Mijbil the Otter

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Summary of Mijbil the Otter Class 10 First Flight

CBSE NCERT Revision Notes

1

Summary of the Chapter

Answer

The author lived in a cottage in Camusfearna in Scotland. He had a pet dog Jonnie. When Jonnie died, he did keep a dog again for some time. But life without a pet was lonely. So he decided to have another pet. He didn’t want to have a dog. In 1956, he went to Southern Iraq. He had decided by them that he would keep an otter as a pet instead of a dog. His home in Scotland had much water around it. So it would be suitable for an otter.
The author shared this idea with a friend. He supported the idea and suggested that he should take an otter from the Tigris marshes. He said that otters were in plenty at that place. He and his friend decided to go to Basra for an otter.
His friend’s mail had arrived. But the author’s mail was late. There was a delay of a few days. In the meantime, his friend left. At last, the author’s mail came. He went to his room in order to read it. There he found two Arabs. They had brought a sack which was on the floor. In the sack, there was an otter. They said that it was for him.
The otter was a small creature like a small dragon. It was covered with mud from head to tail. Under the mud, it had a soft velvet skin. He was like that of a chocolate-brown mole. It took the author many days to completely remove the mud from his body. He named the otter `Mijbil’. His race was unknown to scientists. At first, Mijbil was neither hostile or friendly. He was simply aloof and indifferent. On the first night, it slept on the floor. The next night, he slipped on the author’s bed and slept between his knees. Mijbil started taking interest in its surroundings. The author made a body-belt for him. When Mijbil was taken to the bathroom he enjoyed his bath. He went wild with joy in the water of the tub. The author knew that the otters are fond of Water. Two days later, Mijbil escaped from the bedroom. It went to the bathroom. He sat into the bathtub and turned the tap on. He was happy under the running water.
Soon the otter became habitual of being called as ‘Mij’. He followed the author when he called his name. It spent most of its time playing with a rubber ball and marbles. He would throw the ball like a soccer player. His real play was when he lay on his back and played with small objects between his paws. Marbles were his favourite toys.
Days passed peacefully at Basra. Then it was time for the author to come hack. He dreaded the prospect of transporting Mij to England and to Camusfeama. He knew that the British Airline would not fly animals to London. So he had to book a flight to Paris in another airline and another to London. The airline advised that Mij should be packed in a box. The author put Mij into it the box an hour before he started for the airport so that Mij would become accustomed to it. Then the author went for a meal. When he returned there was silence in the box. He noticed blood from the air holes. He at once opened it. He found Mij troubled and covered with blood. Mij had torn the inner lining of the box. It was just ten minutes to the flight and the airport was five miles away. So the author put it back in the box and hurried to the airport. The car driver drove very fast.
The aircraft was waiting to take off. He rushed in. He covered the place near his seat with newspapers. He gave the parcel of fish to the air hostess for the otter. She cooperated with the author and advised him to keep the pet on his knee. But soon Mij was out of the box. He disappeared very soon. Suddenly, there was chaos in the plane. There were squawks and shrieks all around. A woman cried, “A rat, a rat!” The author saw the otter beneath the legs of an Indian. When he tried to catch the otter, his face got covered in curry. The air hostess assured him that she would find the otter. The author returned to his seat. After some time, the otter came to him and sat in his lap.
The otter and the author remained in London for nearly a month. Mijbil used to play for hours with toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, etc. He played with a suitcase and a ping-pong ball. He would place the ball on the sloping top of the suitcase. Then he would hurry and catch it before the bell fell off the suitcase. The author used to take otter out for exercise and walk. Both walked through the streets. Mij developed certain habits on those walks. He went with the author like children playing, running and touching things in the streets. When the author was near primary school. Mij would jump on the wall and gallop on it. In London, many people had not seen an otter. When they saw Mij, they guessed what kind of animal it was. The author faced a stream of questions filled with guesses. The people guessed that it could be a baby seal, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard, etc. But nobody could guess that it was an otter.

