English Vistas Lesson 2 Class 12th

The Tiger King Question Answers

By Kalki
(Ramaswamy Aiyer Krishnamurthy) 1. Who is the Tiger King? Why does he get that name?
Answer:
Summary The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram was called the Tiger King. At the time
of his birth the astrologers declared that the prince would have to die one
The Tiger King is the story of king Jung Jung Bahadur of day. The ten-day-old prince asked the astrologers to reveal the manner of
Pratibandapuram, a brave warrior whose death had been predicted when his death. The wise men were baffled at this miracle. The chief astrologer
he was born. The chief astrologer had predicted as the royal child was said that his death would come from a tiger. The young prince growled
born in the hour of the bull, the tiger being its enemy, death would come and uttered terrifying words: „Let tigers beware!‟ He decided to kill one
to the child by a tiger. The brave prince asked all tigers to beware of him. hundred tigers. He, thus, got the name „Tiger King‟.
He came to be known as „tiger king‟.
2. What did the royal infant grow up to be?
The prince became king at the age of twenty and considering killing a Answer:
cow in self defense to be lawful, went on a tiger killing spree. He was Crown prince Jung Jung Bahadur grew taller and stronger day-by-day. He
warned of danger from the hundredth tiger that he encountered. As all the was brought up by an English nanny and tutored in English by an
tigers in his kingdom had been killed by him but still he had to kill more, Englishman. He got the control of his state when he came of age at
he married into a state having a high population of tigers. twenty. He decided to kill tigers. For him it was an act of self-defence, as
When his killings reached ninety nine, he desperately sought the next the astrologers had predicted his death by a tiger
hunt. Fearing the king‟s harshness, the minister planted an old tiger in the
forest for him to kill. The king fired at it but the tiger escaped the bullet 3. What will the Maharaja do to find the required number of tigers to
miraculously. The royal hunters feared the king and so did not inform kill?
him; rather they killed the beast themselves. Answer:
Within ten years the Maharaja was able to kill seventy tigers. Then the
The king was satisfied that he had evaded death and now celebrated his tiger population became extinct in the forests of Pratibandapuram. One
son‟s third birthday. He got a wooden toy tiger as a gift for the prince. day the Maharaja sent for the dewan and asked him if he was aware of the
Although it was poorly done, the shopkeeper, fearing punishment under fact that thirty tigers still remained to be shot down by his gun. The
the rules of emergency charged a high price. As both the king and his son dewan shuddered with fear. The Maharaja told him that he had decided to
were playing with the tiger, one of the thin pieces of wood that were get married. He asked the dewan to draw up statistics of tiger populations
erupting out of the wooden tiger like feathers pierced the king‟s right in different native states. Then he was to investigate if there was a girl he
hand. could marry in the royal family of a state with a large tiger population.
This plan was put into practice. The dewan found the right girl from a
The wound became infectious, spread through his arm and as he was state which possessed a large number of tigers. The Maharaja killed five
being operated upon, he died. So, ironically, the hundredth tiger killed the or six tigers each time he visited his father-in-law. Thus, he was able to
king and eventually took its revenge. find the required number of tigers to kill. He shot ninety-nine tigers.

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4. How will the Maharaja prepare himself for the hundredth tiger 6. The story is a satire on the conceit of those in power. How does the
which was supposed to decide his fate? author employ the literary device of dramatic irony in the story?
