(Page 1)
Question 1.
Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried
about Tricki?
Answer:
Mrs Pumphrey is worried about Tricki because he is unwell. He has refused to
eat food and had bouts of vomiting. She feels that he is suffering from a
serious health issue such as malnutrition.
Question 2.
What does she do to help him?
Is she wise in this?
Answer:
Mrs Pumphrey starts giving him extra snacks like malt, cod-liver oil and
Horlicks, apart from his main meals, to improve his condition. She also
continues to satisfy his sweet tooth with cream cakes and chocolates. She does
not give him any exercise, considering his listlessness as well. She is not
wise in doing so because overfeeding Tricki is worsening his conditions
instead of improving it. It has made him very fat and lazy.
Question 3.
Who does ‘I’ refer to in this
story?
Answer:
‘I’ refers to the narrator, Mr James Herriot, a veterinary doctor.
Page 3
Question 4.
Is the narrator as rich as
Tricki’s mistress?
Answer:
No, the narrator is not as rich as Tricki’s mistress, Mrs Pumphery. We can
say so because the narrator seems fascinated by how lavishly Mrs Pumphrey
spends on the well-being and maintenance of her pet. He is unusually surprised
by the enriching items she sends for Tricki, as he cannot afford them for
himself.
Question 5.
How does he treat the dog?
Answer:
James Herriot treats Tricki
just like he would treat an overweight and lazy dog, which Tricki is. He cuts
down his food intake and keeps him under strict observation for the initial
days at hospital. He gradually increases Tricki’s food and sets him free for
physical activities to improve his health.
Question 6.
Why is he tempted to keep
Tricki on as a permanent guest?
Answer:
Mr Herriot is tempted to keep
Tricki on as a permanent guest because of the good food and wine he is
enjoying in Tricki’s name. He does not want to lose the luxurious inflow of
fresh eggs, wine and brandy.
Question 7.
Why does Mrs Pumphrey think
the dog’s recovery is ‘a triumph of surgery’?
Answer:
Mrs Pumphrey thinks that
Tricki’s recovery is a triumph of surgery because his illness was very
serious. She was of the opinion that there were very few chances of Tricki to
improve and he needed immediate medical attention. Thus, his revival without
any medicinal treatment was a great achievement, according to her.
Think About It
(Page 6)
Question 1.
What kind of a person do you
think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is? Would you say he is tactful as
well as full of common sense?
Answer:
The narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is a capable and wise doctor. He handles
Tricki properly which shows that he is sincere about his profession.
He does not operate upon the dog unnecessarily and cures him by altering his
diet and activities.
He is a tactful
person as he knew exactly how to convince Mrs Pumphrey to hospitalise Tricki
for a surgery. His decision to inform Mrs Pumphrey to collect Tricki supports
his sensibilities even though he was tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent
guest.
Question 2.
Do you think Tricki was happy
to go home? What do you think will happen now?
Answer:
Tricki was happy to go back
home as he really loved his mistress and the comfort of his lavish life. He
didn’t have any friends at home like in the hospital, but he seemed equally
excited at the sight of Mrs Pumphrey. I think that Mrs Pumphrey will now be
careful about Tricki’s diet and health. She may also give him exercise daily
as prescribed by the vet earlier.
Question 3.
Do you think it is a
real-life episode or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?
Answer:
The story seems to be a mixture
of both. It may be possible for rich persons to overfeed their pets due to
love. It is not unusual for them to maintain a vast wardrobe for them either.
But it is unlikely for a veterinary doctor to go out of the way and lie in
order to save an animal. It is also unusual for anyone to consume food which
is given in the name of a pet’s health.
Talk About It
(Page 7)
Question 1.
This episode describes the
silly behaviour of a rich woman who is foolishly indulgent, perhaps because
she is lonely. Do you think such people are merely silly or can their actions
cause harm to others?
Answer:
Mrs Pumphrey’s actions had a harmful reaction on Tricki’s health. She was
overparenting’ and overfeeding Tricki in the name of love. This worsened his
condition to an extent that he had to be hospitalised. People like Mrs
Pumphrey are not just merely silly but their actions can definitely have
dangerous consequences for others.
Question 2.
Do you think there are also
parents like Mrs Pumphrey?
Answer:
Yes, there are some parents like Mrs Pumphrey who spoil their children by
pampering them. They overfeed their children/pets despite being aware of the
harmful effects on their health. Parents like Mrs Pumphrey should maintain a
healthy lifestyle of their family and pets.
Question 3.
What would you have done if
you were :
- a member of the staff in Mrs Pumphrey’s household,
- a neighbour? What would your life have been like, in general?
Answer:
- If I were a member of the staff in her household I would have not followed Mrs Pumphrey’s command to feed Tricki blindly. In fact, I would have fed him according to the vet’s advice. I would have also skipped sending the unnecessary stuff like toys, cushions etc to the hospital. My life would have been a very busy one, as I would have had to take care of the household chores and meet Tricki’s demands on time.
- If I were Mrs Pumphrey’s neighbour, I would have advised her to consult a vet and follow his advice strictly keeping in mind Tricki’s deteriorating health. I would have also been supportive in their hard time when Tricki was hospitalised. My life as Mrs Pumphrey’s neighbour would have been full of surprises and gifts as Mrs Pumphrey was a loving lady.
Question 4.
What would you have done if
you were in the narrator’s place?
Answer:
If I were in the narrator’s
place, I would have treated Tricki with a similar amount of compassion and
love. I would have been equally caring as Mr James Herriot towards Tricki. I
would have just been a little more stern while advising Mrs Pumphrey to put
Tricki on a strict diet knowing her way of showing love. I would have also not
consumed Tricki’s share of eggs, wine and brandy sent by Mrs Pumphrey.