Navigating through the English Language and Literature curriculum for Class 10 requires a close understanding of autobiographical travelogues, animal behavior, and descriptive prose. Chapter 6 of First Flight, “Mijbil the Otter” by Gavin Maxwell, is a delightful and heartwarming account of the author’s unique bond with an unconventional pet—an otter he brought from the marshes of Iraq to his home in Camusfearna, Scotland. The narrative explores themes of inter-species companionship, human empathy, the playful intelligence of wild creatures, and the humorous misunderstandings of urban society. To help students master every aspect of this unit, this comprehensive solutions guide offers textbook-accurate, highly structured, and pedagogically sound responses aligned with the latest CBSE evaluation standards.
Every question presented in the official NCERT textbook—ranging from the three in-text Oral Comprehension Check sections to analytical thinking questions, scientific classifications, vocabulary exercises on compulsive habits, and board-level FAQs—has been solved with thorough detail. Key scoring terms, zoological classifications (Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli), and behavioural traits have been highlighted to provide students with the exact textual evidence required by board evaluators. By reviewing these structured solutions, students will learn how to articulate character-based answers, observe word limits, and secure top marks in their board examinations.
NCERT Class 10 English Mijbil the Otter Solutions
The narrative begins following the death of Gavin Maxwell’s beloved dog, when he decides to experiment with keeping an otter instead of a dog at his coastal cottage in Camusfearna. During a trip to Basra in Iraq, a friend arranges for two Arabs to deliver an otter cub to him. Maxwell names the otter Mijbil. The chapter chronicles Mijbil’s initial aloofness, his gradual bonding with Maxwell, his obsessive love for water, the harrowing journey aboard an airplane to England, and his amusing life on the streets of London.
Through vivid anecdotes, Maxwell showcases the high intelligence, curiosity, and playfulness of otters, while also highlighting the ignorance of Londoners who make hilarious guesses about Mijbil’s identity. Below are the complete and detailed solutions for every section of the chapter.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page No. 106)
Question 1 What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for? (Page No. 106)
Answer: Following the death of his beloved dog, Maxwell felt deeply lonely and decided to keep an otter instead of a dog as a pet. He believed that his home in Camusfearna, located in the Western Highlands of Scotland, was completely surrounded by water and physically ideal for an animal whose natural habitat is aquatic.
Question 2 Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why? (Page No. 106) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: Maxwell went to the Consulate-General in Basra, Iraq, to collect and answer his mail from Europe.
He had to wait there for five days due to logistical delays:
- His friend’s mail had arrived promptly, but Maxwell’s mail had not.
- He cabled England, but after three days of silence, he tried to make a telephone call (which was blocked due to a holiday and exchange breakdowns).
- His mail finally arrived five days later.
Question 3 How does he get the otter, does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this. (Page No. 106)
Answer: Maxwell received the otter as a gift from his friend. When he returned to his room after collecting his mail, he found two Arab squires sitting on the floor with a sack that contained an otter cub, along with a note from his friend saying, “Here is your otter…”
Yes, Maxwell liked the otter immensely. The textual phrases that clearly demonstrate his deep affection and emotional attachment are:
- “an otter fixation”
- “a thraldom to otters” (meaning being completely captivated or enslaved by his love for otters)
- He describes this bond as a feeling that he believes is shared by anyone who has ever owned an otter.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page No. 108)
Question 1 Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’? (Page No. 108) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: The otter belonged to a race or sub-species that was previously unknown to modern science. After zoologists studied the creature, it was officially classified by zoologist Oldfield Thomas as Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, and hence came to be commonly known as ‘Maxwell’s otter’.
Question 2 What did Mij do to the box? (Page No. 108)
Answer: Mijbil was placed in a small wooden box lined with metal sheeting an hour before the flight so he would become accustomed to it. However, Mijbil disliked the confinement and attempted to escape, tearing up the metal lining of the box. In the process, he cut himself and left the box splattered with blood around the air holes.
Question 3 Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this? (Page No. 108)
Answer: Maxwell had to put the wounded and exhausted otter back into the box because there were only ten minutes left for the flight to take off, and the airport was five miles away. The airline strictly required pets to be packed in a box not more than eighteen inches square.
