THE POEM
Once upon a time a frog
Croaked away in Bingle Bog
Every night from dusk to dawn
He croaked awn and awn and awn
Other creatures loathed his voice,
But, alas, they had no choice,
And the crass cacophony
Blared out from the sumac tree
At whose foot the frog each night
Minstrelled on till morning night
Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks.
Insults or complaints or bricks
Stilled the frogs determination
To display his heart’s elation.
But one night a nightingale
In the moonlight cold and pale
Perched upon the sumac tree
Casting forth her melody
Dumbstruck sat the gaping frog
And the whole admiring bog
Stared towards the sumac, rapt,
And, when she had ended, clapped,
Ducks had swum and herons waded
To her as she serenaded
And a solitary loon
Wept, beneath the summer moon.
Toads and teals and tiddlers, captured
By her voice, cheered on, enraptured:
“Bravo! ” “Too divine! ” “Encore! “
So the nightingale once more,
Quite unused to such applause,
Sang till dawn without a pause.
Next night when the Nightingale
Shook her head and twitched her tail,
Closed an eye and fluffed a wing
And had cleared her throat to sing
She was startled by a croak.
“Sorry – was that you who spoke? “
She enquired when the frog
Hopped towards her from the bog.
“Yes,” the frog replied. “You see,
I’m the frog who owns this tree
In this bog I’ve long been known
For my splendid baritone
And, of course, I wield my pen
For Bog Trumpet now and then”
“Did you… did you like my song? “
“Not too bad – but far too long.
The technique was fine of course,
But it lacked a certain force”.
“Oh! ” the nightingale confessed.
Greatly flattered and impressed
That a critic of such note
Had discussed her art and throat:
“I don’t think the song’s divine.
But – oh, well – at least it’s mine”.
“That’s not much to boast about”.
Said the heartless frog. “Without
Proper training such as I
– And few others can supply.
You’ll remain a mere beginner.
But with me you’ll be a winner”
“Dearest frog”, the nightingale
Breathed: “This is a fairy tale –
And you are Mozart in disguise
Come to earth before my eyes”.
“Well I charge a modest fee.”
“Oh! ” “But it won’t hurt, you’ll see”
Now the nightingale inspired,
Flushed with confidence, and fired
With both art and adoration,
Sang – and was a huge sensation.
Animals for miles around
Flocked towards the magic sound,
And the frog with great precision
Counted heads and charged admission.
Though next morning it was raining,
He began her vocal training.
“But I can’t sing in this weather”
“Come my dear – we’ll sing together.
Just put on your scarf and sash,
Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash! “
So the frog and nightingale
Journeyed up and down the scale
For six hours, till she was shivering
and her voice was hoarse and quivering.
Though subdued and sleep deprived,
In the night her throat revived,
And the sumac tree was bowed,
With a breathless, titled crowd:
Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent,
Mallard and Milady Trent,
Martin Cardinal Mephisto,
And the Coot of Monte Cristo,
Ladies with tiaras glittering
In the interval sat twittering –
And the frog observed them glitter
With a joy both sweet and bitter.
Every day the frog who’d sold her
Songs for silver tried to scold her:
“You must practice even longer
Till your voice, like mine grows stronger.
In the second song last night
You got nervous in mid-flight.
And, my dear, lay on more trills:
Audiences enjoy such frills.
You must make your public happier:
Give them something sharper snappier.
We must aim for better billings.
You still owe me sixty shillings.”
Day by day the nightingale
Grew more sorrowful and pale.
Night on night her tired song
Zipped and trilled and bounced along,
Till the birds and beasts grew tired
At a voice so uninspired
And the ticket office gross
Crashed, and she grew more morose –
For her ears were now addicted
To applause quite unrestricted,
And to sing into the night
All alone gave no delight.
Now the frog puffed up with rage.
“Brainless bird – you’re on the stage –
Use your wits and follow fashion.
Puff your lungs out with your passion.”
Trembling, terrified to fail,
Blind with tears, the nightingale
Heard him out in silence, tried,
Puffed up, burst a vein, and died.
