How does Toto come to grandfather’s private zoo? (CBSE SA-I, 2011)
Toto was bought by the grandfather from a tonga driver for the sum of 5 rupees. The tonga driver kept the little monkey tied. The sight disturbed the grandfather and he decided to take the fellow out of that place and keep in his little private zoo.
“Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto Pretty? (CBSE SA-I, 2011)
Or
Describe the appearance of Toto?
Toto was a little red monkey whose eyes sparkled with mischief underneath deep-set eyebrows and his smile was as white as a pearl. His smile was such that it would scare the then old Anglo-Indian ladies. His hands were dried up as if they had been in the sun for many years. Despite this, his fingers were quick and wicked and his tail which was his innate ornament worked as his third hand and helped him hang on a branch or savour delicacies that were otherwise out of his reach.
Why does Grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog? (CBSE SA-I, 2011)
Toto did not adjust with the other animals in grandfather's private zoo so the grandfather had to take him to Saharanpur along with him. A big black canvas bag was prepared for Toto so that he did not escape. When the grandfather produced his ticket at the railway station, Toto suddenly popped out his head out of the bag and smiled at the ticket collector which unnerved the collector. He asked the grandfather to pay for Toto as well and classified him as a dog. Though, the grandfather tried to prove to the ticket collector that neither was Toto a dog nor a quadruped animal, he still charged Rs. 3 for Toto.
How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive? (CBSE SA-I, 2011)
Toto had learnt the art of taking a bath by seeing the author while bathing. The grandmother would give Toto a bowl of warm water for his bath in the winters. To test the temperature, he would first immerse his hand and then gradually step into it foot by foot. He would get inside it up to the level of his neck. After being comfortable in the water he would take soap in his hands and feet and rub himself. When the water would become cold he would get out and run to the kitchen fire to dry himself.
One day a large kitchen kettle was left on the fire to boil water for tea. Having nothing else to do Toto removed the lid of the kettle and jumped into it. He stood in it for a while but when the water started to boil he rose from the vessel. He found the outside weather to be cold, he sat back again. He kept popping in and out until the grandmother came to the spot and hauled him out of the kettle.
Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet, we could keep for long?”
(CBSE SA-I, 2011)
The author's family was not very well to do and they could not afford breaking of the dishes, tearing of clothes and curtains. Toto was a very mischievous animal of all the others in grandfather's private zoo. This made the family decide that Toto was not the sort of pet they could keep for long.
Do you have a pet? Is your pet mischievous? Tell the class about it?
In modern society, it is very common to find a pet in some or the other home. For some, it is a matter of pride to keep a pet while for some it is the feeling of acceptance and love for an animal kind that they keep a pet.
I have a tiger cat, Stacey, as a pet in the family. She is very mischievous but she is clever. She has an instinct to differentiate between the people she can trust and allow inside the home and the ones she should not. She is a very social creature and loves playing with everyone. She hates getting bathed and cries a lot. However, she is not as mischievous as Toto and does not break anything. She knows what to play with and what not to touch. Despite being a cat, she never goes near the vessel of milk as well.
I hope she stays with me always.