10th English : The Ant and the Cricket
Unit 4.2 > The Ant and the Cricket
GLOSSARY
| accustomed to (v) | be used to | பழக்கமான |
| gay (adj.) | glad, joyful | மகிழ்ச்சியான |
| crumb (n) | piece of bread | ரொட்டித்துண்டு |
| famine (n) | extreme scarcity of food | உணவுப்பஞ்சம் |
| miserly (adj.) | hesitant to spend money | பணத்தை செலவழிக்கத் தயங்குதல் |
| quoth (v) | said (old English usage, used only in first and third person singular before the subject) | சொல்லுதல் |
| hastily (adv.) | hurriedly | விரைவாக |
| warrant (v) | guarantee, promise | உத்திரவாதம், உறுதிமொழி |
A. Based on your understanding of the poem, read the following lines and answer the questions given below.
1. A silly young cricket accustomed to sing
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring.
a) What was the routine of the cricket?
The routine of the cricket was to sing.
b) Name the seasons mentioned here.
Spring and Summer.
2. Began fo complain when he found that, at home
His cupboard! was empty, and winter was come.
a) Who does ‘he’ refer to?
“He’ refers to the cricket.
b) Why was his cupboard empty?
His cupboard was empty because there was no grain or food.
3. Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground
a) What couldn’t he find on the ground?
He couldn’t find even a single – piece of bread,
b) Why was the ground covered with snow?
The ground was covered with snow because the season was ‘Winter’
4. At fast by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,
a) What made the cricket bold?
Starvation and famine made the cricket bold.
b) Why did the cricket drip and tremble?
Because of the “Winter season, the cricket dripped and trembled,
5. Away he set off to a miserly am,
To keep if, to keep him alive, he would grant
Him shelter from rain,
And a mouthful of grain,
a) Whom did the cricket want to meet. Why?
- The cricket wanted to meet an ant
- ‘The ant would give him grain or food and shelter.
b) What would keep him alive?
A shelter from the season and a mouthful of grain to appease his hunger,
6. But we ants. sever borrow: we ants never bend,
a) Why do you think ants neither borrow nor lend?
The ants always work hard and save food for the bad season.
b) Who says these lines to whom?
The ant says to the cricket,
7. ‘‘ Not I!
My heart was so light
That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.”
a) Who does ‘I’ refer to?
‘I’ refers to the insect cricket.
b) What was the nature of the cricket? How do you know?
‘The nature of the cricket is always gay and happy. We are able to know it from the words of the cricket itself.
8. Thus ending, Ae hastily lifted the wicket,
And out of the door turned the poor Mele cricket.
a) The ant refused to help the cricket. Why?
The ant doesn’t like the lazy attitude of the cricket.
b) Explain the second line,
The cricket timed away with deep sorrow and in a dejected mood.
9 He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay 1 tomorrow;
a) Pick out the rhyming words in the above lines.
‘borrow’ and ‘tomorrow’ are the rhyming words.
b) Give more examples of rhyming words from the poem.
see – tree; rain – grain; sing – spring; found – ground; bold – cold; ant – grant; light – night; gay – say; wicket – cricket; rue – two.
10. defy heart was so Heit
that Isang dey anal night,
For all nature looked gay,
“you sang, Sir, you say?
a) Mention the rhyme scheme employed in the above lines.
The rhyme scheme is aabb. [light – night; gay – say]
B. Based on your understanding of the poem, complete the summary using the phrases given below .
In this narrative poem, the poet brings out the idea that is essential for every creature. He conveys this message to the readers through a story of an ant and cricket. The ant spends all its summer saving for future. The cricket signs and dances happily in the summer. He doesn’t save anything for the winter. When winter comes, he is worried that his kitchen cupboard is empty. So, he seeks the help of the ant to have some grains and a warm place to stay. The cricket was even prepared to repay it in the future. The ant made it clear that ants never borrow or lend. He also enquired the cricket if it had saved anything when the weather was fine. The cricket answered that it had sung day and night enjoying the pleasant nature. The ant threw the cricket out and stated in a stern voice it should dance in the winter season too. In his concluding lines, the poet affirms that this is not just a fable but it is true and
applicable to humanbeing also.
C. Answer each of the following questions in a paragraph of 120-150 words.
1. ‘Some crickets have four legs and some have two’. Elucidate this statement from the poet’s point of view.
| The poet usually wants to give us a useful idea to follow in life. Thereby he makes the animals as characters. These animals reflect human nature, In this, “The Ant and the Cricket’, be brings out the idea of Living ‘careless’ life of the cricket on the and hand and the ‘careful’ life of the ant on the other. The cricket is dilly-dallying in both the seasons (ie.) Summer as well as Winter. He could not find food in-winter – because the snow covers everything. He is ina state of starvation, He approaches his friend the ant for a crumb of food and a shelter. The Ant replies that though he is his friend, he is not ready to lend a piece of grain. The Ant questions what the cricket is doing when there is chance to gather grain. The cricket replies he is enjoying nature singing and dancing, Then the ant scolds the cricket and asks him to continue his wagabond life and get lost. The Poet tries to remind the reader not to spend time unnecessarily without procuring what you need for your life, |
2. Compare and Contrast the attitude of the ant and the cricket,
| Aesop’s ‘The Ant and The Cricket’ tells us the entirely different attitude of both the insects. One is always in the attitude of enjoying life without planning and hard work. [tis always ready to live a life that is lethargic and lazy. Its main aim is eating and enjoying. When it does not get any food to eat, then only it realises its problem and it ts ready io beg and borrow food, In contrast, the ant is spending its entire time to gather food and cat when required. It has a sense of commitment. [t has a sense of hard work. It does not go aimlessly anywhere. Tt procures food and saves it for the Winter. That is why it is angry when the cricket approaches it for food and shelter. The ant’s attitude is always steady and ready. |
3, if given a chance, who would vow wort to be the ant or the cricket? Justify your answer,
| As the poem goes to reflect the contrast attitude of the ant and the cricket, one has to analyse their character in detail. We have to think deeply about the lethargic attitude of the cricket. Will the cricket’s gay and go happy nature fetch it a fertile life? No one would deny that it would end in a bad state. On the otherhand, the ant’s attitude is one of procuring food by hardwork. Not only that but also it is careful in storing it for the days of scarcity [of food]. By measuring the gay, happy life of the cricket, which in turn makes it beg for food from others, Ibis net proper for one to follow its habit in life, So, the planned, hard working life of the ant is what anyone should adopt to3 |
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