Mijbil the Otter | CBSE Class 10 English Notes
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Who was Gavin Maxwell and what is this account about?
Gavin Maxwell lived in a cottage called Camusfearna in the West Highlands of Scotland. After his dog Jonnie died, he was too sad to keep another dog, but found a life without a pet lonely.
In early 1956 he travelled to Southern Iraq and decided he would like to keep an otter instead of a dog, since Camusfearna was "ringed by water a stone's throw from its door" and would be an "eminently suitable spot" for this experiment.
The idea came to him almost by chance: when he mentioned it to a friend, the friend replied "as casually" that otters were as common as mosquitoes in the Tigris marshes near Basra, and were often tamed by Arabs.
The account is a first-person narrative of how Maxwell acquired an otter in these marshes, named it Mijbil (Mij for short), and brought it through a difficult journey, first to London and eventually to Camusfearna in Scotland.
It is written with warmth and humour, and treats the otter almost as a companion with feelings, intelligence and a distinct personality, rather than simply as property to be managed.
What happens in the story, part by part?
Part I: Waiting for the otter
Maxwell travels to Southern Iraq, and the idea of keeping an otter at Camusfearna "crossed my mind." A friend tells him otters are common in the Tigris marshes and are often tamed by the Arabs.
The two go to Basra to collect mail from Europe at the Consulate-General. Maxwell's own mail is delayed; he tries cabling and telephoning England, but the line is faulty, the exchange is closed for a religious holiday, and there is another breakdown.
His friend leaves, having arranged to meet Maxwell again in a week's time. Five days later Maxwell's mail finally arrives, carried by two Arabs who are squatting on his bedroom floor beside a squirming sack. A note from his friend reads: "Here is your otter..."
Part II: Mijbil's first days
Maxwell opens the sack, beginning what he calls "a phase of my life that has not yet ended", an "otter fixation." The creature that emerges resembles "a very small, medievally-conceived, dragon," coated in mud armour over soft velvet fur.
Maxwell names him Mijbil; the otter is later found to belong to a race "previously unknown to science" and is christened Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter.
For the first twenty-four hours Mij is "neither hostile nor friendly," simply "aloof and indifferent." By the second night he sleeps in the crook of Maxwell's knees, and during the day grows "much too keen" an interest in his surroundings.
Taken to the bathroom on a lead, Mij goes "wild with joy" in the water, splashing enough "for a hippo"; Maxwell notes this love of moving water is characteristic of otters.
Part III: Mij the explorer, and life in Basra
Two days later Mij escapes and is found fumbling at the chromium bathroom taps; within a minute he has worked out how to produce a full flow of water, though on other occasions he screws the tap the wrong way, "chittering with irritation and disappointment" Mij soon follows Maxwell without a lead and comes when called.
He plays for hours with a rubber ball, dribbling it "like a four-footed soccer player," and especially enjoys lying on his back juggling marbles on his belly "without ever dropping one."
Part IV: The journey to England
Maxwell dreads transporting Mij to England. Since the British airline will not fly animals, he books a flight via Paris. The airline insists Mij travel in a box no bigger than eighteen inches square.
Left in the box for an hour, Mij tears the lining to shreds in panic, and Maxwell finds "an appalling spectacle" of blood around the airholes.
With only ten minutes to the flight, he removes the torn lining and rushes to the airport, the car going "like a ricochetting bullet." A sympathetic air hostess, whom Maxwell calls "the very queen of her kind," agrees to let Mij sit on his knee instead of in the box.
Part V: Chaos on the aircraft
Mij escapes "in a flash" and dashes down the plane, causing "squawks and shrieks" and a woman screaming "A rat! A rat!" Maxwell chases Mij under a "portly white-turbaned Indian" and ends up with his face covered in curry.
The air hostess calmly finds Mij and returns him; he bounds onto Maxwell's knee, nuzzling his face and neck "with a distressed chitter of recognition and welcome."
Part VI: Mij in London
Maxwell and Mij spend nearly a month in a London flat. Mij invents his own game with a ping-pong ball and a slightly sloped, damaged suitcase lid, letting the ball run down and ambushing its arrival "crouching, to spring up and take it by surprise." On lead-walks outside, Mij develops "compulsive habits," such as tugging Maxwell to a low wall opposite a primary school and galloping its full thirty yards on the way home, "to the hopeless distraction both of pupils and of staff within."
Part VII: Londoners guess what Mij is
Maxwell is struck by the "barrage of conjectural questions" from Londoners who cannot identify the animal, though otters belong to the Mustelline group along with the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat and mink.
