How to Tell Wild Animals Class 10: Summary, Themes and Devices
Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked
How to Tell Wild Animals is a humorous poem by Carolyn Wells in First Flight. It mockingly advises you to identify seven wild animals by their deadly or tricky behaviour, from the lion's roar to the chameleon's invisibility. The board asks extract questions on tone, irony and word choice, plus 40-50 and 100-120 word answers.
What How to Tell Wild Animals is about
How to Tell Wild Animals is a humorous poem by Carolyn Wells in your NCERT textbook First Flight. It has six stanzas of six lines each. The poem pretends to be a serious guide to identifying ('telling') wild animals, but every method it suggests is dangerous. In one line: you will know which animal it is only when it attacks you, so the poem laughs at the idea of learning about wild beasts the hard way.
In the board paper, this poem appears in Section C. You may get a poetry extract (one of two) with 1-mark objective parts and a 2-mark part of 30-40 words that asks for analysis, such as irony or word choice. It can also come as a 3-mark short answer of 40-50 words, or as a 6-mark long answer of about 100-120 words that asks you to evaluate the humour or extend the idea to a new situation.
In real board papers: asked in 7 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 2 marks per paper. See the questions
How to Tell Wild Animals: explanation
In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.
Stanza 1 (the Asian Lion): The poet imagines that you happen to go to jungles in the east. A large, tawny (yellowish-brown) beast comes towards you. If it roars at you while you are dying, you will know it is the Asian Lion. The joke is that you identify the animal at the very moment it kills you.
Stanza 2 (the Bengal Tiger): While roaming around, you may meet a 'noble' wild beast with black stripes on a yellow background. The poet says you should simply notice whether it eats you. He calls this a 'simple rule' for recognising the Bengal Tiger. The word 'greets' makes a deadly attack sound like a polite welcome.
Stanza 3 (the Leopard): If you see a beast whose skin is covered with spots, you will know it is a Leopard as soon as it leaps on you. Crying out in pain will not help, because it will only leap on you again and again. The poet spells 'leapt' and 'leap' as 'lept' and 'lep' so that they rhyme with 'peppered' and 'Leopard'.
Stanza 4 (the Bear): If a creature in your own yard hugs you very hard, it is surely a Bear. If you still have doubts, it will give you 'one more caress'. A bone-crushing bear hug is described as a gentle, loving touch, which creates dark humour.
Stanza 5 (the Hyena and the Crocodile): The poet admits that a beginner (novice) may get puzzled telling beasts of prey apart. But there is an easy way to tell the Crocodile from the Hyena: hyenas come with merry smiles, while the ones that weep are crocodiles. This plays on popular ideas the NCERT book mentions: hyenas are thought to laugh, and crocodiles to weep as they swallow their victims.
Stanza 6 (the Chameleon): The chameleon is small and lizard-like, with no ears and not a single wing. If you look at a tree and see nothing on it, the chameleon is what you are seeing. This suggests the chameleon blends so well with the tree that it becomes invisible to you.
Central idea: The poem is a mock instruction manual. Each 'rule' is absurd because you can apply it only when it is too late. The humour comes from irony, gentle words for violent acts, and playful liberties with spelling and grammar. We can infer a quiet message too: wild animals are dangerous and deserve caution and respect from a safe distance.
Themes and message
Humour through irony and absurd advice
The whole poem is built on irony. It promises to teach you how to identify wild animals, but every method needs the animal to attack you first. You 'know' the lion only while you are dying and the tiger only if it eats you. The poet presents these deadly tests in a calm, helpful voice, as if they were sensible tips. This gap between the serious tone and the ridiculous advice is what makes the poem funny. It also makes fun of the idea that experience is always the best teacher, because here the lesson costs your life.
From the text: The tiger stanza calls being eaten a 'rule': "Just notice if he eats you." and "This simple rule may help you learn".
The danger of wild animals and the need for caution
Beneath the jokes, the poem keeps reminding you that wild animals are powerful and deadly. The lion roars, the tiger eats, the leopard leaps again and again, and the bear crushes you with a hug. This suggests that a wild animal does not care about your intentions; it acts by its nature. We can infer the message that you should respect wild creatures and keep a safe distance, rather than test how they behave. The poem teaches caution by showing how silly it is to learn about danger only through direct contact.
From the text: The leopard stanza warns that crying out will not help: "’Twill do no good to roar with pain," and "He’ll only lep and lep again."
Appearances can deceive
Several animals in the poem hide their danger behind a pleasant or harmless look. The tiger is a 'noble wild beast' that 'greets' you. The bear's crushing attack is called a 'caress'. Hyenas come with 'merry smiles', and crocodiles weep, though both are beasts of prey. The chameleon is so well hidden that you see 'nothing on the tree'. This suggests that you should not judge a creature by a friendly surface. The idea links to the popular phrase 'crocodile tears', which the NCERT book mentions, meaning false sorrow.
From the text: "Hyenas come with merry smiles;" and "But if they weep they’re Crocodiles."
Playing with language (poetic licence)
Much of the humour comes from the way the poet bends the rules of English. She writes 'dyin'' so it can rhyme with 'Lion', and 'lept' and 'lep' so they rhyme with 'peppered' and 'Leopard'. She uses 'nonplus' in the active form, though the glossary notes it is usually used in the passive ('be nonplussed'). These deliberate 'mistakes' keep the strong, regular rhythm and rhyme, and they add to the light, comic mood. The poem shows that poets may take liberties with language to create sound effects and fun.
