Mijbil the Otter

By Gavin Maxwell

I. The Decision to Keep an Otter

Setting the Scene: The author, Gavin Maxwell, lived in a cottage in Camusfearna, in the West Highlands of Scotland.
Reasoning: After the death of his dog, Jonnie, Maxwell felt too sad to own another dog. However, he felt lonely without a pet.
A New Idea: Early in 1956, while traveling to Southern Iraq, he decided to keep an otter instead. He felt Camusfearna, being surrounded by water, would be a perfect home for an otter.
Advice from a Friend: A friend suggested getting an otter from the Tigris marshes in Iraq, noting they were as common as mosquitoes there and often tamed by locals.

The Wait in Basra: Maxwell and his friend went to the Consulate-General in Basra to collect mail. The friend's mail arrived, but Maxwell's was delayed.
Communication Struggles: Maxwell tried to cable and telephone England, facing multiple delays due to religious holidays and technical breakdowns. He waited five days for his mail.
The Arrival: When his mail finally arrived, two Arabs presented him with a sack that was squirming. Inside was an otter, a gift from his friend.
First Impressions: The creature resembled a small medieval dragon coated in mud armour. Under the mud, it had soft, velvet fur like a chocolate-brown mole. It took a month of cleaning to reveal its true colours.
Naming and Species: Maxwell named the otter Mijbil. It was later identified by zoologists as a race previously unknown to science, named Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli or "Maxwell’s otter."

Initial Temperament: For the first twenty-four hours, Mijbil was aloof and indifferent, sleeping far from Maxwell. By the second night, he slept in the crook of Maxwell's knees.
Love for Water: Mijbil quickly lost his apathy and took a keen interest in his surroundings. In the bathroom, he went wild with joy, plunging and rolling in the bathtub.
Water Philosophy: Maxwell learned that for an otter, water must be kept in motion. Static water is wasted; it must be splashed and overturned.
Intelligence: Mijbil learned to turn the bathroom tap on by himself to get running water.
Playtime: He spent hours shuffling a rubber ball around like a soccer player and could throw it with his neck. His favorite game involved lying on his back and juggling marbles between his paws without dropping them.

Transportation Issues: British airlines would not fly animals, so Maxwell booked a flight to Paris and then to London. The airline insisted the otter be packed in a box not larger than 18 inches square.
The Box Incident: Maxwell put Mijbil in the box an hour before the flight to accustom him to it. Upon returning from a meal, he found silence and blood. Mijbil had torn the box's lining to shreds and injured himself.
The Rush: Maxwell removed the sharp lining, put the exhausted otter back in the box, and rushed to the airport. The driver drove wildly, and they arrived just as the plane was waiting to take off.
On the Plane: Maxwell covered the floor with newspaper. He confided in a kind air hostess, who allowed him to keep the otter on his knee. Maxwell called her "the very queen of her kind."
The Escape: Mijbil escaped the box and ran down the aisle, causing panic. A woman screamed "A rat!" Maxwell tried to catch him but ended up with curry on his face. The air hostess eventually found Mijbil and brought him back to Maxwell. The otter then spent the rest of the flight nuzzling Maxwell's face.

Games: Mijbil played with toys like ping-pong balls, marbles, and a terrapin shell. He invented a game using a damaged suitcase, running to catch a ball as it rolled down the sloped lid.
Walks and Rituals: Maxwell walked Mijbil on a lead. The otter developed compulsive habits, like touching every iron railing or lamp post. He would also jump onto a school wall and gallop along it, distracting pupils and teachers.
Public Reaction: Londoners did not recognize the animal. Maxwell faced a barrage of guesses about what Mijbil was.
Misidentifications: People guessed he was a baby seal, squirrel, walrus, hippo, beaver, bear cub, leopard, or even a brontosaur.
The Best Question: The most amusing reaction came from a labourer digging a hole, who stared in affront and asked, "Here, Mister — what is that supposed to be?"

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