Imperial Study

THE FROG AND THE  NIGHTINGALE

By Vikram Seth

Content’s

• Summary of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Hindi Summary of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Word Meanings of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• EXPLANATION OF SOME EXPRESSIONS of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Textbook Question of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Important Questions of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Multiple Choice Questions of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Non-Multiple Choice Questions of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Short Answer Questions of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.
• Long Answer Questions of The Frog and the Nightingale Class 10th.

1.      The nightingale was foolish and could be exploited.  Explain  in  100-125 words.

[C.B.S.E.,  2011  (T-1)]

Ans : The nightingale had a typical temperament of an artist. She was very musical and her melody not only earned her great appreciation but also made some creatures cry. The crowd of her concerts consisted of some with titles  and creatures from far also flocked to listen to her. She quickly became addicted to their praise but lacked acute business sense. She was not practical or worldly wise and got very foolishly trapped by the clever frog. She never realised that he was making money and cheating her. She never saw through his manipulations that he wanted her

to  overexert.  He  criticised  her  needlessly  and  made her

lose confidence. So it was the nightingale’s fault to succumb to the clever frog’s tricks. She never realised her own interest and welfare till the end. Her end was inevitable.

2.      The frog was too boastful and conceited. The nightingale was too modest and unaware of her latent talent. The frog was insensitive to public reaction. The nightingale thrived solely on public adulation. Compare and contrast the singing of the frog with that of the nightingale in the light of  the  above  statements.

Ans : The frog was conceited and self-centred. He sang loudly,  brashly all through the night, thus disturbing all  the creatures of the Bingle Bog. The frog was rude, arrogant and  too  boastful. The  bog-creatures  were  so  fed  up that

they prayed, resorted to beating  but  nothing could stop his irritating and noisy singing. The frog basically lived and sang to please himself. He was egoistic and self-centred.

In contrast the nightingale was too sensitive and polite. She was innocent and very gullible. Despite being an excellent singer, she loses confidence because of the frog. So she is an artist who has no confidence in herself and needs others to either boost her morale or break it.  The nightingale was most pleasant and the frog was most irritating  and  unmusical.

3.      Vikram Seth has used irony and symbols with great dexterity in the poem ‘The Frog and the Nightingale.’  Discuss  by  giving examples.

Ans : The poet has incorporated a large variety of meanings beneath the emotional storyline. The poem is allegorical in nature for the frog is a symbol of very clever and manipulative people who exploit young artists and abort their careers. The nightingale represents true and innocent artists who are taken for a ride by the people like frog        in the guise of organisers who harm the blooming careers of great ‘geniuses’ in the making. It is ironical that nightingale enchants and pleases everyone, but does not understand her own strength or talent. The poet also highlights the importance of public applause and the importance of blooming careers. It is ironical that many times a good talent is nipped in the bud, like that of the nightingale.

4.      How did the Frog break the nightingale’s spirit and  destroy  her?  (100  to  125 words)

Ans : The frog wanted to be the undisputed king of Bingle Bog. He sang to his delight and could not stand any kind  of rivalry. Even though he was hated by all but there was no one to compete with. He is extremely passionate about his loud and unmusical voice and has an exaggerated opinion about himself. When the nightingale arrives, she mesmerises everyone with her politeness and musical voice. The frog senses competition. So he forcibly becomes her tutor and mentor and strategically plans, not only to finish her career but also to end her life. He makes her sing         in rough weather, endlessly and advises her to exert more and more. As a result, the nightingale succumbs to pressure and the frog emerges as the king of Bingle Bog again.

5.      Do you think that ‘The Frog and the Nightingale’ is a humorous poem or a tragic one? Give arguments  to  support  your  answer.

