Chapter-5

Ruskin Bond’s Short Stories as a Tool for Creating Awareness

The form Short story is familiar in India since ancient time. The fables of
Panchtantra and Hitopdesh are popular all over the world. The Indian Jataka tales
and Somadeva’s Katha-sarit-sagara are among the forerunners of the short story. The
beginning of its present form can be traced to the early 19th century and of its parent,
the novel, to the 18th century. The brevity of its narrative, single action, and thematic
focus naturally met with a word wide reception and thus short fiction matured into an
artistic genre, casting its net across the world. The Short Story is a popular form of
literature which has fascinated a large number of reading public all over the world. It
is a work of fiction written in prose narrative and its length is normally short. The
short story presents characters in limited numbers and selects the single incident.
Unlike the Novelist, the writer of the short story does not give detailed description.
Though the form short story uses the same techniques of the novel, it differs vastly
from the novel. However, the form short story was accepted as independent genre in
1933.

The OED supplement of 1933 defined the term ‘short

story’ as designating a particular kind of literary
product, then it gained formal admittance into the
English vocabulary. (Reid 1).

So far as Indian writing in English is concerned, many Indian writers have

contributed in the field of short story. The short stories by early Indian writers are
very short. The first short story collections appeared in 1885 namely Realities of
Indian Life: Stories collected from the Criminal Reports of India by Shoshee Chunder
Dutt. Cornelia Sorabji is regarded as the first Indian short story writer at the beginning
of the twentieth century. Her well-known collections are Love and Life Behind the
Purdah (1901) and Studies in the child life of India (1904). The history of short story
in English is not very old. In the beginning the short story writers were influenced by
the western writers. They only focused the social problems of India in their stories.
But in the twentieth century the writers came out of the western influenced and began
to make new experiments. It is during the Gandhian age Indian short stories came into

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its own. The major contribution came from the leading novelists, though there were
some writers who exclusively devoted to the form Short story.

Rabindranath Tagore may be regarded as the pioneer writer in the field.

During 1918 to 1925 Tagore wrote many stories. His collection
Galpaguchchha which is a three volume collection of eighty-four of his stories. This
collection continues to be very popular work of Bangla literature. These stories have
been used for many movies and theatrical plays. The village life of India is a source
for inspiration for Tagore for many of his short stories. T. L. Natesan (Shankar Ram)
is an early example whose collection The Way of Man (1968) deals with rural life of
Tamil Nadu. Almost all the notable short story writers of the period are from South
India. Manjeri Isvaran is considered the most productive writer of the period who has
not been recognized yet. His well known collections are The Naked Shingles (1941),
Siva Ratri (1943), Angry Dust (1944) and Rickshawallah (1946). He has also
discussed the theory of the short story in some of his prefaces.

After Tagore, the contribution three major novelists Mulk Raj Anand, Raja
Rao and R.K. Narayan is noteworthy. Mulk Raj Anand’s short stories are wide-
ranging. In his stories the readers find the representation of both the village and the
city. He has used the fable, the parable, and the folk-tale. His style can be in turn
lyrical and satirical. His collections are The Lost Child and Other stories (1934), The
Barber’s Trade Union and Other Stories (1944), The Tractor and the Corn Goddess
and Other Stories (1947) and Reflections on the Golden Bed and Other Stories
(1953).

The range and variety of Anand’s short stories are

evinced not only in mood, tone and spirit but also in
locale and characters, form and style. (Naik 181)

Almost after ten years of Anand’s career R.K. Narayan began his career as a
writer of short stories. His stories are uniformly compact and he narrates his stories
in artless style. In his stories the he has used gentle irony. His stories are always
interesting but they are not as significant as his novels.

Though Narayan’s stories are always readable, they are

perhaps not significant an achievement as his major

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 novels. What one misses, even in the best of them, is
that transformation of irony from a simple stance into a
meaningful vision of life which is unmistakably
effected in The Guide and The Man-eater of Malgudi.
(Naik 183)

Cyclone and Other Stories (1943), Dodu and Other Stories (1943), Mallgudi
Days (1943) are his remarkable collections.

The last of the trio Raja Rao has published his stories in his collections The
Cow of the Barricades and Other Stories (1947), and The Policeman and the Rose
(1978). These collections are only a revised version of his previous collections.
However, the stories of these collections display considerable thematic and formal
variety. The essential attribute of his stories are two metaphysical narratives: India A
Fable and The Policeman and the Rose.

After independence, the writing of short stories become a by-product of the

novel writers like Bhawani Bhattachary, Khushvant Singh, Manohar Malgonkar, and
Anita Desai. In 1948 Bhattacharya published a collection of short stories, Indian
Cavalcade which is a re-telling of striking incidents from Indian history. His
collection Steel Hawk (1968) contains very few stories which have psychological
interest. The rest of his stories are either anecdotes or static character sketches.

Khushvant Singh also published four volumes of short stories—The Mark of

Vishnu and other Stories (1950), The voice of God and Other Stories (1957), A Bride
for the Sahib and Other Stories (1967), and Black Jasmine (1971).

