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By Carolyn Wells
ABOUT THE POET
Carolyn Wells, (born June 18, 1862, N.J., U.S.—died March 26, 1942, New York, N.Y.), prolific American writer remembered largely for her popular mysteries, children’s books, and humorous verse.
1. Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
Dying does not rhyme with the ‘lion’. The poet has used the word ‘dyin’ so that it rhyme 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 talks about an extreme situation to identify animals. The poet says that if you hear the roar of an animal and fear like dying then you can be sure a lion is very near to you. Then the poet says that if you see a wild animal with black stipes on a yellow body and it starts eating you then you can be very sure that it is a Bengal tiger. The Bengal tiger is never noble in its heart.
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 not spelt correctly. The poet has spelt them like this in order to maintain the rythm of the poem. The correct spelling of the words, 'lept' is leapt and 'lep' is leap. The poet has intentionally spelt them incorrectly to create a sense of humour. Alliteration is a poetic device used here.
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)?
The poet expresses the quality of each animal humorously. She says that the bear’s hug is strong and friendly but exactly she says that a bear’s hug is never loving. The hug of a bear is fatal. The poet says that hyenas come with merry smiles. But actually hyena never smiles happily. Hyena eats away his prey with a smile. The poet says that crocodile come with tears as they swallow their victims. Basically these animals are beasts of prey. When they come to catch their prey they display certain qualities to deceive their victim.
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 nonplussed’ but the poet has written as ‘nonplus’ so that it rhymes with ‘thus’.
6. How does a leopard behave when he sees a person?
The leopard will leap on him and eat him away. The leopard kills his prey in a moment. His crying won’t save him.
7. What does the poet say about a chameleon?
The poet says that if you could not find anything on a tree there could be a possibility that there is a chameleon. The chameleon has the quality to camouflage, it merges into its surroundings. The poet also compares the lizard to chameleon because both have the quality to camouflage.
ABOUT THE POET
Carolyn Wells, (born June 18, 1862, N.J., U.S.—died March 26, 1942, New York, N.Y.), prolific American writer remembered largely for her popular mysteries, children’s books, and humorous verse.
1. Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
Dying does not rhyme with the ‘lion’. The poet has used the word ‘dyin’ so that it rhyme 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 talks about an extreme situation to identify animals. The poet says that if you hear the roar of an animal and fear like dying then you can be sure a lion is very near to you. Then the poet says that if you see a wild animal with black stipes on a yellow body and it starts eating you then you can be very sure that it is a Bengal tiger. The Bengal tiger is never noble in its heart.
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 not spelt correctly. The poet has spelt them like this in order to maintain the rythm of the poem. The correct spelling of the words, 'lept' is leapt and 'lep' is leap. The poet has intentionally spelt them incorrectly to create a sense of humour. Alliteration is a poetic device used here.
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)?
The poet expresses the quality of each animal humorously. She says that the bear’s hug is strong and friendly but exactly she says that a bear’s hug is never loving. The hug of a bear is fatal. The poet says that hyenas come with merry smiles. But actually hyena never smiles happily. Hyena eats away his prey with a smile. The poet says that crocodile come with tears as they swallow their victims. Basically these animals are beasts of prey. When they come to catch their prey they display certain qualities to deceive their victim.
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 nonplussed’ but the poet has written as ‘nonplus’ so that it rhymes with ‘thus’.
6. How does a leopard behave when he sees a person?
The leopard will leap on him and eat him away. The leopard kills his prey in a moment. His crying won’t save him.
7. What does the poet say about a chameleon?
The poet says that if you could not find anything on a tree there could be a possibility that there is a chameleon. The chameleon has the quality to camouflage, it merges into its surroundings. The poet also compares the lizard to chameleon because both have the quality to camouflage.
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