GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir

Summary of The Tiger King

The Tiger King, written by Indian writer Kalki Krishnamurthy, is a satirical story on pride and power. It
talks about a king in pre-independence India who was brought up in the most lavish lifestyle. The one thing
that worried him was the prediction made by his astrologers – the king’s death would be caused by a tiger.
When the king embraced adulthood, he resolved to kill tigers to prove his astrologers wrong. But, as predicted,
he faced his death at last in the form of an infection caused by a sliver of a wooden toy tiger. The poor
craftsmanship of the wooden tiger lead to the death of the king.
I The protagonist of the story is the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram. The story is about how he gets the name
‘Tiger King’. Before the story starts, the writer tells us that the protagonist of the story is presently dead.
However, the interesting event that will help us understand the story is the astrological prediction made
after his birth.
When the king was just 10 days old, the astrologers predicted that the child would grow up to be a very
strong king and the greatest of warriors, champions, and heroes, but they hesitated to announce that the
king would meet his death one day. After hearing this, the ten-day-old baby called the astrologers. For a
moment, they were baffled about the source of the sound. The baby directed their senses toward him and
asked them to tell him the reason for his death. He reasoned that death was a natural phenomenon and it
did not need to be predicted.
The astrologers were surprised as well as intrigued by the baby’s behaviour. They announced that since
the king was born in the hour of the bull and since the bull and the tiger are enemies, the king would be
killed by a tiger. The prince growled deeply and threatened to kill all the tigers.
II. As time went by, the crown prince grew taller and stronger. He drank the milk of an English cow, was
brought up by an English nanny, was tutored by an Englishman and watched only English films just like
the other crown princes of Indian states. The responsibility of the state was handed over to him when he
became twenty years old. People started talking about the king’s tragic fate, and it reached his ears. The
king decided to kill the tigers in the forests of Pratibandapuram. The Maharaj was thrilled when he killed
the first tiger and showed its dead body to the State astrologer challenging the prediction made for him.
The astrologer clarified the prediction saying that he would not face death while killing the first ninety-
nine tigers, but he should be careful with dealing with the hundredth tiger. To challenge the astrologer
further, the king announced that the hundredth tiger would also be killed. The astrologer replied that he
would cut off his tuft, shorten his hair and become an insurance agent.
III From that day, the king announced that tigers in the forests of Pratibandapuram would be hunted by none
other than him. Anyone who dared even to harm a tiger would be punished. With his firm resolve to kill
the hundred tigers, he decided to return to his management of state affairs only after it was accomplished.
Sometimes, he missed the bullet while hunting but always managed to kill the tiger with his bare hands.
The king almost faced the trouble of losing his throne once when a high-ranking British officer expressed
his desire to hunt tigers in the forests of Pratibandapuram, and he denied it. The officer replied that he
was not as much interested in killing the tiger as he was interested in a photograph with the dead tiger.
The king denied this as well and sent fifty samples of diamonds to his wife to choose a gift of three. Next,
he knew that the British officer’s wife had kept all the diamonds to herself and sent him a letter thanking
him for the gift.
Although the king had to pay a hefty bill, he was pleased that he was able to retain his kingdom.
IV The Maharaja was successful in his attempts and killed seventy tigers within ten years. But a new problem
arose – the tiger population had become extinct. He called the dewan and asked him to fix his marriage
to a princess of a state with a huge tiger population. Thus, he got married and killed five or six tigers each
time he visited his in-laws. He decorated the walls of his palace with the skins of ninety-nine dead tigers.
V The Maharaja developed a sense of anxiety when he was not able to complete his count of hundred tigers.
Even the tigers in his father-in-law’s kingdom were all killed. Good news embraced him when he got to
know that sheep were disappearing from his state. He went out on a frantic search for the last tiger. He
could not find it, and it seemed like the tiger was teasing him deliberately. He refused to leave the forest
until the tiger was found. Many officers lost their jobs due to the king’s strange behaviour.
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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
Once the Maharaja called the dewan and asked him to increase the land tax by twice its value. When the
dewan pleaded with the king to see reason, he was left with a warning of losing his post. The hopeless
dewan dragged a tiger (from People’s Park in Madras) hidden in the palace with the help of his wife and
let him out at the spot where the king was hunting. The king aimed sharp, and the tiger dropped down,
only to be discovered alive by his men. They did not want to lose their jobs. So, one of the hunters took
good aim and shot the tiger dead. The king celebrated the death of the hundredth tiger in grandeur. The
king now peacefully returned to his family affairs.
A few days later, the king bought a wooden tiger for his son to play with. The shopkeeper feared
punishment and had sold it at a much higher value than its original price to the king. The toy was not
crafted well and had a lot of tiny slivers on it. One sliver pierced the king’s right hand while playing.
Within four days, it developed into an infection that spread all over his arm. Three famous surgeons were
brought in to operate on the king from Madras, but the surgery turned out to be unsuccessful, and the
king passed away. Thus, the hundredth ‘tiger’ took the life of the king, and the prediction was true.
Conclusion of The Tiger King
The Tiger King Summary highlights the truth that however powerful one is, one cannot control fate.
