Dad and the Cat and the Tree – Class 7 English NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for “Dad and the Cat and the Tree,” Class 7 English NCERT. This humorous poem teaches children important lessons about overconfidence and how being too proud can sometimes lead to amusing situations. It also shows how our attempts to help others can sometimes backfire if we don’t approach the situation with proper planning and humility.

Summary of the Poem (English)

The poem “Dad and the Cat and the Tree” is a humorous tale about a father’s attempts to rescue a cat stuck in a tree. Despite his wife’s warnings, Dad confidently tries three different plans. First, he uses a ladder but falls into the flower bed. Then, he tries climbing directly but breaks a branch and falls again. Finally, in Plan C, he jumps from the garden wall and reaches the cat, but ironically, the cat jumps down by itself, leaving Dad stuck in the tree instead. The poem beautifully captures Dad’s overconfidence and the funny turn of events.

कविता का सारांश (Hindi)

कविता “Dad and the Cat and the Tree” एक मजेदार कहानी है जिसमें एक पिता पेड़ पर फंसी हुई बिल्ली को बचाने का प्रयास करते हैं। पत्नी की चेतावनियों के बावजूद, पिताजी आत्मविश्वास से तीन अलग-अलग योजनाएं बनाते हैं। पहले, वे सीढ़ी का उपयोग करते हैं लेकिन फूलों की क्यारी में गिर जाते हैं। फिर, वे सीधे चढ़ने की कोशिश करते हैं लेकिन डाली टूट जाती है और वे फिर से गिर जाते हैं। अंत में, योजना C में, वे बगीचे की दीवार से कूदते हैं और बिल्ली तक पहुंच जाते हैं, लेकिन मजेदार बात यह है कि बिल्ली खुद नीचे कूद जाती है, और पिताजी पेड़ पर फंस जाते हैं।

Word Meanings

Working with the Poem

1. Why was Dad sure he wouldn’t fall?

Dad was extremely confident about his climbing abilities and considered himself an expert climber. His overconfidence is shown when he says “A climber like me?” and dismisses any concerns about falling. He thought rescuing the cat would be as easy as “child’s play,” showing how he underestimated the challenge and overestimated his abilities.

2. Why and when did Dad say each of the following?

(i) “Fall?”
Dad said “Fall?” in a scoffing tone when Mom first warned him about falling. He couldn’t believe anyone would suggest that he might fall, showing his excessive pride in his climbing abilities.

(ii) “Never mind”
Dad said “Never mind” after his first failed attempt when the ladder slipped and he fell into the flower bed. He tried to maintain his dignity while brushing off dirt from his clothes, hair, and face, showing he wasn’t ready to give up despite the embarrassing fall.

(iii) “Funny joke”
Dad exclaimed “Funny joke” when Mom warned him again about falling during his second attempt. His response shows his stubbornness and refusal to acknowledge the real risk, even after having fallen once.

(iv) “Rubbish”
After falling twice and being warned about breaking his neck, Dad dismissed the concern with “Rubbish!” This shows his persistent overconfidence and determination to prove himself, even when evidence suggested he should be more careful.

3. Do you find the poem humorous? Read aloud lines which make you laugh.

Yes, the poem is definitely humorous! Several lines create comedy through Dad’s misadventures:

• “Then he swung himself up on a branch. It broke.” – This line is funny because it immediately follows Dad’s boasting
• “Dad landed wallop back on the deck” – The word ‘wallop’ makes the fall sound especially dramatic and funny
• “He gave a great leap and he landed flat in the crook of the tree-trunk — Right on the cat!” – The unexpected landing on the cat creates a humorous surprise
• The final irony where “poor old Dad’s still stuck up the tree” while the cat is “smiling and smirking” makes for a perfect comedic ending

4. Which phrase in the poem expresses Dad’s self-confidence best?

“Easy as winking to a climber like me!” best expresses Dad’s self-confidence. This phrase shows how he considers the task trivially simple and demonstrates his boastful nature. The comparison to something as simple as winking emphasizes his overconfidence, which makes his subsequent struggles even more amusing.

5. Describe Plan A and its consequences.

Plan A involved using a ladder from the garden shed to climb up the tree. However, this plan failed miserably when the ladder slipped, causing Dad to land ungracefully in the flower bed. The consequences were:

• Dad got covered in dirt
• He had to brush off his hair, face, trousers, and shirt
• His first attempt at rescuing the cat was completely unsuccessful
• Despite this setback, it didn’t dent his confidence for trying Plan B

6. Plan C was a success. What went wrong, then?

Plan C initially seemed successful as Dad managed to climb the garden wall and leap into the tree, reaching where the cat was stuck. However, things went hilariously wrong when he landed right on top of the cat! This unexpected collision startled the cat so much that it immediately sprang to the ground by itself. The ironic twist was that while the cat got free, Dad ended up taking its place – stuck in the tree! So while the cat was rescued, it wasn’t exactly according to plan, and poor Dad became the one needing rescue.

7. The cat was very happy to be on the ground. Pick out the phrase used to express this idea.

The phrase “Pleased as Punch to be safe and sound” is used to express the cat’s happiness at being back on the ground. This is further emphasized by the description of the cat “smiling and smirking, smug as can be,” showing how satisfied it was to have escaped the situation while leaving Dad stuck in its place.

8. Describe the Cat and Dad situation in the beginning and at the end of the poem.

The situation at the beginning and end of the poem presents a perfect role reversal:

• Beginning: The cat was stuck high up in the wobbly, tall tree, needing rescue, while Dad was confidently standing on the ground, sure he could save the day.
• End: The cat is happily and smugly safe on the ground, while Dad has ironically taken its place, stuck up in the tree. This reversal of positions creates a humorous ending and teaches a lesson about overconfidence.