Summary of The Duck and the Kangaroo by Edward Lear Beehive Class 9
Introduction of The Duck and the KangarooThis is a humorous poem, also known as 'Nonsense Verse'. It's a conversation between a Kangaroo and the Duck because the Duck wants to ride on the back of the Kangaroo and the Kangaroo is not agreeing to it.
Summary of The Duck and the Kangaroo
One day a meeting takes place between a Duck and a Kangaroo. The Duck praises the Kangaroo for his hopping ability. The Duck says that he lives in a nasty pond and his life is a bore. Ike strongly desires to go out in the world. He requests the Kangaroo to give him a ride on his back. He promises that he would sit without making any movement or noise.
The Kangaroo says that he is willing but before this, he requires some reflection. He tells the Duck that he lives all the time in the water. His feet are so wet and cold that if he sits on his back he might catch the disease of roomatiz.
The Duck says that the Kangaroo need not worry about this. He says that he has bought four pairs of woollen socks and his feet are always warm. He also has bought a cloak to keep himself warm.
The Kangaroo agrees to give a ride to the Duck. He asks the Duck to sit at the end of his tail. They start their riding programme very happily. They go around the world three times.
Stanza 1
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
"Good gracious! how you hop!
Over the fields and the water too,
As if you never would stop!
My life is a bore in this nasty pond,
And I long to go out in the world beyond!
I wish I could hop like you!"
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
The duck was addressing the Kangaroo. Duck told it was gracious how Kangaroo jump, and hop from one place to another. It was gracious and adorable to watch how Kangaroo hop over fields and water too. It didn’t stop. Duck further told that his life had become boring in the nasty pond, it was staying. It wanted to go beyond the world, see how outer world would look like. Duck wished if he could hop like Kangaroo.
Stanza 2
“Please give me a ride on your back!” Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
“I would sit quite still, and say nothing but ‘Quack’,
The whole of the long day through!
And we’d go to the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee,
Over the land, and over the sea;
Please take me a ride! O do!”
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo
Duck requested Kangaroo to give him ride on his back. He further told he would not say anything, just quack. He wished to ride Kangaroo whole day. He further should we would go to the Dee, and Jelly Bo Lee. They would travel over the land and sea. He pleaded and told the duck to Kangaroo.
Stanza 3
Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,
"This requires some little reflection;
Perhaps on the whole it might bring me luck,
And there seems but one objection,
Which is, if you‘ll let me speak so bold,
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-
Matiz!" said the Kangaroo.
Kangaroo replied to the duck. He told that duck’s ideas required some reflection. It might bring Kangaroo some luck but it had one objection about the request of duck. Kangaroo told, if duck might let Kangaroo speak frankly about it. The feet of duck were wet and cold and would probably make Kangaroo feel cold and unpleasant.
Stanza 4
Said the Duck, "As I sat on the rocks,
I have thought over that completely,
And I bought four pairs of worsted socks
Which fit my web-feet neatly.
And to keep out the cold I‘ve bought a cloak,
And every day a cigar I‘ll smoke,
All to follow my own dear true
Love of a Kangaroo!"
Duck said, when it sat on the rocks it had thought about it. He bought four pairs of worsted socks which fir its feet. It had bought a cloak to keep cold away. Everyday it would smoke a cigar to keep itself warm. Duck told it is well prepared to follow Kangaroo which duck considered its true love.
Stanza 5
Said the Kangaroo, "I‘m ready!
All in the moonlight pale;
But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady!
And quite at the end of my tail!"
So away they went with a hop and a bound,
And they hopped the whole world three times round;
And who so happy — O who,
As the Duck and the Kangaroo?
Kangaroo replied it is ready to for the ride. It asked duck to sit steady and quite at end of the tail of Kangaroo. So, away they went with a hop and a bound. Duck agreed. After that both hopped the whole world three times round. The duck was sitting on the tail of Kangaroo. Poet says who is so happy as duck and Kangaroo.