A Triumph Of Surgery

Namaste students, welcome to today's English lesson. I am so happy to see all of you here, ready to learn something new and wonderful. Today we are going to study a very interesting chapter from your NCERT textbook Footprints Without Feet. The chapter is called "A Triumph of Surgery" and it is written by James Herriot, who was a famous veterinary surgeon in England. He wrote many beautiful stories about animals, and this particular story is one of his best. So let's begin our journey into this lovely story, shall we?

Now students, before we read the story, I want you to understand what kind of text this is. This is a prose piece, which means it is a narrative written in prose form, not poetry. It is a story about a dog named Tricki and his mistress Mrs Pumphrey. The narrator is James Herriot himself, who was a veterinary surgeon, which means a doctor who treats animals. So the story is told from his point of view, and he is the one who says "I" throughout the story. This is important to remember because the "I" in this story refers to James Herriot, the veterinary surgeon who is treating Tricki.

Let us now read and understand the first part of the story together. Students, pay close attention to what is happening to Tricki, the little dog.

The story begins with James Herriot saying that he was really worried about Tricki this time. He had seen Tricki in the street with his mistress and he was shocked at how the dog looked. Can you imagine what happened to Tricki? The story tells us that he had become hugely fat, like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner. Now students, just imagine that picture - a little dog so fat that he looks like a sausage with four legs sticking out! That is quite a sight, isn't it? The author uses a wonderful simile here - "like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner" - to help us visualize how fat Tricki had become. His eyes were bloodshot and rheumy, which means they were red and watery, and they stared straight ahead. His tongue was lolling from his jaws, which means it was hanging out of his mouth, probably because he was so tired and overweight that he couldn't even keep his tongue inside.

Now, why was Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki? Let us look at what the story says. Mrs Pumphrey hastened to explain to Mr Herriot that Tricki was listless, which means he had no energy or enthusiasm. He seemed to have no spark left in him. Mrs Pumphrey thought he must be suffering from malnutrition, which means he wasn't getting enough proper nutrition. So what did she do to help him? She started giving him some little extras between meals to build him up. She gave him some malt and cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night to make him sleep. She said "nothing much really," but students, can you see how much she was actually feeding this little dog? Malt, cod-liver oil, Horlicks - these are all very nutritious and calorie-rich foods. And she was giving these in addition to his regular meals!

Now, is she wise in this? Let me ask you this - if someone is overweight and listless, what should we do? Should we give them more food? Of course not! That would make things worse. But Mrs Pumphrey, because she loved Tricki so much and couldn't bear to see him looking weak, actually made the problem worse by overfeeding him. Mr Herriot had told her to cut down on sweet things, and she did for a bit, but then she relented because Tricki seemed so weak and she couldn't refuse him when he wanted cream cakes and chocolates. Students, this is a classic example of how love can sometimes lead to harm. Mrs Pumphrey loved Tricki so much that she couldn't say no to him, but this overlove was actually making him sick.

Mr Herriot asked if she was giving Tricki plenty of exercise. She said he had his little walks with her, but the gardener Hodgkin had been down with lumbago, which is muscular pain in the lower back, so there had been no ring-throwing lately. You see, students, exercise is very important for dogs (and for humans too!). Without proper exercise, the food they eat turns into fat, and that is exactly what happened to Tricki.

Mr Herriot tried to sound severe and told Mrs Pumphrey that if she didn't cut his food right down and give him more exercise, he was going to be really ill. He said she must harden her heart and keep him on a very strict diet. But Mrs Pumphrey wrung her hands - can you picture that? She was so worried and upset that she was twisting her hands together - and she said it was so difficult, so very difficult. And then she set off along the road, head down, as if determined to put the new regime into practice immediately. But we will soon see whether she actually did this or not.

Now students, let me pause here and recap what we have learned so far. We have learned that Tricki was a small dog who was overfed and underexercised by his rich mistress Mrs Pumphrey. She loved him very much but her love was harmful because she couldn't say no to him. Mr Herriot, the veterinary surgeon, warned her about the dangers of overfeeding, but we will see what happens next.

The expected call came within a few days. Students, this tells us that Mr Herriot knew what was going to happen - he had predicted that Tricki would get ill because Mrs Pumphrey wouldn't be able to stick to the strict diet. And sure enough, Mrs Pumphrey was distraught, which means extremely worried and upset. Tricki would eat nothing. He refused even his favourite dishes, which is very unusual for a dog who was previously so greedy. He had bouts of vomiting, which means he was being sick repeatedly. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. He didn't want to go for walks, he didn't want to do anything. Students, this is a classic case of what happens when an overfed dog suddenly stops eating - the body goes into shock, and all that rich food that was given to him is now causing problems.

