Chapters
3.Two Stories about Flying (1- His First Flight | 2- Black Aeroplane) |How to Tell Wild Animals | The Ball Poem
1- His First Flight
Summary
The young seagull was alone on his ledge, too afraid to fly like his siblings. He had tried to take flight but was overwhelmed by fear of the vast sea below. Despite his parents' attempts to encourage and even threaten him, he remained frozen, unable to move.
As time passed, he watched his family flying and taunting him from afar. Hungry and desperate, he noticed his mother with a piece of fish and called out to her. She flew towards him but stopped just out of reach. Driven by hunger, the young seagull lunged for the fish and accidentally launched himself into the air. At first, he was terrified, but soon he realized that his wings could support him. He began to soar, overcoming his fear.
Finally, he joined his family by the sea, where they celebrated his first flight. He floated on the water, exhausted but triumphant, as his family offered him food in praise of his achievement.
NCERT Class 10 English | Ch-3| Two Stories about Flying (1 His First Flight 2 Black Aeroplane) |How to Tell Wild Animals | The Ball Poem
2- Black Aeroplane
The moon rose behind me as I flew my old Dakota airplane over France, heading back to England. The clear sky was full of stars, and I felt content, dreaming of my holiday and family. It was 1:30 a.m., and everything seemed perfect. I contacted Paris Control and was instructed to turn twelve degrees west toward England. Confident, I continued my journey, looking forward to a big English breakfast.
But soon, I encountered massive storm clouds that blocked my path. I knew I didn’t have enough fuel to avoid them, but I was determined to get home, so I decided to take the risk and flew straight into the storm. Inside, everything went black. The plane shook violently, and my instruments, including the compass and radio, failed. I was completely lost in the storm.
Suddenly, I saw another plane flying near me. It had no lights, but I could see the pilot's face. He signaled for me to follow him. Relieved, I obediently followed as he guided me through the storm. After about half an hour, with my fuel nearly gone, he led me to an airport runway. I was safe!
However, when I looked back, the mysterious plane had disappeared. At the control center, I asked about the other pilot, but the woman there said no other planes were flying that night. Mine was the only one on the radar.
I was left wondering who the mysterious pilot was who guided me to safety.
How to Tell Wild Animals
Summary
The poem playfully offers humorous advice on how to identify various wild animals you might encounter in the jungle. Each stanza describes a different creature in a witty way, focusing on their distinctive features and behaviors:
Asian Lion: If you see a large, tawny beast roaring at you, it's an Asian Lion.
Bengal Tiger: A tiger with black stripes on yellow fur is a Bengal Tiger, especially if it starts eating you.
Leopard: If a spotted beast leaps on you repeatedly, it's a Leopard.
Bear: If a creature hugs you very tightly, it's a Bear, and if you have any doubts, it will hug you again to confirm.
Crocodile vs. Hyena: Crocodiles are distinguished from Hyenas by their tears, while Hyenas are known for their smiles.
Chameleon: A chameleon is small, lacks ears and wings, and can blend into its surroundings so well that if you see nothing on a tree, it might be a chameleon.
The poem uses playful imagery and light-hearted humor to make it easy and fun to remember how to identify these wild animals.
The Ball Poem
The poem reflects on a young boy's experience of loss when he loses his ball. As the boy watches his ball bounce away and fall into the water, he is overwhelmed by grief. The speaker observes that the boy is not just mourning the loss of the ball, but is also confronting the deeper realization that loss is an inevitable part of life. The boy learns that some things, once lost, cannot be replaced, and that money cannot fix everything. This moment marks the beginning of his understanding of responsibility and the reality of life's losses, a lesson that everyone must learn. The poem highlights the boy's growth as he begins to comprehend the nature of loss and how to cope with it.
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