The Adventures of Toto by Ruskin Bond

  1. How does Toto come to grand-father’s private zoo? 

 Toto comes to Grandfather’s private zoo when Grandfather buys him from a tonga-driver for the sum of five rupees. The monkey was tied to a feeding trough and looked so out of place that Grandfather, who had a fondness for collecting unusual pets, decided to add him to his private zoo. Also, he brought Toto home secretly, without informing Grandmother, as she usually disapproved of new additions to the zoo. 

 2. “Toto was a pretty monkey.” In what sense is Toto pretty? 

 Toto was considered a pretty monkey because of his lively and attractive appearance. He had bright, sparkling eyes full of mischief and intelligence. His teeth were pearly white, and he often displayed them in a smile that could even frighten elderly Anglo Indian ladies. Toto’s fingers were quick and clever, always ready to create trouble or play tricks. His long tail, which acted like a third hand, added to his charm and usefulness. All these features made him look smart, active, and appealing, which is why Grandfather found him pretty. 

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

 Grandfather takes Toto to Saharanpur because he needs to travel there, and he decides to carry the mischievous monkey along in a large black canvas bag to avoid trouble. At the railway station, the ticket collector insists on calling Toto a dog because there was no separate rule or fare for monkeys, and he wanted to charge Grandfather for carrying an animal. 

 4. How does Toto take a bath? Where has he learnt to do this? How does Toto almost boil himself alive?

 In The Adventures of Toto, Toto takes a bath by cleverly testing the water temperature with his hands before stepping into a bowl of warm water. He then rubs himself with soap and scrubs just like humans do. When the water becomes cold, he gets out and runs to kitchen-fire in order to dry himself. He learned this by watching the narrator bathing. Later, Toto almost boils himself alive when he gets into a large kitchen kettle that was left on the fire to boil water for tea. Luckily, Grandmother rescues him just in time before he gets seriously hurt. Toto almost boils himself alive when he gets into a kettle of boiling water kept on the fire. At first, he finds the water comfortable and stays inside, but as it begins to get hotter, he starts hopping up and down in the kettle instead of getting out. Half-boiled Toto is saved just in time by Grandmother, by pulling him out of the kettle. 

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

 The author says this because Toto was too mischievous and destructive to be kept as a pet for long. He often created troubles in the house, such as tearing clothes, breaking dishes, pulling out wallpaper, damaging household items, scaring guests, and creating a lot of other troubles in the house. He did not get along well with the other animals in Grandfather’s private zoo and caused harm to them as well. His behaviour was difficult to control and led to frequent problems. Because of his constant mischief and damages he caused, the family realized that he was not a suitable pet to keep at home for a long time.