2

Quick Revision Notes

Answer

An Otter as Pet: It was in 1956 when the narrator travelled to Iraq. After the death of his pet dog, he wanted to have a new pet. But this time, he decided to keep an otter instead of a dog. A friend advised him to get an otter in the Tigris marshes. They were found in large numbers there. They were often tamed and kept by the Arabs. One day he found two Arabs squatting on the floor. Beside them lay a sack. They handed the narrator a note from his friend. It read “Here is your otter …”

Otter Like a Small Dragon: A wonderful creature emerged from the sack. It resembled a very small dragon imagined in the Middle Ages. He was coated with pointed scales. Between the scales was visible a soft velvet fur. The narrator managed to remove the mud completely only after a month. Now the otter could be seen in his true colours.

Maxwell’s Otter: The pet otter was named Mijbil. It was christened by zoologists Lutrogaleperspicillata maxwelli or Maxwell’s Otter. For the first twenty-four hours, Mijbil was quite indifferent. He chose to sleep on the floor as far as possible.

Key points of Story

  • When Maxwell’s dog died, he became alone without a pet.
  • In 1956, he travelled to Southern Iraq and there he thought of keeping an otter instead of a dog.
  • His friend advised him to get an otter in Tigris marshes. They were found in plenty there.
  • Two Arabs were squatting on the floor and a sack was lying beside them.
  • They handed him a note from his friend. It read: “Here is your otter …”
  • The narrator named the otter `Mijbil’.
  • In the beginning, Mijbil was indifferent but started taking a keen interest in his surroundings.
  • He came to his bed and remained sleep on Maxwell’s knees.
  • Like every otter, Mijbil enjoyed splashing water like a hippo.
  • Mijbil was successful in screwing up the tap to its full flow.
  • The otter spent most of his time playing.
  • It was really a difficult job to transport Mijbil from Basra to England.
  • Mij was packed up in a small box.
  • The air hostess was quite friendly and cooperative and suggested keeping the pet on his knee.
  • As the box was opened, Mij was out of the box in a flash.
  • Mijbil disappeared and later on, it was found beneath the legs of a turbaned Indian.
  • Maxwell remained in London with Mijbil for nearly a month.
  • Mij invented his own game with the ping-pong ball.
  • Like school children, he would touch every block with his feet and touch every second lamp-post.
  • The average Londoner could not recognise an otter and people started giving wild guesses about him.
  • Mijbil was called ‘a baby seal’, ‘a squirrel’. ‘a walrus’, ‘a beaver’, etc.

3

Character Sketches from Mijbil the Otter

Answer

Gavin Maxwell: Maxwell was a naturalist and author, best known for his work with otters. Maxwell’s famous book Ring of Bright Water (1960) describes how, in 1956, he brought a smooth-coated otter back from Iraq and raised it in Camusfearna at Sandaig Bay on the west coast of Scotland. He took the otter, called Mijbil, to the London Zoological Society, where it was decided that this was a previously unknown sub-species of a smooth-coated otter. Maxwell named it Mijbil. He exercised Mijbil on a lead as if he had been a dog. Maxwell’s life changed due to the presence of the otter.

Mijbil, the Otter: The otter, Mijbil, was in fact, of a species previously unknown to science. At last, it was christened Lutrogale perspicillata Maxwell by zoologists. He resembled like a very small imaginary dragon of the Middle Ages. It was like a chocolate brown mole. The main characteristic of an otter is to extend and spread every drop of water. The real game which Mijbil enjoyed most was juggling with small objects with his paws lying on his back. His favourite toys for his play were marbles.

