How the Little Kite Learnt to Fly
by Katharine Pyle (Cambridge Connection English)
The Poem :
" "I never can do it," the little kite said,
As he looked at the others high over his head.
"I know I should fall if I tried to fly."
"Try," said the big kite, "only try!.
Or I fear you never will learn at all."
But the little kite said: "I'm afraid I'll fall."
The big kite nodded: "Ah, well, good-bye;
I am off." And he rose toward the tranquil sky.
Then the little kite's paper stirred at the sight.
And trembling he shook himself free for flight.
First whirling and frightened, then braver grown,
Up, up the rose through the air alone,
Till the big kite looking down could see
The little one rising steadily.
Then how the little kite thrilled with pride,
As he sailed with the big kite side by side!
While far below he could see the ground,
And the boys like small spots moving round.
They rested high in the quiet air,
And only the birds and clouds were there.
"Oh, how happy I am," the little kite cried.
"And all because I was brave and tried."
Summary of the Poem :
The little kite is scared to see the other kites flying high over his head. He said that he could never fly. Rather he would fall if he tried to fly ever. The big kite said him to try unless he would never learn to fly. The little kite is afraid of falling. The big kite got bored of the same negative replies of the little kite and he went off to fly in the tranquil sky.
The little kite stirred at the sight of the big kite rising high up in the sky. That boosted his confidence. He trembled and shook and made himself free for flight. First he was frightened and was whirling in the air. Then he became braver gradually to go up and rise through the air alone. He rose so much up that the big kite could see him rising while looking below.
The little kite thrilled with pride as he rose up to the same level of the big kite. Now he was drifting with the big kite side by side. He could see the ground far below. The boys seemed small spots moving round. They rested high in the quiet air among the birds and clouds. He was very happy to be able to fly and to be at that place. All this happened as he was brave enough and tried his best.
Comprehension
A. Answer the questions.
1. What did the little kite think it could never do? Why was it frightened?
= The little kite thought that it could never fly high up in the sky.
2. What advice did the big kite give the little one?
= The big kite gave the advice that the little kite only can fly if he try to do the same.
3. What persuaded the little kite to try to fly?
= The rising of the big kite in the sky persuaded the little kite to try to fly.
B. Answer the questions.
1. How do you know that the little kite flew high up?
= The little kite flew high up because from there he could see the boys below like small spots moving round.
2. Why did the little kite feel proud later?
= The little kite felt proud later because he learnt fly after trying to do it in his own effort.
3. What lesson did the little kite learn?
= The little kite learnt that he had tried bravely that is why he has been successful to fly high up in the sky.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. "Then the little kite's paper stirred at the sight.
And trembling he shook himself free for flight."
a. What sight stirred the little kite?
= The little kite stirred at the sight of the big kite rising high up in the sky.
b. What happened next?
= That boosted his confidence. He trembled and shook and made himself free for flight. First he was frightened and was whirling in the air. Then he became braver gradually to go up and rise through the air alone.
2. "While far below he could see the ground,
And the boys like small spots moving round."
a. Who is he here? What could he see?
= He is the little kite.
He could see the ground far below. The boys seemed small spots moving round.
b. Why did the boys appear like small spots?
= The boys appeared like small spots because the little kite was very high up in the sky. From there the ground was far below. And we know that the things in the distance look small.
D. Think and answer.
1. Why do you think the big kite did not try too hard to persuade the little kite?
= I think the big kite did not try too much hard to persuade the little kite because he was much experienced in that matter. He knew that only the spontaneous will of the little kite would make him brave enough to try and fly. Rather he showed himself as an example to the little kite by flying high up before him. This boosted the confident of the little kite and he started to try and eventually became successful.
2. What is the lesson we learn from this poem?
= From this poem, we have learnt that nothing is impossible if we try honestly. It is the inner fear which stops us doing things. We just keep thinking about the negative effects. We do not keep the brighter side. We have to try bravely and we will definitely be successful someday.
About the Poet :
Katharine Pyle (1863-1938) was an American artist, poet and children's author. Her first major success was in 1898 with The Counterpane Fairy. Over the course of her career, she wrote over 30 books and illustrated the works of others. Her works appeared in the Ladies' Home Journal and Harper's Bazaar.