CBSE Class 12 English The Tiger King Summary and Questions

There were various reasons because of which the Maharaja banned tiger hunting in the state of Pratibandapuram. He vowed to hunt and kill hundred tigers to prove the astrologer wrong who predicted that a tiger would be the cause of his death. However, the tiger population of his kingdom was quickly diminishing because of the Maharaja’s hunting spree. This is why he did not want anyone else to hunt or kill tigers.

After hearing about disappearances of sheep, the Maharaja set out on an expedition to find the hundredth tiger, which was supposed to be the reason for the disappearances. However, the tiger could not be found anywhere. The Tiger King was becoming impatient day by day. In his rage, the Maharaja ordered the Dewan to double the land tax.

A high ranking British officer visited Pratibandapuram and sought permission to hunt tiger from King. Even though the king declined his request, he did not want to displease the officer. So in order to please the high-ranking British officer, he sent fifty diamond rings to his wife which cost the Maharaja three lakh rupees.

The fact that the ten-days-old infant prince spoke clearly and coherently and that he raised intelligent questions about life and death, gave the astrologers the greatest surprise of their life while they were studying the horoscope of the infant crown prince.

So far, the Maharaja had succeeded in killing only seventy tigers when they become extinct in Pratibandapurm. In order to fulfil his vow of killing one hundred tigers the Maharaja decided to get married to a girl from a royal family of a kingdom with a large tiger population.

The Tiger King gifted his son a wooden toy tiger. The toy was made by an unskilled carpenter because of which its surface was rough; tiny slivers of wood stood up like quills all over it. A splinter from the wooden tiger pierced his hand, caused suppurating sore, resulting into his death. This is how the Tiger King became the victim of the hundredth tiger.

The Maharaja refused to allow the British officer to hunt tigers in his kingdom. Instead, the Maharaja offered to organise a boar hunt or a mouse hunt or even a mosquito hunt. It shows the shallowness and pretence of the British official.

A high-ranking British officer, who was fond of hunting tigers, visited Pratibandapuram. The Tiger King refused to allow the British officer to hunt tigers saying it was banned in his kingdom. He did not even permit the officer to get himself photographed with the tiger killed by the king. This annoyed the high-ranking British officer because directly or indirectly, the king was preventing an important man from fulfilling his desire. Anticipating unfavourable consequences of denying a British officer and to avert the danger of losing his kingdom, the Tiger King sent a gift of fifty expensive diamond rings to the British officer’s wife. Although he thought that the duraisani would only select a couple of rings, he did not mind that she kept them all. In fact, he was happy to know that he was able to retain his kingdom even though he had to pay three lakh rupees to the British jewellers for the diamond rings.

When the Maharaja was only ten days old, an astrologer predicted that a tiger would be the cause of his death. In order to prove the astrologer wrong and also to save himself from getting killed, the Maharaja vowed to hunt and kill hundred tigers. This is why he was so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger.

The British officer’s secretary sent a message to the Maharaja through his dewan that the Maharaja could actually kill the tiger and then allow the British officer to get himself photographed with the tiger while holding the gun and standing over carcass. However, the Maharaja did not agree to him and refused permission because he feared that doing so will encourage other British officers to turn up for tiger hunting. The Maharaja wanted to kill hundred tigers himself.

A high-ranking British officer, who was fond of hunting tigers, visited Pratibandapuram. The Tiger King refused to allow the British officer to hunt tigers saying it was banned in his kingdom. He did not even permit the officer to get himself photographed with the tiger killed by the king. This annoyed the high-ranking British officer because directly or indirectly, the king was preventing an important man from fulfilling his desire. Anticipating unfavourable consequences of denying a British officer and to avert the danger of losing his kingdom, the Tiger King sent a gift of fifty expensive diamond rings to the British officer’s wife. Although he thought that the duraisani would only select a couple of rings, he did not mind that she kept them all. In fact, he was happy to know that he was able to retain his kingdom even though he had to pay three lakh rupees to the British jewellers for the diamond rings

When the Maharaja was only ten days old, an astrologer predicted that a tiger would be the cause of his death. In order to prove the astrologer wrong and also to save himself from getting killed, the Maharaja vowed to hunt and kill hundred tigers. This is why he was so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger.