Maxwell felt miserable, guilty, and deeply distressed when doing this, as he hated seeing the poor animal trapped, bleeding, and panicked inside the cramped container.
Question 4 Why was the air hostess called ‘the very queen of her kind’? (Page No. 108) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: Maxwell called the air hostess “the very queen of her kind” because she was exceptionally kind, empathetic, professional, and understanding.
Upon listening to Maxwell’s anxious explanation about the distressed otter, she generously suggested that he could keep the pet on his knee during the flight, displaying rare compassion that immediately comforted Maxwell.
Question 5 What happened when the box was opened? (Page No. 108)
Answer: As soon as Maxwell opened the box in the aircraft, Mijbil bolted out in a flash and disappeared down the length of the plane at high speed.
Pandemonium broke out inside the cabin:
- Passengers screamed and shrieked in terror, with a woman standing up on her seat crying, “A rat! A rat!”
- Maxwell dived to catch Mijbil but missed, landing face-first in a passenger’s plate of curry.
- Eventually, the air hostess helped calm the situation, and Mijbil returned voluntarily to Maxwell, nuzzling his face and neck.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page No. 110)
Question 1 What game had Mij invented? (Page No. 110)
Answer: Mijbil invented a game with a ping-pong ball and a damaged suitcase belonging to Maxwell. The lid of the suitcase had a slope when closed. Mijbil would place the ball at the high end of the suitcase lid, run down to the other side, and wait for the ball to roll down, pouncing on it to surprise it before it rolled off the edge.
Question 2 What are ‘compulsive habits’? What were some of Mij’s compulsive habits? (Page No. 110) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: ‘Compulsive habits’ are involuntary, repetitive actions or behaviors that an individual feels an irresistible urge to perform without any logical necessity (similar to children stepping on every paving stone or touching lamp posts).
Some of Mijbil’s compulsive habits on the streets of London included:
- The School Wall Gallop: While on his daily walks, Mijbil would pull Maxwell toward the two-foot-high wall of a primary school, jump onto it, and gallop the entire length of the thirty-yard wall, much to the distraction of pupils and staff.
- Tug-of-War at Corners: He insisted on specific rituals when turning street corners or passing certain railings.
Question 3 What group of animals do otters belong to? (Page No. 110)
Answer: Otters belong to a comparatively small group of carnivorous mammals called Mustellines (or the Mustelid family), which also includes badgers, mongooses, weasels, stoats, and minks.
Question 4 What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was? (Page No. 110) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: Because otters were an unfamiliar sight on the streets of London, passersby made an amusing variety of wild and incorrect guesses about Mijbil’s identity. They guessed he was:
- A baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, or a beaver.
- A bear cub, a leopard (spotted), a mink, or a marsh dog.
- More absurd guesses included a brontosaur, an iguana, and a “hip-po” (hippopotamus).
- A laborer digging a hole in the street famously stared at Mijbil in disbelief and asked, “Here, Mister—what is that supposed to be?”
Thinking about the Text
Question 1 What things does Mij do which tell you he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love? (Page No. 110) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: Mijbil’s actions throughout the narrative prove that he was an intelligent, affectionate, and playful creature:
- Intelligence: He learned how to turn the bathroom tap with his paws to produce a full flow of water all by himself. He also invented his own solo game with a ping-pong ball on a sloping suitcase lid.
- Playfulness: He spent hours rolling marbles on his belly, juggling small objects, splashing in the bathtub, and galloping along the primary school wall.
- Affection and Need for Love: Although initially aloof on his first day, by the second night he came onto Maxwell’s bed and slept in the crook of his knees. On the flight, when panicked, he rushed back to Maxwell and nuzzled his neck affectionately.
Question 2 What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text? (Page No. 111)
Answer: From Gavin Maxwell’s account, we learn several fascinating scientific and behavioural facts about otters:
- Natural Habitat: They thrive in wetland areas, rivers, and marshes (such as the Tigris marshes of Iraq).
