chapter-end quiz
4 MCQsOption tap karo — turant pata chalega sahi ya galat, explanation ke saath.
Q1.What was used as a remedy to save Penny from the rattlesnake bite?
Q2.Why did Jody go alone into the forest to find the fawn?
Q3.Which word means a young deer?
Q4.In the sentence 'He did drink the medicine', what is the purpose of the word 'did'?
Mark karo — dashboard par progress dikhega.