Chapter 7- The Frog and the Nightingale(NCERT Sol.)

Ch 7 -The Frog and the Nightingale (By Vikram Seth)

Page No: 85

Listed below are a few character traits of people. Some are positive qualities,while others are not. Tick mark the ones you feel are desirable qualities in a person.

Characteristic	Tick Mark	Characteristic	Tick Mark	Characteristic	Tick Mark
Insensitive		High- headed		Manipulative
Humorous		Egoistic		Patronizing
Naïve		Humble		Submissive
Opportunistic		Foolish		Arrogant
Creative		Original		Conniving
Disapproving		Helpful		Innocent
Commanding		Calculative		Condescending
Benevolent		Crafty		Scheming
Simple		Wise		Rude
Overbearing		Generous		Boastful
Sly		Gentle		Proud
Territorial		Aggressive		Servile

Answer– The following are the qualities desirable in a person:

Characteristic	Tick Mark	Characteristic	Tick Mark	Characteristic	Tick Mark
Insensitive	NO	High- headed	NO	Manipulative	NO
Humorous	YES	Egoistic	NO	Patronizing	NO
Naïve	NO	Humble	YES	Submissive	YES
Opportunistic	NO	Foolish	NO	Arrogant	NO
Creative	YES	Original	YES	Conniving	NO
Disapproving	NO	Helpful	YES	Innocent	YES
Commanding	NO	Calculative	NO	Condescending	YES
Benevolent	YES	Crafty	NO	Scheming	NO
Simple	YES	Wise	YES	Rude	NO
Overbearing	NO	Generous	YES	Boastful	NO
Sly	NO	Gentle	YES	Proud	NO
Territorial	NO	Aggressive	NO	Servile	NO

Have you come across people who are not what they seem to be – like someone who is extremely friendly and helpful yet you are not very comfortable with him /her as you feel it is a put-on? Have a class discussion about such people and why you feel as you do.

Answer– Yes, Many times I don’t feel comfortable with some certain people. They have a negative energy in them. They pretend to be a moral giant but their reality is different. That don’t really possess the qualities of really a nice person. For a short period of time they may be successful in making a favourable impression upon the others but they fail in the long run.

Page No: 86

3. Before you read the poem complete the word – web with the words that we associate with a Frog and a Nightingale.
Frog: Croak, Ugly, etc.

Page No: Page No: 91

5. The following is a summary of the poem but it is jumbled up. Write out the events in their correct order to form a continuous paragraph.

(a) As a result, her voice lost its beauty, and the other creatures stopped coming to hear her sing.
(b) Soon the nightingale became famous, and creatures from miles around came to hear her sing.
(c) All the creatures in the bog cheered and clapped at her beautiful song.
(d) He offered to train the nightingale, so that she could sing even more beautifully.
(e) So the frog could sing unrivalled in the bog once more.
(f) The next night the frog introduced himself.
(g) The frog charged an admission fee, and earned a lot of money from these concerts.
(h) A frog croaked all night in a bog, in an unpleasant voice.
(i) But the frog made the nightingale rehearse continuously in the rain.
(j) One night a nightingale began to sing in a melodious voice.
(k) Finally the nightingale burst a vein and died.

Answer
(h) A frog croaked all night in a bog, in an unpleasant voice.
(j) One night a nightingale began to sing in a melodious voice.
(c) All the creatures in the bog cheered and clapped at her beautiful song.
(f) The next night the frog introduced himself.
(d) He offered to train the nightingale, so that she could sing even more beautifully.
(b) Soon the nightingale became famous, and creatures from miles around came to hear her sing.
(g) The frog charged an admission fee, and earned a lot of money from these concerts.
(i) But the frog made the nightingale rehearse continuously in the rain.
(a) As a result, her voice lost its beauty, and the other creatures stopped coming to hear her sing.
(k) Finally the nightingale burst a vein and died.
(e) So the frog could sing unrivalled in the bog once more.

Now that you have read the poem, add more personality traits to the word-web of the frog and the nightingale as depicted in the poem. Then complete the table given below. (Some of the words in the box below may help you. You may also use the words given in Q. 1.)

