Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: NCERT Class 4 Poem (Marigold Unit 5)

etmantra14 Jan 20219 min read

Many children feel scared when the lights go off. This calm, kind poem helps them see the night as a friend, and gives parents a gentle way to talk about bedtime fears.

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From the NCERT English book Marigold for Class 4, unit 5. NCERT’s newer Class 4 book is Santoor, but many schools still teach Marigold.

Watch: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Play the video three or four times. The first time, just listen. Then point at the pictures, and from the third time, say the lines along with the video. Short, repeated listening is how CALP builds a child’s English.

What your child learns

Feeling words: afraid, fear, peace
Giving kind advice with “Don't…” and “Be…”
Comparing the sun and the moon
Talking calmly about bedtime fears

What the poem is about

The poem speaks to a little one and says not to be afraid of the dark. When the day is over, the earth needs to rest. The sun can be harsh, but moonlight is never harsh, and the stars will go on shining for ever.

The poem asks the child to be friends with the night, because there is nothing to fear. The child can let their thoughts travel far and near. In the daytime it can seem that troubles never stop, but late at night the world is at peace. The feeling of the poem is calm, safe and comforting.

New words, with Hindi meanings

afraid: feeling fear; scared (हिंदी: डरा हुआ)
rest: to relax or sleep after work (हिंदी: आराम)
harsh: too strong and hard to bear (हिंदी: कड़ा / तेज़)
moonlight: the soft light that comes from the moon (हिंदी: चाँदनी)
fear: the feeling of being scared (हिंदी: डर)
troubles: problems and worries (हिंदी: परेशानियाँ)
cease: to stop (हिंदी: थमना)
peace: a quiet, calm feeling with no trouble (हिंदी: शांति)

Sing and dance

Once your child knows the poem, sing it together with actions. Children who can’t sing yet can still do the moves.

Talk about it

Ask these aloud after reading or watching. Let your child answer in English if they can, or mix in their home language. Both help.

Why must the earth rest when the day is done?
How is moonlight different from the sun, according to the poem?
What does the poem say happens to the world late at night?
What do you see or hear at night from your window?

Answers for parents

Because the day is over, and the earth needs rest after it, just as we do.
The sun can be harsh, but moonlight is never harsh. It is soft and gentle.
Late at night the world is at peace.
For example: I see the moon and a few stars, and I hear a dog barking far away.

Grammar corner: Giving kind advice with “Don't…” and “Be…”

We can start a sentence with an action word to tell someone what to do, like “Be calm.” To tell someone not to do something, we start with “Don't”. Said gently, these sentences give comfort and advice.

Don't worry, the moon is watching over you.
Be brave and close your eyes.
Don't switch on the big light; look at the stars.

Practice at home

Fill in the blank: The soft light of the moon is called ___.
Choose the word that means “to stop”: cease, rest or shine.
Make a kind sentence for a scared friend, starting with “Don't”.

Answers: 1. moonlight · 2. cease · 3. For example: Don't be scared, I am right here with you.

Try this

At bedtime, switch off the light and sit by a window with your child. Together, look for the moon and count the stars you can see. Then take turns to “let your thoughts travel”: each person says one place they would like to visit in their dreams. This turns the dark into a quiet, happy time.

Tip for parents

At bedtime, ask in Hindi: “अँधेरे में तुम्हें कैसा लगता है?” Listen without hurry, then share the poem's idea in Hindi and say one line of it in English together. Let your child answer in whichever language feels easy, and praise them for talking about their feelings.

Questions parents ask

What is the message of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark?

The night is nothing to fear. It is a time of rest, gentle moonlight, shining stars and peace, so a child can be friends with the night.

Which words rhyme in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark?

Some rhyming pairs are one and done, never and ever, fear and near, and cease and peace.

Which book is Don't Be Afraid of the Dark from?

It is from NCERT's older Marigold book for Class 4 (Unit 5). The newer NCERT English books are Mridang for Class 1–2 and Santoor for Class 3–5.

Learn every Class 4 chapter with CALP

Every chapter of Santoor, NCERT’s new book, with notes in English and Hindi, say-it-aloud practice with a score, grammar, speaking and writing practice. ₹1,299 for the whole year.

See the free lessons and enrol →