Ans : The basic storyline of the poem is humorous. The poet has added lot of humorous touches like the pun of words like “owl of Sandwich” etc. The frog’s exaggerated opinion of himself is really funny and the fact that he         is compared to ‘Mozart’, a great musician, is quite hilarious. There are bits of humour here and there but the message and essence of the story is tragic. The poem is a tragic    tale of a great singer whose flourishing and thriving career is ended prematurely. The nightingale is too innocent, too gullible and her succumbing to her death is a masterstroke of great tragedy. Her end arouses sympathy for her and hatred for such conniving cheats who exploit natural talent and  destroy  it  for  their  own  selfish  interests.

1.  How was the frog in the poem, ‘The Frog and the Nightingale’ responsible for the death of the nightingale?

Ans : The frog was very manipulative and inhuman. He took full advantage of the nightingale’s innocence and vulnerability. He was clever to exploit the nightingale’s weakness for, fame and adoration of the fans. He made her sing in rough weathers, in rain and storm, continuously for hours together. He forced her to pack more energy and sing fast-paced notes. So sheer exertion made the nighingale burst a vein and  die.

2.  “Artists thrive and flourish due to the admiration of their fans.” Do you think this statement proves true  in  case  of  the  nightingale? Discuss.

Ans : Yes, the nightingale did get addicted to praise and fan-following. It is natural for any artist to look for fame

and popularity because they not only thrive on it but also derive inspiration to perform better. The nightingale was  no different. She did not enjoy singing when the residents of  the  bog  stopped  coming  to  listen  to  her  concerts.

3.  Inspite of the frog’s singing the whole night, why did the creatures in the Bingle Bog hate him?

OR

How did the Bingle Bog creatures react to frog’s song  and  the  nightingale’s song?

Ans : The creatures of Bingle Bog were very irritated by the loud, brash singing of the frog. The frog was totally insensitive to their discomfort and no amount of threats, beating could stop the frog. The nightingale’s songs were  a pleasant relief. She was musical, melodious and never disturbed  the  creatures  of  Bingle  Bog  for  no reason.

REFERENCE TO CONTEXT – NON-MCQs

Read the following extracts and answer the following questions.

(1)And the whole admiring bog
Stared towards the sumac, rapt
And when she had ended, clapped
Ducks had swum and herons waded
to her as she serenaded
(a) What was the reaction of the nightingale’s
song?
Ans :All the residents near the sumac tree clapped,
praised and felt ecstatic at the nightingale’s song.
(b) Explain ‘serenaded’ and ‘rapt’.
Ans :‘Serenaded’ means sang beautifully and ‘rapt’
means totally mesmerised.
(c) How did the nightingale sing and make
a difference to the frog’s songs?
Ans: She sang very musically and with great
emotion which was very different from the frog’s loud
and harsh voice.
(2) ‘‘Not too bad – but far too long
The technique was fine of course
But it lacked a certain force’.’
(a) Why is the frog making the above
comments?
Ans :The frog wishes to impress the nightingale
as if he is an expert and get her to train.
(b) What defects does he point out in the
nightingale’s songs ?
Ans :The frog states that her song lacked energy
and was too long.
(c) What was the reaction of the nightingale
to the above comments ?
Ans: The nightingale was impressed as she was
very vulnerable and innocent.
(3) Flushed with confidence and fired
with both art and adoration
song and was a huge sensation
… And the frog with great precision
counted heads and charged admission
(a) How had nightingale changed after her
success?
Ans :The nightingale became confident and
enjoyed her success.
(b) How did the frog make use of this
situation?
Ans :The frog arranged concerts for her and minted
lot of money.
(c) What do the above lines reflect about the
nightingale and the frog’s temperament?
Ans: The nightingale was a true artist who thrived
on the adulation of the crowd. The frog was a shrewd
businessmen, and was very materialistic.
(4) For six hours, till she was shivering
and her voice was hoarse and quivering
Though subdued and sleep deprived
In the night her throat revived
(a) Why had the nightingale come to this
state?
Ans :The nightingale had sung for six hours at
a stretch, so she was very tired.
(b) How did she revive?
Ans :At night her throat healed after rest.
(c) What would be the future of this kind of
exertion?
Ans: She would succumb to such pressure and
exertion and that is what happened.
(5) “And my dear, lay on more trills
Audiences enjoy such frills
You must make your public happier
Give them something sharper, snappier
We must aim for better billings.”
(a) What are the suggestions given by the frog
for improvement?
Ans: The frog wanted more embellishments and
fast-paced notes from the nightingale.
(b) Do you believe the frog’s suggestions are
justified?
Ans: No, the frog wanted to tire and exploit the
nightingale.
(c) What objective is there for the frog in
giving the suggestions?
Ans: The frog wanted money and be the
undisputed singer of the bog.
(6) At a voice so uninspired
And the ticket office gross
Crashed and she grew more morose
For her ears were now addicted
to applause quite restricted.
(a) Why did the crowd stop listening to the
nightingale?