People guess a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard and even a "brontosaur." The highest-scoring question, in Maxwell's eyes, comes from a labourer who glares and growls, "Here, Mister — what is that supposed to be?"
Who are the characters?
Gavin Maxwell (the narrator)
Maxwell is the author and narrator, a Scotsman living at Camusfearna who had recently lost his dog Jonnie. He is observant, patient and deeply affectionate towards Mij, describing the otter's antics with humour and close attention.
He goes to considerable trouble and personal risk, such as rushing to the airport and chasing Mij through the aircraft, to protect his pet. His tone throughout is warm, self-deprecating and admiring of the otter's intelligence.
Mijbil (Mij), the otter
Mij is the otter Maxwell acquires in the Tigris marshes. He is intelligent (working out the bathroom tap), playful (inventing games with balls and marbles), and capable of showing distinct feelings, from "aloof and indifferent" at first to affectionate and anxious for recognition later, as when he nuzzles Maxwell "with a distressed chitter of recognition and welcome." His species is later named Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli after Maxwell, because it was "previously unknown to science."
The air hostess
An unnamed but memorable figure, she responds calmly and kindly to the crisis of Mij's escape on the plane, suggesting Maxwell hold his pet on his knee and later retrieving the otter herself with "the most charming smile." Maxwell calls her "the very queen of her kind" out of gratitude for her patience and good humour.
The friend in Basra
Maxwell's unnamed friend first suggests that he get an otter in the Tigris marshes, "as casually" as he mentions it, since otters there "were as common as mosquitoes" and often tamed by Arabs.
It is this friend who eventually sends Mij to Maxwell with a brief note: "Here is your otter..."
What themes run through the account?
The bond between humans and animals
The central theme is the deep, almost human companionship that develops between Maxwell and Mij. Maxwell describes Mij's feelings and thoughts throughout, treating him less like property and more like a trusted companion who follows him without a lead and responds to his name.
The intelligence and individuality of animals
Mij is shown to be resourceful and curious: he works out how to turn on a tap, invents his own ball game using a sloped suitcase lid, and develops particular "compulsive habits" on his walks, such as always galloping along the school wall on the way home but never on the way out.
These details build a picture of an animal with a distinct personality.
The difficulties and responsibilities of keeping an unusual pet
The narrative does not hide the practical problems of owning an otter: the delayed mail and difficult communications in Basra, the airline's refusal to fly animals, the box Mij destroys in panic, and the chaos he causes on the aircraft.
These episodes show that keeping a wild creature as a pet demands patience, planning and tolerance of mishaps.
Humour and human reaction to the unfamiliar
A gentler theme is the comic confusion Mij causes among people who have never seen an otter.
Londoners guess he is a seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard or even a "brontosaur," and the labourer's blunt question provides the account's final comic note.
What poetic devices and stylistic features appear in the prose?
Although this is prose, Maxwell writes with vivid descriptive and figurative language that is worth studying closely. He compares the mud-coated Mij to "a very small, medievally-conceived, dragon," using simile to help readers picture a strange, unfamiliar animal, and later describes Mij's fur as "soft velvet fur like that of a chocolate-brown mole," another simile drawn from everyday, homely objects.
He uses hyperbole for comic effect, as when Mij splashes "enough slosh and splash for a hippo," and when the car races to the airport "like a ricochetting bullet." Such exaggerated comparisons heighten the sense of chaos and urgency in key scenes, and make the account entertaining as well as informative.
Maxwell personifies Mij throughout, attributing to him recognisable emotions: Mij is "neither hostile nor friendly," becomes "aloof and indifferent," and later shows a "distressed chitter of recognition and welcome." This personification is central to the way the whole account invites readers to see the otter almost as a small, otter-shaped person rather than a mere animal.
The prose also contains touches of self-deprecating humour, as when Maxwell notes he "could have kissed" the air hostess's hand "in the depth of my gratitude," and wry understatement, as in his description of the labourer's question as the one for which he "awarded the highest score."
Maxwell's use of precise, concrete detail, such as the suitcase lid sloping "from one end to the other" or the school wall "some two feet high," gives even comic or chaotic episodes a careful, almost scientific exactness that suits a naturalist's eye.
What are the answers to the textbook questions?
What 'experiment' did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
Maxwell thought Camusfearna, being "ringed by water a stone's throw from its door," would be an "eminently suitable spot" for the experiment of keeping an otter instead of a dog.
Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
Maxwell goes to Basra to collect and answer mail from Europe at the Consulate-General. He waits several days: his cable brings no result after three days, the phone call is delayed by a faulty line, a religious holiday closing the exchange, and another breakdown; his mail, carrying the otter, finally arrives five days after his friend leaves.
