HANDOUT How To Tell Wild Animals 2425

Blue Bells Model School
Session-2024-2025
English Language and Literature (184)
Class-X
Read, Understand and Learn
Poem –How to Tell Wild Animals

- Carolyn Well
Theme
The topic of the distinctive attributes and characteristics of wild animals and how they differ from domestic
animals is the theme of Carolyn Wells’ poem “How to Tell Wild Animals.” The poem jokingly enumerates
many ways to distinguish wild animals from domestic ones, highlighting their untamed, independent spirits,
and natural habits.
Introduction:
In the poem, the poet has explained the characteristics of various wild animals in a very funny way. She has
used language in a way that it generates humour. She is introducing the reader to various kinds of wild
animals like Asian lion, Bengal tiger, bear, etc.explaining each of the animals in a very humorous way.
Summary
The poet is describing the various wild animals. These animals are very dangerous and she has introduced
them one by one in a very funny way. First of all she tells us about an Asian lion. She says that if you are
visiting the jungles of the east and there you see an animal which has tawny skin and he roars so loudly that
you will die out of fear. This means that you have seen an Asian lion. Next in the line is the Bengal tiger that
she has explained to be a royal animal that at once attacks and kills a man. She says by adding humour that
if this beautiful black striped animal kills you and eats you, then you have surely met a Bengal tiger. After
this, she says that if the reader met an animal that has black spotted skin and it at once jumps on him, then it
means that the reader has met a leopard. Moreover, she says that if one will cry out in pain, it maybe of no
use as the leopard will not stop attacking him. Then she moves on to the bear that she says will hug very
tightly. This is the way to recognize a bear as it kills a person by hugging him very tightly. So, she says that
the bear will continue to hug us tightly and that is the only way to recognize him. After this, she asks a
question to the readers that do they know how to recognize beasts that hunt their prey. Here she explains
about hyenas which she thinks have a smiling face and the crocodiles that have tears in their eyes. This can
be seen when they are killing their prey. The last one in the list is the Chameleon. She says that it is a lizard
– like creature which doesn’t have ears and wings just like a lizard. Only this can help you differentiate
between a lizard and chameleon. She further says that the chameleon has a quality of changing its color
according to the colour of the surface. So, to explain this she says that if the reader looks at the tree and if he
can only see the tree, this means that there is a chameleon sitting on it which has already turned its color to
brown just like the branch of a tree.
Stanza wise Explanation

1.If ever you should go by chance
To jungles in 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…
Explanation: The poet is telling the readers that how they can recognize various animals in the jungles of
the east. So, in first stanza she says that if the reader comes across an animal whose skin is yellowish brown
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in colour and if it roars at him so strongly that he can die out of fear, it means that he has encountered an
Asian Lion. She has humorously explained the Asian Lion which could kill a person with its roar.
2. Or if some time when roaming round,

A noble wild beast greets you,
With black stripes on a yellow ground,
Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn
The Bengal Tiger to discern.
Explanation:
She explains an animal that roams in the jungle and belongs to a royal clan. The colour of its skin is
yellowish with black stripes. She says that if you notice that he kills you and eats you up, then this means
that you have surely seen a Bengal Tiger. This time also she has used dark humour to explain how a tiger
looks like because once a person has been eaten up by a wild animal, there is no use in determining which
wild animal it is.
3. 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.
Explanation:
The poet says that if you are casually walking in a jungle, you will meet an animal who has a skin with
spots on it. This animal is so fast that it will leap on you at once which means that it will jump on you. This
jumping is an indication that it is none other than the Leopard. Moreover, she adds that if you will cry out in
pain, it is not going to be of any use as it will keep on jumping on you. So, in this stanza the poet has
explained the characteristic of a leopard.
4. If when you’re walking round your yard

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.
Explanation:
If you are walking in the lawn area of your house and you meet a creature which hugs you tightly, it is a
bear. She further adds that if you are still in doubt regarding the animal, the easiest way is that he will keep
hugging and touching you very gently. This act of his will make you sure about its identity. You will come
to know that it is a bear.
5. 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.
Explanation

The poet says that for someone who is new to the job of recognizing animals, it will be like a puzzle to
recognize animals that hunt other animals for their food. So here the poet tries to help out the readers by
telling the difference between two animals. He says that Hyenas will be smiling whereas if it is a crocodile,
it is always in tears. Both of these animals are dangerous.
6.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.
Explanation
The poet says that the next is Chameleon which is a small creature. It looks like a lizard but the difference
between the two is that chameleon does not have ears and wings. Moreover she says that chameleon has the
ability to change its color according to the surface on which it is sitting. Therefore, if you see a tree and find
nothing else on it, then it must be a chameleon sitting on it. It has changed its colour into the color of tree.
Poetic Devices
1.Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (chance-advance, east-beast, dyin-lion)

2.Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line (and if there…..tawny beast)
3.Inversion: Change in the format of a sentence (if there should to you advance)
4.Assonance: use of vowel sound ’o’ (you should go, should to you, roars,)
5.Allusion: Reference to a famous thing, place, species of animal, etc (Asian Lion)
6.Poetic license: A liberty to the poet to change the spellings in order to create rhyme or rhythm
in a poem (use of lept instead of leapt)
7.Repetition: use of ‘lep’ word in the last line.
8.Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘o’ (strolling-forth-you, whose-spot, do no good to roar)
9.Consonance: use of ‘l’ sound (he’ll only lep lep)

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Blue Bells Model School

Read, Understand and Learn

Poem –How to Tell Wild Animals

Stanza wise Explanation

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2. Or if some time when roaming round,

3. If strolling forth, a beast you view,

4. If when you’re walking round your yard

5. Though to distinguish beasts of prey

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6.The true Chameleon is small,

1.Rhyme: Rhyme scheme ababcc is followed (chance-advance, east-beast, dyin-lion)

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