Answer: Answer:
Maharaja‟s anxiety reached the highest level of excitement when only On surface level, „The Tiger King‟ seems to be a simple story about a
one tiger remained to be killed. He thought of the hundredth tiger during royal prince, his growth and exploits as a king. The prophecies at his birth
the day and dreamt of it at night. But tiger farms ran dry even in his about the manner of his death make the story interesting by introducing
father-in-law‟s kingdom. It became impossible to locate tigers anywhere. the element of surprise and suspense. On a deeper level, the story is a
If he could kill just that one single beast, the Maharaja would have no fear satire on the conceit of those in power. It is usually seen that those in
left. As the late chief astrologer had said that Maharaja should beware of power have too much pride in themselves and what they do. Two such
the hundredth tiger. The Maharaja was sunk in gloom. Then came a specimens in the story are the Tiger King and the British officer. The
happy news. In his own state sheep began to disappear frequently from a author employs dramatic irony and humour to show their faults and
hillside village. Surely, a tiger was at work. The villagers ran to inform weaknesses. The words of these characters carry an extra meaning. They
the Maharaja. The Maharaja announced a three-year exemption from all do not know what is going to happen. The Tiger King resolves to hunt a
taxes for that village. He set out on the hunt at once. But the tiger was not hundred tigers to disprove the prediction of the astrologer. In his
easily found. The Maharaja continued camping in the forest and waiting stubbornness, he falls prey to a wooden tiger. The high-ranking British
for the tiger. officer is equally vain. He is more interested in photograph with carcass
than hunting itself. The Tiger King offers to organise any other hunt
5. What will now happen to the astrologer? Do you think the except tiger-hunt. It may be a boar-hunt, mouse- hunt or a mosquito-hunt.
prophecy was indisputably disproved? He has to lose three lakh of rupees for his refusal. The ego of the British
Answer: officer is satisfied when his wife is pleased to get diamond rings sent by
In order to save his skin, the dewan got an old tiger brought from the the Maharaja.
People‟s Park in Madras. It was kept hidden in his house. One midnight
with the help of his aged wife, he dragged the tiger to the car and shoved 7. What is the author‟s indirect comment on subjecting innocent
it into the seat. He himself drove the car straight to the forest where the animals to the willfulness of human beings?
Maharaja was hunting. The dewan hauled the beast out of the car and Answer:
pushed it down to the ground. Next day, the same old tiger wandered into For centuries innocent animals have been subjected to the wilfulness of
the Maharaja‟s presence. The Maharaja was overjoyed. He took careful human beings. Man has been killing animals for sport, meat or organs of
aim at the beast. The tiger fell down in a crumpled heap. The Maharaja body. The author does not make any direct comment about it in the story.
was extremely happy that he had killed the hundredth tiger. Man advances strange logic to defend even his unlawful and cruel acts.
The hunters found that the old tiger was not dead. It had only fainted on The Maharaja quotes an old saying, “You may kill even a cow in self-
hearing the sound of the bullet. They did not want the Maharaja to know defence”. Hence, he finds no objection to kill tigers in self-defence. It
this fact and lose their jobs. iSo one of them shot at it and killed it. The reveals not only the callousness of human beings towards wildlife but
dead tiger was taken in procession through the town and buried there. A their disregard for maintaining ecological balance. The extinction of tiger
tomb was erected over it. The prophecy was not disproved as the king species in Pratibandapuram state and the state ruled by the Maharaja‟s
met his death with the infection caused by the sliver of a wooden tiger. father-in-law amply illustrates the result of man‟s cruelty towards wild
The astrologer was already dead. He could not be punished or rewarded. animals. An old tiger has to be brought from the People‟s Park in Madras
to satisfy the king‟s whim to kill one hundred tigers.

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8. How would you describe the behaviour of the Maharaja‟s minions 10. We need a new system for the age of ecology—a system which is
towards him? Do you find them truly sincere towards him or are they embedded in the care of all people and also in the care of the Earth
driven by fear when they obey him? Do we find a similarity in and all life upon it. Discuss.