Now, what did Mr Herriot do? He had made his plans in advance. He knew that the only way to get Tricki out of this situation was to get him away from his mistress and her overindulgent ways. So he suggested that Tricki be hospitalized for about a fortnight, which means two weeks, to be kept under observation. This is a very smart move by Mr Herriot. He knew that as long as Tricki stayed with Mrs Pumphrey, she would continue to spoil him and try to feed him. So he needed to remove Tricki from that environment.

The poor lady almost swooned at the thought. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. Students, "to pine" means to become weak and sad because of loneliness or separation. Mrs Pumphrey was so attached to Tricki that she couldn't imagine being away from him for even a day. But Mr Herriot took a firm line. He said Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him. He thought it best to take him without delay, and followed by Mrs Pumphrey's wailings, which means her loud cries of protest, he marched out to the car carrying the little dog wrapped in a blanket.

Now students, here comes a very funny part. The entire staff was roused, which means they were all called to help, and maids rushed in and out bringing his day bed, his night bed, favourite cushions, toys and rubber rings, breakfast bowl, lunch bowl, supper bowl. Can you believe all this? It was like moving a whole household for a little dog! Mrs Pumphrey was so worried about Tricki's comfort that she wanted to bring everything he owned to the hospital. And then, as Mr Herriot started to drive away, Mrs Pumphrey threw an armful of the little coats through the window. Remember, Tricki had a whole wardrobe of these coats - for cold weather and a raincoat for wet days. When Mr Herriot looked in the mirror before he turned the corner of the drive, everybody was in tears. Even the chauffeur and the staff were crying because they were so worried about little Tricki. This shows us just how much everyone in that household loved this little dog, even though their love was harming him.

Now let me answer the question - is the narrator as rich as Tricki's mistress? No, students, the narrator is not as rich as Mrs Pumphrey. We can see this from the fact that when Mr Herriot tried to drive away with all the stuff Mrs Pumphrey had packed, he realized his car would never hold all of it. He had to leave most of the things behind. Also, later in the story, when Mrs Pumphrey starts sending eggs, wine, and brandy for Tricki, we see that Mr Herriot and his partners really enjoyed these luxuries, which suggests they don't usually have such things. So Mrs Pumphrey is very rich, while Mr Herriot is a simple veterinary surgeon.

How does he treat the dog? Well, students, Mr Herriot treats Tricki with kindness but also with professional expertise. He doesn't pamper him like Mrs Pumphrey did. Instead, he gives him proper care. He makes up a bed for him in a warm loose box next to where the other dogs sleep. For two days, he keeps an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of water. This is very important - sometimes when a dog is sick from overeating, the best thing to do is to fast for a while and just give plenty of water. This allows the digestive system to rest and recover.

Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest? Students, you will find this very funny. After Mrs Pumphrey starts sending fresh eggs, two dozen at a time, to build up Tricki's strength, Mr Herriot and his partners - Tristan and Siegfried - start having two eggs each for breakfast. Then the bottles of wine begin to arrive, and lunch becomes a ceremonial occasion with two glasses of wine before and several during the meal. And then the brandy came! They could hardly believe it. For a few nights, the fine spirit was rolled around, inhaled and reverently drunk. These were days of deep content, starting well with the extra egg in the morning, improved and sustained by the midday wine and finishing luxuriously round the fire with the brandy. So you see, students, Mr Herriot was tempted to keep Tricki because of all the wonderful food and drink that Mrs Pumphrey was sending for the little dog! But of course, he knew this was wrong, and after a fortnight, he felt compelled to phone and tell her that the little dog had recovered and was awaiting collection.

Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog's recovery is "a triumph of surgery"? Students, this is the title of the chapter, and it is quite ironic. Mrs Pumphrey thinks that Mr Herriot performed some amazing surgical operation to save Tricki. But in reality, what did Mr Herriot do? He simply took Tricki away from his overindulgent mistress, gave him plenty of water and no food for two days, and then let him play with the other dogs. There was no actual surgery involved! The "triumph" was not surgical at all - it was simply proper care, exercise, and most importantly, removing Tricki from the environment that was making him sick. But Mrs Pumphrey, who doesn't understand this, thinks it was a great surgical achievement. This is why the title is ironic - it pokes fun at Mrs Pumphrey's misunderstanding.

Now let's continue with what happened at the surgery. When they reached the surgery, which is the place where the veterinary surgeon treats patients, the household dogs surged round Mr Herriot. Tricki looked down at the noisy pack with dull eyes, and when put down, he lay motionless on the carpet. The other dogs sniffed round him for a few seconds and then decided he was an uninteresting object and ignored him. This shows just how sick Tricki was - even the other dogs weren't interested in him because he had no energy to play.

