The Duck and the Kangaroo

Introduction:

‘The Duck and the Kangaroo’ is a humorous poem by Edward Lear, where two friends, the Duck and the Kangaroo, are about to set out on a long pleasure trip. The Kangaroo, though happy to carry the Duck all the way on the tip of his tail, is wary of its wet feet. The Duck comes up with solutions to make the Kangaroo feel comfortable as they travel over land and sea.

Meanings of words and phrases:

• Good gracious: exclamation of surprise
• nasty: very bad or unpleasant
• reflection: serious thought or consideration
• objection: a reason for disagreeing
• unpleasantly: disagreeable or offensive
• roo-matiz: a disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue
• worsted: fine smooth yarn spun from combed long-staple wool
• web-feet: the fusion of two or more toes of the feet which is normal in many birds, such as ducks; amphibians, such as frogs; and mammals, such as kangaroos
• cloak: a sleeveless outdoor over garment that hangs loosely from the shoulders
• pale: faded and light in colour
• steady: stable

Rhyming words:

1^st stanza: Kangaroo – too – you, hop – stop and pond – beyond.

2^nd stanza: back – quack, Kangaroo – through – do and Lee – sea.

3^rd stanza: duck – luck, reflection – objection, bold – cold and roo – kangaroo.

4^th fourth stanza: rocks – socks, completely – neatly, cloak – smoke and true – kangaroo.

5^th stanza: ready – steady, pale – tail, bound – round and who – kangaroo.