Read the following and choose the most appropiate option from the ones provided to you.

1.Other creatures loathed his voice,
But, alas, they had no choice,
And the crass cacophony
Blared out from the sumac tree
At whose foot the frog each night
Minstrelled on till morning light
(i) Where did this creature live?
(a)It lived near the pond
(b) It lived on the mountain
(c) It lived under the sumac tree
(d) It lived in a deep valley
(ii) Why is his voice referred to as ‘crass
cacophony?
(a)It was boring
(b) It was unmusical and loud
(c) It had a weak voice
(d) It had no control over his voice
(iii) Why did he sing all night? How did his
singing affect others?
(a)They were indifferent
(b) They felt cheerful
(c) They encouraged him all the more
(d) They were irritated and felt a lot of
discomfort
Answer : (i) (c) (ii) (b) (iii) (d)
2. And a solitary loon
Wept, beneath the summer morn
Toads and teals and tiddlers, captured
By her voice cheered on, enraptured
‘Bravo’! “Too divine!” “Encore!”
So the nightingale once more.
Quite unused to such applause
Sang till dawn, without a pause.
(i) How did the nightingale reciprocate their
compliments?
(a)She was indifferent
(b) She was afraid of the fog
(c) She was so happy that she sang till morning
(d) She went back to her nest
(ii) How did the solitary loon behave differently
from others?
(a)he went to sleep
(b) he clapped loudly
(c) he gave lot of compliments
(d) he wept
(iii) Who are ‘toads, teals and tiddlers’?
(a)insects
(b) big animals
(c) amphibians like ducks and fish
(d) animals which live in water
Answer : (i) (c) (ii) (d) (iii) (c)

3. “Yes” the frog replied. “You see,
I’m the frog who owns this tree
In this bog I’ve long been known
For my splendid baritone
And, of course, I wield my pen
For Bog Trumpet now and then.”
(i) What bits of information does the frog give
to the listener?
(a)he was a leader
(b) he was a writer and a singer
(c) he was an agent
(d) he was a trainer
(ii) Give two reasons why the frog wants to
make an impression on the nightingale.
(a)It is his nature, he wants to help her
(b) He wishes to impress and exploit her
(c) He wants to impress her and other animals
of the bog
(d) He is jealous of her popularity and wants
to exploit her
(iii) What does the frog’s speech reveal about
his character?
(a)proud and conceited
(b) a clever fellow
(c) jealous and a cheat
(d) appreciative of the nightingale’s talent
Answer : (i) (b) (ii) (d) (iii) (c)
4. “You’ll remain a mere beginner
But with me you’ll be winner.”
“Dearest frog,” the nightingale
Breathed: “This is a fairy tale
And you’re Mozart in disguise
Come to earth before my eyes”
“Well, I charge a modest fee”
“Oh!” “But it won’t hurt, you’ll see.”
(i) How does the frog plan to make the
nightingale a winner?
(a)by projecting her as a good singer
(b) by training her
(c) by publicity
(d) by charging tickets
(ii) Who was Mozart?
(a)a famous artist
(b) a famous composer of music
(c) writer of ‘Bog Trumpet’
(d) owner of tree
(iii) Which character-trait of the frog is
evident here?
(a)clever (b) deceitful
(c) shy (d) humble
Answer : (i) (b) (ii) (b) (iii) (b)
5. “And my dear, lay on more trills
Audiences enjoy such frills
You must make your public happier
Give them something sharper, snappier.
You must aim for better billings Y
ou still owe me sixty shillings.”
[C.B.S.E. 2011 (T-1)]
(i) What is the speaker’s advice to the listener?
(a)to sing loudly
(b) to add repetitive quick-paced notes
(c) to be more musical
(d) to sing during storm
(ii) Explain ‘better billings.’