The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, the Tiger King had killed ninety-nine tigers to prove the chief astrologer’s prediction wrong. He was so obsessed with killing hundred tigers that he even married the princess whose state was rich in tigers. It was this fixation of his, with killing tigers, which got him the name.

The tiger provided by the Dewan Saheb was very old and stood in complete submission. The Maharaja took an aim and fired, but actually the bullet had missed the tiger. Hearing the sharp sound of bullet the tiger fainted. The Maharaja took the procession of the ‘dead’ tiger through the town unaware that it was still alive. Since, the other hunters did not want to offend the Maharaja by telling him what had happened, one of the hunters shot and killed the tiger.

The occasion was the Tiger King’s son’s third birthday, he had not been paying much attention to the crown prince because of his obsession of killing hundred tigers. Since, it was his son’s birthday, he wanted to give something special to the crown prince. He went to the shopping centre in Pratibandapuram and searched every shop, but could not find anything suitable. He then saw a wooden toy tiger and thought it was perfect for his son. The toy had been carved by an unskilled carpenter. The surface was rough because slivers of wood were poking out, of the entire toy. One of the quills pierced the Maharaja’s hand. Although the king pulled it out the wound became infected. The infection spread all over the arm. As the situation worsened, three famous surgeons were called from Madras to treat the king. All three surgeons agreed that the king needed to be operated on immediately. After the surgery, the three surgeons announced that the operation was successful but king had passed away. Ultimately, the Tiger King met his end by the hundredth tiger, ironically not by a real tiger but by a wooden one whose splinter injured him proving deadly.

After ‘killing’ the hundredth tiger, the Tiger King was filled with joy. He had proved the astrologers wrong. In order to celebrate his victory, the Maharaja ordered the tiger to be brought in a grand procession. Having fulfilled his vow, the Tiger King had all the time in the world. So, he turned his attention to his son.

The Dewan’s tiger was weak and senile. He arranged the tiger from The People’s Park, Madras. Dewan dragged the tiger out at midnight and shoved him into the car, went to the forest, hauled the beast out of the car and pushed him to the ground near Maharaja’s camp.

The Dewan decided to give up his own tiger to be killed by the Maharaja because he had to save his job. Otherwise, if the King could not kill the hundredth tiger, he would be furious and the result would be catastrophic.

When the high ranking British officer expressed his desire to hunt tiger in Pratibandapurm, the Maharaja denied him permission. He said to the British officer that the latter could hunt anything, even mosquitoes, but not tigers. Later, when the Maharaja realised that refusing the high ranking British officer could jeopardise his kingdom, he sent fifty samples of diamond rings to the British officer’s wife to choose from. She kept them all; it cost the Maharaja three lakhs rupees.

The chief astrologer predicted that the Tiger King would die one day. The irony was that, hearing this, the ten days old infant Tiger King, then a crown prince, spoke like a wise man and said that everyone who is born had to die.

After listening to the prediction about his death, the ten-days old crown prince responded by saying that death is inevitable for anybody who is born. It does not require prediction. He wished to know about the manner of death as it is more important than the news of his death itself. When he learnt that the cause of his death would be tigers, he said with a growl : “Let tigers beware!”

Crown prince Jung Bahadur drank the milk of an English cow. He was brought up by an English nanny and tutored in English by an Englishman, saw nothing but English movies. Until he reached his twenties, the crown prince Jung Bahadur enjoyed everything which other Indian crown princes during British rule were enjoying.

The hundredth tiger was killed by one of the hunters accompanying the Tiger King. The Maharaja missed his mark, but loud bang of the gun shot made the old and weak tiger faint. If the king had found out about this, the hunters would have lost their job.