Singh’s most characteristic note is rather heavy-handed

satire on several aspects of modern Indian life,
including bureaucracy, democratic election procedures,
anglicized Indians and Indians abroad. (Naik 248)

Another important Short story writer of this period is Manohar Malgonkar

whose stories have been mainly published in collections, A Toast in Warm Wine
(1974), Bombay Beware (1975), and Rumble Tumble (1977). The stories if the
collections give diverting glimpses of the world of activism including several areas
like life of army, spying, hunting, mining, and smuggling.

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 Like his novels, Malgonkar’s short stories also prove
that an exceptionally varied experience of life does not
make for major art, if a writer consistently approaches
experience obstinately wearing emotional and
intellectual blinkers. (Naik 249)

Another noteworthy contribution during the period comes from Anita Desai’s
Games at Twilight and Other Stories (1978) which is again emphasizes her
fascination for the country of the mind. She presents characters with keen sensibility
and some of them are children, women and artists. Manoj Das, Sasthi Batra, R.P.
Jhabvala, Chaman Nahal, Arun Joshi and Shashi Deshpande are also prominent
writers of the short story.

Ruskin Bond also occupies an important place in the history of Indian short
story. Ruskin Bond is a prolific writer of short stories who has written above five
hundred stories. He is generally known as writer who writes stories for young children
and regarded as pioneer of modern children literature in India. Bond has fascinated
young children by the charm and freshness of his narrative techniques. These stories
were told to children orally by elders but in modern times children read these stories.
In his stories, Bond has represented particularly north India where he at present lives.
Bond has enchanted and thrilled his readers of all ages by providing the setting of the
different hilly areas of the mountain “Himalayas” situated mostly in the north India.
He portrays the characters of all classes and all age in his stories. He loves all living
creatures on the earth and writes stories even about small insects. Above all, he has
immense faith in nature and recommends his readers to trust nature and preserve it to
sustain the environment which is under threat of great natural imbalance.

His favourite subjects are pet, animals and a variety of

have-nots, including waifs, orphans, abnormal children,
restless adolescents, and frustrated old men, whom he
portrays with genuine compassion…. (Naik 250)

Ruskin Bond is among those writers who would care little for the form and the
structure of the story. His stories do not fulfill the requirement of a beginning, a
middle and an end as most of his stories are unstructured. Bond lays emphasis on the

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entertainment as well as the message. He is more concerned with message than genre.
In many of his stories Bond writes in first person, sometimes giving an impression
that they are essays. Bond also confesses this weakness,

Perhaps there is too much of me in my stories…. It is a

weakness, I know. It can’t be helped; I am that kind of
writer, that kind of a person… I have never gone by
rules. (Singh 26)

He is not moralist like Bhabani Bhattacharya, nor is he like Mulk Raj Anand
who has highlighted the problems of the oppressed and poor people. Some of his
stories may fail in the test of its technicality but they never fail in entertaining value
and moral lesson. Most of his stories ‘instruct as well as delight’ us. A short story
always contains a hidden message with entertainment but the primary aim of a short
story is entertainment. The same way Bond’s short stories contain a valuable message
along with entertainment. Bond voices his serious concern for deforestation, gradual
extinction of wild life and utilization of natural resources in his short stories in order
to create awareness among the young minds. The world has been facing many threats
such as global warming, green house effect, acid rain, excessive heat, heavy rain,
drought, deforestation and gradual extinction of wild life because of the imbalance of
environment. Only humans are responsible for such a dismal scenario as conservation
of environment has hitherto been a neglected aspect of life. Humans have been
destroying trees and other natural resources for selfish purposes. If the destruction or
exploitation of natural resources persists in such a way, the world will soon become
barren and the whole environment will be spoiled. Consequently, human beings will
have to suffer boundless miseries. Efforts have been made by several organizations to
save environment in the world. India and the world now have many NGOs and IGOs
and MNCs that have made environment their key concern. The UNO has formed the
United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP). The World Bank has created the
Global Environmental Facility (GEF); The Sustainable Environment and Ecological
Development Society (SEEDS) is a voluntary organization; and then we have the
Indian Ecological Society which was established in 1974. Besides, several laws have
been passed to preserve environment but the result is till now is not satisfactory. The
environment cannot be saved by imposing laws on people. Rather, awareness should
be created by motivating them to preserve environment. It is high time now to create
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awareness among people especially the young ones who still have a long way to go.
Stories have been the instruments for social reforms from the time immemorial. The
best examples are stories of Hitopdesha and Panchtantra.

Reading short story may take a few minutes; yet the

appreciation of the story may continue for a life time.
You live with the story; and the story lives with you, an
incident, charged with feeling, a turn of events in
somebody else’s life that is destined to become a part of
yourself. (Reid 07)

Ruskin Bond attempts in his stories to convincingly convey the message of

conservation of environment and wild life. He has discussed environmental issues and
concern for deforestation and gradual extinction of animal species in his short stories.
This awareness about environmental issues should be taught to young children like a
sugar coated pill. Ruskin Bond has used the form of short story as a tool to create
awareness among young children about environment.