today‟s political order? Answer:
Answer: Modem age is the age of ecology. A new consciousness has arisen
A minion is an unimportant person in an organisation who has to obey among human beings. Animals and birds are as much part of nature as
orders. The Maharaja has many minions or servants. Most of them fear human beings. The destruction or haphazard killing of one species may
the Maharaja and obey his orders faithfully. They dare not disobey him or not only lead to its extinction, but it will adversely affect the ecological
contradict him. The Maharaja‟s displeasure means loss of job or even loss balance. Those animals which serve as food for the wild animals will
of life. Only a few of them are truly sincere towards him. One such increase in large number, if the beasts of prey are wiped out. Each
person is the chief astrologer. He is willing to bum his books of astrology, species, howsoever fierce, deadly, ferocious or poisonous has its own role
cut off his tuft and crop his hair short if his prediction proves untrue. The in the scheme of things. We must devise a new system. It must focus on
others try to keep the Maharaja in good humour. Even the dewan is no the care of all living beings on the Earth as well as the Earth itself and all
exception. Many officers lose their jobs when the Maharaja‟s fury and life—vegetative or animal living on it. Steps have to be taken to preserve
obstinacy mount higher. The king‟s bullet misses the hundredth tiger. It ecological balance in nature and prevent environmental pollution.
faints from the shock and falls as a crumpled heap. The hunters realise the Unpolluted air, water and food can make all living beings healthy and
truth, but they decide not to reveal it to the king. They fear that they enable them to enjoy longer fives.
might lose their jobs. In today‟s political order, subordinates serve their 11.Who is the hero of the story „The Tiger King‟ ? How may he be
superior bosses as deaf and dumb creatures who see only what their identified?
masters want them to see. Their self-interests and fear of elimination Answer:
make them faithful servants. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram is the hero of this story. He may be
identified as His Highness Jamedar-General, Khiledar-Major, Sata
9. Gan you relate instances of game-hunting among the rich and the Vyaghra Samhari, Maharajadhiraja Visva Bhuvana Samrat, Sir Jilani
powerful in the present times that illustrate the callousness of human Jung Jung Bahadur, M.A.D., A.C.T.C., or C.R.C.K. This name is often
beings towards wildlife? shortened to the Tiger King.
Answer: 12.What does the author consider imperative right at the start?
In our times, big game-hunting has been banned by law as so many Answer:
species of wildlife have been declared endangered species. Sanctuaries, Author considers it imperative to disclose a matter of vital importance
national parks and games reserves have been established to preserve about the Tiger King. He was a man of indomitable courage. Eveiyone
wildlife from extinction and maintain ecological balance in nature. Even who reads of him will have a natural desire to meet him face-to-face. But
then sporadic cases of game-hunting are reported in newspapers now and there is no chance of its fulfilment as the Tiger King is dead.
then. It is generally noticed that the erstwhile rulers—kings or nawabs or 13. Which matter about the Tiger King is of extraordinary interest?
the rich and powerful persons or famous film stars indulge in game- Answer:
hunting. The cases against late M.A.K. Pataudi and Salman Khan are still The manner of the death of the Tiger King is of extraordinary interest.
pending in courts. Poachers and smugglers too destroy wildlife for skin, The most fantastic aspect of his demise was that as soon as he was born,
meat or for various organs of body and escape scot-free. astrologers had foretold that one day the Tiger King would actually have
to die.

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14. What was the great miracle that took place? What was its result? 19. How does the author satirise the upbringing and education of
Answer: crown princes of Indian states?
The astrologers said the child bom under that particular star would one Answer:
day have to meet its death. At that very moment a great miracle took The author makes us laugh by pointing out the excessive love of the
place. An astonishing phrase emerged from the lips of the ten-day-old Indian kings and queens for English education and English way of fife.
Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, “O wise prophets!” Everyone stood motionless They seemed so enamoured of everything English that the crown princes
with astonishment and stupidity. drank the milk of English cows, were brought up by English nannies and
tutored in English by Englishmen. They saw only English films. Thus,
15. What did the infant born just ten days ago tell the wise they were Indians only in flesh and blood, but aped Englishmen in culture
astrologers? and manners.
Answer:
The infant said that all those who are bom will one day have to die. So he 20. Why did the Maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state?
did not need their predictions to know that. He further said that there Answer:
would be some sense in it if they could tell him the manner of his death. Maharaja banned the tiger hunting in the state. Because he wanted to
prove the predictions of state astrologer wrong that he would be killed by
16. Why did the Maharaja order the dewan to double the land tax? the hundredth tiger. That is why he put a ban on the hunting of tigers on
Answer: all the tiger-rich forest of Pratibandapuram.