The occasion was the Tiger King’s son’s third birthday, he had not been paying much attention to the crown prince because of his obsession of killing hundred tigers. Since, it was his son’s birthday, he wanted to give something special to the crown prince. He went to the shopping centre in Pratibandapuram and searched every shop, but could not find anything suitable. He then saw a wooden toy tiger and thought it was perfect for his son. The toy had been carved by an unskilled carpenter. The surface was rough because slivers of wood were poking out, of the entire toy. One of the quills pierced the Maharaja’s hand. Although the king pulled it out the wound became infected. The infection spread all over the arm. As the situation worsened, three famous surgeons were called from Madras to treat the king. All three surgeons agreed that the king needed to be operated on immediately. After the surgery, the three surgeons announced that the operation was successful but king had passed away. Ultimately, the Tiger King met his end by the hundredth tiger, ironically not by a real tiger but by a wooden one whose splinter injured him proving deadly.

A high-ranking British officer, who was fond of hunting tigers, visited Pratibandapuram. The Tiger King refused to allow the British officer to hunt tigers saying it was banned in his kingdom. He did not even permit the officer to get himself photographed with the tiger killed by the king. This annoyed the high-ranking British officer because directly or indirectly, the king was preventing an important man from fulfilling his desire. Anticipating unfavourable consequences of denying a British officer and to avert the danger of losing his kingdom, the Tiger King sent a gift of fifty expensive diamond rings to the British officer’s wife. Although he thought that the duraisani would only select a couple of rings, he did not mind that she kept them all. In fact, he was happy to know that he was able to retain his kingdom even though he had to pay three lakh rupees to the British jewellers for the diamond rings.

A high-ranking British officer, who was fond of hunting tigers, visited Pratibandapuram. The Tiger King refused to allow the British officer to hunt tigers saying it was banned in his kingdom. He did not even permit the officer to get himself photographed with the tiger killed by the king. This annoyed the high-ranking British officer because directly or indirectly, the king was preventing an important man from fulfilling his desire. Anticipating unfavourable consequences of denying a British officer and to avert the danger of losing his kingdom, the Tiger King sent a gift of fifty expensive diamond rings to the British officer’s wife. Although he thought that the duraisani would only select a couple of rings, he did not mind that she kept them all. In fact, he was happy to know that he was able to retain his kingdom even though he had to pay three lakh rupees to the British jewellers for the diamond rings.

The chief astrologer placed his finger on his nose because he was filled with surprise and wonder on hearing a small baby, just ten days old, speak.

There were various reasons because of which the Maharaja banned tiger hunting in the state of Pratibandapuram. He vowed to hunt and kill hundred tigers to prove the astrologer wrong who predicted that a tiger would be the cause of his death. However, the tiger population of his kingdom was quickly diminishing because of the Maharaja’s hunting spree. This is why he did not want anyone else to hunt or kill tigers.

The Tiger King dispatched a telegram to a famous British company of jewellers in Calcutta to send samples of expensive diamond rings of different designs. Some fifty rings arrived and the king sent all of it to the British officer’s wife. The king and his minister expected that the duraisani would choose one or two rings and send the rest back. However, it turned out that the duraisani kept the entire lot and replied with a thank you note for the gifts. In two days, a bill of three lakh rupees was sent by the British jewellers, to the Maharaja which he was happy to pay. This is how the Maharaja had managed to retain his kingdom. This act of the king sheds light on the deplorable practice of bribery that perpetuates the vicious cycle of corruption, especially considering the fact that the king had personal interests to protect rather than the welfare of his kingdom.

From the moment the Tiger King heard the prediction that a tiger would be the cause of his death, he made it the aim of his life not to lose to the tigers. The Tiger King vowed to kill hundred tigers and not rest until his vow was completed. While the Maharaja believed that he was fighting to change his destiny, it was the other way round. One may find it superstitious, but it was his destiny, which pushed him to act the way he did and eventually die because of a tiger.

