The Duck and the Kangaroo

Edward Lear


About Edward Lear

Edward Lear (1812-1888) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet. He is famous for his nonsense poetry like The Owl and the Pussycat and The Duck and the Kangaroo. He is also wrote many limericks (funny poems with five lines) that became very popular.

 I 

Said the Duck to the Kangaroo

"Good gracious! how you hop!

Over the fields and the water too,

As if you never would stop!

My life is a bore in this nasty pond,

And I long to go out in the world beyond!

I wish I could hop like you!"

Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.

 

II

"Please give me a ride on your back!"

Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.

"I would sit quite still, and say nothing but 'Quack,'

The whole of the long day through!

And we'd go to the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee,

Over the land, and over the sea;-

Please take me a ride! O do!"

Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.

 

III

Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,

"This requires some little reflection;

Perhaps on the whole it might bring me luck,

And there seems but one objection.

Which is, if you'll let me speak so bold,

Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,

And would probably give me the roo-

Matiz!" said the Kangaroo.

 

IV

Said the Duck, "As I sat on the rocks,

I have thought over that completely,

And I bought four pairs of worsted socks

Which fit my web-feet neatly.

And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak,

And every day I'll tell you a joke,

All to follow my own dear true

Love of a Kangaroo!"

 

V

Said the Kangaroo, "I'm ready!

All in the moonlight pale;

But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit already!

And quite at the end of my tail!"

So away they went with a hop and a bound,

And they hopped the whole world three times round;

And who so happy,-O who,

As the Duck and the Kangaroo?

Available Answers

  1. 1.

    Say true or false.

    1. The duck hated the way the kangaroo hopped.
    2. The kangaroo didn't want to take the duck for a ride.
    3. The duck fell off the kangaroo's back.
  2. 2.

    Choose the correct options.

    1. The Kangaroo
      1. never stops.
      2. never seems to stop.
    2. The duck wanted to travel round the world because
      1. life in the pond where she lived was quite boring.
      2. she was jealous of the kangaroo.
    3. The kangaroo hesitated to give the duck a ride on his back because
      1. he feared that the wet and cold feet of the duck might give him rheumatism.
      2. he didn't want the duck to touch him with her cold unpleasant feet.
  3. 3.

    "I would sit quite still, and say nothing but 'Quack,'
    The whole of the long day through..."

    1. Who said this?
    2. Where would the speaker sit?
    3. Why do you think the speaker wants to sit quite still and say nothing but quack?
  4. 4.

    "...And I bought four pairs of worsted socks
    Which fit my web-feet neatly.
    And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak,
    And every day I'll tell you a joke..."

    1. Why had the speaker bought four pairs of worsted socks?
    2. What had the speaker done to keep out the cold?
  5. 5.

    "...My life is a bore in this nasty pond..."

    1. Who is the speaker?
    2. Why do you think the speaker calls the pond nasty?
    3. Why is life in the pond 'boring' for the speaker?
  6. 6.

    There are a number of things mentioned in the poem that make no sense. Which do you think is the most absurd thing of all?

2 more answer(s) available.

Comments
it was really nice
19 Feb 2023Sunita S.
Plz Post answer
23 Mar 2025Siddharth G.
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