Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger | Chapter 2 | Class 10 | Literature Reader | English |

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger | Chapter 2 | Class X | Literature Reader | English |

Summary of Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger

Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger : This chapter revolves around Mrs. Packletide who is jealous of Loona Bimberton’s recently flying with an Algerian Aviator for 11 miles. In order to outdo Loona Bimberton, she decides to shoot a Tiger and present Mrs. Loona a brooch made of tiger’s claw on her birthday & to invite her on a luncheon party.

For that, she holds a meeting with the people of one of her neighbouring villagers who have recently seen a weak and old tiger looking for prey in the forests. She offers a lucrative offer of Rs. 1000 to the villagers for arranging a tiger hunt.

Having been offered such a huge amount, villagers make some arrangement for the royal lady. At first, they make a platform on the tree whence she can shoot the tiger easily with her gun. Besides, they deploy their children on the outskirts of the village to head that weak and old tiger to the village, if seen. Apart from that, they arrange some bleating goats as to draw the attention of the tiger.

On the other hand, Mrs. Packletide hires a paid companion namely Miss Mebbin who behaves as if she were the elder sister of former. She advises Mrs. Packletide not to pay Rs. 1000 for such a weak and lazy tiger. Her untimely suggestions to Mrs. Packletide irritates the latter.

Now a goat is tethered to a tree, whose bleating fetched the attention of the tiger. The tiger, being lazy and old, plans to take some rest before killing the goat.

Meanwhile Mrs. Packletide shoots at the tiger but his bullets hits the goat instead of hitting the tiger. The goat dies on the spot whereas the tiger dies of heart failure. Even some of the villager notice the same thing but they don’t object due to fear of losing their money. They beat drums and proclaim everywhere that a tiger has been killed by Mrs. Packletide successfully.

On the contrary, Miss Mebbin, who was paid for her services, starts blackmailing Mrs Packletide by threatening her to disclose the secret before everyone. In exchange, she demands for a cottage which costs Mrs. Packletide an arm and a leg. In order to remember the contribution of the tiger in getting her a cottage, Miss Mebbin grows Tiger Lillies in her cottage.

In few days, Mrs. Packletide becomes the breaking news of the time but she doesn’t seem to be amused. Loona Bimberton declines her invitation for the luncheon party and even stops reading the newspaper covering the news of Mrs. Packletide’s hunt.

Now, whenever any friend of Mrs. Packletide enquires about tiger hunt, she says that incidental expenses are too heavy.

In this way, the narrator takes a dig at Mrs. Packletide for her nature of outshining Miss Loona Bimberton.

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Important Questions of the Chapter

Q1. Why did Mrs. Packletide want to kill a tiger?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide wanted to kill a tiger in order to outshine Loona Bimberton who had recently flown 11 miles with an Algerian Aviator. Her only motive was to outdo Loona therefore she wanted to shoot a tiger and get famous.

Q2. What arrangements were made for Mrs. Packletide’s tiger hunt?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide had paid Rs. 1000 to the villagers for tiger’s arrangement therefore, they made a platform on the tree for safe and sound shooting. Besides, villagers deployed their children on the outskirts to attract the tiger to their village. Goats were also tethered to allure that tiger.

Q3. Who was Miss Mebbin? How did she behave with Mrs. Packletide?

Ans. Miss Mebbin was a paid companion who was hired by Mrs. Packletide. During the shoot, she behaved as if she were the elder sister of Mrs. Packletide. She even objected to Packletide’s paying of such a huge amount for an old and weak tiger.

Q4. What kind of tiger was arranged for Mrs. Packletide’s shooting? Was Mrs. Packletide a good shot?

Ans. The villagers got a very old and weak tiger for Mrs. Packletide’s shoot. No, Mrs. Packletide was not a good shot. She hit the goat and killed her rather than killing a tiger. On the other hand, the tiger died of heart failure.

Q5. Why could Mrs. Packletide not make her dream come true of outshining Loona Bimberton?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide did everything to flaunt and to outshine Loona Bimberton. She had planned that after shooting the tiger, she would gift Loona Bimberton a Brooch made of tiger’s claw and organise a Luncheon party in her honour. But she could not make her dream come true as Loona Bimberton stopped reading the newspapers exhibiting Packletide’s achievements and rejected Packletide’s invitation to Luncheon party.

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