4

Summary of Mijbil the Otter in Hindi

Answer

लेखक  स्कॉटलैण्ड में कैमस्फर्ना में एक बंगले में रहता था | उसके पास जॉनी नाम एक पालतू कुत्ता था | जब जॉनी की मृत्यु हो गई, तो उसने कुछ समय तक कोई कुत्ता नहीं रखा | मगर एक पालतू पशु के बिना जीवन अकेला था | इसलिए उसने फैसला किया कि वह एक अन्य पालतू जानवर रखेगा | वह कुत्ता रखना नहीं चाहता था | 1956 में, वह दक्षिणी ईराक में गया | तब उसने फैसला कर लिया था कि वह कुत्ते के बजाय एक ऊदबिलाव को पालतू पशु के रूप में रखेगा | स्काटलैंड  में उसके घर के आसपास काफी पानी था | इसलिए यह ऊदबिलाव के लिए उचित रहेगा | लेखक ने अपना यह विचार अपने एक मित्र को बताया | उसने इस विचार का समर्थन किया और सुझाव दिया कि वह टिगरी के दलदली इलाके से एक ऊदबिलाव ले सकता है | उसने कहा कि उस स्थान पर ऊदबिलाव पर्याप्त मात्रा में है | उसने और उसके मित्र ने ऊदबिलाव लेने के लिए बसरा जाने का इरादा किया |

उसके मित्र की डाक आ गई थी | मगर लेखक की डाक लेट थी | इसमे कुछ दिनों की देरी हो गई थी | इस बीच उसका मित्र चला गया | आखिरी लेखक की डाक भी आ गई | वह अपने कमरे में इसे पढ़ने के लिए गया | वहाँ उसे दो अरब व्यक्ति मिले | वे अपने साथ एक बोरी लाए थे जो फ़र्श पर खड़ी थी | उस बोरी में एक ऊदबिलाव था | उन्होनें ने कहा कि वह उसके लिए है |

ऊदबिलाव  एक छोटे राक्षस की तरह का छोटा-सा प्राणी था | यह सिर से लेकर पूँछ तक कीचड़ से भरा हुआ था | कीचड़ के नीचे, इसकी त्वचा नर्म और मखमली थी | यह चाँकलेट-ब्राउन मोल प्राणी की तरह दिखता था | लेखक को उसके शरीर से कीचड़ उतारने में कई दिन लग गए | उसने उसे ऊदबिलाव  का नाम ‘मिजबिल’ रख दिया | वैज्ञानिकों को इसकी प्रजाति का ज्ञान नहीं था | आरम्भ में मिजबिल न तो हिंसक था और न ही दोस्ताना | वह अकेला और उदासीन था | पहली रात को वह फ़र्श पर सोया | अगली रात को वह लेखक के बिस्तर में आ गया और उसके घुटनों के बीच में सोया | मिजबिल  ने अपने आसपास के वातावरण में रूचि लेनी आरम्भ कर दी | लेखक ने उसके शरीर के लिए पेटी बनाई |  जब वह मिजबिल को बाथरूम में ले गया तो उसके नहाने का  आनन्द उठाया | पानी के टब में वह खुशी से पागल हो गया | लेखक जानता था कि ऊदबिलावों को पानी अच्छा लगता है | दो दिन बाद, मिजबिल  बेडरूम से भाग गया | वह बेडरूम में चला गया | वह पानी के टब में बैठ गया और उसने नल को चला दिया | वह चलते हुए पानी के नीचे बहुत प्रसन्न हुआ |

