Class 9 The Brook Explanation and Summary

Class 9 The Brook Explanation

I come from haunts (places frequently visited by) of coot (a type of water bird with a white spot on the forehead) and hern (Heron) (another kind of water bird);

I make a sudden sally (emerge suddenly)

And sparkle (Shining) out among the fern (Flower Plant, Vegetation)

To bicker (flow down with a lot of noise) down (Hill) a valley.

In these lines, the brook describes its source and its passage through the valleys. It rises from a place frequently visited by water birds like coot and heron. It suddenly rushes and flows through long grass like plants. Its water shines brightly when it passes through these flowerless plants. Then it flows down a valley with a lot of noise.

5 By thirty (Many) hills I hurry down,

Or slip (Passes) between the ridges (Mountain Ranges),

By twenty (Many) thorpes (A type of village), a little town,

And half a hundred (Many) bridges.

During its journey, the brook passes by many hills, twenty villages, a small town and fifty (Many) bridges. As the brook flows through the hills, it hurries down and slips between the ridges noisily.

Till last by Philip's (A Person who own the farm) farm I flow (Passes through)

10 To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

In the end of its journey, it flows by Philip’s farm. Then it joins the brimming river. It overcomes all obstacles to reach its goal. The brook says that it is unlike men. Men are born, they grow up and die. But the brook goes on forever. Men’s life is short while the life of the brook has no end.

I chatter (To make noise) over stony ways,

In little sharps and trebles (High-pitched tunes),

15 I bubble into eddying bays (Spiral movement of water),

I babble (Sound mad when one talks jolly) on the pebbles (Shingles, Small rounded stone).

In these lines, the brook describes its journey through the stony ways. The brook makes much noise as it flows over the stones. It makes a deep gurgling sound. Sometimes it produces a soft murmur and sometimes it makes a strange and loud noise. Sometimes it produces bubbles and falls into the eddying bays. And sometimes it flows very noisily over the pebbles.

With many a curve my banks I fret (To get angry)

By many a field and fallow (land left uncultivated to regain fertility),

And many a fairy foreland (piece of land that extends into the sea) set

20 With willow-weed (Unwanted grass or plant) and mallow (plant with hairy stems and leaves and pink, white or purple flowers).

The brook moves in a zigzag manner. Thus it cuts its bank at many places and makes many curves in them. Many fields with fallow land and many beautiful forelands come in its way.

I chatter (Making Noise), chatter, as I flow

To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

The brook makes a chattering noise as it flows. It is full of joy. It goes on and on. It ever progress to join the brimming river. The brook says that it is unlike men. Men are born, they grow up and die. But the brook goes on forever. Men’s life is short while the life of the brook has no end.

25 I wind about (To move in zigzag manner), and in and out,

With here a blossom (Flower) sailing (Floating on the surface),

And here and there a lusty trout (a big freshwater fish),

And here and there a grayling (another type of fish),

In these lines, the brook describes its movement through the valleys. It flows in a zigzag manner. It winds in and out while flowing. Different beautiful flowers float on its surface. Here and there, little fish are also seen. Big freshwater fish also appear at some places in the brook.

And here and there a foamy (soapy) flake (A piece of foam)

30 Upon me, as I travel

With many a silvery waterbreak (White interruption with foam)

Above the golden gravel (Shingle, Small rounded stone),

Flakes of foam are formed here and there on the surface of the brook. When its water moves over golden gravel, it breaks into many a silvery water break.

And draw them all along (With me), and flow 

To join the brimming (Full of margin, till edges) river

 35 For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever.

The brook takes all these things with it and flows on and on to join the brimming river. The brook says that men may come and go, but it goes on forever. It never stops. Men are born, they grow up and die. But the brook has no end. It goes on and on.

I steal (To pass silently) by lawns and grassy plots,

I slide (Slip) by hazel covers (a small tree or bush)

I move the sweet forget-me-nots (a type of flower)

40 That grow for happy lovers.

In these lines, the brook describes its passage through the plains. It flows softly by lawns and grassy plots. It sides by groves of hazel trees. It moves the sweet forget-me-nots to joy. These flowers grow near the banks of the brook. They dance with joy. The forget-me-nots are liked by lovers. These flowers symbolized faithfulness and friendship. So the lovers often go to the side of the brook for these flowers. They present these flowers to their beloveds.

I slip, I slide, I gloom (To go in dark places), I glance (Sparkle, Shine),

Among my skimming (To pass lightly) swallows (To accept easily without question);

I make the netted (Net) sunbeam (a ray of sunlight trapped in a net) dance

Against my sandy shallows (Sand at the Bottom).

Sometimes the brook slips and slides on its way. It moves slowly under the overhanging branches of trees. The branches are so thick that it becomes dark under them. At some places, the flow of the brook becomes quite swift. Swallows skip on the surface of its water. Where the water is not deep, the rays of the sun are reflected through it. The sun seems here to be caught in a net. The rays of the sun seem to be dancing on the sand at the bottom of the brook.

45 I murmur (Low sound) under moon and stars

In brambly (Thorny plant) wildernesses (Lonely place);

I linger (To move slowly) by my shingly (Covered with Shingle, Small Pabbles) bars;

I loiter (To move aimlessly) round my cresses (Leafy plant growing under water);

In these lines, the brook describes its passage till it reaches the brimming river. It murmurs under the light of the moon and stars. It moves slowly as it flows through wilderness which is covered with thorny bushes. There are shingles on its banks which create obstructions in its flow. So it lingers when it passes them. Pungent-leaved plants grooving under its water have found that the brook loiters as it flows to join the brimming river.

And out again I curve and flow

50 To join the brimming river,

For men may come and men may go,

But I go on for ever.

The brook passes through valleys, forests and plains on its way. It curves in at one place and out at the other. It flows on and on to join the brimming river. It overcomes all obstacles to reach its goal. The brook says that it is unlike men. Men are born, they grow up and die. The journey of man’s life is very short. It ends with his death. But the brook goes on forever. It flows night and day. The life of the brook has no end.