1. What had crossed the author’s mind and why? (Or) Why did Maxwell think of keeping an otter as a pet?
Maxwell’s favourite dog Jonnie died. It left him alone without a pet. He travelled to Southern Iraq in 1956. By then it has crossed his mind that he should like to keep an otter instead of a dog. The place he lived on was ringed by water. It was quite a suitable place for his new experiment.
2. What did his friend advise Maxwell?
Maxwell had already decided to keep an otter as a pet instead of dog. He casually mentioned it to a friend. He advised Maxwell that he should try to get an otter in the Tigris marshes. Otters were as common there as were mosquitoes. They were often tamed by the Arabs.
3. Why were they going to the consulate-General in Basra? Why did he wait for five days there?
Maxwell and his companions were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer their mail from Europe. He found that his friend’s mail had arrived but that his had not. He tried to telephone but didn’t get any success. His mail came only after five days.
4. How did Maxwell get Mijbil, the otter?
Maxwell had changed his idea of keeping a dog as his pet. He decided to have an otter. He had asked one of his friends to arrange for an otter. He went to his bedroom to read his mail. Two Arabs were squatting on the floor. Beside them lay a said. They handed him a note which said, ‘’ Here is your otter …’’. The sack was opened. In this way, Maxwell got his new petan otter.
5. Describe the physical appearance of Mijbil, the otter.
Ans. The creature that emerged from the sack was unique one. He resembled like a very small imaginary dragon of the Middle Ages. Its body was coated with pointed scales. Between them a soft velvet fur was visible. It was like a chocolate brown mole.
6. Why was Mijbil christened Maxwell’s otter?
The narrator called his pet Mijbil. The otter, in fact, belonged to a race unknown to science so far. It was christened at length by zoologists Lutrogale Perspicillata maxwelli or the Maxwell’s otter, it was christened after the name of his master.
7. What is a characteristic of otter and how did Mijbil behave in water?
The main characteristic of an otter is to extend and spread every drop of water about the place. A bowl full of water must be overturned. He would sit in and splash in until it flows.
8. How did Mijbil fumble at the tap in the bathroom. Did he succeed?
Maxwell saw Mijbil standing up on the end of his bathtub. He was fumbling at the taps with his paws. Very soon he turned the tap to produce a trickle of water. And soon after he achieved the full flow.
9. How would Mijbil play with a rubber-ball, and jiggle with small object and marbles?
Mijbil spent hours shuffling a rubber ball around the room like a four-footed soccer player. But the real game which mijbil enjoyed most was juggling with small objects with his paws lying on his back. Mijbil’s favourite toys for his play were marbles.
10. How was Mijbil transported from Basra to London?
It was a difficult job for Mijbil to be transported form Basra to London. The British airline wouldn’t fly animals. He books a fight to Paris on small box an hour before so that he would become accustomed to it.
11. Why did Maxwell call the airhostess the very queen of her kind?
The airhostess was very friendly and cooperative. Maxwell took her into his confidence and gave her a parcel of fish for mijbil. He admired her and called her ‘’ the very queen of her kind’’. The air hostess suggested that he could keep his pet on his knee.
12. Where did mijbil disappear and how was he found?
The moment the box was open, mij was out of it flash. He disappeared soon down the aircraft. There were squawks and sheiks. A rat!’’ Mijbil was found beneath the legs of a turbaned Indian. Maxwell dived for him but found his face covered in curry. In the end, Mijbil himself came and sat on Maxwell’s knee.
13. What game did Mij invent in London?
Mij played with a ping- pong ball. Due to this game, the author’ suitcase was damaged. There was a slope on one end of the suitcase. Mij placed the ball on the high end, then it run down to the other end. This continued for a long time.
14. What game did Mij invent?
Mij invented a game of his own with the ping-pong ball which could keep him engrossed for half an hour at a time. He also discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase.
15. What special characteristic of Mijibil did Maxwell learn after he took him to the bathroom?
When Maxwell took Mijbil to bathroom, he found that it enjoyed there too much because its natural instinct is to play and enjoy in water. It plunged and rolled in bathroom. It itself went to the bathroom and struggled with the taps until the water came out.
16. What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mijbil was?
The Londoners could not recognize an otter. They tried to guess what the animal was. They thought it to be a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo or a leopard.
17. What compulsive habits had Mijbil developed?
Compulsive habits indicate those habits that cannot be controlled. In Mijbil;s case, he would tug the author to the two feet high wall of a school opposite to his flat, when he walked with him (author). He would also jump on to the wall and run the full length of its thirty yards.
18. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What does it tell us about Mijbil?
When Maxwell took Mijbil to bathroom, he found that it enjoyed there too much because its natural instinct is to play and enjoy in water. It plunged and rolled in bathroom. It itself went to the bathroom and struggled with the taps until the water came out.
19. Give an example from the text to show that Mijbil is an intelligent animal.
Once Mijbil was hurt in box, and while opening it whimpered and caught the author by the leg. It played with Ping-Pong balls and enjoyed galloping on the thirty-yard wall in London. All these things show that Mijbil is an intelligent animal.
20. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did Mijbil do two days after that?
When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, it enjoyed there too much. It pinged and rolled in the bath tub. After two days, it went to the bathroom itself and struggled with the tap until there was a full of water.
21. What things dose Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent animal who needs love?
On the first day, was aloof and indifferent but on the second day, it entered the author’s bed and did not wake up till the servant brought tea. When he was hurt in the box, the author opened it. It whimpered and caught him by the leg. It also played with ping-pong balls, and placed itself on the author’s knees. It also enjoyed galloping on the thirty yard wall in London. All these things tell us that Mij is an intelligent animal who needs love.
22. What guesses did the Londoners make about that Mij was?
The average Londoners could not recognize an otter. So, they made a lot of guesses as to what kind of animal it might be. They thought it to be a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard, etc.
23. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What happened two days after?
When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom it enjoyed there a lot. It plunged and rolled in bathtub. After two days, it went to bathroom itself and struggled with the taps until there was a full flow of water.
24. What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did Mijbil do two days after?
When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, it enjoyed there very much. He went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it. After two days, it went to the bathroom itself and struggled with taps until there was a full flow of water.