Unlike his well-known contemporaries who are

especially concerned with social political turmoil, he
takes up the issue of ecology and environment through
his stories in most conspicuous manner. (Aggarwal 57)

Ruskin Bond, in his short stories, passes on valuable messages to young

children through warning, threat, instruction and appeal in order to create awareness
and insists his readers to save environment.

 Warning:
According to Cambridge English Dictionary the word Warning means
“something that makes you understand there is a possible danger
or problem, especially one in the future.” In Ruskin Bond’ short stories, He makes his
readers especially young children, make understand about possible environmental
issues, which mankind will have to face in future if they continue like this, through
warning.

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 Bond aims to spread love and understanding among all
creatures of the world and children are the most active
recipients of his vision. (Aggarwal 91)

He warns his readers to be careful about conservation of environment and

killing of animals without reasons. Warning is effective to children because they take
it seriously and foresee the consequences. Bond’s stories contain some serious
warnings about deforestation, blasting of mines, felling of trees and gradual extinction
of animal species.

In Mother Hill Bond expresses his deep concern about deforestation and
gradual extinction of creatures. In the story, Bond warns his readers that if humans
trouble these creatures too much and destroy their young, they will move away. He
grieves over disappearance of many forests and dwindling of green places.

One day, I thought, if we trouble these great creatures

too much, and hack away at them and destroy their
young, they will simply uproot themselves and march
away, whole forests on the move, over the next range
and next, far from the haunts of man. I have seen many
forests and green places dwindle and disappear. Now
there is an outcry. It is suddenly fashionable to be an
environmentalist. That’s all right. Perhaps, it is not too
late to save the little is left. (11)

In Dust on the Mountain Bond gives warning to his readers that if humans
continue to blast the mountains, one day the mountains will turn into desert and there
will be no trees, no grass and no water. The final part of the story ends with Bishnu’s
pain for destruction of trees due to blasting of mines.

Bishnu watched in awe as shrubs and small trees were

flung into the air. It always frightens him- not so much
the sight of the rocks bursting asunder, as the trees
being flung aside and destroyed. He thought of the trees
at home- the walnut, the chestnuts, and the pines- and
wondered if one day they would suffer the same fate,

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 and whether the mountains would all become a desert
like this particular range. No trees, no grass, no water –
only the choking dust of mines and quarries. (299)

In An Island of Trees Bond warns his readers that the world will turn into desert
if people continue to cut trees without planting. Therefore, he insist to plant more trees
for keeping the desert away , for attracting rain and for preventing the bank of rivers
from being washed away. He also stresses the necessity of trees not only for humans
but also for animals. The narrator explains further in the story,

Father told me why mankind, and not only wild

creatures, need trees- for keeping the desert away, for
attracting rain, for preventing the banks of rivers from
being washed away. But everyday people are cutting
down trees without planting ones. If this continues, then
one day there will be no forests at all and the world will
become one great desert!” (55)

In The Tree of Wisdom Bond expresses his concern for deforestation and
makes his readers ponder over the matter that humans cannot exist without trees. If
we keep cutting trees without planting, as we are doing, the country will soon become
a vast desert.

Can you imagine a country without any trees, a country

that has become one vast desert? Well, that is what
could easily happen here if we keep cutting our trees
and forests without bothering to grow other in their
place. (136)

At the outset of the story Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright Bond describes that a
herd of elephants waded across the river to find food and shelter when two years ago a
large area of forest was cleared to make refugee resettlement camp. In the story Bond
gives a serious warning that if humans continue to clear the forest like this, there will
be no room for animal inhabitation.

As with nature, there is dualism in the relationship

between animals and humans. In Ruskin Bond’s stories

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 where animals are the antagonists of humans, either
animals struggle to survive, or humans have upset the
ecological balance by intrusion into animals’ world.
(Fatma 54)

Under these circumstances animals are forced to migrate to search new

inhabitation and that is the reason why sometimes animals reach human inhabitation.

And two years ago, when a large area of forest was

cleared to make way for a refugee resettlement camp, a
herd of elephants-finding their favourite food, the green
shoots of bamboo, in short supply—waded across the
river. They crashed through the suburbs of Hridwar,
knocked down a factory wall, pulled down several tin
roofs, held up a train and left a trail of devastation in
their wake until they found a new home in a new forest
which was still untouched. (379)

In the same story Bond describes the pathetic condition of the tiger, the king
of jungle, has to struggle for his food and natural privacy because men have
swallowed animal inhabitation. A panther can manage but a tiger needs natural
privacy of heavy jungle. Humans must leave forest area for animals. Bond clearly
warns that if humans continue to swallow forests for human inhabitation, animals will
not find room for their habitat and gradually disappear from the forest.

This was a sad come-down for the king of the jungle.

