Main Text How to Tell Wild Animals
Summary of the Poem “How to Tell Wild Animals”
This is a funny poem. The poet tells us how to know wild animals in a very dangerous and silly way. She says, if you go to a jungle in the East and a big yellow-brown animal comes and roars at you while you are dying, then it is the Asian Lion.
If a wild animal with black stripes on a yellow body greets you and eats you, then it is the Bengal Tiger.
If you see an animal with many black spots and it jumps on you again and again, then it is the Leopard. Even if you shout in pain, it will not stop.
If an animal gives you a very tight hug, then it is a Bear. If you are not sure, it will give you one more tight hug.
The poet says that a new person may get confused between wild animals. But you can know a Hyena because it looks like it is smiling. If the animal is crying, it is a Crocodile.
A Chameleon is a very small animal. It looks like a lizard. It has no ears and no wings. If you see nothing on the tree, then it is the Chameleon, because it mixes with the colour of the tree.
Narrative Explanation of Literary Devices in “How to Tell Wild Animals”
In this poem, the poet Carolyn Wells is trying to teach us how to know wild animals. But she does not use serious or scientific ways. Instead, she uses funny, strange, and dangerous methods. To make the poem more interesting, she uses many literary devices. These are special tools used by poets to make the poem more beautiful, rhythmic, and meaningful.
- Rhyme Scheme
The poet follows a regular rhyme pattern in the poem. In each stanza, the last words of the lines rhyme with each other. This gives a musical sound to the poem when we read it aloud.
For example:
“If ever you should go by chance / To jungles in the east;
And if there should to you advance / A large and tawny beast…”
Here, the words “chance” and “advance”, “east” and “beast” rhyme.
This kind of rhyme helps the poem to flow smoothly and makes it easy to remember.
- Humour and Irony
This poem is full of humour. But the humour is not simple laughing; it is also a little dangerous. The poet tells us we can know a lion when it roars at us while we are dying. Or we can know a tiger when it eats us. This is called irony — because the way to identify the animal is only possible after we are attacked, which is too late.
This kind of humour is called dark humour. It makes us laugh but also shows how risky wild animals can be.
- Repetition
In the stanza about the leopard, the poet writes:
“’Twill do no good to roar with pain, / He’ll only lep and lep again.”
Here, the poet repeats the word “lep”, which is a funny, shortened form of “leap” (jump). The repetition of “lep” shows that the leopard keeps jumping again and again, and you cannot stop it by shouting.
This repetition gives rhythm to the poem and adds a funny image in the mind of the reader.
- Alliteration
The poet also uses alliteration, where the same sound is used at the start of two or more nearby words.
Example:
“Who hugs you very, very hard”
Here, the letter “v” is repeated in “very, very”. This gives a soft and musical feeling to the line.
- Personification
Personification means giving human actions or feelings to animals or objects. In this poem, the poet gives human actions to wild animals to make them funny.
Examples:
• The hyena is said to come with a “merry smile” – as if it is laughing like a human.
• The crocodile is said to “weep”, which refers to the famous idea of “crocodile tears” — fake crying.
• The bear gives a “hug” — which is a human action, but here it is used to show the strong grip of the bear.
These actions make the poem more playful and interesting, even though it talks about dangerous animals.
- Creative Spelling and Grammar
The poet uses wrong spellings and grammar sometimes — not by mistake, but on purpose, to make the poem sound better or funnier.
For example:
• “dyin’” is used instead of “dying” so that it rhymes with “lion.”
• “lept” and “lep” are used instead of “leapt” and “leap” — this is done for fun and to match the rhyme.
• The line “A novice might nonplus” uses old or poetic grammar. Normally we say, “A novice might be nonplussed,” but the poet changes it to make the line fit the rhythm of the poem.
This kind of language gives the poem a light and humorous feeling, even when the topic is about wild animals.
The poet uses rhyme, humour, irony, repetition, alliteration, personification, and funny spelling to make the poem fun and enjoyable. Even though the poem talks about dangerous animals, it never feels scary. It makes us laugh and enjoy the rhythm of the words.
The poet’s style is playful, clever, and creative, and through her smart use of these literary devices, she makes the poem easy for readers — even young students — to understand and enjoy.
