Chapter 02. Prose - The Adventure of Toto (NCERT Solution)

 

Think About It

Q1. How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?
Ans: Toto was in the captivity of a tonga owner. The grandfather got sympathetic with the monkey and thought that his private zoo would be a better place for Toto. So he purchased Toto from the tonga wallah for five rupees.

Q2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty?
Ans:  In the story, ‘The Adventures of Toto’, Toto is an extremely mischievous monkey. Ruskin Bond describes Toto as a pretty monkey. Toto had beautiful eyes sparkling with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows. His teeth were majestically set and flashed like a bright string of pearls. He had a long attractive tail. All this made Toto a pretty monkey.

Q3. Why does grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?

Ans: 

• Toto was a real menace for every living soul in the household. Other animals in grandfather’s zoo were at Toto’s mercy even during the night. 
• So, grandfather decided to provide some relief to other animals in the zoo and thought of taking Toto to Saharanpur.
• The ticket collector was following his rule books. As there seems to be no rule for fixing a monkey’s fare, so he equated Toto with a dog.
  

  Q4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learned to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?
  Ans: 

• Toto takes a bath in a tub of warm water. It puts its legs in the water one by one and applies soap as well.
• As monkeys are good at copying others, so Toto has learned the proper steps of bathing while watching the narrator doing the same.
• One day Toto found a large kitchen kettle that had been kept for boiling tea. Having nothing better to do, Toto decided to remove the lid and get in. He sat inside with his head sticking out from the open kettle until the water began to boil. He raised himself when it was too hot but on finding the outside too cold he went right back into the kettle. This continued for quite a while until Grandmother hauled him out of the kettle.

Q5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long”?
Ans: 

• Though Toto was pretty and clever, he was very mischievous. He brought a lot of damage to the house by breaking dishes and tearing clothes and curtains. He also scared the visitors by tearing holes in their dresses. Furthermore, he didn’t get along well with the other animals in the house too.
• One day Toto crossed the limits by picking up a dish of pulao and running on a branch to eat it. When scolded he threw off the plate and broke it. That’s when grandfather decided he had enough of Toto because he couldn’t bear the losses that he incurred because of Toto’s mischief.

Question Answers - The Adventures of Toto

 

Q1: Grandmother had an aversion to pets. Was it right for a grandfather to keep a mini-zoo in his house and also bring in Toto, the monkey? Discuss.

Ans: 

• Grandfather had an immense love for animals. He had created a private zoo in the house. 
• One could see a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel, and pet goats in his zoo. He took special care when his grandmother had an aversion to pets. 
• When Toto was brought home, his arrival was kept a secret. Toto was a naughty monkey. All the time, he kept creating problems in the family. 
• Since the very day Toto entered the house, he started damaging the household things. He pulled out the peg and tore wallpapers and the author’s blazer. 
• Moreover, he never let other animals live harmoniously with the other pets. He proved to be an expensive deal. So, grandfather was not right in keeping Toto in his private zoo. 
• Grandfather should also have kept in mind the likes and dislikes of the grandmother.

Q2: Toto was a sharp and active monkey. Discuss.

Ans:  

• Toto was keenly observant and swift in his actions. He noted closely how the narrator took a bath. He copied every action, including testing the temperature of the water with his hand. 
• His physical appearance added to his sharp and active image. Deep-set eyebrows framing his sparkling eyes, pearly white teeth frequently breaking into a grin, quick and wickedly used fingers, and a long tail made Toto look every inch a clever monkey. 
• However, he used his intelligence to do all kinds of mischievous things. He destroyed the wallpaper of the narrator’s bedroom, shredded his school blazer, did not let the other animals sleep peacefully, a bit on the family donkey’s ears, made holes in the narrator’s aunt’s dresses, and ate the pulao and broke the dish afterward. 
• Thus, Toto was a sharp and active monkey, but he was difficult to train and could not be kept as a pet for long and without peril.

Q3: Describe, in brief, the adventures of Toto, the monkey.
Ans:  

• The story revolves around a mischievous and clever monkey named Toto. He was bought from a tonga-driver for five rupees. 
• At first, Toto was kept in a little store that opened into the narrator’s bedroom. Then, Toto removed the wallpaper and tore the narrator’s school blazer. 
• Toto was transferred to the narrator's grandfather’s private zoo in Saharanpur and placed in a canvas enclosure. 
• There, the monkeys did not allow the animals to sleep peacefully at night. Toto traveled with their grandfather to the stable, for which Toto's ticket cost an additional three rupees. He found the water too hot and troubled the donkey. 
• Once, Toto put himself into the kettle on the fire. When it was lunchtime, Toto saw a dish of food and jumped up and down. 
• The narrator's grandfather saved him from there. One day, the dish of pulao ran out, so Toto saw rice on the dining table. 
• He started eating the rice and then picked it up into pieces. After eating the rice, he sat on the jackfruit tree and threw the plate, breaking it into pieces. 
• Throughout the story, Toto gets into various amusing and sometimes troublesome situations. He is known for his curiosity and his ability to create chaos wherever he goes. 

