How to Tell Wild Animals

A beautiful poem By Carolyn Wells.

1. HOW TO TELL WILD ANIMALS
BY CAROLYN WELLS

2. ABOUT THE POET-CAROLYN WELLS
•Carolyn Wells (June 18, 1862-March 26, 1942) was an American
writer and poet.
•After finishing her schooling she worked as a librarian.
•After the year 1900, Wells wrote a large number of novels and
collection of poems.
•She has written a total of 170 books.
•During the first ten years of her career, Wells concentrated on poetry,
humour and children’s books.
•In addition to books, Wells also wrote in newspaper.

3. CAROLYN WELLS

4. HER WORKS
The Clue
The Gold Bag
A Chain of Evidence
The White Alley
The Killer
The Missing Link, etc.

5. HOW TO TELL WILD ANIMALS -THEME AND
MESSAGE
The title of the poem is simple and arouses curiosity of the readers regarding
what they are going to read about wild animals.
The theme of the poem is the description of some unique features of some wild
beasts like Asian Lion, a Bengal Tiger, a Leopard, a Bear, a Hyena, a Crocodile
and a Hyena. Although the poet has given accurate details of these animals, she
has done it in a witty manner.
She shows how we can identify these animals and cautions and warns the
readers how dangerous these wild animals can be.
The poet has introduced the distinguished features of some animals in a very
humourousand witty way.

6. 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.

7. ASIAN LION

8. LITERARY DEVICES-STANZA 1
•Rhyme Scheme:ababcc
•Alliteration:is the occurrence of the same sound at the beginning of
adjacent or closely connected words. It creates a musical effect and
enhances the pleasure of reading.
eg.“……roars at you as you’re dyin’”
•Poetic License-is a literary device in which the poet takes the liberty with
language changing the spellings or violating grammatical rules with the
purpose of rhyme scheme, rhythm or emphasis.
eg.: “ If he roars at you as you’re dyin’”
Here the spelling of ‘dying’ has been changed to dyin’ to make rhyme with
lion in the next line.

9. STANZA 2
Or if sometime 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.

10. LITERARY DEVICE-STANZA 2
•Rhyme Scheme: ababcc
•Irony-Irony is the poetic device which is usually the difference
between the surface meaning of something and the underlying
meaning.
eg.: A noble wild beast greets you
Here the Bengal Tiger has been called as ‘noble’ ironically because
actually it is ferocious beast who will kill anybody.
•Alliteration:
Eg.Or if some time when roaming round

11. STANZA 3
If strolling forth, a beast you view,
Whose hide with spots is peppered,
As soon as he has lepton you,
You'll know it is the Leopard.
'Twilldo no good to roar with pain,
He'll only lepand lepagain.

12. LITERARY DEVICES-STANZA 3
•Rhyme Scheme: ababcc
•Poetic License:
eg.: 1. As soon as he has lepton you (3
rd
line)
2. He’ll only lepand lepagain. (5
th
line)

13. 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 the Bear.
If you have any doubt, I guess
He'll give you just one more caress.

14. STANZA 5
Though to distinguish beasts of prey
A novice might nonplus,
The Crocodiles you always may
Tell from Hyenas thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep, they're Crocodiles.

15. HYENA

16. STANZA 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,
'Tisthe Chameleon you see.