A Tiger in the House is a short story by Ruskin Bond, first published in 1956. It is about a tiger cub named Timothy who is found by the narrator’s grandfather and brought home to live with them. Timothy is raised like a pet, and he quickly becomes friends with the narrator and his other pets, a monkey named Toto and a puppy.
Timothy is a playful and affectionate tiger, but he is also a wild animal, and his instincts sometimes get the better of him. He can be destructive, and he is often aggressive towards other animals. One day, Timothy attacks a goat, and the narrator’s grandfather realizes that he can no longer keep Timothy as a pet. He takes Timothy to the zoo, where he can live with other tigers and have more space to roam.
The story ends with the narrator visiting Timothy at the zoo. He is happy to see that Timothy is doing well, and he is grateful that his grandfather was able to find a place for him where he can be safe and happy.
A Tiger in the House is a heartwarming story about the bond between a boy and a tiger. It is also a reminder that wild animals should be respected and admired from a distance.
Here are some additional details about the story:
- Timothy was found by the narrator’s grandfather in the Terai jungle near Dehra. He was only about eighteen inches long when he was found.
- The narrator’s grandmother named it Timothy. She raised him on a diet of milk, raw mutton, and cod liver oil.
- Timothy was friends with the narrator, his grandfather, and their other pets, Toto the monkey and a puppy.
- Timothy was a playful and affectionate tiger, but he was also a wild animal. He could be destructive and aggressive towards other animals.
- One day, Timothy attacked a goat. The narrator’s grandfather realized that he could no longer keep Timothy as a pet.
- The narrator’s grandfather took Timothy to the zoo. Timothy was happy to live with other tigers and have more space to roam.
- The narrator visited Timothy at the zoo. He was happy to see that Timothy was doing well.
A Tiger in the House is a classic story that has been enjoyed by readers of all ages for generations. It is a story about the bond between a boy and a tiger, but it is also a story about the importance of respecting and admiring wild animals from a distance.
A Tiger in the House Questions and Answers
Q1: Where did Grandfather find the tiger cub?
Ans: Grandfather found the tiger cub in a hole in a tree in the Terai Jungle near Dehra.
Q2: Who named the tiger cub?
Ans: Grandfather named the tiger cub Timothy.
Q3: Who fed Timothy?
Ans: Timothy was fed by his Grandfather’s cook, Mahmoud.
Q4: What was Timothy’s diet?
Ans: Timothy was initially fed milk, but later he was put on a diet of raw mutton and cod liver oil. He also enjoyed eating pigeons and rabbits.
Q5: Who were Timothy’s two companions?
Ans: Timothy’s two companions were a dog named Toto and a cat named Moti.
Q6: How did Toto and Moti show Timothy that they were not afraid of him?
Ans: Toto would pull Timothy by the tail, and Moti would rub against him.
Q7: What did Grandmother think would happen to the cook, Mahmoud?
Ans: Grandmother thought that Timothy would one day kill the cook and make a meal for him.
Q8: Why did Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo?
Ans: Grandfather decided to transfer Timothy to the zoo when he realized that Timothy was no longer a tame animal. He had grown larger and stronger, and he was becoming more aggressive.
Q9: How did Grandfather feel when he saw Timothy in the zoo?
Ans: Grandfather was sad to see Timothy in the zoo. He had grown to love the tiger cub, and he missed him very much.
Q10: What lesson can we learn from the story “A Tiger in the House”?
Ans: We can learn from the story that it is not wise to keep wild animals as pets. They may seem tame when they are young, but they can become dangerous as they grow older.