Q4: Describe the situation where grandfather found himself at the Saharanpur railway station.

Ans: 

• Toto’s presence had still not been disclosed to the grandmother. The next day, Grandfather had to go to Saharanpur to get his pension. 
• He decided to take Toto along with him. He got a big black canvas bag and put Toto in it. The bag was too strong for Toto to bite or tear. 
• Toto remained in the bag as far as Saharanpur. At the gate, as the ticket collector checked the grandfather’s ticket, Toto put his head out of the bag and grinned at the ticket collector. 
• He told the grandfather that there was a dog with him. Grandfather told him that it was not a dog but a monkey. 
• But the ticket collector was adamant and charged three rupees extra. Then Grandfather showed him his pet tortoise. The ticket collector said that it was not a dog, so there would be no ticket for it.
• Q5: Describe Toto’s mischief at lunchtime. How did the author’s family get rid of Toto in the end?
  

  Ans: 

• Toto’s mind was full of mischief. One day, at lunchtime, he found a large rice dish on the dining table. He started eating the rice. 
• When Toto's grandmother found him eating rice, she screamed. Toto threw a plate at her. An aunt of the narrator came forward. Toto threw a glass of water at her. 
• The Toto picked up the dishes pulao and ran out. He sat on the jackfruit tree. He remained there all afternoon, eating the rice. After that, he threw the plate and broke it into pieces.
• Grandfather realized that Toto could not stay in the house for long. The family could not bear the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpapers. 
• At last, Grandfather found the same Tonga driver. He sold Toto back for only three rupees.

Q6: Why does Grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur, and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog?

Ans: 

• Grandfather had to go to Saharanpur to get his pension. He could not leave behind Toto because his presence in the house was still a secret for Grandmother. 
• In addition, Toto was too mischievous. How he had torn the wallpaper, shredded the narrator’s school blazer, and ill-treated other animals made it too risky to leave him behind. 
• Grandfather securely packed Toto in a big, black canvas kit bag so he could not escape or bother other passengers. 
• That is how Toto accompanied Grandfather on his train journey to Saharanpur.
  The journey was largely uneventful, but Toto poked out his head at the Saharanpur platform and grinned. 
• The ticket collector noticed him and insisted on charging the fare for him, for Grandfather had not bought a ticket for the animal. 
• As per the guidelines of the railways, the fare could be charged only for dogs. So the ticket collector insisted on calling Toto a dog and charged the fare for him by placing him under the category of dogs.

Q7: How did Toto create problems for Grandfather on the way to Saharanpur?

Ans: 

• Grandfather had to zip up Toto in a big black canvas kit bag to carry him to Saharanpur from Dehradun. 
• It was ensured that he could not escape or get his hands out or bite through the strong canvas once the bag was closed. However, Toto was so restless that he tried to come out of the bag by jumping inside it. 
• This made the bag roll on the floor and jump into the air. It drew the attention of onlookers at the Dehra Dun platform, and it became quite difficult for Grandfather to keep his presence a secret. 
• On reaching Saharanpur, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the bag and grinned widely at the ticket collector. 
• The secret of his presence got revealed and cost Grandfather three rupees that had to be paid as fare.

Q8: How did Toto like to have a bath in winter? How did he once get into serious trouble while trying to have a hot-water bath?

Ans: 

• Bathing in a large bowl of warm water on cold winter evenings was a treat for Toto. 
• He would cunningly test the temperature of the water brought by the grandmother with his hand and gradually step into the bath, first on one foot, then the other, until he was into the water up to his neck.
• Once comfortable, he would take the soap on his hands or feet and rub himself all over. 
• When the water became cold, he would get out and quickly run to the kitchen fire to dry himself. If someone tried to laugh at him, he would refuse to go on with the bath. 
• One day, his fondness for a hot water bath got him into serious trouble. He noticed a kitchen kettle on the fire and, having nothing better to do, decided to remove the lid. 
• Finding the water just warm enough for a bath, he got in. 
• It was fine for a while, but soon he began hopping in and out of the kettle because the water had gotten really hot, while outside the kettle, it was too cold for him. 
• That day, Toto would have boiled himself to death had Grandmother not arrived in time to rescue him.

