Grandfather and the Python
by Ruskin Bond
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Quick Answers
1. Answer the following questions in not more than a sentence.
a. Where did Grandfather find the python? What did he do with it?
= Grandfather found the python at a snake charmer in the bazaar.
Grandfather bought the python from the snake charmer and walked home slinging the python across his shoulder.
b. What was Grandmother's reaction on seeing the python?
= Grandmother nearly fainted at the sight of the python curled round Grandfather's throat. She afraid that he would be strangled and asked him to get rid of it at once.
c. Who arrived at the narrator's grandparents' home, shortly?
= Grandfather's cousin sister Mabel arrived at the narrator's grandparents' home shortly.
d. Where did the guest first see the python?
= The guest saw the python on the guava tree of the garden for the first time.
Reference to context
2. " 'He's gone', announced Grandfather. 'He must have felt hungry'."
a. Who is being referred to in these lines?
= The python is being referred to in these lines.
b. Where did he go away from? How?
= He went away from the bathroom.
He went out of the bathroom through the open window.
c. What was the narrator's response to this? What did he mean?
= The narrator just hoped that the python was not too hungry.
He meant that it may attack any human being of the family, especially fussy Aunt Mabel, or of the neighbourhood.
3. "After this incident, the python began to make a series of appearances, often in the most unexpected places."
a. After which incident did the python start making regular appearances?
= After Aunt Mabel found the python in the guava tree of the garden, the python started making regular appearances.
b. What were some of these 'unexpected places'?
= Some of these 'unexpected places' were - under a cushion, on the dressing table, in the garden again, and back on the dressing table again.
c. Who was the most affected by the python's visits? How did this person react to these visits?
= Aunt Mabel was the most affected by the python's visits.
She had a fit of hysterics when she saw him admiring her from under a cushion.
4. "He set about preparing a large cage with a mirror at one end. In the cage he left a juicy chicken and various other delicacies, and fitted up the opening with a trapdoor."
a. Who began to make this cage and for whom?
= Grandfather began to make this cage for the python.
b. Why was this cage being prepared?
= The cage was being prepare to catch the python as he was moving here and there causing nuances to the members of the family.
c. Why were such elaborate arrangements being made while preparing the cage? What does this say about whoever was expected to enter the cage?
= Such elaborate arrangements were being made while preparing the cage as it was a python of about twenty feet length.
It has a whimsical mood with all its wild instinct. Grandfather had not mush idea about the python's choices. Grandfather, therefore, arranges the cage elaborately to make sure that the python enters the cage.
Read, reflect and write
5. Describe Aunt Mabel's reaction when she first saw the python.
= Aunt Mabel unexpectedly saw the python for two times. Once in the guava tree of the garden and another from under a cushion. She screamed while found it in the guava tree. She came flying up the veranda steps, looking as though she had seen a ghost.
6. Why do you think Grandfather only made half-hearted attempts to get the python out of the house?
= I think Grandfather only made half-hearted attempts to get the python out of the house as he was very caring to the python. He was reluctant to go to the bazaar and find the snake charmer.
Grandmother asked his to leave the python in the jungle across the river bed. But Grandfather wished to feed the creature before doing that. He produced a plucked chicken for the python. At the time of making the cage, we see that Grandfather made every possible efforts for the python to enter in it cosily.
At last, when the creature was left in the jungle with the trapdoor open, Grandfather said that it not attempting to get out. Actually Grandfather did not wish it to get out of the cage and leave it in the jungle.
7. What about the python was concluded to be its 'weakness'?
= A mirror was concluded about the python to be its 'weakness'. As it was found two times before the dressing table mirror of the narrator's house.
8. The author says that his grandmother drew the lines at snakes being brought to the house. Having read the story, do you believe that Grandmother was unkind to snakes or to the particular snake that Grandfather brought to the house?
= The author says that his grandmother drew the lines at snakes being brought to the house. But having read the story, we found that she was not too harsh towards the python. She was worried about Aunt Mabel who was about to come to their house.
She asked Grandfather to return it to the snake charmer or leave it in the jungle across the river bed. In the next moment, we see that she followed the narrator tiptoed to the bathroom while Grandfather was about to feed the animal. There were a bit of affection for the python anywhere in her mind.
9. Both the narrator and his grandparents love animals. Have you ever cared for an animal or a bird? Describe your experience.
= Both the narrator and his grandparents love animals. Of course I an fond of animals. Once I found a puppy while returning from school. It had injury in on of its legs. I took it to my house. Me and my mother treated the injury of it and took good care of it. When it became fit, it got connected with us and did not leave us. It started to stay with us. I was very fond of spending time with it. I used to take it out side for a walk and play with it.
10 Extended writing: Do you think Grandfather was fond of the python? Give instances from the text to support your answer.
= Yes, I think Grandfather was very fond of it. He instantly bought it from the snake charmer in the bazaar. He took the python home slinging it across his shoulder. He was not at all agreed to return it to the snake charmer or leave it in the jungle across the river bed.
Somehow he wished to consider the wish of Grandmother but wanted to feed the creature before doing that. Then he found that the python was not in the bathroom. He was worried that it must have been very hungry and that's why it left. A careful search was made of the house, the kitchen, the garden, the stable and the poultry shed; but the python couldn't be found anywhere.
Then the python was appearing in many places. Grandfather observed that perhaps the attention he was receiving from everyone had made him little conceited. At the time of making the cage, we see that Grandfather made every possible efforts for the python to enter in it cosily.
At last, when the creature was left in the jungle with the trapdoor open, Grandfather said that it not attempting to get out. Actually Grandfather did not wish it to get out of the cage and leave it in the jungle.
About the Author:
Ruskin Bond (b. 1934) was born in Kasauli, India. He wrote his first novel The Room on the Roof when he was 17 years old and won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize. He has written over a hundred short stories, poems and essays, and about thirty books for children. A few of his known works are The Room on the Roof, Panther's Moon and Time Stops at Shamli. He has received the Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in India. He has also been honoured with the Padma Shri.