The Tiger King -CBSE XII English

April 21, 2014

THE TIGER KING

Short Answer Type Questions:

1. What did the astrologers say about the Tiger king when he was born?

Key Points:

Ø Astrologers declare – the prince hero of heroes

Ø But also told about his death

Ø Birth in the hour of bull

Ø Had dangers from tiger

As soon as the Tiger King was born, the Astrologers declared that he would grow up to become the warrior of warriors, hero of heroes but revealed the “secret”, the child born under that star would definitely have to die one day. On being asked further, they said that since the prince was born at the hour of the bull, he would be killed by a tiger, because bull and tiger are enemies.

2. What was the surprising event when Tiger king was born?

Key Points:

Ø The ten day old baby spoke.

Ø He asked question to the astrologers

Ø Challenged the tiger

There was a miracle when the astrologers said that the prince must die one day. They heard the ten-day old baby speak and ask spoke more sense than the astrologers. The baby enlightened the “Wise Prophets” that all those who are born will have to die one day and one doesn’t need astrological predictions to say that. The child wanted to know the manner of Prince’s death.

3. How was the Tiger King brought up?

Key Points:

Ø Like other princes- given the milk of an English cow

Ø Looked after by Eng. Nanny

Ø Read English and watched English films.

The Tiger King’s childhood was normal after the initial miracle. He was brought up by an English Nanny, drank the milk of an English cow, tutored in English by and Englishman, saw nothing but English films, just like any other crown prince of other Indian State.

4. How did the fortune of the hillside village change? Why were they punished at last?

Key Points:

Ø Villagers’ sheep missing

Ø Chance of being a tiger in the area

Ø King was happy to listen the news

Ø Awarded the villagers –exemption of tax for three years

Ø When tiger not found- doubled the tax for villagers

When the people of a hillside village believed that there was a tiger in the area, they informed the Tiger King. Many sheep began to disappear frequently from there. The King who was looking for the hundredth tiger heard this happy news and declared a three year tax exemption from all taxes for that village. But when the king could not find the tiger ever after his stay for many days, he was angry and doubled the land tax.

5. How strong was the tiger brought from people’s park?

Key Points:

Ø An old tiger –kept hidden in Diwan’s house

Ø Both pushed the tiger in the car

Ø Took it to the forest

Ø Tiger refused to get down- pushed down by Diwan

The tiger was kept hidden in Diwan’s house. The Deewan and his aged wife dragged the tiger to the car and shoved it in the seat. When the tiger was brought to the village where Tiger King was camping, the tiger refused to get down from the car. Deewan had to exhaust himself to haul the tiger out of the car. So weak was the tiger.

6. Write two instances of irony from the lesson ‘The Tiger King’.

Key Points:

Ø The prince brought up by English nanny, drank milk of an English cow

Ø Killed 99 tiger to avoid his death which is sure for everyone

Ø Even a wooden tiger caused his death

Ø Doctors were happy for success of operations even after the king died

Tiger King was no doubt a hero of heroes as the astrologers predicted. He killed 99 tigers and his death was as predicted caused by a tiger. A wooden tiger caused his death. The prediction and death are ironical enough and the wooden tiger was the real hundredth tiger since the earlier one was killed not by the king. Secondly the doctors who came to treat the Tiger King declared that the operation was successful and added in the same breath that the king was dead.

7. What was the danger to Tiger King’s Kingdom? How did he save his kingdom?

Key Points:

Ø Tiger king denied British officer to kill a tiger

Ø The officer might get angry and king might loose his kingdom

Ø Ordered jewelers for diamond rings to bribe the wife of the officer

Ø She accepted the rings- problem solved after expenditure of 3 Lacs

A high ranking British officer wanted to hunt tigers in Pratibandapuram. But, Tiger King did not permit him to hunt, because he wanted to kill all the tigers, at least one hundred. The Durai at least wanted a photograph with the carcass of a dead tiger. This too the Tiger King denied. In order to avoid the wrath of the Durai, he sent some fifty diamond rings to duraisani, expecting her to choose one or two. But she retained all. Though Maharaja had to pay three lakh rupees for the rings, he was happy to save his kingdom.

8. How did the chief astrologer react to the tiger king’s question about the manner of his death? How did the tiger king take it?

Key Points:

Ø the baby barely ten days old

Ø raised an intelligent question

Ø know about the manner of his death

Ø The bull and tiger are enemies

Ø king growled, “Let the tigers beware!”

