1.2 The Raven and the Fox – Class 6 – Poorvi (New)

Author: Jean de La Fontaine

Textbook Name and Genre: Poorvi – Poem / Fable

Summary

“The Raven and the Fox” is a fable in poetic form that narrates a lesson in pride and flattery. The poem begins with a raven perched on a tree branch, holding a morsel of food in its beak. A cunning fox named Reynard sees the raven and wishes to have the food. Reynard praises the raven’s appearance and requests him to sing. The raven, flattered by the words, forgets that his voice is only a croak and opens his beak to sing. The food falls to the ground, and the fox takes it. The poem ends with a moral: flattery should not be trusted, and pride often leads to loss.

Character Sketches

Mr Raven

• Proud and vain

• Easily fooled by flattery

• Regrets losing his food due to pride

  
  

Reynard the Fox

• Clever and manipulative

• Skilled in using words to achieve his goal

• Represents cunning and trickery
  

Themes

Literary Devices

Title Justification

The title “The Raven and the Fox” is appropriate as it highlights the two main characters who drive the story’s moral. The poem focuses on their interaction—one filled with clever words and the other with foolish pride. Their contrasting qualities help deliver a powerful message about the danger of being flattered. Hence, the title effectively introduces the reader to the characters and the core idea.

✅ One-Mark Questions (Answer in 3 sentences each)

1. Why did Reynard praise the raven so much?

Answer: Reynard praised the raven to get the piece of food in his beak. The fox used clever compliments to make the raven feel proud. This helped Reynard achieve his trick easily.

2. What mistake did the raven make in the poem? Answer: The raven opened his beak to sing, forgetting that he could only croak. This caused the food to fall from his mouth. The mistake was trusting false praise.

3. What lesson does the poem teach about flattery?

Answer: The poem teaches that flattery can be dangerous. Believing it without thinking can lead to loss. It is wiser to stay humble and alert.

4. Why is the raven described as foolish? Answer: The raven is foolish because he falls for the fox’s sweet talk. He acts on pride rather than thinking. This leads to his loss.

5. How is the fox shown to be clever in the poem? Answer: The fox uses flattering words to trick the raven. He understands how to make others feel proud. His cleverness helps him get what he wants.

✅ Three-Mark Questions (Answer in 5–6 sentences each)

1. How does the poem show that flattery can be misleading? Answer: The poem shows how Reynard tricks the raven with praise. He calls the raven handsome and suggests that he should sing. The raven, proud of the compliments, opens his beak to croak. As a result, the food drops down, and Reynard grabs it. This shows how sweet words are sometimes used to manipulate. The poem warns us not to be fooled by such flattery.

2. What does the raven lose, and how? Answer: The raven loses a piece of food that he was holding in his beak. He is tricked into singing by the fox's compliments. While trying to sing, the food drops from his mouth. Reynard immediately takes it and leaves. The raven regrets trusting the fox. This teaches the price of being too proud.

3. Describe Reynard’s plan and how it works. Answer: Reynard sees the raven with food and quickly comes up with a plan. He flatters the raven by calling him beautiful and suggesting he should sing. The raven, proud of his looks, wants to prove he can sing too. He opens his beak to croak, causing the food to fall. Reynard picks it up and leaves happily. His clever plan succeeds due to the raven’s foolish pride.

4. What does the poem teach us about pride? Answer: The poem teaches that pride can make us act unwisely. The raven is so proud of his feathers and imagined voice that he forgets caution. This leads him to open his beak and lose his food. The fox uses this pride against him. It shows that being too proud can result in loss. The lesson is to stay humble and think before acting.

5. Why is this poem considered a fable? Answer: A fable is a short story with animals that teaches a moral. “The Raven and the Fox” uses two animal characters with human traits. The poem has a clear message about the dangers of pride and flattery. The clever fox and the vain raven show a classic lesson. The use of rhyme and animal behavior makes it engaging. This makes the poem a true example of a fable.

Value-Based Question

What should we learn when someone praises us too much? Answer: When someone praises us too much, we should pause and think if the praise is genuine. Sometimes, people use sweet words to gain something from us. Being alert helps us avoid making foolish decisions. Just like the raven, pride can cloud our judgment. The lesson is to accept compliments humbly and not let them change our actions without thought.

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