The poem “How to Tell Wild Animals”is written by the poet Carolyn wells an american writer and poet. This is a humorous poem which suggests some ways to identify the wild animals. In the poem How to Tell wild animals the poet tries to distinguish one animal from other in a humorous way. This poem is quite funny, informative and educative as it tells about various animals, about regions,about physical feature of various animals etc. Let me give a very brief introduction of the poet Carolyn Wells she wrote “How to tell wild animals”. She was born on 18 June in 1862, in United States. She is remembered for her popular mysteries, children’s books,and humorous verse.This article contain how to tell wild animals stanza wise explanation, how to tell wild animals class 10 pdf, How to tell wild animals summary .To read more about the author one can visit to wikipedia For more resources for class 10 Notes……..
How to tell Wild Animals – Stanza Wise Explanation
If ever you should go by chance
To jungles of the east;
And if there should to you advance
A large and tawny beast,
If he roars at you as you’re dyin’
You’ll know it is the Asian Lion…
In the first stanza of the poem the poet is telling us that how we can identify a Asian lion. If ever you go to the jungle or forest in the east, you are likely to encounter a large and terrible yellowish brown animal moving towards you. Than you will notice that large beast roars loudly at you and when you’ll feel that you’re dying out of fear then you’ll know you met the Asian Lion.
Or if sometime when roaming round,
A noble wild beast greets you,
With black strips on a yellow ground,
Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn
The Bengal Tiger to discern.
In second stanza, the poet describes a royal yellowish skin animal having black stripes roaming freely in the jungle. The poet says one will be certain that it is a Bengal Tiger if he starts eating you. But now there is no point in identifying a wild animal if you have to die to know him.
If strolling forth, a beast you view,
Whose hide with spots is peppered,
As soon as he has lept on you,
You’ll know it is the Leopard.
‘Twill do no good to roar with pain’
He’ll only lep and lep again
In this Third stanza, the poet says if you walk in the forest, you might see a animal with small spots on his skin giving a salt and pepper appearance. When this wild animal will jump at you, then you will know it is a Leopard. And even if you cry or shout that all be of no use the leopard will not leave you. So Be Careful.
If when you’re walking round your yards
you meet a creature there,
Who hugs you very,very hard,
Be sure it is a Bear.
If you have any doubts, I guess
He’ll give you just one more caress.
In this fourth stanza, the poet says if you are walking in your yard of field and you see an animal and when that animal hugs you very tightly, the without any kind of doubt be sure that it is a Bear. The poet further says that if still you’re not clear you have doubt you can confirm it if he hugs you again.
Though to distinguish beasts of prey
A novice might nonplus,
The crocodile you always may
Tell from the Hyena thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.
In this fifth stanza, the poet tries to differentiate between the Hyena and the Crocodile on the base of hunting of their prey. The poet says that a Hyena smile when they kill or swallow their prey. The laughing sound of hyena resembles human laugh. Similarly, Crocodiles shed they have tears in their eyes when eat their prey.
The true Chameleon is small,
A Lizard sort of thing;
He hasn’t any ears at all,
And not a single wing.
If there is nothing on the tree,
‘Tis the Chameleon you see.
In the last stanza, the poet tries to describe a Chameleon a small reptile that naturally change its skin color. This small Chameleon looks like a Lizard but it does not have any ears or wings. When there is nothing on the tree at that time you can see this little Chameleon. The ability of Chameleon to change its color help him to be safe from the hunters and various animals as they can’t find him when he change his color.
so, above is the explanation of each stanza of “How to tell Wild Animals” line by line.
How to Tell Wild Animals Summary
The poem how to tell wild animals is an humorous poem written by the poet Carolyn Wells an american writer and poet.In this poem the poet talks about some of the dangerous ways for identifying the wild animals. The way suggested by the poet to identify the wild animals creates humor in the poem.The poem contains six stanzas and each stanza talks about the different wild animals.In the poem How to tell wild Animals the poet says if you ever visit the jungles in the east you’ll happen to encounter a lion, a tiger or a Leopard, you’ll be able to identify them by the way they attack upon you. Here in the poem the idea of identifying an wild animal while encountering with death make this poem humorous and funny. The poet also tells us to identify a bear from his friendly,tight hug to kill it’s victim. then he tells us to identify a hyena from its laugh and a crocodile from weeping while swallowing the victim. Poet in telling way to identify a chameleon says, that if you see nothing on the tree then there is a chameleon as it has the quality to change its color according to its surroundings.
Also Read : NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight
How to Tell Wild Animals Class 10 Notes-
How to Tell Wild Animals: Word Meaning
1) Chance= Risk
2)Tawny= of Brownish- Yellow
3) Roar= Making a loud or deep sound
4) Beast= A large animal
5) Roam = To wonder
6) Discern= To detect or recognize pr identify
7) Strolling= To ramble, to walk in slow relaxed way
8) Peppered= To hit someone with small objects especially Bullets, Aromatic pungent spice
9) Lept= To jump one thing to another
10) Yard= Field
11) Hugs= To embrace warmly
12) Caress= To fondle, to kiss
13) Novice= Beginner
14) Hyena= A carnivores animal
15) Chameleon= A kind of small lizard
16) Nonplus= Confused, Nervous