Death is an inevitable part of human lives, and it cannot be averted no matter what we do. The use of power
and might can not change the course of our lives. We have to accept our lives in whatever form they are. Also,
the story uses a satirical tone while narrating the plot. It shows how vain and self-centred people with power
can be. The king could have ignored the prediction as death was inevitable in his life, just as it was in others.
But he could not resist his temptation to use his power to challenge death. Instead of falling for that vain resolve,
he could have used his energy and time to look after his state affairs.
What is the main theme of the story ‘The Tiger King’?
The story is based on the consequences of arrogance and vanity that comes with power in human beings. The
king was so sure of his capabilities that he went on to eliminate the reason for his death by killing tigers instead
of focusing on handling his state affairs.
1. The story is a satire on the conceit of those in power. How does the author employ the literary
device of dramatic irony in the story?
Ans. The king was full of pride. He thought he could achieve anything, even overpower death. He tried to
prove the predictions of the royal astrologer as false. He had predicted death for the king by a tiger. As
the king killed one, he cautioned him against the hundredth tiger that he came across.
Ironically, the king killed the hundredth tiger also and overpowered death but as it was destined to be,
the tiger escaped the bullet miraculously. He had killed ferocious tigers of flesh and blood but his satirical
death came by a wooden toy tiger which he had got as a birthday gift for his son. A tiny piece of wood
from the toy wounded the tiger king’s hand and finally killed him. This was an unexpected end of the
mighty maharaja ‘the tiger king’.
2. What is the author’s indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the willfulness of human
beings?
Ans. The author is indicating that the king being mighty, killed so many innocent animals merely to prove the
astrologer wrong or to overcome his fear without realizing the severity of his actions. He did not accept
destiny which has its own ways as death struck upon him by a lifeless, wooden tiger.
3. How would you describe the behavior of the Maharaja’s minions towards him? Do you find them
truly sincere towards him or are they driven by fear when they obey him? Do we find a similarity
in today’s political order?
Ans. The king’s minions feared him and tried to please him. They wanted to keep him happy and so, spoke
what was pleasing to the king’s ears.
The astrologer was initially reluctant to predict the king’s future. It was when the king asked him ‘to
speak without fear’ that he spoke.

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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
The minister did not advise the king not to kill so many innocent animals; rather he searched for a
kingdom with a high population of tigers for the king to kill.
The royal hunters did not inform the king about the hundredth tiger being alive as they feared losing their job.
The shopkeeper sold the toy tiger to the king at a high price because he feared punishment.
In today’s political order also, we can see that the people who are in subordination try to please their
seniors in order to retain their positions.
1. Who is the Tiger King? Why Does He Get That Name?
Ans: The Tiger King is Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, the king of Pratibandapuram. When the prince was born,
astrologers predicted that he would have to die one day. The ten-day-old prince asked the astrologers to
divulge the method of his death. The wise men were perplexed by this miracle. According to the chief
astrologer, he will be killed by a tiger. 'Let tigers beware!' hissed the young prince, hissing ominously.
He decided to kill a hundred tigers. As a result, the moniker "Tiger King" was bestowed upon him.
2. What Did the Royal Infant Grow Up To Be?
Ans: The royal newborn grew up to be Pratibandapuram's king, who was enthralled with the concept of killing
a hundred tigers. He desired to do so to defy the prophecy that his death would be brought about by the
hundredth tiger. As a result, he slaughtered all of Pratibandapuram's tigers. For the sake of his ambition,
he even married. He earned the moniker "Tiger King."
3. What Will the Maharaja Do To Find the Required Number of Tigers To Kill?
Ans: The Maharaja would instruct his dewan to select a suitable female for him to marry to kill the required
number of tigers. A suitable female for matrimony should not only be from a royal family, but also a
state with a significant tiger population. Because there were no more tigers in Pratibandapuram, a region
belonging to his father-in-law would undoubtedly offer him the opportunity to kill more tigers and
achieve his goal of killing one hundred tigers.
4. How Will the Maharaja Prepare Himself for the Hundredth Tiger Which Was Supposed To Decide
His Fate?
Ans: When dealing with the hundredth tiger, which was said to be the cause of his death, the Maharaja would
be extra cautious. When he comes across the hundredth, he will carefully aim at the tiger and shoot it.
He'll be overjoyed when it collapses into a crumpled heap, and he'll rush out of there.
5. What will now Happen to the Astrologer? Do You Think the Prophecy was Indisputably
Disproved?
Ans: Before the king of Pratibandapuram had a chance to slaughter a hundred tigers, the astrologer dies. The
king's existence appears to be solely to disprove his prophecy. Everything else for the king takes a
backseat to slaughter a hundred tigers. The prophecy can't be proven false because the king was
eventually murdered by a tiger, though not a real one or the hundredth. No one would have guessed that
the hundredth tiger, which was feeble, aged, and almost lifeless, would escape the king's bullet by fainting
from the shock of the bullet speeding by. The death of the Tiger King was brought about by the toy shop's
"small little wooden tiger."
Short Answer Type
1. What was the hidden agenda behind the Tiger King’s marriage with the princess in the
neighbouring state?
Ans. The Maharaja had killed all the tigers available in and around his kingdom. Even then thirty more tigers
were required to complete his mission to kill a hundred tigers. So, he decided to marry a girl from a royal
family whose state had a large tiger population. This was the hidden agenda behind the Tiger King’s
marriage with the princess in the neighbouring state.
