Mijbil the Otter Class 10 Question Answer

Mijbil the Otter Class 10 Questions and Answers

Oral comprehension check :

Question 1.
What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for ?
मैक्सवेल ने केमुसफियरना को किस ‘प्रयोग’ के लिए सही माना था ?
Answer:
Maxwell thought of buying an otter instead of a dog and thought Camusfearna ringed with water would be suitable for keeping an otter. This was the experiment i.e,. the challenge to keep an otter at a dry place.

Question 2.
Why does he go to Basra ? How long does he wait and why?
वह बसरा क्यों जाता है ? उसे कितना और क्यों इंतजार करना पड़ता है ?
Answer:
He went to Basra to the Consulate general to collect and answer the mail. When he did not receive any, he cabled for it from Europe. He waited for three days still he did not get any. He tried to make a telephone call but was not successful. Three more days passed. His friend left. He received his mail five days later when his friend had left. So he stayed in Basra till he received his mail.

Question 3.
How does he get the otter ? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.
उसे ऊदबिलाव कैसे मिला? क्या उसे वह पसंद आया ?
Answer:
He got the otter on the day when he got his mail. He went to his room to read his mail, he found two Arabs having a sack carrying the otter. He really liked it. The words that tell us about this are : With the opening of that sack began a phase of my life that has not yet ended. It is in effect a thraldom to otters, an otter fixation, that I have since found to be shared by most other people, who have ever owned one.

Question 4.
Why does the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?
ऊदबिलाव को ‘मैक्सवेल औटर’ क्यों कहा जाता था ?
Answer:
The otter was of a race previously-unknown to science and was at length christened by zoologists as Maxwell’s otter’. Moreover, that otter belonged to Maxwell that is why it is called so.

Question 5.
In the beginning, the otter was (tick the right answer)
-aloof and indifferent (✓)
– friendly
– hostile

Question 6.
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom. What did it do two days after that ?
जब मैक्सवेल मिजबिल को स्नानघर में ले गया तो क्या हुआ ? दो दिन पश्चात् क्या हुआ?
Answer:
When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, for half an hour he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo. After two days, he escaped from the bedroom and reached to the bathtub. He successfully tried to open the chromium taps with his paws.

Question 7.
How was Mij to be transported to England ?
मिज़ को इंग्लैंड कैसे भेजा गया ?
Answer:
Mij was transported to England via Paris. He was first taken to Paris by an aircraft and from there to London in an eighteen inch box.

Question 8.
What did Mijdo to the box?
मिज़ ने बाक्स के साथ क्या किया ?
Answer:
Mij tried to break the box and tore the lining of the box completely. In this attempt of breaking he got injured.

Question 9.
Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?
मैक्सवैल ने ऊदबिलाव को वापिस बक्से में क्यों डाल| दिया ? उसे ऐसा करने पर कैसा लगा होगा?
Answer:
Maxwell was getting late for the flight. There was only ten minutes left for the flight to take off and the airport was five miles away. Hence, he had to put the otter back into the box. He felt bad on doing that but he had no other option.

Question 10.
Why does Maxwell say-‘the air hostess was the very queen of her kind’?
मैक्सवैल ने यह क्यों कहा-“विमान परिचारिका अपनी तरह की एक देवी थी।’
Answer:
The air hostess heard Maxwell’s events of the last half-hour very patiently and admired the author for that. She suggested him to keep the pet on his knees. That is why, Maxwell said so about her.

Question 11.
What happened when the box was opened?
जब बाक्स खोला गया तब क्या हुआ?
Answer:
As soon as the box was opened, Mijbil flashed out and disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. He caused a great hue and cry in the aircraft.

Question 12.
What game had Mij invented ?
मिज़ ने कौन से खेल की खोज की?
Answer:
Mij invented a game with his pingpong ball. He used to keep the ball on the lid of the damaged suitcase which when closed, remained at a slope from one end. Mij would keep the ball on the raised end and would allow the ball to run down to the length of the suitcase. He used to dash around at the other end to ambush its arrival.

Question 13.
What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of (i) school children (ii) Mij?
‘जरूरी/मजबूरन आदतें’ क्या होती है ? मैक्सवैल ने इन आदतों के बारे में (i) स्कूली बच्चों (ii) मिज़ के लिए क्या कहा है?
Answer:
‘Compulsive habits’ are those habits which are impossible to control. (i) The school children on their way to and from school place their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block, they touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the outside of every second lamp post. (ii) Mij, on his way home used to tug Maxwell to the low wall (some two feet high) of a primary school opposite to his flat; Mij would jump on to it, gallop the full length of its thirty yards, and bring the hopeless distraction of both pupils and of staff within the primary school.

Question 14.
What group of animals do otters belong to ?
ऊदबिलाव जानवरों के किस समूह के होते हैं?
Answer:
Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others.

Question 15.
What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was ?
मिज़ कौन था इसके बारे में लंदनवासियों ने क्या तुक्के लगाए थे?
Answer:
The Londoners made a barrage of conjectural questions about what Mij was. They guessed him a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard-that had changed its spots-and a brontosaur.

Textbook Questions

Thinking about the Text :

Question 1.
What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love ?
किन चीज़ों से पता चलता है कि मिज़ एक समझदार, दोस्ताना, और मस्ती-पसंदीदा जानवर है जिसे प्यार चाहिए ?
Answer:
On the very first day of his arrival, Mij was aloof and indifferent but from the second day onward he started sleeping on the author’s bed. When the author let him come out from the box in the aircraft he vanished for some time and then returned back on to his knees and began nuzzling the author’s face and neck. All these things show he was friendly.

Mij loved to play in water. Only once did the author lead him to the bathroom. Next time he went to the bathroom on his own. Not only that he fumbled with the taps and was able to open them to full flow of water. All this shows that he was intelligent.

Mij loved to play. He had invented many games of his own. One was rolling marbles on his flat belly, another was keeping a ball on the high end of the suitcase and wait at the other end for its arrival, hide from it, crouching and springing up at it.

He on his way home would jump and gallop the full length of thirty yards of a primary school wall which was just opposite to the author’s flat. He liked playing for hours with a selection of toys, ping-pong ball, marbles, rubber fruit, a terrapin shell etc. These things show he was a playful and fun loving anima

Question 2.
What are some of the things you come to know about otters from this text?
ऊदबिलावों के बारे में आपको इस पाठ से कौन-कौन सी जानकारी प्राप्त हुई ?
Answer:
Otters belong to a small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others. They are waterloving animals and are generally found in marshy areas. They are intelligent, fun-loving and playful, and are harmless beautiful creatures. They are of many races. The one author had brought belonged to a race previously-unknown to science and was at length christened by zoologists Lutrogale pespicillata maxwelli.

Question 3.
Why is Mij’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?
मिज़ की प्रजाति अब संसार में ‘मैक्सवेल ओटर के नाम से क्यों जानी जाने लगी है?
Answer:
Mij belonged to a race previously unknown to science, and so was christened by zoologists as ‘Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli or Maxwell’s otter since Maxwell has brought it to them.

Question 4.
Maxwell in the story speaks for the otter, Mij. He tells us what the otter feels and thinks on different occasions. Given below are some things the otter does. Complete the columns below to say what Maxwell says about what Mij feels and thinks.