Character	Extract	Personality
Nightingale	Sorry – was that you who spoke?	Polite, Timorous
Frog	Yes,… you see, I’m the frog who owns this tree In this bog I’ve long been known For my splendid baritone.
Nightingale	Did you…did you like my song?
Frog	Not too bad – but far too long The technique was fine, of course, But it lacked a certain force.
Frog	Without proper training such as I And a few others can supply You’ll remain a mere beginner, But with me you’ll be a winner.
Nightingale	But I can’t sing in this weather.
Nightingale	…This is a fairy tale – And you’re Mozart in disguise Come to earth before my eyes.
Frog	Come, my dear – we’ll sing together.
Frog	We must aim for better billing You still owe me sixty shillings.
Frog	Brainless bird – you’re on the stage Use your wits and follow fashion. Puff your lungs out with your passion.
Frog	…I tried to teach her, But she was a stupid creature.

Dismissive	Nervous	Timid	Presumptuous
Superior	Fawning	Shy	Polite
Meek	Possessive	Dominating	Mercenery

Answer

Character	Extract	Personality
Nightingale	Sorry – was that you who spoke?	Polite, Timorous
Frog	Yes,… you see, I’m the frog who owns this tree In this bog I’ve long been known For my splendid baritone.	Territorial, proud,possessive, arrogant, haughty, boastful
Nightingale	Did you…did you like my song?	Susceptible, modest
Frog	Not too bad – but far too long The technique was fine, of course, But it lacked a certain force.	Dismissive, patronizing
Frog	Without proper training such as I And a few others can supply You’ll remain a mere beginner, But with me you’ll be a winner.	domineering Superior, haughty, boastful
Nightingale	But I can’t sing in this weather.	Timid, condescending,nervous, polite
Nightingale	…This is a fairy tale – And you’re Mozart in disguise Come to earth before my eyes.	Innocent , flattering
Frog	Come, my dear – we’ll sing together.	Polite,artificial
Frog	We must aim for better billing You still owe me sixty shillings.	Possessive, witty, selfish
Frog	Brainless bird – you’re on the stage Use your wits and follow fashion. Puff your lungs out with your passion.	Arrogant, overbearing, authoritative
Frog	…I tried to teach her, But she was a stupid creature.	Deceitful, arrogant, clever

Page No: 93

8. On the basis of your understanding of the poem, complete the sentences given below by choosing the appropriate option.

1. The frog’s aim was to
(a) make the nightingale a sensation
(b) make the nightingale as good a singer as him
(c) maintain his supremacy in the bog
(d) make a lot of money
Answer- (c) maintain his supremacy in the bog

2. The animals reacted to the nightingale’s song with
(a) hatred
(b) admiration
(c) indifference
(d) suggestions for improvement
Answer- (b) admiration

3. The nightingale accepted the frog’s tutelage as she
(a) was not confident of herself
(b) wanted to become as good a singer as the frog
(c) wanted to become a professional singer
(d) was not a resident of Bingle Bog
Answer- (c) was not confident of herself

Page No: 94

9. Read the stanza given below and complete the sentences by choosing the appropriate option.
    Day by day the nightingale
    Grew more sorrowful and pale.
    Night on night her tired song
    Zipped and trilled and bounced along,
    Till the birds and beasts grew tired
    At a voice so uninspired
    And the ticket office gross
    Crashed, and she grew more morose –
    For her ears were now addicted
    To applause quite unrestricted,
    And to sing into the night
    All alone gave no delight.

(i) The nightingale was sorrowful and pale because
1. she had been practicing in the rain
2. she had been performing all night
3. she was losing confidence in herself
4. she was falling ill
Answer- 2. she had been performing all night

(ii) The audience was tired of her song because
1. they had heard it many times
2. it had become mechanical
3. she looked tired
4. she had added trill to her song
Answer- 2. it had become mechanical

(iii) She no longer enjoyed singing alone as
1. she wanted to sing only for titled crowd
2. she was now used to the appreciation she got
3. the frog was no longer with her
4. she had become proud of herself
Answer- 2. she was now used to the appreciation she got

10. Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) How did the creatures of Bingle bog react to the nightingale’s singing?
Answer- The creatures of Bingle Bog appreciated immensely the nightingale’s melodious song. As soon as it ended they clapped and said “Bravo!” “Too divine!” “Encore!” Actually, the whole crowds could be seen there only because of the melodious voice of the nightingale.