But even now he hesitated to leave this area, for he had
a deep suspicion and fear of the forest further east—
forests that were fast being swallowed up by human
inhabitation. He could have gone north, but they did not
provide him with the long grass he needed. (392)

 Threat:
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines Threat as“ suggestion that
something unpleasant or violent will happen, especially if
a particular action or order is not followed.” In Ruskin Bond’s short stories, he

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threatens humans to be prepared for environmental issues like drought, excessive
heat, acid rain etc. Bond believes that people must act swiftly to save the
environment or the world will have to suffer endless environmental problems if his
warnings are not taken seriously. Humans can still avoid this by spreading
awareness to grow more trees and conserve the environment that is still left. The
following stories of Bond contain threat about deforestation, blasting in hills for
mining, hunting of animals and gradual extinction of animal species.
In the fourth part of the story, Dust on the Mountain the action moves from
Mussoorie to lime queries in hills where Bisnu observes the skeleton of a few trees.
Bond expresses his great concern for deforestation through Bisnu who feels this
deforestation as a great threat to the environment,
The skeleton of a few trees remained on the lower
slopes . Almost everything had gone- grass, flowers,
shrubs, birds, butterflies, grasshoppers, ladybirds….. A
rock lizards popped its head out of a crevice to look at
intruders. (296)

In The Tree Lover Bond expresses his great concern about deforestation
through Grandfather. People are cutting trees for their needs without planting them.
Bond also threatens mankind that if this continues, there will be no trees at all, and the
world will turn into a great desert. Humans should understand this and plant two trees
before felling one tree. As Bond conveys the serious threat as,

But men are cutting down the trees without replacing

them. For every tree that’s felled, we must plant two.
Otherwise, one day there will be no forest at all, and the
world will become one great desert. (76)

In his another story Death of the Trees Bond regrets to describe felling of
thousands of trees to build a bypass road in the hills as the usefulness of a tree is
determined by own requirement.

Twenty oaks have been felled. Just in this small stretch

near the cottage. By the time the bypass reaches
Jabarkhet, about six miles from here, over a thousand
oaks will have been slaughtered, besides many other

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 fine trees- maples, deodars and pines- most of them
unnecessarily, as they grow some fifty to sixty yards
from the roadside. (492)

Thus, Bond threatens humans of dire consequences who hardly understand the
necessity of trees.

The planned destruction of trees on mountain slopes in

the name of progress and development is the theme in
many of his stories. Roads certainly help hill-people,
but they make the hills easily accessible to greedy
urbanites, who damage quietude for their interest.
(Aggarwal 57)

Another major threat which Bond expressed in the story is disturbance to birds
and animals because of blasting of dynamite in the hills. Even the most fearless
animals like langurs are affected. The sound of trucks and motor horns also disturb
them.

The explosions that continually shatter the silence of the

mountains— as thousand-year-old-rocks are dynamited
-- have frightened away all but the most intrepid of
birds and animals. Even the bold langurs haven’t shown
their faces for over a night. (493)

In this respect Jaya Tiwari observes,

Ruskin Bond is one such writer who constantly hints at

the severity of consequences that are going to be borne
by the future generation because of the careless
excavations, deforestation and unending exploitation of
natural resources that God has given to us in plenty.
(526)

In The Leopard Bond describes his first encounter with the leopard. The
leopard is not looking towards him. It seems puzzled a little at his presence; and to
give himself courage he claps his hands sharply. His presence disturbs him and

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springs away into the thicket. Bond regrets to have disturbed the animal in its search
for food but feels relieved when he hears a cry of a barking deer after a while. Bond
expresses his concern about gradual extinction of the leopard. Bond laments the
humans have lost the trust of animals and birds because of hunters near Mussoorie.
Bond raises a question how animals trust humans. He has made the leopard confident
to trust humans during his encounters but next day the hunters arrive with guns
shouting and beating drums. According to Bond these hunters are great threat for
animals like leopard.

The leopard, like other members of the cat family, is

nearing extinction in India, and I was surprised to find
one so close to Mussoorie. Probably the deforestation
that had been taking place in the surrounding hills had
driven the deer into this green valley; and the leopard,
naturally, had followed. (149)

In another story Tiger,Tiger, Burning Bright Bond describes how tigers like
leopards, have suffered because of the deforestation and hunters. Gradual extinction
of animal species is a big threat to humans. The gradual extinction of tigers near the
bank of the Ganga is mentioned in the story as,

There was a time when the forest on the bank of the

Ganga had provided food and shelter for some thirty or
forty tigers; but men in search of trophies had shot them
all, and now they remained only one old tiger in the
jungle. Many hunters had tried to get him but he was
wise and crafty old tiger, who knew the ways of men,
and he had so far survived all attempts on his life. (379-
80)

Further, in the course of the discussion Shyam and Ramu express their
concern about the probable condition of drought. The water resources will dry up
soon. The life would be difficult for them and for animals too. They wonder how
animals will survive in this condition because animals are afraid to open and between
the jungle and river there is no place to hide. Thus, cutting of trees in the forest will
create trouble for animals.

