Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Solutions Poem 4 The Ant and the Cricket

Poem 4 – The Ant and the Cricket

Tamilnadu Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Guide The Ant and the Cricket Textbook Questions and Answers

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?
(b) Name the seasons mentioned here.
Answer:
(a) The routine of the cricket was to sing and while away the time enjoying the spring.
(b) The seasons mentioned are summer and winter.

2. “Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter has come.”
(a) Who does ‘he’ refer to?
(b) Why was his cupboard empty?
Answer:
(a) ‘He’ refers to foolish cricket.
(b) His cupboard was empty because he had not stored any food during summer.

3. “Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
(a) What couldn’t he find on the ground?
(b) Why was the ground covered with snow?
Answer:
(a) He couldn’t find even a single piece of bread on the ground.
(b) The ground was covered with snow because of the onset of the winter season.

4. “At last by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,”
(a) What made the cricket bold?
(b) Why did the cricket drip and tremble?
Answer:
(a) Starvation and hunger made the cricket bold.
(b) The cricket dripped wet and trembled with cold because it was winter.

5. “Away he set off to a miserly ant,
To keep if, to keep him alive, he would grant
His shelter from the rain,
And a mouthful of grain.”
(a) Whom did the cricket want to meet? Why?
(b) What would keep him alive?
Answer:
(a) The cricket wanted to meet the miserly ant to ask for shelter and food.
(b) Shelter from rain and a mouthful of grain would keep him alive.

6. “But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend. ”
(a) Why do you think ants neither borrow nor lend?
(b) Who says these lines to whom?
Answer:
(a) Ants are industrious and good planners. So they neither borrow nor lend.
(b) The miserly and says this to the silly 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?
(b) What was the nature of cricket? How do you know?
Answer:
(a) ‘I’ refers to cricket.
(b) The nature of cricket is to sing day and night and be happy.

8. “Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket,
And out of the door turned the poor little cricket,”
(a) The ant refused to help the cricket. Why?
(b) Explain the second line.
Answer:
(a) The ant refused to help the cricket since they will end up in starvation giving food to the silly cricket. cricket was not collect any food for winter, it just sang in summer.
(b) Since the ant closed the door, the poor little cricket had to turn and go away.

9. “He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay it tomorrow;”
(a) Pick out the rhyming words in the above lines.
(b) Give more examples of rhyming words from the poem.
Answer:
(a) The rhyming words in the above lines are borrow and tomorrow.
(b) Sing-spring; home-come; found-ground; see-tree-me; bold-cold; ant-grant; rain-grain; tomorrow-sorrow; friend-lend; by-I; light-night; gay-say-away; wicket-cricket and true-two are the rhyming words.

10. “My heart was so light
that I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.
“You sang, Sir, you say”?
(a) Mention the rhyme scheme employed in the above lines.
Answer:
aabb’ is the rhyme scheme.

Additional Questions

(i) “A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter has come.”
(а) What are the two qualities of Cricket described here?
(b) What is the weather condition in the above lines?
(c) What do you understand by the word, ‘accustomed’?
(d) Why has the young cricket been called silly?
(e) How did he spend his summer and spring?
(f) What did he find in winter?
(g) Write the rhyming words.
Answer:
(a) The two qualities to describe the cricket in this poem are foolish cricket and singer cricket.
(b) The weather condition is dry summer and cold winter.
(c) Accustomed means ‘used to’.
(d) The young cricket has been called silly because he sang day and night all throughout the warm weathers. He made no provisions for the future.
(e) He spent his summer and spring singing all day and night.
(f) He found his empty cupboard without any food to eat in winter.
(g) The rhyming words are ‘sing-spring’ and ‘home-come’.

(ii) “Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
Not a flower could he see,
Not a leaf on a tree.
“Oh I what will become, ” says the cricket, “of me ?”
(a) Who was looking for the crumbs?
(b) What did the Cricket usually do?
(c) Why did he suffer unable to find neither a flower nor a leaf?
(d) When does the cricket ask “Oh! What will become of me?” and why?
Answer:
(a) The cricket was looking for the crumbs.
(b) The cricket usually sang without any thought for the future.
(c) He suffered because he was lazy and careless and not making any plan or provision for the future. He wasted his time when the weather was fine and so starved in the winters as food was covered with snow.
(d) The cricket asks these words when he was in his home looking at the empty cupboard because he finds no food to eat in winter.

(iii) “At last by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,
Away he set off to a miserly ant,
To see if, to keep him alive, he would grant”
(a) Who was suffering from starvation and famine?
(b) Why was he ‘dripping with wet’?
(c) Whom did the cricket approach for help?
(d) What did he expect to get from the miserly ant?
(e) What does the word ‘grant’ mean?
(f) Why had the cricket to suffer in winter?
Answer:
(a) The cricket was suffering from starvation and cold.
(b) The winter season was cold and he had no shelter. Hence the cricket was dripping with cold. .
(c) The cricket approached a miserly ant for help.
(d) The cricket expected to get food and shelter from the miserly ant.
(e) Here ‘grant’ means ‘give’.
(f) The cricket had to suffer in winter because of his lazy and careless nature. He was not wise enough to plan the future and store food for the winter season.