Maharaja went out on an expedition to find the hundredth tiger. The tiger
could not be found. That is why in anger he ordered the dewan to double 21. Why, do you think, did the Maharaja send for the State
the land tax. astrologer?
Answer:
17. How did the chief astrologer react to the infant prince‟s The Maharaja was excited beyond measure when he killed his first tiger.
observation ? He felt proud of his feat. He wanted to show the dead beast to the State
Answer: astrologer. So, he sent for him and wanted to know what he said then.
The chief astrologer was surprised. He placed his finger on his nose in
wonder. It was incredible that the ten-day-old infant raised intelligent 22. Sum up in your own words the interview between the Maharaja
questions. He said that the prince was bom in the hour of the Bull. The and the State astrologer.
Bull and the Tiger are enemies. Therefore, death comes from the Tiger. Answer:
On the orders of the Maharaja, the State astrologer said that his majesty
18. How did the crown prince Jung Jung Bahadur grow up? might kill ninety- nine tigers in exactly the same manner. But he must be
Answer: careful with the hundredth tiger. The Maharaja observed that the
The infant had an uneventful childhood. He grew up just like other royal hundredth tiger might also be killed. What will happen then? The
princes of Indian states during the British rule. The prince grew taller and astrologer said that then he would tear up all his books on astrology and
stronger day by day. The boy drank the milk of an English cow. He was set fire to them. Moreover, he would cut off his tuft, crop his hair short
brought up by an English nanny and tutored in English by an Englishman. and become an insurance agent.
He saw nothing but English films.

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23.Point out the irony in the statement: “From that day onwards it 27. Would it be proper to call the Maharaja „penny-wise, pound
was celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram.” foolish‟? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: Answer:
The state banned tiger hunting by anyone except the Maharaja. An The Maharaja insists on restricting tiger-killing in his state to himself. He
official statement was issued. If anyone dared to harm a tiger even by is unwilling to compromise in this regard. He would not let any other
flinging a stone at him, all his wealth and property would be confiscated. person be even photographed with a dead tiger in his state. He has to send
The tigers could rejoice that they would not be killed by the riff-raff. The a gift of fifty diamond rings to the British officer‟s good lady to placate
irony is that they were set to die at the hands of the Maharaja. The bullets the injured feelings of the man and to retain his kingdom. It illustrates
of his gun awaited them. that he was penny-wise, pound foolish.
24.Hew did the Maharaja devote himself to realise his ambition? 28. What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organise for the
How far did he succeed? high-ranking British officer ? What trait of the persons in high
Answer: position does it reveal ?
The Maharaja pursued his ambition with single minded devotion. He Answer:
vowed that he would attend to all other matters only after killing the The Maharaja offered to organise any other hunt in place of the tiger hunt
hundred tigers. He bravely faced many dangers to his life from tigers in for the high- ranking British officer. He might go on a boar-hunt. A
achieving his mission. Sometimes he had to fight a tiger with his bare mouse-hunt might be conducted. They were ready even for a‟ mosquito-
hands. But each time the Maharaja proved victorious by killing the beast. hunt. This shows the vanity and love of idle pursuits and frivolous
25.Why, do you think, was the Maharaja in danger of losing his pastimes by the persons in high position.
throne ? 29.Comment on the „rings episode‟ in the story „The Tiger King‟.
Answer: Answer:
The Maharaja had annoyed a high-ranking British officer by refusing him The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram ordered a famous British company of
permission to hunt tigers in Pratibandapuram. The Maharaja did not relent jewellers in Calcutta to send samples of expensive diamond rings of
even when the request was toned down that the durai himself did not have different designs. Some fifty rings arrived. The Maharaja sent the whole
to kill the tiger. The Maharaja could do the actual killing. The durai lot to the British officer‟s good lady. He expected her to choose one or
wanted only a photograph of himself holding the gun and standing over two rings and send the rest back. But she simply sent a letter of thanks.
the tiger‟s carcass. The Maharaja stood in danger of losing his throne The episode reveals human weaknesses such as vanity, pride, greed,
because he prevented a British officer from fulfilling his desire. cunningness, flattery and appeasement.