But then, something wonderful happened. On the second day, Tricki started to show some interest in his surroundings. On the third day, he began to whimper when he heard the dogs in the yard - he wanted to go out and play with them! When Mr Herriot opened the door, Tricki trotted out and was immediately engulfed by Joe, the greyhound, and his friends. After rolling him over and thoroughly inspecting him, the dogs moved off down the garden. Tricki followed them, rolling slightly with his surplus fat. Students, can you picture this? The poor little fat dog trying to run with the other dogs, his excess fat making him roll from side to side. It must have been quite a sight!

Then came feeding time. Mr Herriot watched while Tristan slopped the food into the bowls. There was the usual headlong rush followed by the sounds of high-speed eating. Every dog knew that if he fell behind the others, he was liable to have some competition for the last part of his meal. This is very realistic - when you have many dogs eating together, they all rush to eat as much as they can before the food is gone. When they had finished, Tricki took a walk round the shining bowls, licking casually inside one or two of them. He was starting to eat! The next day, an extra bowl was put out for him, and Mr Herriot was pleased to see him jostling his way towards it. He was now competing with the other dogs for food, which was a very good sign.

From then on, his progress was rapid. He had no medicinal treatment of any kind - no medicines at all - but all day he ran about with the dogs, joining in their friendly scrimmages, which means rough or confused struggles. He discovered the joys of being bowled over, tramped on and squashed every few minutes. He became an accepted member of the gang, an unlikely, silky little object among the shaggy crew, fighting like a tiger for his share at mealtimes and hunting rats in the old hen-house at night. He had never had such a time in his life. Students, just think about this - all that Tricki needed was exercise, companionship, and proper food in reasonable quantities. No medicines, no surgery, just a healthy lifestyle change. And look how quickly he recovered!

Now, while Tricki was having the time of his life at the surgery, Mrs Pumphrey was hovering anxiously in the background, ringing a dozen times a day for the latest bulletins, which means updates on Tricki's condition. Mr Herriot dodged the questions about whether his cushions were being turned regularly or his correct coat worn according to the weather - he just told her that the little fellow was out of danger and convalescing rapidly. The word "convalescing" means recovering from an illness, and this word seemed to do something to Mrs Pumphrey. She started to bring round fresh eggs, two dozen at a time, to build up Tricki's strength. And as we discussed earlier, this led to a wonderful period for Mr Herriot and his partners where they had extra eggs for breakfast, wine for lunch, and brandy in the evening. But eventually, Mr Herriot felt it was time to return Tricki to his mistress.

Within minutes of his phone call, about thirty feet of gleaming black metal drew up outside the surgery. It was a huge car - about thirty feet long! The chauffeur opened the door and Mrs Pumphrey was almost lost in the interior. Her hands were tightly clasped in front of her, and her lips trembled. She asked, "Oh, Mr Herriot, do tell me the truth. Is he really better?" Students, can you feel her anxiety? She was so worried about her little dog. Mr Herriot assured her that Tricki was fine and that there was no need for her to get out of the car - he would go and fetch him.

Then something beautiful happened. Mr Herriot walked through the house into the garden. A mass of dogs was hurtling round and round the lawn, and in their midst, ears flapping, tail waving, was the little golden figure of Tricki. In two weeks he had been transformed into a lithe, hard-muscled animal. "Lithe" means flexible and graceful. He was keeping up well with the pack, stretching out in great bounds, his chest almost brushing the ground. This was a completely different dog from the bloated, exhausted creature we saw at the beginning of the story!

Mr Herriot carried him back along the passage to the front of the house. When Tricki saw his mistress, he took off from Mr Herriot's arms in a tremendous leap and sailed into Mrs Pumphrey's lap. She gave a startled "Ooh!" and then had to defend herself as he swarmed over her, licking her face and barking. During the excitement, Mr Herriot helped the chauffeur to bring out the beds, toys, cushions, coats and bowls - none of which had been used. As the car moved away, Mrs Pumphrey leaned out of the window. Tears shone in her eyes, and her lips trembled as she cried, "Oh, Mr Herriot, how can I ever thank you? This is a triumph of surgery!"

And so the story ends, students. It is a heartwarming tale about how a little dog was saved not by surgery, but by proper care, exercise, and most importantly, by removing him from an environment of overindulgence.

Now let's look at the glossary words to make sure we understand them all. We have already discussed most of them, but let me go through them once more to reinforce your learning.