(iv) “Him shelter from rain,
And a mouthful of grain.
He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay it tomorrow ;
If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.”
(a) Who is ‘Him’ in the first line?
(b) What did he want?
(c) From whom did he hope to borrow?
(d) What does the word ‘borrow’ refer to?
Answer:
(a) ‘Him’ refers to the cricket who needs shelter from the ant.
(b) The cricket wanted a mouthful of food and shelter from rain.
(c) The Cricket hoped to borrow from the ant.
(d) The word ‘borrow’ refers to taking money from someone.

(v) “My heart was so light
that I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay. ” “For all nature looked gay”.
“You sang, Sir, you say?
Go then”, says the ant, “and dance the winter away”.”
(a) Whose heart was light?
(b) What did he do out of joy?
(c) What is meant by ‘gay’?
(d) Why does the poet say that the nature looks gay?
(e) Explain the phrase, ‘dance winter away’.
(f) The ant tells the cricket to “dance the winter away.” Is the usage of the word ‘dance’ appropriate here? If so, why?
(g) Give the rhyme scheme.
Answer:
(a) The cricket’s heart was light.
(b) Out of joy, the cricket danced the winter away.
(c) ‘Gay’ here means ‘happy and joyful’.
(d) The poet says that nature looks happy because it’s springtime.
(e) The phrase ‘dance winter away’ means dancing all through the winter season.
(f) The word ‘dance’ here means ‘merrymaking and wasting time.’ It is appropriate here. Irresponsible cricket does not deserve any sympathy.
(g) ‘aabbb’ is the rhyme scheme.

(vi) “Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true;
Some crickets have four legs, and some have but two”
(a) Who is ‘I’ here?
(b) What is a fable?
(c) ‘…some have but two.’ Who are referred to here?
(d) What is the figure of speech in the second line?
Answer:
(a) The poet is ‘I’ here.
(b) A fable is a short poem or a legend that imparts a moral lesson. It is not based on truths. It often has animals as characters.
(c) The crickets are referred to here.
(d) The figure of speech in the second line is Metaphor- ‘some have but two’. ‘Some’ crickets that have two legs refer to human beings who are as lazy and careless as the cricket. So the Cricket is compared indirectly to the lazy human beings who are two legged.

B. Based on your understanding of the poem, complete the summary using the phrases given below.

(the pleasant nature, human being, doesn’t save, warm place, kitchen, cupboard, just a fable, saving for future, some grains, never borrow or lend, an ant and a cricket, sings and dance)

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 (1) …………………. The ant spends all its summer saving (2) ……………….. The cricket (3) ………………… happily in the summer. He (4) …………………. anything for the winter. When winter comes, he is worried that his (5) ………………….. (6) ………………… is empty. So, he seeks the help of the ant to have (7) ………………… and a (8) ……………… (9) ……………… to stay. The cricket was even prepared to repay it in the future. The ant made it clear that ants (10) …………………. 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 (11) …………………. 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 (12) ……………….. but it is true and applicable to (13) ………………… also.
Answers:

1. of an act and a cricket
2. for future
3. sings and dance
4. doesn’t save
5. kitchen
6. cupboard
7. some grains
8. warm
9. place
10. never borrow or lend
11. the pleasant nature
12. just a fable
13. human being

C. Answer each of the following questions in a paragraph about 100 words.

Question 1.
‘Some crickets have four legs and some have two’. Elucidate this statement from the poet’s point of view.
Answers:
The poet is comparing the lazy crickets to the two-legged creatures – human beings. The poetic device Metaphor is perfectly used to fit into the situation. Everyone knows that crickets have four legs. But he says some have two to compare the silly cricket to the two-legged human-beings who sometimes are as lazy and silly as the cricket in this poem.

The poet wants to suggest that this story is not entirely a fable; rather, it is related to the real world. Surely, some people are as careless and lazy as cricket is. Likewise, some humans like cricket also don’t plan out for the future or for the bad times. They just enjoy the present moment. The poet is thus calling such people as mindless as the cricket.

‘God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.’

(OR)

Poem: The Ant and The cricket
Poet: Adapted from Aesop’s fables.
Theme: Ant vs Cricket
Moral: Hard work never fails

Once an ant and a cricket lived in a forest. The cricket was fun-loving. It enjoyed singing all through the summer. But the ant was hard working. In the winter season, snow covered the earth. There was no piece of food. Cricket trembled in snow. He was hungry.

So it asked the ant to give him some food. But the ant never borrows or lends. It refused the cricket’s request. It drove him out of his place without giving anything. The poet teaches a lesson to human beings. We must work hard, earn money, and save something for the future.

(OR)

1. Cricket sings and dances in summer
2. It enjoyed in summer
3. Ants worked hard in the summer.
4. The ant saved food for winter ‘
5. During winter, cricket suffers without food.
6. It asked the ant for food.
7. Ants didn’t help him.
8. We must work hard, earn money, and save something for the future.

