Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow : (100-105)
O what is that sound which so thrills the ear
Down in the valley drumming, drumming ?
Only the scarlet soldiers, dear,
The soldiers coming.
O what is that light I see flashing so clear
Over the distance brightly, brightly ?
Only the sun on their weapons, dear,
As they step lightly.
O what are they doing with all that gear,
What are they doing this morning, this morning ?
Only the usual manoeuvres, dear,
Or perhaps a warning.
O why have they left the road down there,
Why are they suddenly wheeling, wheeling ?
Perhaps a change in the orders, dear,
Why are you kneeling ?

Identify the rhyme scheme of these lines.

The correct option is abab.

To determine the rhyme scheme of a stanza in poetry, we examine the end sound of each line in a four-line stanza (quatrain).

Let us analyze the end sounds of the first stanza:

Line 1: "O what is that sound which so thrills the ear" → End sound /ɪə(r)/ (labeled a)
Line 2: "Down in the valley drumming, drumming ?" → End sound /-ʌmɪŋ/ (labeled b)
Line 3: "Only the scarlet soldiers, dear," → End sound /ɪə(r)/ (rhymes with "ear", so labeled a)
Line 4: "The soldiers coming." → End sound /-ʌmɪŋ/ (rhymes with "drumming", so labeled b)

Looking at the pattern of line endings (ear / drumming / dear / coming), we get the repeating sound structure of a - b - a - b.

This same alternating pattern is consistently maintained throughout all the stanzas of the poem (clear/brightly/dear/lightly, gear/morning/dear/warning, etc.). Therefore, the rhyme scheme of these lines is abab.