26.What traits of the Maharaja and the British officer are exposed 30……. an unforeseen hurdle brought his mission to a standstill”.
and satirised through the episode of refusal of permission for tiger What was the mission and how did it stop? What do you find
hunt by the British officer? amusing in the reasons justifying the „hurdle‟?
Answer: Answer:
reveals that the Maharaja was wilful, obstinate and adamant. He had a The Maharaja‟s mission was to shoot one hundred tigers. He had killed
false sense of honour. If he had permitted one British officers, others seventy tigers within ten years. Then the tiger population became extinct
would also turn up. He is quite unreasonable and shows lack of in the forests of Pratibandapuram. The possible reasons for the absence of
understanding. Thus, he lacks practical approach. He would sacrifice tigers are quite amusing and even ludicrous. Either the tigers practised
diamonds to preserve his throne.The British officer seems publicity birth control or they committed suicide. They might have run away from
conscious. He is more interested in the photographs with the dead-tiger the state. Perhaps they desired to be shot by the British hands alone.
than in the tiger-hunt. The costly gift of diamonds mollifies his hurt ego.

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31.How did the dewan behave when the Maharaja summoned him 35.Why was the Maharaja so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger?
and brandished his gun? Answer:
Answer: The Maharaja had killed ninety-nine tigers. If he could kill just one more
The dewan shuddered at the sight of the gun. He cried out, “Your tiger, he would have no fear left. Then he could give up tiger hunting
Majesty! I am not a tiger!” The Maharaja enquired which idiot would call altogether. He thought of the tiger during the day and dreamt of it at
him a tiger. The dewan then declared that he was not a gun. The Maharaja night. Moreover, he had to be extremely careful with that last tiger. The
became a bit polite. Addressing him as „Dewan Saheb‟ he assured him late chifef astrologer had already warned him.
that he was neither tiger nor gun. He was summoned there for a different
purpose. 36.“It seemed easier to find tiger‟s milk than a live tiger” Why? What
does the contradiction imply?
32. How did the dewan react to the Maharaja‟s declaration. “I have Answer:
decided to get married”? As the Maharaja reached near the coveted figure of hundred, his
Answer: difficulties also multiplied. He had already killed ninety-nine tigers, but
The reaction of the dewan is quite funny and amusing. He thinks that the then the tiger farms ran dry even in his father-in-law‟s kingdom. It
Maharaja wants to marry him. He says that he has already two wives. The became impossible to locate tigers anywhere. The hundredth tiger seemed
Maharaja clarifies that he does not want to marry him. He wants a tiger. difficult to find. One can‟t get tiger‟s milk without finding the tigress. Yet
The dewan interrupts him saying that his ancestors were married to the it is thought easier than finding a live tiger. The contradiction implies the
sword. He might marry the gun if he liked. He added that a Tiger King difficulty in locating a tiger.
was more than enough for that state. It did not need a Tiger Queen as
well. 37.Why was the Maharaja sunk in gloom? Was he able to overpower
it? How /How not?
33. How did the Maharaja make his intentions clear to the dewan ? Answer:
What, do you think, is his first priority in marriage ? Only one tiger remained to be killed by the Maharaja, but it seemed
Answer: impossible to locate a tiger. So, the Maharaja was sunk in gloom. Then he
The Maharaja said that he was not thinking of marrying either a tiger or a got the happy news. In his own state sheep began to disappear frequently
gun. He wanted to marry a girl from the ranks of human beings. He asked from a hillside village. It was found out that this was not the work of
the dewan to collect statistics of tiger population in the different native Khader Mian Saheb or Virasami Naicker. Both of them could swallow
states. Then he should find out if there was a girl he could marry in the sheep whole. It was then deduced that it was the work of a tiger. The
royal family of the state with a large tiger population. Evidently, his first villagers ran to inform the Maharaja about the availability of a tiger.
priority is the tiger.
