Mijbil the Otter is a heartwarming autobiographical account by Gavin Maxwell about a young otter he adopted during his stay in Iraq. The author describes how he came to possess the otter cub — a small, lively creature from the marshlands — and how he named it Mijbil. From the beginning the otter shows playful, mischievous behaviour and surprising intelligence. Maxwell attends carefully to the animal’s needs, learning about its habits, feeding it fish, and improvising a living space that suits an otter’s love for water and movement.
As Mijbil grows, the chapter focuses on the changing relationship between man and animal. The otter becomes more confident and displays instinctive behaviours — diving, catching fish, and exploring every corner of the house. Maxwell narrates amusing and moving incidents that reveal Mijbil’s personality: his affection, curiosity, jealousies, occasional destructiveness, and his ability to bond closely with humans. Through precise and affectionate description the author shows both delight and challenge in raising a wild creature in a domestic setting.
The chapter also highlights themes of companionship, responsibility and the ethical questions of keeping a wild animal. Maxwell reflects on the otter’s dependence on him and the tension between Mijbil’s natural instincts and the comforts of captivity. The narrative ends on a tender note that underlines respect for nature and the deep emotional connection that can develop between humans and animals. For board preparation, students should note the author (Gavin Maxwell), the setting (marshlands/Iraq), key events (adoption, training/care, growth, and the behavioural anecdotes), and the larger ideas about empathy and coexistence.
เคนिเคจ्เคฆी เคธाเคฐांเคถ
เคฎिเค़เคฌिเคฒ เคฆ เคเคเคฐ เคेเคตिเคจ เคฎैเค्เคธเคตेเคฒ เคฆ्เคตाเคฐा เคฒिเคिเคค เคเค เคฎाเคฐ्เคฎिเค เคเคค्เคฎเคเคฅाเคค्เคฎเค เคช्เคฐเคธंเค เคนै, เคिเคธเคฎें เคฒेเคเค เคจे เคเคฐाเค เคे เคฆเคฒเคฆเคฒों เคธे เคเค เคเค เคเคฆเคฌिเคฒाเคต เคे เคฌเค्เคे เคो เคชाเคฒเคจे เคा เค เคชเคจा เค เคจुเคญเคต เคฌเคคाเคฏा เคนै। เคฒेเคเค เคฌเคคाเคคा เคนै เคि เคैเคธे เคเคธे เคเค เคोเคे, เคंเคเคฒ เคीเคต เคฎिเคฒा เคिเคธे เคเคธเคจे เคฎिเค़เคฌिเคฒ เคจाเคฎ เคฆिเคฏा। เคฎिเค़เคฌिเคฒ เคเคฐเคฎ्เคญ เคธे เคนी เคेเคฒ-เคคเคฎाเคถा เคเคฐ เคคेเค़ी เคฆिเคाเคคा เคนै; เคฒेเคเค เคเคธเคी เคเคฆเคคें เคธเคฎเคเคจे, เคเคธे เคฎเคเคฒी เคिเคฒाเคจे เคเคฐ เคชाเคจी เคธे เคช्เคฐेเคฎ เคเคฐเคจे เคे เค เคจुเคธाเคฐ เคฐเคนเคจे เคी เคต्เคฏเคตเคธ्เคฅा เคเคฐเคจे เคा เคช्เคฐเคฏเคค्เคจ เคเคฐเคคा เคนै।