Additional questions extract based questions

Answer the questions that follow the extracts in 30-40 words:

1. Early in the New Year of 1956 I travelled to Southern IraQuestion By then it had crossed my mind that I should like to keep an otter instead of a dog, and that Camusfearna, ringed by water a stone’s throw from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment. When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he as casually replied that I had better get one in the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by the Arabs.

Question i.
Why did the narrator want to keep an otter?
Answer:
After his pet dog dies, the narrator became too sad to think of another dog again. Then the thought of keeping an otter instead of a dog came to his mind. Camusfearna, where he lived, was surrounded by water just at a short distance from its door and otters being comfortable with water, the narrator thought it the most suitable spot for his experiment.

Question ii.
Which place is ideal for procuring an otter and why?
Answer:
Otters could be procured from the Tigris marshes where they were very common and were often tamed by the Arabs.

2. I cabled to England, and when, three days later, nothing had happened, I tried to telephone. The call had to be booked twentyfour hours in advance. On the first day the line was out of order; on the second the exchange was closed for a religious holiday.
On the third day there was another breakdown. My friend left, and I arranged to meet him in a week’s time. Five days later, my mail arrived. I carried it to my bedroom to read, and there, squatting on the floor, were two Arabs; beside them lay a sack that squirmed from time to time. They handed me a note from my friend; “Here is your otter…”.

Question i.
How was the narrator held up in Basra?
Answer:
The narrator had travelled to Southern IraQuestion When he went to the Consulate General to collect and answer his mail from Europe, he realized it had not arrived. So he cabled to England and then tried to call up. When all his efforts failed, his friend left him while he stayed back.

Question ii.
How did the narrator finally got his otter?
Answer:
When he was in Basra, he casually mentioned his idea to keep an otter to his friend. Then the friend left, while the narrator had to wait for his mail from Europe. After nearly a week, two Arabs brought a sack with an otter with a note from his friend who had procured it for him.

3. The creature that emerged from this sack on the spacious tiled floor of the Consulate bedroom resembled most of all a very small, medievally conceived, dragon. From the head to the tip of the tail he was coated with symmetrical pointed scales of mud armour, between whose tips was visible a soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown.

Question i.
How does the creature look like and what was it?
Answer:
The creature was an otter. It resembled a very small, medievally conceived dragon. From head to the tip of the tail it was coated with symmetrical pointed scaled of mud armour, between whose tips was a soft velvet fur.

Question ii.
How did the narrator got the creature?
Answer:
The narrator had gone to Southern IraQuestion He had casually mentioned his idea to keep an otter to his friend there. Then the narrator had to stay back there, while his friend left. A week later, two Arabs brought an otter in a sack, with a note from his friend.

4. Mijbil, as I called the otter, was, in fact, of a race previously unknown to science, and was at length christened by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell’s otter. For the first twentyfour hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly; he was simply aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from my bed as possible.

The second night Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of my knees until the servant brought tea in the morning and during the day he began to lose his apathy and take a keen, much too keen, interest in his sturroundings.

Question i.
What is the name of the creature and how did it get his name?
Answer:
The creature got its name christened by zoologists as Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell’s otter. It is widely identified by this name. The narrator called it Mijbil.

Question ii.
What were the observations of the narrator about Mijbil?
Answer:
The narrator found Mijbil to be neither hostile nor friendly in the first day. The creature kept aloof and remained indifferent, sleeping on the floor far away from the narrator. The next night, Mijbil went to the narrator’s bed in the middle of the night and slept off in the crook of his knees.

5. Two days later, Mijbil escaped from my bedroom as I entered it, and I turned to see his tail disappearing round the bend of the corridor that led to the bathroom. By the time I got there he was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium taps with his paws. I watched, amazed; in less than a minute he had turned the tap far enough to produce a trickle of water, and after a moment or two achieved the full flow.

Question i.
Where did Mijbil disappear and why?
Answer:
Mijbil disappeared to the bathroom. He had got the taste of playing in the tap water. So he went there without the knowledge of the narrator, turned on the tap and started playing there.

Question ii.
Which incident made the narrator understand the favourite pastime of Mijbil?
Answer:
Mijbil liked playing in water. This the narrator understood when Mijbil escaped from the bedroom to the bathroom. There, as the narrator watched secretly, Mijbil got into the bathtub and turned on the tap with his paws.

6. Very soon Mij would follow me without a lead and come to me when I called his name. He spent most of his time in play. He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball round the room like a fourfooted soccer player using all four feet to dribble the ball, and he could also throw it, with a powerful flick of the neck, to a surprising height and distance.

But the real play of anotter is when he lies on his back and juggles with small objects between his paws. Marbles were Mij’s favourite toys for this pastime: he would lie on his back rolling two or more of them up and down his wide, flat belly without ever dropping one to the floor.

Question i.
What were the pastimes of Mijbil?
Answer:
Mijbil spent most of his time in playing around. He liked to shuffle a rubber ball around the room like a soccer playing using all his four feet to dribble the ball and throwing it with a powerful flick of his neck. Rolling the marbles up and down his wide flat belly was also his favourite pastime.

Question ii.
Describe the ‘real play of an otter’.
Answer:
The real play of an otter was when Mijbil lay on his back and juggled with small objects between his paws. Among the objects were the marbles which he rolled up and down with his wide, flat belly.

7. When I returned, there was an appalling spectacle. There was complete silence from the box, but from its airholes and chinks around the lid, blood had trickled and dried. I whipped off the lock and tore open the lid, and Mij exhausted and bloodspattered, whimpered and caught at my leg.

He had torn the lining of the box to shreds, when I removed the last of it so that there were no cutting edges left, it was just ten minutes until the time of the flight, and the airport was five miles distant. I put the miserable Mij back into box, holding down the lid with my hand.

Question i.
What arrangements did the narrator make to carry Mijbil on a flight?
Answer:
The narrator was insisted by the airline to pack his otter into a box to be carried on the floor at his foot.

Question ii.
What last minute problems did the narrator encounter as he was preparing to leave for London?
Answer:
The narrator had packed up Mijbil in a box and left for a hurried meal. But on his return, he found blood trickling from the box. He tore open the lid of the box and found Mij bloodspattered, whimpering. The creature had torn the lining of the box to shreds. With no time to make any alternative arrangement, the narrator put Mij back in the box and held down the lid with his hand.

8. I made a body-belt for him and took him on a lead to the bathroom, where for half an hour he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo.

Question i.
Who is being described here? Why was it taken to the bathroom?
Answer:
The narrator’s otter Mijbil is being described here. The narrator took it to the bathroom as he understood from the previous day experience that Mijbil liked to play with water in the bathtub.

Question ii.
How did Mijbil enjoy playing in water?
Answer:
The narrator made a body-belt for Mijbil and took him to a bathroom. There, the creature went wild with joy seeing the water. He plunged and rolling shooting up and down the entire bathtub under the water.

9. I took her into my confidence about the events of the last half hour. I have retained the most profound admiration for that air hostess; she was the very queen of her kind.

