Textbook Solutions: The Eagle and the Beetle | English (Voice Book) Class 8 PDF Download

A. Answer these questions with reference to the context. 

1.
a. 
Ans: The hare and the beetle.

b. 
Ans: An eagle had overshadowed them.

c. 
Ans: The hare was caught by the eagle and hung from her talons in mid-air.

2.

a. 
Ans: The eagle is saying this to the beetle.

b. 
Ans: The beetle had pleaded with the eagle to spare the hare's life.

c. 
Ans: The speaker, the eagle, is angry because the beetle dared to interfere with her desire to eat the hare, claiming that as the bird of Zeus, nothing can harm her and the beetle is insignificant.

3.
a. 
Ans: The speaker is addressing Zeus, the king of the gods.

b. 
Ans: The "evil clot of mud" refers to the beetle.

c. 
Ans: The eagle is referring to her eggs as her "flesh and blood."

B. Answer these questions. 

1.
Ans: The beetle and the hare spent their time together going to fairs and feasts, taking walks, and engaging in conversations about the future and the past.

2.
Ans: This line means that the beetle and the hare enjoyed their friendship and focused on living in the present moment, enjoying each other's company without worrying too much about the past or the future.

3.
Ans: The beetle was devastated by the hare's death. She mixed her tears with the hare's blood, covered his face with mud, and swore to avenge his death.

4.
Ans: The beetle tracked the eagle's nest, waited for her to lay eggs, and when the eagle was away hunting, she rolled the eagle's eggs out of the nest, causing the eagle great distress and frustration.

5.
Ans: Zeus suggested that the eagle should lay her eggs in his lap, implying that they would be safe and protected there.

6.
Ans: The beetle flung a microscopic ball of dung into Zeus's lap, causing him to rise and shake off the dirt from his legs, inadvertently tipping out the eggs and leaving them vulnerable.

7.
Ans: The beetle's way of dealing with Zeus reflects its cunning and resourcefulness. It demonstrates the beetle's determination and willingness to go to great lengths to avenge the hare's death.

8.
Ans: The beetle's loyal devotion to the hare drives it to seek revenge against the eagle. The beetle patiently tracks the eagle, rolls out her eggs repeatedly, and persists until the eagle is driven to madness and grief. In the end, the eagle dies, and the beetle emerges as the victor, fulfilling its mission.

9.
Ans: In terms of physical strength, the eagle is undoubtedly stronger than the beetle. However, the beetle's intelligence, determination, and ability to outwit the eagle make it stronger in a strategic sense.

10.
Ans: The superstition associated with eagles mentioned in the text is that eagles will not nest in months when beetles are flying at their best. It implies that eagles have a fear or aversion to beetles due to their past encounter.

11.
Ans: The moral of this poem could be interpreted as the idea that even the weak can find ways to overcome the strong through intelligence, perseverance, and loyalty. It also suggests that those who harm others may eventually face consequences for their actions.

12.
Ans: This line expresses the idea that the weak should not passively accept mistreatment from the strong. It implies that they should fight back and retaliate rather than turning the other cheek, as the weak should not tolerate being crushed or oppressed by those in power.