Class 6 :: English Literature :: from The Elephant and the Tragopan by Vikram Seth (Roots)
from The Elephant and the Tragopan
by Vikram Seth (Roots)
The Poem :
"In Bingle Valley, broad and green,
Where neither hut nor field is seen,
Where bamboo, like a distant lawn,
Is gold at dusk and flushed at dawn,
Where rhododendron forests crown
The hills, and wander halfway down
In scarlet blossom, where each year
A dozen shy black bears appear,
Where a cold river, filmed with ice,
Sustains a minor paradise,
An elephant and tragopan
Discussed their fellow creature, man.
The tragopan last week had heard
The rumour from another bird
- Most probably a quail or sparrow:
Such birds have gossip in their marrow -
That man had hatched a crazy scheme
To mar their land and dam their stream,
To flood the earth on which they stood,
And cut the woods down for their wood.
The tragopan, good-nature pheasant,
A trifle shocked by this unpleasant
Even if quite unlikely news
Had scurried off to test the views
Of his urbane and patient friend,
The elephant, who in the end
Had swung his trunk from side to side
With gravitas, and thus replied:
'Who told you? Ah, the quail - oh well,
I rather doubt - but who can tell?
I would suggest we wait and see.
Now would you care to have some tea?'
'Gnau! gnau!' the tragopan agreed.
'That is exactly what I need.
And if you have a bamboo shoot
Or fresh oak-leaves or ginseng-root--
Something that's crunchy but not prickly...
I feel like biting something quickly.'
The elephant first brewed the tea
In silence, then said carefully:
'Now let me think what I can get you.
I fear this rumour has upset you.
Your breast looks redder than before.
Do ruffle down. Here, let me pour.'
He drew a lukewarm gallon up
His trunk and poured his friend a cup."
Summary of the Poem :
Bingle Valley is a broad green forest without any hut or field in it. There are tribes of bamboos, rhododendron having their unique beauty at the time of dawn and at dusk. At the foot of the hill, there is scarlet blossoms. There are river with frozen ice with dozen of black bears at its bank. All these make the Bingle Valley a mini paradise. Here an elephant and a tragopan are discussing something about human.
The tragopan had heard a rumour from the gossiping birds like a quail or a sparrow. They were talking about the plan of the men to destroy the valley and make dam on the stream. The dam would make the valley flooded. Then the men would cut the woods down for woods.
The tragopan was a good-natured bird. It was in shock after hearing that rumour. He moved quickly to his courteous and knowledgeable friend, the elephant. The elephant was serious and he had doubt on the rumour. The elephant was not ready to believe the news. He suggested the tragopan to wait and watch. The elephant further suggested to have tea together. The tragopan agreed.
The elephant was in his foody attitude. He was asking if there were some bamboo shoot, fresh oak-leaves or ginseng-root to eat with the tea. He was the mood to eat something crunchy but not prickly. The elephant made the tea. He wanted to do something for the tragopan as he was upset due to the rumour. The breast of the tragopan had become redder in anxiety. The elephant said him to calm down. The elephant drank a gallon of tea and gave the tragopan a cup of tea.
Comprehension
1. What is the purpose of the first stanza?
a. to list the elements of nature one can spot in Bingle Valley. [ ]
b. to describe the natural beauty of Bingle Valley. [✓]
c. to introduce the elephant and the tragopan. [ ]
2. What was the rumour that the tragopan heard? Why did he call it a 'crazy scheme'?
= The tragopan had heard a rumour from the gossiping birds like a quail or a sparrow. They were talking about the plan of the men to destroy the valley and make dam on the stream. The dam would make the valley flooded. Then the men would cut the woods down for woods.
He called it a 'crazy scheme' because the cutting of wood and making of dam not only harm the wild animals but also indirectly cause great harm for the human beings.
3. Do you think that the elephant's reaction to the rumour was appropriate? What makes you say that?
= No, I don't think that the elephant's reaction to the rumour was appropriate.
The elephant was totally careless. He did not take any tension. He did not think that if it really happens, they would all be in danger. Rather the elephant was in his foody attitude. He was asking if there were some bamboo shoot, fresh oak-leaves or ginseng-root to eat with the tea. He was the mood to eat something crunchy but not prickly. The elephant made the tea. He wanted to do something for the tragopan as he was upset due to the rumour. The breast of the tragopan had become redder in anxiety. The elephant said him to calm down. The elephant drank a gallon of tea and gave the tragopan a cup of tea.
4. What details in the poem tell you how the tragopan was feeling after he heard the rumour?
= The tragopan was a good-natured bird. It was in shock after hearing that rumour. He moved quickly to his courteous and knowledgeable friend, the elephant to get his views on that matter. He was in tension. His red breast became redder due to the anxiety after hearing the rumour.
5. What do you think the elephant and tragopan should do next?
= I think the elephant and tragopan should call a meeting with all the other animals living in the Bingle Valley. They should build up protest against the plan of the men. They should try every way to protect the Bingle Valley from being demolished by the human beings. Forests are the producer and preserver of nature. But the human are always ready to harm the forests and nature. That activity is harmful for them also. But they are not aware of it unless a massive loss happens.
About the Poet :
Vikram Seth (1952), born in Kolkata, is an Indian poet, novelist and travel writer known for his works The Golden Gate and A Suitable Boy. His writing is laced with humour and poetic language. He has received several awards for his writing. This poem is from his collection of narrative poems - Beasty Tales from Here and There.