Sausage - finely minced meat stuffed into long cylindrical cases and divided into small lengths by twisting or tying. This is a food item that we all know.

Rheumy - a watery discharge from a mucous membrane especially of the nose or eyes. This is what was wrong with Tricki's eyes - they were watery and red.

Listless - lacking energy and enthusiasm. This is how Tricki looked when he was sick.

Lumbago - muscular pain in the lower part of the back. This is what the gardener Hodgkin had.

Regime - prescribed course of exercise and diet. Mr Herriot prescribed a strict regime for Tricki.

Distraught - extremely worried. Mrs Pumphrey was distraught when Tricki fell ill.

Surgery - a place where a doctor, a dentist or a veterinary surgeon treats patients. This is where Mr Herriot worked.

Scrimmage - rough or confused struggle. The dogs had friendly scrimmages.

Convalescing - recovering from an illness. Tricki was convalescing rapidly.

Lithe - flexible. Tricki became a lithe, hard-muscled animal.

Now students, let's move on to the "Think about it" questions. I want you to think carefully about these and understand the answers.

Question 1: What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is? Would you say he is tactful as well as full of common sense?

Let me think about this, students. The narrator, Mr Herriot, is a veterinary surgeon who tells this story. What kind of person is he? From the story, we can see that he is observant - he notices that Tricki is overweight and in poor health. He is knowledgeable - he knows exactly what is wrong with Tricki and how to treat it. He is firm but kind - when Mrs Pumplrey is reluctant to leave Tricki at the surgery, he takes a firm line and insists that it is necessary. He has common sense - he knows that the only way to save Tricki is to remove him from the overindulgent environment at home. And is he tactful? Yes, I think he is. He doesn't criticize Mrs Pumphrey directly for overfeeding Tricki. Instead, he gives her advice in a gentle way. When she calls multiple times a day asking about Tricki, he dodges her questions about cushions and coats rather than telling her that those things are unnecessary. He is diplomatic and knows how to handle people. So yes, I would say he is both tactful and full of common sense.

Question 2: Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?

Students, think about this. Tricki had the time of his life at the surgery. He played with other dogs, ran around, exercised, and ate proper food. He became fit and healthy. Was he happy to go home? I think he was happy to see his mistress again because he loved her, but at the same time, he had discovered the joys of an active life with other dogs. What will happen now? Well, we can only speculate, but I think there might be a problem. Mrs Pumphrey, as we know, is very indulgent. She might go back to her old ways of overfeeding Tricki with cream cakes and chocolates. But let's hope that after this experience, she has learned her lesson and will keep Tricki on a proper diet with plenty of exercise. Perhaps seeing how healthy and happy Tricki was after his stay at the surgery will encourage her to maintain his new lifestyle. But knowing human nature, it might be difficult for her to resist his cute face when he begs for treats!

Question 3: Do you think this is a real-life episode, or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?

Students, James Herriot was a real veterinary surgeon who practiced in England. He wrote many stories about his experiences with animals and their owners. These stories are based on his real cases, but they are also embellished with literary details to make them more engaging. So this is likely a mixture of both reality and fiction. The basic story - a fat dog that gets sick from overfeeding and recovers when given proper care - is probably based on a real case that Herriot handled. But some details, like Mrs Pumphrey sending eggs, wine, and brandy, might be exaggerated for comic effect. So yes, it is a mixture of both real life and fiction.

Now let's look at the "Talk about it" questions. These are for discussion, and I want you to think about these issues carefully.

Question 1: This episode describes the silly behaviour of a rich woman who is foolishly indulgent, perhaps because she is lonely. Do you think such people are merely silly, or can their actions cause harm to others?

This is a very important question, students. Mrs Pumphrey's actions might seem silly - she overfeeds her dog and can't say no to him. But can her actions cause harm? Absolutely yes! In this case, her actions caused serious harm to Tricki. He became so overweight that he couldn't even walk properly, and he fell seriously ill. If Mr Herriot hadn't intervened, Tricki could have died. So while Mrs Pumphrey's intentions were good - she loved her dog and wanted the best for him - her actions were harmful. This teaches us that love alone is not enough; we also need knowledge and wisdom. Sometimes, people who are lonely or have too much time on their hands can become overly attached to their pets and spoil them in ways that are actually harmful. So it's important to be aware of this and to seek advice from experts when caring for pets or even children.

Question 2: Do you think there are also parents like Mrs Pumphrey?

