The Green Grass Growing All Round

Summary: The poem 'The Green Grass Growing All Round' is a cumulative, rhythmic nursery rhyme that describes a natural scene in layers. It begins with a tree standing on the ground, surrounded by green grass, and then adds more elements step by step: a limb on the tree, a bough on the limb, a nest on the bough, and finally, eggs in the nest. Each verse builds on the previous one, emphasizing the interconnectedness of nature, while the repeated line about the 'green grass growing all around' creates a soothing, circular rhythm that reinforces the beauty and continuity of the natural world.

Exercises

A. Questions

Look carefully at the five stanzas of the poem again.

1. Which lines are repeated in each stanza?

Answer: The lines that are repeated in every stanza are: “The [new item] … the prettiest [item] you ever did see;” “And the green grass growing all around, And the green grass growing all around.” Also, parts of the previous items’ description are repeated, e.g., “The bough on the limb, and the limb on the tree… the green grass growing all around.”

2. What is added to each stanza?

Answer: Each stanza introduces one new element of nature: Tree, Limb (on the tree), Bough (on the limb), Nest (on the bough), Eggs (in the nest).

3. Which phrase is used, in every stanza, to describe the new item that is introduced?

Answer: “The prettiest [item] you ever did see;”


B. Words and meaning

1. Which statements are not quite true?

(According to the poem.)

a. On the bough there was a limb.

Answer: Not true – the limb is below the bough, not on it.

b. The nest was on the tree.

Answer: Not exactly – the nest was on the bough.

c. The eggs were in the nest.

Answer: True.

d. The wood was on the tree.

Answer: Not true – the tree is in the wood.

e. The wood is not described as 'the prettiest'.

Answer: True.


2. Which is the odd one out in each of the following? (Give a reason for your selection.)

a. bough, branch, arm, limb, stem, twig

Answer: arm – all others are parts of a tree; arm is a human body part.

b. cart, bicycle, wagon, carriage, van

Answer: bicycle – all others are types of carts or wagons; bicycle is a vehicle not pulled.

c. green, mauve, pink, iron, purple, grey

Answer: iron – all others are colors; iron is a material.

d. sheet, cushion, pillowcase, counterpane, blanket

Answer: sheet – all others are bedding items; sheet is only one part of bedding.

e. street, road, avenue, lane, canal, track, alleyway

Answer: canal – all others are types of streets/paths; canal is a waterway.

f. tail, horn, trunk, hoof, spear, hump

Answer: spear – all others are parts of animals; spear is a weapon.


3. What is the difference? Find out about the following:

forest     wood         jungle          grove             orchard

Answer: 

Forest: A large area covered with many trees and plants, often wild.

Wood: Smaller than a forest; an area with trees, can be natural or managed.

Jungle: Dense, tropical forest with thick vegetation.

Grove: A small group of trees planted together, often fruit or decorative trees.

Orchard: Land specifically planted with fruit trees.

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