Question 2.
Compare and contrast the attitude of the ant and the cricket.
Answer:
Introduction:
In this poem, the poet brings out the idea of hard work. The poem is taken from Aesop’s fables. Let us see the comparison between the ant and the cricket.

Attitude of Cricket:
The cricket was so lazy. It sat alone and sang happily along with the summer. It didn’t worry about the future. It didn’t save anything for the winter. It enjoyed singing all through the summer.

Attitude of Ant:
The Ant was hard-working in nature. It worked hard and saved food for the winter. It never borrows or lends from anyone.

Comparison:
The poet projects the cricket as a borrower and the ant as neither borrower nor a lender. However, the attitude of the ant in the last stanza is quite disappointing because the ant sent away the poor little cricket.

Conclusion:
Through this poem, the poet tells us not be like the cricket and he advises us to work hard and plan for the future like the wise ant.

(OR)

Title: The Ant and the Cricket
Author: Aesop
Characters: Ant and Cricket
Theme: Contrast is the shadow of comparison

In this poem ‘The Ant and the Cricket’, we find the good and bad nature of the ant and the cricket respectively. The cricket is lazy. He sang and dance during summer. The ant was wise and hard working. It saves its food for winter.

It teaches us the moral values of life. It never borrows nor lends. It’s lives on this principle. It has no concern over the foolish cricket. It tells that it is a servant and friend of the cricket. It sends the cricket out of its house without giving anything. This shows the ant is hardworking and clever.

‘Work while you work; Play while you play;
That’s the way to be happy and gay’.

(OR)

1. The ant and the cricket are the two creatures.
2. The ant is wise and hard working.
3. It saves food for the winter season.
4. It never borrows nor lends.
5. The cricket is a little lazy creature.
6. It sings and dances during the warm summer.
7. In winter it has no food to eat.
8. It went to the ant to borrow and repay tomorrow.
9. But the ant send him without giving anything.
10. This story teaches a lesson to human beings.
11. We must work hard and save money for future.

Question 3.
If given a chance, who would you want to be – the ant or the cricket. Justify your answer.
Answer:
If given a chance to be a Cricket or an Ant, it is obvious that I would like to be an ant. I surely wouldn’t like to be called a silly cricket. Who would like to be foolish like the Cricket? I do like to enjoy life and have fun but I strongly do understand the importance of seeing the future needs. I prefer to be wise and intelligent rather than being foolish and silly in my behaviour. Year after year, I have witnessed the different seasons.

I do know that during winter, I will be deprived of food if I am not discrete. Hence, I will be judicious and meticulously work for the future like the Ant. I hate to be put to shame. I do not like the idea of borrowing or lending like the Cricket. I agree it’s indeed a shame to be a debtor. So I will never be a debtor borrowing things from others like Cricket. I hate to brood and be morose.

The Cricket is pushed to such a state looking at the empty cupboard, Surely I do not want to be a moaner. I do like to be courageous but not like the Cricket that became courageous because of starvation and famine. I cannot be so shameless like the Cricket and get turned down by the Ant.
‘I would like to live a day in the life of an ant and hope not to get squashed. ’

(OR)

I want to be an ant. An ant is a symbol of wisdom and hard work. It makes use of the opportunity to work hard to save food for winter. It is aware of the hard times during the winter. It never wastes the time like cricket in singing and dancing.

Cricket is foolish and lazy. They do not save anything. They suffer a lot in the future and old age. They starve like cricket. They borrow for tomorrow and remain in sorrow. We must learn the lesson from the ant. We must plan with foresight for our future and old age. If we live like the ant, we need not worry about the future.

‘Work is worship’
‘Hard work is the key to success’

(OR)

1. I would be an ant and not cricket.
2. The ant is wise and hard working.
3. The ants never borrow nor lend.
4. It avoids starvation even in famine
5. Likewise, we also must plan and work hard
6. We must save to avoid problems in the future.
7. I wish to be an ant and never miss anything in my future life.

“Be an ant always and never be a cricket”

The Ant and the Cricket Summary of the poem

The Poem ‘The Ant and the cricket’ tells about a hardworking ant and a lazy cricket. The last line of the poem says ‘Some crickets have four legs and some have two’ serves as a moral for the readers. The last line tells about the lazy humans who don’t save anything and don’t worry about their future. The poet tells us not to be lazy as the cricket and he wants us to be like the hardworking ant.

About the Poet: The Ant and the Cricket by Aesop’s Fables 

Aesop’s Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in Samos, a Greek island but others say he came from Ethiopia. The name Aesop is derived from the Greek word Aethiop which means Ethiopia! Aesop’s fables were not believed to have been written as Children’s literature and the book of fables were originally used to make thinly disguised social and political criticisms. The similarity to parables or allegories can be seen in most of the short tales in Aesop’s Book of Fables.

Glossary:

accustomed to (y) – be used to
gay (adj) – glad, joyful
crumb (n) – a piece of bread
famine (n) – extreme scarcity of food
miserly (adj) – hesitant to spend money
quoth (y) – said (old English usage. used only in first and third-person singular before the subject)
hastily (adv) – hurriedly
warrant (y) – guarantee, promise