From the text: "If he roars at you as you’re dyin’" rhymes with "You’ll know it is the Asian Lion..."; also "A novice might nonplus,".
The speaker and the people in the poem
The speaker (the poet)
A mock-serious guide who gives the reader 'rules' for identifying wild animals
- Playful and witty: turns deadly attacks into jokes, as in calling a bear's crushing hug a 'caress'
- Ironic: offers 'simple' rules that work only after the attack, such as 'Just notice if he eats you'
- Calm and matter-of-fact in tone, which makes the danger sound funnier
- Creative with language: bends spelling and grammar ('dyin'', 'lept', 'lep', 'nonplus') for rhyme and rhythm
- Observant: describes real features like the tiger's black stripes on a yellow ground and the leopard's spotted hide
She sounds like a helpful teacher: "This simple rule may help you learn" and "Be sure it is a Bear.", yet each rule depends on being attacked.
You (the reader or traveller addressed)
The imagined person who meets the animals; a beginner who does not know wild beasts
- A novice, new to wild animals, who may get puzzled telling beasts of prey apart
- Wandering and curious: goes 'by chance' to jungles, roams and strolls around
- Vulnerable: becomes the victim in almost every stanza
- Unsuspecting: meets danger even in their own yard
The poet addresses 'you' directly and says "A novice might nonplus,"; the bear meets you "when you’re walking round your yard".
The wild animals (lion, tiger, leopard, bear, hyena, crocodile, chameleon)
The creatures described, each identified by a striking feature or behaviour
- Powerful and dangerous: the lion roars, the tiger eats, the leopard leaps repeatedly
- Deceptive in appearance: the hyena smiles and the crocodile weeps
- Distinctive in looks: tawny lion, striped tiger, spotted leopard
- Hard to see: the chameleon is small, has no ears or wings, and seems invisible on the tree
"With black stripes on a yellow ground," (tiger), "Whose hide with spots is peppered," (leopard) and "If there is nothing on the tree," (chameleon).
Poetic devices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rhyme scheme | Each six-line stanza rhymes ababcc, for example: "chance / east / advance / beast / dyin’ / Lion". | The regular rhyme and the closing couplet give the poem a bouncy, sing-song rhythm. The final couplet of each stanza delivers the punchline, like the end of a joke. |
| Irony (dark humour) | "Just notice if he eats you." | The poet presents being eaten as a simple way to identify the tiger. The gap between the calm advice and the deadly result creates humour and shows how useless the 'rule' is. |
| Poetic licence | "As soon as he has lept on you," and "He’ll only lep and lep again."; also "A novice might nonplus,". | Changing 'leapt' and 'leap' lets the words rhyme with 'peppered' and 'Leopard'. Using 'nonplus' instead of 'be nonplussed' keeps the rhythm and rhyme with 'thus'. These playful errors add to the comic tone. |
| Euphemism / understatement | "He’ll give you just one more caress." | A violent, crushing bear hug is called a gentle, loving touch. The soft word for a brutal act makes the danger sound absurdly harmless and funny. |
| Personification | "A noble wild beast greets you," and "Hyenas come with merry smiles;" | The animals are given human manners like greeting and smiling. This makes their attacks sound polite and friendly, which sharpens the irony. |
| Imagery | "With black stripes on a yellow ground," and "Whose hide with spots is peppered," | Clear visual pictures help you see the tiger and the leopard. 'Peppered' suggests spots scattered like ground pepper all over the skin. |
| Repetition | "Who hugs you very, very hard," and "lep and lep again." | Repeating words stresses the force of the bear's hug and the leopard's repeated attacks, adding to both the sense of danger and the humour. |
Key quotations
Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.
If he roars at you as you’re dyin’
Poet: Stanza 1, describing how you will recognise the Asian Lion.
It sets up the poem's main joke: you identify the animal only while it kills you. 'Dyin'' is spelt to rhyme with 'Lion', showing poetic licence.
Just notice if he eats you.
Poet: Stanza 2, the 'rule' for recognising the Bengal Tiger.
A clear example of irony. The casual instruction 'just notice' contrasts sharply with the horror of being eaten.
Whose hide with spots is peppered,
Poet: Stanza 3, describing the Leopard's skin.
Vivid imagery: 'peppered' pictures spots scattered all over the hide, and it rhymes with 'Leopard'.
He’ll give you just one more caress.
Poet: Stanza 4, about the Bear that hugs you in your yard.
Euphemism and dark humour: a deadly hug is called a gentle, loving touch.
A novice might nonplus,
Poet: Stanza 5, admitting a beginner may be confused by beasts of prey.
The poet uses 'nonplus' in an unusual active form to fit rhythm and rhyme, a deliberate liberty with grammar.
But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.
Poet: Stanza 5, telling the Crocodile apart from the smiling Hyena.
It plays on the popular idea of crocodiles weeping as they swallow victims, and shows that appearances can deceive.
If there is nothing on the tree,
Poet: Stanza 6, describing the Chameleon.
The final joke: you 'see' the chameleon by seeing nothing, which suggests it blends perfectly with the tree.
