Question

After reading the poem, complete the following. What happens? There are three main parts of the poem. Do you know what they are about? The first one is done for you.

Lines	What is happening?
1-7	The scorpion comes into the home to escape the rain and stings the poet’s mother.
8-33
34-48

Answer 1

Lines	What is happening?
1-7	1) The scorpion comes into the home to escape the rain and stings the poet's mother.
8-33	2) The villagers sympathize with the mother and offer consolation in various ways. They sit around the floor with the mother in the centre. More neighbours came in to help, with more candles and more lanterns.
34-48	3) What is happening The father is desperate and though he is a rationalist, he tries all sorts of things to cure the mother. He calls a holy man to perform rites and even sets fire to the bitten toe. After twenty hours the scorpion loses Its sting. All that the mother says is that she is thankful to God that the scorpion picked her and spared her children.