summary of chapters tiger king, the enemy, journey to the end of the world of english vistas

THE TIGER KING

- Kalki

This story is about the Tiger King, the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, who was known for his indomitable courage.

A prophesy and a great miracle

The crown prince of the kingdom of Pratibandapuram was rumored to have miraculously spoken his first words when he was just ten days old. His words proved his intelligence, inquisitiveness and bravery to the astrologers.

The astrologers prophesized that though the young prince will grow up to be the mightiest of kings, a tiger will cause his death.

The education and coronation of Jung Jung Bahadur

British dominance and its effect on the royalty of India had a huge impact on the kind of education given to princes across the country. Even the prince of Pratibandapuram drank the milk of an English cow, was brought up by an English nanny, tutored in English by an Englishman, saw nothing but English films. He was crowned king at the age of twenty.

The killing of the first tiger and acceptance of the challenge

The prince grew up to become arrogant but brave Maharaja of Pratibandapuram. As the stories of his foretold but long forgotten end resurfaced, he searched and killed his first tiger to show his superiority and rebellion against fate.

Considering this to be his victory over his destined future, he called upon the state astrologer. The latter informed him that he had no life threat from the first ninety-nine of his hunted tigers but it was the hundredth one that he needed to protect himself from. Nevertheless, the Maharaja decided to kill at least hundred tigers as a challenge against this foretold destiny.

III

Maharajas obsession with tigers

The Maharajas sole aim of life became the hunt of tigers. This obsession led him to restrict to himself the right to kill all the tigers in the tiger-rich forests of Pratibandapuram. He even issued a proclamation that anybody who dared even to think evil of any of the tigers in the state would be liable to confiscation of wealth and property. To achieve the aim of killing hundred tigers, he neglected all his duties as a king.

A gift of fifty rings to duraisani

In keeping with this vow, the Maharaja out rightly denied even a British official, durai, who desired to hunt down a tiger. The durais sole aim was to get his photograph clicked with a tiger's corpse and a gun over his shoulders.However, fearing the British wrath and to safeguard his kingdom, he readily sent fifty diamond rings to the British official's wife. But since she kept all the fifty rings instead of one as intended, he had to bear an expense of three lakh rupees.

Tigers extinct in Pratibandapuram

Ten years saw the corpses of seventy tigers in the forests of Pratibandapuram. Gradually, the forests became bereft of tigers.

The maharaja decided to get married

So, he married a princess of the state that had the maximum number of tigers. Through this alliance, he acquired access to his father-in-laws forests. Soon his score of tiger killing rose to ninety-nine but stagnated thereafter, as the tigers became extinct there too.

The search for the hundredth tiger Maharajas fury

Though all the forests were searched exhaustively, the hundredth tiger could not be found. This wait made the maharaja gloomy, haughty and impatient. Soon a village reported frequent incidences of sheep disappearance. It was supposed that a wild tiger was the reason. The Maharaja was delighted with the news and exempted the village from all taxes for three years.

Soon an expedition was set out to kill this tiger. However, the tiger could not be found. In his rage, Maharaja fired many of his officials from their jobs and doubled the land tax of the villagers. When the dewan tried to reason it out with the Maharaja, he was asked to resign.

Dewans plan - the hundredth tiger!

Scared of losing his job, the dewan devised a plan. He got a tiger brought from Madras and, secretly yet intelligently, left it in the forest where the Maharajas expedition was going on.

On spotting this tiger, the Maharaja shot directly at the pale and fragile tiger, which fell in a crumpled heap.

Maharajas misconception

Maharaja, elated with his victory, left for his state. However, as the hunters took a closer look at the tiger, they found that the tiger had collapsed merely at the sound of the bullet. Distressed with the thought of losing their jobs, the hunters killed the tiger themselves and, as ordered by the Maharaja, took the dead tiger in a grand procession through the town and buried it. A tomb was also erected over it.

The tigers revenge

Maharaja quit hunting forever after this hundredth 'kill'. A few days later, he decided for a grand celebration of his son's third birthday. As a gift, he decided to buy a toy tiger for his son which, unknown to him, was of poor craftsmanship.

While playing with his son one day, a tiny sliver of the rough wooden surface pierced his right hand and died of infection. Thus, the hundredth tiger claimed Maharaja's life.

