Summary and Solved Questions of The Little World of Mud by Ruskin Bond

Summary of The Little World of Mud

Ruskin Bondโ€™s The Little World of Mud depicts an entire complex life within the rainwater pond that existed beneath the authorโ€™s bungalow, where species profited from one another. For them, the pond is their entire universe. The author was unaware of it till his granddad made him aware. He discovered how the frogs and tadpoles survived inside the silent pond where he had only seen buffaloes on rare occasions. He later becomes friends with Ramu, who visits the pond with his buffaloes. He instructs the author in the art of swimming. They also notice a couple of crane sarus that have gradually become a part of the pond and their cottage. The author was ecstatic that they had become a member of the mudโ€™s muddy world.

Questions and Answers


1. What was the narratorโ€™s misunderstanding about the pond?
Ans. The narrator had never expected to find much in the rain-water pond behind his house. He had always seen a large quantity of mud and occasionally, a few waterbuffaloes.

2. What does the narrator mean by the diversity of the pond?
Ans. The narrator refers to the pondโ€™s diversity as the variety of life that existed in it. It was so well-planned that each individual benefited from the well-being of the others.

3. Explain the line, โ€œTo the inhabitants of the pond, the pond was the world; and to the inhabitants of the world, the world was but a muddy pond.โ€
Ans. This refers to the various ways in which animals and humans perceive the world. The creatures in the pond are content to be in the muddy pond. It is their world, and they enjoy their lives despite the chaos. Humans, on the other hand, rarely see the beauty of the world. When we look at the world, we only notice the negative aspects of it.

4. What does the narrator mean by โ€˜pond-worldโ€™?
Ans. The narrator uses the term โ€œpond-worldโ€ to refer to the diversity of life in the pond that is not visible. Apart from the conventional mud and water and large animals such as buffaloes, a pond is home to an abundance of unknown and invisible creatures.

5. How does the author narrate his experiencing the pond-world?
Ans. When Grandfather showed the narrator the pond-world for the first time, he found a dry spot in the shadow of an ancient peepul tree, where the two of them sat for an hour, gazing carefully at the thin green scum on the water. The buffaloes had not yet arrived for their midday swim, and the pondโ€™s surface remained unaltered. They observed nothing throughout the first ten minutes. A little black blob appeared in the centre of the pond after a while. It gradually increased in height until the narrator observed a frogโ€™s head. The frogโ€™s large eyes were fixed on them, as if they were unsure whether the narrator and his grandfather were friends or foes. For a time, the frog concealed its body and searched for potential predators, such as a heron splashing around in search of it. After ascertaining that the storyteller and grandfather were not herons, the frog relayed this information to its friends and neighbours, and very soon there were a number of large heads and eyes visible on the surface of the water. The monologue concludes with the frogsโ€™ incessant croaking.

6. How did tadpoles amaze the narrator?
Ans. When the narrator observed a swarm of tadpoles in the pond, he could not believe his eyes. When he made touch with the shadow-like mass with the end of a stick, the dark mass erupted into life. Thousands of tiny black tadpoles began to wiggle to life, pushing and rushing to the surface.The narrator was particularly taken aback when he discovered that tadpoles consume other tadpoles.

7. How did the narrator see that tadpoles feeding on other tadpoles was a useful system?
Ans. Although the narrator found it unpalatable, he observed that tadpoles feeding other tadpoles helped to maintain a balance in the breeding of too many tadpoles. As a result of this system, thousands of tadpoles that are hatched do not mature into frogs. They would take up every inch of land if they were not eaten by other tadpoles.

8. What did the narrator learn about the life of frogs?
Ans. The narrator discovered a lot about frogsโ€™ lives. Frogs avoid their mortal enemies, such as herons, at all costs. They are incredibly cunning when it comes to avoiding their foes. One of the frogs emerges from the waterโ€™s surface to ensure their safety, while the rest remain under. Only after the first frog gives the signal do all the frogs come to the surface.

9. โ€œTo the inhabitants of the pond, the pond was the world; and to the inhabitants of the world, the world was but a muddy pond.โ€ What does grandfather mean by this?
Ans. Grandfather is attempting to clarify the distinction between humans and animals. The animals do express dissatisfaction with their surroundings. They are content in their surroundings. Humans, on the other hand, are dissatisfied with their surroundings. They are constantly on the lookout for new locations to live, from little dwellings to larger homes, and from villages to cities.

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