(iii) Why does the listener owe sixty shillings to
the speaker?
(a)for encouragement
(b) for guidance and training
(c) for appreciation
(d) for promoting her in the bog
Answer : (i) (b) (ii) (c) (iii) (b)
6. “Use your wits and follow fashion.
Puff your lungs out with your passion.”
Trembling, terrified to fail,
Blind with tears, the nightingale
heard him out in silence, tried,
Puffed up, burst a vein and died.
(i) The speaker appears to be angry. What is
the reason for his anger?
(a)Nightingale is too tired
(b) No one likes her singing
(c) Income from the concert has fallen sharply
(d) It is his nature
(ii) Why is she terrified?
(a)She is afraid of failure
(b) She is afraid of the frog’s scolding
(c) She has become weak physically
(d) She cannot sing during rainy weather
(iii) What caused the death of the nightingale?
(a)She was unhappy
(b) Her throat got choked

(c) A vein burst by too much exhaustion
(d) She had high fever.
Answer : (i) (c) (ii) (a) (iii) (c)
7. ‘Did you…. did you like my song’?
“Not too bad-but far too long.
The technique was fine, of course,
But it lacked a certain force”.
[C.B.S.E. 2011 (T-1)]
(i) ‘You’ in the above lines refers to
(a)the nightingale
(b) Mozart
(c) the frog
(d) the poet
(ii) The opinion expressed about the song
(a)carries a lot of weight
(b) is meant to discourage the singer
(c) is meant to wholeheartedly support the
singer
(d) is quite genuine
(iii) The first line reveals that the speaker
(a)is feeling nervous
(b) is quite sure about her singing talent
(c) has readily believed the listener
(d) she is feeling confident about herself
Answer : (i) (a) (ii) (b) (iii) (a)
8. “For six hours, till she was shivering
and her voice was hoarse and quivering.
Though subdued and sleep deprived,
In the night her throat revived,
And the sumac tree was bowed
With a breathless, titled crowd.”
[C.B.S.E. 2011 (T-1)]
(i) The Sumac tree was bowed because
(a)the roots of the tree were not stronger
(b) due to the overweight of the creatures who
came to listen to the song of the nightingle
(c) due to the respect and admiration for the
nightingale’s song the tree itself bowed
(d) both (ii) and (iii)
(ii) In the line “with a breathless, titled crowd”-
titled crowd constitutes
(a)all the wild animals in the forest
(b) all the water birds in the forest
(c) specific birds like Owl, Duck, Mallard,
Milady Trent, Martin, and coot.
(d) Sandwich, Kent Cardinal Mephisto, Monte
Cristo.
(iii) “hoarse and quivering” means :
(a)rough, unclear and shaking and trembling
(b) soft and clear and quiet and energetic
(c) sweet and melodious and jumping and
twisting
(d) cold and pale and fearful and fierce.
Answer : (i) (b) (ii) (c) (iii) (a)
9. “You must make your public happier:
Give them something sharper snappier
We must aim for better billings
You still owe me sixty shillings.”
[C.B.S.E. 2011 (T-1)]
(i) Who says these words?
(a)the frog
(b) the titled crowd
(c) the ladies with tiaras
(d) the nightingale
(ii) The speaker asks for sixty shillings
(a)for training the nightingale
(b) for singing to the creatures of the bog
(c) for making the public happy
(d) for killing the nightingale
(iii) The rhyme scheme of these lines is
(a)abad (b) abcd
(c) abba (d) aabb
Answer : (i) (a) (ii) (a) (iii) (d)
10. “Next night when the Nightingale
Shook her head and twitched her tail,
Closed an eye and fluffed a wing
And had cleared her throat to sing
She was startled by a croak.”
[C.B.S.E. 2011 (T-1)]
(i) The nightingale was eager to sing because of
(a)the frog
(b) the titled crowd
(c) the ladies with tiaras
(d) the money
(ii) The speaker asks for sixty shillings
(a)for training the nightingale
(b) for singing to the creatures of the bog
(c) for making the public happy
(d) for killing the nightingale
(iii) The rhyme scheme of these lines is
(a)abad (b) abcd
(c) abba (d) aabb
Answer : (i) (a) (ii) (a) (iii) (d)