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 Shyam said, ‘The pool is not so deep this year.’
‘We have had no rain since January,’ said Ramu.
‘If we do not get rain soon the jheel may dry up
altogether.’
‘And what will we do?’
‘We? I don’t know. There is a well in the village. Even
that
may dry up. My father told me that it failed once, just
about the time I was born, and everyone had to walk ten
miles to the river for water.’
‘And what about the animals?’
‘Some will stay here and die. Others will go to the river.
But there are too many people near the river now- and
temples, houses and factories- and the animals stay
away. And trees have been cut, so that between the
jungle and river there is no place to hide. Animals are
afraid to open –they are afraid of men with guns. (Bond
383)

 Instruction:
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines Instruction as
“advice and information about how to do or use something.” Similarly, Ruskin Bond
in his short stories advises and informs his readers about how to act to save
environment. Like a teacher, he preaches his readers to show mercy towards all
creatures and live close to nature. Bond also tries to convince his readers that
animals do not harm humans without reason. In his stories, Bond provides detailed
information about animals and trees.

In An Island of Trees Ruskin Bond instructs his readers through the character
of Grandmother who informs the young girl Koki that an old peepul tree which forced
its way through the walls of an old abandoned temple.

“Well, my mother wanted the peepul tree cut down, but

my father said he would save both the tree and the
temple. So he built the temple around the tree, and there

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 it is, on the other side of the wall. The tree protects the
temple and the temple protects the tree.” (52)

Bond preaches through the reply of Grandmother to those who want to destroy
tree in the name of development. Grandfather does not destroy a grown tree to save a
temple. Rather, he decides to shift the temple. Humans must develop such
understanding and save trees.

The story My Three Bears is about the narrator’s three encounters with
Himalayan bear that are found in Himalayan valleys where most villages are situated.
The houses in the villages are made of rough granite and have sloping slate roofs.
The narrator describes one October night when he is sleeping in a friend’s house in a
Himalayan village. A thumping on the roof awakens him. He awakes his friend and
asks what is happening. The friend simply replies that it is only a bear trying to get the
pumpkin left on the roof to ripen. After sometime the narrator looks out of the small
window and sees a black bear holding a pumpkin to his chest like a thief. This is for
the first time he has seen the black bear. Bond informs his readers about the
characteristics of the Himalayan bear as,

In winter, when snow covers the higher mountains, the

brown and black Himalayan bears descend to lower
altitude in search of food. Sometimes, they forage in
fields. Because they are short sighted and suspicious of
anything that moves, they can be dangerous; but, like
most wild animals they will avoid human beings if they
can, and are aggressive only when accompanied by their
cubs. (86)

In Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright Bond preaches his readers through the
discussion of Shyam and Ramu. The question arises in Shyam’s mind whether we are
better than animals or not. Ramu explains that humans are better only when they show
mercy towards animals. Bond firmly believes that animals do not harm humans
without reason so humans must show mercy towards animals. Then and then humans
can be considered better than animals.

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 ‘I wonder if we are any better than animals,’ said
Shyam
‘Perhaps we are better, in some ways,’ said Ramu.
‘Grandfather always says, “To be able to laugh and to
be merciful are the only things that make man better
than the beast.” (397)

The same belief is expressed in another story A Long Walk for Bina. While
returning home Sonu observes remains of a sheep killed some days earlier.

‘Only a leopard could have done this,’ said Prakash

‘Let’s get away, then,’ said Sonu. It might still be
around!’
‘No, there is nothing left to eat. The leopard will be
hunting elsewhere by now. Perhaps it’s
moved on to the next valley.’
‘Still I am frightened,’ said Sonu. ‘There may be more
leopards!’
Bina took him by the hand. ‘Leopards don’t attack
humans!’ she said.
‘They will, if they get a taste for people!’ insisted
Prakash.
‘Well, this one hasn’t attacked any people as yet,’ said
Bina, although she couldn’t be sure. Hadn’t there been
rumours of a leopard attacking some workers near the
dam? But she did not want Sonu to feel afraid, so she
did not mention the story. All she said was, ‘It has
probably come here because of all the activities near the
dam.’ (97)

In above conversation Bina’s Point of view is Bond’s Point of view. Through

the discussion of the three children Bond takes an opportunity to express his point of
view. Like Bina, Bond is of the opinion that animals do not attack humans without
reason and human invasion in the forest forces animals to leave their habitat. That is
the reason why animals reach near human inhabitation.

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 Ruskin Bond affirms the need of predators as part of the
duality of nature. We need to protect them and must
allow them to have their space on earth. (Fatma 54)

Bina is proven right in his belief as one day they encounter a leopard. This
encounter is unexpected for both for the children and for the leopard.

They stood perfectly still, afraid to move or say a word.

And the leopard must have been equally surprised. It
stared at them for a few seconds, then bounded across
the path and into the oak forest. (Bond 108)

Bond’s belief that animals do not attack humans without reason reflects here also.

In the story The Tunnel also the reply of Kishen Singh reflects Bond’s firm
belief that animals only harm humans if they do not get their natural prey.