How to Tell Wild Animals in real life
Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.
Humour through irony and absurd advice
Suppose your school cricket team is playing an inter-house final. Your bowler drops an easy catch, and the captain shouts, 'Wonderful catch!' Everyone laughs, even the bowler.
Explain how the captain's remark works like the irony in 'How to Tell Wild Animals', giving one example from the poem. Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Identify the irony: words mean the opposite of the situation.
- Link to a poem example where pleasant words hide something unpleasant (bear's hug called a 'caress').
- State the shared effect: humour.
Answer: The captain's 'Wonderful catch!' means the opposite of its words; the praise actually points to a mistake. The poem works the same way: the bear's very hard hug is called a 'caress', a gentle, loving touch. In both, polite words cover something unpleasant, creating humour.
Memory hook: Dropped catch called 'wonderful' = crushing hug called a 'caress'.
Appearances can deceive
Imagine you are waiting at a bus stop after tuition. A stranger in a car stops, smiles warmly and offers to drop you home.
Using the poem's lines on hyenas and crocodiles, explain why you should be careful. Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Recall the hyena's 'merry smiles' and the crocodile's tears.
- Point out that neither expression shows true feeling.
- Apply: a friendly smile does not prove good intentions.
- Decide on a safe action.
Answer: The poem's hyenas arrive with 'merry smiles' and crocodiles weep, yet neither expression shows a true feeling. Similarly, a stranger's warm smile tells me nothing about his intentions. I would politely refuse and wait for my bus, judging by caution rather than appearance.
Memory hook: A smile at the bus stop can be a hyena's smile; judge by caution.
The danger of wild animals and the need for caution
Suppose your family visits a hill-station temple where monkeys sit along the steps. Your younger brother wants a close-up photo with one, just to 'find out' whether it bites.
Using the logic of the poem, persuade your brother not to do this. Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Recall that the poem's tests work only at the moment of attack.
- Quote one example (tiger identified 'if he eats you').
- Apply to the monkey: learning by getting close is learning too late.
- Suggest safe behaviour.
Answer: The poem's 'rules' prove that learning by getting close is learning too late: you know the tiger only 'if he eats you'. Testing a monkey up close works the same way. Take the photo from a distance, keep food hidden and respect the animal's space.
Memory hook: If you have to get close to find out, you find out too late.
Playing with language (poetic licence)
Imagine you are writing a short rhyming jingle for your school's Diwali fair stall. To make one line rhyme, you change the spelling of a word. Your teacher asks you why.
Justify your choice using examples of poetic licence from 'How to Tell Wild Animals'. Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Give poem examples: 'dyin’' to rhyme with 'Lion', 'lep' for 'leap'.
- Explain the purpose: rhyme, rhythm, fun.
- Show you know the limit: correct spelling in formal writing.
Answer: Like Carolyn Wells writing 'dyin’' to rhyme with 'Lion', or 'lep' for 'leap', I bent one spelling to keep my rhyme and rhythm. In a playful jingle, such poetic licence is deliberate, not careless. In a formal letter, though, I would use correct spelling.
Memory hook: Jingle may 'lep'; a formal letter must 'leap'.
Topics in this chapter
- How to Tell Wild Animals Summary and ExplanationComing soon
- How to Tell Wild Animals Question AnswersComing soon
- How to Tell Wild Animals Poetic DevicesComing soon
- How to Tell Wild Animals Theme and MessageComing soon
- How to Tell Wild Animals Reference to ContextComing soon
How the board asks How to Tell Wild Animals
The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.
| Question type | How it is asked | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Word choice and vocabulary (extract, 1 mark) | Why does the poet use 'nonplus' instead of 'confused'? Fill in the blank: 'novice' means a/an ____ person. What does 'ground' refer to? | Give the meaning from the context or glossary (novice: someone new; ground: background). For word choice, say the unusual word keeps the rhyme with 'thus' and the rhythm, and adds humour. |
| Irony and humour analysis (extract, 2 marks, 30-40 words) | Explain the irony in the last two lines of a stanza, or how the poet uses humour in describing the tiger or bear. | State what the line literally says, then the gap between the calm advice and the deadly result. Name one word that creates the effect ('greets', 'caress', 'merry smiles'). Stay within 40 words. |
| Tone and atmosphere (extract MCQ, 1 mark) | Choose the tone or atmosphere: humorous, mysterious, aggressive, fearful; or fill in 'playful and humorous / serious'. | The tone is playful, humorous and ironic. Pick the option that matches, and check every word in a combined option before choosing. |
| Identifying features from the extract (extract, 1-2 marks) | Mention two characteristics of the chameleon, or how a newcomer may confuse the hyena and the crocodile. | Take details only from the given lines: small, lizard-like, no ears, no wings, invisible on the tree. For hyena and crocodile: hyenas smile, crocodiles weep. |
| Short answer on message or device (Q8, 3 marks, 40-50 words) | What lesson does the poet convey about wild animals? How does poetic licence add to the humour? | Make two clear points with one example from the poem each. Mark inferred messages with 'this suggests'. Count your words and end within 50. |
| Long answer with evaluation or extrapolation (Q10, 6 marks, 100-120 words) | Evaluate how humour hides a serious warning in the poem, or suppose you are writing a safety guide for visitors to a wildlife park. | Open with the central idea, develop three points with evidence (irony, euphemism, language play, danger), and link to the new situation. Organise in short paragraphs and keep to 120 words. |
Tricks to remember How to Tell Wild Animals
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
Order of the animals
Lazy Tigers Lick Big Hot Crispy Chips = Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Bear, Hyena, Crocodile, Chameleon.