How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.
The otter arrives in a squirming sack brought by two Arabs, with a note: "Here is your otter..." Maxwell clearly comes to like Mij deeply; he calls the start of their time together "a phase of my life that has not yet ended," describing it as "an otter fixation" shared by most other people who have ever owned one.
Why was the otter named 'Maxwell's otter'?
Mij belonged to a race "previously unknown to science," so zoologists christened it Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter, after Gavin Maxwell.
Tick the right answer: in the beginning, the otter was
Aloof and indifferent: for the first twenty-four hours Mij was "neither hostile nor friendly," simply aloof and indifferent.
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?
In the bathroom Mij went "wild with joy" in the water, plunging, rolling and splashing enough "for a hippo." Two days later, he escaped and was found fumbling at the chromium taps, managing to turn on the full flow of water himself.
How was Mij to be transported to England? What did Mij do to the box?
Mij was to travel in a box no more than eighteen inches square, carried on the floor at Maxwell's feet, since the British airline would not fly animals. Left alone in the box, Mij panicked and "torn the lining of the box to shreds," leaving blood around the airholes.
Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?
With only minutes left before the flight, Maxwell had to put Mij back in the box after clearing away the torn, dangerous lining, holding the lid down with his hand; he clearly felt anxious and miserable about doing so, as he calls Mij "the miserable Mij" at that point.
Why does Maxwell say the air hostess was "the very queen of her kind"?
She responded to the crisis with calm kindness, suggesting Mij sit on Maxwell's knee rather than in the box and later retrieving the escaped otter with "the most charming smile," which earned Maxwell's deep and lasting gratitude.
What game had Mij invented? What are 'compulsive habits'?
Mij invented a game with a ping-pong ball and a sloped, damaged suitcase lid, letting the ball run down and ambushing its arrival. "Compulsive habits" are habits impossible to control;
Maxwell notes that, like children who must touch every seventh railing on the way to school, Mij always tugged him to a school wall and galloped its length, but only on the way home.
What group of animals do otters belong to? What guesses did Londoners make about what Mij was?
Otters belong to the Mustellines, along with the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat and mink. Londoners guessed Mij was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard, and even a "brontosaur."
What does this account tell us about otters and about Mij's character?
Through Mij, readers learn several facts about otters as a species, alongside details specific to Mij's own personality. Maxwell presents both together, letting general otter behaviour and Mij's individual quirks illuminate each other.
Generally, Maxwell notes that otters love moving water: "every drop of water must be, so to speak, extended and spread about the place," and that static water is "wasted and provoking" to them. This explains Mij's joyful splashing in the bathtub and his determination to keep taps running.
Specifically, Mij shows traits that make him seem almost human: he develops personal rituals, such as always galloping the school wall on the way home but never on the way out, and he shows recognisable emotional states, from "aloof and indifferent" withdrawal to eager, chittering welcome.
Mij is also shown to be playful and inventive, devising his own games (the suitcase-and-ball game, marble-juggling on his back) rather than simply reacting to toys given to him.
This intelligence, combined with his evident need for company and reassurance, as seen in his anxious chitter of recognition after being lost on the plane, builds the overall impression of an animal that needs love and attention, much as a pet dog or child might.
What is the significance of the title and the setting?
The title names the otter directly, making clear that the account is as much about Mij's individual character as about Maxwell's own experience of keeping him.
The setting shifts from the marshes near Basra, described as having broad plains, deserts and "large flooded areas," to London, a "large population" city with a "temperate climate," and finally towards Camusfearna in the Scottish Highlands, "ringed by water."
This movement across very different landscapes, from the hot, flooded marshes of Iraq to the busy streets of London, underlines how far Mij has travelled from his natural habitat, and how much adjustment both otter and owner must make along the way.
The contrast between the wild marshes and the crowded city streets also sets up the comic confusion of Londoners who have never seen such a creature before.
What are some key quotations from the account?
The quotations below trace the arc of the account, from the arrival of the otter in a squirming sack to the chaos on the aircraft and the comic bewilderment of Londoners who meet Mij for the first time. Each is drawn directly from Maxwell's own words, and each captures a distinct moment: the delivery of the long-awaited otter, Maxwell's first startled impression of the mud-covered creature, his growing attachment described as an "otter fixation," the panic of a woman who mistakes Mij for a rat, his gratitude towards the air hostess who helps him through the crisis, and finally the blunt, comic question of a labourer who cannot work out what kind of animal he is looking at. Together these lines show both the strong bond that develops between Maxwell and his unusual pet and the lighter, humorous side of the narrative.