The Tiger King took lives of the innocent tigers, one after another, until it became an obsession of his. He was selfish, self-centred and to quite an extent, hot-headed, which influenced each of his actions. He banned tiger hunts in Pratibandapuram for others and threatened to confiscate wealth and property of anybody who dared to hurt the tigers. He gave up his royal duties only to fulfil his vow, without once thinking about the effects it would have on his kingdom. He bribed the high ranking British officer, whom he had denied permission to hunt tigers in Pratibandapuram, so that he, the Tiger King, did not lose his kingdom. The Maharaja even married into a royal family only on one condition, the forests of that kingdom had to have tigers. After killing ninety-nine tigers, the Tiger King’s obsession grew.

On his last hunting expedition, when the hundredth tiger was nowhere to be seen, the Tiger King became furious and asked Dewan to double the land tax of the village where he had gone to hunt. The Dewan feared that the king’s decision would prove to be catastrophic, if the hundredth tiger was not found and killed quickly; the dewan’s job was in jeopardy too. These chain of events paved way for the death of the Tiger King. The Dewan arranged for a senile tiger to be killed by the Maharaja. However, the King’s bullet did not kill the beast; the old tiger merely fainted by the sound of the gun shot. It was one of the king’s hunters who finally killed the tiger, leaving the king content with the thought of killing hundred tigers. Therefore, the king’s death due to the infection caused by the splinter from the wooden toy tiger, was a death caused by his own action, proving that the superstitious belief prevailed.

A high-ranking British officer, who was fond of hunting tigers, visited Pratibandapuram. The Tiger King refused to allow the British officer to hunt tigers saying it was banned in his kingdom. He did not even permit the officer to get himself photographed with the tiger killed by the king. This annoyed the high-ranking British officer because directly or indirectly, the king was preventing an important man from fulfilling his desire. Anticipating unfavourable consequences of denying a British officer and to avert the danger of losing his kingdom, the Tiger King sent a gift of fifty expensive diamond rings to the British officer’s wife. Although he thought that the duraisani would only select a couple of rings, he did not mind that she kept them all. In fact, he was happy to know that he was able to retain his kingdom even though he had to pay three lakh rupees to the British jewellers for the diamond rings.

The Tiger King wanted to give his son a special gift on his birthday. He went out to look for the ideal present for him. Finally, he found a wooden tiger at a toy shop and gave it to his son. But it had been made by an unskilled carpenter; The surface was rough as up like quills tiny slivers of wood stood all over it. One of these pierced Tiger King’s hand. The infection from the wound spread all over the arm and eventually killed him. In spite of killing ninety-nine tigers, his death comes from the hundredth tiger, just as the chief astrologer had predicted. What is ironic about the Tiger King’s fate is that, the hundredth tiger was not even a real tiger, it was a toy.

After he took a vow to kill hundred tigers, doing so became the sole aim of his life. The Tiger King made numerous efforts to fulfil his target of killing a hundred tigers. He banned tiger hunting in Pratibandapuram. He announced that anyone who dared to even touch a tiger in his kingdom, would have to surrender their entire wealth and property. Gradually, the Tiger King started paying more attention to hunting tigers and less on his royal duties. By now, he had killed almost all the tigers in the forests of Pratibanapuram. He spent three lakhs rupees on diamond rings, which he presented to the wife of a high ranking British official, whom he offended by refusing to give permission to hunt tigers in Pratibandpuram. The Tiger King was so obsessed with killing tigers that he even married into a kingdom where the tiger population was high. Every time he went to meet his in laws, he would kill five or six tigers. He stayed in the forest for many days and was determined to catch a tiger. But he grew anxious when he couldn’t get one even after many days. He fired many of his officers for this reason. The Maharaja’s Dewan brought an old tiger from the People’s Park in Madras for the king to kill, to finally let him achieve his target of killing hundred tigers.