‘I saw an animal –up on the hill –but I am not sure, it

moved off very quickly.’ Said Ranji.
‘It was a Leopard you saw,’ said the watchman. “My
Leopard’.
‘Do you own a leopard too?’
‘I do.’
‘I do not.’
‘Is it dangerous?’
‘Not if you leave it alone. It comes this way for a few
days every month, because there are still deer in the
jungle, and the deer is his natural prey. It keeps away
from people.’(Bond 312)
 Appeal:
According to The Cambridge English Dictionary Appeal means “make a
serious, urgent, or heartfelt request.” Ruskin Bond does not make an intense appeal as
he never imposes his views on his reader. He simply presents the issue and let his
readers to confront with his or her inner self to dwell upon the seriousness of the
issue. Through his short stories Ruskin Bond has also made ardent appeal to his

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readers to save environment, to plant trees, not to take the lives of fellow creatures
and not to hunt wild animals for pleasure. He also makes plea for animal rights in his
short stories.

Ruskin Bond’s fiction is a powerful appeal to eradicate

the roots of evil and violence against man and animal
and to keep this earth beautiful and healthy. (Aggarwal
39)

In An Island of Trees Bond appeals his readers to plant more trees through the
character of Grandmother who informs the young girl Koki that her Grandfather was
not content with planting trees only in the garden or near the house. He wanted to
plant more trees in order to create a forest. So during the monsoon he would walk into
the scrubland and beyond the river bed and planted many trees. He does not care
whether anyone goes there and sees his forest. Bond’s appeal to plant trees is
mentioned in the story as,

‘We are not planting it for people to see. We are

planting it for the earth-and for the birds and animals
who live on it and need more food and shelter.’(55)

In The Tree Lover Bond appeals his readers to plant trees and conserve
environment to save mankind from becoming victim of various environmental issues.

He told me how men, and not only birds and animals ,

needed trees—for keeping the desert away for attracting
the rain ,for preventing the banks of rivers from being
washed away, and for wild plants and grasses to grow
beneath.(76)

In this connection Dr Qazi notes,

On the whole, Ruskin’s stories breathe his great love and

sincere concern for nature which takes care of us like our
mothers. Hence, we need to prove sincere, selfless, honest
and loyal toward it by inculcating in us a true sense of

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 environmental ethics and ecology which have been literary
speaking the main gist or focus of any eco-critical study.
(297)

Bond’s The Cherry Tree displays how little effort is required to plant a tree!
Even a six years old boy can plant a tree. Just pressing of seed into the wet soil and
watering for a few days are sufficient to grow a tree. After some time the tree will
grow on its own. If a tree grows, it not only provides fruits, it also provides rest, fresh
air and company. It also becomes abode for many birds and small creatures. The tree
also gives shadow during the summer so Grandfather likes to rest under the tree. The
cherry tree is special for him as this is the same tree which has been planted by them.
As Bond writes,

‘There are many trees in the forests,’ said Rakesh.

‘What is so special about this tree? Why do you like it
so much?’
‘We planted it ourselves,’ said Grandfather. That’s why
it is so special’ (30)

The story appeals young children to plant a tree. Through the story Bond
motivates young children to plant a seed as Grandfather motivates Rakesh.

Bond, at the end of the story Tree of Wisdom, states an old belief about felling
and planting of a peepal tree.

To fell a peepal tree was once looked upon as a great

sin. On the other hand, anyone who planted a peepal
was said to receive the blessing of generations to
come.(135)

Bond appeals his readers to learn from the old belief and think for the future
generation and not only plant peepal trees but other useful trees.

Let us also earn the blessing of future generations by

planting not only more peepal trees—which are quite
capable of looking after themselves—but all kinds of

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 trees for shade and shelter, fruit and flower, beauty and
utility. (ibid)

Bond firmly believes that humans should not kill any creature without any
reason. As Bond expresses his view in Monkey on the Roof as,

I do not take the lives of fellow creatures if I can help it.

Cats are not so squeamish. At night they get between
the tin roof and the wooden ceiling and create havoc
among the rats and mice who dwell there. And early
morning, if I leave a window open, the monkeys will
finish anything they find on the breakfast table. (06)

Through his words he appeals his readers not to harm fellow creatures and not
to take their lives. “Bond’s short stories are intended to encourage us to save the wild
animals of the world.” (Fatma 54) In his another story The Monkey he appeals his
readers not to shoot monkeys through colonel as,

Never shoot a monkey. It’s not only that they’re sacred

to Hindus-but they are rather human, you know. (80)

He feels that birds and animals also have equal right to live as humans. As he
mentions in the story A Week in the Jungle as,

Grandfather never hunted wild animals, he couldn’t

understand the pleasure some people obtained from
killing the creatures of our own forests. Birds and
animals, he felt, had as much equal right to live as
humans. We could kill them for food, he said, because
even animals killed for food; but not for pleasure. (147)

At the end of the story Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright Bond also expresses a plea
for animal rights and concern about deforestation and gradual extinction of wild life
through the discussion of the narrator and Ramu. He appeals his readers through his
stories that animals should not be killed without reason and they should have equal
right to live on earth like humans.