Question i.
Who is the narrator referring to here? What events were briefed to her?
Answer:
The narrator is referring to the airhostess in the aircraft that was carrying him and Mijbil to Paris. He briefed her about how he tried to pack Mijbil into a box, how it had torn the box and tried to come out. These he told her so as to convince her why he had to keep Mijbil with him.

Question ii.
What did the airhostess suggest after hearing about Mijbil from the narrator?
Answer:
After the narrator briefed her about the events of the previous half hour, the airhostess suggested that he might prefer to have his pet on his knee.

Short answer type questions

Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words.

Question 1.
What is the most common characteristic of an otter?
Answer:
Otters are friendly creatures. They like to be in marshes and wet places. They are fond of water. They enjoy rolling, shooting up and down under water. They think water must be kept on the move, when static it is wasted and provoking.

Question 2.
The author called the airhostess “The very queen of her kind.” Why ?
Or
“I have retained the most profound admiration for that air-hostess.” What had the air-hostess done to deserve it?
Answer:
The airhostess listened to Maxwell’s events of the last half an hour very patiently and sympathetically. She admired the author for that. She was kind and considerate. She suggested the author to keep the pet on his knees. That was why the author called her so.

Question 3.
Relate any incident from the story that proves that Mijbil was an intelligent otter.
Answer:
Two days later when Mijbil enjoyed himself in the bathroom, he escaped his master’s bedroom, found the way to the bathroom on his own. He fumbled at the taps with his paws and was able to open them with a little effort. This proves his intelligence.

Question 4.
How did the otter look when he was brought to the author ?
Or
What was the condition of the otter when the author received him ?
Answer:
From head to the tip of the tail, he was covered with symmetrical pointed scales of mud armour, between their tips was visible a soft, velvet, chocolate coloured fur. It resembled a small dragon.

Question 5.
When did he get the otter ? Who brought it to him ?
Or
When did it come to the author’s mind to have an otter?
Answer:
When the author travelled to Southern Iraq, the idea of keeping an otter instead of a dog came to his mind. He thought Camusfearna rugged with water would be suitable to keep an otter. He casually mentioned it to a friend who suggested him to get it in Tigris Marshes. When the author was at Basra for his mail, his friend sent two Arabs with a note who handed him over an otter in a sack.

Question 6.
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom ?
Or
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What happened after two days?
Answer:
When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom for half an hour, he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bath tub under water. After two days it went itself, struggled with the chromium taps till they had full flow. He felt much happy with the water.

Question 7.
Why was the otter named Maxwell’s otter?
Answer:
It was an otter of a rare species. Since it was seen for the first time with Maxwell, the scientists named the otter after him.

Question 8.
After putting Mijbil in the box, where did Maxwell go ? What did he find when he returned ?
Answer:
Maxwell had gone to have a hurried meal. When he returned, there was an appalling spectacle. There was complete silence in the box. From the air holes, chinks and the area around the lid, blood had trickled and dried.

Question 9.
Where did Maxwell’s friend suggest him to get an otter? What reason did he give for it?
Answer:
Maxwell’s friend suggested him to get an otter from Tigris marshes for they were as common as mosquitoes over there. Moreover, they were often trained by the Arabs.

Question 10.
Why did Maxwell go to Basra ?
Answer:
He had to go to Basra to the Consulate General to collect and answer his mail. His mail had not arrived yet so he had to wait. He got it after five days.

Question 11.
How does Mijbil invent his own games?
Answer:
Mijbil was an intelligent otter. He invented his own game with a ping-pong ball. The lid of author’s damaged box remained at a slop when closed. Mijbil would place the ball at the high end, it would run down the length of the suitcase. Mijbil would dash around to the other end to embush its arrival.

Question 12.
Prove that Mijbil loved the water, giving two instances in support of your answer.
Answer:
Mij loved to play in water. Only once did the author lead him to the bathroom. Next time he went to the bathroom on his own. He went wild in water, plunged and rolled in it. He shot up and down the bathtub and made enough slosh and splash in it.

Question 13.
Why was the author not allowed to take a flight of British Airways ?
Answer:
The British Airways did not allow pets on its flight, while the author had to carry his pet otter along with him.

Question 14.
How was ‘Mijbil’ a source of amazement on London streets ?
Answer:
The otter was a constant source of amazement to the Londoners as very few people had ever seen an otter. They were filled with surprise on seeing such a strange animal. They guessed it with different names of animals.

Question 15.
Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box ? How do you think he felt when he did this?
Answer:
Maxwell had to put the otter back into the box because there was no other alternative. As per Airline instructions, he could carry the otter only in a box of specific measurement. Only ten minutes were left for his flight to take off. There was no time to get a new box made. Though he felt miserable, he had to put the otter back in the box.

Question 16.
What were the wild guesses made about Mijbil by the Londoners ?
Answer:
Londoners who did not seem to be familiar with an otter made wild guesses about Mijbil. Some thought it to be walrus or a baby seal or a squirrel, a beaver or a bear cub even a leopard cub with changed spots.

Question 17.
How did Mijbil play with the rubberball ?
Answer:
Mijbil spent hours shuffling the ball round the room like a soccer-player dribbles the ball. He could throw it with the powerful flick of his neck to an amazing height and distance.

Question 18.
What happened when Mij disappeared at speed down the aircraft?
Answer:
When Maxwell opened the box, Mijbil flashed out and disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. He caused a great hue and cry in the aircraft. There were sounds of shrieks across the flight.

Question 19.
Describe the havoc created by Mijbil on the airplane when it came out of the box.
Answer:
When Maxwell opened the box, Mijbil flashed out and disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. He caused a great hue and cry in the aircraft There were sounds of shrieks across the flight.

Long answer type questions

Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words :

Question 1.
‘For the first twenty-four hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly; he was simply aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from my bed as possible.’
Why do you think the otter was not friendly at first with the narrator? How did it behave at first? Why ?
Answer:
Gavin Maxwell, the narrator, managed to procure an Otter through his friend. The animal looked like a small dragon. On the first day, it was neither hostile, nor friendly. He was aloof and indifferent as the narrator, the place and the surroundings were new to him. It slept on the floor far away from the author’s bed. However, the otter became familiar with his surroundings the second day onwards. For, on the second night, it went up to the narrator’s bed and remained asleep in between his knees.

The narrator made a body belt for him and took him to the bathroom where the animal went wild with joy playing in the water. Then onwards, the otter became very friendly with the narrator. Thus the animal behaved very much similar to human beings. Just as people take time to understand others, so does the otter. Unless one is comfortable and confident with others, one will not get close to them.

Question 2.
Mijbil did things which demonstrated its personality. Which qualities of the narrator are shown in his care for Mijbil ?
Answer:
Mijbil was an intelligent, fun-loving and playful otter. It was fond of water. When Maxwell took it to the bathroom, for half an hour, it went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it. Maxwell treated Mijbil like his own son.

He took care of him very well. He gave him lots of toys including marbles, rubber balls, rubber fruits and a terrapin shell to play with He also noticed Mijbil’s habits and traits. Maxwell encouraged Mijbil to do whatever he liked to do. He took him out for exercise everyday. When Maxwell saw him in blood, he was horrified. He took him out of the box. Mijbil jumped all over and then sat on Maxwell’s lap quietly.