Said the frog: “I tried to teach her,
But she was a stupid creature –
Far too nervous, far too tense.
Far too prone to influence.
Well, poor bird – she should have known
That your song must be your own.
That’s why I sing with panache:
“Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash! “
And the foghorn of the frog
Blared unrivalled through the bog.
Croaked away in Bingle Bog
Every night from dusk to dawn
He croaked awn and awn and awn
Other creatures loathed his voice,
But, alas, they had no choice,
And the crass cacophony
Blared out from the sumac tree
At whose foot the frog each night
Minstrelled on till morning night
Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks.
Insults or complaints or bricks
Stilled the frogs determination
To display his heart’s elation.
But one night a nightingale
In the moonlight cold and pale
Perched upon the sumac tree
Casting forth her melody
Dumbstruck sat the gaping frog
And the whole admiring bog
Stared towards the sumac, rapt,
And, when she had ended, clapped,
Ducks had swum and herons waded
To her as she serenaded
And a solitary loon
Wept, beneath the summer moon.
Toads and teals and tiddlers, captured
By her voice, cheered on, enraptured:
“Bravo! ” “Too divine! ” “Encore! “
So the nightingale once more,
Quite unused to such applause,
Sang till dawn without a pause.
Next night when the Nightingale
Shook her head and twitched her tail,
Closed an eye and fluffed a wing
And had cleared her throat to sing
She was startled by a croak.
“Sorry – was that you who spoke? “
She enquired when the frog
Hopped towards her from the bog.
“Yes,” the frog replied. “You see,
I’m the frog who owns this tree
In this bog I’ve long been known
For my splendid baritone
And, of course, I wield my pen
For Bog Trumpet now and then”
“Did you… did you like my song? “
“Not too bad – but far too long.
The technique was fine of course,
But it lacked a certain force”.
“Oh! ” the nightingale confessed.
Greatly flattered and impressed
That a critic of such note
Had discussed her art and throat:
“I don’t think the song’s divine.
But – oh, well – at least it’s mine”.
“That’s not much to boast about”.
Said the heartless frog. “Without
Proper training such as I
– And few others can supply.
You’ll remain a mere beginner.
But with me you’ll be a winner”
“Dearest frog”, the nightingale
Breathed: “This is a fairy tale –
And you are Mozart in disguise
Come to earth before my eyes”.
“Well I charge a modest fee.”
“Oh! ” “But it won’t hurt, you’ll see”
Now the nightingale inspired,
Flushed with confidence, and fired
With both art and adoration,
Sang – and was a huge sensation.
Animals for miles around
Flocked towards the magic sound,
And the frog with great precision
Counted heads and charged admission.
Though next morning it was raining,
He began her vocal training.
“But I can’t sing in this weather”
“Come my dear – we’ll sing together.
Just put on your scarf and sash,
Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash! “
So the frog and nightingale
Journeyed up and down the scale
For six hours, till she was shivering
and her voice was hoarse and quivering.
Though subdued and sleep deprived,
In the night her throat revived,
And the sumac tree was bowed,
With a breathless, titled crowd:
Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent,
Mallard and Milady Trent,
Martin Cardinal Mephisto,
And the Coot of Monte Cristo,
Ladies with tiaras glittering
In the interval sat twittering –
And the frog observed them glitter
With a joy both sweet and bitter.
Every day the frog who’d sold her
Songs for silver tried to scold her:
“You must practice even longer
Till your voice, like mine grows stronger.
In the second song last night
You got nervous in mid-flight.
And, my dear, lay on more trills:
Audiences enjoy such frills.
You must make your public happier:
Give them something sharper snappier.
We must aim for better billings.
You still owe me sixty shillings.”
Day by day the nightingale
Grew more sorrowful and pale.
Night on night her tired song
Zipped and trilled and bounced along,
Till the birds and beasts grew tired
At a voice so uninspired
And the ticket office gross
Crashed, and she grew more morose –
For her ears were now addicted
To applause quite unrestricted,
And to sing into the night
All alone gave no delight.
