BOND OF LOVE

II. Answer the following questions:

1. "I got him for her by accident."
(i) Who says this?

Answer: (i) The narrator says this.

(ii) Who do 'him' and 'her' refer to?

Answer: ‘Him’ refers to Bruno (the sloth bear), and ‘her’ refers to the narrator's wife.

(iii) What is the incident referred to here?

Answer: The incident refers to the time when the narrator and his companions were passing through the sugarcane fields near Mysore. During the trip, one of his companions shot a sloth bear. Later, they discovered a baby bear cub that had been riding on its mother's back. The narrator caught the cub and brought it home as a gift for his wife.

2."He stood on his head in delight."
(i) Who does 'he' refer to?

Answer: ‘He’ refers to Baba (the sloth bear).
(ii) Why was he delighted?

Answer: Baba was delighted because he saw the narrator's wife after a long time when she visited him at the Mysore Zoo. Overjoyed at seeing her, Baba expressed his happiness by standing on his head out of excitement and joy.

3."We all missed him greatly, but in a sense we were relieved."
(i) Who does 'we all' stand for?

Answer: ‘We all’ refers to the narrator, his wife, and his son.
(ii) Who did they miss?

Answer: They missed Baba (the sloth bear).
(iii) Why did they nevertheless feel relieved?

Answer: Although they missed Baba, they felt relieved because Baba had grown too big to be kept at home safely. Sending him to the Mysore Zoo ensured both Baba's safety and the safety of others, especially the tenants' children.

III. Answer the following questions in 30 to 40 words each:

1. On two occasions Bruno ate/drank something that should not be eaten/drunk. What happened to him on these occasions?

Answer: On one occasion, Bruno accidentally ate barium carbonate, a poisonous chemical kept to kill rats. This caused paralysis, and he struggled to move. The vet treated him with antidote injections, and he recovered. On another occasion, Bruno drank one gallon of old engine oil, but surprisingly, it had no ill effects on him.

2. Was Bruno a loving and playful pet? Why, then, did he have to be sent away?

Answer: Yes, Bruno was a very loving and playful pet. He shared a strong bond with the narrator’s family, especially his wife. Bruno was gentle, affectionate, and full of energy. However, as he grew larger, he became difficult to manage. For safety reasons, especially with tenants' children around, he had to be sent to the Mysore Zoo.

3. How was the problem of what to do with Bruno finally solved?

Answer: After missing Baba deeply and learning that he was unhappy at the zoo, the narrator’s wife requested the authorities to allow Baba to return home. With the superintendent’s approval, Baba was brought back and kept on a specially built island in their compound, surrounded by a dry pit for safety and comfort.