Question

Summary of the poem the boy and the snake by charles lamb

Answer 1

Henry was every morning fed 
With a full mess of milk and bread. 
One day the boy his breakfast took, 
And eat it by a purling brook 
Which through his mother's orchard ran. 
From that time ever when he can 
Escape his mother's eye, he there 
Takes his food in th'open air. 
Finding the child delight to eat 
Abroad, and make the grass his seat, 
His mother lets him have his way. 
With free leave Henry every day 
Thither repairs, until she heard 
Him talking of a fine grey bird. 
This pretty bird, he said, indeed, 
Came every day with him to feed, 
And it loved him, and loved his milk, 
And it was smooth and soft like silk. 
His mother thought she'd go and see 
What sort of bird this same might be. 
So the next morn she follows Harry, 
And carefully she sees him carry 
Through the long grass his heaped-up mess. 
What was her terror and distress, 
When she saw the infant take 
His bread and milk close to a snake! 
Upon the grass he spreads his feast, 
And sits down by his frightful guest, 
Who had waited for the treat; 
And now they both begin to eat. 
Fond mother! shriek not, O beware 
The least small noise, O have a care- 
The least small noise that may be made, 
The wily snake will be afraid- 
If he hear the lightest sound, 
He will inflict th'envenomed wound. 
She speaks not, moves not, scarce does breathe, 
As she stands the trees beneath; 
No sound she utters; and she soon 
Sees the child lift up its spoon, 
And tap the snake upon the head, 
Fearless of harm; and then he said, 
As speaking to familiar mate, 
'Keep on your own side, do, Grey Pate:' 
The snake then to the other side, 
As one rebukëd, seems to glide; 
And now again advancing nigh, 
Again she hears the infant cry, 
Tapping the snake, 'Keep further, do; 
Mind, Grey Pate, what I say to you.' 
The danger's o'er-she sees the boy 
(O what a change from fear to joy!) 
Rise and bid the snake 'good-bye;' 
Says he, 'Our breakfast's done, and I 
Will come again to-morrow day:' 
Then, lightly tripping, ran away.

Answer 2

The poem "The boy and the snake" by charles lamb is a rather inetresting one.

We get to see a boy and his mother in the first stanza of the poem and during the time of breakfast the boy's mother would feed him milk and bread.

The boy would take his breakfast to their front garden every day and feed some of it to a grey bird.

He described the bird to be soft and silky so one day the mother decides to go with he boy to see the little bird only to find out it is a snake.