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The Snail |
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William Cowper |
The author and the text:
William Cowper (1731-1800) was one of the most popular poets of his time. Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing about the English countryside and the everybody lives of people. His famous works include Onley Hymns and The Task.
(विलियम काउपर (1731-1800) अपने समय के सबसे लोकप्रिय कवियों में से एक थे। काउपर ने अंग्रेजी देहात और लोगों के जीवन के बारे में लिखकर 18वीं सदी की प्रकृति कविता की दिशा बदल दी। उनकी प्रसिद्ध कृतियों में ओनली हाइमन्स और द टास्क शामिल हैं।)
The poem takes us into the private world of a snail, where it is seen to lead a self-sufficient life. We are allowed to observe, in minute detail, the small yet self-contained world a snail lives.
(कविता हमें घोंघे की निजी दुनिया में ले जाती है, जहां वह आत्मनिर्भर जीवन जीता नजर आता है। हमें घोंघे की छोटी लेकिन आत्मनिर्भर दुनिया को बारीकी से देखने की अनुमति है।)
To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall,
The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall,
As if he grew there, house and all
Together.
Within that house secure he hides,
When danger imminent betides
Of storm, or other harm besides
Of weather.
Give but his horns the slightest touch,
His self-collecting power is such,
He shrinks into his house, with much
Displeasure.
Where'er he dwells, he dwells alone,
Except himself has chattels none,
Well satisfied to be his own
Whole treasure.
Thus, hermit-like, his life he leads,
Nor partner of his banquet needs,
And if he meets one, only feeds
The faster.
Who seeks him must be worse than blind,
(He and his house are so combin'd)
If, finding it, he fails to find
Its master.
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Word Meanings :
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1)
leaf : पत्ते
2)
wall: दीवार
3)
sticks : चिपकता
4)
close: करीब से
5)
fears : डरता
6)
fall: गिरना
7)
grew : बरा होना
8)
house : शेल (यहा)
9)
Together: एकसाथ
10)
house : घोंघे का शेल
(यहा)
11)
secure : सुरक्षित
12)
hides: छीपता
13)
imminent : होने की
संभावना
14)
betides: घटना
15)
storm: तूफान
16)
harm : नुकसान
17)
besides: और भी
18)
Give but: दे दे अगर
19)
horns : सिंघ
20)
slightest : सबसे हल्का
21)
self-collecting : सवयं
संग्रहीत
22)
pow'r : पावर (शक्ति )
23)
such: इतना
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24)
shrinks : शिकूर जाता
25)
Displeasure: नाखुश
26)
Where'er : जहा कभी
27)
dwells: राहता है
28)
alone: अकेले
29)
Except : को छोरकर
30)
himself : खुद
31)
chattels : खुद का समान
32)
satisfied : संतुष्ट
33)
Whole : सम्पूर्ण
34)
treasure.: खजाना
35)
hermit-like: सन्यासी के
जैसा
36)
leads: निर्वाह
37)
banquet : भोज
38)
needs: आवस्यकता
39)
one: कोई
40)
feeds: खिलता है
41)
seeks : चाहता है
42)
blind: अंधा
43)
combin'd: जुरा हुआ
44)
fails : असमर्थ
45)
master: मालिक
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Explanation of Stanza - 1 : (To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall, .................. Of storm, or other harm besides Of weather.) : Grass or leaves or fruit or wall a snail sticks anywhere, and it doesn't even have the rate of falling. Looking at him, it seems as if he was born and brought up, that and everything together. Whenever any danger is about to come, the snail becomes silent safely inside its house (shell). Whether it is the threat of a storm or other damages to the weather.
(घास या पत्ते या फल या दीवार एक घोंघा कही भी चिपक जाता है, और उसे गिरने का दर भी नहीं है | उससे देखकर ऐसा लगता है की मानो वह वही पैदा और बरा हुआ हो, वह और सब कुछ एक साथ || जब कभी कोई खतरा आने वाला होता है घोंघा अपने घर ( शेल ) के अंदर सुरक्षित रुप से चुप जाता है | चाहे वह किसी तूफान का खतरा हो या मॉसम के और भी दूसरे नुकसान हो | )
Here the poet wants to say that a snail which can be found stuck anywhere, does not seem to have come from any other place. Here his shell is described as his home which is never separated from it as if it is living with it. He is not afraid of any danger nor is he afraid of falling. When there is any danger on him, then he secures himself in his shell i.e. home. That's why his life is complete in himself, he doesn't care about anyone.
(यहा कवि कहना चाहते है की एक घोंघा जो कही भी चिपका हुआ मिल सकता है जिसे देखकर लगता ही नहीं की वह किसी दूसरे जगह से आया हुआ है | यहा उसके शेल को उसका घर बताया गया है जो उससे कभी भी अलग नहीं हुआ ऐसा मानो वह उसी के साथ बरा हुआ हो || उसे किसी खतरे का दर नहीं है नाहीं उसे गिरने का दर है | जब उसपर कोई खतरा आता है तब वह अपने शेल यानि घर मै खुद को सुरक्षित कर लेता है | अतः उसका जीवन खुद मे मै सम्पूर्ण है उसे किसी से कोई मतलब नहीं है ||)
Explanation of Stanza 2 : (Give but his horns the slightest touch, ............Well satisfied to be his own Whole treasure.) : He becomes angry when his knights touch even the lightest and his self-storing power is such that he is completely compressed into his own house i.e. shell.