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 Both Ramu and grandfather were of the opinion that we
should be gentler with birds and animals and should not
kill so many of them. ‘It is also important that we
respect them,’ said Grandfather.
‘We must acknowledge their rights. Everywhere, birds
and animals are finding it more difficult to survive,
because we are trying to destroy both them and forests.
They have to keep moving as the trees disappear’.

This was especially true of the forests near Dehra,

where the tiger, and the pheasants and the spotted deer
were beginning to disappear. (434).

Bond's grandfather also becomes instrumental in inculcating a respect for

the rights of animals on earth. In this respect Dr. Gulnaz Fatma observes,

Ruskin Bond’s frank opinion is that wild animals are

not an object of entertainment or amusement. They
deserve an equal right to a graceful and untroubled life
just as human beings do. (55)

Normally wild animals rest during the day and are active during night as they
like peaceful atmosphere. Humans rest at night and are active during the day. Humans
must be careful to observe this natural arrangement. Humans have no right to disturb
animals during night. Bond has expressed this plea for animal right in verse nicely in
Zone for Dancing as,

As I walked home last night,

I saw a lone fox dancing
In the bright moonlight.
I stood and watched; then
Took the low road, knowing
The night was his by right. (47)

Humans and animals both love privacy. Both have their own life style.
Animals also want to keep distance from humans. They seek shelter in human
inhabitations only during rain or other natural calamities. Humans should understand

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their condition and should allow them to rest in their habitat until they are not
troublesome to them.

Thus, Ruskin Bond uses the form of short story as a tool to create awareness
among his readers who are primarily young children and adults in general. The genre
is perfectly suited to express his warnings, threats, instructions and appeals to the
subjects he is concerned about. Though Bond is deeply concerned with the
environmental issues the world is facing today, he never imposes his views on the
readers. As a preacher, Bond is very mild in his tone and very serious about his
concern. Bond warns his readers about:
 Disappearance of many forests and declining of green places. Consequently,
the creatures are forced to march away to find their new habitats.
 Blasting of dynamites in the mountains because one day the mountains will
turn into desert.
 Felling of trees without planting of trees. If this continues, the world will turn
into desert.
 Deforestation will force animals to migrate to find new shelter.
 There will be no room for animals if humans continue to swallow forests.
Bond goes on a step ahead to mention following threats in his stories if his
above warnings are not followed seriously. This way Bond threatens the mankind by
presenting before them the darker future of environment if the same ruthless
behaviour of mankind towards nature continues. According to Bond, Deforestation is
a great threat to mankind. People have been suffering and will suffer endless
environmental problems if they do not act seriously to prevent deforestation.
 If humans do not follow Bond’s above warnings, there will be no forests at all
and the world will turn into a desert.
 Felling of thousands of trees in the name of development is a big threat to
mankind.
 Blasting of dynamite in the hills greatly disturbs wild life.
 Hunters are a great threat to animals who wound them with bullets.
Consequently, the animals lose their vitality and cannot attack their natural
prey. Hence, they attack stray animal like goat or dog and become man-eater.
 Gradual extinction of tiger is also a big threat.

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  Animals are also losing their hiding places. Hence, they become restless and
reach human inhabitations in search of food and shelter.
Further, Bond becomes instructive to impart the instruction to save humans
from these threats. Bond’s instructive tone is very mild yet much needed step towards
harmony between mankind and wildlife along with mother environment. Bond
instructs his readers in the following way:
 Bond instructs his readers not to fell trees unnecessarily in the name of
development.
 Bond also instructs his readers that animals like to avoid human company and
they harm humans only if they are hungry or provoked.
 He also instructs about the characteristic behaviour of animals.
 According to Bond men are better than animals only when they show mercy
towards them.
Bond also uses the medium of appealing to pass on his deep rooted concern
about environment. Bond’s appeals are very gentle and docile in nature yet more
effective in serving purpose. He makes an ardent appeal to make an ardent appeal to
his readers.
 To plant more trees not only for men but for birds and animals.
 To grow more trees for keeping the desert away.
 To plant trees to earn blessings of future generations.
 Not to take lives of fellow creatures. Rather, shelter them.
 To be gentle with all creatures.
 Not to kill animals without reason.
 For equal rights of animals on the earth.
Bond prefers the unified structure and format of the short story because of its
brevity. However, this brevity is not without depth or an inability to explore the
complete issues. Bond warns his readers about environmental issues in his stories and
presents the possible threats regarding the same. He not only presents environmental
issues and problems but also presents solutions in his stories to his readers. He
instructs and appeals his readers how to act to conserve environment and how to get
rid of these issues in future.
Bond’s short stories display all primary aspects of Ecocriticism like,
 The study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment.

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  The relations between the biological and the physical environment.
 An acute awareness of destruction of environment by human activities.
 Conservation of wild life.
 Saving the green layer of the earth.
 The relentless extinction of plant and animal species.
All these ecocritical aspects embedded in Bond’s stories will definitely create
awareness about the environmental issues among his readers. However, Bond’s
stories do not offer overnight solutions of environmental issues but his stories
definitely make his readers ponder over certain environmental issues and its root
causes.

