What Happened to the Reptiles — AP Board Class 6 English
'Every creature has a PURPOSE in nature. Remove ONE — and the WHOLE system SUFFERS.'
1. About the Chapter
'What Happened to the Reptiles' is an ECOLOGICAL FABLE — a story that teaches about ENVIRONMENTAL BALANCE. In a forest, the animals hold a MEETING. A foolish leader declares that REPTILES (snakes, lizards, turtles) are 'USELESS' and 'UGLY.' They are FORCED to leave. But the moment the reptiles leave, DISASTER strikes. Insects MULTIPLY uncontrollably. Plants are DESTROYED. The forest gets SICK. The animals finally REALISE that ALL creatures — even 'ugly' ones — are ESSENTIAL.
Why This Story Matters for AP Board Students
- Teaches ECOLOGICAL BALANCE — connects to Science syllabus
- 'No creature is "USELESS" — every being has a ROLE'
- Connects to ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS — relevant today
- 'The story is a LESSON in TOLERANCE and RESPECT for ALL life'
- Important for VALUE-BASED and ENVIRONMENTAL questions in AP Board exams
2. About the Author
This is a TRADITIONAL fable, adapted for the NCERT syllabus. Like many ecological fables, it teaches RESPECT for nature and the IMPORTANCE of BIODIVERSITY.
3. Characters
| Character | Role | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|
| The Reptiles | Snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodiles | Quiet, harmless, useful |
| The Foolish Leader | An animal who dislikes reptiles | Prejudiced, short-sighted |
| Other Forest Animals | Various mammals and birds | Initially AGREE, later REALISE their mistake |
| The Insects | Pests (unnamed) | Explode in POPULATION when reptiles leave |
4. Detailed Summary
Part 1: The Forest Meeting
The animals of the forest hold a GRAND MEETING. They discuss PROBLEMS in the forest.
A FOOLISH LEADER stands up and says: 'The REPTILES are UGLY and USELESS. They creep and crawl. They make the forest look BAD. Let's CHASE them away!'
Many animals AGREE — without THINKING.
Part 2: The Reptiles Are Banished
The reptiles are told: 'LEAVE this forest. You are NOT WELCOME.'
The reptiles are SAD. But they LEAVE quietly.
'If we are not WANTED,' they say, 'we will GO.'
Part 3: The Disaster Begins
At first, the forest seems FINE. The animals CELEBRATE.
But SOON, things start going WRONG.
- INSECTS begin to MULTIPLY wildly.
- Caterpillars eat ALL the leaves.
- Mosquitoes swarm EVERYWHERE.
- Rats destroy the grain.
- Crops FAIL.
Part 4: The Animals Suffer
The animals REALISE:
'There are NO LIZARDS to eat the mosquitoes.' 'There are NO FROGS to eat the insects.' 'There are NO SNAKES to control the rat population.' 'There are NO TURTLES to clean the ponds.'
The forest gets SICK. The air is filled with PESTS. The plants are DYING.
Part 5: The Realisation
The foolish leader FINALLY understands.
'WE WERE WRONG!' he cries. 'The reptiles were NOT useless. They were ESSENTIAL. They kept the INSECTS under control. They kept the forest CLEAN. We MUST bring them BACK!'
Part 6: The Reptiles Return
A DELEGATION of animals goes to the reptiles and APOLOGISES.
'We were FOOLISH. We were UNKIND. Please COME BACK. The forest NEEDS you.'
The reptiles FORGIVE them and RETURN.
Part 7: The Forest Heals
With the reptiles BACK:
- Lizards eat the mosquitoes
- Frogs eat the insects
- Snakes control the rats
- Turtles clean the ponds
The forest returns to HEALTH. The animals LIVE together in HARMONY — understanding that EVERY creature has a role.
5. Themes
Ecological Balance
'Every species is PART of a web. If you BREAK one thread, the WHOLE web weakens.'
Biodiversity
'Nature needs VARIETY. A forest with only mammals is UNBALANCED.'
Prejudice and Judgment
'The animals JUDGED the reptiles by their APPEARANCE — not by their VALUE.'
Apology and Forgiveness
'The animals APOLOGISED. The reptiles FORGAVE. This is how RELATIONSHIPS heal.'
