Mijbil the Otter by Gavin Maxwell: Questions and Answers

Lesson 8. Mijbil the Otter for Class X

Q1. Describe Gavin Maxwell’s experience with the otter in the aircraft.

Ans. Gavin Maxwell wanted to take the otter, Mijbil, to London. But the aircraft authorities suggested to Maxwell to put Mijbil into a box. It should not be more than 18 inches. The air hostess advised the author to keep the box on his knees. But the otter was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared somewhere under the seats. There was a hue and cry in the aircraft. A woman cried, “A rat, a rat!” The writer tried to catch it. But his face was covered with curry. He had to return to his seat. But still, his eyes were searching for the otter. After sometime, Mijbil sat on the author’s knees. It began to nuzzle his face and neck. Thus it was taken to London.

 Q2. When did the author decide to have a pet otter instead of a pet dog? How did he get one? How did he carry him to England?

Ans. The author’s pet dog had died It was then the author had decided to keep an otter as a pet. His friend told him to go to Iraq to get an otter. . By chance in 1956, he had to go to Southern part of Iraq. Then the author went to Basra to get his mail. After getting his mail on the fifth day, the author went in his room to read the mail. There he saw two Arabs sitting on the floor. They had an otter in a sack. Actually those two Arabs were sent by the author’s friend. In this way he got an otter. The author booked a seat in a flight going to Paris. Luckily he got a seat in the front row. Mijbil was packed into a box. From Paris, he reached London along with the otter.

Short Answer-type Qs.

Q1. What experiment did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Ans. The experiment was about keeping an otter as a pet.  He thought that Camusfearna was surrounded by water. Otters love to play in water. So the writer thought to bring an otter and keep it as a pet in place of a dog.

Q2. Why did Maxwell go to Basra? How long did he wait there and why?

Ans. Maxwell went to Basra to get his mail and answer it from there. He had to wait for five days in Basra to get his mail. It was because of a religious holiday and some problem in the telephone lines.

Q3.What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after it?

Ans. Mijbil was very happy in the bathroom. It started playing in the bathtub. It was jumping and rolling in water. It spent half an hour enjoying in the water of the bathtub. After two days, it escaped from the bedroom and entered the bathroom to play in water.

Q4. How was Mijbil to be transported to England?

Ans. The British Airlines did not allow Maxwell to take Mijbil in the flight. Then he booked his seat another flight going to Paris. From there he reached London. But he had to pack Mij into a box of eighteen inches.

Q5. What game had Mij invented?

Ans. Mijbil invented a game on the damaged suitcase. Its one side was up making a slope. Mijbil put the ball at the higher end of the slope. It rolled down to the full length of the suitcase. It repeated it and discovered that it would be its pet game.

Q6.What happened when the box was opened? Or What did the Otter (Mij) do to the box?

Ans. When the author opened the box, there was a shocking scene. Mijbil was covered with blood. He had torn the lining of the box to shreds. In that process he got injured.

Q7. Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter? Or why is Mij’s species known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?

Ans. Since Maxwell made this species of Mijbil, the otter, known to the whole world, it was named ‘Maxwell’s otter’.

Q8.What group of animals do otters belong to?

Ans. Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines. Other animals of this species are: badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others

Q10. What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

Ans. They made several guesses about Mizbil. Some called it a baby seal or a squirrel. Other called it a walrus, a hippo, a bear cub, a beaver or even a leopard that had changed its spots. All that  made the writer amiused.

Q11. What did the author give to the airhostess?

Ans. The author gave a packet of fish to the airhostess. It was the food for mijbil to eat during the flight.

Q12. What were Mijbils favourite toys for his pastime? How did he play with them?

Ans. Marbles were his favourite toys for his pastime. He would lie flat. Then he took two or more marbles and moved them up and down on his flat belly with his paws.

Q13. What toys did Maxwell purchase from Mijbil’s native place?

Ans. Ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell were Mijbil’s toys that Maxwell purchased his native marshes.

Q14. What are compulsive habits? What are Mijbil’s compulsive habits according to the author?

Ans. The habits which force one to do some activities again and again are called ‘compulsive habits’. Like children, Mijbil also did such activities. It would jump on to the boundary wall of a primary school and then run on it. It was in front of the writer’s flat in London.