How to Wild Animals Explanation Hindi & English Class 10

‘How to Wild Animals’ Poem’s stanza wise Explanation is given here in both English and Hindi. The word meanings are also given with the stanzas. You can click here for more study materials on ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’.

Poem Outline (Summary)

‘How To Tell Animals’, is a beautiful light mood funny poem by Carolyn Wells about the strange habits and behaviour of some wild animals. The poet creates humour by suggesting different but dangerous ways of identifying wild animals. You can identify most of the beast while attacking you. Instead of shouting for help or trying to protect yourself. You are busy identifying the attacker- the idea creates humour.

He says if you ever visit the jungles in the east and you happen to encounter a lion, a tiger or a leopard, you’ll be able to identify them by the way they attack upon you. The idea of ‘Identifying while dying’ makes you laugh. He also tells you to identify a bear from its friendly, hard bear-hug, a hyena from its laugh and a crocodile from its weeping while swallowing its victim. If you see nothing on the tree, then there is a chameleon as it has the quality to change its colour according to its surroundings. 

The poetess is also educating the readers by describing the various features of wild animals. She is introducing all the animals of East one by one in a very practical way by stating their strange habits and behaviour that readers might not know earlier.

Word Meanings

Stanza Explanations with Meanings

Stanza – 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.

The poet here says if by chance you happen to go to any forest in the east, you are likely to encounter a huge and terrible animal moving towards you. You will notice that a large beast roars loudly at you and you feel that you are going to die due to fear, then you will come to know that it is the Asian Lion.

Stanza – 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.

If you are roaming around in the forest and you see a noble beast, you must understand that you are face to face with the Bengal tiger. This noble beast has black stripes over his yellowish hide. He is so quick that the moment you notice him, he will eat you at once. This is the simple rule of distinguishing the Bengal Tiger. 

Stanza – 3

If strolling forth, a beast you view,
Whose hide with spots is peppered,
As soon as he has leapt on you,
You’ll know it is the Leopard.
He will do no good to roar with pain,
He’ll only lep and lep again

He says if you happen to walk in the forest, you might encounter a beast with spots on his skin. When this wild beast will jump at you, you will understand that it is a Leopard as he will keep jumping on you and will tear you apart. Moreover, it will be of no use then to shout or cry with pain because he will continue pouncing on you. So you should be careful. 

Stanza – 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 doubt, I guess
He will give you just one more caress.

The poet says that while you are walking in your yard, you may encounter a creature there. When this creature hugs you very tightly, then believe that it is a Bear. The poet further says that in case of any doubt, you will find that the Bear will embrace you once again till death. 

Stanza – 5

Though to distinguish beasts of prey
A novice might nonplus,
The Crocodiles you always may
Tell from the Hyenas thus;
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.

It is not an easy job for an inexperienced person to distinguish beasts of prey. He will be confused in distinguishing them. He may not be able to differentiate between a hyena and a crocodile. Hyenas are very deceptive. They will attack their victims with weird smiles and kill them. Crocodiles pretend to be weeping before attacking or killing their prey.

Stanza – 6

The true Chameleon is small,
A lizard sort of thing;
He has not any ears at all,
And not a single wing.
If there is nothing on the tree,
Tis the Chameleon you see.

The poet describes a chameleon in this stanza. He says a chameleon is a small garden lizard. It doesn’t have ears or wings. The poet, further, says if you are unable to see a thing on the tree, then chances are that a chameleon is sitting there.