6. Literary Devices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Cause and Effect | Reptiles LEAVE → Insects EXPLODE | Shows ECOLOGICAL relationships |
| Irony | The animals thought reptiles were 'useless' — they were actually ESSENTIAL | The REVERSAL |
| Personification | Animals TALK and HOLD MEETINGS | Makes the story ENGAGING |
| Fable Structure | Problem → Mistake → Consequence → Lesson | CLASSIC teaching story |
| Contrast | Forest BEFORE reptiles vs AFTER reptiles left vs AFTER they returned | Shows the DIFFERENCE |
7. Vocabulary / New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Reptile | A cold-blooded animal (snake, lizard, turtle) |
| Ecological | Relating to the environment and its systems |
| Balance | A state where everything works together |
| Pest | A destructive insect or animal |
| Prejudice | An unfair opinion formed without knowledge |
| Biodiversity | The variety of living things in an ecosystem |
| Ecosystem | A community of living things interacting with their environment |
8. Important Quotes
| Quote | Speaker | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 'The reptiles are UGLY and USELESS.' | Foolish leader | The PREJUDICE that starts the problem |
| 'WE WERE WRONG!' | The animals | The REALISATION |
| 'The forest NEEDS you.' | Delegation of animals | The APOLOGY |
| 'Every creature has a ROLE.' | Narrator | The CENTRAL lesson |
| 'The forest HEALED.' | Narrator | The HAPPY ending |
9. Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
1. Why were the reptiles forced to leave? A foolish leader called them 'UGLY and USELESS,' and the other animals agreed.
2. What happened after the reptiles left? INSECTS multiplied uncontrollably. Mosquitoes, caterpillars, and rats became a PLAGUE.
3. Why were the reptiles actually IMPORTANT? They kept the ecosystem BALANCED — lizards ate mosquitoes, frogs ate insects, snakes controlled rats.
4. What did the animals REALISE? They realised the reptiles were NOT useless — they were ESSENTIAL for the forest's health.
5. How did the animals BRING the reptiles back? They APOLOGISED and ASKED the reptiles to return.
6. What happened after the reptiles returned? The forest HEALED — pests were controlled and balance was restored.
7. What is the MORAL of the story? Every creature has a PURPOSE. Do not JUDGE or REMOVE something you don't understand.
10. Long Answer Questions (6-8 marks each)
1. 'The story is a LESSON in ECOLOGY.' Explain. The story DEMONSTRATES the concept of a FOOD CHAIN and ECOSYSTEM BALANCE. Reptiles are PREDATORS of insects and rodents. When the reptiles are removed, the prey species (insects, rats) EXPLODE in population. This destroys plants, crops, and the entire ecosystem. The story teaches that EVERY species has a role — removing ANY species disrupts the ENTIRE system. This is a basic principle of ECOLOGY.
2. 'The animals were GUILTY of PREJUDICE.' What does this teach us? The animals JUDGED the reptiles by their APPEARANCE — 'ugly and useless.' They did not BOTHER to understand the reptiles' ACTUAL ROLE. This is EXACTLY how human prejudice works: we judge people by how they LOOK, without understanding their VALUE. The story teaches us: DO NOT JUDGE. Every person, every creature, has something to CONTRIBUTE.
3. How is this story RELEVANT to TODAY'S environmental issues? Today, MANY species are going EXTINCT because of human activity. When a species disappears, the ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM is affected. For example, killing snakes (because people fear them) leads to RAT INFESTATIONS. Destroying forests leads to CLIMATE CHANGE. The story's lesson is URGENTLY relevant: PROTECT BIODIVERSITY. Every species matters.
4. 'APOLOGY and FORGIVENESS can heal even BROKEN ecosystems.' Discuss. When the animals REALISED their mistake, they could have been TOO PROUD to apologise. But they WENT to the reptiles and SAID sorry. The reptiles FORGAVE them. Because of this, the forest was RESTORED. This shows: admitting you were WRONG is NOT weakness — it is STRENGTH. And FORGIVENESS is the key to HEALING — whether in nature or in human relationships.
11. AP Board Context
- Cross-curricular: Connects to Class 6 Science — 'Living Organisms and Their Surroundings.'
- Environmental awareness: AP Board includes ENVIRONMENTAL topics in exams.
- Telugu connection: 'Prakruti' (nature) and 'Samatulyata' (balance) — these concepts are taught in local schools.
- Discussion: 'What happens if we KILL all mosquitoes? What happens if we kill all SNAKES?'
- Writing task: 'Write a PARAGRAPH about an animal that people think is "USELESS" — EXPLAIN why it is actually IMPORTANT.'
12. Fun Activity
'Ecosystem Web' Draw a SIMPLE FOOD WEB of the forest from this story:
- SUN → PLANTS → INSECTS → REPTILES
Now think: what happens if one of these is REMOVED? Write ONE sentence about each removal: 'If REPTILES are removed... If INSECTS are removed... If PLANTS are removed...'
Share your findings with the class!