Use it when: Place any extract in the right stanza and answer 'which stanza comes before/after' questions.
The clue chain
ROAR, EAT, LEAP, HUG, SMILE or WEEP, NOTHING. Lion roars as you die; tiger eats you; leopard leaps on you; bear hugs you; hyena smiles, crocodile weeps; chameleon is 'nothing on the tree'.
Use it when: Avoid mixing up which clue belongs to which animal in MCQs and short answers.
Themes spell HIDE
H = Humour through irony, I = Illusion (appearances deceive), D = Danger and caution, E = Expression bent (poetic licence). 'Hide' is also a word in the poem (the leopard's skin).
Use it when: Recall all four themes quickly when planning a 6-mark answer.
Four lines set up, two lines strike
Every stanza rhymes ababcc: four lines build a calm scene, the last two (the couplet) deliver the punchline.
Use it when: Answer questions on structure, rhyme scheme and where the humour lands.
The three liberties: D-L-N
D = dyin’ (for Lion), L = lept/lep (for Leopard), N = nonplus (for thus).
Use it when: Give three ready examples whenever a question asks about poetic licence or use of language.
How to Tell Wild Animals: extract-based questions
Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.
Extract 1: Extract 1: Meeting the Asian Lion (opening stanza)
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...
(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
In the line 'And if there should to you advance', the word 'advance' means:
(a) pay money early
(b) move forward towards
(c) improve
(d) step back(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
The phrase 'go by chance' suggests that the reader's visit to the jungle is:
(a) carefully planned
(b) accidental
(c) forced on the reader
(d) a regular habit(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which word has the poet shortened so that it rhymes with 'Lion'?
(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
How does the poet make the identification of the lion both humorous and absurd? Answer in 30-40 words.
Show the answersAnswers
- (b) move forward towards
- (b) accidental
- dyin’ (short for 'dying')
- The poet presents identification calmly, as if it were easy, yet the only clue arrives when the lion roars while you are dying. The knowledge comes too late to help, so the 'guide' is useless, which makes us laugh.
Extract 2: Extract 2: The Bear in your yard (fourth stanza)
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.
(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The word 'caress' in the last line means:
(a) a sudden attack
(b) a loud warning
(c) a gentle, loving touch
(d) a firm handshake(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Pick out the phrase from the extract that shows how the creature hugs the reader.
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
The words 'I guess' make the speaker sound:
(a) unsure and worried
(b) casual and mock-friendly
(c) angry and bitter
(d) scientific and exact(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
Explain the irony in calling the bear's hug a 'caress'. Answer in 30-40 words.
Show the answersAnswers
- (c) a gentle, loving touch
- 'very, very hard'
- (b) casual and mock-friendly
- A caress is a gentle, loving touch, but the bear's 'hug' is a crushing attack. Calling it a caress, and offering 'one more' to clear your doubts, turns violence into tenderness, creating dark, playful irony.
How to Tell Wild Animals: board-level solved questions
Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.
Example 1: Identifying the Leopard · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
How does the poet say you can identify the leopard, and what warning follows? Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The leopard's hide is 'peppered', that is, covered with spots.
- You are sure it is a leopard only after it has leapt on you.
- Roaring with pain will not help.
- The leopard will keep leaping at you again and again.
Answer: The poet says you can recognise the leopard by its hide, which is 'peppered' with spots. However, you will only be sure once it has leapt on you. Crying out in pain is pointless, because the leopard will simply keep leaping at you again and again.
Example 2: Poetic licence in the poem · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Comment on how the poet takes liberties with language in the poem and why these add to its effect. Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- 'Dyin’' drops the 'g' so that it rhymes with 'Lion'.
- 'Lept' and 'lep' replace 'leapt' and 'leap' and echo the sound of 'Leopard'.
- 'A novice might nonplus' bends grammar (normally 'might be nonplussed') to rhyme with 'thus'.
- Effect: keeps rhyme and the strong, regular rhythm; makes the poem lively and funny.
Answer: The poet bends language for rhyme, rhythm and fun. 'Dyin’' drops its 'g' to rhyme with 'Lion'. 'Lept' and 'lep' replace 'leapt' and 'leap', echoing 'Leopard' and suggesting quick, repeated jumps. 'A novice might nonplus' turns grammar around for rhyme. These liberties make the poem lively and funny.
Example 3: Hyena smiles and crocodile tears · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How do the lines on the hyena and the crocodile play with popular beliefs about these animals, and what do they suggest about appearances? Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Popular ideas: hyenas are thought to laugh, crocodiles to weep as they swallow victims.
- The poet offers a test that 'always' works: smiling means hyena, weeping means crocodile.
- Both expressions are false signs: neither smile nor tears show real feeling.
- Inference: appearances can deceive; the 'novice' is still in danger.
Answer: The lines use popular ideas that hyenas seem to laugh and crocodiles weep. The poet offers an infallible test: a smiling beast is a hyena, a weeping one a crocodile. Yet both expressions are false; neither smile nor tears show real feeling, suggesting appearances deceive.