38.What aspects of the Maharaja‟s nature and conduct does the wait
34.How did the Maharaja succeed in raising his tiger tally to ninety- for the hundredth tiger reveal?
nine? Answer:
Answer: The wait for the hundredth tiger reveals the royal rage, obstinacy and firm
The Maharaja married a girl from a state which possessed a large number determination of the Maharaja. He refused to leave the forest until the
of tigers. Each time he visited his father-in-law, he killed five or six tiger was found. Many officers lost their jobs because of his anger. Even
tigers. In this manner he raised the tally of tigers killed by him from the dewan was asked to resign his post. This shows that the Maharaja was
seventy to ninety-nine. insensitive towards his employees.

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39.How, do you think, did the dewan try to help the Maharaja 43. What do you learn about princes and kings of native Indian states
achieve his mission? during the British rule from the story „The Tiger King‟?
Answer: Answer:
The aged dewan was very wise. He brought an old tiger from the People‟s The story „The Tiger King‟ presents a fair glimpse of the young princes
Park in Madras. He kept it hidden in his house. Judging the impatience of and the Maharajas ©f native Indian states. Their long names with
the Maharaja to shoot the tiger, he decided to release it near the descriptive titles and decorative honours was more a rule than an
Maharaja‟s camp. So, at midnight he dragged the tiger to the car with the exception. They considered recognition from the British government and
help of his aged wife and shoved it into the seat. He drove the car himself its officers a favour. They aped the Britishers in upbringing, education,
straight to the forest and hauled the beast out of the car and pushed it manners and behaviour. The Maharajas were autocrats and their words
down to the ground near the Maharaja‟s camp. were the law. They could be benevolent as well as stubborn. Their
40.How does the tiger behave towards the dewan, the Maharaja and minions as well as ministers feared and respected them. Sometimes their
the hunters? What does his behaviour show? whims proved quite costly to the state coffer. The Maharaja of
Answer: Pratibandapuram spends three lakh of rupees on gift of diamond rings to
The tiger behaves like a pet animal with the dewan. The dewan and his retain his kingdom. Marriages with princesses of other states are based on
aged wife drag the tiger to the car and shove it into the seat. In the forest, considerations other than love or virtues of the girl. In short, the Princes
the tiger launches its satyagraha and refuses to get out of the car. The and Maharajas are portrayed as whimsical, stubborn and excitable
Dewan tries hard to haul it out of the car and push it down to the ground. persons proud of their virtues and valour.
It stands before the Maharaja as if in humble supplication. It falls down in
a crumpled heap as the Maharaja fires the gun. It faints from the shock of 44. What did the astrologers predict about the infant prince ? What
the bullet whizzing past. It looks back at the hunters rolling its eyes in was the miracle that baffled them. ? What did the chief astrologer
bafflement. This shows that it is a very old and weak tiger. enlighten the prince about and how ?
41.“The bullet had missed it.” “This time he killed it without missing Answer:
his mark.” Whose bullet had missed the tiger? How was the beast As soon as the prince was bom, astrologers predicted that one day the
killed ultimately? Bring out the irony of the situation. Tiger King would certainly have to die. It was the influence of the star
Answer: under which he was bom. At that very moment a great miracle took place.
The Maharaja‟s bullet missed the tiger though he had taken careful aim at An astonishing phrase emerged from the lips of the ten-day-old Jilani
the beast. The shock of the sound of the bullet made it faint. One hunter Jung Jung Bahadur, “O wise prophets!” Everyone stood motionless with
took aim from a distance of one foot and shot the tiger dead. astonishment and stupidity. The infant said that all those who are bom
It is ridiculous that the Tiger King who had killed ninety-nine tigers will have to die one day. So he did not need their predictions to know
should miss his aim. It is funny that the hunter takes aim from a hand- that. However, there would be some sense in it if they could tell him the
shaking distance. The whole situation is ironic. manner of that death.
