Mijbil The Otter ( Class 10th English )

 

Mijbil The Otter (Class 10th English)

1- Introduction 

2- About The Author 

3- Chapter Explanation 

4- Word-Meaning 

5- Textbook Exercises 

6- Value Based Question/Answers 

7- To Recapitulate  

1- Introduction 

The following story is about the authors pet Mijbil who was an otter. After his fog died, he decided to have another pet. Further, he decides when he had to shift to England, he had to face so much problems in taking Mijbil with him. When he reached London along with Mijbil people did not recognize the otter. The author thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with the otter.

2- About The Author 

• Born on 15th July 1914, Elrig, United Kingdom. 

• Gavin Maxwell was a British naturalist and author.

• He was best known for his non-fiction writings.

• He completed his schooling from stowe school.

• Higher studies from Hertford College, Oxford. 

3- Chapter Explanation 

Maxwell (the narrator) was travelling to southern Iraq in 1956. After the death of his pet dog he decided to keep an otter as a pet. He mentioned his wish to keep an otter as a pet to his friend. And his friend suggested him to take an otter from Tigris Marshes as they were common there and were domesticated by the Arabs. Maxwell and his friend went to Basra to collect and answer mail from Europe.

There Maxwell's friend received the mail but Maxwell didn't receive any mail. So he sent a message to England. He tried to call them, but due to technical problem unable to get through. After five days he received his mail. When narrator went to his room to read it, he found two Arabs sitting on the floor with an otter in a sack. They handed the bag to him and this otter was sent as a gift by narrator's friend. As the sack opened, otter comes out. His whole body was covered with pointed scales and mud. And it took about a month for Maxwell to remove the mud. He named the otter "Mijbil". Mijbil species was unknown to science. The Zoologists named him 'Lutrogala Perspicillata Maxwell' or 'Maxwell's otter.

Mijbil Activities & Nature

For the first whole day, Mijbil was neither friendly nor hostile. He slept on the floor. But on the second night,  he came on to the bed and slept  between the narrator's knees. He enjoyed playing in water. He in a very less time, became very friendly with narrator. He used to play with rubber ball, marbles and above all water.

Taking Mijbil To London 

After passing few days in Basra, Maxwell decided to go back to England. But narrator got the fear of transporting Mijbil to England  and then to Camusfearna. British airline didn't allow to carry animal. So he had to book flight to Paris and from Paris to London on another airline. The narrator prepared an 18 inch square box so that he could be kept at his feet. Maxwell put Mijbil in a box and left for his meal.

When he returned he saw that blood had come out of the box. He immediately opened the box and found Mijbil body covered with blood. Only ten minutes were left for the flight. So he hurriedly put Mijbil in the box and rush to the airport. Luckily he got the front seat. He covered the floor around his seat with newspaper. He also gave fish parcel for the otter to the airhostess to keep in the freezer.

She advised him to keep the pet on his knees. After some time, Mijbil disappeared in the aircraft. Woman in despair started shouting, "A rat! A rat!" He tried to catch the otter but failed. Airhostess told him not to worry as she would find the otter. Very soon the otter came near Maxwell and climbed on his knees.

Mijbil & Narrator Stay In London 

They stayed in London for a month. Mijbil used to spend his time playing with toys, ping pong balls, marbles, rubber fruits and terrapin shell that the narrator bought for him from the Marshes.

Mijbil Plays Outside The House 

Both of them goes for walk and Mijbil developed certain habits on these walks to London streets. He used to run, play and walk just like the school children. There was a primary school opposite to narrator's flat. When they came near to primary school while walking, Mijbil jumped on the wall of the school and gallop on it. This distracted the pupils as well as the staff. In London, many people had not seen an otter before. Whenever they saw Mijbil, they made guesses about it. They guessed that it could be a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a leopard etc.

4- Word-Meaning 

• ringed by- surrounded by

• eminently- extremely 

• breakdown- fault

• mud armour- shield of mud

• hostile- unfriendly 

• static- fixed

• in a flash- very quickly 

• native- one's birth place

• retained- kept

• growled- to speak angrily

5- Textbook Exercises 

i- What 'experiment' did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Ans- According to Maxwell Camusfearna would be suitable for the 'experiment' of keeping an otter as a pet. As this place was surrounded by water.

ii- Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?

Ans- He went to Basra to collect and answer his mail from Europe. He waited there for five days to receive the mail.

iii- How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this. Or

How did Maxwell get the otter? (C.B.S.E. 2019)

Ans- His friend presented him the otter. As he expressed his desire to his friend. When he went to his room to read the mail he found two Arabs sitting there with an otter in a sack. Yes he likes the otter. It is clear from the lines "it is, in effect, a thraldom to otter, an otter fixation".

iv- Why was the  otter named 'Maxwell otter'?