Example 4: Humour through irony (theme answer) · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
'How to Tell Wild Animals' is a guide that can never be used. Discuss how Carolyn Wells creates humour through irony in the poem. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The poem poses as a helpful identification guide.
- Most clues arrive only during an attack: lion roars as you die, tiger eats you, leopard leaps on you.
- Polite words for violent acts: tiger 'greets' you, the bear's hard hug is a 'caress', 'simple rule'.
- Even the chameleon is identified by seeing nothing.
- Calm, chatty tone, regular rhythm and punchline couplets make death sound casual.
- Conclusion: the useless advice makes us laugh but hints that wild animals are dangerous.
Answer: Carolyn Wells builds the whole poem on irony. It pretends to be a helpful guide for identifying wild animals, but most 'clues' arrive only when the reader is being attacked. You know the Asian Lion when it roars as you die, and the Bengal Tiger if it eats you. The leopard is recognised after it leaps on you, and the bear by a crushing hug the poet calls a 'caress'. Polite words such as 'greets' and 'simple rule' clash with violent meanings. Even the small chameleon is identified by seeing nothing. The calm, chatty tone, regular rhythm and punchline couplets make death sound casual. The useless advice makes us laugh while quietly reminding us that wild animals are dangerous.
Example 5: Advising a younger cousin · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose your younger cousin reads this poem before a family trip to a wildlife sanctuary and says, 'Now I know how to identify wild animals.' What would you tell her? Answer in about 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The poem is humorous, not a real guide.
- Its tests work only during an attack (tiger 'if he eats you', leopard after it leaps).
- Real identification needs distance, guides and caution.
- The poem's deeper lesson: respect wild animals.
Answer: I would gently tell her the poem is a joke, not a guide. Its tests work only during an attack: the tiger is known 'if he eats you', the leopard after it leaps. Safe identification needs distance, guides and caution. The poem's real lesson is respect for wild animals.
Example 6: A talk before a national park trip (value-based) · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Imagine you have to give a short talk to your juniors before a school trip to a national park. Using 'How to Tell Wild Animals', explain how the poem's humour carries a serious warning, and suggest rules of safe behaviour. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Introduce the poem as funny but carrying a warning.
- Evidence: animals are identified at the moment of attack (lion, tiger, leopard, bear).
- Quote the helplessness: '’Twill do no good to roar with pain'.
- Inference: if you are close enough to be sure, it is too late.
- Extrapolation: practical rules (distance, guide, no teasing or feeding).
- Link back: like the smiling hyena, a calm animal can still be dangerous; close with respect for the wild.
Answer: Friends, Carolyn Wells's poem is funny, but its jokes hide a serious warning. The poet's 'rules' identify most animals only at the moment of attack: the lion roars as you die, the tiger eats you, the leopard leaps 'again', and the bear hugs very hard. The poem says, '’Twill do no good to roar with pain'. Once you are close enough to be sure, it is too late. So on our trip, let us remember three rules. First, keep a safe distance and stay inside the vehicle. Second, follow the forest guide and never wander alone. Third, do not tease or feed animals. Like the poem's smiling hyena, a calm-looking animal can still be dangerous. Enjoy, but respect the wild.
Where the marks are
How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.
How does the poet create humour in the stanza about the bear? Answer in about 40-50 words. (3 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content: describes the situation (meeting a creature in your own yard that hugs you 'very, very hard'; you can 'be sure' it is a bear) | 1 |
| Content: explains the irony (a crushing hug is called a 'caress', a gentle, loving touch; 'one more caress' to clear your doubts) | 1 |
| Expression: clear, connected sentences within 40-50 words (up to 1 mark may be deducted for spelling and grammar errors) | 1 |
'How to Tell Wild Animals' is funny, but it also carries a serious message.' Discuss. Answer in about 100-120 words. (6 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content: humour through irony and absurd advice, with examples (lion roars as you die, tiger eats you, leopard leaps on you) | 1 |
| Content: playful language and deceptive appearances (bear's 'caress', hyena's smiles, crocodile's tears, poetic licence such as 'dyin’', 'lep') | 1 |
| Content: the serious message: wild animals are dangerous, so caution and distance matter; once you are sure, it is too late | 1 |
| Expression: organisation (introduction, developed points, conclusion) and coherence | 1 |
| Expression: fluency and appropriate vocabulary within about 100-120 words | 1 |
| Accuracy: correct spelling, grammar and punctuation | 1 |
Where students lose marks in How to Tell Wild Animals
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Swapping the hyena and the crocodile
Students remember 'laughing' and 'weeping' but forget which animal the poem gives each to.
Wrong working
Hyenas weep, so you can tell them from crocodiles.
Right working
Hyenas come with 'merry smiles'; if the beast weeps, it is a crocodile.
Do this: Use the clue chain: SMILE = hyena, WEEP = crocodile.
Usually costs: The full 1 mark of an objective part.
Mistake: Treating the poem as a serious guide
The student summarises the 'rules' at face value and misses the irony.
Wrong working
The poet tells us that a tiger can be identified by noticing whether it eats us.
Right working
The poet ironically says you can know the tiger only 'if he eats you', so the advice is useless and funny.