When the baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech the chief astrologer was wonderstruck. He thought it to be incredible that the baby raised an intelligent question –to know about the manner of his death. The astrologer told that the prince was born in the hour of the bull. The bull and tiger are enemies. Therefore, death to him shall come from the Tiger. The tiger king growled, “Let the tigers beware!”

9. Why was it celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram?

Key points:

Ø The king declared –he would hill tigers

Ø Anybody throwing stone to the tiger will be punished

Ø His wealth and property will be confiscated

There was a celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram because the state banned tiger hunting by anyone except the Maharaja and a proclamation was issued to the effect that if any one dared to fling a stone at a tiger, all his wealth and property would be confiscated.

10. What plan did the Maharaja think of to fulfill his vow to kill hundred tigers after the tiger population became extinct in his state?

Key Points:

Ø the tiger population became extinct in his state

Ø planned to marry a girl-from kingdom with tigers population

Ø he would kill the remaining thirty

When the tiger population became extinct in his state the Maharaja planned to marry a girl of royal family of a native state with a large tiger population so that he would kill the remaining thirty tigers in the sate of his father –in-law when he visits that.

11. What caused the death of the Maharaja?

Key Points:

Ø Maharaja celebrated his son’s birthday

Ø Bought a wooden tiger as gift

Ø Played with the prince

Ø Got a quill pierced in his right hand

Ø Got suppurating sore

Ø Operated by 3 doctors- died – wooden tiger took revenge

The prophecy of the chief astrologer came true. A toy-wooden tiger-the hundredth tiger killed the Maharaja. The silver quill on the wooden tiger pierced his hand when he was playing with it on the crown prince’s third birthday. It caused a suppurating sore that spread all over the arm. He was operated but died.

II. Long answer type questions :

1. ‘The Tiger King’ is a social satire with a predominant humour in mocking at the cruel practices of the people in power. Explain.

Ø Satire is a composition that ridicules,

Ø generally in a humorous tone,

Ø the vices found in the social,

Ø political practices individuals.

Ø Tiger king lampoons the practices of the maharajas of the British Raj as well the attitudes of common people.

Ø The name “Jung Jung Bahadur…”, by its sheer empty title portrays the maharaja’s desire for false honour.

Ø The predictions of the astrologers show the emptiness of the people who practice astrology.

Ø We laugh heartily when they reveal the “secret” that the king must die one day.

Ø The incident relating to the infant as king questions tells us how myths are created around people.

Ø The tiger king was brought up in a created English environment; drinking English cow’s milk.

Ø Kalki tells us that all other princes of the Raj did the same.Banning of tiger king hunt in the state,

Ø waiving tax and later doubling it

Ø payment of three lakh rupees to Duraisani shows the uncaring attitude of the royals of the Raj.

Ø Maharaja’s decision to marry,

Ø the Dewan’s arrangement of a tiger,

Ø taking away a doll as a gift for the crown prince

Ø these are a few incidents that tell us how the kings stooped so low to get what they wanted.

2. Why was the Tiger King not able to fulfill his promise? What did he do to complete his promise?

Ø Started killing Tigers,

Ø killed many with some dangers coming in his way,

Ø stopped killing of tigers in his kingdome by any other,

Ø have to bribe the British officer,

Ø fall short of itger in his kingdome,

Ø consulted the Deewan and married to the daughter of a king in whose kingdome the number of tigers available,

Ø killed many at every visit to his in-law-house,

Ø no tigers after-99 tigers,

Ø arranged by Deewan from his own house,

Ø shot it, tiger fainted due to sound of bullet,

Ø killed by the helping guards of the king-

Ø this way completed his mission.

3. What did the Maharaja do when he stood in danger of losing his kingdom in refusing the British officer permission for tiger hunting?

Key Points:

Ø Tiger king denied British officer to kill a tiger

Ø The officer might get angry and king might loose his kingdom

Ø Ordered jewelers for diamond rings to bribe the wife of the officer

Ø obtained some fifty expensive diamond

Ø expecting her to choose one or two rings

Ø She accepted the rings- problem solved after expenditure of 3 Lacs

Ø his kingdom was saved.

The Maharaja obtained some fifty expensive diamond rings of different designs from a British Jewellery Company in Calcutta and sent them to the British officer’s good lady expecting her to choose one or two rings and send the rest back. But she kept all the rings and thanked the Maharaja for the gift. This cost the Maharaja three lakh rupees; but his kingdom was saved.