เคैเคธे-เคैเคธे เคฎिเค़เคฌिเคฒ เคฌเคก़ा เคนोเคคा เคนै, เคฒेเคเค เคเคฐ เคเคธเคे เคฌीเค เคธंเคฌंเคง เคเคนเคฐा เคนोเคคा เคाเคคा เคนै। เคเคฆเคฌिเคฒाเคต เคฎें เคฐเคนเคจे เคी เคช्เคฐเคตृเคค्เคคिเคฏाँ — เคोเคคाเคोเคฐी, เคฎเคเคฒी เคชเคเคก़เคจा เคเคฐ เคเคฐ เคी เคाँเค-เคชเคก़เคคाเคฒ — เคธ्เคชเคท्เค เคฆिเคเคคी เคนैं। เคฒेเคเค เคเค เคนाเคธ्เคฏเคช्เคฐเคฆ เคเคฐ เคญाเคตुเค เคเคเคจाเคं เคा เคตเคฐ्เคฃเคจ เคเคฐเคคा เคนै เคो เคฎिเค़เคฌिเคฒ เคे เคช्เคฐेเคฎ, เคिเค्เคाเคธा, เคเคญी-เคเคญी เคे เคถเคฐाเคฐเคคी เคธ्เคตเคญाเคต เคเคฐ เคฎเคจुเคท्เคฏों เคे เคช्เคฐเคคि เคเคธเคी เคฒเคाเคต เคो เคเคाเคเคฐ เคเคฐเคคी เคนैं। เคฏเคน เค เคง्เคฏाเคฏ เคฏเคน เคญी เคฆिเคाเคคा เคนै เคि เคंเคเคฒी เคीเคต เคो เคชाเคฒเคคू เคฌเคจाเคเคฐ เคฐเคเคจे เคฎें เคเคจंเคฆ เคे เคธाเคฅ-เคธाเคฅ เคुเคจौเคคिเคฏाँ เคญी เคนोเคคी เคนैं।
เค ंเคคเคคः เคฏเคน เคชाเค เคธाเคฅीเคชเคจा, เคिเคฎ्เคฎेเคฆाเคฐी เคเคฐ เคช्เคฐเคृเคคि เคे เคช्เคฐเคคि เคธเคฎ्เคฎाเคจ เคे เคตिเคाเคฐों เคो เคเคाเคเคฐ เคเคฐเคคा เคนै। เคฒेเคเค เคฎिเค़เคฌिเคฒ เคी เคธ्เคตเคคंเคค्เคฐ เคช्เคฐเคตृเคค्เคคिเคฏों เคเคฐ เคชाเคฒे เคนुเค เคเคฐाเคฎ เคे เคฌीเค เคธंเคคुเคฒเคจ เคชเคฐ เคตिเคाเคฐ เคเคฐเคคा เคนै। เคฌोเคฐ्เคก-เคคैเคฏाเคฐी เคे เคฒिเค เคाเคค्เคฐों เคो เคฒेเคเค เคा เคจाเคฎ (Gavin Maxwell), เคชृเคท्เค เคญूเคฎि (เคฆเคฒเคฆเคฒी เคเคฒाเคा/เคเคฐाเค), เคฎुเค्เคฏ เคเคเคจाเคँ (เค เคตैเคคเคจिเค เค เคชเคจाเคจा, เคเคธเคी เคฆेเคเคญाเคฒ เคเคฐ เคฌเคข़เคจा, เคต्เคฏเคตเคนाเคฐ เคธเคฎ्เคฌเคจ्เคงी เคเคเคจाเคँ) เคเคฐ เคชाเค เคे เคฎुเค्เคฏ เคธंเคฆेเคถ — เคธเคนाเคจुเคญूเคคि เคเคฐ เคธเคนเค เคธ्เคคिเคค्เคต — เคฏाเคฆ เคฐเคเคจे เคाเคนिเค।
Character Sketch
Mijbil: Mijbil is a playful, intelligent, and mischievous otter from the Tigris marshes in Iraq. He is incredibly curious, inventing games with water, marbles, and a broken suitcase. His antics are both endearing and chaotic. He forms a deep bond with the narrator, showing affection and trust. Mijbil represents wild, untamed nature adapting to a domestic setting, full of energy and unique personality.
The Narrator (Gavin Maxwell): The narrator is a compassionate, patient, and observant naturalist. He decides to keep Mij after his pet dog dies, showing his need for animal companionship. He is meticulous in caring for Mij, studying his habits, and facing the immense challenges of transporting him. His character reflects a deep love for animals, resilience in the face of bureaucratic hassles, and a sense of humour about the chaos Mij creates.