View Full Answer

THE ENEMY

- Pearl S. Buck

Dr. Sadao a surgeon and scientist

Dr Sadao Hoki, a Japanese surgeon and scientist, lived with his wife Hana and two children on the Japanese sea-coast. His house was located on the sea-coast where he had spent his childhood. He was greatly influenced by his father whose chief concern was Sadaos education. At the age of twenty-two, he was sent to America to study surgery and medicine. Sadao too, as an obedient son, fulfilled his fathers wishes and came back a famous surgeon and scientist to serve his nation and people.

Although there was a war going on, he was not sent abroad with the troops for two reasons he was perfecting a discovery on wounds and the old General might need him for an operation.

Hana a dedicated wife

With his fathers consent, Dr. Sadao had a love marriage with Hana whom he met in America. They now had two children. Hana was a devoted wife and a sympathetic woman. She kept the household in order and cared for every member under its roof.

A wounded white enemy

Once while the couple was enjoying the mist at dusk on their porch, they noticed some movement near the sea. A man flung out of the ocean, walked few steps and then fell unconscious. He was badly injured. They discover that the white man was an escaped prisoner of war, a sailor from an American warship. He had lost lot of blood due a gun wound and a rock injury.

The couple knew that they would be termed treacherous if they did not inform the police or the army about it, which would eventually kill the man. But, they could not bring themselves to do what seemed the best course of action at that point, i.e., to throw the man back into the sea. After a lot of speculation, the doctor thought of treating the dying man on humanitarian grounds before deciding his fate.

Saving the white enemy

So, the unconscious American was brought home. The couple apprised their servants of their intention of handing the man over to the police after treatment. But the servants didnt approve of it and remained skeptical of their masters intention, yet they kept their silence. When the nanny of the Hoki children, Yumi, refused to wash the American, Hana had to do the job herself. Prompted by the doctor in him, Sadao performed a difficult operation and removed the bullet efficiently. Hana helped her husband in whatever way she could. She herself took every possible care of the American, even fed him with her own hands.

Under Hanas care and the expert medical administration of Dr. Sadao, the young American recuperated but remained tensed about his future.

Servants rebel

The Hoki family was constantly pressurized by the servants to disclose the secret and get the American caught by the police. Their displeasure at their masters decision made them decide to leave his household. Hana bears all this gracefully.

In the due course of treating the prisoner, Sadao planned to inform the police about the whereabouts of the prisoner but somehow could not execute his plan. He leaves an unfinished letter to the Chief of Police in his drawer.

Hanas dilemma

Hana was not able to understand why she and her husband were in a dilemma about their next step concerning the fate of the prisoner. When she saw a messenger in an official uniform at her doorstep, she got scared that one of the servants might have informed the police. But the messenger came only to inform Dr Sadao that the General was in pain and wants to see him immediately. Realising Hanas situation, Sadao decided to do something about the soldier.

Dr Sadao discloses the secret to the General

Tensed and tired of hiding the enemy, Dr. Sadao revealed the secret to the general when he was summoned to his house for medical help. Looking at his present health conditions, General realised that he might need Sadaos surgical expertise at any point of time and is selfish enough to not to let Sadao get into any trouble. He assured Sadao that he would send his personal assassins to kill the American soldier and remove his body from Sadaos house.

Dr Sadao did not reveal the secret of assassins to Hana. For two nights, he remained uneasy and could not sleep soundly. However, every morning when he woke up, he found Tom alive and this made him more uneasy.

Dr Sadao changes plan and saves the enemy

After three nights of restlessness, panic and terror, Sadao decided to get rid of the stranger and the inconvenience his presence caused. He packed him off on a boat with the basic necessities like food, bottled water and two blankets to a nearby isolated island from where he was to board a Korean ship to freedom and safety. He even gave the young man his own flashlight, to be used in time of need as well as to let Dr Sadao know about his wellbeing. Thus, Tom departed secretly.

The true reward

Sadao operated the old General and when he recuperated a little after a week, he apprised him that the American soldier fled away. The General admitted to have forgotten his promise to send the assassins to the doctors house and conveyed his apology.