Q9: What human values do you see in Grandmother after reading this story

Ans:

• Grandmother appeared to be a tough woman. She always fussed when her Grandfather brought home some new bird or animal, but this fuss would disappear as soon as she got into a good mood. 
• She accepted Toto as the new pet after a few days. When Toto tore the narrator’s school blazer to shreds, the narrator’s first worry was what Grandmother would say. 
• He thought so because she gave the impression of being a strict disciplinarian. However, her soft heart had compassion for all. Toto was mischievous and destructive since day one. 
• Still, Grandmother would overlook everything and give him a bowl of warm water to bathe. Again, the Grandmother rescued Toto from getting boiled in the kettle. 
• Thus, it can be seen that Grandmother had a kind heart, although she appeared to be tough outwardly.

Q10: Grandfather possessed the values of childlike simplicity. Do you agree/disagree? Give reasons.

Ans: 

• Grandfather had a private zoo with different animals – a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, and a tame squirrel. But his childlike love for animals made him buy another animal, a monkey, as a pet. 
• Grandmother did not like this habit of her husband, so he kept his new pet a secret from his wife. 
• How he tried to hide Toto or admire him as clever when the former shredded the narrator’s school blazer shows that although the elderly, Grandfather was as simple as a child. 
• Again, when he hides Toto in a bag on the way to Saharanpur and produces a tortoise from his pocket before the ticket collector, it confirms his childlike simplicity.

Q11: ‘If a part of the brain is especially devoted to mischief, that part was largely developed in Toto.’ Justify the statement. Why did even grandfather realize that Toto was not the pet they could keep for long?

Ans: 

• Toto indeed had a very fertile and mischievous brain. He was always up to some mischief or the other. His fingers were quick and wicked. 
• His presence was kept a secret from his grandmother. He bit the ornamental wallpaper to pieces. 
• The peg had been pulled out of the socket. The school blazer of the narrator was in shreds. But grandfather was pleased with Toto’s performance. 
• On the Dehradun railway platform, he suddenly poked his head out of the bag and gave the ticket collector a wide grin. He was classified as a dog, and his grandfather had to pay three rupees extra for his fare. 
• One day, Toto nearly succeeded in boiling himself alive. He was always tearing things to pieces. The family couldn’t afford the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains, and wallpaper. 
• Even grandfather realized that Toto was not the pet they could keep for long. So, grandfather found the tonga-driver and returned Toto to him for three rupees.

Q12: Do you think it is advisable to keep a monkey like Toto as a pet in the house? Why/ why not?

Ans: 

• Some animals, like a dog, are good pets, and they are sensible in many things, but keeping a monkey as a pet is not advisable. 
• Monkeys are mischievous by nature, so they can create chaos and may harm the children at home. 
• They are fond of damaging the things around them, and it becomes quite difficult to attend to a guest. 
• In the story, the grandfather, who was fond of animals, had many animals in his private zoo, and they were living in peace. 
• The arrival of a new member, Tao’ created chaos among animals and the whole house. Toto was not an ordinary animal. 
• He was a very mischievous monkey. He became a headache for the family and at last, grandfather had to sell it back to the real owner.

Q13: Grandfather had kept many animals in his private zoo and cared for them. Does this show that we should care about animals?

Ans: 

• Grandfather was a kind-hearted person. He was an animal lover by choice. He had his private zoo in his house. 
• He kept bringing home new animals that he liked. He was a fully determined person. He had a lot of patience and took everything positively. 
• When he brought Toto, he felt satisfied. He wanted to keep Toto with other animals, but Toto kept disturbing other animals. 
• So, Grandfather transferred him frequently from one place to another to make Toto adjust to the other animals. He was a man of a strong mind and body. 
• His taste made him a naturalist. He treated his pet animals as his family members.

Q14: Animals should be treated with love and respect. Comment on this statement with the lesson ‘The Adventures of Toto’ as the background.

Ans: 

• It is right that animals should be treated with love and respect. It is not right to show cruelty towards them. 
• Even wild animals should be treated with care. In the story "The Adventures of Toto", a grandfather shows love and kindness towards animals. 
• He had set up a mini-zoo in his house where he had kept some animals. He also tried to give Toto a comfortable life. 
• Since pet animals give us company, we should look after them with love and concern.

Q15: Many of us keep pets at home. How do pets benefit us? Answer with reference to the lesson ‘The Adventures of Toto’.

Ans: 

• These days, more and more people have pets. Mostly, it is a dog or a cat. Pets give us company and provide us with emotional support. 
• They amuse us, make us happy and prevent us from feeling lonely. Grandfather had created a mini-zoo in his house. 
• He had reared many pets. He showed love and respect towards them. Pets, such as dogs, even provide us with security. 
• So, pets are very advantageous and keep us happy.

•