hillock, a small hill

henbane, a coarse and poisonous Eurasian plant of the nightshade family, with sticky hairy leaves and an unpleasant smell.

jackdaw

mynah, Indian mynah, talking mynah, Gracula religiosa

a talking myna that was traditionally taught to utter ''aga-aga'', a kind of pet myna

offer justifications

talk imaginatively

a girl having a melodious voice, female singer

sappers and miners, a solider who does jobs such as building bridges, repairing roads, and laying and clearing landmines (= underground bombs)

false promise

black

satirically spoken to children who show laxity in education implying when when birds and beast can read, why can't the children of men do the same

the goddess Durga also called Kali Mata or Kali Mai

Cyperus pertenius, Cyperus rotundus

ugly

never

A famous idol or form of Durga, Wife of Mahakal Shiva with five faces and eight arms

valley of Mina, near Makkah, where pilgrims stay during the Hajj

be put to shame

langur, a long-tailed and black-faced entellus monkey