42. How does the hundredth tiger take its final revenge upon the The astrologers were baffled that a baby barely ten-day-old has not only
Tiger King? opened his lips in speech but had also raised intelligent questions. It was
Answer: quite incredible. The chief astrolo¬ger fixed his eyes upon the little
The Tiger King could not kill the hundredth tiger. It had merely fainted prince. He said that the prince was bom in the hour of the
from shock of the sound of the bullet. It is the wooden tiger from the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger are enemies. Therefore, death comes from
toyshop that becomes the cause of Maharaja‟s death. One of the slivers on the Tiger.
its body pierces the Maharaja‟s right hand. Infection flares up and the
prick develops into a suppurating sore. The Maharaja dies during the
operation.
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45. How did the Maharaja try to disprove the prediction of the chief 47. How does the author satirise the hunting instincts of the persons
astrologer? What did the state astrologer assert when the Maharaja in authority ?
summoned him to show his first kill? Answer:
Answer: The story tells us that big game hunting was considered a royal sport. The
Since the astrologers had predicted death from Tiger, the Maharaja Maharaja of Pratibandapuram went to the extent of banning tiger-hunt in
decided to kill tigers to defend himself. Hence he started out on a tiger his own kingdom by all others except himself.
hunt campaign. There were enough tigers in the forests of Tiger-hunt became an obsession for him. He thought of tiger during the
Pratibandapuram state. The Maharaja was thrilled beyond mea¬sure when day and dreamt of it at night. He postponed all affairs of the state and
he killed his first tiger. He sent for the state astrologer and showed him devoted himself only to tiger-hunt. Thus, a pastime or sport became the
the dead beast. only aim of his life. He married for the sake of tiger. He chose a princess
The Maharaja asked the astrologer what he said then. The astrologer said in whose kingdom there were plenty of tigers. He could undertake any
that his maj-esty might kill ninety-nine tigers in exactly the same manner, risks for tiger-hunt.
but he must be very careful with the hundredth tiger. Maharaja wanted to The British officers had also developed a fondness for this royal sport.
know what would happen if the hundredth ; tiger was also killed. Perhaps they considered it a status symbol. They were publicity conscious
The state astrologer said that in that case he would tear up all his books and wanted to be photographed with a gun in hand and the carcass of a
on astrology and „ set fire to them. Moreover, he would cut off his tuft, tiger at feet. Various other hunts were also prevalent. These included
crop his hair short and become an insurance agent. boar-hunt, mouse-hunt and mosquito-hunt. The descending order of risk
and resistance from the victims makes us laugh at the whims and
46. What problems did the Maharaja face in pursuit of his mission ? craziness of the hunters. Thus, the story exposes the fondness of persons
How did he resolve them ? in authority for hunting wild animals.
Answer:
The Maharaja started his mission of killing one hundred tigers with 48. How did the Maharaja devise a new avenue to fulfil his ambition
single-minded devo¬tion. He focused all his energy and attention to it. He to kill one hundred tigers? How far did he succeed?
vowed that he would attend to all other matters only after killing one Answer:
hundred tigers. Initially, the king seemed well set to realise his ambition. The Tiger King had resolved to kill one hundred tigers. During ten years
Then dangers and difficulties cropped up. There were times when the he killed seventy tigers in his kingdom. Then the tigers became extinct in
bullet missed its mark. The tiger would leap upon him and he had to fight the forests of Pratibandapuram. The Maharaja devised a plan. He decided
the wild beast with his bare hands. Luckily, each time the Maharaja, who to get married. He asked the dewan to collect statistics of tiger population
had indomitable cour¬age, won. in different native states. Then he was assigned the job to find out if there
Once he was in danger of losing his throne because he did not permit a was any girl in the royal household that he could marry. The main
high-ranking British officer to hunt a tiger in the Pratibandapuram forest. criterion for the selection of the princess was that her father‟s kingdom
The king did not accede to his request for being photographed with a gun should have a large number of tiger population. The dewan complied with
on the carcass of a tiger killed by the Maharaja. The Maharaja had to part the orders of the Maharaja. Then the Maharaja married a girl from a state
with a costly gift to placate his injured feelings and save his kingdom. which possessed a large tiger population. Each time he visited his father-
in-law, he killed five or six tigers. In this way he was successful in killing
niqety-nine tigers.

