Learn to identify wild animals through humorous and exaggerated descriptions in Carolyn Wells’ poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’. This engaging piece provides playful insights into recognizing various species by their unique behaviors and characteristics. From the powerful roar of the Asian Lion to the camouflaging abilities of the Chameleon, the poem combines wit and humor to entertain while educating readers about wildlife. Ideal for poetry enthusiasts and nature lovers alike, this work showcases the charm of animal behavior through a comedic lens.

Key Points

  • Describes the Asian Lion’s tawny coat and fearsome roar for identification.
  • Highlights the Bengal Tiger’s black stripes and dark humor about its predatory nature.
  • Illustrates the Leopard’s spotted hide and rapid leaping behavior.
  • Uses irony to depict the Bear’s ‘bearhug’ as a humorous warning.
  • Contrasts the Hyena’s laughter with the crocodile’s weeping expressions.
  • Explains the Chameleon’s camouflage abilities and small size.
Astha Desai
Author:Carolyn Wells
4 pages
Language:English
Type:Study Guide
Literature
Astha Desai
Author:Carolyn Wells
4 pages
Language:English
Type:Study Guide
Literature
98
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HOW TO TELL WILD ANIMALS
ABOUT POET
Carolyn Wells was born in New Jersey, USA, in 1862 and died in 1942. From about
1900 onwards she was a prolific writer, producing more than 170 books that
include children's stories, poetry and detective fiction. Notable works by her
include Patty Fairfield, A Nonsense Anthology and The Rubaiyat of Motor Car.
Her style is often witty and humorous; in the poem discussed here she uses playful
exaggeration and comic situations to engage readers while describing how
to "tell" wild animals by their behaviour.
Key Points of the Poem
The poem gives humorous, exaggerated ways to recognise various wild animals by
their behaviour or appearance.
The Asian Lion is identified by its tawny colour and a powerful roar that the poet
jokes could leave you "dyin'."
The Bengal Tiger is described as having black stripes on a yellow ground; the poet
darkly jokes about being eaten as a way to identify it.
The Leopard is recognised by its spotted hide and rapid, repeated leaping on its
prey.
The Bear is referred to by the poet's humorous image of an extremely tight hug-a
"bearhug."
The Crocodile and the Hyena are compared by expressions: Hyenas appear to
"laugh" (a merry smile) while crocodiles are pictured as "weeping."
The Chameleon is small, lacks visible ears and wings, and blends into trees so well
that a bare-looking tree may hide one.
The poem uses playful rhythm, wordplay and deliberate alterations of standard
forms (for comic effect), for example the shortened words like "dyin'", "lept" and
"lep."
Overall, the poem blends absurd imagery with exaggerated traits of animals to
create comic effect while warning, ironically, about real dangers posed by wild
beasts.
Stanza-1
The poet addresses the reader directly and gives an amusing but clear way to
recognise the Asian Lion. The lion is described as a large creature with a tawny
(yellowish-brown) coat whose roar is so terrifying that the poet jests it could make
you feel like you are dying. The description is intentionally exaggerated to create
humour while pointing to the lion's defining characteristic - its loud, fearsome roar.
Stanza-2
Here the poet describes the Bengal Tiger. The characteristic coat - yellow ground
with black stripes - is given first, then a darkly comic suggestion: if the creature
eats you, that is a decisive but morbid way to know it was a tiger. This is an example
of the poet's black humour: the danger is real, but the way to identify the animal is
offered in a deliberately absurd and blunt manner.
Stanza-3
The poet describes the Leopard through its spotted hide and its sudden, repeated
leaps on prey. The lines highlight the leopard's speed and persistence: once it
pounces, more pounces follow. Again, the tone is humorous but the image is vivid
and unmistakable - the spots and repeated leaping serve as identifying signs.
Stanza-4
This stanza uses irony and comic understatement to describe a Bear. The poet
suggests that an animal that hugs you extremely tightly (a "bear-hug") is certainly a
bear; the "one more caress" is a joking way to say the bear will hug again, which, in
reality, could be dangerous. The humour comes from treating a dangerous action
as if it were a warm, friendly embrace.
Stanza-5
In these lines the poet admits that beginners may be confused when trying to tell
predatory animals apart, but offers a comic rule to distinguish a Hyena from
a Crocodile. The hyena is pictured with a "merry smile" (playing on its laughing
calls and facial expression), while the crocodile is presented in contrast (the poem
continues by implying crocodiles "weep"). This is a personified, humorous way to
contrast the two animals.
Stanza-6
The final stanza describes the Chameleon as a small, lizard-like creature that
lacks visible ears and wings and is best known for its remarkable ability to blend
with its surroundings. The poet jokily suggests that if a tree looks empty, a
chameleon may be present because it has matched the tree's colour. The stanza
emphasises camouflage and concealment as the chameleon's identifying feature.
Difficult Words
Tawny: yellowish-brown in colour.
Noble: high-born or dignified; here used ironically with "wild beast."
Discern: to recognise or distinguish.
Strolling: walking casually.
Peppered: spotted, as if sprinkled with pepper; used to describe a spotted hide.
Lept (Leapt): jumped or sprang upon.
Beast of prey: any animal that hunts other animals for food; a predator.
Novice: someone new to a job or activity; an inexperienced person.
Nonplus: to be puzzled or confused.
Leopard: a large feline with a spotted coat; a member of the big-cat family.
Twill do no good: contraction of "it will do no good," meaning "it will not be of any
use."
Hyena: a scavenging and carnivorous animal with a dog-like appearance, known for
its distinctive laugh-like calls.
If they weep: a phrase used to say "if they shed tears" - here a personified image for
crocodiles.
Chameleon: a small lizard famous for changing its colour to blend with the
surroundings.
In the east: in the eastern regions (context: jungles of the east).
Advance: to come forward or move towards.
Large: big or huge.
Q-1Does ‘Dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’ ? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
Ans:No, ‘Dyin’ does not rhyme with ‘lion’. If we change the pronunciation of lion by
speaking it as ‘lying’ then it may rhyme with the word ‘dyin’.
Q 2.How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do
so according to him?
Ans:A lion is a large and tawny beast. A Bengal Tiger has black stripes on its yellow coat.
A lion roars when it falls upon its prey, while a tiger attacks silently. We can identify the
two while roaming in the jungle.
Q 3 Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why
does the poet spell them like this?
Ans:The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ are not spelt correctly. The poet has spelt them like this
in order to maintain the rhythm of the poem. The correct spelling of the words, ‘lept’ is
leapt and ‘lep’ is leap. The poet has intentionally spelt them incorrectly to create a
sense of humour.
Q4 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)?
Ans:A bearhug is when the bear hugs his prey tightly with both hands and presses him
to death.
There are indeed similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals in every
language. For example, in Hindi, we say ‘Magarmach ke aansu aaana’ (Crocodile tears)
‘Haathi ke daant dikhane ke aur, khane ke aur’, ‘Ab pachtaye hot kya jab chidiya chug
gai khet’, ‘Girgit ke tarah rang badalna’.
Q 5 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?
Ans:The line “A novice might nonplus” can be written correctly as “A novice might be
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FAQs

