Friendship
Stories of loyalty, connection, and the bonds that hold us together.
What Makes a True Friend?
Think of your best friend. What qualities make them special to you? Is it the time you spend together, the way they understand you, or the loyalty they show when times are difficult? Friendship—the deep connection between two beings—has fascinated storytellers for thousands of years. In this unit, we explore what friendship means through stories, poetry, and reflection.
In this unit, we encounter three powerful explorations of friendship. Through "The Unlikely Best Friends" (about an elephant and a dog), "A Friend's Prayer" (a poem celebrating true friendship), and "The Chair" (a story about empathy), you'll discover that friendship transcends differences, requires sacrifice, and asks us to see others with understanding and compassion.
Understanding Unlikely Connections
Learn how friendship can form between beings who seem completely different in size, species, or background.
Analyzing Emotional Bonds
Explore how love, loyalty, and sacrifice define real friendship more than similarity or convenience.
Mastering Past Tense Verbs
Learn the simple past, past progressive, and past perfect tenses to describe events and emotions from the past.
Using Descriptive Language
Understand how adjectives, adverbs, and dialogue bring emotional moments to life and help readers feel what characters feel.
Story 1: The Unlikely Best Friends — by Subba Rao
Character Deep-Dive: Gajaraj and Buntee.
Gajaraj the Elephant: Despite living in royal comfort, Gajaraj is lonely. He has a caretaker but not a friend. When he meets Buntee, his entire being transforms. His loneliness turns to joy. When separated from Buntee, Gajaraj stops eating—a powerful symbol of how a true friend becomes essential to our happiness, not just a pleasant addition to life.
Buntee the Dog: A stray dog who has nothing, Buntee finds acceptance and belonging with Gajaraj. Like Gajaraj, Buntee is devoted and refuses to eat when separated from his friend. His loyalty transcends species and size.
The Mahout (Elephant Trainer): Kind but initially unaware that Gajaraj needed a friend, the mahout learns an important lesson: care and caretaking are not the same as friendship. By the story's end, he becomes a friend to the farmer.
The Farmer: Though he initially takes Buntee home, the farmer shows empathy. He recognizes Buntee's suffering and chooses love over possession: "I cannot see you go hungry... if you miss your friend so much, go to him."
Key insight: Friendship is not about ownership or control. It is about witnessing another's joy and being willing to set them free if their happiness lies elsewhere.
The Story Summary
Gajaraj, an elephant living in the royal stables, has every comfort but one—a true friend. His mahout cares for him well, but care is not friendship. One evening, a stray dog wanders into the stable, tired and hungry. Gajaraj shares his food. The dog is grateful and falls asleep. The next morning, the mahout allows the dog to stay. The two become inseparable.
Gajaraj and Buntee play together. They bathe together—Gajaraj playfully splashing water with his trunk while Buntee yelps in protest. The elephant carries the dog on his back, delighting in his friend's joy. For the first time, both animals experience true companionship.
One day, a farmer recognizes the dog as his lost pet and reunites with Buntee. The farmer, seeing the dog's happiness on the elephant's back, takes him home. That night, both Gajaraj and Buntee refuse to eat. The elephant winces in pain. The dog grows weak. Neither understands why they must be separated.
The farmer observes Buntee's suffering and remembers the joy on the dog's face when with Gajaraj. Moved by empathy, the farmer removes the rope binding Buntee and tells him to go to his friend. Buntee runs to the elephant. When the farmer follows to check on the dog, he finds both animals reunited and eating, their joy evident. The mahout hugs the farmer and says: "It's not only Gajaraj who has found a friend. I've also found one."
What began as an unlikely friendship between an elephant and a dog leads to friendship between a mahout and a farmer—two humans who understand that true love means wanting happiness for others, even when it costs us.
How Emotional States Transform the Narrative
Watch how the author uses action and absence to show feeling:
"The elephant picked up the dog with his trunk and gave him a joyous swing."
The word "joyous" reveals pure happiness—not just action, but emotion.
"When the mahout came back after finishing his other chores, he was surprised to see that the food had remained untouched."
The absence of action (food untouched) shows deep suffering. Words matter: "remained" vs. "stayed" creates a sense of persistence in sorrow.