Question 3.
Why did Maxwell want to have an otter for a pet ? How did he get one ?
Answer:
Gavin Maxwell, the author, wanted to own a pet. His pet dog had died recently and he was feeling too sad to think of keeping a dog as a pet again. So when he travelled to Southern Iraq, he decided to keep an otter instead of a dog. His friend suggested to Maxwell that he could get an otter in the Tigris marshes for they were very common there, like mosquitoes. Moreover, the friend also informed, that otters were often trained by the Arabs.

Finally, Maxwell and his friend went to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect their mail. Later on, i.e., a few days later the author received his mail, and took it to his bedroom to read. There, he found two Arabs squatting on the floor with the sack that contained the otter with a letter from his friend that said, “Here is your otter….”

Question 4.
What did Maxwell do to transport Mijbil to England ?
Answer:
After the British Airways refused to take a pet on its flight, the narrator booked a flight to Paris by another airline. This airline insisted that the pet should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, to be carried on the floor near his feet.

Maxwell had a box made, and an hour before they started, put Mij into the box, so that he would become accustomed to it and then left for a hurried meal. But when he returned he was terrified. There was an appalling silence. Maxwell found blood had trickled and dried around the airholes of the box.

He tore open the box to find Mij exhausted, and blood splattered, and whimpering and he caught hold of Maxwell’s leg. However, since he had very little time left to board the flight, Maxwell just put Mij back into the box, holding down the lid with his hand. On the flight, the stewardess, on hearing the author’s tale, permitted him to travel with Mij on his knee. After the initial chaos, Mijbil travelled to London on the author’s knee.

Question 5.
Describe the relationship between the otter and Maxwell in your own words.
Answer:
Maxwell and the otter Mijbil shared a lovely relationship. Maxwell treated Mij like his own son. He took very good care of him. He gave him many toys including marbles, rubber balls, rubber fruits and a terrapin shell to play with. He took him to the bathtub to play in the water knowing the fascination of otters with water. He noticed his habits and traits. Mijbil hesitated on the first day but then became very friendly.

Maxwell encouraged Mijbil to do whatever he liked to do. He took him out for exercise everyday. When Maxwell saw blood on the box in which Mij was packed, he was horrified. When Mij came out of the box he jumped all over but then came and sat on Maxwell’s knees quietly.

Question 6.
‘By then it had crossed my mind that I should like to keep an otter instead of a dog, and that Camusfearna, ringed by water a stone’s throw from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment.’
How did it come to the mind of the writer that an otter can be substituted for dogs or cats ?
Answer:
The author’s pet dog had died, he was too sad to think of keeping a dog again. Maxwell’s friend suggested him to get an otter from Tigris marshes for they were as common over there as mosquitoes.

Moreover, they were often trained by the Arabs. He had to go to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer his mail. His mail had not arrived yet, so he had to wait. There he received an otter sent by his friend through two Arabs. The author felt a strong attachment and feelings for it. He liked it and kept it.

Introduction :

Gavin Maxwell (the writer) lived in Camusfearna in the West Highlands in Scotland. He had a pet dogJonnie who died. He could not have the heart to have another dog as pet, but felt lonely without a pet. So he thought of keeping a pet-an otter this time in place of a dog. He procured an otter, named it ‘Mijbil’ and enjoyed his company. The story tells us about Mijbil the otter, his fun and frolics and traits of character.

गेविन मैक्सवेल (लेखक) केमुसफिअरना स्थान पर जो स्कॉटलैंड के वेस्ट हाइलैंड्स में है, रहता था। उसके पास एक पालतू कुत्ता था-जॉनी जिसकी मृत्यु हो गई। उसका दिल न हुआ कि कोई दूसरा कुत्ता पालतू बनाये परन्तु बिना किसी पालतू (जानवर) के अकेलापन महसूस हुआ। तब उसने सोचा कि एक पालतू जानवर रखते हैं-एक ऊदबिलाव कुत्ते के बदले। वह एक ऊदबिलाव प्राप्त करता है, उसका नाम रखता है-‘मिजबिल’ और उसके साथ का आनन्द प्राप्त करता है। यह कहानी मिजबिल ऊदबिलाव के बारे में है-उसके खेल, मौज मस्ती तथा चरित्र की विशेषताएँ बताती है।

Complete text with hindi translation :

Text (Page 104): Early in the New Year of 1956 I travelled to Southern IraQuestion By then it had crossed my mind that I should like to keep an otter instead of a dog, and that Comusfearna, ringed by water a stone’s throw from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for this experiment.

When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he as casually replied that I had better get one in the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by the Arabs. We were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer our mail from Europe. At the consulate-General we found that my friend’s mail had arrived but that mine had not.

Vocabulary :

• Otter (ओटर) – fish eating animal with webbed feet and dense fur, ऊदबिलाव
• Crossed my mind (क्रास्ड माइ माइंड) – a thought came into my mind मेरे मन में एक विचार आया
• Astone’s throw (अ स्टोन्स थ्री) – a very short distance थोड़ी सी दूरी
• eminently (ऐमिनेंटली) – to a high degree श्रेष्ठ
• Tamed (टेम्ड) – domesticated पालतू बनाना
• consulate (कान्स्युलेट) – financial embassy वाणिज्य दूतावास।

अनुवाद : 1956 के नए साल की शुरुआत में मैंने दक्षिणी इराक की यात्रा की। उस समय तक मेरे मन में यह विचार आ चुका था कि मैं एक कुत्ते की बजाय एक ऊदबिलाव रखना चाहूँगा और केमुसफियरना जिसके थोड़ी-सी दूरी पर ही चारों ओर पानी है इस प्रयोग के लिए सबसे श्रेष्ठ और सही स्थान होगा।

जब मैंने इसके बारे में साधारण तौर पर अपने दोस्त से जिक्र किया तो उसने उतनी ही साधारण तरह से उत्तर दिया कि मुझे बढ़िया वाला टिगरिस के दलदलों से मिल जाएगा क्योंकि वहाँ पर ये मच्छरों की तरह आम हैं और अधिकतर अरबियों द्वारा प्रशिक्षित भी होते हैं। हम बसरा के वाणिज्य दूतावास के जनरल के पास अपनी यूरोप से आई चिट्ठियों के जवाब देने और उन्हें लेने जा रहे थे। वाणिज्य दूतावास में हमने पाया कि मेरे दोस्त की डाक आ गई थी परन्तु मेरी नहीं आयी थी।

Text (Page 104) : I cabled to England, and when, three days later, nothing had happened, I tried to telephone. The call had to be booked twentyfour hours in advance. On the first day the line was out of order; on the second the exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day there was another breakdown. My friend left, and I arranged to meet him in a week’s time. Five days later, my mail arrived.

