NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 8- Mijbil the Otter

The NCERT English chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter begins when the author Maxwell travels to Basra with his friend. In the journey, the author tells his friend that he wants to domesticate an otter because his dog just died. His friend told him to get one from the river Tigris located in Iran. Only the friend's mail arrived when they reached their destination. After receiving his own mail, he discovered an otter and two Arabs in it. He then named the otter Mijbil.

It took time for the otter to get used to its surroundings. The author observed that Mijbil enjoyed playing with water, and it also opened the bathroom faucet on its own. When it was time for the author to return to England, British Airlines would not allow a pet otter on the plane, so he booked an airline that would. However, he was put in a small box so he wouldn't be a hindrance to other passengers.

The author left to get some food. When he returned, he found that there were holes in the otter box and that it was also stained in blood. He cleaned the box neatly and got to the airport just as the plane was about to take off. An Air Hostess advised Maxwell to put the box on his lap rather than in a container. He was very grateful towards the hostess, but the second he opened the box, Mijbil leapt out and caused a lot of ruckus in the plane. The air hostess had to return Mijbil to the author.

When they reached London, Mijbil took a while to get used to his surroundings. Maxwell noticed that the otter liked playing with marbles and ping pong balls. Maxwell often took Mijbil for a walk, and people were often surprised by his pet. Some called Mijbil a baby seal, a beaver, a squirrel and sometimes even a hippo. The author was most shocked by a labourer who asked- "what is that supposed to be?"

The story was aimed to recount how the narrator’s life changed when he got an otter as a gift from his friend and how a strong bond of friendship was developed between the two.