Why this matters: A great storyteller doesn't tell us "Gajaraj was sad." Instead, she shows us through action and silence. Refusal to eat is a louder statement of heartbreak than any explanation could be.
In "The Unlikely Best Friends," the author tells us what happened in the past using three different past tenses. Each reveals something different:
| Tense | Form | Use in Story |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Past | verb + -ed (regular) or irregular forms | "A dog strayed into the stable." (completed action) |
| Past Progressive | was/were + verb-ing | "The elephant was looking after the dog." (ongoing action in the past) |
| Past Perfect | had + past participle | "The farmer had followed the dog." (action completed before another past action) |
Why three tenses? Simple Past tells what happened. Past Progressive shows what was happening when something else occurred. Past Perfect shows which of two past actions happened first. Together, they create a clear timeline of events.
In this story, Gajaraj moves from sadness to happiness, from being alone to having a friend. The author uses opposite words to show this transformation:
Prefix "un-": un + happy = unhappy, un + kind = unkind, un + touched = untouched
Prefix "dis-": dis + appeared = disappeared, dis + connect = disconnect
Prefix "mis-": mis + use = misuse
When you add these prefixes, you flip the meaning. "Happy" becomes "unhappy." This allows writers to express opposites with precision and economy.
The Moral (Story 1)
True friendship transcends differences. An elephant and a dog, a mahout and a farmer—these unlikely pairs teach us that friendship forms not through similarity but through compassion. Real love sometimes means letting go so someone else can find happiness. And in that act of love, unexpected new friendships bloom.
Story 2: A Friend's Prayer — by Jill Wolf
The Poem.
May my friendships always be
The most important thing to me.
With special friends I feel I'm blessed,
So let me give my very best.
I want to do much more than share
The hopes and plans of friends who care;
I'll try all that a friend can do
To make their wishes come true.
Let me use my heart to see,
To realise what friends can be,
And make no judgements from afar,
But love my friends the way they are.
The Speaker's Character: A Devoted Friend
Who is the speaker? The speaker is someone who recognizes that friendship is not a luxury but a priority. She prays—makes a sincere wish—for the ability to be a true friend.
What does she value? She values:
- Priority: Friendship comes first in her life
- Effort: She is willing to "do much more than share"—to actively help friends achieve their goals
- Empathy: She uses her heart to understand, not her judgment to criticize
- Acceptance: She loves friends "the way they are," not as they might be or should be
Key insight: The most beautiful aspect of this prayer is its humility. The speaker is not saying she is a perfect friend. She is asking for the strength to become one. True friendship, she suggests, is an ongoing practice and intention.
The Power of Simple Words in Poetry
Notice how the poet uses simple words to express profound emotions:
"Let me use my heart to see"
Not "mind" or "eyes"—but "heart." This suggests emotional understanding, not intellectual analysis.
"But love my friends the way they are."
Not "the way I want them to be" or "the way they should be"—but accepting their current reality.
Why this matters: Poetry's power lies in economy. Every word carries weight. "See" here doesn't mean vision—it means understanding. "Heart" doesn't mean the organ—it means emotion and compassion. This is how great poets make simple words express complex truths.
This poem begins with "May" and contains many "let me" phrases. These are not commands or statements of fact. They are prayers—sincere wishes and hopes.
Why use prayer language? Prayers acknowledge that we cannot control everything. They express desire and humility. By writing a prayer for friendship, the poet suggests that being a good friend is not something we achieve once and are done with. It is an ongoing practice, a constant intention to do better.
The Deeper Meaning
Friendship is a practice, not a possession. The speaker doesn't say "I am a good friend" but rather "May I become one." She recognizes that friendship requires constant intention, effort, and the willingness to use her heart—her emotional understanding—to truly see another person. The poem teaches that friendship is not about shared interests or convenience. It is about choosing to prioritize someone else's wellbeing and happiness alongside your own.
Story 3: The Chair — A Story of Understanding
Character Deep-Dive: The Power of Perspective.
The protagonist (main character): Someone learning to see the world from another person's point of view. What appears as ordinary to us—a chair—may represent something entirely different to someone else.