10 Previous Year Questions & Solutions
1. Why did the narrator decide to have an otter as a pet? (2019)
Answer: The narrator decided to have an otter as a pet because he lived in a camper van in the marshes of Iraq and felt lonely after his pet dog died. His friend suggested that an otter would be an ideal pet for him as they are often tamed by Arabs, are playful like dogs, and would suit his nomadic lifestyle living close to water.
2. Describe Mijbil's playfulness with water. (2020)
Answer: Mijbil was extremely playful with water. In the bathroom, he would splash, slide, and roll in the bathtub, churning the water white. He invented a game where he would place a ping-pong ball at one end of the bathtub and shoot it to the other with rapid jerks of his neck. His joy in water was boundless, and he would spend hours playing elaborate water games.
3. What were the challenges faced by the narrator while transporting Mijbil to London? (2022)
Answer: The challenges were many. British Airlines wouldn't fly animals, so he had to book another flight. The airline insisted Mij travel in a box not more than 18 inches square. Mij hated the box, hurt himself trying to escape, and later escaped on the plane, causing panic among passengers. The narrator had to spend anxious hours retrieving him and ensuring he stayed calm for the rest of the journey.
4. How did Mijbil spend his time in London? (2023)
Answer: In London, Mijbil spent his time playing with toys, especially marbles. He developed a game where he would lie on his back and juggle marbles between his paws. He also went for walks on a lead, which turned into a game of tug-of-war. He explored the surroundings, showed interest in the narrator's work, and quickly adapted to his new urban environment with the same curiosity he showed in Iraq.
5. What is the meaning of Mij's "real game"? Describe it. (2018)
Answer: Mij's "real game" was one he invented himself using the narrator's damaged suitcase. He discovered that if he placed the suitcase on its high end, it would slide down at a steep slope. He would dash to the other end to ambush it, stand on top of it as it skidded, and then roll off. This elaborate, self-invented game showcased his intelligence, creativity, and need for challenging play.
6. Why did the air hostess cooperate with the narrator regarding Mij? (2021)
Answer: The air hostess cooperated because she was kind and understood the narrator's predicament. When Mij escaped and caused chaos, the narrator explained the situation. She suggested he find the otter and bring him on his seat, offering to keep an eye on him. Her cooperation stemmed from sympathy and a practical desire to resolve the crisis calmly, showing professionalism and compassion.
7. How did people react to seeing Mijbil in London? What does it show? (2019)
Answer: People in London reacted with utter confusion and curiosity because they had never seen an otter. They made wild guesses, calling him "a baby seal," "a squirrel," "a hippo," and even "a walrus." This shows how unfamiliar city dwellers were with wildlife. It highlights the cultural and environmental disconnect between urban life and the natural world, and also adds humour to Mij's story.
8. What kind of bond did the narrator and Mijbil share? (2020)
Answer: The narrator and Mijbil shared a bond of deep affection, trust, and mutual understanding. The narrator was a careful observer and caregiver, while Mijbil responded with playful antics and clear attachment. Mij would follow him, sleep on his bed, and show excitement when he returned. Their bond transcended that of a pet and owner; it was a companionship between two different species built on patience and love.
9. What is the central theme of 'Mijbil the Otter'? (2022)
Answer: The central theme is the joyful yet challenging relationship between humans and wild animals, and the process of adapting to each other's worlds. It explores themes of companionship, the innate wildness of nature, and the patience required to bridge the gap between animal instincts and human domesticity. It also humorously highlights the bureaucratic and logistical hurdles of such a relationship.
10. What does the story tell us about the nature of otters? (2023)
Answer: The story tells us that otters are intelligent, playful, curious, and energetic creatures. They are inventive in creating games, have a strong affinity for water, and can form deep emotional bonds with humans. They are also mischievous and can be destructive when bored. Mijbil's behaviour shows that while they can adapt to domestic life, they retain their wild instincts and need stimulation and care.
