CBSE Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 9: The Bond Of Love NCERT Solutions

Yes, it is possible for love and friendship to exist between human beings and wild animals, although it requires careful understanding, patience, and a responsible approach. The story 'The Bond Of Love' itself serves as a testament to this possibility, illustrating a deep affection that developed between the narrator's family and a rescued sloth bear. Such relationships, however, are often exceptions and depend heavily on the animal's upbringing, individual temperament, and the human's ability to provide a safe and nurturing environment while respecting the animal's wild nature.

Here are the relevant paragraphs that match the given headings:

1. An Orphaned Cub - Paragraph 3
2. Bruno's Food-chart - Paragraph 6
3. An Accidental Case of Poisoning - Paragraph 8
4. Playful Baba - Paragraph 12
5. Pain of Separation - Paragraph 14
6. Joy of Reunion - Paragraph 16
7. A Request to the Zoo - Paragraph 18
8. An Island in the Courtyard - Paragraph 2

1. (i) The narrator of the story says this sentence.

(ii) In this statement, 'him' refers to the baby sloth bear cub, and 'her' refers to the narrator's wife.

(iii) The incident referred to is when the narrator and his companions were passing through sugarcane fields near Mysore. They encountered a wild sloth bear and shot it. Upon closer inspection, they discovered a baby bear clinging to its mother's back. The narrator rescued this baby bear and subsequently gifted it to his wife, hence acquiring 'him' for 'her' by chance.

2. (i) The pronoun 'he' in this sentence refers to the sloth bear, affectionately called Bruno or Baba by the family.

(ii) Bruno was delighted because he recognized and was overjoyed to see the narrator's wife. After being separated and sent to the zoo, he was initially sad and refused food. However, upon her arrival, his spirits lifted, and he expressed his happiness and excitement by standing on his head when she petted him through the bars.

3. (i) 'We all' refers to the narrator, his wife, and their young son.

(ii) They missed Bruno, the sloth bear, whom they affectionately called Baba.

(iii) They felt relieved despite missing Bruno because he was growing rapidly and becoming too large to be managed safely and comfortably within their home. Sending him to the zoo, although sad, was seen as a necessary step for his own well-being and their peace of mind.

On one occasion, Bruno consumed rat poison, which made him very ill, causing him to lose his ability to stand. He was quickly taken to the vet and thankfully recovered. On another instance, he drank a large quantity of old engine oil, but surprisingly, this did not seem to affect him adversely.

Yes, Bruno was indeed a loving and playful pet, cherished by everyone in the family, especially the narrator's wife. However, he had to be sent away to a zoo because he was growing too big to be kept at home. His increasing size posed potential safety concerns and made him difficult to manage in a domestic setting.

The problem of what to do with Bruno was finally solved when the narrator's wife insisted on visiting him at the zoo. Her reunion with Bruno, and his evident joy, convinced the zoo authorities to allow Bruno to be kept there, effectively resolving the dilemma of his future placement.