A Tiger in The House Summary Class 7 English An Alien Hand

Introduction

"Timothy, the Tiger Cub" is a interesting story by one of India's most beloved writers, Ruskin Bond. The narrative, told through the eyes of a grandchild, recounts the adventures and eventual fate of a tiger cub named Timothy. Discovered by the grandfather in the jungle, Timothy is raised by the family with love and care, forming unique bonds with his human and animal companions. As Timothy grows, the family faces the challenges of keeping a wild animal, ultimately leading to his transfer to a zoo. The story beautifully captures the essence of human-animal relationships and the bittersweet nature of parting with a beloved pet.

Summary

The story is about a pet tiger. The story is told by the Grandchild-India’s most loved writer Ruskin Bond. Grandfather found a tiger cub in the jungle. Grandmother brought him up as his own child and named him Timothy. Timothy companions were a monkey and a puppy. Timothy was scared of the puppy initially. The monkey had the courage to pull Timothy's tail and if Timothy lost his temper he would climb up the curtain. Timothy loved to play with someone so the writer was his favorite when he came to live in grandfather’s house. Timothy’s favorite place was the drawing - room on the long sofa.

At night he would sleep in the cook quarters. He kept himself clean and scrubbed himself like a cat. One of these days, said grandmother in a prophetic manner “we are going to find Timothy sitting on Mahmoud’s bed and no sign of the cook except his clothes and shoes”. Of course it was never true. 

When Timothy was six months old he started growing less friendly and more dangerous. Grandfather decided to transfer Timothy to a Zoo. In a special reserved compartment he took Timothy to Lucknow. 

After six months, when grandfather was visiting relatives in Lucknow he also went to the Zoo to see Timothy. At the zoo he went to his cage. Timothy was fully grown. Grandfather stroked his forehead and tickled his ears. Timothy licked grandfather’s hand and only sprang away when a leopard next door snarled at him. Grandfather would shooed away the leopard. It happened many times. Grandfather told a Zoo keeper to change Timothy’s cage as the leopard frightened the tiger. The grandfather then went in search of the superintendent to complain. He didn’t find him so Grandfather went to say bye to Timothy when another keeper who had been there when grandfather had got Timothy. He said “Why don't you transfer Timothy in another cage?” “But sir replied the keeper he is not your tiger.” “I know he no longer mine but at least take my suggestion.” “I remember your tiger very well he died two months ago” said the keeper. “Died” exclaimed grandfather. “Yes sir of pneumonia and this tiger is very dangerous he was trapped in the hill last month”. Grandfather left saying “Goodnight Timothy.”

Theme

The primary theme of "Timothy, the Tiger Cub" revolves around the bond between humans and animals. Ruskin Bond masterfully explores the dynamics of nurturing and raising a wild animal within a human household. The story highlights themes of love, care, and companionship, juxtaposed with the inherent wildness and unpredictability of a tiger. It also touches on the inevitable separation that comes when wild animals outgrow their domestic surroundings and the emotional turmoil that accompanies such partings. The narrative subtly reflects on the responsibilities and ethical considerations of keeping wild animals as pets, ultimately advocating for their well-being in natural or protected environments.

_{Difficult Words and Their Meanings}

• Companions - Friends or partners who accompany someone.
• Prophetic - Predicting or foreshadowing future events.
• Mahmoud - A name used in the story; refers to the cook.
• Reserved Compartment - A section of a train set aside for specific passengers.
• Stroked - Gently touched or caressed.
• Tickled - Lightly touched to cause a tingling or itching sensation.
• Snarled - Made an aggressive growl with bared teeth.
• Superintendent - A person who manages or oversees an organization or place, such as a zoo.
• Pneumonia - A serious lung infection causing inflammation and difficulty breathing.
• Exclaimed - Spoke suddenly and with strong emotion.
• Trapped - Captured, usually referring to an animal caught in a trap.
• Hill - A raised area of land, smaller than a mountain