This is Jody’s Fawn
Jody’s father was bitten by a snake. To save him, Jody and his father killed a mother deer (doe) and used its liver to pull out the poison. The mother deer died, but Jody’s father survived.
After this, Jody keeps thinking about the baby deer (fawn) whose mother was killed. He feels sad because now the fawn is alone, hungry and scared, and it was not its fault.
Jody tells his father that he wants to search for the fawn and bring it home. His father agrees because they feel responsible.
Jody goes into the forest, searches everywhere, and finally finds the small fawn—weak, shaking, and afraid. The fawn trusts Jody and lets him touch and lift it.
Jody carries the fawn home with great love.
At home, he feeds it milk using his fingers because the fawn does not know how to drink from the bowl.
Slowly, the fawn starts following Jody and becomes comfortable.
The story shows:
- Love for animals
- Responsibility
- Kindness
- Gratitude (returning the favour)
🌼 Hindi
जोडी के पिताजी को साँप ने काट लिया था। उन्हें बचाने के लिए जोडी और उसके पिता ने एक हिरनी (mother deer) को मारकर उसका जिगर (liver) इस्तेमाल किया। इससे पिताजी बच गए, लेकिन हिरनी मर गई।
अब जोडी सोचता रहता है कि उस छोटे हिरन के बच्चे (फॉन) का क्या होगा? उसकी माँ तो मर गई, वह भूखा और डरा हुआ होगा। जोडी को उस बच्चे पर दया आती है।
जोडी अपने पिता से उसे ढूँढकर घर लाने की अनुमति लेता है।
वह जंगल जाता है और बहुत खोजने के बाद फॉन को ढूँढ लेता है। वह बहुत कमजोर और सहमा हुआ था।
जोडी उसे प्यार से उठाकर घर ले आता है।
घर पर वह उसे उँगलियों से दूध पिलाता है, क्योंकि फॉन कटोरे से नहीं पी पाता।
धीरे-धीरे फॉन उसे पहचानने लगता है और उसके पीछे-पीछे चलने लगता है।
कहानी हमें सिखाती है—
- जानवरों से प्यार
- जिम्मेदारी
- दया
- उपकार का बदला
Word Meanings (शब्दार्थ)
Here are some important words from the story with their meanings in English and Hindi:
Fawn (फ़ॉन): A young deer, especially one less than a year old.
छोटा हिरण/हिरणी का बच्चा
Rattlesnake (रैटलस्नेक): A venomous snake with a rattle at the end of its tail.
एक ज़हरीला साँप जिसकी पूंछ पर झुनझुना होता है (एक प्रकार का साँप)
Doe (डो): A female deer.
हिरणी
Poison (पॉइज़न): A substance that can cause illness or death.
ज़हर
Orphaned (ऑर्फ़न्ड): Deprived of parents.
अनाथ
Recollect (रीकलेक्ट): To remember something.
याद करना
Ungrateful (अनग्रेटफुल): Not feeling or showing gratitude.
अकृतज्ञ/एहसानफरामोश
Hemmed in (हेम्ड इन): Caught in a situation where one can’t say ‘no’ or escape.
घिरा हुआ/मजबूर (ऐसी स्थिति में जहाँ ‘ना’ न कह सकें)
Acorns (एकॉर्नस): The fruit of the oak tree.
बलूत के फल
Sidled back (साइडल्ड बैक): Walked back quietly, trying not to be noticed.
चुपचाप खिसकना/सरकना
Gasped (गास्पड): Took a quick, audible breath, often due to shock.
हैरानी से हाँफना
Scrub (स्क्रब): Land covered with dense, low plants or trees.
झाड़ियाँ/छोटी झाड़ियों वाली ज़मीन
Clearing (क्लीयरिंग): An open space in a forest.
जंगल में खुला स्थान
Buzzard (बज़र्ड): A large bird like a vulture that eats the flesh of dead animals.
गिद्ध (एक बड़ा पक्षी जो मरे हुए जानवरों का मांस खाता है)
Carcass (कार्कस): The dead body of an animal.
जानवर का मृत शरीर
Quivering (क्वीवरिंग): Shaking slightly.
कांपना
Delirious (डिलिरियस): Extremely excited or happy.
अत्यधिक उत्तेजित/प्रसन्न
Convulsion (कंवल्शन): A sudden, violent, uncontrollable movement of the body.
ऐंठन/झटका
Sleek (स्लीक): Smooth and glossy.
चिकना और चमकदार
Hoist (हॉइस्ट): To raise or lift something.
ऊपर उठाना
Limply (लिंपली): Without stiffness or firmness.
ढीला-ढाला/कमज़ोरी से
Thicket (थिकेट): A dense group of bushes or trees.
