Back to: CBSE Class 7 English Summary & Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Written by Dhan Gopal Mukerji, this chapter tells about how the narrator trained his elephant. The narrator is the keeper of an elephant named Kari. He narrates various incidents from his experiences with his elephant.
Summary
The narrator was nine years old when he was given a five-month-old baby elephant named Kari. The narrator performed all the caretaking duties for Kari. He bathed the elephant in the river and rubbed him with the sand from the river bank. Since Kari ate nothing except twigs, the narrator took great care in picking the most fresh and tender twigs for his elephant.
The narrator then recounts an incident when his elephant saved the life of a boy. The narrator was picking twigs when he heard Kari’s call and rushed to the river. He saw the elephant struggling in the river water. It was only after Kari led the narrator to the drowning boy in the river that the boy was saved.
The narrator, like a good caretaker, trained Kari well. He taught him the need to be honest. After some cases of missing bananas from the narrator’s house, he caught Kari stealing and eating the fruits. The narrator scolded the elephant and it did not steal anything ever again.
The narrator also trained Kari in responding to his instructions. The animal learned to squeal in order to thank anyone who offered him fruits. He also learned to sit on the instruction ‘Dhat’ and walk as soon as he heard ‘Mali’.
Conclusion
The narrator proved a good elephant keeper when he succeeded in teaching Kari the master call. Kari learned and each time he heard a strange hissing and howling sound, he rushed to his master. Elephants like Kari are very loyal and they protect their masters from any dangers when they hear the master call.
