CH - 7 THE FROG AND THE NIGHTINGALE

-by Vikram Seth

ABOUT THE POET

THEME OF THE POEMThe poem is a spoof on the society. The moral of the poem is that being inspired and influenced by someone much unknown and strange is indeed a foolish act. The nightingale could have very well judged how could the frog with such a harsh voice be music maestro and she had to suffer for her misjudgment.

Many people in the human society also try to take advantage of the innocence or ignorance of the people. The moral is that if you want to succeed ,you must have self-confidence in your abilities even if you are exceptionally talented. Talent alone does not ensure success because a poor self-image of yourself can be self-destructive.

Once upon a time there was a presumptuous frog who lived in a place called Bingle Bog. This frog croaked from night to morning in his unpleasant voice. Though the other creatures did not like his voice, they had no choice but to listen to him as all complaints, pleas and protests fell on deaf ears.

Then one night a nightingale came to the Bog. She sang her melodious song and all the creatures of the Bog listened to her, mesmerized. They asked her to sing again and again. The nightingale continued to sing because she was unused to such applause.

The next night when the nightingale was about to sing, the possessive frog told her that he owned the tree she sang on. He claimed to be a music critic with a noted baritone. Impressed by the frog’s credentials, and unsure of her own ability, the nightingale asked the frog to comment upon her song.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

The arrogant frog told her that she lacked training and offered to teach her for a fee. The nightingale, excited and pleased, began trai--ning under the frog. He began to charge an admission fee from those who came to hear the nightingale . The frog made her practice in all kinds of weather for long hours.

Soon the nightingale’s voice began lose its melodious quality. Thecreatures of the Bog lost interest in her. The bird became more and more sorrowful as her popularity decreased. The frog rebuked her sharply, adding to her misery. When the frog told her to puff up herlungs and sing, the bird tried to follow his advice, puffed up her lungs, burst a vein and died.

The frog once again became the unrivalled singer of the Bog.

THE FROG AND THE NIGHTINGA LE

Once upon a time a frogCroaked away in Bingle BogEvery night to dusk and dawnHe croaked awn and awn and awn.

Others creatures loathed his voiceBut, alas, they had no choice,And the crass cacophonyBlared out from the sumac treeAt whose foot the frog each nightMinstrelled on till morning night.

Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks,Insults or complaints or bricksStilled the frog’s determinationTo display his heart’s elation.

Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks,Insults or complaints or bricksStilled the frog’s determinationTo display his heart’s elation.

But one night a nightingaleIn the moonlight cold and pale Perched upon the sumac treeCasting forth her melody.

Dumbstruck sat the gaping frog.And the whole admiring bogStared towards the sumac, rapt,And, when she had ended, clapped,Ducks had swum and herons wadedTo her as she serenadedAnd a solitary loon

Wept, beneath the summer moon.Toads and teals and tiddlers, capturesBy 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 nightingaleShook her head and twitched her tail,Closed an eye and fluffed a wingAnd had cleared her throat to singShe was startled by a croak.“Sorry- was that you who spoke?”She enquired when the frogHopped 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 baritoneAnd, of course, I wield my penFor 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 impressedThat a critic of such noteHad discussed her heart 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

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!”So the frog and nightingaleJourneyed up and down the scaleFor six hours, till she was shiveringand 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 glitteringIn the interval sat twittering-And the frog Observed them bitter.

Every day the frog who’d sold herSongs for silver tried to scold her:“You must practice even longerTill your voice, like mine grows stronger.In the second song last nightYou got nervous in mid-flight.

And, my dear, lay on more trills:Audiences enjoy such frill.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 nightingaleGrew more sorrowful and pale.Night on night her tired song Zipped and trilled and bounced along,Till the bird and beast grew tiredAt a voice so uninspired And the ticket office grossCrashed, and she grew more morose-For her ears were now addictedTo applause quite unrestricted,And to sing into the night All along 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 nightingaleHeard him out in silence, tired, 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.

-by Vikram Seth

COMPREHENSION STANZA

1) Now the nightingale inspired, Flushed with confidence, and fired With both art and adoration, Sang---and was a huge sensation.

a)What inspired the nightingale to sing?

b)How did the nightingale become a sensation?

c) Explain the “flushed with confidence”.

ANSWERSa)The appreciation of the audience

inspired the nightingale to sing beautifully.

b)The melodious song of the nightingale attracted the creatures of the bog who came from miles around to hear her sing.

c) The appreciation and success that the nightingale received made her feel confident. She also feel exited and pleased with herself as she began to sing.

2) You’ll remain a mere beginner,But with me you’ll be a winner.

a) How will the frog change the nightingale’s singing?

b) On what condition does the frog agree to teach the nightingale? What according to the frog was lacking in the nightingale’s song?

c) How will the fee not hurt the nightingale?

ANSWERSa)By teaching the nightingale the

technique of singing , the frog promised to transform her from a mere beginner to a singing sensation.

b)The frog agreed on the condition of charging the modest fee. Her song was too long and lacked intensity and depth.

c) The frog will not take it directly from her but will charge admission fees from the creatures who come to hear the bird’s song.

3) Just put on your scarf and sash, Koo-oh-ah! 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.

a) Why did the frog tell the nightingale to put on her scarf and sash?

b) Explain : “Journeyed up and down the scale”.

c) What was the result of the practice on the nightingale?

ANSWERSa)He wanted her to practice and as it

was raining she was little reluctant.

b)Sang a number of notes --- both high and low notes.

c) The frog made the nightingale practice in the rain for six hours.As a result she was shivering in the cold. her throat became hoarse and her voice started shaking.

4) 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.

a) Where did the nightingale twitch her tail? i) on the sumac tree ii) near the sumac tree

iii) on the pine iv) with the frog

b) What surprised the nightingale?i) the audienceii) the frog’s criticismiii) the frog’s croakiv) the melody of her voice

c) The phrase “shook her head and twitched her tail” means?i) nightingale was getting ready to leave the placeii) nightingale was getting ready to singiii) nightingale was getting ready to teach frog.iv) none of the above

Ans4. a) i) ; b)iii); c)ii)

5) But one night a nightingale In the moonlight cold and pale Perched upon the sumac tree Casting forth her melody.

a) Whose song had echoed in the bog all night

earlier? i) the parrot’s song ii) the nightingale’s song iii) the frog’s song iv) none of the above

b) How was the nightingale’s song?i) melodiousii) harshiii) unpleasantiv) none of the above

c) When was the nightingale came?i) when the frog was not thereii) in the nightiii) in the morningiv) in the evening

Ans. a)ii); b)i); c)ii)

6) “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.

a) The frog introduce himself as : i) the king of the bingle bog ii) the owner of the sumac tree iii) a famous singer iv) a poor animal

b) The frog’s aim was to :i) make the nightingale a sensation ii) make the nightingale as good a singer as himiii) maintain his supremacy in the bogiv) make a lot of money

c) The nightingale accepted the frog’s tutelage as she :i) was not confident to herselfii) wanted to become a professional singeriii) was not a resident of bingle bogiv) none of the above

Ans6. a)ii); b)iii); c)i).

HIGH ORDER THINKING QUESTIONSQ1) “We must be well judged about our

decisions and must not come in flattering words of others. We must beware of such people.” How can you save yourself from the people like frog?

Q2) Do you admire the frog for his intelligence or criticise him for his cruelty? Explain with suitable examples.

Mehak Gupta

X-A

Kendriya Vidyalaya