I carried it to my bedroom to read, and there, squatting on the floor, were two Arabs; beside them lay a sack that squirmed from time to time. They handed me a note from my friend: “Here is your otter…”

Vocabulary :

• Cabled (केबल्ड) – sent a message by telegraph टेलीग्राफ द्वारा संदेश भेजना
• breakdown (ब्रेकडाउन) – disorder गड़बड़ी, खराबी
• squatting (स्क्वै टिंग) – sitting with legs crossed, पलथी मारकर बैठना
• sack (सैक) – Bag बोरी
• squirmed (स्क्व र्मड) – (here) turning and twisting हिलना, ऐंठना।

अनुवाद : मैंने इग्लैन्ड में तार भेजा, और जब तीन दिन बाद तक कुछ नहीं हुआ, तो मैंने टेलीफोन करने की कोशिश की। कॉल चौबीस घण्टे पहले दर्ज करवानी पड़ती थी। पहले दिन तो लाइनें खराब थीं, दूसरे दिन एक्सचेन्ज धार्मिक अवकाश के कारण बंद था। तीसरे दिन वहाँ एक और गड़बड़ी हो गई थी। मेरा दोस्त जा चुका था, और मैंने उससे एक हफ्ते के समय में मिलना तय किया। पाँच दिनों बाद मेरी चिठ्ठी पहुंची। मैं उसे अपने शयनकक्ष में पढ़ने के लिए ले गया, और वहाँ, फर्श पर पलथी मारकर बैठे हुए दो अरबी बैठे थे; उनके सामने एक बोरी थी जो समय-समय पर हिल डुल रही थी। उन्होंने मेरे दोस्त का पत्र मुझे थमाया-‘यह रहा तुम्हारा ऊदबिलाव’।

Text (Pages 104-105) : With the opening of that sack began a phase of my life that has not yet ended, and may, for all I know, not end before I do. It is, in effect, a thraldom to otters, an otter fixation, that I have since found to be shared by most other people, who have ever owned one. The creature that emerged from this sack on to the spacious tiled floor of the Consulate bedroom

resembled most of all a very small, medievallyconceived, dragon. From the head to the tip of the tail he was coated with symmetrical pointed scales of en whose tips was visible a soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown mole. He shook himself, and I half expected a cloud of dust, but in fact it was not for another month that I managed to remove the last of the mud and see the otter, as it were, in his true colours.

Vocabulary :

• Thraldom (धालडम) – being under the control of के प्रभाव में
• fixation (फिक्सेशन) – a very strong attachment or feeling लगाव, प्रिय
• creature (क्रीचर) – an animal जीव
• medievallyconceived (मिडिएवली-कनसीव्ड) – dragons were an imagination of the middle ages मध्यकाल में ड्रैगन की कल्पना की जाती थी
• symmetrical (सिमिट्रिकल) – equal from all sides समान
• armour (आर्मर) – a shield or a defensive covering कवच

अनुवाद : उस बोरे के खुलने के साथ ही मेरे जीवन का एक ऐसा काल प्रारम्भ हुआ जो अभी तक समाप्त नहीं हुआ, और शायद, जितना मैं समझता हूँ, मेरी चाहत के बिना समाप्त भी नहीं होगा। यह, जरूर, एक प्रकार का ऊदबिलाव का प्रभाव है, एक ऊदबिलाव से लगाव है जो मैंने तभी से ही बहुत से अन्य लोगों के साथ बाँटी है जो कभी एक के मालिक रहे थे।

वह जीव, जो उस बोरे में से उस दूतावास के शयनकक्ष के विशाल टाइल-फर्श पर निकला ज़्यादातौर पर एक मध्यकाल के काल्पनिक छोटे से ड्रैगन की भाँति प्रतीत हुआ। सिर से लेकर पूँछ की नोक तक वह मिट्टी के कवच के समानान्तर नुकीले स्केल से लिपटा हुआ था, जिसके बीच में नरम मखमली फर नज़र आ रहा था जो कि चाकलेट- भूरे रंग का मसा था। उसने अपने आप को हिलाया। मैं एक धूल के बादल की अधूरी उम्मीद कर रहा था परन्तु वास्तव में अगले एक और महीने तक भी उसके आखिरी मिट्टी के कण को साफ करने में और ऊदबिलाव को उसके असली रंगों के साथ देखने में सफल नहीं हो पाया।

Text (Page 105) : Mijbil, as I called the otter, was, in fact, of a race previously-unknown to science, and was at length christened by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxweli, or Maxwell’s otter. For the first twenty-four hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly; he was simply aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from my bed as possible.

The second night Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of my knees until the servant brought tea in the morning, and during the day he began to lose his apathy and take a keen, much too keen, interest in his surroundings.

I made a body-belt for him and took him on a lead to the bathroom, where for half an hour he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo.

This, I was to learn, is a characteristic of otters; every drop of water must be, so to speak, extended and spread about the place; a bowl must at once be overturned, or, if it will not be overturned, be sat in and sploshed in until it overflows. Water must be kept on the move and made to do things; when static it is wasted and provoking.

Vocabulary :

• Christened (क्रिस्टेन्ड) – named नामकरण करना
• hostile (होस्टाइल) – unfriendly विरोधी
• race – species, kind प्रजाति
• aloof and indifferent (अलूफ एण्ड इनडिफरेन्ट) – keeping a distance दूरी कायम रखना
• crook (क्रुक) – bends मोड़, बल
• apathy (अपैथी) – absence of interest अरुचिपूर्ण
• plunging (प्लनजंग) – to dip गोता खाना
• slosh (स्लोश) – (here) to cover with mud कीचड़ से भरना
• so to speak (सो टू स्पीक) – as it were जैसा की
• provoking (प्रोवोकिंग) – causing anger or some other reaction गुस्सा आना

अनुवाद : मिजबिल, उस ऊदबिलाव को मैं जिस नाम से बुलाता था, वास्तव में एक ऐसी प्रजाति का था जो कि विज्ञान के लिए पहले से अनजानी थी और उसे लम्बे समय बाद जीव वैज्ञानिकों ने नाम दिया ‘लुटरोगेल पर्सपिटिलेटा मैक्सवेली’ या मैक्सवैल औटर। पहले शुरुआती चौबीस घंटों में मिजबिल न तो विरोधी था और न ही दोस्ताना केवल दूरी बनाए हुए था, उसने मेरे पलंग से जितना दूर हो सके उतना दूर फर्श पर सोना पसंद किया।

दूसरी रात मिजबिल रात्रि के दूसरे पहर में (मेरे पलंग पर) आ गया और मेरे घुटने के मोड़ में तब तक सोता रहा जब तक सुबह नौकर चाय नहीं ले आया और दिन के समय उसमें अरुचि गायब हो जाती और वह रुचि और अधिक रुचि लेकर अपने आसपास के वातावरण को देखता। मैंने उसके लिए एक पट्टा बनवा दिया और स्नान घर में एक तांबे के बर्तन तक ले गया, जहाँ वह आध ‘घण्टे तक पानी में खुशी से पागलों की तरह गोते खाता रहा और लुढ़कता रहा, स्नान वाले बर्तन में पानी की गहराई के माप तक ऊपर और नीचे उछलता रहा और दरियाई घोड़े की भाँति कीचड़ बनाता रहा और छपछपाता रहा।

यह, जो मुझे सीखना था, ऊदबिलावों की एक खासियत होती है। पानी की प्रत्येक बूंद, जिसे कहा जाए फैलाकर चारों तरफ बिखेरनी होती है। एक बर्तन उसी समय पूरी तरह से उलटना चाहिए या यदि वह नहीं उलटा जा सके तो उसमें बैठकर और उसे तब तक छपछपाते रहों जब तक वह कीचड़ न बन जाए। पानी लगातार बहता रहना चाहिए और कुछ कार्यशील होना चाहिए; जब रुका तब . व्यर्थ हो जाता और गुस्सा भी दिलाता।

Text (Page 106): Two days later, Mijbil escaped from my bedroom as I entered it, and I turned to see his tail disappearing round the bend of the corridor that led to the bathroom. By the time I got there he was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium taps with his paws.