what is how to tell wild animals about

"How to Tell Wild Animals" is a humorous poem by Carolyn Wells that describes various wild animals through playful exaggeration and comic situations.

  • The poem identifies animals like the Asian Lion, Bengal Tiger, and Leopard by their distinctive traits.
  • It uses witty language and absurd imagery to engage readers while subtly warning about the dangers of these creatures.
  • Each stanza provides a unique way to recognize the animal based on its behavior or appearance.

how does the poet describe the lion in how to tell wild animals

In "How to Tell Wild Animals," the poet describes the lion as a large creature with a tawny coat and a powerful roar.

  • The roar is humorously suggested to be so terrifying that it could leave you feeling like you're 'dyin.'
  • This exaggeration serves to highlight the lion's defining characteristic and adds a comic tone to the description.
  • Overall, the portrayal blends humor with a vivid image of the lion's fearsome nature.

what are the key points in how to tell wild animals

The key points in "How to Tell Wild Animals" focus on humorous and exaggerated traits of various wild animals.

  • The Asian Lion is recognized by its tawny color and loud roar.
  • The Bengal Tiger is identified by its black stripes and the darkly comic suggestion of being eaten.
  • The Leopard is noted for its spotted hide and rapid leaping.
  • The Bear is humorously described through the concept of a 'bearhug.'
  • Other animals like the Hyena and Crocodile are compared through personified expressions.

how to identify a tiger in how to tell wild animals

In "How to Tell Wild Animals," the poet suggests identifying a Bengal Tiger by its striking coat of yellow with black stripes.

  • The poem humorously implies that if the tiger eats you, that would be a definitive way to know it was a tiger.
  • This dark humor serves to highlight the real danger posed by the animal while providing a memorable identification method.
  • Overall, the description blends vivid imagery with comic exaggeration.

what is the humor in how to tell wild animals

The humor in "How to Tell Wild Animals" arises from playful exaggeration and absurd comparisons of animal traits.

  • For instance, the poet describes the Bear's hug as a 'bearhug,' turning a potentially dangerous encounter into a comical image.
  • The descriptions often blend real characteristics with exaggerated, humorous suggestions, such as the Tiger's potential to eat you.
  • This mix of absurdity and wit engages readers while simultaneously conveying important traits of the animals.