KSEEB 9th Eng (TL) Poem -6.Six Honest Friends - Explanation, Summary & Activities

"This poem is about six useful question words – What, Why, When, How, Where, and Who. These are the poet’s “honest friends” who help him learn everythi"

Class - 9 

Subject - ENGLISH (3rd Language)

Syllabus  - Karnataka State Syllabus

Poem - 6

Six Honest Friends

📘 Six Honest Friends – Poem Summary, Explanation & Grammar Activities for Class 9

🎓 Karnataka State Board | English (TL)
✍️ Poet: Rudyard Kipling

🔹 1. Introduction of the Poem

🔤 English (Simple):
This poem is about six useful question words – What, Why, When, How, Where, and Who. These are the poet’s “honest friends” who help him learn everything. It also tells us how curious people (especially children) ask many questions to understand the world better.

🔤 मराठी (सोप्या शब्दांत):
ही कविता सहा प्रश्न विचारणाऱ्या शब्दांवर आहे – What, Why, When, How, Where, आणि Who. हे कवीचे "प्रामाणिक मित्र" आहेत, जे त्याला सर्व गोष्टी शिकायला मदत करतात. कवी सांगतो की काही लोक खूप प्रश्न विचारतात – आणि हेच शंभर टक्के शिकलं जाण्याचं रहस्य आहे!

🔹 2. About the Poet – Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) was a famous English writer and poet. He wrote many short stories and poems for children and adults. He is best known for The Jungle Book 🐯 and this lovely poem that teaches us the power of curiosity.

🔹 3. Poem Text – “Six Honest Friends” (Poet: Rudyard Kipling)

I keep six honest serving-men 

(They taught me all I knew); 

Their names are What and Why and When 

And How and Where and Who. 

I send them over land and sea, 

I send them east and west; 

But after they have worked for me, 

I give them all a rest. 

I let them rest from nine till five, 

For I am busy then, 

As well as breakfast, lunch and tea, 

For they are hungry men. 

But different folk have different views; 

I know a person small— 

She keeps ten million serving-men, 

Who get no rest at all! 

She sends 'em abroad on her own affairs, 

From the second she opens her eyes— 

One million Hows, two million Wheres, 

And seven million Whys!

🔹 4. कविता अर्थ –  

ही कविता आपल्या ज्ञानाची सुरुवात "प्रश्न विचारणं" हेच आहे हे सांगते. कवी म्हणतो की त्याचे सहा प्रश्न विचारणारे मित्र आहेत – What (काय), Why (का), When (केव्हा), How (कसा), Where (कोठे), आणि Who (कोण). हेच त्याचे ज्ञानाचे साधन आहेत.
कवी हे मित्र जगभर पाठवतो – पूर्व, पश्चिम, सागर ओलांडून. पण नंतर त्यांना आरामही देतो.
दुसऱ्या बाजूला एक मुलगी आहे, जी खूप जास्त प्रश्न विचारते – लाखो 'कसे', 'कोठे' आणि 'का'!
कवितेचा अर्थ असा की ज्ञानासाठी प्रश्न विचारणे फार महत्त्वाचं आहे.

🔹 5. Glossary / Difficult Words  -

🔹 6. Stanza-wise Explanation (English – Marathi)

Here’s a very simple and student-friendly stanza-wise meaning / explanation in English and Marathi for the poem “Six Honest Friends” by Rudyard Kipling. This version is perfect for Class 9 students under the Karnataka State Syllabus 👇

✨ Poem: “Six Honest Friends”

✍️ Poet: Rudyard Kipling

🌟 Central Idea / Theme (In English):

The poem “Friendship” talks about how important and special true friends are in our lives.

Friends are always with us — when we are happy, sad, scared, or want to have fun.
They support us, protect us, make us smile, and understand our feelings.
The poem tells us that real friendship is strong and lasts forever.

‘मैत्री’ ही कविता खरी मैत्री किती महत्त्वाची आणि सुंदर असते हे सांगते.

मित्र नेहमी आपल्यासोबत असतात – आनंदात, दुःखात, भीतीत किंवा खेळात.
ते आपल्याला समजून घेतात, आधार देतात आणि आपले रक्षण करतात.
ही कविता सांगते की खरी मैत्री कायमस्वरूपी टिकते आणि ती खूप खास असते.

🌟 Grammar Activities 📝

1.    Identify the Pronouns:
👉 I, They, Them, She

2.   Find the Rhyming Words:
👉 Knew – Who, Sea – Tea, West – Rest

3.   Make Sentences:

o   Honest: She is an honest girl.

o   Hungry: I am very hungry after school.

4.   Frame Questions using ‘WH’ Words:

o   What is your name?

o   Why are you late?

o   When do you study?