1. Chapter Introduction
Welcome students! Today we are exploring the second chapter of your Class 9 English Moments book: “The Adventures of Toto” by the famous Indian author Ruskin Bond. This is a highly amusing and entertaining story about a mischievous little red monkey named Toto. The narrator’s grandfather, an avid animal lover, buys Toto to keep in his private zoo. However, Toto’s playful yet destructive antics turn the whole house upside down. The story beautifully captures the chaos, humor, and realization that not all wild animals can be kept as domestic pets!
2. Characters Detail
- Toto: A pretty, mischievous, and highly destructive red monkey with bright, sparkling eyes and pearly white teeth.
- Grandfather: An animal lover who maintains a private zoo at home. He buys Toto out of pity but later realizes his mistake.
- Grandmother: A strict woman who dislikes Grandfather’s habit of bringing home new birds and animals. Toto’s presence is initially kept a secret from her.
- The Tonga-driver: The original owner of Toto, who kept the monkey tied to a feeding-trough before selling him to Grandfather.
- Nana: The family donkey who shares a stable with Toto but becomes a victim of Toto’s endless teasing.
3. Full Summary: The Adventures of Toto Class 9
Arrival of Toto
The narrator’s grandfather was incredibly fond of animals. One day, he saw a pretty little red monkey tied to a feeding trough by a tonga-driver. Grandfather felt the monkey looked out of place there and decided to buy him for his private zoo. He paid five rupees for the monkey and named him Toto.
A Secret Pet and Early Mischief
Grandmother always created a fuss whenever Grandfather brought a new pet home. To avoid her anger, Toto’s presence was kept a secret. He was temporarily kept in a little closet opening into the narrator’s bedroom wall and tied to a peg. A few hours later, they found that Toto had torn off the decorative wallpaper, pulled the peg out of the wall, and shredded the narrator’s school blazer into pieces. Instead of getting angry, Grandfather was impressed by Toto’s cleverness.
The Journey to Saharanpur
Toto was transferred to a big cage in the servants’ quarters, but he didn’t let any of the other animals sleep at night. Since Grandfather had to travel to Saharanpur to collect his pension, he decided to take Toto along in a strong canvas kit-bag. During the train journey, Toto remained securely in the bag, but at the Saharanpur railway station, he suddenly poked his head out and grinned at the ticket collector. The collector classified Toto as a “dog,” and Grandfather was forced to pay a fine of three rupees for his ticket!
Toto and Nana (The Donkey)
Eventually, Grandmother accepted Toto, and he was given a comfortable place in the stable along with the family donkey, Nana. However, Toto and Nana never became friends. On his very first night, Toto fastened his sharp teeth onto Nana’s long ears, causing the donkey endless irritation.
The Boiling Kettle Incident
During the winter, Toto loved bathing in warm water, a trick he learned by watching the narrator. One day, a large kitchen kettle was left on the fire to boil for tea. Toto, finding the water warm enough for a bath, got inside. As the water began to boil, Toto started hopping up and down, unable to get out. He was almost half-boiled alive when Grandmother rushed in and hauled him out of the kettle.
The Final Mischief and Departure
Toto’s mischief grew day by day. He tore clothes, broke curtains, and smashed dishes. The breaking point came one afternoon when Toto started stuffing himself with a large dish of pullao kept on the dining table. When Grandmother screamed, he threw a plate at her. When Grandfather arrived, Toto picked up the pullao dish, climbed a jackfruit tree, ate every grain of rice, and then deliberately threw the dish down, breaking it into a hundred pieces. Finally, Grandfather realized that they were not rich enough to afford the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, and wallpaper. He found the tonga-driver and sold Toto back to him for only three rupees.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Who is the author of “The Adventures of Toto”?
(a) Isaac Asimov | (b) Ruskin Bond | (c) R.K. Narayan | (d) Mulk Raj Anand
Answer: (b) Ruskin Bond
Q2. For how much money did Grandfather buy Toto?
(a) Three rupees | (b) Five rupees | (c) Ten rupees | (d) Seven rupees
Answer: (b) Five rupees
Q3. From whom did Grandfather buy Toto?
(a) A pet shop owner | (b) A juggler | (c) A tonga-driver | (d) A zoo keeper
Answer: (c) A tonga-driver
Q4. What was the color of Toto?
