Short Questions (2 Marks)
Question 1 : Who was Bruno and how was it caught by the narrator?
Answer : Bruno was caught in an accident. Bruno was a sloth bear. Once the narrator and his friends were passing through the sugarcane fields near Mysore. Bruno’s mother was shot dead and the narrator captured Bruno from the sugarcane field and put it a gunny bag.
Question 2 : How did Bruno become attached to the family of the author?
Answer : When Bruno came to author’s house then, Bruno got love and affection from the family of the narrator. So, he slowly got attracted to the narrator’s family and their two Alsatian dogs and to all the children of their tenants. He became a play thing for all the residents of the house.
Question 3 : Bruno once got paralysis. Why? How was he cured?
Answer : Bruno once got paralysis when he ate some of the poison which the author had kept to kill the rats in his library. The author rushed him to a vet who gave Bruno two injections of an antidote. After 30 minutes, Bruno was able to walk on his legs. He had a great feed after the incident.
Question 4 : What were the activities that Bruno did in the story?
Answer : In the story, ‘Bruno’ performed activities like wrestling, boxing, pointing a bamboo stick as a gun and cradling a stump like a baby when he would be asked to do them. He played with dogs and children also . He was just a perfect entertainer for them.
Question 5 : Describe the food habits of Bruno as told in the story.
Answer : Bruno was fond of eating porridge, vegetables, fruits, nuts, meat, rice, eggs and loved to drink tea, milk, coffee, beer, liquor or anything liquid. He would be delighted to eat anything.
Question 6 : Why was it decided to send Bruno to the zoo?
Answer : When Bruno was brought to the house, he was just a cub. After a few months, Bruno had grown very huge. He had become too big to be kept at home. Moreover, it was dangerous for children. So, it was decided to send Bruno to the zoo.
Question 7 : How did Bruno and the narrator’s wife feel after getting separated?
Answer : Both Bruno and the narrator’s wife felt very sad, worried and did not eat for a few days as they were very close to each other and shared a great bond of love. The narrator’s wife also cried and was inconsolable (heart-broken) . The separation was too painful for both of them.
Question 8 : Why did the narrator’s wife urge the curator to give Baba back to her?
Answer : The narrator’s wife urged the curator to give Baba back to her because both of them were fretting and couldn’t bear the separation as they were deeply attached to each other. Moreover, Baba had got very thin as he didn’t eat food.
Question 9 : What special arrangements were made for Bruno at the narrator’s house when he was brought back to home from the zoo?
Answer : When Bruno was back to the house, then an island was made in the courtyard of the narrator’s house. It was surrounded by a moat. Every item that belonged to Bruno was kept inside the island. Since, he had grown in size; so it was necessary to make these arrangements.
Question 10: What do we learn from the story ‘The Bond of Love’?
Answer : The story ‘The Bond of Love’ teaches us to be kind, loving and caring towards animals. It brings out the fact that animals too have emotions like us and are ready to share love with anyone who loves them. They pay back their love in the same way as we do to them.
Long Questions (8 Marks)
Question 1 : ‘Love is natural’. Illustrate with reference to the story ‘The Bond of Love’.
Answer : Love is what comes as an emotion, an affinity and an association of thoughts between two or more living beings. It is an association based on the mutual understanding. Since, love has a universal language despite it having no language. Love demands nothing but your heart. It you put your heart out, then love comes spontaneously. It is true that love between Bruno, a bear, and the narrator’s wife reflects an emotional bonding. The narrator’s wife loved him dearly. She cooked a variety of food dishes for him and made all efforts to please him. In return, the bear also performed many playful tricks to please her. Both of them enjoyed each other’s company. When they got separated after his departure to the zoo, both of them fretted (worry or be anxious) and did not eat properly .So, the narrator decided to reunite them. This shows that love is natural to all whether it is a human being or an animal.
Question 2 : Animals have the same pain as humans of separation. Describe the whole incident of separation in the story ‘The Bond of Love’.
Answer : One who lives alone does not know the meaning of separation from one’s loved ones. This meaning can only be understood by the ones who have formed an association ever with someone. It is of no matter that separation afflicts only human beings and not the meek animals. There are some feelings that is universal in nature barring all the limitations and constraints whatsoever. It is natural for all living creatures to feel joy, happiness, sorrow, pain and other feelings. Animals do feel the same as humans. In the story ‘The Bond of Love’ , the bear-Bruno was very attached to the narrator’s wife and he became very sad after he was separated from her. He did not eat food properly, fretted and became very weak. But, when the narrator’s wife went to see him at the zoo, he at once recognized her and became very happy. He also ate the food brought by her. This shows that animals feel the pain of separation as humans.
Question 3 : Imagine yourself as the wife of the author. After sending Bruno to zoo, you are very upset. Write a page of your diary expressing your feelings.
Answer :
Thursday, 2nd June, 20xx
Time : 9:30 pm
Dear Diary,
Today I am feeling very sad. I had never imagined that my dear Bruno would have to leave me one day. If things would have been under my control , I would have made all possible efforts to keep my dear Bruno with me. I really miss him a lot and would love to go to the zoo to meet him soon. I hope I am able to do that. Bruno was a special gift for me from my husband and I have taken care of him as my child. Because of this, he holds a special place in my heart. But, as circumstances would have wished him to go the zoo, I was nothing more than being helpless. He was growing in the size but still I think that he was just a small cub when he was first brought to me. He was lovable, playful and naughty but it was all so thrilling that his impressions are still afresh on my mind. I have been missing him sorely and would soon see him.