By Anonymous - January 16, 2021

JANDKNCERT |Tulip Series | English 5th ||

The Shadow | Poem 2 | English | Class 5th | Questions and Answers |

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow.

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,

And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play.

And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way;

He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;

I'd think it a shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepyhead,

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

(Robert Louis Stevenson)

Words to Remember

shoot up: rise or grow quickly بڑ جانا

India-rubber ball: a ball that can bounce very high ربڑ والی گیند

notion: idea رائے

nursie: nurse پرورش کرنا

stick: attach چپک جانا

buttercup: a small wild plant with bright yellow flowers جنس کا چھوٹا پودا جس کے پھول زرد ہوتے ہیں

arrant: bad بُرا ، بدنام

sleepyhead: a person who is tired or sleepy غنودہ

Reading is Fun

Q1. Who is the speaker of the poem?

Ans.The poet himself, as a child is the speaker of the poem.