A Triumph of Surgery — Class 10 English
Footprints Without Feet · Chapter 1
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Chapter summary
The story in steps
- Mrs Pumphrey pampers Tricki with rich food and no exercise, so he becomes very fat and sick.
- She calls Dr Herriot, who sees that Tricki suffers from overfeeding, not from a serious disease.
- Dr Herriot takes Tricki to the surgery and keeps him on water first, then simple food.
- Away from pampering, Tricki starts moving again and soon runs and plays happily with other dogs.
- Mrs Pumphrey keeps sending eggs, wine, and brandy, while Tricki becomes fully healthy and energetic.
- When Tricki returns home fit and cheerful, Mrs Pumphrey calls it a triumph of surgery.
Key ideas & terms
- Tricki
- A pampered, over-fed pet dog who falls ill.
- Mrs Pumphrey
- Tricki’s wealthy, over-indulgent owner.
- Dr Herriot
- The vet and narrator who cures Tricki by simple means.
- Over-indulgence
- The excessive pampering that makes Tricki sick.
- Diet and exercise
- The real cure for Tricki’s illness.
- Irony
- The cure is no surgery at all, yet is called a triumph of surgery.
शब्दार्थ · Word meanings
- listless
- without energy or interest
- lumbering
- moving slowly and heavily
- tottering
- walking unsteadily
- convalescing
- getting healthy after illness
- regime
- planned system of diet
- scrimmages
- rough playful fights
- hysterical
- wildly emotional
- distraught
- very upset and worried
- bewildered
- confused
- triumph
- great success
Extra questions & answers
Why did Tricki fall ill?
Mrs Pumphrey over-fed him with rich food and sweets and gave him no exercise, making him fat, listless and unwell.
How did Dr Herriot cure Tricki?
He kept Tricki at his surgery, gave him only water and then a normal diet, and let him exercise with other dogs until he recovered.
Why did Mrs Pumphrey call the recovery “a triumph of surgery”?
She believed only a remarkable medical treatment could have cured Tricki, not realising it was simply proper diet and exercise.
What is the message of the story?
Excessive pampering and over-feeding harm those we love; discipline, a proper diet and exercise are what keep us healthy.
How is Mrs Pumphrey described, and how did she treat Tricki?
She was a wealthy, over-affectionate owner who fed Tricki rich food, cream cakes and chocolates and gave him no exercise, harming him out of love.
What did Dr Herriot notice about Tricki, and what did he fear?
He saw that Tricki was grossly fat and listless, and feared serious illness unless the dog was promptly put on a strict diet and exercise.
How did Mrs Pumphrey behave when Tricki was taken to the surgery?
She was anxious and tearful, fearing for her pet, and kept telephoning and sending things for his comfort.
What did Mrs Pumphrey send to the surgery, and what became of it?
She sent eggs, wine and brandy “to keep up Tricki’s strength,” which the vet and his colleagues cheerfully consumed themselves.
How did Tricki recover at the surgery?
On a plain diet, plenty of water and exercise with the other dogs, he quickly grew fit, active and happy again within a few days.
Why is the title “A Triumph of Surgery” ironic?
There was no surgery at all — the cure was simply diet and exercise — yet the grateful Mrs Pumphrey calls his recovery a triumph of surgery.
READ AND FIND OUT
• Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
Mrs Pumphrey is worried because Tricki has become listless and appears to have no energy. She believes that he is weak and suffering from malnutrition, although his real problem is that she has overfed him and given him too little exercise.
• What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?
She gives Tricki extra food between meals, including malt, cod-liver oil, Horlicks, cream cakes and chocolates. This is not wise because Tricki is already extremely fat and greedy. Her excessive feeding and failure to provide enough exercise make his condition worse.
• Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
‘I’ refers to the narrator, Mr Herriot, who is a veterinary surgeon.
READ AND FIND OUT
• Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?
No, the narrator does not appear to be as rich as Mrs Pumphrey. Her large house, numerous servants, chauffeur-driven car and expensive supplies for Tricki show that she is extremely wealthy, while the narrator leads the practical life of a working veterinary surgeon.
• How does he treat the dog?
He treats Tricki firmly but kindly. He removes the dog from Mrs Pumphrey’s overindulgent care, gives him only water for the first two days and then allows him to eat, exercise and play with the other dogs. He gives Tricki no medicine because a controlled diet and regular activity are enough to restore his health.
• Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?
He is tempted to keep Tricki because Mrs Pumphrey keeps sending eggs, wine and brandy to strengthen the dog. The narrator, his partners and the household enjoy these luxurious supplies themselves, making Tricki’s stay unusually pleasant for them.
• Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of surgery”?
Mrs Pumphrey believes that Mr Herriot has used exceptional medical or surgical skill to cure Tricki. She does not know that the dog received no medicines or operation and recovered simply through a strict diet, exercise and companionship with other dogs.
Think about it
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?
The narrator is observant, caring, practical and professionally responsible. He quickly understands that Tricki’s illness is caused by overfeeding and lack of exercise. He shows common sense by giving the dog rest, water, controlled meals and physical activity instead of unnecessary medicine. He is also tactful because he firmly separates Tricki from Mrs Pumphrey without directly insulting her or telling her that her foolish indulgence caused the illness.
2. Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?
Yes, Tricki is clearly happy to go home because he leaps into Mrs Pumphrey’s lap, licks her face and barks excitedly. However, there is a risk that she will begin overfeeding and pampering him again. Tricki will remain healthy only if she follows Mr Herriot’s advice by controlling his diet and ensuring that he gets regular exercise.
3. Do you think this is a real-life episode, or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?
It seems to be a mixture of real life and fiction. The behaviour of the dog, the veterinary treatment and the effects of overfeeding are realistic. At the same time, Mrs Pumphrey’s extreme pampering and the humorous arrival of eggs, wine and brandy may have been exaggerated to make the story more entertaining.
Talk about it
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?
Such behaviour is not merely silly because excessive indulgence can seriously harm others. Mrs Pumphrey loves Tricki, but her refusal to control his food and her failure to give him enough exercise make him dangerously ill. Affection must be guided by good judgement; otherwise, even well-meant actions can damage another person’s or animal’s health, confidence and independence.
2. Do you think there are also parents like Mrs Pumphrey?
Yes, some parents behave like Mrs Pumphrey by giving children everything they demand and protecting them from every difficulty. Although their intentions may be loving, excessive indulgence can make children unhealthy, dependent, undisciplined or unable to face challenges. Responsible parents combine affection with reasonable limits and encourage healthy habits and independence.
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?
If I were a member of the household staff, I would respectfully explain that Tricki’s constant feeding was harming him and would try to follow the veterinary surgeon’s instructions about diet and exercise. If I were a neighbour, I would gently encourage Mrs Pumphrey to take the warning seriously and help her arrange regular walks for Tricki. Life around her household would probably be comfortable but demanding, because much time and attention would be spent satisfying her excessive concern for the dog.
4. What would you have done if you were in the narrator’s place?
I would have acted much as the narrator did. I would have explained the danger clearly, insisted on taking Tricki away for observation and placed him on a controlled diet with plenty of water and gradual exercise. I would also have given Mrs Pumphrey a simple written routine for his meals and activity before returning him, so that his illness would be less likely to recur.