I watched, amazed; in less than a minute he had turned the tap far enough to produce a trickle of water, and after a moment or two achieved the full flow. (He had been lucky to turn the tap the right way, on later occasions he would sometimes screw it up still tighter, chittering with irritation and disappointment at the tap’s failure to cooperate.)

Very soon Mij would follow me without a lead and come to me when I called his name. He spent most of his time in play. He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball round the room like a four-footed soccer player using all four feet to dribble the ball, and he could also throw it, with a powerful flick of the neck, to a surprising height and distance.

But the real play of an otter is when he lies on his back and juggles with small objects between his paws. Marbles were Mij’s favourite toys for this pastime: he would lie on his back rolling two or more of them up and down his wide, flat belly without ever dropping one to the floor.

Vocabulary :

• Fumbling (फम्बलिंग) – trying to do something in a clumsy manner फूहड़पन से किसी कार्य को करना
• trickle (ट्रिकल) – to come out drop by drop टपकना पानी का
• amazed (अमेज्ड) – surprised हैरान हुआ
• chittering (चिटरिंग) – chirping चौं-चीं करना
• irritation (इरिटेशन) – teasing to cause anger चिढ़ाना
• flick of the neck (पलिक ऑफ द नेक) – aquick, light movement हल्की सी गरदन की क्रिया

अनुवाद : दो दिन पश्चात्, मिजबिल मेरे शयनकक्ष में, मेरे अंदर प्रवेश करते ही, भाग गया और मैंने जब मुड़कर देखा तो मुझे उसकी पूँछ की हल्की सी झलक नज़र आई जब वह स्नानघर की ओर मुड़ने वाले गलियारे से गुज़रा। जब तक मैं वहाँ पहुँचा वह स्नान बर्तन के कोने पर था और क्रोमियम के नलों पर अपने पंजों से, फूहड़पने से कुछ करने की कोशिश कर रहा था।

मैं हैरानी से देखता रहा; एक मिनट से भी कम समय में वह नल को इतना खोलने में कामयाब हो गया कि उसमें से पानी टपकने लगा और एक या दो क्षणों में पूरे प्रवाह प्राप्त करने में सफल हो गया। (वह किस्मत वाला था कि उसने नल सही दिशा में खोला; अगले कई अवसरों पर वह उसे और अधिक कस देता था, नल के न खुलने के कारण गुस्से और निराशा से ची-चौं करता।)

जल्द ही मिज बिना पट्टे के मेरे पीछे आने लगा और जब मैं उसका नाम पुकारता तो मेरे पास आता। वह अपना ज़्यादातर समय खेलने में बिताता था। वह कई घंटे एक रबड़ की बॉल को कमरे में उसी प्रकार घुमाता जिस प्रकार एक चार-पैरों वाला फुटबॉल का खिलाड़ी अपने चारों पैरों से बॉल को फिराता है, और वह उसे अपनी गर्दन की जानदार हल्की सी हरकत के साथ आश्चर्यजनक ऊँचाई और दूरी तक फेंक भी सकता था।

परंतु एक ऊदबिलाव का वास्तविक खेल होता है जब वह अपनी पीठ के बल लेट कर छोटी-छोटी चीजों के साथ अपने पंजो द्वारा बाजीगरी करता है। मिज का समय बिताने के पसंदीदा खिलौने थे कंचे : वह अपनी पीठ पर लेटकर दो या दो से अधिक को अपने चौड़े, सपाट पेट पर बिना किसी को फर्श पर गिराए, ऊपर नीचे घुमाता।

Text (Page 107): The days passed peacefully at Basra, but I dreaded the prospect of transporting Mij to England, and to Camusfearna. The British airline to London would not fly animals, so I booked a flight to Paris on another airline, and from there to London.

The airline insisted that Mij should be packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, to be carried on the floor at my feet. I had a box made, and an hour before we started, I put Mij into the box so that he would become accustomed to it, and left for a hurried meal.

Vocabulary :

• Dreaded the prospect (ड्रेडेड द प्रोस्पेक्ट) – was in great fear of something that would happen in the future भविष्य में कुछ गलत होने की आशंका
• insisted (इनसिस्टेड) – to urge as a command आग्रह/हठ किया
• accustomed (अकसटम्ड) – habituated अभ्यस्त।

अनुवाद : बसरा में दिन शान्तिपूर्वक गुजर गए परन्तु मिज को भविष्य में इंग्लैंड और केमुसफियरना ले जाने के खतरे से डर रहा था। लंदन जाने वाले ब्रिटिश विमानसेवा जानवरों को नहीं ले जाती थी इसलिए मैंने दूसरी विमानसेवा से पेरिस की बुकिंग करवा ली और वहाँ से लंदन की। विमानसेवा ने आग्रह किया कि मिज को एक 18 इन्च के डब्बे में बंद किया जाए और उसे मैं फर्श पर अपने पैरों में रख। मैंने एक डिब्बा बनवाया और यात्रा से एक घंटे पहले,मिज को उसे डिब्बे में बंद कर दिया ताकि वह इसके लिए अभ्यस्त हो जाए और जल्द भोजन के लिए निकल गया।

Text (Page 107) : When I returned, there was an appalling spectacle. There was complete silence from the box, but from its airholes and chinks around the lid, blood had trickled and dried. I whipped off the lock and tore open the lid, and Mij, exhausted and blood-spattered, whimpered and caught at my leg. He had torn the lining of the box to shreds, when I removed the last of it so that there were no cutting edges left, it was just ten minutes until the time of the flight, and the airport was five miles distant. I put the miserable Mij back into the box, holding down the lid with my hand.

Vocabulary :

• An appalling spectacle (एन अपालिंग स्पेकटेकल) – a shocking scene हैरान करने वाला दृश्य
• chinks (चिंक्स) – small open spaces in a box or anything दरारें
• whipped off (विप्ड ऑफ) – quickly took off जल्दी से खोलना
• spat-tered (स्पैटर्ड) – sprinkled छिड़कना
• whimpered (विम्पर्ड) – muttered a cry रिरियाता
• miserable (मिज़रेबल) – pitiable दयनीय

अनुवाद : जब मैं वापस पहुंचा तो वहाँ एक हैरानी भरा दृश्य था। बक्से में पूरी तरह शान्ति थी, परन्तु उसके छेदों और ढक्कन के चारों ओर की दीवारों में से खून निकलकर सूख गया था। मैंने जल्दी से ताला खोला और ढक्कन को फाड़कर खोल दिया और मिज, थका हुआ और खून से लथपथ, रिरियाता हुआ मेरे पैरों से लिपट गया। उसने बक्से की लाइनिंग झीर-झीर कर दी थी। जब मैंने आखिरी चीज़ फाड़ी ताकि कोई नुकीला किनारा न बचे, तब तक उड़ान को केवल दस मिनट बचे थे, और हवाई अड्डा पाँच मील दूर था। मैंने मिज़ को दमनीय हालत में ही वापिस बक्से में डाला, ढक्कन को अपने हाथ से पकड़े रखा।

Text (Page 107): I sat in the back of the car with the box beside me as the driver tore through the streets of Basra like a ricochetting bullet. The aircraft was waiting to take off; I was rushed through to it by infuriated officials. Luckily, the seat booked for me was at the extreme front.

