Class 7 NCERT Solutions English Chapter 2 - Bringing Up Kari

The enclosure in which Kari lived was built of thatched roof which rested on thick tree stumps so that it was high enough and could not fall in when Kari bumped against the poles as he moved about.

Yes, Kari enjoyed his morning bath in the river. He would lie down on the sand bank while the boy rubbed him with the clean sand of the river for an hour. Then he would lie in the water for along time. Once he was out his skin would shine like ebony, and he would squeal with pleasure as water was rubbed down his back.

Finding good twigs for Kari took a long time because it was not an easy job to get luscious twigs and saplings for him. One had to have a very sharp hatchet to cut down these twigs. It took half an hour to sharpen the hatchet because if a twig is mutilated an elephant will not touch it. Also the boy had to climb all kinds of trees to get the most delicate and tender twigs Kari was very fond of the young branches of the banyan tree which grew like a cathedral of leaves and branches.

Kari pushed his friend into the stream because he saw a boy lying flat on the bottom of the river. He had not altogether touched bottom but was somewhat afloat. Kari wanted him to save the drowning boy’s life.

Kari was like a baby because he had to be trained to be good and if one did not tell him when he was naughty, he was up to more mischief than ever.

The author’s family used to keep large plates of fruit on a table near a window in the dining room. Kari had developed a great love for ripe bananas. He helped himself to all the bananas in the house without anyone noticing it because of his long, black trunk which came through the window like a snake and disappeared with all the bananas. He used to take the bananas to the pavilion and eat them there.

Kari learnt the commands to sit and to walk. If the boy said 'Dhat' and pulled him by the ear, he would sit down. Similarly, if he said 'Mali' and pulled his trunk forward, he would walk.

The "master call" is a strange hissing, howling sound, as if a snake and a tiger were fighting each other, and one had to make that kind of noise in his ear. It takes five years to learn properly. It is the most important signal for an elephant to learn because if one is lost in the jungle and there is no way out, then the only thing to do is to give the master call and at once the elephant would pull down the trees in front of him with his trunk. This frightens all the animals away. The elephant keeps pulling down one tree after another. Soon you will find that he has made a road right through the jungle straight to your house.