Poem – 4: How to Tell the Wild Animals
| S.N. | WORD | MEANING |
| Humourous | विनोदी, हंसी-मजाक से भरपूर | |
| Suggests | सलाह देना | |
| Identify | पहचान करना | |
| Wild Animals | जंगली जानवर | |
| Aloud | जोर से | |
| Rhythm | लय | |
| Ever | कभी | |
| Chance | अवसर | |
| Advance | अग्रिम | |
| Tawny | गहरे पीले के रंग का | |
| Beast | जानवर | |
| Roars | दहाड़ना | |
| Dying | मरना | |
| Roaming | घूम रहा है | |
| Noble | महान | |
| Greets | स्वागत करती है | |
| Stripes | धारियों | |
| Discern | पहचानना | |
| Strolling forth | आगे टहलना | |
| Peppered | कालीमिर्च | |
| Lept | कूदा | |
| Lep | छलांग | |
| Yard | आँगन | |
| Creature | प्राणी | |
| Hugs | गले लगाना | |
| Doubts | संदेह | |
| Caress | दुलार | |
| Distinguish | अंतर करना | |
| Prey | शिकार | |
| Pray | प्रार्थना | |
| Novice | नौसिखिए | |
| Nonplus | हैरान-परेशान | |
| Hyena | लकड़बग्धा | |
| Merry Smiles | आनंदमय मुस्कान | |
| Weep | रोना | |
| Chameleon | गिरगिट | |
| Lizard short of thing | छिपकली जैसा जीव |
Quick Revision Notes: –
- ‘How to Tell the Wild Animals’ is a humorous poem by Carolyn Wells.
- It suggests some dangerous ways to identify wild animals through their strange habits and behaviours.
- The poet gives a beautiful description of the Asian Lion and the Bengal Tiger.
- The poet says that Asian lion is a large tawny beast with a fearful roar.
- A tiger has black stripes on his yellow skin and is always ready to eat his victim.
- Then he points out about the Leopard and the Bear.
- A leopard has black spots on his skin. He leaps on his prey and eats it up.
- A bear can come to human colonies. He hugs up a person and can put to death.
- He describes the Hyena for its smiling face and the Crocodile for its tears.
- A hyena always looks smiling whereas a crocodile always sheds tears while eating its victim.
- Then the poet describes how the Chameleon changes its colour according to its surrounding.
- This is the strange world of some of the wild animals.
Thinking about the Poem (Page 45)
- Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
Answer: ‘Dyin’ does not really rhyme with lion’. But perhaps if it is spoken in that way, it may rhyme with ‘lion’.
- How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him?
Answer: The poet suggests that we can identify a lion by its large and brownish-yellow colour and roar. On the other hand, the tiger has black stripes on the yellow background. He looks noble.
- Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like this?
Answer: These words are not spelt correctly. The poet spells in this way in order to create a rhyming effect.
- Do you know what a ‘bearhug’ is? It’s a friendly and strong bug-such as bears are thought to give, as they attack you! Again, hyenas are thought to laugh, and crocodiles to weep (crocodile tears’) as they swallow their victims.
Are there similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals in your own language(s)?
Answer: A bearhug’ is the bear’s tight embrace. In common use, it means a friendly and warm embrace. Hyenas never laugh. But their faces look like that. Crocodiles do not weep but tears come when they swallow their victims.
Every language has similar expressions. There are such expressions in Hindi also.
- Look at the line “A novice might nonplus”. How would you write this ‘correctly’? Why is the poet’s ‘incorrect line better in the poem?
Answer: It would be written like this: A novice might be nonplussed. The poet uses this incorrect line deliberately in order to rhyme it with ‘caress’.
- Can you find other examples of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your own language(s)? Can you find examples of humorous poems in your own language(s)?
Answer: Yes, many poets take such liberties to create proper rhyming, e.g., kirk is used for church’ to rhyme with ‘Svork’, Keats uses ‘shoon’ for sun to rhyme with ‘moon’.
- Much of the humour in the poem arises from the way language is used, although the ideas are funny as well. If there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like, share these with the class, speaking briefly about what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny.