(a) Brown | (b) Black | (c) Red | (d) White
Answer: (c) Red
Q5. Why was Toto kept a secret from Grandmother?
(a) She was afraid of monkeys | (b) She didn’t like pets | (c) She would sell him | (d) She was allergic to animals
Answer: (b) She didn’t like pets
Q6. What did Toto do to the narrator’s school blazer?
(a) He wore it | (b) He threw it out of the window | (c) He tore it into shreds | (d) He hid it
Answer: (c) He tore it into shreds
Q7. Where was Grandfather going to collect his pension?
(a) Dehradun | (b) Delhi | (c) Saharanpur | (d) Mumbai
Answer: (c) Saharanpur
Q8. How much did the ticket collector charge as Toto’s fare?
(a) Two rupees | (b) Three rupees | (c) Four rupees | (d) Five rupees
Answer: (b) Three rupees
Q9. Who was Nana?
(a) The family dog | (b) The family donkey | (c) The servant | (d) A parrot
Answer: (b) The family donkey
Q10. For how much was Toto finally sold back to the tonga-driver?
(a) Two rupees | (b) Three rupees | (c) Four rupees | (d) Five rupees
Answer: (b) Three rupees
5. Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words)
Q1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?
Ans. Grandfather saw Toto tied to a feeding trough by a tonga-driver. He felt the little red monkey looked miserable there. Being an animal lover, he decided to buy him for five rupees and add him to his private zoo.
Q2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?
Ans. Toto had bright, sparkling eyes full of mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows. His pearly white teeth were often displayed in a smile. He had quick, wicked fingers and a long tail that served as a third hand, adding to his good looks.
Q3. How did Toto take a bath during winters?
Ans. Toto would first test the temperature of the warm water with his hand. Then, he would step into the tub one foot at a time, up to his neck. He would rub soap all over himself, a trick he learned by watching the author.
Q4. How did Toto nearly boil himself alive?
Ans. One day, a large kitchen kettle was left on the fire to boil water for tea. Finding the water warm, Toto got inside. When the water began to boil, he couldn’t get out and started hopping up and down until Grandmother rescued him.
Q5. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how?
Ans. Toto was too mischievous and didn’t allow other pets to sleep at night. So, Grandfather took him to Saharanpur inside a large, strong canvas kit-bag, ensuring Toto couldn’t bite his way out or escape during the train journey.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-80 Words)
Q1. Why did Grandfather decide to return Toto to the tonga-driver?
Ans. Grandfather realized that Toto was not the sort of pet they could keep indoors for long. Toto’s mischievous nature caused continuous destruction in the house. He tore wallpapers, shredded clothes, broke curtains, and smashed dishes constantly. The family was not well-to-do and could not afford these frequent losses. Finally, after the incident where Toto broke the pullao dish, Grandfather sold him back to the tonga-driver for three rupees.
Q2. Describe the incident at the Saharanpur railway station.
Ans. Grandfather carried Toto to Saharanpur in a strong canvas kit-bag. Toto remained inside the bag for most of the journey. However, while Grandfather was producing his ticket at the Saharanpur turnstile, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the bag and gave the ticket collector a wide grin. The ticket collector was shocked but classified the monkey as a “dog” according to his rulebook, forcing Grandfather to pay a fine of three rupees.
Q3. Describe Toto’s relationship with the other animals in Grandfather’s zoo, especially Nana.
Ans. Toto was a menace to the other animals in the private zoo. When placed in the servants’ quarters, he did not let any of the other pets sleep at night. Later, he was shifted to the stable with the family donkey, Nana. On the very first night, Toto fastened his sharp little teeth onto Nana’s long ears. Because of Toto’s continuous teasing, he and Nana never became friends.
Q4. Write a brief character sketch of Grandfather.
Ans. Grandfather was a kind-hearted man and a true animal lover. He had his own private zoo and often brought home new birds and animals, despite Grandmother’s objections. He was also highly patient and optimistic; instead of getting angry when Toto tore the blazer and wallpaper, he praised the monkey’s cleverness. However, he was also practical enough to eventually realize that keeping a destructive wild animal like Toto was a financial mistake for his middle-class family.