One night there was no flashlight from the island, so Sadao understood that the soldier must have boarded a Korean fishing ship. Sadao wondered, though he had grown up thinking Americans to be enemies, why he couldnt kill the young soldier.

the tiger king
The story is a poignant satire on the self-importance that people in power assume. The Maharaja, because of the prophecy that he would meet his death from the hundredth tiger that he kills,' shouted a warning to all the tigers. He Justified the act of hunting tigers as 'self-defence’. The state banned tiger hunting by anyone except the Maharaja. He declared that the property of the person who even hurt a tiger would be confiscated. The king was all set to realize his ambition. He vowed to attend to all other matters only after killing hundred tigers. fact, in the process, he almost lost his throne when he refused permission to a high-ranking British office. When there were no more tigers left in his state, he married a girl of a state with a large tiger population. With the passage of time, tigers had become extinct even in his father-in-law's kingdom. He became gloomy but later, on hearing the news of a tiger in a village, announced a three-year exemption from all taxes for that village and set out on the hunt at once. When the tiger was not found, many officers lost their Jobs. However, after shooting the tiger the Maharaja was relieved. Little did he realize that his death would be caused by a toy tiger which cost only 'two annas and a quarter' Thus, the hundredth 'toy tiger' took its final revenge upon the Tiger King and in the process shattered the conceit of the Maharaja, There is dramatic irony in the fact that the king killed ninety-nine tigers in vain while his death was caused by a small wooden tiger. There is also a great deal of irony in how contrary to the ferociousness of tigers, the hundreth tiger was old and ambled into the Maharaja's presence and stood there humbly and finally Jointed from the shock of the bullet whizzing past. The humour satirizes the pompousness of the Maharaja for preying on a beast that had been acquired and provided by the dewan as a sitting duck.

THEME-Animals and birds are as much part of the nature as human beings. The destruction or haphazard killing of one species may not only lead to its extinction, but it will adversely affect the ecological balance. Those animals which serve as food for the wild animals, will increase in large number, if the beast of prey are wiped out. Each species, howsoever fierce, deadly, ferocious or poisonous has its role in maintaining ecological balance in atmosphere

SUMMARY-The Maharaja Sir Jilani Jung Jung Bhadur was called “Tiger King”. When he was just 10 day old, he asked intelligent questions to the astrologers and was told that he would be killed by a tiger. He uttered “Let tigers beware!” No other miracle took place, the child grew like any other Royal child drinking white cow’s milk. He was taught by an English tutor and looked after by an English nanny. He watched English films. When he was 20, he was crowned as king. It was then the prediction of his death by the tiger reached the Maharaja’s ear and he in turn to safe guard himself killed a tiger and being thrilled he told the astrologer who replied that he can kill 99 tigers but should be careful with the 100th. He pledged that all other affairs of the state would be attended after killing the hundred tigers. Then he started killing tigers. None except Maharaja was allowed to hunt tigers. A high-ranking British officer visited the state that was fond of hunting tigers and his wish was declined. The officer requested for getting a photograph with a tiger killed by Maharaja and this request was rejected. So to please the officer’s wife, he sent 50 diamond rings expecting that she would take one or two, instead she kept all the rings costing 3 lakh rupees and sent ‘thanks’ to the Maharaja. But his state was secured. In 10 years, he killed 70 tiger and didn’t find any in Pratibandapuram so he decided to marry a girl from royal state which had more tigers to complete his target. Whenever he visited his in-laws, he killed 5-6 tigers. So he killed 99 tigers and was feverishly anxious to kill the 100th but couldn’t find. News about the presence of a tiger near a village proved disappointing. He asked his Dewan to find the tiger otherwise face his anger. Now the Dewan was afraid of losing his job so he visited ‘People’s Park in Madras’ and brought an old tiger and placed it in the forest and informed the Maharaja. The Maharaja took great care and shot the tiger and left the place with great triumph. The bullet did not hit the tiger but out of fear the tiger had collapsed. Now the staff killed the tiger and brought it in grand procession. It was the third birthday of the Maharaja’s son and he wanted to buy a present from the toyshop. He bought a wooden tiger which was poorly carved. While the Maharaja was playing with the prince, a tiny sliver of the wooden tiger pierced his right hand which later on caused his death. Thus the hundredth tiger takes his final revenge upon the “Tiger King”