Mijbil the Otter
By Gavin
Maxwell
Analysis :
·
The story ‘Mijbil the Otter’ is written
by Gavin Maxwell, a British naturalist and writer. He has written books about his adventures
with otter, an unconventional pet.
·
This chapter taken from his book 'Ring of White Water' is a beautiful tale of love and
friendship between a baby otter and the narrator. It is written in form of a
memoir.
·
Gavin Maxwell lived in a cottage in
Camusfearna, in the West Highlands in Scotland. When his dog Jonnie died,
Maxwell was too sad to think of keeping a dog again. But life without a pet was
lonely so he decided to keep otter as his pet.
·
Otters are found in large numbers in the
marshes near Basra in Iraq. The author bought an otter and decided to bring the
pet from Iraq to London. The chapter narrates the special arrangements the
author made to bring the otter.
·
It is a beautiful and interesting description
of habits, interests, activities and behaviour of a baby otter living in human
society.
·
The theme of the story is that language
of love is universal and every creature understands and responds to this
universal language.
· The chapter also invokes sensitivity among human beings and sensitises the people to be kind and compassionate towards the livestock.
The elements of humor, romance, thrill and adventure make the story more interesting.
Summary / Synopsis
§ ‘Mijbil the Otter’ is the story of love and friendship between the author and his pet, baby otter. When the narrator travelled to Southern Iraq, he felt that he should keep an otter as a pet instead of a dog. Camusfearna being an eminently suitable spot, he mentioned this to his friend who advised him to buy one from Tigris marshes where otters are as common as mosquitoes.
§ Five
days later, his mail arrived but by the time his friend had left. The Arabs brought
it in a sack, it was sent by his friend. From the head to the tip of his tail he was covered with a coating of mud. It
took him a month to remove the last of the mud and see the true colours of the
otter, soft velvet fur of brown colour. The otter’s race
previously unknown to science, and was, thus christened by zoologists Lutrogale
perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell’s otter.
§ For
the first twenty four hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly. He was
simply aloof and indifferent, and slept on the floor far from his bed. The
second night Mijbil came on to his bed. Next day he began to lose his apathy
and take a keen interest in his surroundings.
§ The
author took him to the bathroom, where for half an hour he went wild with joy
in the water, plunging, rolling and enjoying every bit of it. The author learnt
that for an otter water must be kept on the move, and when static it is wasted and
provoking. Two days later, Mijbil escaped from his bedroom and ran into
bathroom. After little struggle he was able to open the tap on his own. He
started to recognise his name respond at narrator’s call. He spent most of his
time in playing with rubber ball, marbles and juggling the objects.
§ After
some days the author decided to transport otter to Camusfearna. British airline
to London would not fly animals so he booked a flight to Paris on another
airline, and from there to London. The airline insisted that Mij should be
packed into a box not more than eighteen inches square, and to be carried on
the floor at his feet. The author made the box and put Mij into the box so that
he would become accustomed to it, and left for a meal before the flight. He had torn the lining
of the box to shreds and started bleeding due to the cutting edges left. It was
just ten minutes until the time of the flight, and the airport was five miles
distant. He removed the cutting edges and put the miserable Mij back into the box, holding the lid with his
hand. Officials were angry at his late arrival.
§ He
rang for the air hostess, and gave her a parcel of fish to keep in a cool place
for Mij. He took her into his confidence telling about the events of the last
half hour. The air hostess was the very queen of her kind. She suggested that
he might prefer to have his pet on his knee. The author felt gratitude and
respect for her.
§ But,
Mij giving a shock to everyone disappeared from the box at high speed, and in
the aircraft there were squawks and shrieks. A woman stood up on her seat screaming
out. He started running here and there and slipped between sardarji's legs. After a while the otter was back to
its place with the help of airhostess.
§ Mij
and author remained in London for nearly a month. He would play for hours with
a selection of toys, ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin
shell that he had brought back from his native marshes. He was intelligent
enough to invent games with the ping-pong ball and a broken suitcase.
Important Question Answers
Q1. Mijbil was an
intelligent, sensitive, fun loving and adorable pet. Justify with examples.
Ans. Mijbil, the otter was an intelligent, sensitive, fun loving and an adorable pet. This can aptly be justified through his fun loving activities and intelligent behaviour. Mijbil was initially indifferent to the author but soon he became very friendly with him. Very soon he learnt that water could be found in bathroom and very easily he also learnt to open a tap. This shows his smartness and intelligence. He invented various games with the objects and articles he found in his surroundings. He started playing with marbles and rubber balls, and he even invented a game to play with the broken suitcase of the narrator and ping pong ball.
His sensitivity could be seen when he did not like to be away from the narrator or packed in a box when the writer was moving to England via plane. Whenever he was with the narrator, he was happy and found comfort and nuzzled at him showing his love. This shows that Mijbil was sensitive and fun loving like a child and, that he was an adorable pet.