"Here is your otter..." — the note from Maxwell's friend that accompanies the sack containing Mijbil.
"a very small, medievally-conceived, dragon" — Maxwell's first description of the mud-covered otter emerging from the sack.
"an otter fixation... shared by most other people, who have ever owned one" — Maxwell on the lasting attachment otters inspire in their owners.
"Here, Mister — what is that supposed to be?" — the labourer's question, which Maxwell says earned "the highest score" among Londoners' guesses.
"the very queen of her kind" — Maxwell's description of the air hostess who helps him with Mij on the flight.
"A rat! A rat!" — a woman's scream as Mij escapes and runs loose down the aircraft.
Glossary
- Crossed my mind — used of a thought that suddenly came into Maxwell's mind, here the idea of keeping an otter instead of a dog at Camusfearna.
- A stone's throw — a very short distance away, used by Maxwell to describe how close the water at Camusfearna was to his door.
- Cabled — sent an urgent message by telegraph, as Maxwell did to England when his mail failed to arrive at the Consulate-General in Basra.
- Thraldom — an old-fashioned word meaning being completely under the control of something, used by Maxwell to describe his attachment to otters.
- Fixation — a very strong, lasting attachment or feeling, used by Maxwell to describe the "otter fixation" shared by most other people who have ever owned one.
- Christened — formally named, as when zoologists christened Mij's previously unknown race Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter.
- Aloof and indifferent — keeping a distance and showing no particular interest, describing Mij's manner towards Maxwell for his first twenty-four hours.
- Apathy — an absence of interest or feeling, used of Mij's early behaviour before he began to take a "much too keen" interest in his surroundings.
- Dreaded the prospect — felt great fear about something that was going to happen in the future, as Maxwell did about transporting Mij to England.
- An appalling spectacle — a shocking, distressing scene, used of the blood-stained box Maxwell found after leaving Mij shut inside it before the flight.
- Ricochetting bullet — a bullet that changes direction sharply after striking a surface, used to describe how fast the car sped through the streets of Basra.
- Engrossed — completely absorbed and interested in something, describing how long Mij could occupy himself with his invented ping-pong ball game.
- Compulsive habits — habits that are impossible to control, such as Mij's insistence on galloping along the school wall every time he walked home.
- Barrage of conjectural questions — a continuous stream of questions based on guesswork, describing the many wrong guesses Londoners made about what kind of animal Mij was.
Common errors and misconceptions
- Misconception: Mij was friendly from the very first moment Maxwell opened the sack. Correct: for the first twenty-four hours Mij was "neither hostile nor friendly," simply aloof and indifferent.
- Misconception: Maxwell flew directly from Basra to London with Mij. Correct: because the British airline would not fly animals, he booked a flight to Paris first and travelled on to London from there.
- Misconception: Mij escaped on the plane because the box was faulty. Correct: Mij himself tore the box's lining to shreds in panic before the flight; on the plane he escaped after the air hostess suggested he sit on Maxwell's knee instead.
- Misconception: Every Londoner correctly guessed Mij was an otter. Correct: Londoners guessed he was a seal, squirrel, walrus, hippo, beaver, bear cub, leopard, or "brontosaur," but apparently never an otter.
- Misconception: Otters belong to the same family as dogs. Correct: otters belong to the Mustellines, a group that includes the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat and mink.
- Misconception: The otter species was already known to science before Mij. Correct: Mij's race was "previously unknown to science" and was newly named after Maxwell.
Exam-style questions with model answers
Q1. Why did Maxwell decide to keep an otter instead of a dog? [2 marks]
- His dog Jonnie had died and he was too sad to keep another dog, yet found life without a pet lonely.
- Camusfearna, being "ringed by water a stone's throw from its door," seemed an ideal spot for the "experiment" of keeping an otter.
Q2. Describe Mij's first twenty-four hours with Maxwell. [3 marks]
- When the sack was opened, the otter that emerged looked like "a very small, medievally-conceived, dragon," coated in mud over soft velvet fur.
- For the first twenty-four hours Mij was "neither hostile nor friendly," but "aloof and indifferent," choosing to sleep as far from Maxwell's bed as possible.
- By the second night, however, he came onto the bed and slept in the crook of Maxwell's knees until morning tea.
Q3. What difficulties did Maxwell face in transporting Mij from Basra to London, and how were they resolved? [5 marks]
- The British airline would not fly animals, so Maxwell had to book a flight to Paris on another airline and travel on to London from there.
