Adventures of Toto
Ruskin Bond

Think about It

Q.1. How does Toto come to Grandfather’s private zoo ?

Ans. Grandfather is fond of animals. When he sees Toto tied to the feeding-trough of a tonga-drivers carriage, looking quite out of place, he decides to add him to his private zoo. He buys Toto from the tonga-driver for a sum of rupees five.

Q.2.” Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is he pretty?

Ans. Toto has bright, mischievous, sparkling eyes beneath deep set eyebrows. His teeth are pearly white which he displays in sparkling smiles that terrifies the Anglo-Indian ladies. Apart from which he has deft fingers and a long tail which he uses as a third hand and to swing himself around.

Q.3. Why does Grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how ? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog ?

Ans. 4. Grandfather needed to travel to Saharanpur to collect his pension. He is compelled to take Toto to Saharanpur as Toto would not let the other animals in the servant’s quarters sleep. Therefore, Toto is put inside a strong canvas bag which is impossible for him to bite through. As a result, the passengers at the Dehra Dun platform gets entertained by a canvas bag that keeps rolling and hopping.
Toto manages to put his head out and smile at the ticket collector, just when it is grandfather’s turn to produced his ticket at the turnstile. Since, there is no provision for issuing tickets for monkeys, the ticket collector insists that Toto is a dog and makes grandfather pay three rupees for carrying a dog.

Q.4. How does Toto take a bath ? Where has he learnt to do this ? How does Toto almost boil himself alive ?

Ans.4. Grandmother is a kind soul and gives a treat of a warm bath to Toto as well as the author. Toto checks the temperature of the water cautiously and then puts one feet after the other before submerging himself to his neck. Thereafter, he rubs himself with soap. When the water becomes cold he runs to the kitchen fire to dry himself. He is offended if anyone laughs at him to see him do so.
Toto has learnt to take his bath by observing the author when he took his bath.
A kettle full of water is put on the kitchen fire for tea. When Toto checks the temperature it is comfortably warm for a bath, so he puts himself inside the kettle. As the water becomes warmer he feels uncomfortable and raises himself out. But finding the temperature cold outside he gets inside the kettle. This continues till grandmother reaches there and hauls him out of the kettle almost half boiled.

Q.5. Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long ?’’

Ans.5. Toto’s antics are too expensive for the family to bear. He keeps destroying plates, dishes, curtains, clothes, wallpapers whose losses are too much for the family to afford, as they are not very well-off. Gradually, the author as well as his grandfather realises that they can not afford to keep him, and he is sold back to the tonga-driver by grandfather for a sum of rupees three.