Do this: Always name the device (irony, absurd advice) and say why the clue comes too late.
Usually costs: Up to 1-2 content marks in a 3-mark or 6-mark answer.
Mistake: Retelling the lines instead of explaining them in the 2-mark extract part
The student paraphrases the stanza but never answers 'why is it ironic' or 'what is the effect'.
Wrong working
The bear hugs you very hard and then gives you one more caress.
Right working
A caress is a gentle, loving touch, but the bear's hug is an attack; calling it a caress is ironic.
Do this: Use the pattern: meaning of the word, what really happens, the effect (humour/irony).
Usually costs: 1 of the 2 marks.
Mistake: Calling 'lep' and 'lept' spelling mistakes
The student does not know the idea of poetic licence.
Wrong working
The poet has spelt 'leap' wrongly as 'lep'.
Right working
The poet deliberately writes 'lep' and 'lept' to echo 'Leopard' and keep the rhythm; this is poetic licence.
Do this: Say 'deliberate' and 'poetic licence', and give the purpose (rhyme, rhythm, humour).
Usually costs: 1 mark in an extract part; content marks in a 3-mark answer.
Mistake: Misquoting the poem
The student quotes from memory and adds words the poem does not have.
Wrong working
The poet writes about 'laughing hyenas' and 'crocodile tears'.
Right working
The poem says 'Hyenas come with merry smiles' and 'if they weep they’re Crocodiles'.
Do this: Quote only short phrases you are sure of; otherwise paraphrase without quotation marks.
Usually costs: Up to 1 mark for accuracy.
Mistake: Going far over the word limit
The student explains every stanza in a 3-mark answer instead of the one asked about.
Wrong working
A 90-word answer on the bear question that also describes the lion, tiger and leopard.
Right working
A 40-50 word answer on the bear stanza alone: situation, irony of 'caress', effect.
Do this: Count your words while practising; one point per sentence.
Usually costs: The 1 expression mark.
How to Tell Wild Animals: previous year questions
- Asked in 7 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 2 marks per paper; 7 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 1 of 4 sample papers.
Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.
Solved board questions from How to Tell Wild Animals
Real questions from recent papers. Try each one first, then open our step-by-step solution with marks per step.
2026, set 2/1/1, Q7(B) · 6 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-based
(B) 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.
(How to tell Wild Animals)
- I.1 mark
What is the most likely reason the poet uses the word 'nonplus' instead of confused?
- II.2 marks
Explain the irony in the last two lines of the stanza.
- III.1 mark
Fill in the blank with one word:
The word 'novice' signifies a/an ________ person. - IV.1 mark
What kind of atmosphere is created through these lines?
Select the correct option:
1. humorous 2. mysterious 3. aggressive 4. confusing 5. fearful
(A) 1 and 4
(B) Only 5
(C) 1, 2 and 3
(D) 4 and 5- (A)1 and 4
- (B)Only 5
- (C)1, 2 and 3
- (D)4 and 5
Try it first, then show our solutionSolution
- 1 mark
(I) 'Nonplus' rhymes with 'thus' and also conveys a deeper sense of bewilderment. The poet uses poetic licence for rhyme and effect.
- 1 mark
(II) The animals' outward features do not match their nature, so the attributes do not reveal their personalities.
- 1 mark
The hyena seems to smile and the crocodile seems to weep, yet both are deadly. The 'tell-tale sign' is useless.
- 1 mark
(III) inexperienced
- 1 mark
(IV) (A) 1 and 4: humorous and confusing.
Answer: (I) for rhyme and deeper sense of confusion; (II) smiling hyena and weeping crocodile are both dangerous; (III) inexperienced; (IV) A
Where the marks are
- Reason for nonplus (1 mark)
- Irony explained (2 marks)
- inexperienced (1 mark)
- Option A (1 mark)
2026, set 2/2/1, Q7(a) · 5 marks · Case-basedCompetency-based
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. / 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. (How to Tell Wild Animals)
- (i)1 mark
How does the poet describe the crocodile's tears? Choose the correct option:
- (A)genuine and heartfelt
- (B)joyful and sincere
- (C)false and deceptive
- (D)cold and indifferent
- (ii)1 mark
What confusion will a newcomer face while distinguishing between a hyena and a crocodile, as described humorously by the poet in the above extract?
- (iii)2 marks
Mention any two characteristics of a chameleon on the basis of the given extract.
- (iv)1 mark
Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given in the brackets: The tone of the poet in the above lines is __________ (playful and humorous/serious and confused).
Try it first, then show our solutionSolution
- 1 mark
(i) The poet says a crocodile weeps while appearing to be sad, but its tears are not real. So the tears are false and deceptive, option (C).
- 1 mark
(ii) A newcomer may mix up the two animals because the hyena appears to wear a merry smile, as if laughing, while the crocodile appears to weep. So the smiling hyena and the weeping crocodile can easily be confused, which the poet treats humorously.
- 2 marks
(iii) The chameleon is small, like a lizard. It has no ears and no wings. (A student may also say it blends in with the background of a tree.)
