Summary
Chapter 6 of NCERT Class 7 English (An Alien Hand), "A Tiger in the House", is a story by Ruskin Bond about Grandfather raising a tiger cub named Timothy from infancy to near-adulthood before sending him to the Lucknow zoo — and his unexpected encounter with a wild tiger when he returns to visit six months later.
Grandfather finds a tiny tiger cub hiding among the roots of a banyan tree in the Terai jungle near Dehra and brings it home. Grandmother names the cub Timothy, and he is raised on milk, then raw mutton and cod-liver oil, and later pigeons and rabbits. Timothy grows up alongside two companions — Toto the monkey and a mongrel puppy — and becomes a favourite of the household. Around the age of six months he turns less friendly and begins stalking the cook Mahmoud, so Grandfather takes him by first-class rail to the Lucknow zoo. Six months later Grandfather visits and is affectionately greeted by a tiger — only to learn from a keeper that his Timothy died of pneumonia two months earlier and the tiger he stroked was a newly trapped, dangerous wild animal.
Key points & formulas
- 01Grandfather discovers the tiger cub (about eighteen inches long) hiding among the roots of a banyan tree in the Terai jungle near Dehra.
- 02Grandmother names the cub Timothy; he is first fed milk by the cook Mahmoud, then shifted to raw mutton, cod-liver oil, pigeons and rabbits.
- 03Timothy's companions are Toto the monkey — bold enough to pull Timothy's tail and escape up the curtains — and a small mongrel puppy Grandfather found on the road.
- 04At roughly the size of a full-grown retriever, Timothy still plays gently: he stalks the narrator, rolls on his back, and kicks with delight, but never truly harms anyone.
- 05Around six months old Timothy turns dangerous — he stalks the cook Mahmoud with what looks like villainous intent — so Grandfather takes him by first-class rail compartment to the Lucknow zoo.
- 06On a return visit six months later Grandfather strokes and smacks the tiger as before, unaware that the real Timothy had died of pneumonia two months earlier; the tiger he is handling is a freshly trapped wild animal.
- 07The story explores the conflict between wild nature and domestic affection, and the irony that the bond Grandfather believes he shares cannot be trusted once a tiger grows to full wildness.
Frequently asked questions
01Where did Grandfather find the tiger cub in 'A Tiger in the House'?
Grandfather found the tiger cub hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree in the Terai jungle near Dehra, while he had wandered some distance from the rest of his party.
02Who named the tiger cub and what name was given?
The tiger cub was named Timothy by Grandmother.
03What did Timothy eat as a young cub?
Timothy was first brought up on milk given in a feeding-bottle by the cook Mahmoud. Because the milk proved too rich for him, he was put on a diet of raw mutton and cod-liver oil, and later on a more tempting diet of pigeons and rabbits.
04Who were Timothy's companions in the house?
Timothy's two companions were Toto the monkey, who was bold enough to pull Timothy by the tail, and a small mongrel puppy that Grandfather had found on the road.
05How did Timothy behave with the mongrel puppy at first?
At first Timothy appeared quite afraid of the puppy and would dart back if it came too near. He made absurd dashes at it with his forepaws and then retreated to a ridiculously safe distance. Eventually he allowed the puppy to crawl on his back and rest there.
06What was one of Timothy's favourite amusements?
One of Timothy's favourite amusements was to stalk anyone who would play with him. He would crouch with a crafty look, creep closer, then make a dash for the person's feet, roll on his back, kick with delight, and pretend to bite their ankles.
07What change came over Timothy when he was about six months old?
Around six months old Timothy grew steadily less friendly. He would try to steal away to stalk cats or pet dogs on walks; at night there were signs he raided the poultry house. Most seriously, he began to stalk the cook Mahmoud about the house with what looked like villainous intent.
08Why did Grandfather decide to send Timothy to the zoo?
Grandfather decided to transfer Timothy to the zoo when Timothy began to stalk Mahmoud the cook about the house with an apparently dangerous intent, making it unsafe to keep him at home any longer.
09How did Grandfather travel to Lucknow with Timothy, and how did the zoo receive the tiger?
Grandfather reserved a first-class railway compartment for himself and Timothy — no one would share a compartment with them. The Lucknow zoo authorities were only too glad to receive as a gift a well-fed and fairly civilised tiger.
10What did Grandfather do when he visited Timothy at the zoo six months later?
Grandfather went straight to the cage, called out 'Hello Timothy!', put his arm through the bars, stroked the tiger's forehead, tickled his ears, and smacked him across the mouth whenever he growled — his old way of keeping Timothy quiet. The tiger licked his hands in return.
11What did the zoo keeper reveal to Grandfather near the end of his visit?
A keeper who had been present when Timothy first arrived told Grandfather that his tiger, Timothy, had died two months earlier of pneumonia. The tiger Grandfather had been stroking and handling was a completely different tiger, trapped in the hills only the previous month and described as very dangerous.
12Why did Grandfather suggest moving Timothy's cage?
Grandfather noticed that a leopard in the next cage kept rushing at the bars and frightening the tiger, causing it to slink back into its corner. He suggested the Superintendent move the tiger to another enclosure away from the leopard.
13Is the NCERT PDF of 'A Tiger in the House' (Class 7 An Alien Hand) available for free?
Yes. You can read or download the NCERT PDF of An Alien Hand free of charge on CBSE PrepMaster — no sign-up or payment required.
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