Ajamil and the Tigers – Class 11 English Chapter 20 Notes & NCERT PDF

About the Poet

Arun Kolatkar (1932–2004) was a contemporary Indian poet, educated in Pune, who earned a diploma in painting from the J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai. He wrote in both English and Marathi. The book introduces the poem as an excerpt connected with his long work Jejuri (a poem in thirty-one sections). "Ajamil and the Tigers" is a witty narrative poem that works on two levels — a funny animal story and a sharp political satire.

The Story in Brief

The tigers are starving. The "tiger people" complain to their king that they have eaten nothing "for 15 days and 16 nights", because the shepherd Ajamil has a new sheep dog that won't let them get within a mile of the sheep.

The king's failed solo attack. The tiger king is outraged, orders preparations for a banquet and rushes off alone "into the darkness before the dawn" — ignoring the queen's "Careful". Within an hour he is back with "a black patch on his eye" and "his tail in a sling". Undeterred, he plans a mass attack that he himself will lead.

The dog's victory. "Quick as lightning", the sheep dog captures all 50 tigers and the tiger king "as prisoners of war" before they can touch a single sheep — "The dog was in 51 places all at once." He strings them "in a daisy chain" and flings them in a heap before his master.

The tiger king's lies. Looking ill and spitting out a tooth, the king says there has been "a bit of a misunderstanding": they were not creeping up on the sheep but "coming to see you as friends", because "means are more important than ends".

The honest dog vs the clever shepherd. The dog, "built along simpler lines", has never told a lie; he is disgusted and makes frantic signs. But Ajamil "refused to meet his eyes", "pretended to believe every single word" and "seemed to be taken in by all the lies".

The treaty. Ajamil frees the tigers, invites them to dinner (lamb chops and roast), and proposes a long-term friendship treaty. The tigers roar agreement, sign the pact and go home "laden with gifts of sheep, leather jackets and balls of wool".

The wisdom behind it.

Ajamil wasn't a fool.

Like all good shepherds he knew

that even tigers have got to eat some time.

A good shepherd sees to it they do.

Now Ajamil is "free to play a flute all day" as "well fed tigers and fat sheep drink from the same pond / with a full stomach for a common bond."

Two Levels of Meaning

What Ajamil's Behaviour Illustrates

Ajamil knows the tigers are lying, but a peace treaty that feeds the tigers (with a few sheep) is more practical than endless war. This illustrates political pragmatism — diplomacy, treaties, pacts and deals that keep powerful groups satisfied. The words "pretended" and "seemed" show that Ajamil is not fooled; he only acts as if he is, which connects to "Ajamil wasn't a fool". He refuses to meet the dog's eyes because the honest dog would expose the pretence; Ajamil's peace depends on ignoring the truth.

"Play a flute all day" suggests the ease and comfort of the leader once the peace deal is made; "a common bond" is the full stomach — shared self-interest, not real friendship, that holds the tigers and sheep together. The satire also carries the anguish of the common man: the sheep are still eaten — just by agreement.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Power

Exam Focus

Q. Why has the poet chosen 'tigers' and 'sheep'?

Outline: They are natural predator and prey, making the power relationship instantly clear — tigers = the powerful and greedy; sheep = the helpless public. This lets the poem work as both fable and political satire.

Q. Why are the words 'pretended' and 'seemed' used, and how do they connect with 'Ajamil wasn't a fool'?

Outline: They show Ajamil only acts deceived; he knows the tigers lie but chooses a practical peace. Hence "Ajamil wasn't a fool".

Q. Why did Ajamil refuse to meet the sheep dog's eyes?

Outline: The honest dog knows the truth; meeting his eyes would force Ajamil to admit the lie and would spoil his diplomatic plan.

Q. Difference between fable, allegory and satire?

Outline: A fable is a short tale, often with animals, teaching a moral; an allegory is a story whose characters and events stand for deeper (moral/political) meanings; a satire uses humour, irony and exaggeration to criticise folly or vice. This poem uses all three.

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