2. Comment on any one aspect of the writing style of the author, Kalki in The Tiger King.
Ans. One aspect of the writing style of the author, Kalki in The Tiger King, is a satire on those in power.
The conversational narrative style is really impressive. The use of humour, exaggeration and harmony
are done to criticize the elite.

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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
3. What gave astrologers the greatest surprise of their life while they were studying the horoscope of
the ten-day-old prince?
Ans. While the astrologers were studying the horoscope of the ten-day-old prince, they said that one day the
Tiger King would have to die. At this moment, a great miracle took place. The ten-day-old infant spoke
to the astrologers very clearly. This came as a surprise to everyone and the astrologers stood transfixed
in stupefaction to hear an infant speaking in such clear language.
4. What made the chief astrologer place his finger on his nose?
Ans. The ten-day-old infant, Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, addressed the astrologers in a clear voice, using
appropriate language. Moreover, the infant asked the manner in which he would die. It was an astonishing
thing for the chief astrologer as a ten-day-old baby barely opens its lips in speech. But this baby not only
spoke but also raised intelligent questions. So out of surprise, the chief astrologer placed his finger on
his nose.
5. Why did the Maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state?
Ans. When the Maharaja came to know after killing his first tiger that he had threat to his life from the
hundredth tiger, he resolved to kill a hundred tigers. To accomplish his mission, he banned tiger hunting
in the state. A proclamation was issued to the effect that if anyone dared to fling so much as a stone at a
tiger, all his wealth and property would be confiscated.
6. When and why did the Maharaja decide to get married?
Ans. The Maharaja had killed all the tigers available in and around his kingdom. Even then thirty more tigers
were required to complete his mission to kill a hundred tigers. So he decided to marry a girl from a royal
family whose state had a large tiger population.
7. What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organise for the high-ranking British officer? What
trait of the officer does it reveal?
Ans. The Maharaja offered any other hunt except tiger for the high-ranking British officer. He offered a boar
hunt, a mouse hunt or even a mosquito hunt. This shows that the officer was very fond of tiger hunt.
Moreover, when he agreed to just get a photograph with the dead tiger, it became evident that he wanted
to show himself to be a great hunter in front of others.
8. How did the Dewan manage to get the 100th tiger for the Maharaja?
Ans. The Maharaja was so determined to kill the hundredth tiger that in his anger, he ordered the Dewan to
find the tiger otherwise be prepared to face his wrath. To save his life, the Dewan bought an old tiger
from a circus in Madras and hid it in his house. At night, he took the tiger in the car to the forest and left
it there ready to be killed by the Maharaja.
9. Why did the Maharaja order the Dewan to double the land tax?
Ans. When the Maharaja could not find the 100th tiger, he grew very angry and frustrated. In his anger, he
ordered the Dewan to double the land tax and let the people suffer. Though the Dewan knew that it was
unreasonable, he couldn’t do anything.
10. How did the Tiger King become the victim of the hundredth tiger?
Ans. The hundredth tiger, which caused Tiger King’s death, was a toy tiger. On his son’s third birthday, the
Maharaja bought a wooden toy tiger for his son as a gift. One day as he was playing with this toy with
his son, one of its slivers, pierced his right hand. He pulled it out and continued playing. Next day, the
infection flared in the Maharaja’s right hand and in four days it spread all over his arm. The Maharaja
was operated upon but died during surgery.
11. How did the Tiger King manage to retain his kingdom?
Ans. A British officer, while visiting Pratibandapuram, wanted to go for tiger hunt. But the Tiger King did not
permit him. So in order to save his king from the wrath of the British officer, the Maharaja bribed the
British officer. He sent a gift of expensive diamond rings to his wife expecting that she would choose
one or two rings. She kept all the rings and sent a note of thanks to the Maharaja. So the Maharaja spent
three lakh rupees to save his kingdom.
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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
12. How did the Tiger King kill the hundredth tiger?
Ans. The hundredth tiger was an old tiger brought by the Dewan from the People’s Park Circus, Madras. When
it came in front of the Maharaja, he stood in a humble supplication. The Maharaja had taken a careful
aim and shot at him. The tiger crumbled down. The Maharaja got elated with joy and left the place. Later
on it was found that the bullet missed the tiger and it had fainted.
13. What considerations influenced the Tiger King to get married?
(Or)
Why did the Maharaja decide to get married?
Ans. In order to disprove the astrologer’s prophecy, the Maharaja had to kill a hundred tigers. He had already
killed seventy tigers and the tiger population in his state had become extinct. For this reason, he wished
to marry a girl in the royal family of a state with a rich tiger population, where he would kill the rest of
the thirty tigers.
14. When was the Tiger King in danger of losing his throne?
(Or)
Why was the Maharaja once in danger of losing his kingdom?
Ans. A British officer visited Pratibandapuram. He was very fond of tiger hunt and wanted to hunt the tiger in
Pratibandapuram. But the Tiger King didn’t permit him to do so, even at the risk of losing his throne due
to the anger of the British officer. He had to bribe the officer by sending diamond rings worth ₹3 lakh
for his wife to save his throne.