SOME IMPORTANT  QUESTIONS

1.  Why does the frog persist in singing though no one  in  the  bog  wishes  to  hear him?

Ans. The frog is too conceited and has an exaggerated opinion of himself as a singer. He thinks that his voice is a ‘splendid baritone’. He wishes to remain the unrivalled singer of the bog. The frog is loud and most unmusical. All the creatures of the bog tried all the tricks

to drive him away. But the frog is too thick-skinned and continues to sing his ‘crass cacophony’ from the sumac tree. The frog was so passionate about his singing that he would sing incessantly from evening till morning light. This was his way of expressing his heart-felt joy, he claimed. The frog is a hypocrite, who only lives for himself. He is least concerned for the discomfort he is causing to others.

2.  Do you think the nightingale was responsible for her  own  exploitation?  Why/Why not?

[C.B.S.E.  2012  (T-2)]

Ans. The nightingale is a singing ‘genius’ but she is not worldly-wise. Her serenade in the bingle bog leaves the creatures mesmerised but she does not have the foresight  or the cleverness to cash upon her asset. She knows that she is a great sensation for the bog music lovers but gets exploited by the manipulative frog. The frog makes her practise again and again, exhausts her and she loses her  star status. The nightingale is too vulnerable and becomes susceptible to fan following. She is a poor judge of psychology and does not see through the frog’s clever plans. So she ends up paying with her life. Her end is a great tragedy, a sad culmination of an unfulfilled artist,  who dies prematurely.

3.  What does the poet wish to convey in the poem ‘The  Frog  and  the Nightingale’?

Ans. This is an allegorical poem by Vikram Seth and reveals a deeper meaning beneath the emotional story line. The  frog  is  a  living  symbol  of  cunning  and  conniving people, while the nightingale represents innocence and vulnerability to the extreme. Artists like the frog are shams without substance and thrive on the misfortune of others. They are loathed, hated and have little worth themselves, so they derive sadistic pleasure in tormenting and exploiting others. Naturally talented singers are sometimes not worldly-wise, so they fall prey to scheming ‘touts’.

The poet ridicules such music organisers who mint money by cheating and exploiting others. There is a hint of satire evident, when the poet talks about money making people, who make false promises and destroy natural talent.

The poet also highlights the significance of public adulation in the life of an artist like the nightingale. She is innocent to praise and admiration but gradually, she also becomes addicted to it. So it can be said that even modest artists wish to perform before power-packed audience and the jingle of cash-counters gives   them an emotional  high.

The poet concludes that success is a game like tug- of-war, in which the clever survive and the innocent and vulnerable succumb to bitter   defeat.

TEXTBOOK  QUESTIONS (SOLVED)

Ans. 1. Listed below are a few character traits of people. Some are positive qualities, while others are not. Tick  mark the ones you feel are desirable qualities in a person.