Ans- The otter named 'Maxwell otter' because his species was unknown to science. Later it was named by zoologists as Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli or Maxwell's otter. 

v- Tick the right answer.In the beginning, the otter was 1) aloof & indifferent 2) friendly 3) hostile.

Ans- aloof & indifferent 

vi- What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that? (C.B.S.E.2019)

Ans- Mijbil went with Joy in the water. It jumped up and down the length of the bathtub. It splashed the water. 

After two days, Mijbil escaped from narrator's bedroom and went to the bathroom. It turned the water taps with its paws in less than a minute. 

Oral Comprehension Check 

1- How was Mij to be transported to England?

Ans- The narrator booked a flight to Paris and from Paris to London. As instructed by the airline, Mij was put in square box and it was to be supposed to be placed on the floor.

2- What did Mij do to the box?

Ans- Mij had torn the box and in this process hurt himself. 

3- Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?

Ans- There was no other option to carry Mijbil. 

He must have felt helpless and miserable to do this.

4- Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was "the very queen of her kind"?

Ans- Maxwell said the above lines because she was kind and helpful. She also suggested the narrator to keep the otter on his knees.

5- What happened when the box was opened?

Ans- Mijbil quickly ran out of the box and disappeared in the aircraft. People got scared there.

6- What game had Mij invented?

Ans- He found the high end of a broken suitcase. He placed the ball on one end and it rolled to the other end. Otter ran to catch it. He would grab it and run with it to the high end.

7- What are 'compulsive habits'? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of 1) school children 2) Mij?

Ans- 1) School children walk, jump and touch every seventh upright of the iron railings of every second lamp post.

2) On the other hand, Mijbil jump, walk and gallop the full length onto the wall. This distracted the pupils and staff of the school. 

8- What group of animals do otter belong to?

Ans- Otter belongs to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines. Other animals of this group are badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink, etc.

9- What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

Ans- As otters are not found in England. They guessed that it could be a baby seal, a squirrel, a hippo, a walrus, a leopard etc.

10- What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love? (C.B.S.E. 2020)

Ans- At first Mijbil was aloof and indifferent, but later he took keen interest in his surroundings. He love to play with water. He also love to ay with toys, marbles, rubber balls etc.

Thus, Mijbil was an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animals who needs love.

Read the story and find the sentences where Maxwell describes his pet otter. Then choose and arrange your sentences to illustrate those statements below that you think are true. Maxwell's description 

i- makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy

Ans- True, Mij plunging and rolling in water.

ii- shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does

Ans- False

iii- shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does.

Ans- True, the narrator is happy that Mijbil could turn the tap in less than a minute.

iv- of Mij's antics is comical.

Ans- False

v- shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully. 

Ans- True, the narrator description of how Mijbil play with marbles and pinpong balls

vi- shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter.

Ans- False

vii- shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual. 

Ans- True, the narrator thinks that the otter is unusual for a Londoner. 

Thinking About Language 

II Noun Modifiers

1- Look at these examples from the text, and say whether the modifiers are nouns, proper nouns or Adjective plus noun.

i- An otter fixation- Noun

ii- The iron railings- Noun

iii- The Tigris Marshes- Proper Noun

iv- The London streets- Proper Noun

v- Soft velvet fur- Adjective plus Noun

vi- A four-footed soccer player- Adjective plus Noun

6- Value Based Question/Answers 

i- Why did Maxwell get his mail after five days and what did he do to get it? (C.B.S.E. 2011)

Ans- He got his mail after five days because he sent a message to England. He was unable to call because of some technical issue.

ii- What was the first characteristics of the otter discovered by the narrator? (C.B.S.E. 2014)

Ans- The first characteristics of the otter was that he liked to play with Water, when he went to the bathroom he was jumping and rolling in the Water.

iii- What according to the writer is the 'real play of the Otter? (C.B.S.E. 2015)

Ans- 'The real play' of the otter was to lying on his back and juggling with small objects between his paws. Mijbil would roll two or more marbles up and down on his fat belly without dropping even one to the floor.

iv- Why do you think the otter was not friendly at first with the narrator? Can you relate this to human nature as well? (C.B.S.E 2016)

Or

Why Do you think the otter was not friendly at first with the narrator? How did it behave at first? Why? (C.B.S.E. 2019)

Ans- As he had seen him for the first time so he was hostile. 

But as soon as he started becoming comfortable with the surroundings, he became friendly. This is very similar to the human nature, as it is not easy to mix with others easily. 

Human beings even take time to understand others first. Then only they become friendly with them.

7- To Recapitulate 

I hope the above notes would be a great help in your upcoming exams. If any doubts you can reach me through the comment section box and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank You...