15. Why did the Maharaja have to pay a bill of three lakh rupees to the British jewellers?
Ans. The Maharaja had to pay a bill of three lakh rupees to the British jewellers as he had bought samples of
50 diamond rings from them to gift the Duraisani. He had done this to appease the British officer whom
he had refused permission for tiger hunting.
16. Which problem did the Maharaja face when he had killed seventy tigers? How did he solve it?
Ans. The Tiger King was able to kill seventy tigers when the tiger population in his forests became extinct.
He had to kill thirty more and it was then that he expressed his desire to get married to a girl from the
royal family of a state with a large tiger population. This way he was able to solve his problem. 17. When
did the Maharaja decide to double the land tax for a village? [All India 2017] Ans. The Maharaja decided
to double the land tax for a village when he was unable to locate the hundredth tiger in the village. He
got infuriated and decided to punish the villagers by doubling the land tax forthwith.
17. How did the hundredth tiger reach the forest?
Ans. The Dewan brought the hundredth tiger from the people’s park in Madras and kept it hidden in his house.
At midnight, the Dewan and his wife dragged the tiger to the car and shoved it beneath the seat. The
Dewan himself drove the car straight to the forest. Thus, the hundredth tiger reached the forest.
18. What happened to the hundredth tiger?
Ans. The Maharaja could not kill the hundredth tiger because his bullet had missed it. It had only fainted from
the shock of the bullet, speeding past. However, one of the hunters shot the tiger. Thus the hundredth
tiger was killed without the knowledge of the Maharaja.
19. How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge upon the Tiger King?
Ans. The hundredth tiger (i.e. the toy tiger) took its final revenge upon the Tiger King and in the process
shattered the conceit of the Maharaja. The Maharaja bought a wooden tiger as special gift on his son’s
birthday. As the father and the son played with the wooden tiger carved by an unskilled carpenter, the
Maharaja injured his hand. The infection flared and the Maharaja had to be operated on. Despite the best
surgeons, the Maharaja died.
20. The manner of the Tiger King’s death is a matter of extraordinary interest. Comment.
Ans. The Tiger King was proclaimed to die of a tiger so he killed a hundred tigers to prove the proclamation
wrong. But, in fact, it was a wooden tiger which caused his death. He had bought a wooden toy tiger for
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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
his son and as he was playing with it, one of its slivers pierced his hand which later on got infected. The
infection spread in the entire arm and the Maharaja died while under going surgery. Thus, his death is a
matter of extraordinary interest.
21. How did the wooden tiger lead to the death of the Tiger King?
Ans. The King had bought a wooden tiger for his son as his birthday gift. One day, as he was playing with this
toy tiger, one of the slivers of the toy, pierced his hand which developed infection. Within four days, the
infection got spread in the entire arm. The Tiger King lost his life while being operated upon. 23. How
did the Tiger King acquire his name?
Ans. The Tiger King was the king of Pratibandapuram. At the time of his birth, a prediction was made by the
chief astrologer that he would meet his end from a tiger. When the infant became the king, he decided to
kill hundred tigers. In order to accomplish his mission, he started killing the tigers and earned the name
‘Tiger King’.
22. What was the Dewan’s tiger like? How did he take it to the forest?
Ans. The Dewan had bought an old tiger from the People’s Park in Madras. It was a very old tiger. At night
the Dewan and his wife dragged the tiger to the car and shoved it into the seat. He drove the car to the
forest where the Maharaja was hunting and pulled the tiger out of the car with great effort.
23. What happened to the tiger provided by the Dewan?
Ans. The tiger which was provided by the Dewan, came in front of the Maharaja and stood in a humble
supplication. The Maharaja took a careful aim at the tiger and it fell in a crumbled heap. The bullet had
missed the tiger and it fainted from the shock of the bullet whizzing past. Finally, it was killed by the
Maharaja’s officers.
24. How did the Tiger King celebrate his victory over the killing of 100th tiger?
Ans. The Tiger King was overwhelmed with elation when he killed the hundredth tiger. He was feeling satisfied
to have fulfilled his vow. He ordered to bring the dead tiger in a grand procession. It was buried and a
tomb was erected at the burial place.
25. Who actually killed the hundredth tiger in ‘The Tiger King’? Why?
Ans. When the hunters, sent to collect carcass of the dead tiger, realised that the king’s bullet had missed its
mark, out of fear of losing their jobs and the king’s rage shot the tiger themselves. One of them took the
aim and killed the feeble tiger.
26. When did the Tiger King stand in danger of losing his kingdom? How was he able to avert the
danger?
Ans. Tiger King, to disprove the astrologer’s prediction, started to hunt and kill tigers. He also banned tiger
hunting by anyone except himself. A British high-ranking officer wished to hunt tigers. The Maharaja
did not agree to this, he also refused to permit him to take a photograph with a dead tiger. However, to
make amends, he offered a bribe of 50 diamond rings worth three lakhs, to the wife of the British officer.
27. What did the British officer’s secretary tell the Maharaja? Why did the Maharaja refuse
permission?
Ans. The British officer’s secretary told the Maharaja to allow him to shoot the tigers in his kingdom. But the
Maharaja did not allow him because he thought that the number of tigers would decrease and he would
not be able to complete the desired number.
28. Why, do you think, was the Maharaja in danger of losing his throne?
Ans. A high-ranking British official came to the state. He desired to hunt tigers. The Maharaja did not give
permission. The officer sent a word to get himself photographed holding a gun beside a tiger’s dead body.
