
CBSE Class 8 English It So Happened Chapter 6 Notes: This chapter, written by Ruskin Bond, is a short story about Ranji, a boy who gets into a fight with Suraj over a pool in the forest.
Their initial rivalry turns into an unexpected friendship, highlighting themes of courage, understanding, and sportsmanship.
The story is part of the Supplementary Reader and is covered under the CBSE Class 8 English syllabus. For exams, focus on character sketch, moral values, and extract-based questions.
Be prepared for short and long answer questions. Understanding the plot and key dialogues will help in scoring well in literature sections.
The Fight by Ruskin Bond is a story about two boys, Ranji and Suraj. Ranji had recently moved to Rajpur and one hot summer day, he discovered a clear, cool pool in the forest. He enjoyed swimming there and came back the next day. While bathing again, he saw another boy standing by the pool.
Ranji, being friendly, invited the boy to swim. But the boy, Suraj, was rude and said he didn’t like strangers using "his" pool. This led to a heated argument, and soon, they were fighting fiercely. Suraj slapped Ranji, and they punched each other until both were too tired to continue. They agreed to finish the fight the next day.
Back home, Ranji’s mother saw his bruises and told him to rest, but he sneaked out later, bought some snacks, and saw Suraj again in the market. Though he wanted to fight again, they just exchanged angry looks and walked away.
The next day, they met at the pool again. Instead of fighting, Suraj challenged Ranji to swim across the pool. Ranji did it easily, surprising Suraj. Impressed, Suraj asked Ranji to teach him how to dive. Ranji agreed, and in return, Suraj offered to teach Ranji wrestling. They soon became friends and decided to swim and train together every day, guarding their secret pool from others.
The story The Fight by Ruskin Bond beautifully highlights how misunderstandings and conflicts can turn into strong friendships when met with kindness and respect. What begins as a fierce rivalry between Ranji and Suraj slowly transforms into mutual admiration and cooperation. Through their shared interests and willingness to learn from each other, the boys overcome their differences.
The story teaches the importance of sportsmanship, humility, and the power of friendship. It also shows that true strength lies not in fighting, but in understanding others. This chapter encourages readers to resolve conflicts peacefully and value human connections.
Below we have provided the PDF notes for CBSE Class 8 English – It So Happened, Chapter 6 The Fight. These notes include a summary, key points, character sketches, and a conclusion to help students understand the story better and prepare effectively for exams. The content is presented clearly and simply to support easy revision.
Students can download the PDF and use it as a handy reference during their studies and exam preparations.
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