ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kenneth Douglas Stewart Anderson (1910 - 1974) was an British writer

and hunter who wrote many books about his adventures in the jungles
of South India. His love for the inhabitants of the Indian jungle led him
to big game hunting and eventually to writing real-life adventure
stories. He would often go into the jungle alone and unarmed to
meditate and enjoy the beauty of untouched nature. As a professional
hunter, he searched out man-eating big game to eliminate the threat
they posed to villages. Some of his most notable kills include the Sloth
bear of Mysore, the Leopard of Gummalapur, the Leopard of the
Yellagiri Hills, the Tigress of Jowlagiri, the Tiger of Segur and the
Tiger of Mundachipallam. He is officially recorded as having shot 8
man-eating leopards (7 males and 1 female) and 7 tigers (5 males and 2
females) on the Government records from 1939 to 1966 though he was
rumored to have unofficially shot over 18-20 man eating panthers and
over 15-20 man eating tigers. He also shot a few rogue elephants. Unlike
Jim Corbett who hunted in North India, from the foothills of the
Himalayas, The Shivalik's, Garhwal, Kumaon to Northern MP,
Anderson hunted in South India, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh (then Madras Presidency, Mysore State and Hyderabad
Principality).
INTRODUCTION
• The story highlights the
emotional bond between
human beings and
animals. The narrator’s
wife shares affection with
a wild bear and they get
attached to each other
shows that animals have
feelings and reciprocate to
love with warmth and
affection.
 THEME & MESSAGE
• The theme of the story is that even wild
animals like sloth bears have emotions ,
affection , and deep bonds. The story is
developed around the concept that love is
reciprocal. Even animals respond sincerely
to the affection and care shown to them by
human beings. In fact, the emotional bond
that animals form is so strong that they do
not easily forget those who care for and love
them.
CHARACTER
SKETCH
BRUNO THE SLOTH
BEAR
BRUNO BRUNO THE SLOTH BEAR

❖ Bruno is the pet sloth bear in the author’s home. He is an

affectionate, emotional, sensitive, and playful animal.
Bruno behaves like a member of the family with a
specifically deep bond of love for the lady. Bruno’s
affectionate nature wins him the love of the Alsatian dogs
and the children of the tenants. He loves eating and
enjoys every kind of food and drink. Bruno is playful and
mischievous.

❖ Affectionately called ‘Baba’ by the author’s wife, he

behaves like a young child in the family. He roams
around the whole house and even sleeps in their bed.
Bruno’s selfless love can be seen when he is sent to the zoo
where he suffers the pain of separation. He frets and
refuses to eat. He is overjoyed when he sees the narrator’s
wife after three months. He recognizes her from a
distance and keeps eating from her hands for hours. He is
overjoyed when brought back home and spends happy
moments in the lap of his caretaker that is the author’s
wife. Thus, Bruno’s character reveals that animals are
very loving, affectionate, sincere and selfless creatures
CHARACTER
SKETCH
Kenneth Anderson
THE AUTHOR
 KENNETH ANDERSON
KENNETH ANDERSON
➢In the story, the narrator was a
hunter by profession. But he
was good and compassionate at
heart. Also, he is a loving
husband. When he saw his wife
fretting after being separated
from Bruno, he takes her to
visit him at the zoo. He even
reconciles with her decision to
bring him back home.
CHARACTER
SKETCH
THE AUTHOR’S
WIFE
THE AUTHOR’S WIFE THE AUTHOR’S WIFE

At the first look of it, we understand

that the narrator’s wife has a special
liking towards animals. She greets
Bruno with a lot of love and affection.
She even names him Baba probably
because she considers him as her own
baby boy. They develop a strong sense of
attachment, so much so that when
Bruno is sent to the zoo, both of the fret
and refuse to eat food. In spite of the
author’s restrain she decides to visit
Bruno at the zoo. Eventually, with the
permission of the superintendent she
brings Bruno back home.
SUMMARY
THE BOND OF LOVE
In the story, the narrator highlights the emotional bond shared by his wife and their pet bear
Bruno. He got the baby bear in an accident and presented it to his wife. She named the bear
‘Bruno’ and treated it like a baby. The bear was fed milk with a bottle and later it started eating
different food items. He enjoyed eating and drinking everything and anything. Bruno was
attached to everyone including their tenant’s children and their pet Alsatian dogs. It would play,
run around the house and even sleep in their bed.
One day, accidentally, it ate a poison - Barium carbonate which had been kept in the library to
kill mice and rats. Bruno was under a fit of paralysis and was taken to a veterinary doctor. He
was injected twice and finally, revived. After a while, Bruno resumed eating normally. In
another incident, he drank a gallon of old engine oil which the narrator had kept to fight a
termite attack. This did not have any ill - effect on Bruno.
As days passed, Bruno grew bigger but remained as sweet and playful. The narrator’s wife
changed his name to ‘Baba’ which was a Hindustani word for ‘a small boy’. He had learned a few
tricks too. When commanded ‘Baba, wrestle’ or ‘Baba, box’, he would tackle and overpower the
person. When ordered ‘Baba, hold gun’ he would point a stick at the person. When asked ‘Baba,
where’s baby?’ he would take out the piece of wood and would cradle it affectionately like a baby.
As he was big now, he had to be chained because he could harm the tenant’s children.
The narrator, his son and their friends advised the narrator’s wife to send Baba to a zoo as he
was too big to be kept as a pet. She gave in and finally, after taking consent from the zoo in
charge, they packed Baba in a cage and sent him to the zoo at Mysore. Everyone missed him but
felt relieved as it was not comfortable to keep him at home. The narrator’s wife missed Baba
immensely. She cried and worried about him. She wrote letters to the zoo in charge to ask about
Baba’s well - being.
They replied that Baba was fine but did not eat and remained sad much like
her. She would ask her friends visiting Mysore to visit Baba. Everyone said
that he was sad and appeared thin. After three months had passed, the
narrator’s wife convinced him to take her to meet Baba. Everyone had
predicted that the bear would not recognize her but she had not even
reached the cage when Baba recognized her. He stood on his two paws and
was delighted to see her. She petted Baba and fed him his favorite food. She
spent three hours there until the visiting hours ended and left teary - eyed.
She requested the zoo in charge to allow them to take Baba back for which
they had to take permission from the Superintendent in Bangalore. As they
got the required permission, Baba was put in a cage, the cage kept on top of
their car and Baba was brought back home.
They got a special island made for Baba to live on. It was surrounded by a
deep dry pit. Baba was provided with his belongings, a box to sleep in, straw
to keep him warm, his stick and piece of wood to play with.
The narrator’s wife would visit Baba on the island by swinging on a rope
tied to a mango tree. She would make the big bear sit in her lap for hours
and would pat him affectionately.
 MCQ
Q1- Who is the author of this lesson?
A) Kenneth Anderson
B) Smith
C) Jack Smith
D) Charles
ANS: A) Kenneth Anderson
Q2- Whom did the author get by accident?
A) a dog
B) baby tiger
C) a sloth bear
D) none
ANS: C) a sloth bear
Q3- Where did the author find the sloth bear?
A) in the fields
B) in the forest
C) in the sugarcane field near Mysore
D) in the dense forest
ANS: C) in the sugarcane field near Mysore
Q4- What was the color of the bear?
A) brown
B) white
C) black
D) red
ANS: C) black
Q5- What was the name given to the bear
A) Tinu
B) Chiku
C) Bruno
D) Merino
ANS: C) Bruno
THANK YOU!