Class 10 English — First Flight (Poetry): Poem 4 — How to Tell Wild Animals
by Carolyn Wells
NCERT Questions & Answers + Important Extra Questions
NCERT Textbook Questions
Does "__( dyin'"__( rhyme with "lion"? Can you find other__( examples of__( such__( imperfect rhymes in the poem?
Answer
Yes, "dyin'" is made to rhyme with "lion" by using a colloquial/informal pronunciation. This is called an imperfect rhyme (or slant rhyme/near rhyme). Other examples in the poem include: "lep" rhyming with "leopard" (the poet changes the word to create a humorous effect) and the general playful use of language throughout. The use of imperfect rhymes adds to the poem's humorous, lighthearted tone — the poet is being deliberately playful and informal.
How does the poet suggest that you identify__( the following animals: (a) Asian Lion (b) Bengal Tiger (c) Leopard (d) Bear (e) Hyena (f) Crocodile?
Answer
The poet uses humorous, tongue-in-cheek methods:
(a) Asian Lion: "If he roars at you as you're dyin' / You'll know it is the Asian Lion." — If a large, tawny beast in an eastern jungle roars at you while you're being killed, it's an Asian Lion.
(b) Bengal Tiger: "If he eats you, that's the Tiger." — A noble wild beast with black stripes on a yellow hide. If it eats you, you know it's a Bengal Tiger.
(c) Leopard: "He'll do no more than lep and lep again" — A beast with spots (peppered spots). If it keeps leaping at you, it's a Leopard. (The poet humorously uses "lep" instead of "leap.")
(d) Bear: "He will give you just one more caress" — If you meet a creature that hugs you very, very hard (a bear hug), it's a Bear.
(e) Hyena: "If it smiles, it's a hyena" — Hyenas have a characteristic "laughing" cry that looks like smiling.
(f) Crocodile: "If it weeps, it's a crocodile" — Crocodiles shed tears while eating (crocodile tears — false tears). If it weeps while biting you, it's a crocodile.
What is the tone of the poem?
Answer
The tone is humorous, witty, and tongue-in-cheek. The poet pretends to give helpful advice on identifying wild animals but the methods she suggests all involve being attacked or killed by the animal — which makes the advice hilariously useless. The humour lies in the casual, matter-of-fact way she describes terrifying encounters: "If he roars at you as you're dyin'" — as if dying is just a minor inconvenience. The poem doesn't take itself seriously and is meant to entertain through exaggeration, absurdity, and wordplay.
Important Extra Questions
What is the__( theme of the poem?
Answer
While the poem is primarily humorous, it touches on themes: (i) The danger of wild animals: All the "identification methods" involve the animal attacking the human, reminding us that wild animals are dangerous. (ii) Human ignorance about wildlife: The poem gently mocks people who can't tell animals apart — city people who've never seen a tiger or lion in the wild. (iii) Humour in fear: By making light of terrifying encounters, the poet helps us laugh at our fears. (iv) The uniqueness of each animal: Despite the humour, the poem does highlight distinctive characteristics of each animal — stripes, spots, hugging, smiling, weeping.
What poetic devices are used?
Answer
(i) Humour and irony: The entire poem — advice on identifying animals by being killed by them. (ii) Hyperbole/Exaggeration: "As you're dyin'," "he'll do no more than lep and lep." (iii) Personification: Animals are described with human actions — the hyena "smiles," the crocodile "weeps." (iv) Imperfect rhyme: "dyin'/lion," creating a playful, informal tone. (v) Repetition: "lep and lep" emphasises the leopard's repeated attacks. (vi) Satire: The poem satirises field guides and identification manuals.