How to Tell Wild Animals

 NCERT Class 10 English Poem – How to Tell Wild Animals

The poem "How to Tell Wild Animals" by Carolyn Wells is about different animals in the jungle. There's the big Asiatic Lion that roars loudly when it hunts. Then there's the Bengal Tiger with black stripes on its yellow body, which attacks very fast. The leopard has spots all over and jumps at people to attack, not caring if they cry out. Bears attack by putting their heavy bodies on people, suffocating them. Hyenas smile when they attack, while crocodiles cry. Chameleons blend in with their surroundings, making them hard to see. So, the poem helps us know each animal by its special traits.

Thinking about the Poem (Page 45)

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

No, ‘dyin’ does not rhyme with ‘lion’. If we pronounce the word ‘lion’ as ‘lying’, then probably it would rhyme with the word ‘dyin’.

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

The poet says if there's a big, yellowish animal roaring from the eastern jungle, it's probably an Asian Lion. But if there's a majestic wild animal with black stripes on its yellow fur wandering around, it's likely a Bengal Tiger. Also, the poet notes that lions usually make loud roars when they hunt, while tigers hunt quietly.

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

The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ are spelt incorrectly in the poem. The poet has spelt them in such a way to maintain the rhythm of the poem. The correct spelling of the words, ‘lept’ is leapt and ‘lep’ is leap. The poet has deliberately spelt them incorrectly to create an element of humour therefore, emphasizing the word ‘leopard’ in every 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’ refers to a bear’s close and tight embrace with both hands as it attacks its victims. Other animals also have similar expressions such as a hyena never laughs but its face looks like that, crocodiles never weep but they burst into tears when they swallow their prey or 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”. However, the usage of incorrect line fit in the poem as it helps in maintaining the rhyme scheme of the poem. By using the incorrect word ‘nonplus’, it 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)?

In the poem "Tale of Custard the Dragon" by Ogden Nash, the poet changes the spellings of words like "realio" and "trulio" to make the poem sound rhythmic and catchy. For example, instead of saying "really" and "truly," the poet uses these fun, made-up words to fit the rhyming pattern and keep the poem flowing smoothly. The lines are given below:

Belinda lived in a little white house,

With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse,

And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,

And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

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.

The poet uses simple and funny language in the poem to make us laugh. For instance, when the poet says "A noble wild beast greets you," it's funny because it's unlikely that a fierce animal like a tiger would actually greet someone. Similarly, the line "He’ll only lep and lep again" is humorous because the word "lep" is made up to rhyme with "leopard" and adds to the fun of the poem.