6. Complete the table given below. You can use the words in the box given below.

8. On the basis of your understanding of the poem, complete the sentences given below by choosing the appropriate
   1. The frog’s  aim  was to
      • make the  nightingale  a sensation
      • make the nightingale as good a singer as him
      • maintain his  supremacy  in  the bog
      • make a  lot  of money

2.       The animals reacted to the nightingale’s song with

• hatred
• admiration
• indifference
• suggestions for improvement

3.       The nightingale accepted the frog’s tutelage  as she

• was not  confident  of  herself
• wanted to become as good a singer as the frog
• wanted to  become  a  professional  singer
• was not  a  resident  of  Bingle  Bog

4.       The nightingale was sorrowful and pale because

• she had  been  practising  in  the  rain
• she had  been  performing  all  night
• she was  losing  confidence  in  herself
• she was  falling  ill

5.       The  audience  was  tired  of  her song because

• they had  heard  it  many times
• it had  become mechanical
• she sounded  tired
• she had  added  trills  to  her  song

6.       She  no  longer  enjoyed  singing  alone as

• she wanted to sing only for the titled crowd
• she was now used to the appreciation she got
• the frog  was  no  longer  with  her

• she had  become  proud  of  herself

Answers  : 1.     (c)       2.     (b)       3.      (a)  

4. (b)       5.     (b)       6.     (b)  

10.  Answer the  following  questions briefly.

• How did the creatures of Bingle Bog react to the nightingale’s singing ?

Ans. The creature of Bingle bog were  surprised  to hear the melodious and soothing voice of the Nightingale. Her singing created a sensation and won tremendous praise.

• Which are the different ways is which the frog asserts his  importance ?

Ans. The frog pretended to be a great singer and he also said that he was the reporter of Bog ‘Trumpet’. He boasted that he was a music critic and a musician like Mozart and was ready to train    her.

• Why is frog’s joy both sweet and bitter    ?

[C.B.S.E. 2011  (T-1)]

Ans. Frog was happy to charge money for Nightingale’s song but was unhappy at the popularity of the nightingale in the bog. Financially he was happy to make profit but he did not like the competition and the applause that the nightingale was giving    him.

• Why was the frog angry  ?

Ans. The nightingale’s songs became  dull,  listless and routine due to exertion and stress. The crowds dwindled and stopped coming for the nightingale’s songs. He was not making money so he was very unhappy.

• How did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again? [C.B.S.E. 2011  (T-1)]

Ans. The frog insulted and humiliated the nightingale. He made her practice continuously in rain and thunder. He instructed her to sing at very high notes. So  out of sheer fatigue and stress, nightingale’s vein burst and she died. So the bog had to tolerate the frog’s singing once again.

EXPLANATION OF SOME EXPRESSIONS

1. Croaked away in Bingle Bog……… (line  2)

Explanation …

Bog is a wet and marshy land. The poet has deliberately used ‘Bingle’ for  alliteration.

2. He croaked awn and awn and awn……… (line  4)

Explanation …

It means ‘on and on’. These words are phonetically selected and also rhyme with    dawn.

3. And the crass cacophony………  (line 7)

Explanation …

‘Crass’ means meaningless and cacophony is a very loud and unpleasant noise. Here it is used to refer to the unpleasant voice of the   frog.

4. To display his heart’s  elation……… (line  14)

Explanation …

Elation means happiness. In this context, it means that the frog sang to express the happiness of his heart.

5. Stared toward the sumac, rapt……… (line  21)

Explanation …

Sumac is a tree with cane-shaped fruits. When the nightingale sat on a sumac tree and sang her melodious song, all the creatures of the bog were mesmerised and were curious to know who the singer    was.

6. For my splendid baritone……… (line  44)

Explanation …

The frog gets a complex after hearing the nightingale and the praise she has got. But he is very boastful and calls his unpleasant voice as ‘baritone’, which is good for male  singers.