Students, this is a very relevant question for all of you. Yes, there are definitely parents who are like Mrs Pumphrey. They love their children so much that they can't say no to them. They give their children everything they want - lots of food, toys, and whatever else they ask for. They don't enforce rules or discipline. While this comes from a place of love, it can be harmful. Children who are overindulged may become spoiled, entitled, and unable to cope with difficulties in life. They may become overweight if they are given too much unhealthy food, and they may not learn the value of hard work and discipline. So yes, there are parents like Mrs Pumphrey, and it's important for all of us to learn from this story. Love should be balanced with proper care and guidance.

Question 3: What would you have done if you were: (i) a member of the staff in Mrs Pumphrey's household, (ii) a neighbour? What would your life have been like, in general?

This is an interesting hypothetical question. If I were a member of the staff in Mrs Pumphrey's household, I would probably be very fond of Tricki too, since everyone in the house loved him. But I might also be concerned about his health. I might try to gently suggest to Mrs Pumphrey that she is overfeeding him, but given that she is the mistress and I am the servant, it might be difficult to speak up. I might just go along with whatever she says and do my job. My life would probably be comfortable since she is rich and generous, but I might feel sad seeing Tricki so overweight and sick.

If I were a neighbour, I might notice Tricki's condition and feel concerned. I might try to talk to Mrs Pumphrey about it, or I might mind my own business. I might feel sorry for the little dog but not know what to do about it. In general, my life would probably be uneventful, living in a wealthy neighbourhood, perhaps working in my own home or job.

Question 4: What would you have done if you were in the narrator's place?

If I were in the narrator's place, I would do exactly what Mr Herriot did. I would diagnose the problem correctly - that Tricki was overfed and underexercised. I would warn the owner about the dangers. When the dog fell ill, I would insist on hospitalizing him, even if the owner objected. I would give him proper care - fasting at first, then gradually introducing food, and most importantly, allowing him to exercise and play with other dogs. I would resist the temptation to keep the dog just for the free food and drink, and I would return him to his owner when he was healthy. I would also try to educate the owner about proper pet care so that the same problem doesn't happen again. In short, I would combine professional expertise with compassion, just like Mr Herriot did.

Now students, I want to talk about the "Suggested reading" section. The textbook suggests some books and stories that you might enjoy reading. "Rikki Tikki Tawi" by Rudyard Kipling is a famous story about a mongoose who saves a family from cobras. It is a wonderful adventure story. "Dog Stories" by James Herriot is a collection of heartwarming stories about dogs and their owners, just like the story we just read. "A Zoo in My Luggage" by Gerald Durrell is about setting up a zoo in Jersey, and it is full of exciting animal adventures. "A Tiger Comes to Town" by R.K. Narayan is a humorous story about what happens when a tiger escapes from a circus in a small Indian town. I encourage you to read these books if you get the chance - they are all excellent and will help you develop a love for reading.

Now students, we have come to the end of our lesson. But before I say goodbye, let me give you a complete summary of everything we have learned in this chapter.

This chapter, "A Triumph of Surgery," is a story about a little dog named Tricki who is overfed and overindulged by his rich mistress, Mrs Pumphrey. She loves him so much that she cannot refuse him anything, especially not cream cakes and chocolates. As a result, Tricki becomes hugely fat and unhealthy. When he falls seriously ill, Mrs Pumphrey calls the veterinary surgeon, James Herriot. Mr Herriot realizes that the only way to save Tricki is to remove him from his home and put him on a strict regime of exercise and proper food. He hospitalizes Tricki for a fortnight, during which time the little dog recovers by playing with other dogs and eating proper food in reasonable quantities. Meanwhile, Mrs Pumphrey sends eggs, wine, and brandy for Tricki, which Mr Herriot and his partners enjoy. Eventually, Tricki is returned to his mistress, healthy and fit. Mrs Pumphrey calls his recovery "a triumph of surgery," not realizing that there was no actual surgery involved - just proper care and exercise.

The story teaches us several important lessons. First, love alone is not enough - we also need knowledge and wisdom to care for others properly. Second, overindulgence can be harmful, even when it comes from a good place. Third, sometimes we need to make difficult decisions for the good of those we love. Fourth, exercise and proper diet are essential for health and wellbeing.

The story also has an element of humor, particularly in the way Mrs Pumphrey overreacts and sends all of Tricki's belongings to the surgery, and in the way Mr Herriot and his partners enjoy the eggs, wine, and brandy that were meant for Tricki.

The title "A Triumph of Surgery" is ironic because there was no surgery involved at all. The "triumph" was simply the result of common sense and proper care.

Now students, I hope you have enjoyed this lesson as much as I have enjoyed teaching it. Remember to read the chapter again on your own and think about the questions we discussed. And always remember the moral of the story - love should be combined with wisdom and proper care. Thank you for listening, and I will see you in the next lesson. Goodbye and take care!