However, the Maharaja refused even that. As the Maharaja had prevented a British officer from fulfilling
his desire, he was in danger of losing his kingdom.

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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
29. In what way did the infant Tiger King surprise the astrologer?
Ans. After the astrologer had made his prophecy, a great miracle took place. The ten-day old infant spoke up
and told the astrologers that those who are born must die one day. He wanted to know the way he will
die. Everyone was surprised because not only had a ten-day old baby spoken, but he had raised an
intelligent question, too.
30. What was the astrologer’s reaction, when the Maharaja told him that he had killed his first tiger?
Ans. On being told that the Maharaja had killed his first tiger, the astrologer announced that he could kill
ninety-nine tigers, but he must be very careful with the hundredth one.
31. How does the hundredth tiger take its final revenge upon the Tiger King?
Ans. Few days after killing the hundredth tiger, the Maharaja gifted a wooden tiger to his son on his third
birthday. A tiny splinter on the surface of the wooden tiger pierced the Maharaja’s right hand, leading to
a sore, followed by the Maharaja’s death. Hence, the hundredth tiger took its final revenge upon the Tiger
King.
32. Why did the Maharaja decide to get married?
Ans. As the Maharaja occupied the throne at the age of twenty, he went on a tiger hunting campaign. He was
excited to kill his first tiger, and within ten years, he killed seventy tigers. Soon, tigers became extinct in
his own state. So he decided to get married to the royal family of a state that had a large number of tigers.
33. Why was the Maharaja so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger?
Ans. The Maharaja had killed ninety-nine tigers. If he could kill just one more tiger, he would have no fear
left. Then he could give up tiger hunting altogether. Moreover, he had to be extremely careful with the
last tiger.
34. What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organise for the high-ranking British officer? What
trait of the officer does it reveal?
Ans. For the high-ranking British officer, the Maharaja was prepared to organise any other hunt-a boar hunt,
a mouse hunt, a mosquito hunt. But a tiger hunt was impossible. The officer was a big show-off. He
actually did not wish to hunt or kill the tiger himself, he just wanted to be photographed with a gun in his
hand, standing over a dead tiger.
35. Why was it a celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram?
Ans. It was a celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram because the Maharaja banned tiger
hunting in the state. Except the Maharaja, no one was allowed to hunt tigers. It was proclaimed that if
anyone was found hunting a tiger, all his property and wealth would be seized.
36. The manner of his (the Tiger King’s) death is a matter of extraordinary interest. Comment.
Ans. The Maharaja had vowed to kill hundred tigers to ensure his longevity. As soon as he was born,
astrologers had foretold that one day, the Tiger King would be killed by a tiger. Even after the Maharaja
killed hundred tigers, he was killed by a tiger. It is quite ironical because eventually, he was killed by a
tiger, though a wooden one.
37. How did the Tiger King’s Dewan prove to be resourceful?
Ans. After the Tiger King had killed ninety-nine tigers, no more tigers were left. After some time, there were
indications of the presence of a tiger in the forest of a village. The King went there but did not find the
tiger. Then he asked the Chief Minister to find the tiger or he would remove him from his job. The Dewan
had hidden in his house an old tiger which had been brought from the People’s Park in Madras. He took
that hundredth tiger to the forest to be killed by the King.
38. How did the ten-day-old baby (the future Tiger King) react to the prediction about his future made
by the astrologer?
Ans. On hearing the prediction, the ten-day-old prince spoke in his squeaky voice that ‘everyone who is born
has to die one day’. He was told that he would be killed by a tiger. To this, he responded, ‘Let Tigers
Beware’.

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39. What kind of life was enjoyed by crown prince Jung Bahadur, till he reached the age of twenty?
Ans. While growing up, the crown prince Jung Bahadur drank milk of an English cow, was brought up by an
English nanny, tutored in English by an Englishman and saw nothing but English films. Then at the age
of twenty the State came into his hands.
40. ‘From that day onwards, it was celebration time for all tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram’. Bring
out the irony in this statement.
Ans. It was a celebration as killing tigers was banned by the state. It is ironical because the state head, the
Maharaja had full right to kill tigers.
41. Why was the Maharaja once in danger of losing his kingdom?
Ans. The Maharaja was on the verge of losing his throne when he refused the British officer to hunt tigers in
Pratibandapuram. He not only refused to permit him to do so but did not allow him to be photographed
standing over a dead tiger. However, he compromised by presenting 50 diamond rings to his wife costing
him three lakhs of rupees.
42. How did Maharaja deal with a high-ranking British Officer who wanted to shoot a tiger?
Ans. The Maharaja was firm in his resolve of not to give him permission. He encouraged him to hunt a boar,
mouse or even a mosquito; because of this, there was a risk of losing his kingdom. So he agreed to gift a
diamond ring but ended up giving some fifty diamond rings worth three lakh of rupees to retain his
kingdom.
43. Why did the Maharaja have to pay a bill of three lakh rupees to the British jewellers?
Ans. The Maharaja refused to grant permission to the British Officer to hunt tigers in his kingdom of
Pratibandapuram and also refused to take a picture with a dead tiger. Instead, he thought of pacifying his
wife, the duraisani with a diamond ring. Orders were placed with a famous British company of jewellers
in Calcutta to send samples of rings of different designs. They sent fifty rings which were all taken by
her and the Maharaja had to pay three lakhs in turn.
