NCERT Class 10 English First Flight Poetry Chapter 4 - Identifying Wild Animals

Class 10 English First Flight Poetry Chapter 4: Unraveling the Secrets of Wild Animals

The poet employs a captivating and mysterious writing style to portray a variety of untamed creatures. While she introduces these animals in a comical manner one by one, they are all extremely dangerous. She commences by describing the Asian lion. According to her, if you come across a creature with sandy-colored skin that can roar in the forests of the east, you might just faint from fright. This suggests that you have indeed encountered an Asian lion. Next, she portrays the Bengal tiger as a majestic being that swiftly attacks and devours humans. Jokingly, she suggests that if this striking feline with its black and white stripes kills and consumes us, we have surely come face to face with a Bengal tiger.

Unveiling the Video Explanation of Class 10 English First Flight Poetry Chapter 4: How to Tell Wild Animals

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PDF of Class 10 English First Flight Poetry Chapter 4: How to Tell Wild Animals

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poetry Chapter 4: How to tell wild animals

Solved Textbook Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poetry Chapter 4: How to Tell Wild Animals

Delving into the Poem (Page 45)

Question 1: Does the word 'dyin' actually rhyme with 'lion'? Can you enunciate it in a manner that makes it rhyme?

Answer: No, the word 'dyin' does not rhyme with 'lion'. If we pronounce the word 'lion' as 'lying', then there is a possibility of it rhyming with the word 'dyin'.

Question 2: How does the poet suggest identifying the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to the poet?

Answer: The poet asserts that the Asian Lion is the mighty, tan-colored creature that roams through the jungles of the east and roars at us. On the contrary, the Bengal Tiger is a magnificent wild animal adorned with black stripes on a golden coat, freely exploring the forest. The poet further notes that, unlike tigers, lions often let out loud screams while attacking their prey.

Question 3: Do you believe that the words 'lept' and 'lep' in the third stanza are spelled correctly? Why does the poet spell them in this manner?

Answer: The poet has misspelled the words "lept" and "lep" in the poem. The poet intentionally spelled them this way to maintain the poetic rhythm. The accurate spelling for both words is "leaped." The word "leopard" is emphasized in each line as the poet humorously misspells it.

Question 4: Are you familiar with the term 'bearhug'? It refers to a warm and tight embrace, similar to how bears are perceived to hug when attacking! Similarly, hyenas are associated with laughter, and crocodiles with shedding 'crocodile tears' as they devour their victims. Are there similar expressions and popular beliefs about wild animals in your own language(s)?

Answer: A "bearhug" is an affectionate and forceful embrace where both arms are tightly wrapped, mimicking a bear's attack on its prey. Although hyenas do not actually laugh, their facial expressions give the impression, and crocodiles do not cry, they shed tears while swallowing their prey or victims. Other animals also have similar facial expressions associated with them.

Question 5: Take a look at the line "A novice might nonplus". How would you write this line 'correctly'? Why is the poet's 'incorrect' line more effective in the poem?

Question 6: Are there any other instances of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your native language(s)? Can you provide examples of humorous poems in your native language(s)?

Answer: Absolutely. Poets often venture into the realm of linguistic creativity to maintain the musicality of their verse. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as "poetic license." As an illustration, consider Ogden Nash's delightful poem titled "Tale of Custard the Dragon," where he replaces the words "really" and "genuinely" with the charming concoctions of "realio" and "trulio" to achieve a delightful rhythmic effect. Let us revel in the following lines:

Belinda inhabited a diminutive abode,

In the company of a jet-black feline and a mouse that glowed,

Together with a petite golden canine and a crimson wagon,

And a realio, trulio, diminutive pet dragon.