Wherever he has to live, he is a relief alone. If it comes to personal equality, then there is no one like him except that, he considers himself to be satisfied with himself and considers himself as his own treasure.
(उसके शूरों सबसे हल्का भी छु लेने पर वह नाराज हो जाता है और उसकी खुद को संग्रहीत करने वाली शक्ति इतनी है की वह पूरी तरह अपने घर यानि शेल मै संकुचित हो जाता है ||
जहा काही भी उसको रहना पड़े वह अकेले ही राहत है | अगर निजी समान की बात की जाए तो उसके अलावा उसका कोई समान भी नहीं है वह खुद मै ही संतुष्ट और अपने आप को खुद का खजाना मानता है || )
Here the poet wants to say that the snail does not need anyone's support, he does not like to touch anyone. Even if someone misses him, he gets angry. Taking his point forward, he says that a snail only values itself in its life and does not give anyone anyone. He doesn't need anyone to be with him, nor does he need any luxury.
(यहा कवि कहना चाहते है की घोंघे को किसी के साथ की जरुरत नहीं है उसको किसी का छुना भी पसंद नहीं है | अगर कोई उसको छूटा भी है तो वह नाराज हो जाता है || अपने बातों को आगे बढ़ाते हुए वह कहते है की एक घोंघा सिर्फ खुद को अपने जीवन मै महत्व देता है और किसि को भी नहीं || न तो उसको साथ मे रहने के लिए कोई चाहिए नहि उसको विलासिता का कोई समान चाहिए || )
Explanation of Stanza 3: (Thus, hermit-like, his ..........If, finding it, he fails to find Its master.) : Similarly, like a monk, he lives his life, he does not even need a partner for his meal, even if he finds someone at the banquet, his focus is only on eating, he takes care of finishing the food quickly.)
(इसी प्रकार एक सन्यासी की तरह वह अपने जीवन का निर्वाह करता है उसे उसके भोज के लिए किसी साथी की जरोरत भी नहीं होती है उसे भोज पर कोई मिल भी जाए तब भी उसका ध्यान केवल भोजन करने पर ही होता है वह जल्दी से भोजन को खतम करने पर ही ध्यान रखता है ||)
Who needs it, only the worst creature needs it? He and his house are so fragile that even if it is difficult to find him, he can be found through his house.
(किसे उसकी जरोरत है कोई अंधे से भी बुरा प्राणी को ही वह चाहिए होगा | वह और उसका घर इतना जुर हुआ होता है की अगर उसे खोजना मुस्किल भी हुआ तो उसके घर के जरिए उसको खोजा जा सकता है||)
Comprehension Exercises
1. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:
(a) With the slightest touch, the snail shrinks into its house with
(i) displeasure (ii) pleasure
(iii) pain (iv) surprise
(b) In its house, the snail lives with
(i) parents (ii) friends
(iii) relatives (iv) no one
(c) The poet has compared the snail to a
(i) tree (ii) hermit
(iii)rock (iv) blind man
2. State whether the following statements are True or False. Provide sentences/ phrases /words in support of your answer:
(a) The snail fears to fall from the wall. False
S.S:- the snail sticks close, nor fears to fall
(b) The snail comes out of his house during a storm. False
S.S:- when danger imminent betides, Of storm,
(c) The snail and his house are inseparable. True
S.S:- as if he grew there, house and all together.
3. Answer the following questions:
(a) What does the snail usually stick itself to?
Ans:- The snail sticks itself to grass, leaf, fruit and wall.
(b) What makes the snail well-satisfied?
Ans:- The snail dwells alone without any personal belongings. This makes the snail well-satisfied.
(c) When does the snail feed faster?
Ans:- The snail feeds faster By meeting someone only.
Grammar in Use
4. Change the following sentences into questions, as directed:
(a) Siraj always rises early. (Interrogative sentence using 'does')
Ans:- Does not Siraj always rise early ?
(b) Joyce is the best singer in the class. (Information question using 'who')
Ans:- Who is the best singer in the class ?
(c) He saw the rainbow. (Interrogative sentence using 'did')
Ans:- Did he not see the rainbow ?
(d) I go to school by bus. (Information question using “how')
Ans:- How do you go to school ?
Writing Activity
5. Write a letter (within 100 words) to the editor of an English daily about the disturbances caused by the thoughtless use of loudspeakers.
To,
The Editor,
The Statesman,
Kolkata- 700001
Subject: Disturbances caused by the thoughtless use of loudspeakers.
Sir,
I shall be highly obliged if you kindly publish the following matter in your esteemeddaily. I am writing this letter to express my anguish and annoyance over the problem caused by the thoughtless use of loudspeakers. I am a student class ten. Now a day it has become so disturbing to the extent that we no longer concentrate at our study properly. There are thousands of students like me who have to suffer on account of this problem. Besides, there are some old patients and new born babies in every locality who get affected by this noise pollution.
So, therefore sir, on behalf of all the students and general people of the city I plead and appeal to concerned authorities to look into the matter and take necessary action to solve this deadly problem.
Yours faithfully,
Suranjan Ghosh
P.O Malda
DIST Malda
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