MCQs with Answers
- According to the poet, how can you identify an Asian Lion?
A) By its black stripes B) By its roar when you are dying C) By its laugh D) By its tears
Answer: B) By its roar when you are dying
- What colour is the body of the Bengal Tiger?
A) White with black spots B) Yellow with black stripes C) Red with white lines D) Brown with dark circles
Answer: B) Yellow with black stripes
- What happens if a leopard comes near you?
A) It will roar B) It will hug you C) It will jump and bite again and again D) It will smile and run away
Answer: C) It will jump and bite again and again
- Why does the poet use the word ‘dyin’ instead of ‘dying’?
A) To make it longer B) To confuse the reader C) To make it rhyme with ‘lion’ D) Because it is the correct spelling
Answer: C) To make it rhyme with ‘lion’
- What kind of humour is used in the poem?
A) Sad humour B) Dark and funny C) No humour at all D) Rude and angry
Answer: B) Dark and funny
- What will the bear do when it comes to you, according to the poet?
A) Lick you softly B) Smile at you C) Hug you tightly D) Run away
Answer: C) Hug you tightly
- What special expression is linked with the crocodile in the poem?
A) Monkey tricks B) Crocodile tears C) Bear hugs D) Fox cleverness
Answer: B) Crocodile tears
- What kind of spelling does the poet use in some lines?
A) Formal and serious B) Scientific spelling C) Funny and shortened spelling D) No spelling at all
Answer: C) Funny and shortened spelling
- What does the poet say about the hyena?
A) It comes with a sad look B) It runs away silently C) It smiles happily D) It cries loudly
Answer: C) It smiles happily
- What is the meaning of ‘novice’ in the line “A novice might nonplus”?
A) A small tiger B) A wild animal C) An expert person D) A beginner or new learner
Answer: D) A beginner or new learner
- Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
Answer: No, “dyin’” and “lion” do not exactly rhyme in standard English. But the poet uses a shortcut — by cutting off the “g” in “dying”, and making it sound like “dyin’”, she tries to make it sound closer to “lion”.
If we say both words quickly or with a certain accent, they can sound like they rhyme. The poet uses this trick to match the rhyme scheme and keep the poem flowing.
- How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him?
Answer: The poet says, if you are walking in a jungle in the East and a large, tawny beast roars at you while you are dying, then it is the Asian Lion.
If an animal with black stripes on a yellow body comes to greet you and eats you, then it is the Bengal Tiger.
According to the poet, you can know these animals only after they attack you, which is not helpful in real life. The poet is joking in a humorous and ironic way.
- Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like this?
Answer: No, the words “lept” and “lep” are not standard spellings. The correct word is “leapt”, which means “jumped.”
But the poet spells them like “lept” and “lep” to create humour, and also to make the rhyme sound better with the word “peppered”.
The poet is using her freedom as a poet to play with spellings and sounds.
- 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)?
Answer: Yes, a bearhug means a tight and strong hug, like a bear gives — but in this poem, it means the bear is attacking you!
In Assamese or Indian culture, we also have such ideas:
• People say foxes are clever or chalaki, like in the folk tale “fox and the crow.”
• We say “crocodile tears” too, meaning someone is crying but not really feeling sad.
• Monkeys are called naughty and jumping animals, and children are sometimes compared to monkeys!
• In Assamese, a snake (saaap) is seen as dangerous but also clever. These ideas are found in stories and proverbs passed down by elders.
- 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?
Answer: The correct way to write this line is:
“A novice might be nonplussed.”
But the poet writes “A novice might nonplus” without “be” and also uses an older form.
This “incorrect” version is shorter and more rhythmic. It also fits better in the poem’s pattern and keeps the flow.
Sometimes, poets break grammar rules on purpose to make the poem sound better.
- 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)?
Answer: Yes, many poets use freedom with language in both English and Indian languages.
In English:
• Ogden Nash writes funny poems with wrong spellings or long silly words. Example: “If called by a panther / Don’t anther.” (Here, “anther” is used instead of “answer” to make it rhyme.)
In Assamese or Hindi:
• Assamese children’s poet Nalinibala Devi sometimes used rhymes and funny lines for children.
• In Hindi, poets like Kaka Hathrasi or Sukumar Ray in Bengali wrote humorous and nonsense poems using made-up words.