7. The technique was  fine  of course.

But it lacked a certain force……… (line    50)

Explanation …

The frog is jealous so he gives a negative complement in a very tactful manner. He cannot find any fault, so admits that the ‘technique’ is flawless but the  song is not full of   passion.

8. I don’t think the song’s   divine

But -oh-well-at least it’s  mine……… (lines   55-56)

Explanation …

The nightingale is trying to be very modest since the creatures of the bog had already declared her song to  be ‘too divine’. She is overawed by a great critic like frog, so she says in a timid manner that she is proud of the originality of her song. Ironically, she is chastised in the end for not being   original.

9. Breathed: “This is a fairy tale   –

And you’re Mozart in disguise” (lines   64-65)

Explanation …

The nightingale cannot believe her luck, since dreams only materialise in fairytales. Moreover, she is too impressed and overawed by the frog’s offer to train her. So she compares him to the famous German musician Mozart.

10. Flushed with confidence, and  fired

with both art and adoration (lines    70-71)

Explanation …

The nightingale is greatly inspired. She has already received praise and appreciation from the creatures of the bog, so she is full of confidence and is ready to create ripples in the world of    art.

11. Journeyed up and down the scale ……… (line    84)

Explanation …

The frog persuades the nightingale to sing in rainy weather, which is not suitable to her. He makes her practise at various pitch-levels, tries many musical notes, and as a result the nightingale is too tired.

12. Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent…….. Mallard and  Milady Trent

Martin Cardinal Mephisto

And the Coot of Monte  Cristo………  (lines  90-94)

Explanation …

The poet wishes to create humour so this refers to the titled crowd, which are authentic royal    titles.

Earl  of  Sandwich,  Duke  of  Kent My  lord  and  Milady  of Trent Martin and Cardinal from Mephisto Count of Monte  Cristo.

13. “We must aim for better  billings

You  still owe me sixty shillings”……… (line   109-110)

Explanation …

The frog’s greed is insatiable. He coaxes the nightingale to sing more passionately, so that more creatures come to hear her and he can mint more money. Moreover, he exploits her further by charging her for giving music training.

14. And, my dear, “lay on more   trills,

Audiences enjoy such frills………” (lines   105-106)

Explanation …

The frog wants to tire the nightingale, so he asks her to sing very fast-paced musical notes, repetitively, which will prove to be very exhausting. He gives the logic that the audience prefer very fast, sensational embellishments in a  song.

15. Night on night her tired  song

Zipped and trilled and bounced along……… (lines 113-114)

Explanation …

The nightingale is thoroughly exhausted; her voice has lost its freshness and magic. The melody of her voice has been replaced by musical notes that are repetitive but not pleasant to hear. The songs just appear to drag on. So the creatures of the bog lose    interest.

16. “Use your wits and follow  fashion

Puff your lungs out with passion”…….. (lines 125-126)

Explanation …

This piece of advice from the frog proves to be the nightingale’s undoing. She tries to perform as instructed by the callous frog and tries to infuse more energy and force in her song. Unfortunately, this results in bursting a vein and the nightingale succumbs to her death under   pressure.

17. But she was a stupid creature  –

…..Far too prone to influence……… (lines   132-134)

Explanation …

These lines reveal how malicious and hard-hearted the frog is. He starts criticising the nightingale the moment she dies. Instead of a worthy tribute, he calls her stupid, vulnerable and too nervous. Basically he wants to be rid of any blame that may be heaped on him, for her death. He    is right in calling the nightingale ‘too prone to influence’ because it was her vulnerability that led to her death.

18. “That your song must be your own that’s why I sing with  panache”

Explanation …

Nightingale was proud of her originality and the frog had earlier also criticised her that it was not enough reason to boast about. He continues in his conceited manner, telling everyone that no one could imitate his confident and elegant  style.