How to tell Wild Animals

How to tell Wild Animals (Poem)| Question and Answers |
NCERT |Class 10 | English | First Flight

Thinking about the Poem (Page 45)

Question 1. Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?

Answer 1 No, Dyin does not rhyme with lion. The poet has used word dyin so that when we pronounce it, it rhyme with lion.

Question 2. How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him?

Answer 2 The poet suggest that if a large and tawny beast roars at us then it is Asian lion.While roaring if we come across a wild beast that is yellow in colour with black stripes, then it is tiger.We can identify the two while roaming in the jungle.

Question 3. Do you think the words ‘lept‘ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like this?

Answer 3 The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ are not spelt correctly. The poet has spelt them like this in order to maintain the rhythm of the poem. The correct spelling of the words, ‘lept’ is leapt and ‘lep’ is leap. The poet has intentionally spelt them incorrectly to create a sense of humour.

Question 4. Do you know what a ‘bearhug’ is? It’s a friendly and strong hug — 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 4 A bearhug is when the bear hugs his prey tightly with both hands. Hyenas never laugh but their faces look like that only. Crocodile do not weep but tears come when they swallow their victims.

Question 5. 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 5 The line “A novice might nonplus” can be written correctly as “A novice might be nonplussed”. However, the poet’s incorrect line is better in the poem as it maintains the rhyme scheme of the poem. By writing it incorrectly, ‘nonplus’ rhymes with ‘thus’.

Question 6. 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 6 Yes, many poets take such liberties with language to create proper rhyming.

For example: The word ‘prest’ is used instead of ‘pressed’ so that it may rhyme with ‘breast’. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest against the earth’s sweat flowing breast.

Question 7. 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 7  The lines from the poem that appears to be funny are “A noble wild beast greets you”. The idea that a wild beast is going to welcome you is quite funny.