- 1 mark
(iv) playful and humorous
Answer: (i) C; (ii) The hyena seems to smile and the crocodile seems to weep, which causes confusion; (iii) small, lizard-like, no ears or wings; (iv) playful and humorous
Where the marks are
- Chooses option C (1 mark)
- Explains the smiling hyena and weeping crocodile confusion (1 mark)
- Gives two characteristics of the chameleon (2 marks)
- Writes playful and humorous (1 mark)
2026, set 2/5/1, Q8 · 12 marks · Short answer
Answer any four of the following five questions, in about 40-50 words each. (4 × 3 = 12)
- (i)3 marks
What lesson does the poet convey about nature in ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’?
- (ii)3 marks
How does the short structure of poem ‘Dust of Snow’ enhance its message about emotional renewal? Support your answer briefly.
- (iii)3 marks
In ‘Mijbil the Otter’, how does the narrator’s patience contrast with the reactions of fellow passengers and local people? What does this reveal about human understanding of the unfamiliar?
- (iv)3 marks
In ‘Madam Rides the Bus’, how does the contrast between Valli’s boldness and her emotional response to the dead cow shape your view of her maturity?
- (v)3 marks
What was Chubukov’s reaction when he heard about Lomov’s proposal for his daughter’s hand? (The Proposal)
Try it first, then show our solutionSolution
- 3 marks
(i) The poet warns, with humour, that nature is unpredictable and wild animals must be approached with caution. Each description, such as the tiger's stripes or the lion's roar, shows animals differ from each other. Observation and respect are needed because a surprise may await the traveller in the jungle.
- 3 marks
(ii) The poem's brief lines mirror a sudden shift in mood. A small act, the crow shaking snow on the poet, lifts his regret and gives him hope. The brevity shows that tiny moments can renew the spirit and save part of a day he had rued.
- 3 marks
(iii) The narrator stays calm and patient with Mijbil, while passengers react with fear, panic, discomfort or curiosity. People call the otter a seal or hippo and shy away. This shows that ignorance of the unfamiliar creates fear and a lack of empathy, though some show healthy curiosity.
- 3 marks
(iv) Valli is bold and confident on the bus ride, acting grown-up. Yet she turns silent and shaken on seeing the dead cow. This shows her maturity is growing but she is still a child. She now grasps the reality of death, and the cow's death breaks her pretence of being mature.
- 3 marks
(v) Chubukov is overjoyed when he learns Lomov wants to marry Natalya. He embraces and kisses Lomov, blesses the union and is delighted to agree to the marriage. He hurries to call his daughter and says he had always loved Lomov like a son.
Answer: Any four of (i)-(v) answered; all five are given above.
Where the marks are
- Content: two relevant value points with textual evidence per answer (2 marks each)
- Expression: coherent, effective style per answer (1 mark each)
- Any four answers attempted (12 marks)
Every How to Tell Wild Animals question, by year
Practice questions on How to Tell Wild Animals
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
According to the poem, which creature 'hasn’t any ears at all'?
(a) the Asian Lion
(b) the Bear
(c) the Chameleon
(d) the HyenaHint
Look at the last stanza, about the 'lizard sort of thing'.
Answer
(c) the Chameleon
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
What clues does the poet give about the colour and markings of the Asian Lion, the Bengal Tiger and the Leopard? Answer in about 40-50 words.
Hint
Find one describing phrase in each of the first three stanzas.
Answer
Value points: lion is 'large and tawny'; tiger has black stripes on a yellow ground (background); leopard's hide is 'peppered' with spots; each is confirmed only when it attacks.
Model answer: The Asian Lion is described as a 'large and tawny beast', meaning big and yellowish-brown. The Bengal Tiger has black stripes on a yellow background. The Leopard's hide is 'peppered' with spots. Yet each is confirmed only when it attacks.
Q3 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): The poet describes the Bengal Tiger as a 'noble wild beast' that 'greets' the reader.
Reason (R): The poet uses polite, pleasant words for violent acts to create humour.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.Hint
Ask yourself what the 'greeting' actually turns into in the next line.
Answer
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. The 'greeting' ends with the tiger eating you, so the polite words are ironic.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
What does the line '’Twill do no good to roar with pain' add to the leopard stanza? Answer in about 40-50 words.
Hint
Notice who is 'roaring' here, the beast or the victim.
Answer
Value points: crying out is useless; the leopard keeps leaping; irony, the victim 'roars' like a beast; shows helplessness; adds dark humour.
Model answer: The line says crying out will not help, because the leopard will 'only lep and lep again'. Ironically, the victim is the one who 'roars', like a beast. The line shows the reader's helplessness and adds dark, playful humour to a deadly situation.
Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How do the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the poem add to its humour? Answer in about 40-50 words.
Hint
Mark the end words of one stanza with letters, then look at what the last two lines do.
Answer
Value points: six-line stanzas rhyming ababcc; first four lines set up the situation; final couplet gives the punchline; the poem is meant to be read aloud with 'a strong and regular rhythm', making absurd advice sound cheerful.
Model answer: Each six-line stanza follows the rhyme scheme ababcc, as in chance/advance, east/beast, dyin’/Lion. The first four lines build a calm, sensible-sounding situation; the closing rhyming couplet delivers the surprise punchline. The strong, regular rhythm makes the absurd advice sound like a cheerful rule, increasing the humour.
Q6 · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
'In this poem, appearances can deceive.' Discuss with examples from at least three stanzas. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Hint
Think of the tiger's 'greeting', the bear's 'caress', the hyena's smile, the crocodile's tears and the empty tree.
