THE ADVENTURES OF TOTO (Moments)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruskin Bond is an award winning Indian author of British descent, much renowned for his role in promoting children’s literature in India. A prolific writer, he has written over 500 short stories, essays and novels. His popular novel ‘The Blue Umbrella’ was made into a Hindi film. The film was awarded the National Film Award for Best Children's Film, in 2007. He is also the author of more than 50 books for children and two volumes of autobiography. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and Padma Bhushan in 2014. 

Theme - The story deals with the outcome of the interaction between humans and animals. It shows that not all animals can adapt themselves to the human lifestyle. It requires a great deal of patience to train animals to acquire non-destructive behaviour. 

1. How does toto come to grandfather’s private zoo?

The narrator’s grandfather bought Toto, a little red monkey from a tonga driver to add to his collection of animals in his private zoo. Toto was kept in captivity by the Tonga driver, grandfather felt sympathetic for the monkey and he thought the monkey can live happily in his private zoo. Toto was an attractive monkey with sparkling eyes. He would take special delight in scaring elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. Since grandmother was always averse to grandfather’s collection of animals, he decided to keep the news about Toto hidden from her until she was in a better mood. 

2. Toto was a pretty monkey? How?

Toto was an attractive monkey with sparkling eyes. He would take special delight in scaring elderly Anglo-Indian ladies. His hands looked dried-up as though they had been pickled in the sun for many years. He was quick with his fingers and lifted things in a wicked manner. His tail added to his beauty and acted as his third hand.

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

Toto was now transferred to a big cage in the servants’ quarters where a number of Grandfather’s pets lived very sociably together — a tortoise, a pair of rabbits, a tame squirrel and, for a while, my pet goat. But the monkey wouldn’t allow any of his companions to sleep at night. Then grandfather had to go to Saharanpur to collect his pension. He decided to take Toto along in a big canvas bag. Since there was no opening in the bag to allow his hands or face to come out, he would often jump inside the bag, making the bag look like as if there was a spirit in it. As soon as the train reached Saharanpur, Toto scared the ticket-collector by popping his head out of the bag and grinning at him. The ticket-collector was annoyed at the discovery and asserted that the grandfather would have to pay for Toto’s fare. The ticket-collector classified Toto as a dog and would not listen to the grandfather’s argument that it was not a dog. 

4. How does Toto take a bath? Where did he learn it? How did he almost boil himself alive?

Toto enjoyed taking bath in warm water during the winter season. Toto used to take a bath like a man. He cleverly tested the temperature with his hand then gradually stepped into the bath. He stepped first one foot, then the other, until he was in the water up to his neck. Then he rubbed himself all over with the soap. Toto learnt proper steps of bathing while watching the author doing the same. One day Toto jumped into a large kettle which had water for heating. He enjoyed the warm water. But when the water began to heat up he jumped up and down trying to come out of the kettle. Suddenly, the grandmother arrived there and pulled him out in a half-boiled condition.

5. Why does the author say that Toto was not the sort of the pet we could keep for long?

Toto’s mischiefs grew day by day and grandfather realised that they could not keep him at home. 

The writer recollects another incident when Toto created a lot of mischief. At lunchtime, a dish of rice was placed on the dining table. When the family reached to eat, they found Toto eating it. The writer’s grandmother screamed at Toto and In response, he threw a plate at her. When the aunts tried to catch Toto, he threw a glass of water in their face. When the grandfather arrived, Toto left the place through a window with the dish of rice along with him. Toto remained out the entire afternoon. He sat on a branch of the Jackfruit tree, determined to eat all the rice. As the grandmother had screamed on him, he wanted to annoy her further and so, after eating the rice, he threw the dish. It broke into several pieces. Obviously Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long. Even Grandfather realised that. We were not well-to-do, and could not afford the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, curtains and wallpaper. So Grandfather found the tonga-driver, and sold Toto back to him — for only three rupees

Character 

Toto

Toto was a baby monkey who was bought from a tonga-driver by the narrator’s Grandfather. He was pretty to look at. He had bright eyes that sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eye brows. His pearly white teeth frightened the Anglo-Indian ladies when he smiled. His hands looked dried-up as though they had been pickled in the sun for many years. He was quick with his fingers and lifted things in a wicked manner. His tail added to his beauty and acted as his third hand. He was playful but restless - To keep Toto’s presence as a secret from Grandmother, he was put in a little closet and was tied securely. A few hours later when the narrator and grandfather returned, they found that the wall which had been covered with some ornamental paper was now uncovered. He was destructive too- The peg in the wall had been wrenched from its socket. He had torn the narrator’s school blazer. He was a total misfit with other animals .He was a keen observer. He imitated the narrator’s manner of taking bath. He was curious by nature and many times landed in trouble because of this. He caused a lot of damage by destroying things. Finally, he was sent away and sold back to the same tonga-driver. 

Grand Father 

Grandfather was an animal lover. He had his own private zoo. He did not mind spending money in order to get animals and birds. He was sensitive towards the feelings of his wife – Toto’s presence was kept as a secret, till she was in good mood. When Toto was finally accepted by Grandmother he was given a comfortable home in the stable, where he had Nana- the family donkey, as a companion. He did not mind Toto’s mischiefs. Instead, he found him to be quite clever. Grandfather was witty and sarcastic. His experience with the ticket collector and the arguments he gave to prove himself were quite amusing. He took a wise decision by selling back Toto as it had become impossible to keep such a mischievous pet.