How to Tell Wild Animals

Summary

The poem speaks about the strange habits and behaviours of some wild animals in a humourous way. The poet says that Asian lion is a large beast with a fearful roar. A tiger has black stripes on his yellow skin and is ever ready to eat his catch. A leopard has black spots on his skin. He leaps on his prey and eats it. A bear can come to human colonies and he can hug a person to death. A crocodile always sheds tears while eating its victim. A hyena always looks as if it is smiling. A chameleon always changes its colour according to its surrounding. The poet wants its readers to identify the wild animals using these traits.

Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. How does one identify a chameleon?

A chameleon resembles a lizard. It is small and has no wings. The poet says that when there is nothing visible on the tree, there is a chameleon camouflaged with the tree.

2. What is the famous saying associated with crocodiles and what does it mean?

The famous saying associated with crocodiles is that of shedding ‘crocodile tears’. It actually means tears or expressions of sorrow that are insincere. This expression stems from the belief that crocodiles weep while devouring their prey.

3. How does the Bengal Tiger look? What is so distinct about a hint?

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.

4. How does the poet describe the bear?

The poet suggests that the bear can enter a human colony. That is why one can encounter a bear even in their yard while they are on a stroll. As soon as the bear comes near a human being, he embraces him. This embrace appears loving. But in fact, it can be fatal.

5. Why does the poet say that a bear’s ‘hug’ may confuse a novice?

It is the tendency of a bear to kill his victim by embracing him. He hugs the victim so tight 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.

6. How can one distinguish between a tiger and a leopard?

A tiger has black stripes on its yellow coat. A leopard on the other hand, does not have any stripes. It has spots peppered on its body. Moreover, a tiger kills only when it is hungry, while a leopard can kill for the pleasure of killing by pouncing continuously on its prey.

7. What is so weird about the Hyena and the crocodile?

Some animals such as the hyena and the crocodile are famous for their weird behaviour. For example, a laughing hyena’s voice resembles a human’s laughter. Moreover, a hyena laughs and a crocodile shed tears while swallowing its prey.

Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:

1. Many animals can be identified according to the poets’ suggestion. Name the animals. Which ones would you like to identify? Are there any lessons for us from this poem?

The poet has listed down ways of identifying an Asian lion, a Bengal Tiger, a leopard, a bear, a hyena, a crocodile and a chameleon. I would like to identify the bear, the Bengal Tiger and the leopard. However, putting my life at risk to identify a tiger and a leopard isn’t worth the risk! So if I see a noble beast with black stripes on yellow, I’ll know it’s the tiger, and the peppered spots will indicate the leopard. I wouldn’t mind the bear hug! The poet, uses humour, seems to warn readers against venturing too close to these animals.

Questions from the text book.

Thinking about the Text

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

No, ‘dying’ does not rhyme with ‘lion’. It is for this reason that the poet has used ‘dyin’ so that when we pronounce it, it rhymes with ‘lion’.

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

The poet suggests that if a large and tawny beast in the jungle in the east advances towards us, then it is an Asian lion. We can identify it when it roars at us while we are dying with fear. Also, while roaming when we come across a wild beast yellow in colour with black stripes; it is a Bengal tiger. The poet suggests we can identify it when it eats us.

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

No, the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ are spelt incorrectly. The poet has spelled them like this in order to maintain the rhythm of the poem. When spelled this way, they rhyme with the first part of ‘leopard’, thus giving emphasis to ‘leopard’ in each line.

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)?

A ‘bearhug’ is the bear’s tight embrace. Hyenas never laugh. But their faces look like that. Crocodiles do not weep but tears come when they swallow their victims. 

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?

The line ‘A novice might nonplus’ can be correctly written as ‘A novice might be nonplussed’. 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’.

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)?

Yes, many poets take such liberties to create proper rhyming. For example:, ‘kirk’ is used for ‘church’ to rhyme with ‘work’. Ken is used for ‘see’ to rhyme with ‘pen’.

Practice Questions

Q1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. 

(a) The true Chameleon is small, A lizard sort of things; He hasn’t any ears at all, And not a single wing. If there is nothing on the tree, ‘Tis the Chameleon you see. 

i. What does a Chameleon look like?
a. hyena
b. bear
c. crocodile
d. lizard 

ii. Where can a Chameleon be found?
a. in a house
b. on a tree
c. under a table
d. in a yard 

iii. Give a characteristic of a Chameleon.
a. has black stripes
b. weeps
c. laughs
d. doesn’t have ears 

iv. Give the antonym of the word ‘nothing.’

a. more
b. something
c. less
d. little

(b) Or if some time when roaming round, 

A noble wild beast greets you,
With black stripes on a yellow ground,
Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn
The Bengal Tiger to discern. 

I. How can one recognise a Tiger?
a. looking at the black stripes on the yellow hide
b. looking at the black spot on the yellow hide
c. looking at the brown stripes on the yellow hide
d. looking at the brown spot on the yellow hide 

ii. Why does the poet call him a noble animal?
a. he is very impressive in size and does not roar loudly
b. he doesn’t hunt down small animals
c. he doesn’t hunt down old animals
d. he doesn’t hunt down weak animals 

iii. How is Bengal Tiger different from the other animals?
a. It is quiet and roams silently.
b. It is huge but shy.

c. It is found in the jungles of the west.
d. It is an herbivores animal. 

iv. Find a word from the passage which means ‘identify’.
a. noble
b. ground
c. discern
d. notice

Q2 Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each.

(a) What does the poet say about the Asian Lion in this poem?

The Asian Lion is large in stature. It is brownish-yellow in colour. It roars very loudly. The sound of its roar is so terrible to hear that it can make one almost die due to fear. The Asian Lion is found in the forests of East Asian countries.

(b) How does a leopard behave when he sees someone?

A leopard has black spots all over its body. As soon as it sees someone, it leaps over him at once. It keeps on pouncing continuously on its victim, attacks him and starts eating him.

(c) What does the poet say about the crocodile and the hyena?

The poet describes the crocodile and the hyena humorously. 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 his 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.

(d) Write the sum and substance of the poem, ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’.

The poet, Carolyn Wells, in the poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’ suggests some of the dangerous ways to identify wild animals. The poem is full of humorous examples when the poet tries to distinguish one animal from the other. Moreover, the poem educates us by describing the various features of wild animals.

Q3 Answer the following questions in in 100 -150 words.

(a) ‘Humour is the best medicine for every ailment in life’.

Humour is infectious. Humour brings people together and increases happiness. Humour strengthens our immune system, boosts our energy, diminishes pain and protects us from the damaging effects of stress. It is the priceless medicine for every ailment in life. The poet, in the poem ‘How to tell Wild Animals’ creates humour by describing various beasts of prey. The way the poet explains the things is very funny yet interesting. The poet has depicted the wildlife very vividly and in a lively manner. While reading the poem, the readers enjoy the poet’s work and it leaves them refreshed and happy.