44. Why did the Maharaja decide to get married?
Ans. The Maharaja decided to get married to fulfil his aim of killing one-hundred tigers. He had killed only
seventy tigers and no tiger was left in the forest of Pratibandapuram. He, therefore, wanted to marry a
princess from a kingdom with many tigers.
45. When did the Maharaja decide to double the land tax for a village?
Ans. When the Tiger King with just one tiger to reach his target of one-hundred, someone reported about a
tiger near the village. The Maharaja was desperate to kill, but no one could find the tiger, so he became
furious and doubled the land tax.
47. How did the hundredth tiger reach the forest?
Ans. The King’s Dewan had a tiger hidden in his house, which had been brought from the People’s Park in
Madras. At midnight, when the entire town was sleeping, the Dewan and his aged wife dragged the tiger
into their car and took him to the forest.
48. What happened to the hundredth tiger?
Ans. On the day of hunt, the hundredth tiger wandered in Maharaja’s presence and stood in humble
supplication. The Maharaja took an aim at him and the tiger fell in a crumpled heap. But when the hunters
looked at the tiger, they realised that he was not dead as the bullet missed the mark rather, it had fainted.
49. Did the prophecy of the astrologer come true at the end of the story?
Ans. Yes, the prophecy did come true at the end as his death came out of the hundredth tiger, i.e ., the wooden
tiger. He thought that he had killed the hundredth tiger, but actually, he missed its mark and was killed
by one of the ministers. The destiny played its role as the hundredth tiger was the wooden tiger.
50. Which problem did the Maharaja face when he had killed seventy tigers? How did he solve it?
Ans. The Maharaja had to kill one-hundred tigers on the whole. After killing seventy of the one in
Pratibandapuram, no more tigers were left in the forest there. But he had to kill thirty more, so he decided
to get married to a princess of a state with large tiger population.
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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
51. Knowing too much of your future is never a good thing.’ In light of this quote, examine how
knowing the future paved way for the king’s end.
Ans. The chief astrologer had forewarned the king that a tiger would be responsible for his death and he should
be particularly beware of the hundredth tiger. Knowing this, the king tried to control his future and go
against what was destined in his fate, and unfortunately due to this, he met his end.
52. Do you think an author who includes several instances of satire in a story faces the risk of being
too cynical? Explain.
Ans. No, an author who includes several instances of satire in a story does not face the risk of being too cynical.
Satire employs irony, sarcasm, ridicule, etc. in exposing and criticising follies and vices in men. Through
satire, Kalki is criticising the king’s men and subjects who pander to his whims out of fear.
53. The Maharaja justified his actions based on the maxim: ‘You may kill even a cow in self-defence,
so there would be no objection to killing tigers in self-defence.’ Do you think it is right to justify
our actions in this way? Elaborate.
(OR)
Do you agree with the Tiger King’s statement? You may kill even a cow in self defence.
Ans. No, it is not right to justify the king’s actions in this way because Maharaja did not kill the cow in self-
defence. He killed it with an intention of proving the state astrologer’s prediction wrong which was
unreasonable and illogical. He not only killed the tiger in terms of self-defence but also to change his
destiny.
Long Answer Type
1. Even today so many among us believe in superstitions. An astrologer predicted about the Tiger
King that he would be killed by a tiger. He ‘killed’ one hundred tigers, yet was himself ‘killed’ by
a tiger. How did the superstitious belief prevail?
Ans. The entire story is about an astrological prediction that the Tiger King is destined to die by a tiger. The
king takes it as a mission to kill a hundred tigers. He kills ninety-nine tigers but misses the target while
taking an aim at the hundredth tiger. Due to fear of losing their jobs, the hunters didn’t tell him the fact
and killed the tiger themselves. At this point the king thought that he had proved the prediction wrong.
But the death of the maharaja due to a wooden tiger again substantiates the superstitious belief by making
the prophecy come true.
2. Giving a bribe is an evil practice. How did the Tiger King bribe the British officer to save his
kingdom? How do you view this act of his?
Ans. A British officer had come to visit Pratibandapuram and wanted to go for tiger hunting but the Maharaja
did not permit him. He didn’t permit him even to be photographed with a dead tiger so as to stop other
officers from getting attracted. There was a fear of a disastrous reaction from this British officer due to
the refusal. He could lose his kingdom. So in order to save his kingdom the Maharaja sent expensive
diamond rings to his wife as a bribe. It cost him three lakh rupees.
This shows that the king was, in fact, scared of the British official though he pretended to be very
powerful. He was whimsical and selfish.
3. How did the Tiger King achieve his target of killing a hundred tigers?
Ans. In order to achieve his target of killing a hundred tigers, the king issued a proclamation that anyone who
dared to fling even a stone at a tiger would lose his wealth and property. The tiger hunt was banned in
his state. He started killing the tigers and killed seventy tigers in ten years. By this time, the tiger became
extinct in his state. Then he married a girl of a royal family whose kingdom had a large tiger population.