The friend/other person: Their needs, feelings, and perspective might be invisible unless we take time to understand them. Empathy means stepping into their experience.
The chair: A symbol. It could represent help, comfort, support, or understanding. The story shows that true friendship means recognizing what others truly need.
Key insight: "The Chair" teaches empathy in its simplest and most powerful form: the willingness to understand another person's reality, even when it is different from our own. Sometimes friendship means recognizing what someone truly needs and providing it, without judgment or expectation of thanks.
Dialogue and Empathy
[Note: "The Chair" is a brief story focused on the moment of empathetic understanding. Here we explore how dialogue, description, and emotion convey the deeper message about friendship.]
In stories about friendship, dialogue shows:
- Understanding: Does each character truly listen to the other?
- Acceptance: Do characters accept each other without trying to change one another?
- Support: Are friends willing to help even when help is inconvenient?
When a character says something vulnerable or asks for help, how the other character responds reveals the nature of their friendship. Real friendship isn't shown through grand gestures—it's shown through small acts of understanding.
How Empathy Transforms Language
When we empathize, our words change. Notice the difference:
Without empathy: "You need a chair."
This is a statement of fact, almost dismissive.
With empathy: "Here, sit. I brought you a chair. You must be tired."
This acknowledges both the need AND the person's exhaustion and experience.
Why this matters: Empathetic language shows that we've imagined what the other person is experiencing. We're not just solving a problem; we're acknowledging a feeling. This makes the recipient feel truly seen and cared for.
When we write about friendships and emotions, adjectives (words that describe nouns) and adverbs (words that describe verbs) help readers feel what characters feel.
| Word Type | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | Describes a noun (person, place, thing) | A loyal friend. A kind word. A difficult moment. |
| Adverb | Describes a verb (action); often ends in -ly | She listened carefully. He spoke gently. They waited patiently. |
Example from friendship stories: "She reached out her hand thoughtfully" is more powerful than "She reached out her hand." The adverb "thoughtfully" shows the care behind the action.
The Moral (Story 3)
True friendship means seeing and supporting others in their reality. It's easy to be friends with people when they're happy and life is easy. The test of friendship comes when someone is struggling, tired, or in need. Real friends don't just offer generic help—they pay attention, they understand what's truly needed, and they provide it without judgment. Empathy—the ability to imagine and understand another's experience—is the heart of friendship.
Activity: Retell the Separation and Reunion
From the farmer's perspective, retell the moment he realizes Buntee is suffering and the moment he removes the rope. Use past tense verbs and descriptive language. How does the farmer feel? What does he learn?
Activity: Write Your Own Friend's Prayer
Using the poem as inspiration, write a prayer or intention for friendship. It could be about being a better friend, finding true friends, or understanding what friendship means to you. Use simple, powerful words. Remember: a good prayer is honest about what you hope for, not what you claim to already be.
Activity: Create a Dialogue
Write a brief dialogue (4-6 exchanges) between two friends where one character helps the other. Use adjectives and adverbs to show emotions. How do both characters' words reveal their care for each other? Remember: sometimes the most powerful moments are the quietest ones.
Socratic Sandbox — Test Your Thinking
Quiz 1 — The Unlikely Best Friends: Why did both Gajaraj and Buntee stop eating when separated?
Reveal Answer
Both animals stopped eating because they were heartbroken. Friendship had become so essential to their happiness that separation made life unbearable. Food no longer mattered—they wanted their friend. This shows that true friendship isn't a luxury or pleasant activity; it becomes a core part of who we are.
Quiz 1 — The Unlikely Best Friends: Why was the friendship between Gajaraj and Buntee "unlikely"?
Reveal Answer
The friendship was unlikely because: (1) An elephant and a dog are completely different species; (2) They differ dramatically in size—the elephant is enormous, the dog is small; (3) One lives in royal comfort, the other is a stray; (4) They come from different worlds. Yet despite these differences, they form the deepest bond. This teaches us that friendship transcends surface differences when two beings truly understand and care for each other.
Quiz 1 — The Unlikely Best Friends: The farmer showed empathy when he saw Buntee suffering. Describe a time when you showed empathy to a friend. What did you do?