Now the frog puffed up with rage.
“Brainless bird – you’re on the stage –
Use your wits and follow fashion.
Puff your lungs out with your passion.”
Trembling, terrified to fail,
Blind with tears, the nightingale
Heard him out in silence, tried,
Puffed up, burst a vein, and died.
Said the frog: “I tried to teach her,
But she was a stupid creature –
Far too nervous, far too tense.
Far too prone to influence.
Well, poor bird – she should have known
That your song must be your own.
That’s why I sing with panache:
“Koo-oh-ah! ko-ash! ko-ash! “
And the foghorn of the frog
Blared unrivalled through the bog.
10. A. How did the creatures of Bingle bog
react to the nightingale’s singing?
react to the nightingale’s singing?
Answer-The creatures of bog were dumbstruck
and gaped with the supernormal deliveries of the melody by the nightingale. Being
enraptured all the animals acclaimed along with a loon crying. Ducks had swum,
herons had waded and others being elated urged for some more melodies from the nightingale .
and gaped with the supernormal deliveries of the melody by the nightingale. Being
enraptured all the animals acclaimed along with a loon crying. Ducks had swum,
herons had waded and others being elated urged for some more melodies from the nightingale .
10. B. Which are the different ways in which
the frog asserts his importance?
the frog asserts his importance?
Answer -The frog geared up
by professional jealousy tried to present himself to be a person of scholarly
qualities in various ways. He first infiltrated into nightingale’s life as a
critic of her melody. Then he had an assay to be a teacher of the nightingale.
In presenting himself as a teacher he took the shelter of falsehood. He stated
himself as a cognizant composer of the bog and one of the rarest of all prolific
musicians.
by professional jealousy tried to present himself to be a person of scholarly
qualities in various ways. He first infiltrated into nightingale’s life as a
critic of her melody. Then he had an assay to be a teacher of the nightingale.
In presenting himself as a teacher he took the shelter of falsehood. He stated
himself as a cognizant composer of the bog and one of the rarest of all prolific
musicians.
10. C. Why is the frog’s joy both sweet and
bitter?
bitter?
Answer- The frog is undoubtedly in a state of
professional jealousy. He exploits the nightingale in a dual way. Vengeful the
frog abuses and torments over the nightingale every now and then. Highly
acclaimed the nightingale becomes a matter bitter irritation to the frog as the
applause dreamt by him is given to the nightingale. He feels swift joyousness
when he keeps his pocket handy abusing the supernormal ability of the
nightingale.
professional jealousy. He exploits the nightingale in a dual way. Vengeful the
frog abuses and torments over the nightingale every now and then. Highly
acclaimed the nightingale becomes a matter bitter irritation to the frog as the
applause dreamt by him is given to the nightingale. He feels swift joyousness
when he keeps his pocket handy abusing the supernormal ability of the
nightingale.
10.d. Why was the frog angry?
Answer -The frog was ostensibly angry. His anger
was rather the outcome of the professional jealousy caused by the wide praised
acceptability of the nightingale. As adduced by the frog the nightingale was
not delivering the superfine melody as supervised by the frog. Frog advises the
nightingale to have rigorous practice to attain frog like strong voice like the
nightingale as the previous day the nightingale
fumbled in the mid flight.
was rather the outcome of the professional jealousy caused by the wide praised
acceptability of the nightingale. As adduced by the frog the nightingale was
not delivering the superfine melody as supervised by the frog. Frog advises the
nightingale to have rigorous practice to attain frog like strong voice like the
nightingale as the previous day the nightingale
fumbled in the mid flight.
10.e. How
did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again?
did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again?
Answer- The wicked frog with
the abominable evil target first entrapped the innocuous nightingale presenting
himself ostensibly a true master. The frog hence forth crushed the natural
singing ability of the nightingale and made her a wretched one. Under uncomparable
and physical pressure the nightingale succumbed to death. And the frog
successful in his devilish target remained unrivalled in the bog.
the abominable evil target first entrapped the innocuous nightingale presenting
himself ostensibly a true master. The frog hence forth crushed the natural
singing ability of the nightingale and made her a wretched one. Under uncomparable
and physical pressure the nightingale succumbed to death. And the frog
successful in his devilish target remained unrivalled in the bog.
