The Snake Trying Class 9 English, Beehive – Summary, Extra Questions, Word Meanings

The Snake Trying Class 9 English, Beehive Poem

Detailed summary and explanation of “The Snake Trying” Poem along with meanings for difficult words is provided here. Also, NCERT Question and Answers are also provided to help students understand this Poem and do well in their exams.

Contents

1 Introduction
2 Summary
3 Extra Questions
4 Word Meaning

Introduction

In this poem, the poet describes how a snake tries to escape from being hit by a stick held by a person who is trying to kill it. Through his description of an afraid snake, the poet wants to say that not all snakes are harmful. Snakes are generally considered to be dangerous and poisonous creatures, but they do not attack when they are left undisturbed. Snakes only attack in self-defence. The poet also finds beauty in the snake. He admires the charming and elegance with which the snake moves. He then, appeals to the readers that we must not kill such a beautiful creature like the snake. It also has the right to live.

Summary

Stanza 1

The snake trying

to escape the pursuing stick,

with sudden curvings of thin

long body. How beautiful
and graceful are his shapes.

In these lines, the poet describes how a snake is trying to escape from a stick carried by a person. The poet describes the beauty and elegance of the Snake’s movement. To escape being hit, the snake suddenly curves its thin and long body. The poet is really amazed by the beautiful and graceful slithering of its long thin body. In describing as such the poet is trying to inculcate a feeling of sympathy for the snake.

Stanza 2

He glides through the water away

from the stroke. O let him go

over the water

into the reeds to hide

without hurt. Small and green
he is harmless even to children.

In these lines, the poet describes that the snake is afraid of getting hurt. It is making its way into the water so that it can escape the possible harm and go unhurt into the reeds. The poet urges to let the snake go into the water plants to hide from being hurt. The snake is small and green in colour indicating that it is not poisonous. Hence, the snake is harmless to anyone, even to children.

Stanza 3

Along the sand he lay until observed

and chased away, and now he vanishes in the ripples
among the green slim reeds.

In these lines, the poet says that the snake was lying in the sand until he was seen by someone who chased it away. But the snake moved fast and hid in the ripples among the green thin water plants. That’s how it escaped from its pursuer among the green and thin seeds.

Extra Questions

(1) What was snake trying? Why?

(2) How did the snake avoid getting hurt?

(3) How did the poet describes the movement of snake?

(4) How can it be said that the snake was harmless?

(5) What does the poet appeal to the readers?

(6) Where did the snake hide itself and why?

(7) How does the snake escapes the stick?

(8) In what way does the snake move in water?

(9) Where shall the snake go and how shall it be safe from children?

(10) How does the poet look at the snake? How does it finally escape from being killed?

(11) Describe how the snake looks while trying to escape?

(12) What the poet feels about snakes, is true of all wild creatures? Comment?

Word Meaning
escape	to avoid successfully
pursuing	approaching towards something
curvings	a movement which is non linear
shapes	moves
glides	to go across something
stroke	the effort on something
reeds	water plants with thick stems
vanishes	hides something
ripples	the movement of water current

Introduction

Summary

Extra Questions

Word Meaning

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