Answer: Mainly meant for the students at the class level. The following lines can be cited as examples:
Just notice if he eats you.
- Twill do no good to roar with pain.
- He’ll give you just one more caress.
- A novice might nonplus.
- Hyenas come with merry smiles.
The ideas in the poem are used humorously. In most of cases, a man will recognize the wild beast by his way of eating him (the victim). What is the use of that recognition?
Very Short Answer Type Questions
- Where are the Asian Lions found?
Answer: The Asian Lions are found in the eastern countries of the world.
- How does the Asian Lion look?
Answer: The Asian Lion is a large and yellow-coloured animal.
- What is the special feature of the Bengal Tiger?
Answer: He has black stripes on his yellow body.
- How is the Bengal Tiger described?
Answer: He is described as a noble wild beast.
- How is the leopard’s skin?
Answer: The leopard has spots on his skin.
- How does a leopard behave when he meets a person?
Answer: When a leopard meets a person, he jumps on him at once.
- Which animal can we meet in our yard?
Answer: We can meet the bear in our yard.
- What does the bear do on meeting a person?
Answer: The bear hugs the person very hard when he meets one.
- What is the special feature of the Hyena?
Answer: The Hyena always comes with merry smiles
- What is the special feature of the crocodile?
Answer: The crocodile weeps while eating its prey.
- What two things does a Chameleon not have?
Answer: A Chameleon does not have ears and wings.
- Where is the Chameleon generally found?
Answer: It is generally found in the trees.
Short Answer Type Questions
- What does the poet say about the Asian Lion in this poem?
Answer: The poet says that the Asian Lion is a large beast. He is brownish-yellow in colour. He is found in forests of the eastern countries of the world. His roar is very loud and terrifying.
- How does the Bengal Tiger look? What is so distinct about him?
Or
How can one identify the Bengal Tiger?
Answer: The poet says that the Bengal Tiger roams in the forest and looks noble. His skin is yellow and there are black stripes on it. As soon as the Bengal Tiger notices someone, he tries to eat him.
- What do you learn about the leopard from this poem?
Or
How can one tell (recognize) the leopard?
Answer: The poem tells us that a leopard has spots on his skin. As soon as he sees someone, he leaps over him at once and starts eating. He is so terrifying and powerful.
- How does the poet describe the bear?
Answer: The poet suggests that the bear can enter a human colony also. That is why, you can encounter a bear even in your yard. As soon as the bear comes near a human being, he embraces him. This embrace appears loving. But in fact, it can be fatal.
- Why does the poet say that a bear’s ‘hug’ may confuse a novice?
Answer: It is the tendency of a bear to kill his victim by embracing him. He hugs the victim so tightly that he usually dies. But a novice who does not know the ways of bears may misunderstand his hug. He may think that it is a loving embrace.
- What does the poet say about the crocodile and the hyena?
Or
How can we distinguish between a hyena and a crocodile?
Answer: The poet describes the crocodile and the hyena humourously. The hyena seems to be laughing. In fact, it does not laugh. Only its face appears so. On the other hand, the crocodile has tears in its eyes when it eats its victim. It appears as if he is shedding tears at the death of his victim. But this is not so.
Multiple Choice Questions
- Where do we see the Asian lions?
- western countries
- esteem countries
- southern countries
- all of the above
- What is the colour of the Asian Lions?
- brownish-yellow
- yellow
- black
- red
- To which animal does the poet call noble?
- Crocodile
- Bear
- Tiger
- Lion
- Which animal has black stripes on his body?
- Lions
- Hyena
- Bear
- Tiger
- Which animal has black spots on his hide?
- Leopard
- Tiger
- Lion
- Bear
- Which animal is mainly associated with Bengal?
- Lion
- Tiger
- Hyena
- Crocodile
- Which animal gives you an embrace?
- Hyena
- Bear
- Crocodile
- Leopard
- The face of which animal appears smiling?
- Hyena
- Bear
- Crocodile
- Leopard
- Which animal sheds tears while eating its victim?
