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The Adventures of Toto
Introduction to Toto
- ➤ Grandfather purchased Toto, a baby monkey, from a tonga-driver for five rupees because the monkey looked out of place tied to a feeding trough.
- ➤ Toto was described as a "pretty monkey" with bright, mischievous eyes, pearly white teeth (which often frightened elderly ladies), and quick, wicked fingers.
- ➤ His tail acted as a third hand, helping him hang from branches or scoop up objects out of reach.
Early Mischief and Concealment
- ➤ To hide Toto from Grandmother, who disliked new pets, he was secretly kept in a closet in the narrator's bedroom.
- ➤ Within a few hours, Toto tore off the ornamental wallpaper, wrenched the fastening peg from the wall, and shredded the narrator's school blazer.
- ➤ Grandfather was amused by this destruction, calling Toto "clever" and suggesting he could have made a rope out of the torn blazer to escape.
The Journey to Saharanpur
- ➤ Because Toto did not let other animals sleep in the servants' quarters, Grandfather took him along to Saharanpur to collect his pension.
- ➤ Toto was transported in a strong black canvas kit-bag. He occasionally made the bag jump or roll on the floor, attracting crowds at the train station.
- ➤ At the turnstile, Toto poked his head out and grinned at the ticket collector.
- ➤ The ticket collector classified the monkey as a "dog" and charged Grandfather three rupees for his fare, though the pet tortoise was allowed to travel for free.
Life at Home and The Boiling Incident
- ➤ When finally accepted by Grandmother, Toto was moved to the stable but never got along with Nana, the family donkey; he once fastened his sharp teeth onto the donkey's ears.
- ➤ Toto loved warm baths in winter, cunningly testing the water temperature before stepping in.
- ➤ On one occasion, Toto climbed into a large kitchen kettle left on the fire to boil for tea. He enjoyed the warmth until the water began to boil, after which he kept hopping up and down until Grandmother rescued him, half-boiled.
Uncontrollable Mischief and Departure
- ➤ Toto was constantly destructive, tearing dresses and breaking things. The narrator noted that the part of his brain devoted to mischief was largely developed.
- ➤ During lunch one day, Toto began eating from a large dish of pullao (rice) on the dining table.
- ➤ When confronted, he threw a plate at Grandmother and a glass of water at an aunt. He then escaped out the window with the dish of rice into a jackfruit tree.
- ➤ After finishing the rice, he threw the dish down to break it, purely to spite Grandmother.
- ➤ Realizing they could not afford the frequent loss of dishes, clothes, and curtains, Grandfather sold Toto back to the tonga-driver for only three rupees.
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