I covered the floor around my feet with newspapers, rang for the air hostess, and gave her a parcel of fish (for Mij) to keep in a cool place. I took her into my confidence about the events of the last half hour.

I have retained the most profound admiration for that air hostess, she was the very queen of her kind. She suggested that I might prefer to have my pet on my knee, and I could have kissed her hand in the depth of my gratitude. But, not knowing otters, I was quite unprepared for what followed.

Vocabulary :

• Ricochetting bullet (ficheifer बुलेट) – a bullet whichchanges direction after hitting a surface गोली जो किसी सतह से लगकर दिशा बदल दे
• infuriated (इनफ्यूरिएटेड) – very angry बहुत गुस्से में
• profound admiration (प्रोफाउन्ड एडमाईरेशन) – heartily appreciation दिल से इज्जत या तारीफ
• gratitude (ग्रेटीच्यूड) – thankful एहसानमन्द

अनुवाद : मैं कार की पिछली सीट पर बक्से को अपने साथ रखकर बैठ गया और चालक गाड़ी को बसरा की गलियों में से गोली की तरह चीरता हुआ ले गया। हवाई जहाज उड़ने की प्रतीक्षा में था। मुझे गुस्से से भरे अफसरों द्वारा उसकी ओर भगाया गया। किस्मतवश (सौभाग्यवश), जो सीट मैंने बुक की थी वह बिल्कुल सामने थी। मैंने अपने पैरों के पास का फर्श अखबारों से ढक दिया, विमान परिचारिका को बुलाया और उसे मछलियों का पार्सल (मिज़ के लिए) ठंडे स्थान पर रखने के लिए दे दिया।

मैंने उसे पिछले आधे घण्टे की घटनाएँ बताकर अपने विश्वास में ले लिया। मुझे उस-विमान परिचारिका के लिए आज तक दिल में सम्मान है; वह अपनी तरह की दया की देवी थी। उसने सलाह दी कि मैं अपने पालतू (औटर) को अपने घुटनों में रख लूँ और मैंने दिल से एहसानमन्दी से उसका हाथ चूमा। परन्तु, ऊदबिलाव के बारे में जानकारी न होने के कारण, मैं जो आगे हुआ उसके लिए तैयार नहीं था।

Text (Page 108) : Mij was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There were squawks and shrieks, and a woman stood

up on her seat screaming out, “A rat! A rat!” I caught sight of Mij’s tail disappearing beneath the legs of a portly while-turbaned Indian. Diving for it, I missed, but found my face covered in curry. “Perhaps,” said the air hostess with the most charming smile, “it would be better if you resumed your seat, and I will find the animal and bring it to you.”

I returned to my seat. I was craning my neck trying to follow the hunt when suddenly I heard from my feet a distressed chitter of recognition and welcome, and Mij bounded on to my knee and began to nuzzle my face and my neck.

Vocabulary :

• Disappeared (डिसअपीयर्ड) – vanished गायब हो जाना
• squawks (स्क्वैक्स) – utter harsh abrupt sereams चीखना, कर्कश चीखें
• shrieks (श्रीक्स) – utter a sharploud shrill चीखना
• screaming (स्क्रिीमिंग) – sudden sharp, loud cry चिल्लाना
• portly (पोर्टली) – stout गठे शरीर वाला
• eraning (क्रेनिंग) – raising उठाना
• recognition (रिकागनिशन) – identify पहचानना
• bounded on to(बाउन्डेड ऑन) – climbed up quickly जल्दी से चढ़ना
• nuzzle (नज़ल) – to rub gently with the nose प्यार से नाक से सहलाना, या रगड़ना

अनुवाद : मिज़ एक झटके में बक्से से बाहर आ गया। वह हवाई जहाज़ से तेजी से गायब हो गया। वहाँ पर कर्कश, ऊँची चीखें और चिल्लाहटें थी, और एक औरत अपनी सीट पर चढ़कर चिल्लाई, “एक चूहा! एक चूहा!” मुझे मिज़ की पूंछ एक लम्बे सफेद-पगड़ी वाले बलिष्ठ भारतीय की टांगों के बीच गायब होती नजर आई। मैं उसके लिए झपटा परन्तु चूक गया, परन्तु अपना चेहरा एक तरी में डूबा हुआ पाया। “शायद, विमान परिचारिका ने बहुत ही प्यारी मुस्कुराहट के साथ कहा, “यदि आप अपनी सीट पर वापिस बैठ जाए और मैं आपका जानवर ढूँढ़ कर आपके पास ले आऊं तो ज्यादा अच्छा रहेगा।”

मैं अपनी सीट पर लौट आया। मैं अपनी गरदन उचकाकर उस ‘शिकार को पकड़ने की प्रक्रिया देख रहा था तभी मैंने अचानक एक दबी हुई जानी पहचानी और स्वागत वाली चींची अपने पैरों के पास सुनी और मिज़ कूदकर मेरे घुटनों में आ गया और प्यार से मेरे चेहरे और गरदन को अपनी नाक से सहलाने लगा।

Text (Page 109) : After an eventful journey, Maxwell and his otter reach London, he has aflat..
Mijand I remained in London for nearly a month. He would play for hours with a selection of toys, pingpong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell that I had brought back from his native marshes.

With the ping-pong ball he invented a game of his own which could keep him engrossed for up to half an hour at a time. A suitcase that I had taken to Iraq had become damaged on the journey home, so that the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mij discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase.

He would dash around to the other end to ambush its arrival, hide from it, crouching, to spring up and take at by surprise, grab it and trot off with it to the high end once more.