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49. Give an account of the Maharaja‟s impatience for the hundredth 51. Comment on the appropriateness of the title „The Tiger King‟.
tiger and the actual encounter. What, do you think, caused the death Answer:
of the Tiger King? „The Tiger King‟ is a quite appropriate and suggestive title. It focuses
Answer: attention on the hero of the story—The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram,
The Maharaja was keen to kill the hundredth tiger. If he did so, he would who is also nick named the Tiger King. The story spans from his birth to
have no fears left. It became impossible to locate tigers anywhere. When death and covers all the landmarks connected with his passion—tiger-
the villagers informed him of the activities of a tiger near hillside, he hunt. For him human relations and the affairs of the state are second¬ary.
went to the forest and waited there. The tiger seemed to have deliberately He marries a princess for the sake of a tiger. When he celebrates the third
hid himself to defy the Maharaja‟s will. birthday of the crown prince, he brings a wooden tiger for him as a gift. It
The wise, aged dewan got an old tiger brought from the People‟s Park in is ironic that the sliver of the wooden tiger causes his death. The
Madras. He released it at night in the forest near the Maharaja‟s camp. In overconfidence and false sense of security of the Tiger King on having
the morning, the same tiger wandered into the Maharaja‟s presence and killed the hundredth tiger leads to his doom. The story which begins with
stood their meekly. The Maharaja took careful aim at the beast. The tiger the prediction of death of the Tiger King right at his birth, ends with his
fell down. Actually the bullet had missed it, The old tiger had fainted with death from a tiger. Thus, the title is quite apt.
the shock of the bullet passing near him.
The Tiger King died due to an infection from a tiny sliver of a wooden 52.What devices does the author use to make the story „The Tiger
tiger. The prick developed into a sore with pus. A surgical operation was King‟ humorous and interesting?
performed on his arm, but he died. The writer comments that the Answer:
hundredth tiger took its final revenge upon the Tiger King. The author uses many literary devices to make this story humorous as
well as interest-ing. He introduces the elements of shock and surprise by
50. Comment on the ending of the story „The Tiger King‟. Do you making the ten-day-old baby open his lips to talk and ask intelligent
find it convincing? Give reasons. questions. The predictions of the astrologers convey inevitability of death,
Answer: but the man of indomitable courage i.e., the Tiger King faces the agent of
The ending of the story „The Tiger King‟ seems tame, unconvincing and death i.e., the tiger many times and comes out victorious every time.
rather contrived. It seems unnatural and unrealistic. It is beyond The description of the education and upbringing of crown princes of
comprehension how a king who has over powered ferocious tigers in Indian states and their craze for „English‟ provides lots of fun. The
single combat with bare hands succumbs to a prick from the sliver of a mention of various hunts: tiger-hunt, boar-hunt, mouse-hunt, mosquito-
wooden tiger. hunt makes us laugh at the pastimes of the people in authority at the cost
It is amazing to find how the infection flares in the Maharaja‟s right hand. of innocent animals. The last two hunts seem funny and ridiculous.
In four days, the prick develops into a suppurating sore and spreads all The Maharaja‟s thought of marrying a girl for the sake of tiger is also
over the arm. The three sur¬geons perform a successful operation but fail amusing. The behaviour of the high-ranking British officer and that of the
to save the Maharaja. How is the operation successful then? It seems that Maharaja and his dewan at different points in the story provoke laughter
the author wants us to believe that the astrologer was right and the and maintain the reader‟s interest in the narrative.
hundredth tiger took its final revenge upon the Tiger King.This ending
may satisfy superstitious readers with orthodox beliefs, but for the
enlight¬ened minds of the age of computers and rockets it is a bitter pill
to swallow.

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