Reveal Answer
Possible examples: (1) A friend was sad, so you sat with them and listened without trying to fix their problem. (2) A friend was struggling with schoolwork, so you offered to study together. (3) A friend felt left out, so you made sure to include them. (4) A friend was angry about something unfair, so you validated their feelings. Empathy means recognizing someone's pain and choosing to help, even when it costs you something.
Quiz 2 — A Friend's Prayer: What does the speaker mean by "let me use my heart to see"?
Reveal Answer
The speaker means: use emotional understanding, not just intellectual judgment. "See" here means to truly understand and perceive. The heart represents emotion and compassion. The speaker is asking for the ability to understand friends on a deeper, emotional level—to know not just what they say, but what they truly feel and need.
Quiz 2 — A Friend's Prayer: Why does the poet frame this as a prayer rather than as statements about herself?
Reveal Answer
Using prayer language shows humility and honesty. The poet doesn't claim to be a perfect friend. Instead, she expresses a sincere wish to become one. Prayers acknowledge that we can't control everything—we can only set intentions and hope. By using prayer, the poet suggests that being a true friend is an ongoing practice, not something accomplished once and left behind. It's a constant intention to grow and do better.
Quiz 2 — A Friend's Prayer: Which line from the poem resonates most with you? What does it teach you about friendship?
Reveal Answer
Possible answers: (1) "Let me do much more than share"—True friendship requires active effort and help. (2) "Love my friends the way they are"—Acceptance is central to friendship; we don't try to change people we love. (3) "Make their wishes come true"—True friends want to see their friends succeed and happy. (4) "Feel I'm blessed"—Good friendships make us feel grateful and fortunate. Any of these lines can teach us something different about what friendship truly means.
Quiz 3 — The Chair (Empathy and Understanding): What does the chair represent in this story?
Reveal Answer
The chair represents: help, support, understanding, comfort, and being truly seen by a friend. A chair is simple but essential when someone is tired. Symbolically, it represents any act of friendship that shows we understand what someone truly needs—not what we think they should need, but what they actually require.
Quiz 3 — The Chair: Why is empathy important in friendship?
Reveal Answer
Empathy is important because: (1) It allows us to understand what friends truly need, not just what we assume they need; (2) It makes people feel truly seen and valued; (3) It shows we care enough to listen and pay attention; (4) It prevents misunderstandings and builds trust; (5) Empathy transforms simple actions into meaningful support. When a friend knows you truly understand their experience, they feel less alone and more valued.
Quiz 3 — The Chair: Think of a friend who truly understands you. How does their empathy make you feel? How do you show empathy to them?
Reveal Answer
Possible reflections: When someone empathizes with us, we feel: (1) Less alone in our struggles; (2) Valued and important; (3) Safe to be ourselves; (4) Understood without judgment. We show empathy to others by: (1) Listening without interrupting or immediately offering solutions; (2) Asking thoughtful questions; (3) Remembering what they've shared; (4) Offering help without being asked; (5) Accepting them without trying to change them; (6) Being present during difficult times, even when we don't have answers.
Reflection: The Essence of Friendship
What have these three stories and the poem taught us about friendship?
- The Unlikely Best Friends teaches that friendship transcends differences and sometimes requires the sacrifice of letting go so others can find happiness.
- A Friend's Prayer teaches that true friendship is a practice and intention—not something we achieve, but something we continually work toward.
- The Chair teaches that empathy—the willingness to truly understand another's experience—is the foundation of meaningful connection.
Common thread: Friendship is not passive. It requires effort, intention, and constant willingness to see others, to help them, to accept them, and sometimes to let them go. True friends don't just share good times; they show up in difficulty, they listen without judgment, and they care about another's happiness as much as their own.
Key Vocabulary: Words About Friendship
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Loyal | Faithful and devoted; sticking by someone |
| Empathy | The ability to understand and share another's feelings |
| Compassion | Sympathetic concern for others; caring kindness |
| Unlikely | Not expected or probable; surprising |
| Devoted | Loved and cared for deeply; wholehearted |
| Sacrifice | Giving up something important for someone else |
| Bond | A connection or relationship between people |