Such poets use language in a funny and free way to make us laugh.
- 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.
Answer: One line I really like is:
“If he roars at you as you’re dyin’, / You’ll know it is the Asian Lion…”
This is very funny because the poet says you can know it’s a lion only while you are dying — which means too late!
The language is simple, but the idea is dark and humorous. The rhyme of “dyin’” and “lion” also makes it sound silly and fun.
Another funny line is:
“He’ll only lep and lep again.”
Here the poet uses the word “lep” which is not a real word — but it sounds like “leap,” and it fits the rhythm. This made-up word gives the poem a child-like, comic effect.
Additional
- What is the poem “How to Tell Wild Animals” about?
Answer: The poem tells us how to know different wild animals in a funny and unusual way. The poet gives ideas that are not really helpful in real life because by the time we know the animal, it has already attacked us. The poem uses humour, imagination, and rhyme to describe wild animals.
- How does the poet describe the Bengal Tiger?
Answer: The poet says the Bengal Tiger has black stripes on yellow skin. It is a noble-looking animal. If it comes close and eats you, then you will know it is a Bengal Tiger. The poet is joking here, because this way of knowing is dangerous.
- What does the poet say about the Leopard’s behaviour?
Answer: The poet says that if you meet a Leopard, it will jump (lep) and bite again and again. Even if you cry out in pain, it will not stop. This shows that leopards are very quick and dangerous.
- What type of humour is used in the poem?
Answer: The poem uses dark humour and funny language. The poet makes jokes about wild animals attacking people, which sounds scary, but is written in a light and playful way. The poet also uses wrong spellings and rhyming tricks to make us laugh.
- Why do you think the poet breaks grammar and spelling rules in this poem?
Answer: The poet breaks grammar and spelling rules to make the poem more funny and interesting. For example, she writes “dyin’” instead of “dying” and “lep” instead of “leap”. These changes help with rhyming and make the poem feel playful and musical.
- How does the poet describe the Hyena?
Answer: The poet says the Hyena is a laughing animal. It has a smiling face, so if you see an animal smiling at you in the jungle, it might be a Hyena. The poet is using a common belief that hyenas look like they are laughing.
- What does the poet say about the Crocodile?
Answer: The poet says if you see an animal weeping while eating you, it is a Crocodile. This is based on the old saying “crocodile tears”, which means false crying. The poet is using this idea in a funny way.
- What does the word ‘nonplus’ mean in the poem?
Answer: In the poem, ‘nonplus’ means to feel confused or shocked. The poet says that a novice, or a beginner, might feel confused when they see a beast with black spots, which is the Leopard.
- What kind of poem is this — serious or funny? Give one reason.
Answer: This is a funny poem. It uses jokes and clever language to describe wild animals. The funny part is, you only know the animal after it attacks you, which is not useful in real life, but makes us laugh.
- What message do you think the poet wants to give?
Answer: The poet wants to entertain us by showing that poetry can be funny and creative, not always serious. She uses wild animals to make us laugh and also shows how poets can play with language and rhymes.
- What literary device is used in the line “If he roars at you as you’re dyin’, / You’ll know it is the Asian Lion”?
Answer: The device is rhyme. The words “dyin’” and “lion” sound similar, so they rhyme. The poet also cuts the word “dying” to “dyin’” just to make it match with “lion”.
- What is the poetic device used when the poet says “A noble wild beast greets you”?
Answer: This is personification. The poet treats the animal like a person by saying it “greets” you. Animals don’t greet people, so this is a human action given to an animal.
- Which figure of speech is used in “lept upon you”?
Answer: The device is onomatopoeia (sound effect) and archaic spelling. “Lept” is an old or playful way to say “leapt”. It gives a quick and sharp sound, showing how fast the leopard attacks.
- How is irony used in the poem?
Answer: Irony is used in the way the poet tells us how to “know” animals — like after they attack or kill you. It is funny because by that time, it’s already too late! This opposite idea makes the poem humorous.
- What is the poetic device in “If there is nothing on the tree / ’Tis the chameleon you see”?
Answer: The device is paradox and rhyme. A paradox means something that seems wrong but is true. The line says you see something when you see nothing, which is true for a chameleon because it hides so well.