शीघ्र ही ऊदबिलाव को ‘मिज’ के नाम से पुकारे जाने की आदत पड़ गई | जब लेखक उसका नाम पुकारता था तो वह उसके पीछे-पीछे जाता था | वह अपना अधिकतर समय एक रबड की गेंद और कंचो से खेलने में बिताता था | वह गेंद को फुटबॉल के खिलाड़ी की तरह फ़ेंकता था | उसका वास्तविक खेल तब होता था जब वह पीठ पर लेट जाता था और अपने पंजो के बीच छोटी वस्तुओं से खेलता था | कंचे उसके प्रिय खिलौने थे | बसरा में दिन शांति से बीत गया | फिर लेखक के वापिस जाने का समय आ गया | उसको मिज को इंग्लैण्ड और फिर वहाँ से कैमसफर्ना ले जाने के विचार से डर लगता था | वह जानता था कि ब्रिटिश एयरलाईन जानवरों को लंदन नहीं ले जाने देती | इसलिए उसने किसी अन्य एयरलाईन में पेरिस तक की फ्लाईट बुक करवाई और वहाँ से लंदन की | एयरलाईन  ने लेखक को सलाह दी कि वह मिज को एक डिब्बे में पैक कर दे | हवाई अड्डे पर जाने से एक घंटे पहले लेखक ने मिज को एक डिब्बे में डाल दिया ताकि उसे इसकी आदत पड़ जाए | तब लेखक भोजन करने चला गया | जब वह लौटकर आया तो डिब्बे में खामोशी थी | उसने देखा कि हवा के छिद्रों में खून लगा है | उसने उसे फौरन खोला | उसने देखा कि मिज खून से लथपथ है | मिज ने डिब्बे की अन्दरुनी लाइनिंग को फाड़ दिया था | उड़न में केवल दस मिनट पड़े थे और हवाई अड्डा पांच मील दूर था | इसलिए लेखक ने उसे फिर से डिब्बे में डाला और हवाई अड्डे के लिए जल्दी से रवाना हो गया | कार के ड्राईवर ने कार बहुत तेज चलाई |

जहाज उड़न भरने का इंतजार कर रहा था | वह भागकर अंदर गया | उसने अपने सीट के आसपास की जगह को अखबारों से ढक दिया | उसने ऊदबिलाव  के लिए लाई गई मछलियों का पैकेट परिचारिका को दे दिया | उसने लेखक के साथ सहयोग किया और उसे सलाह दी कि वह ऊदबिलाव  को अपने घुटनों पर रख लें | मगर शीघ्र ही मिज डिब्बे से बाहर निकल गया | वह फौरन गायब हो गया | अचानक, हवाई जहाज में अफरा-तफरी मच गई | चारो तरफ चिल्लाहटें और चीखें मचने लगी | एक औरत चिल्लाई, “चूहा, चूहा!” लेखक ने ऊदबिलाव  को एक मोटे भारतीय की टाँगों के पास देखा | जब लेखक ने ऊदबिलाव को पकड़ने की कोशिश की, तो उसका चेहरा कर्री से भर गया | परिचारिका ने उसे विश्वास दिलाया कि वह ऊदबिलाव को पकड़ लेगी | लेखक अपनी सीट पर लौट आया | कुछ समय के बाद ऊदबिलाव उसके पास लौट आया और उसकी गोद में बैठ गया |

लेखक और ऊदबिलाव लंदन में लगभग एक महीने तक रहे | मिजबिल घंटो तक खिलौनों, टेबल-टेनिस की गेंदों, कंचो, रबर के फलों आदि से खेलता रहता था | वह सूटकेस और टेबल-टेनिस की गेंद से खेलता था | वह गेंद को सूटकेस के ढलान वाले ढक्कन पर रख देता था | तब वह जल्दी करता था और उसे सूटकेस पर से गिरने से रोक लेता था | लेखक ऊदबिलाव को व्यायाम करवाने और सैर करवाने के लिए बाहर ले जाता था | दोनों गलियों में से गुजरते थे | इन भ्रमण पर मिज ने कई आदतें पाल लीं | वह लेखक के साथ इस प्रकार जाता था जैसे बच्चे गलियों में खेलना, भागना और चीजों को छुना पसंद करते है | जब लेखक प्राइमरी स्कूल के पास होता था तो मिज दीवार के ऊपर कूदकर चढ़ जाता था और उसके ऊपर भागता था | लंदन में बहुत-से लोगों ने पहले ऊदबिलाव नहीं देखा था | जब उन्होंने मिज को देखा तो उन्होंने अनुमान लगाए कि यह कौन-सा जानवर हो सकता है | लेखक को अनुमानों भरे बहुत-से प्रश्नों का सामना करना पड़ा | लोगों ने अनुमान लगाया कि यह सील का बच्चा है, एक वालरस है, एक दरियाई घोड़ा है, बीवर है, रीछ का बच्चा है, तेंदुआ आदि है | मगर कोई भी यह अनुमान नहीं लगा सका कि यह एक ऊदबिलाव है |

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