11.a. Bring
out the irony in the frog’s statement – ‘Your song must be your own’.
out the irony in the frog’s statement – ‘Your song must be your own’.
Answer -A double faced was
the frog when he uttered the quoted line .Like a pretending magi he ascertains
the fact which is the ideal one. And on contrary the frog did practice the
opposite with the nightingale. He himself had been the tyrant who tormented the
nightingale physically and mentally and crushed the natural singing ability of the
nightingale due to professional jealously. He led the nightingale on changing
her singing and hence his comment is an ironic one.
the frog when he uttered the quoted line .Like a pretending magi he ascertains
the fact which is the ideal one. And on contrary the frog did practice the
opposite with the nightingale. He himself had been the tyrant who tormented the
nightingale physically and mentally and crushed the natural singing ability of the
nightingale due to professional jealously. He led the nightingale on changing
her singing and hence his comment is an ironic one.
11. b. Do you think the end is justified?
Answer –No, the end is a
discrepant and negative one. Hence the poet has presented a morose ending. Here
innocence is crushed in the tyrannical hand of the frog. The nightingale meets
the horns of death and it seems that darkness is winning over truth. But the poet
to impart an implied massage about the present socio-economic scenario and the
crushing of innocents like nightingale every now and then has dedicated the
poem.
discrepant and negative one. Hence the poet has presented a morose ending. Here
innocence is crushed in the tyrannical hand of the frog. The nightingale meets
the horns of death and it seems that darkness is winning over truth. But the poet
to impart an implied massage about the present socio-economic scenario and the
crushing of innocents like nightingale every now and then has dedicated the
poem.
11. c. Do you think the nightingale is
‘brainless’? Give reasons for your answer.
‘brainless’? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer- It is going be a
harsh thing to say that the nightingale is brainless. The nightingale, a worthy
possessor of the sweetest voice, is truly an intellectual one.
harsh thing to say that the nightingale is brainless. The nightingale, a worthy
possessor of the sweetest voice, is truly an intellectual one.
The nightingale got tormented in hand of the frog only
because she is innocent and simple. But she was truly with brain because her
melodious voice influenced even the tiniest creature of bag. Hence the nightingale
was a bird who had been the victim of wicked frog and not a brainless one.
because she is innocent and simple. But she was truly with brain because her
melodious voice influenced even the tiniest creature of bag. Hence the nightingale
was a bird who had been the victim of wicked frog and not a brainless one.
11.d. In spite of having a melodious voice
and being a crowd puller, the nightingale turns out to be a loser and dies. How
far is she responsible for her own downfall?
and being a crowd puller, the nightingale turns out to be a loser and dies. How
far is she responsible for her own downfall?
Answer- The nightingale is
to some extent responsible for her own down fall. Apart from the fact that the wicked
frog entrapped her and crumpled her voice into a hoarse one, it was for her much innocence and simplicity
she could not get off of the trap of the
frog.
to some extent responsible for her own down fall. Apart from the fact that the wicked
frog entrapped her and crumpled her voice into a hoarse one, it was for her much innocence and simplicity
she could not get off of the trap of the
frog.
11.e. Do you agree with the Frog’s inference
of the Nightingale’s character? Give reasons for your answer.
of the Nightingale’s character? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer -The inference by the
frog is a pretention of his real character. The nightingale as described by the
frog in the inference is not true. She was rather put under pressure by the
frog and was a succumbed to death. A wicked murderer was the frog who destroyed
the innocence, simplicity and the life of the nightingale.
frog is a pretention of his real character. The nightingale as described by the
frog in the inference is not true. She was rather put under pressure by the
frog and was a succumbed to death. A wicked murderer was the frog who destroyed
the innocence, simplicity and the life of the nightingale.