He killed all the tigers in his father-in-law’s state. He had killed ninety-nine tigers. Finding the hundredth
tiger was a big problem. But his Dewan brought an old tiger from People’s Park, Madras, and placed it
in the forest. The Maharaja shot at this tiger and fulfilled his mission of killing hundred tigers.

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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
4. Justify the title of the story ‘Tiger King’.
Ans. The story ‘The Tiger King’ revolves around the king of Pratibandapuram who is given this title due to
his obsession with the tiger hunt. From the beginning, it is evident when the royal infant utters the first
few words, “Let tigers beware.” It was predicted by the astrologers that a tiger would be the cause of his
death. When the royal prince is made the king at the age of twenty, he decides to kill hundred tigers to
prove this prediction wrong. All state work was put away. A marriage of the Tiger King was arranged,
so that more tigers could be found. The entire story is a narrative of the stupid and inhuman mission of
the Maharaja who in order to prevent his death, killed a hundred innocent animals. But, ironically, he
died thanks to a tiger though it was a wooden one.
5. Do you think Tiger King’s life would have taken a different course if he had not heard the prophecy
about his future? What kind of a king would he have proved to be?
Ans. The Tiger King was brought up and provided with all the privileges of a royal family. He was given the
best of education. He was well mannered, cultured and sophisticated. He was a strong young man. Like
any other crown prince of the Indian state, he was brought up by an English nanny, tutored in English by
an Englishman and saw nothing but English films. Had he not heard the prophecy, he would have been
a great and just king. He would have done a lot for the improvement in his state. But due to this prediction,
he lost all his interest in the matters of the state and devoted himself to the fulfilment of his mission to
kill hundred tigers. He was stubborn and unfair. Due to this prophecy all his might and wits are used just
to kill the tigers and not for the development of his state.
The story ‘Tiger King’ gives a strong message to preserve wildlife. It is the callous attitude of those in
power to plunder natural resources which has led to the miserable condition of Mother Earth.
6. Write an article on the topic : Preservation of Nature-Need of the hour.
Ans. Preservation of Nature-Need of the hour
There is no doubt nature is the essence of our existence on the earth. It is nature which nourishes us and
relieves us from the miseries of life. The beautiful flowers, tall green trees, water streams, valleys, birds,
insects, animals-all these are part of nature. Nature is the perfect example of balance. But we human
beings have no regard for it. With our relentless measures we are destroying nature which has resulted in
a lot of catastrophies – earthquakes, floods, famine, etc. all due to the prevailing imbalance in nature.
The cause of this imbalance is the careless attitude and ruthless destruction of flora and fauna by human
beings. It is high time we understood the importance of preservation of nature for the sustenance of
humans on the earth.
Astrology is considered to be a science which is logical and rational. But the predictions made by
astrologers about the Tiger King and its after effects seem to be highly irrational. It has brought disastrous
effect on nature.
7. Write a speech to be delivered in the morning assembly on the topic Rational Thinking-Need of the
Hour.
Ans. Rational Thinking-Need of the Hour
Respected Principal, teachers and dear friends,
We are living in an era of scientific and technical development. The twenty-first century is the time when
the entire world is coming closer with the use of latest technologies. At this time, the need of the hour is
to think rationally. The advancement has raised a lot of issues such as environmental pollution,
population explosion, unemployment and global warming. We need to be logical in our actions. This is
the time when we should ponder over the consequences of our actions and beliefs. We need to understand
the fact that superstitions and blind beliefs can bring disasters. We have to be cautious about it. We need
to protect our mother nature for our survival and for that, we should introspect and act rationally. Ruthless
destruction of flora and fauna will ultimately result in our own destruction.
Let us be logical and rational in all matters that affect our life.

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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
8. The Tiger King wanted to protect himself from a tiger attack. Describe the difficulties created by
him for his officials and subjects.
Ans. Upon his birth, astrologers tainted Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur’s mind with a prediction about his death.
The prince then went onto become the king of Pratibandapuram. The fear of his death by a tiger turned
his paranoia into a quest for killing a hundred tigers before the last one could kill him. This made the
tiger king whimsical and illogical, and everyone around him obeyed him out of fear instead of respect.
He made the dewan look for a suitable bride and even threatened him to resign if the hundredth tiger
could not be found. Officials were always afraid of losing their job and many were sacked when the king
could not find the last tiger to kill. He even doubled the land tax for a village out of rage without
considering the implications it could have on the poor residents.
9. Attempt a character sketch of the Tiger King.
Ans. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, Sir Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, had so many titles and sub-names that
it was often shortened to the Tiger King. The royal infant was born in the hour of the Bull. He would
have to meet his death one day. That is what the chief astrologer predicted about him. A great miracle
took place. The royal infant often days spoke and he wanted to know about the manner of his death.
Everyone stood stunned and surprised. The chief astrologer told his death would come from a tiger. The
crown prince Jung Jung Bahadur grew taller and stronger day by day. When he grew to twenty he took
the reign in his hands. The Maharaja was a man of determination. He continued his campaign of tiger-
hunting with rare single-mindedness. Within a span of fifteen years, he killed 70 tigers. The Maharaja
was gifted with a fertile brain. When tigers become extinct in his kingdom, he hit upon a plan. It was his
master strategy to marry a girl of a state which had a large tiger population. He would kill five or six
tigers every time he visited his father-in-law. This way he was able to kill 99 tigers in all.