Answer
Value points: tiger 'greets' but eats you; bear's very hard hug called a 'caress'; hyena's 'merry smiles' and crocodile's tears are false signs; chameleon identified by seeming absence; conclusion on caution.
Model answer: The poem repeatedly shows that what an animal seems to do is not what it means. The tiger is a 'noble wild beast' that 'greets' you, but the greeting ends with being eaten. The bear meets you in your own yard and hugs you 'very, very hard'; the poet calls this a 'caress', yet it is an attack. Hyenas arrive with 'merry smiles', and crocodiles weep, but neither the smile nor the tears are real feelings. The chameleon, finally, is identified by its seeming absence, since 'there is nothing on the tree'. Through this, the poet suggests, humorously, that friendly or calm appearances can hide danger. A wise reader judges by caution, not by surface signs.
Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose you wanted to add a seventh stanza to the poem about another animal. Which three features of Carolyn Wells's style must you keep, and why? Answer in about 40-50 words.
Hint
Think about form (lines, rhyme, rhythm), the type of advice, and how each stanza ends.
Answer
Value points: six lines rhyming ababcc with regular rhythm; calm 'helpful' advice whose clue comes absurdly late (irony); a punchline couplet, with poetic licence if needed.
Model answer: I would keep six lines rhyming ababcc with a strong, regular rhythm, so it reads aloud like the others. I would give calm, 'helpful' advice whose clue arrives absurdly late, keeping the irony. Finally, I would end with a punchline couplet, bending a word if needed for rhyme.
Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
A classmate says the poem is in poor taste because it jokes about people being killed by animals. Do you agree? Give reasons in about 40-50 words.
Hint
Consider whether the exaggeration is meant to be taken literally, and what it makes you realise.
Answer
Value points: the exaggeration is too absurd to be literal; the poem does not celebrate death; jokes like the bear's 'caress' highlight danger; humour makes the warning memorable.
Model answer: I disagree. The poem never celebrates death; its exaggeration is so absurd that no reader takes it literally. The jokes, like calling a bear's crushing hug a 'caress', actually highlight how dangerous wild animals are. Humour here teaches caution memorably rather than mocking victims.
Test your recall
Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.
1.Who wrote 'How to Tell Wild Animals'?Show answer
Carolyn Wells.
2.Which animal do you identify when it roars at you 'as you’re dyin’'?Show answer
The Asian Lion, a 'large and tawny beast' met in jungles in the east.
3.Which animal 'greets' you, and what does it look like?Show answer
The Bengal Tiger, with black stripes on a yellow ground (background).
4.What does 'peppered' mean, and which animal is it used for?Show answer
Covered with spots; the Leopard's hide.
5.Where do you meet the bear, and how do you know it is a bear?Show answer
Walking round your yard; it hugs you very, very hard.
6.How can a novice tell a hyena from a crocodile?Show answer
Hyenas come with merry smiles; if they weep, they are crocodiles.
7.Which features of the chameleon does the poem list?Show answer
It is small, a lizard sort of thing, has no ears and not a single wing, and you see 'nothing on the tree'.
8.What is the rhyme scheme of each stanza?Show answer
ababcc, with a punchline couplet at the end.
Quick revision checklist
The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?
- Can you name the seven animals in order, stanza by stanza?
- Can you give the one clue for each animal (roar, eat, leap, hug, smile or weep, nothing)?
- Can you explain why the advice is ironic in one sentence?
- Can you give three examples of poetic licence and the reason for each?
- Can you explain the irony of 'caress' and of the tiger that 'greets' you?
- Can you state the rhyme scheme and say where the punchline comes?
- Can you list the four themes using HIDE, with one piece of evidence each?
- Can you turn the poem's humour into a serious lesson about caution around wild animals?
How to Tell Wild Animals: frequently asked questions
What is the central idea of How to Tell Wild Animals?
The poem humorously suggests dangerous ways to identify wild animals. Each 'rule' works only when the animal attacks you, so it is useless. Beneath the fun, it suggests that wild animals are dangerous and should be respected from a distance.
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
Each stanza has six lines and follows the rhyme scheme ababcc. The closing couplet usually carries the punchline, which adds to the humour.
Why does the poet spell 'lept' and 'lep' instead of 'leapt' and 'leap'?
The poet changes the spelling so the words rhyme with 'peppered' and 'Leopard'. This is poetic licence. It keeps the rhyme and rhythm and adds to the playful tone.
Why is 'A novice might nonplus' grammatically unusual?
'Nonplus' is usually used in the passive, so the correct form would be 'A novice might be nonplussed'. The poet's version keeps the rhythm and rhymes with 'thus', and the oddness adds humour.
What is the tone of the poem?
The tone is playful, humorous and ironic. The poet gives deadly advice in a calm, helpful voice, and uses gentle words like 'greets' and 'caress' for violent attacks.
How does the poet tell the hyena from the crocodile?
The poet says hyenas come with merry smiles, while the ones that weep are crocodiles. This plays on the popular beliefs that hyenas laugh and crocodiles weep as they swallow their victims.
Based on: CBSE English Language and Literature syllabus 2026-27; NCERT First Flight (Reprint 2026-27), How to Tell Wild Animals