Ruskin Bond as an agitated and concerned writer,

highlights the issues of environment. Readers share his
anxiety. Ecocritics have an important role to play in the
protection of the environment. The linkage between
creative writing, academia, government and
nongovernment organizations show that there is a
golden lining in the clouds of despair. Mission mode
has to be ignited in all the citizens of the world. (Singh
213)

A reader of Bond’s short stories will think before felling a tree, or crushing a
bush or a plant He will also develop understanding about importance of nature and
show mercy towards animals and will respect the equal right of animals.

Such stories from Bond provide a kind of positivity and

hope on the grave issue of environment as it makes the
reader feel inspired and motivated to procure and
preserve this universe. (Tiwari 529)

Considering this, Bond’s works have been prescribed in many schools

throughout the country where the medium of instruction is English. Many school

191
children have been fascinated by Ruskin Bond’s Short stories and become regular
reader of his stories.

Bond has also contributed to making three generations

of Indian school children into readers. His short
stories, Poems, essays, --even those written forty or fifty
years back—are widely anthologized in school texts and
his books are required reading in many schools
throughout the country where English is the medium of
instruction. (Khorana 146)

Bond’s stories will surely change the attitude of his readers about nature and
animals. The short story is a tool which affects the mind of young children very
deeply. Bond firmly believes that stories play an influential role in shaping the life
and character of young children and quite often children are so absorbed in short
stories that they appear in trance. That is the reason why Bond discusses the serious
environmental issues like deforestation, gradual extinction of animal species, blasting
in hills for mining, hunting of animals in the form of short story so that young
children read with interest and think seriously about these issues. Thus, Bond’s short
stories can be an effective tool to create awareness among his readers about serious
environmental issues.

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 Works Cited
Abraham, M.H. “A Glossary of Literary Terms” McMillan Publication: New Delhi.
2000.Print.
Bond, Ruskin. “A Long Walk for Beena”. Himalayan Tales, New Delhi: Rupa &
Co.2005.Print.
---“A Week in the Jungle”. Children Omnibus. New Delhi: Rupa & Co.2007.Print.
--- “An Island of Trees”. Nature Omnibus. Delhi:Ratna Sagar P. Ltd.2007.Print.
---“Death of the Tree”.Collected Fiction. New Delhi: Penguin -India Ltd.1999.Print.
---“Dust on the Mountain”.Collected Fiction. New Delhi:Penguin -India
Ltd.1999.Print.
--- “Monkey on the Roof”. Funny Side Up. New Delhi: Rupa & Co.2009.Print.
---“Mother Hill”. Himalayan Tales. New Delhi: Rupa & Co. 2005.Print.
--- “My Three Bears”. Nature Omnibus. Delhi Ratna Sagar P. Ltd.2007.Print.
--- “The Cherry Tree”.Collected Fiction.New Delhi: Penguin -India Ltd.1999.Print.
--- “The Leopard” .Collected Fiction. Penguin -India Ltd. New Delhi,1999.Print.
---“The Monkeys” .Collected Fiction. New Delhi:Penguin -India Ltd.1999.Print.
---“The Tree Lover”. The Rooms of Many Colours. New Delhi:Puffin Books.2009.
--- “The Tree of Wisdom”. The Book of Nature. New Delhi: Penguin -India
Ltd.2008.Print.
--- “The Tunnel”. Collected Fiction. New Delhi:Penguin -India Ltd.1999.Print.
---“Tiger,Tiger Burning Bright”. Collected Fiction. New Delhi:Penguin -India
Ltd.1999.Print.
---“Zone for Dancing”. The Book of Nature. New Delhi:Penguin -India Ltd.
2008.Print.
Fatma, Gulnaz. “Ruskin Bond’s World: Thematic Influences of Nature, Children and
love in his Major Works”. World Voices Series, Modern History
Press: 2005.Print
Khorana,Meena. The Life and Work of Ruskin Bond.USA. Greenwood Publishing
Group.2003.Print.
Naik, M.K. ed. Perspectives on Indian Fiction in English. Shakti Malik Abhinav
Publications: 1985.Print.

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Qazi, Khurshid Ahmed. Ecological Ethics and Environmental Consciousness in
Ruskin Bond’s Selected Short Stories, International Journal of English
and Education, Vol-1,Issue-2.Oct-12.P.291
Reid, Ian. The Critical Idioms : The short story. London : Methuen & Co.
Ltd.,1977.
Singh P.K. The Creative Contours of Ruskin Bond, Pen Craft Publication: New Delhi,
1995.Print.
Singh, Savita. Environmental Issues in Ruskin Bond’s Select Short stories.
International Journal of English Language. Literature and
Humanities. Vol-3.Issue-2, April-15,P.205
Tiwari, Dr. Jaya. “Environmental Concerns in Selected Short Stories of Ruskin
Bond”, IJELLH, (2016), Vol-4, Issue-07.

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