(a) Whose heart was light? (b) What did he do out of joy?

Question

Based on your understanding of the poem, read the following lines and answer the questions given below.

“My heart was so light 

that I sang day and night, 

For all nature looked gay. ” “For all nature looked gay”. 

“You sang, Sir, you say?

Go then” , says the ant, “and dance the winter away”.”

(a) Whose heart was light? 

(b) What did he do out of joy? 

(c) What is meant by ‘gay’? 

(d) Why does the poet say that the nature looks gay? 

(e) Explain the phrase, ‘dance winter away’. 

(f) The ant tells the cricket to “dance the winter away.” Is the usage of the word ‘dance’ appropriate here? If so, why? 

(g) Give the rhyme scheme.

Answer 1

(a) The cricket’s heart was light. 

(b) Out of joy, the cricket danced the winter away. 

(c) ‘Gay’ here means ‘happy and joyful’. 

(d) The poet says that the nature looks happy because it’s springtime. 

(e) The phrase ‘dance winter away’ means dancing all through the winter season.

(f) The word ‘dance’ here means ‘merry making and wasting time.’ It is appropriate here. The irresponsible cricket does not deserve any sympathy.

(g) ‘aabbb’ is the rhyme scheme.