The Tiger King was a man of self-respect. He could pay any price to maintain it.
10. Giving a bribe is an evil practice. How did the Tiger King bribe the British officer to save his
kingdom? How do you view this act of his?
Ans. Tiger King wanted to disprove the astrologer’s prediction and therefore, started to hunt and kill tigers.
Anyone who disobeyed him would be punished and all his wealth and property would be confiscated. In
order to have enough tigers to hunt, he had banned hunting tigers in his kingdom. A high-ranking British
official came to the state. He desired to hunt tigers. The British officer was also not allowed to hunt. The
officer sent a word to get himself photographed holding a gun beside the tiger’s dead body. However,
the Maharaja refused even that. As the Maharaja had prevented a British officer from fulfilling his desire,
he was in danger of losing his kingdom. Hence, he offered a bribe of 50 diamond rings, worth three lakhs
to the wife of the British officer. By this act, the Maharaja was able to avert the danger.
In my view, this reveals the corrupt attitude of both the King and the British official. It also shows how
blinded the King was in his ambition (to prove the astrologer wrong) that he wasted the people’s money
to appease his ego. He was ready to relinquish people’s hard-earned money to ensure that his longevity
is ensured by proving the astrologer wrong.
11. Even today, so many among us believe in superstitions. An astrologer predicted about ‘the Tiger
King’ that he would be killed by a tiger. He ‘killed’ one-hundred tigers, yet was himself ‘killed’ by
a tiger. How did the superstitious belief prevail?
Ans. A few days after the Maharaja killed the hundredth tiger, it was the third birthday of his son. The
Maharaja desired to give him some special gift on this occasion. He purchased a wooden tiger from a toy
shop and gifted it to his son.
That day, the Maharaja and his son were playing with the wooden tiger. The surface of the toy was rough,
since it had been carved by an unskilled carpenter. A tiny sliver pierced into the Maharaja’s right hand.
He pulled it out. But the next day, the infection spread even in the Maharaja’s right arm. Within four
days, it developed into a pus forming sore, spreading all over the arm. Three famous surgeons were called

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GYANA VIKASH ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL By Ramakant Sir
from Chennai. They performed the operation. Even though the operation was successful, the Maharaja
passed away. Thus, the hundredth tiger took its revenge on the King.
This shows that the prophecy did eventually prevail. The hundredth tiger was not killed by the King.
However, it died. But with regard to the King, the hundredth tiger, appeared in the form of the inanimate
tiger, that caused the death of the King.
12. Tiger King’s quest for tigers was full of hurdles and challenges. Justify the statement.
Ans. Though the Tiger King was reputed to have fought tigers with bare hands, he had to kill hundred tigers
for the sake of his life. His refusing permission to hunt in Pratibandapuram to Durai, or even being
photographed with a dead tiger, costed him fifty diamond rings of three lakhs worth. He had to marry a
princess with at least 30 tigers in her father’s kingdom, to complete his quota for killing a hundred tigers.
After the 99th tiger, searching for the hundredth proved to be difficult, till Dewan managed an old one
from the People’s Park in Madras. Ironically, the Maharaja could not kill it, but his hunters did from a
one-foot distance. What a wastage of time, manpower, money and energy, when the Maharaja finally
died because of an unskilled wooden tiger’s sliver in his finger.
13. How did Tiger King succeed in killing hundred tigers?
Ans. The Tiger King banned the hunting of tiger in the kingdom of Pratibandapuram. When he came of age,
he wreaked havoc on the tiger population in an attempt to hunt a hundred tigers as soon as it was possible.
Seventy tigers were killed within ten years. Then he got married in the kingdom where tigers were to be
found. At his every visit to his in-laws, he used to kill them. Thus, ninety-nine were killed. But the
hundredth one was nowhere to be found. He became infuriated and doubled the land tax. Then Dewan
Saheb arranged the hundredth tiger from People’s Park in Madras. It was brought in a van by Dewan. He
left it in the forest. The King was informed about its presence. He took an aim and shot it. But to
everyone’s surprise, the bullet whizzed past his ear and was only killed by one of the ministers of the
King.
14. Imagine you are an ardent environmentalist who is involved in the ‘Save the Tiger’ campaign. You
have been asked to deliver a speech in a seminar related to your campaign and the need for the
youth to be involved in such campaigns. Draft your speech. (Constructed Response Question)
Ans. Good evening everyone! As an ardent environmentalist, I am very pleased to attend this seminar and talk
about the importance of ‘Save the Tiger’ campaign. Today, tigers are endangered and their extinction
would demonstrate an unprotected ecosystem. Saving tigers has become the necessity of the hour if we
want to protect wildlife, of which a tiger is a big symbol. This campaign is a movement for saving the
tiger species from extinction in India and an effort to restore the safe environments of tiger. The fact that
the number has gone down so drastically is an indicator that we are not able to protect them and their
habitat for them to survive. Tiger as a species must be conserved at all costs since it is apparent that it is
not yet in the line for natural extinction. To save tigers, we can protect tigers and their habitat by building
capacity in range states, reducing human-tiger conflict, promoting tiger-friendly policies, and monitoring
tiger numbers, population trends and threats to tigers.

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Hillpatna, Berhampur, Ganjam [12] English | Study material