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Read the extract and answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options:
'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) The Nightingale was eager to sing because _______
(i) the song was good
(ii) she wanted to gain applause
(iii) a solitary loon wept
(iv) the sumac tree was in full bloom
(b) She was startled by ___________
(i) the frog’s croak (ii) ladies with tiaras
(iii) Duck of Kent (iv) the toad
(c) She twitched her tail to _________
(i) earn money (ii) start vocal training
(iii) perfect her technique (iv) sing a song
(a) she wanted to gain applause
(b) the frog’s croak
(c) sing a song
Nightingale was responsible for her own fate. Elucidate.
The nightingale is, herself, responsible for her own fate, which turned into her downfall. She doesn't use her capability to judge and evaluate sweet-tongued people. That’s why she is killed by the evil designs of the frog who ploys her to her death. She should have been able to see through the frog’s plots and reverted accordingly.
(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 rain.
(j) One night a nightingale began to sing in a melodious voice.
(k) Finally, the nightingale burst a vein and died.
(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 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.
| Character | Extract | Personality traits |
| Nightingale | Sorry- was that you spoke? | Polite, timorous |
| Frog | Yes,... you see, I'm the frog who owns this tree. In this bog I've long have 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 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 will 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. |
| Character | Extract | Personality traits |
| Nightingale | Sorry- was that you spoke? | Polite, timorous |
| Frog | Yes,... you see, I'm the frog who owns this tree. In this bog I've long have been known For my splendid baritone. |
Boastful, proud, arrogant |
| Nightingale | Did you- did you like my song? | Modest, susceptible |
| Frog | Not too bad - but far too long. The technique was fine, of course, But it lacked a certain force. |
Patronising, dismissive |
| Frog | Without proper training such as I And few others can supply, You'll remain a mere beginner, But with me you'll be a winner. |
Superior, boastful, haughty |
| Nightingale | But I can't sing in this weather. | Timid, gentle, nervous, polite |
| Nightingale | ...This is a fairy tale - And you're Mozart in disguise Come to earth before my eyes. |
Eager to please, flattering |
| Frog | Come, my dear - we will sing together. | Polite, hypocrite |
| Frog | We must aim for better billing. You still owe me sixty shillings. |
Possesive, selfish, crafty |
| Frog | Brainless bird - you're on the stage - Use your wits and follow fashion. Puff your lungs out with your passion. |
Overbering, authoritative, arrogant |
| Frog | ...I tried to teach her, But she was a stupid creature. |
deceitful, clever, arrogant |
The frog's aim was to
make the nightingale a sensation
make the nightingale as good as a singer as him
maintain his supremacy in the bog
make a lot of money.
C.
maintain his supremacy in the bog
The nightingale accepted the frog's tutelage as she
was not confident of herself
wanted to become as good a singer as the frog
wanted to become a professional singer
was not a resident of Bingle Bog
C.
wanted to become a professional singer
The nightingale was sorrowful and pale because
she had been practicing in the rain
she had been performing all night
she was losing confidence in herself
she was falling ill
B.
she had been performing all night
The audience was tired of her song because
they had heard it many times
it had become mechanical
she looked tired
she had added trill to her song
B.
it had become mechanical
She no longer enjoyed singing alone as
she wanted to sing only for tilted crowd
she was now used to the appreciation she got
the frog was no longer with her
she had become proud of herself
B.
she was now used to the appreciation she got
How did the creatures of Bingle bog react to the nightingale's singing?
They were mesmerised by the singing of the nightingale. They applauded and clapped when she ended. They cheered and asked her to sing one more time.
Which are the different ways in which the frog asserts his importance?
The frog says that he owns the tree she was singing on. In the bog, he is long known for his splendid baritone and is a reporter of bog trumpet. He gives his reviews on her singing and acts as a music critic.
Why is the frog's joy both sweet and bitter?
The frog's joy was sweet as the nightingale was able to engage more and more audience coming from far places. And she was growing popular among them. His joy was bitter because he was a fraud who knew that she sings beautifully, forced her to sing till she died.
Why was the frog angry?
He scolded and forced her to practice singing continuously everyday. She got heavily tired and the audience was no longer interested in her voice. This marked the fall in the ticket selling and this huge loss enraged him.
How did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again?
The frog became the unrivalled king of the bog again as after the death of the nightingale, everyone was scared of him. And no one would dare to compete him in singing.
Bring out the irony in the frog's statement- 'Your song must be your own'.
The irony in the frog's statement- 'Your song must be your own' is that he previously said that she should not boast about her own songs, she needs to learn other things. And later on, he is teaching her that the song she sings must be her own.
Do you think the end is justified?
The end is justified as bad people are always disguised as good people to entrap the innocents.
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Do you think the nightingale is 'brainless'? Give reasons for your answer?
Yes, she was partly brainless. She was so innocent to get webbed in the frog's trap. She was happy that someone is helping her to be a professional singer. She relied on him and continued with him until she died.
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 the responsible for her own downfall?
She had a melodious voice and was able to engage more audience by herself. She relied on frog and then eventually had to pay for her mistake. She was so innocent that she couldn't understand the evil intentions of the frog at first. But she could say no to him in the midway when she knew that he was forcing her beyond her physical capacities.
Do you agree with the Frog's inference of the Nightingale's character? Give reasons for your answer.
Yes, I agree with the frog's inference of the nightingale's character as he was an egotist and didn't want anyone to compete him in any way. He found his competitor who was way more ahead of him at singing. He couldn't digest seeing her getting popular, so he entrapped her.
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