About The Author
Kenneth Douglas Stewart Anderson was an Indian-born, British writer and hunter who wrote books about his adventures in the jungles of South India. He was born on 8th March, 1910 in Bolarum, Secunderbad in India. Anderson went to Bishop Cotton Boys’ School and also studied at St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore. He was sent to study law at Edinburgh but he quit studies and returned to India, he worked for fifteen years in the posts and telegraph department and later worked at the British Aircraft Factory in Bangalore (later HAL) in the rank of Factory Manager for Planning. He owned nearly 200 acres of land across Karnataka, Hyderabad and Tamil Nadu. In 1972 he was diagnosed with cancer from which he died in 1974, he was buried at the Hosur road cemetery.
Introduction
This is the story of love and friendship between an animal and a human being. The story is developed around the concept that love is reciprocal. Even animals respond sincerely to the affection and care shown to them by human beings. In fact, the emotional bond that animals form is so strong that they do not easily forget those who care for and love them.
One day the author found a bear cub in a field. He took it home and presented it to his wife. The bear and the author’s wife developed a great love for each other. When the bear grew up, it was sent to the zoo at Mysore. She became very sad. After three months, she visited the zoo. The bear, whose name was Baba, at once recognized her and danced with happiness. She came back.
But she could not live without the bear. So she got the permission of the zoo superintendent to get the bear back. A special place was made at home for the grown-up bear. Now both the bear and the writer’s wife were happy. The story shows that animals too have as much love and affection as human beings have.
Summary
Two years ago, the author and his friends were passing through the sugarcane fields near Mysore. People were driving away the wild pigs from their fields by shooting at them. Suddenly a sloth bear came out of the field. One of the writer’s companions shot at the bear. It fell dead. They came near the fallen animal. They saw a bear cub riding on its mother’s back. The cub was making pitiful howls.
The writer tried to catch it. But the bear cub ran away into the field. The writer and his companions ran after it. At last, they were able to catch it. The baby-bear tried to free itself. It tried to scratch the author with its long, hooked claws. They put the bear into a gunny bag and brought it to Bangalore.
The author presented the little creature to his wife. She was very happy. She named the bear cub Bruno. The author’s wife brought up Bruno with love and care. She looked after the bear cub as he were her own child. At first, Bruno was taught to drink milk from a bottle. Within a few days, he started eating normally. He drank and ate everything. Ile ate porridge made from any ingredients. He ate vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat, curry and rice. He ate bread, eggs, chocolates, sweets, pudding, ice-cream, etc.
As for drink, he drank milk, tea, coffee, lime-juice, aerated water, beer and other things. He became attached to all the children of the tenants living in the bungalow. He spent time playing, running into the kitchen and going to sleep in the beds of the author and his wife. Because of the love and affection showed by the author’s wife, he developed great affection for her