Vocabulary :

• Terrapin shell (टेरापिन शेल) – the shell of small turtle found in North America उत्तरी अमेरिका में पाए जाने वाले छोटे कछुए का कवच
• engrossed (एन्नोस्ड) – completely interested in पूरी तरह किसी चीज़ में रुचि लेना
• ambush (एमबुश) – sudden attack, from a hidden position छुपकर किसी पर हमला करना।

अनुवाद : एक घटनापूर्ण यात्रा के पश्चात् मैक्सवेल और उसका ऊदबिलाव लंदन पहुँचे, जहाँ उसका एक मकान है। मिज़ और मैं लंदन में लगभग एक महीने तक रहे। वह कई घण्टों तक चुने हुए खिलौनों, पिंग-पौंग बॉल, कन्चों, रबर के फलों और एक कछुए के कवच से, जो में उसके अपने राष्ट्र के दलदल से लाया था से कई घंटों तक खेलता था। उस पिंग-पांग बॉल से उसने अपनी तरह का एक खेल इजाद किया जिसमें वह लगभग आधे घण्टे तक रुचिपूर्ण खेलता रहता था।

एक सूटकेस जो मैंने इराक से खरीदा था, पूरी तरह से घर तक की यात्रा में हताहत हो गया था, यहाँ तक की उसके ढक्कन को जब बंद किया जाता था, एक तरफ से उठा रह जाता था। मिज़ को यह पता चला कि यदि उसके एक ऊँचे किनारे पर बॉल रखी जाए तो वह लुढ़ककर सूटकेस के दूसरे किनारे पर पहुँच जाती थी। वह भागकर उसके पहुँचने तक हमला करने के लिए दूसरे कोने तक पहुँच जाता, उससे छुपता, झुकता, उछलता और हैरानी से उसे पकड़ता और उसे ऊँचे किनारे पर फिर से ले जाकर लुढ़काता।

Text (Page 109): Outside the house I exercised him on a lead, precisely as if he had been a dog. Mij quickly developed certain compulsive habits on these walks in the London streets, like the rituals of children who on their way to and from school must place their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block. must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the outside of every second lamp post.

Opposite to my flat was a single-storied primary school, along whose frontage ran a low wall some two feet high. On his way home, but never on his way out, Mij would tug me to this wall, jump on to it, and gallop the full length of its thirty yards, to the hopeless distraction both of pupils and of staff within.

Vocabulary:

• Precisely (प्रिसाइजली) – definitely सुनिश्चित
• compulsive habit (कम्पलसिव हैबिट) – habits impossible to control ऐसी आदतें जो सुधारी न जा सके
• paving (पेविंग) – stony floor फर्शी पत्थर
• Frontage (फ्रन्टेज) – front side of a building सामने का स्थान
• distraction (डिस्ट्रेक्शन) – something that takes away one’s attention from what one is doing ध्यान हटाना

अनुवाद : घर के बाहर में उसे डण्डे पर कसरत करवाता था, वैसे ही जैसे की वह एक कुत्ता हो। मिज़ ने जल्द ही लंदन की गलियों में इन रास्तों पर चलने की कुछ खास पक्की आदतें सीख ली उसी प्रकार जिस प्रकार स्कूल से आते और जाते समय बच्चे विधिपूर्वक अपने पैर फर्शी पत्थरों के चौरस में बीचों-बीच रखते हैं। प्रत्येक सातवीं सीधी खड़ी लोहे की सलाखें पकड़ते है, या प्रत्येक दूसरे बिजली के खम्बे के सामने से गुजरते हैं।

मेरे मकान के सामने ही एक मंजिला प्राथमिक विद्यालय था, जिसके सामने के स्थान पर एक-दो फुट ऊँची छोटी दीवार थी। अपने घर के रास्ते पर आते समय परन्तु कभी अपने घर से बाहर जाते समय नहीं मिज़ मुझे उस दीवार के साथ लगाता, उस पर कूदता और उसकी तीस गज की पूरी लम्बाई को सरपट भागकर पार करता और दोनों, बच्चों और वहाँ के कर्मचारियों का ध्यान आकर्षित करता।

Text (Page 110): It is not, I suppose, in any way strange that the average Londoner should not recognise an otter, but the variety of guesses as to what kind of animal this might be came as a surprise to me. Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others.

I faced a continuous barrage of conjectural questions that sprayed all the Mustellines but the otter; more random guesses hit on ‘a baby seal and a squirrel ‘Is that a walrus, mister?’ reduced me to giggles, and outside a dog show I heard ‘a hippo’. A beaver, a bear cub, a leopard-one, apparently, that had changed its spots-and a brontosaur’; Mij was anything but an otter.

Vocabulary:

• Badger (बैजर) – बिजू
• Mangoose (मान्गूस) – नेवला
• Weasel (विज़िल) – कथियान्याल
• Stoat (स्टोट) – स्टोट
• Mink (मिन्क) – विस्त्रक
• Barrage of conjeetural questions (बैरेज ऑफ कनजेक्चुरल क्वेशचन्स) – astream of questions filled withguesses
• seal (सील) – सील मछली
• walrus (वालरस) – वालरस मछली
• beaver (बीवर) – very close to otter but harbivorous and not carnivorous ऊदबिलाव के मिलता-जुलता परन्तु शाकाहारी, मांसाहारी नहीं
• brontosaur (ब्रान्टोसोर) – a kind of dinosaur एक प्रकार का डाइनोसोर।

अनुवाद : मेरे ख्याल से यह अजीब नहीं होगा कि एक आम लंदनवासी एक ऊदबिलाव को नहीं पहचानता, परन्तु तुक्कों की इतनी विविधता कि वह कौन सा जानवर हो सकता है, मेरे लिए एक आश्चर्य था। ऊदबिलाव तुलनात्मक तौर पर जानवरों के छोटे से झुण्ड का होता है जिसे मुसटिलीन कहते हैं, इसमें बिज्जू, नेवला, कथियान्याल, स्टोट, विस्त्रक, और अन्य जानवर हैं। मैंने लगातार तुक्कों से भरे सवालों का सामना किया जो सभी मुसटिलीनों पर लागू होती थी बजाय ऊदबिलाव के।

ज्यादातर तुक्के एक सील मछली का बच्चा’ और एक गिलहरी, ‘क्या यह एक वालरस है श्रीमान?’ जैसे आते थे जो मुझे गुदगुदाते थे और एक कुत्ते के मेले के सामने तो मैंने सुना ‘एक दरियाई घोड़ा’। एक ऊदबिलाव, एक भालू का बच्चा, एक तेंदुआ-स्पष्टरूप से, जिसके दाग बदल गए हों-और एक ब्रोन्टोसार; मिज़ कुछ भी था सिवाए एक ऊदबिलाव के।

Text (Page 110) : But the question for which I awarded the highest score came from a labourer digging a hole in the street. I was still far from him when he laid down his tool, put his hands on his hips, and began to stare. As I drew nearer I saw his expression of surprise and affront, as though he would have me know that he was not one upon whom to play jokes. I came abreast of him; he spat, glared, and then growled out, “Here, Mister-what is that supposed to be?”

Vocabulary :

• Affront (अफ्रन्ट) – insulted – अपमानित
• abreast (अबैस्ट) – near के बराबर, समीप
• spat (स्पैट) – glare घूरना
• Growled (ग्राऊल्ड) – rumbled गुर्राना

अनुवादः परन्तु वह सवाल, जिसको की मैं सबसे अधिक अंक दूंगा, एक गली में गड्डा खोदने वाले मज़दूर से आया। मैं उससे अभी दूरी पर ही था जब उसने अपने औज़ार रख दिए, अपने हाथों को अपने कूल्हों पर रख लिया और घूरने लगा। जैसे ही मैं उसके समीप आया मैंने उसके हैरानी और अपमानित करने वाले भाव देखे, जैसे मानो वो मुझे यह बताना चाह रहा हो कि वह वो इन्सान नहीं है जिसके साथ यह मजाक किया जा सके। मैं उसके बराबर में आया। उसने देखा, घूरा और फिर गुर्राया, “यहाँ, श्रीमान-यह क्या चीज़ हो सकती है?”

Class 10 English Question Answer