घनी झाड़ियाँ/झुरमुट
Prickling vines (प्रिक्लिंग वाइन्स): Vines with thorns or sharp points.
काँटेदार बेलें
Bobbed (बॉब्ड): Moved quickly up and down.
ऊपर-नीचे हिलना
Marvel (मार्वल): A wonderful or astonishing thing.
अचंभित कर देने वाली बात
Light-headed (लाइट-हेडेड): Feeling faint or dizzy, or unable to think clearly, often from strong emotion.
चक्कर आना (भावनात्मक रूप से बहुत उत्साहित होने के कारण)
Fondle (फ़ॉन्डल): To caress gently.
दुलारना/प्यार से सहलाना
Romp (रॉम्प): To play in a lively and boisterous way.
खेलना-कूदना
Alarm (अलार्म): To frighten or disturb.
डराना/भयभीत करना
Balked (बॉक्ड): Stopped short and refused to go on.
अड़ जाना/आगे बढ़ने से मना करना
Clutched (क्लच्ड): Held tightly.
कसकर पकड़ना
Wobbled (वॉबल्ड): Moved unsteadily from side to side.
डगमगाना
Gourd (गॉर्ड): A dried hollowed-out shell of a fruit, used as a container.
लौकी/तुम्बी (सूखे फल का खोखला खोल जो बर्तन के रूप में इस्तेमाल होता है)
Butted (बटेड): Struck with the head or horns.
सिर मारना/धक्का मारना
Precariously (प्रिकेरिअसली): In a way that is not securely in place.
असुरक्षित रूप से/खतरे से
Greedily (ग्रीडिली): In an excessively eager or hungry manner.
लालच से/तेज़ी से
Bleated (ब्लिटेड): Made a characteristic crying sound (like a sheep or goat).
मिमियाना
Frantically (फ्रैंटिकली): In a distraught way, typically as a result of fear, anxiety, or other emotion.
पागलों की तरह/घबराहट में
Snorted (स्नॉर्टेड): Made a loud sound through the nose.
नाक से ज़ोर की आवाज़ निकालना
Impatiently (इंपेशेंटली): In a way that shows irritation at delay; eagerly.
अधीरता से/बेचैनी से
Ecstasy (एक्सटेसी): An overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.
परमानंद/अत्यंत खुशी
Gurgling (गर्गलिंग): Making a hollow, bubbling sound.
गड़गड़ाहट की आवाज़
Would you like answers to the “working with the text” or “working with language” questions, or anything else?
Comprehension Check Questions and Answers
From Page 4 (after Part I):
What had happened to Jody’s father?
Jody’s father had been bitten by a rattlesnake.
How did the doe save Penny’s life?
The doe was killed, and its heart and liver were used to draw out the poison from Penny’s snakebite.
Why does Jody want to bring the fawn home?
Jody feels it would be ungrateful to let the fawn starve, as they used its mother to save his father’s life. He also can’t stop thinking about the lonely fawn.
How does Jody know that the fawn is a male?
Jody knows it’s a male because its spots were all in a line. His father told him that a doe-fawn has spots that are “every which way.”
From Page 5 (after Part II):
Jody didn’t want Mill-wheel with him for two reasons. What were they?
First, if the fawn was dead or couldn’t be found, Jody didn’t want Mill-wheel to see his disappointment. Second, if the fawn was alive, Jody wanted the meeting to be a private and special moment that he didn’t want to share.
Why was Mill-wheel afraid to leave Jody alone?
Mill-wheel was afraid that Jody might get lost or get bitten by a snake while alone in the forest.
From Page 8 (after Part III):
How did Jody bring the fawn back home?
Jody first carried the fawn in his arms for some distance. When his arms ached, he set it down. After realizing it would follow him if carried first, he walked away, and the fawn followed him. He alternated between carrying and letting it walk, eventually carrying it most of the way and then carrying it up the steps into the house.
Jody was filled with emotion after he found the fawn. Can you find at least three words or phrases which show how he felt?
“delirious” (extremely excited)
“heart thumped with the marvel of its acceptance”
“enchanted”
“light-headed with his joy”
“ecstasy to feel its tongue against his hand”
How did the deer drink milk from the gourd?
Initially, the fawn couldn’t drink from the gourd. Jody dipped his fingers in the milk and put them into the fawn’s soft wet mouth. As the fawn sucked his fingers, Jody slowly lowered his hand into the milk in the gourd, teaching the fawn to drink from it directly.
Why didn’t the fawn follow Jody up the steps as he had thought it would?
The fawn balked (was unwilling) and refused to climb the steps. It was probably unfamiliar or scared of the steps.