(b) Which are the different ways in which the frog asserts his importance?
Answer- The frog asserts his importance by claiming the master ship of the sumac tree on which the nightingale was singing. He showed off his expertise in singing. He boasted about his splendid baritone for which he had been appreciated in the Bingle Bog. He was a music critic and an efficient trainer.

(c) Why is the frog’s joy both sweet and bitter?
Answer- The joy of the frog was sweet he was earning a lot of money by organizing the concert and his pockets were full. It was bitter as there was a sense of jealousy in his hind and he considered it to be a rival.

(d) Why was the frog angry?
Answer- The frog was angry because the nightingale had lost her melodious voice and ceased singing as it was doing previously. People stopped liking it consequently the ticket money got dipped. The income of the frog got lost. So he became angry

(e) How did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again?
Answer- The frog became the unrivaled king of Bingle Bog, after the tragic death of the nightingale. There was no one to compete with him. So he was the unrivalled king of the bog again.

Page No: 95

11. Discuss the following questions and write the answers in your note-books.
(a) Bring out the irony in the frog’s statement – ‘Your song must be your own’.
Answer- Irony is a figure of speech that means the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite of thoughts, typically for emphatic effect. The frog himself tells the nightingale that her song should not her own but he himself did not let her sing in her own manner and continues to find faults saying: “Your song must be your own.”

(b) Do you think the end is justified?
Answer- I think that the nightingale met with a fitting end and she was really too innocent. If we take it in the human society the same is happening that brainy people cheat and the innocent are cheated. The end which the innocent nightingale had to face is a great pity yet justified.

(c) Do you think the nightingale is ‘brainless’? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer- According to me she was not foolish or brainless. She was innocent and lacked in practical knowledge. It doest not mean that she was foolish. She is a divine bird with great childishness. She wanted to refine her talent and she willingly accepted the idea of vocal training. Her only fault was that she lacked confidence.

(d) In spite of having a melodious voice and being a crowd puller, the nightingale turns out to be a loser and dies. How far is she responsible for her own downfall?
Answer- There are stumbles on every step of our life. If we earn money it becomes our duty to protect it. The nightingale is being fooled by the frog and she is becoming a fool herself. She doesn’t apply her logic to judge the frog. She had talent but not the skills how to manage it so she had to lose.

(e) Do you agree with the Frog’s inference of the Nightingale’s character? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer–Yes, I agree with the frog’s inferenceof the Nightingale’s character. Being too much innocent, not understanding the situation and timid, she called her own death upon herself. She does not show much faith in her own ability.

13. The nightingale has scaled the heights of success. But now the audience is dwindling, the frog is unhappy and reprimands her all the time. She is mentally and physically exhausted and fears failure. As the nightingale, write a diary entry highlighting her fears and analyzing the reasons for her failure.
1st December
Answer-

April 5,2016 11.30 pm

Monday,
I am extremely disappointed and dejected because of having lost the time when the creatures used to come pleasantly to listen to my melodious voice. Everyone praised my song. It was a great gala and I was requested to repeat my songs. But the nice days were short lived.
Presently no none seems to be interested in my song. because of continuous practice and loud singing my throat has lost its charm and my vocal chords are damaged. I am unable to sing sweetly and melodiously as my voice has got hoarse I am surprised to observe the attitude of the creatures. Even my master trainer, frog is annoyed at me and scolds me all the time. he keeps on reminding me that my song lacks a certain force and my singing is full of errors. Am I not a good singer? Earlier when I was singing without a training I could attract everyone to me but after this training I am being neglected. The audience who used to applaud my song are now loosing interest. The frog continually reprimands me because he is not earning the desired money. I feel tortured. I have only one hope that is the Almighty.

Oh God! Please Help me
Nightingale

14. Write an obituary for the nightingale. You may begin like this: May the kind soul……… (or you may make use of your own beginning)
Answer- May the kind soul rest in peace! it is very hard to beloved that one of the most beloved, the most innocent and simplest nightingale is not among us. The incarnation of melody and sweetness has left us but the voice will never be obscure from our minds. She was a mine of virtuous but Alas! this world has been so cruel that there is no place for the innocent. We will always miss her and she cannot be replaced by any other person, thing or feeling of this world.Her death tells us that one must look out and be vigilant against sweet-tongued people, who turn friendly instantly. This death lets us learn a lot.

Ch 7 -The Frog and the Nightingale (By Vikram Seth)

Page No: 86