- Lion
- Tiger
- Crocodile
- Chameleon
- Which of the following animals lives on a tree?
- Hyena
- Bear
- Crocodile
- Chameleon
- Which animal changes its colour according to its surrounding?
- Hyena
- Chameleon
- Lizard
- all of the above
Read the following stanzas and answer the questions that follow:
STANZA – 1
If ever you should go by chance …………………………… know it is the Asian Lion…
Questions:
- Where should you go by chance?
Answer: You should go to jungles in the east.
- How does the described animal look?
Answer: The described animal looks large and yellow-coloured.
- How will you know that it is Asian lion?
Answer: It will roar at you when you are dying with fear.
- What do you mean by ‘the east’?
Answer: ‘The east’ means the countries in the eastern part of the world.
- Name the poem and
Answer: Poem: How to Tell Wild Animals. Poet: Carolyn Wells.
STANZA – 2
Or if some time when ……………………………… Bengal Tiger to discern.
Questions:
- Who is the noble wild beast?
Answer: The noble wild beast is the Bengal Tiger.
- Describe its appearance.
Answer: He has black stripes on a yellow background.
- Where will you encounter the Bengal Tiger?
Answer: You will encounter him while roaming in the jungle.
- What are the rhyming words in this stanza?
Answer: The rhyming words are: round – ground you – you leam – discern
- Name the poem and the poet.
Answer: Poem: How to Tell Wild Animals, Poet: Carolyn Wells.
STANZA – 3
If strolling forth, a beast …………………………………. lep and lep again.
Questions:
- Name the poem.
Answer: The name of the poem is ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’.
- How can you recognize the leopard?
Answer: We can recognize the leopard with spots on his skin.
- What will the leopard do if we cry with pain?
Answer: If we cry with pain, the leopard will go on attacking us.
- What is the rhyme – scheme in the stanza?
Answer: The rhyme-scheme of the stanza is ‘abacc’.
- What is the meaning of the word “Walking’ in the stanza?
Answer: Strolling
STANZA – 4
If when you’re walking round …………………………………….. sure it is a Bear.
Questions:
- Name the poem and the poet.
Answer: Poem: How to tell Wild Animals, Poet: Carolyn Wells.
- Where can you meet the bear?
Answer: We can meet him round our yard.
- What does the bear do on meeting a person?
Answer: The bear hugs the person very hard when he meets one.
- What does the creature do to you?
Answer: The creature hugs me very hard.
- Find from the passage words which mean: embraces, courtyard.
Answer: (a) hugs, (b) yard
STANZA – 5
If you have any doubts, ………………………………….. novice might nonplus,
Questions:
- From which poem have these lines been taken?
Answer: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’.
- Who is “he’ in the second line?
Answer: Here ‘he’ is a bear.
- How will ‘he’ react to the human being?
Answer: ‘He’ will embrace tightly the human being.
- About what may we have a doubt?
Answer: We may have doubt about the strength of a bear.
- What can nonplus a victim?
Answer: Distinguishing beasts of prey can nonplus a victim.
STANZA – 6
The Crocodile you always …………………………. if they weep they’re Crocodiles.
Questions:
- From which poem have these lines been taken?
Answer: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’.
- How do the hyenas come?
Answer: The hyenas come with merry smiles.
- What is so distinct about crocodiles?
Answer: Crocodiles are distinct by their weeping.
- How can you differentiate a crocodile from a hyena?
Answer: A crocodile is always weeping while a hyena looks always smiling.
- Select the rhyming words in this stanza.
Answer: The rhyming words are: smiles-crocodiles
STANZA – 7
The true Chameleon is ……………………………………. the chameleon you see.
Questions:
- Which creature has the chameleon been compared to?
Answer: The chameleon has been compared to a lizard.
- Mention any two physical characteristics of a chameleon.
Answer: A chameleon does not have ears and wings.
- What is the point of comparison?
Answer: The point of comparison is the size.
- When can one see the chameleon?
Answer: If there is nothing on the tree, we can see the chameleon
- Name the poem and the poet.
Answer: Poem: How to Tell Wild Animals, Poet: Carolyn Wells.