- The airline insisted Mij be carried in a box no larger than eighteen inches square, placed on the floor at Maxwell's feet.
- Left alone in the box for an hour, Mij panicked and tore the lining to shreds, leaving blood around the airholes, an "appalling spectacle."
- With only ten minutes left before the flight, Maxwell removed the dangerous torn lining and rushed to the airport, the car going "like a ricochetting bullet."
- A sympathetic air hostess allowed Mij to sit on Maxwell's knee instead of in the box, though Mij still escaped briefly and caused chaos before being found and returned to Maxwell.
Q4. What happened when Mij escaped on the aircraft? [3 marks]
- Mij shot out of Maxwell's arms "in a flash" and ran down the aircraft, causing "squawks and shrieks," with one woman screaming "A rat! A rat!"
- Maxwell chased Mij under the legs of a "portly white-turbaned Indian," ending up with his own face covered in curry.
- The air hostess calmly located Mij and returned him; he bounded onto Maxwell's knee with a "distressed chitter of recognition and welcome."
Q5. What games did Mij invent for himself, and what do they show about him? [4 marks]
- Mij invented a game using a ping-pong ball and a slightly sloped, damaged suitcase lid, letting the ball run down and ambushing its arrival "crouching, to spring up and take it by surprise."
- He also dribbled a rubber ball around the room "like a four-footed soccer player" and could flick it to a surprising height.
- Lying on his back, he juggled marbles on his belly "without ever dropping one," showing careful control and enjoyment.
- These games show that Mij was intelligent, inventive and capable of amusing himself for long periods, "engrossed" for up to half an hour at a time.
Q6. What guesses did Londoners make about what kind of animal Mij was, and why was this surprising to Maxwell? [4 marks]
- Maxwell faced a "barrage of conjectural questions" that never seemed to hit on the word "otter."
- People guessed a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, and outside a dog show, a hippo.
- Others suggested a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard, and even a "brontosaur."
- Maxwell found this surprising because, though it is not strange that an average Londoner would not recognise an otter, he had not expected such a wide variety of guesses, none of which was correct.
Q7. How did Mijbil come to be named 'Maxwell's otter'? [2 marks]
- Zoologists found that Mijbil belonged to a race "previously unknown to science."
- He was therefore christened Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter, after Gavin Maxwell.
Q8. What compulsive habits did Mij develop on his London walks? [3 marks]
- Maxwell compares Mij's habits to the rituals of children who must touch every seventh railing or walk only on the centre of paving blocks.
- Opposite Maxwell's flat was a primary school with a low wall about two feet high running along its frontage.
- On the way home, but never on the way out, Mij would tug Maxwell to this wall and gallop its full thirty yards, distracting pupils and staff.
Key takeaways
- Maxwell decided to keep an otter instead of a dog after his dog Jonnie died, choosing Camusfearna as a suitable spot.
- Mij was acquired from the Tigris marshes near Basra and was at first "aloof and indifferent" before quickly becoming affectionate.
- Mij's race was previously unknown to science and was named Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or Maxwell's otter.
- Otters love moving water, as shown by Mij's joy in the bathtub and his skill at turning on taps.
- The journey from Basra to London involved a damaged travel box, a panicked otter, and chaos on the aircraft.
- An air hostess, "the very queen of her kind," helped Maxwell manage the crisis with calm good humour.
- In London, Mij invented his own games and developed compulsive habits, such as galloping along a school wall on the way home.
- Londoners made many wrong guesses about what Mij was, since otters belong to the little-known Mustelline group.
Test yourself
Where did Maxwell live, and why did he want a pet otter there?
He lived at Camusfearna in Scotland, "ringed by water a stone's throw from its door," which he thought would suit the "experiment" of keeping an otter.
How did Maxwell finally receive Mij?
Two Arabs brought his delayed mail, including a squirming sack and a note from his friend reading "Here is your otter..."
What did Mij do the first time he reached the bathroom taps?
Within less than a minute, Mij fumbled at the chromium taps with his paws and managed to turn on the full flow of water.
Why did the airline require Mij to travel in a small box?
The British airline would not fly animals at all, and the alternative airline insisted Mij be packed into a box no more than eighteen inches square.
What caused panic on the aircraft?
Mij escaped and ran down the plane, causing shrieks and a woman's scream of "A rat! A rat!" before being found and returned to Maxwell.
What group of animals do otters belong to?
Otters belong to the Mustellines, which also include the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat and mink.
What game did Mij invent with the suitcase?
He placed a ping-pong ball on the sloped lid of a damaged suitcase, let it run down, then dashed to ambush and grab it at the other end.