Nobody's Friend — Class 5 English (CBSE)
From the current Class 5 English Marigold textbook. Read the poem about sharing and friendship, then attempt the practice questions.
1. About the poet
Enid Blyton (1897-1968) was a famous English author who wrote hundreds of children's books, including the 'Famous Five' and 'Secret Seven' series. Her stories and poems often carry simple but important messages about kindness, honesty, friendship, and doing the right thing.
2. The poem (summary)
'Nobody's Friend' is a poem about a child who has no friends because they do not share. The child has toys, sweets, and books but keeps everything to themselves. Other children stop playing with this child because they never share. The poem contrasts this child with another child who shares everything and has many friends.
The central message is simple and clear: sharing is the key to making and keeping friends. If you are selfish and keep everything to yourself, people will not want to be around you. But if you share, you will have many friends.
3. Theme and values
| Theme | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Sharing | The importance of sharing what you have with others. |
| Friendship | Friends are made through kindness and generosity. |
| Selfishness | Being selfish pushes people away. |
| Generosity | Being generous attracts friends. |
| Consequences | Our actions have consequences — good or bad. |
Values to learn
- Share your toys, books, and snacks with others.
- Be kind and generous to make friends.
- Think about how others feel.
- Friendship is more valuable than things.
- Being selfish leads to loneliness.
4. Poetic devices
Rhyme scheme
The poem has a regular rhyme scheme that makes it easy to read and remember. The rhymes reinforce the simple, clear message.
Contrast
The poet contrasts the selfish child (nobody's friend) with the generous child (everyone's friend). This contrast makes the message very clear.
Repetition
The title phrase 'nobody's friend' is repeated to emphasise the loneliness that comes from selfishness.
Simple language
Enid Blyton uses very simple, everyday words that children can easily understand. The message is direct and clear.
5. Key vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Friend | A person you like and enjoy being with |
| Share | To give a part of what you have to someone else |
| Selfish | Caring only about yourself, not others |
| Generous | Willing to give and share with others |
| Lonely | Feeling alone or without friends |
| Kind | Caring and nice to others |
| Selfishness | The quality of being selfish |
| Generosity | The quality of being generous |
| Delight | Great pleasure or happiness |
| Possess | To own or have something |
6. Reading comprehension
Questions to think about while reading
- Why does the child in the poem have no friends?
- What does the selfish child do with their things?
- What does the generous child do differently?
- Which child would you rather be friends with? Why?
- What lesson does the poem teach?
Understanding the lesson
The poem does not say that you must give away everything you own. It says that being willing to share — even a little — makes you a better friend. Friendship is about give and take, not about keeping everything to yourself.
7. Writing practice
Prompt 1: Describe a time when you shared something with a friend. How did it make you feel? How did your friend feel?
Prompt 2: Write a short paragraph explaining why sharing is important in a friendship.
Prompt 3: Write a conversation between the selfish child and the generous child from the poem.
8. Common mistakes
- Mistake: Thinking the poem says you must share everything you own Fix: The poem encourages sharing, not giving away everything. It is about being kind and generous, not about having nothing for yourself.
- Mistake: Missing the contrast between the two children Fix: The poet deliberately sets up a contrast to make the message very clear. Notice the differences.
- Mistake: Writing only about being popular instead of about being kind Fix: The poem is about genuine friendship through kindness, not about being popular for the wrong reasons.
9. Self-test
- Who wrote 'Nobody's Friend'?
- Why does the child in the poem have no friends?
- What does the selfish child refuse to do?
- How is the generous child different?
- What is the main message of the poem?
10. Answer key
-
Who wrote 'Nobody's Friend'? Answer: Enid Blyton.
-
Why does the child in the poem have no friends? Answer: The child has no friends because they do not share their toys, sweets, or books with anyone.
-
What does the selfish child refuse to do? Answer: The selfish child refuses to share anything with others.
-
How is the generous child different? Answer: The generous child shares everything and therefore has many friends.
-
What is the main message of the poem? Answer: Sharing is essential for making and keeping friends. Selfishness leads to loneliness, while generosity leads to friendship.
11. Quick revision
- Poet: Enid Blyton (famous children's author).
- Central message: Share with others to make friends. Selfishness leads to loneliness.
- Poetic devices: Contrast, repetition, rhyme.
- Key contrast: Selfish child (nobody's friend) vs generous child (everyone's friend).
- The poem uses simple, clear language.
- Connect to your own experiences of sharing and friendship.
- Practise sharing in your daily life — it makes everyone happier.