- Obsession with Water: An otter cannot tolerate static water; it must constantly splash, plunge, roll, and create waves until the water is dynamic and in motion.
- High Intelligence and Agility: They have dexterous paws and can manipulate objects, invent complex games, and operate mechanical objects like water taps.
- Family Classification: They belong to the Mustelid family alongside badgers, mongooses, and minks.
- Diet and Taming: In captivity, they adapt easily to eating fish, meat, and packaged food, and form deep emotional bonds with human caregivers.
Question 3 Why is Mij’s species now known on record as Maxwell’s otter? (Page No. 111)
Answer: Mijbil was brought by Maxwell from the marshes of southern Iraq. Since this particular sub-species of smooth-coated otter was previously unknown to science, zoologists at the London Zoological Society named the species Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli (Maxwell’s otter) in honor of Gavin Maxwell, who brought the specimen to scientific attention.
Question 4 Where in the story does the author make you feel he was very fond of Mij? (Page No. 111)
Answer: The author’s deep affection for Mijbil is evident throughout the narrative:
- He refers to his love for otters as “an otter fixation” and “a thraldom to otters”.
- He felt intense sorrow and guilt when Mijbil injured himself in the box before the flight.
- He spent hours patiently engaging with Mijbil, playing marble games on the floor, and taking him on daily walks.
- He affectionately called the air hostess “the very queen of her kind” because she allowed him to keep his beloved pet close to him on the aircraft.
Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises Explained
Exercise 1: Mustelids and Describing Words (Page No. 112) Match the animals with their correct descriptions and biological classifications.
Answer:
- Otter: An aquatic carnivorous mammal of the mustelid family, characterized by webbed feet and playful water habits.
- Badger: A heavily built, nocturnal mustelid that burrows underground.
- Mongoose: A small carnivorous mammal known for its ability to fight venomous snakes.
- Weasel: A small, slender, active carnivorous mustelid.
Exercise 2: Idiomatic Expressions and Verbs (Page No. 113) Understand the contextual meaning of key expressions used in the chapter:
Answer:
- In a flash: Extremely quickly; instantly. Context: Mijbil escaped from the opened box in a flash.
- Squatting on the floor: Sitting on one’s haunches close to the ground. Context: The two Arabs were squatting on the floor with the sack.
- Chittering with pleasure: Making high-pitched, vocal squeaks showing joy. Context: Mijbil was chittering with pleasure while playing in the bathtub.
- Gallop along: Running at high speed with bounding leaps. Context: Mijbil would gallop along the thirty-yard school wall.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Class 10 English Chapter 6
Question 1: Why did Gavin Maxwell decide to keep an otter as a pet? Answer: Maxwell’s dog, Jonnie, had died, leaving him lonely. Since he lived in Camusfearna in Scotland, which was surrounded by water, he thought the location was ideal for keeping an otter.
Question 2: How did Mijbil behave during his first two days with Maxwell? Answer: On the first day, Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly; he was aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor. By the second night, he became comfortable, came onto Maxwell’s bed, and began sleeping in the crook of his knees.
Question 3: How did Mijbil manage to open the bathroom tap? Answer: Mijbil used his dexterous front paws to turn the screw tap. He would fumble with the tap until he turned it the right way to produce a trickle of water, and eventually a full flow.
Question 4: What happened on the flight from Basra to London? Answer: Mijbil escaped from his box, ran through the cabin, caused passengers to panic and scream thinking he was a rat, and made Maxwell fall into a curry plate. With the air hostess’s help, order was restored and Mijbil returned to Maxwell.
Question 5: What was the funniest question asked to Maxwell by a Londoner about Mijbil? Answer: While Londoners guessed Mijbil was everything from a walrus to a brontosaur, the funniest moment occurred when a laborer dropped his tools, stared in disbelief, and asked, “Here, Mister—what is that supposed to be?”
Mastering the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 6, “Mijbil the Otter”, ensures students are fully prepared for descriptive, extract-based, and analytical character questions. Reviewing Maxwell’s humane treatment of animals, the scientific classification of otters, and the humorous London anecdotes will help students secure top marks in the CBSE Board Examination.