Class 10 English Footprints without Feet Chapter 1, A Triumph of Surgery by British veterinary surgeon James Herriot, tells the humorous and heartwarming story of Tricki, a small dog pampered and overfed by his wealthy mistress Mrs Pumphrey until he falls gravely ill—and how Mr Herriot cures him without a single medicine.
What Class 10 English (Footprints without Feet) Chapter 1 Covers
Story Summary: A Triumph of Surgery (James Herriot) Mrs Pumphrey, a wealthy and doting pet owner, feeds her greedy little dog Tricki malt, cod-liver oil, Horlicks, cream cakes and chocolates between meals because she thinks he is suffering from malnutrition, until he looks like a ‘bloated sausage with a leg at each corner’ and collapses with bouts of vomiting. Veterinary surgeon Mr James Herriot hospitalises Tricki for a fortnight: for the first two days he gives Tricki no food but plenty of water, and by the third day Tricki is trotting around the garden, jostling with the pack of household greyhounds for his bowl and hunting rats in the old hen-house. Meanwhile, an anxious Mrs Pumphrey sends two dozen fresh eggs at a time, bottles of wine (‘to enrich Tricki’s blood’) and vintage brandy—which Mr Herriot and his partners happily enjoy at breakfast and dinner, creating a comical ‘temptation to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest’. When Mrs Pumphrey collects the transformed, hard-muscled dog two weeks later, tears shine in her eyes as she declares: ‘Oh, Mr Herriot, how can I ever thank you? This is a triumph of surgery!’.
Exercises in Chapter 1
- Read and Find Out & Think about It cover why Mrs Pumphrey was worried about Tricki, how Mr Herriot treated the dog without any medicinal treatment, why he was tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest, and why Mrs Pumphrey thought the dog’s recovery was ‘a triumph of surgery’.
Read Class 10 English (Footprints without Feet) Chapter 1 Online
More Chapters
- Next: Chapter 2: The Thief’s Story
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FAQ
How did Mr Herriot treat Tricki at the surgery?
Mr Herriot gave Tricki no medical or surgical treatment at all. For the first two days he kept Tricki on a strict diet of plenty of water and no food, and then let him run, play and compete naturally for his meals with the other dogs in the garden, giving him the exercise and controlled diet he desperately needed.
Why was Mr Herriot tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?
During Tricki’s convalescence, Mrs Pumphrey began sending two dozen fresh eggs at a time, bottles of fine wine and vintage brandy to build up Tricki’s strength. Since Tricki did not need any of these rich items, Mr Herriot and his partners enjoyed two eggs each for breakfast, wine with lunch and brandy at night, making those days a period of deep content.