मिजबिल नेवला — by Gavin Maxwell
Mijbil the Otter is an autobiographical account by Gavin Maxwell, a Scottish naturalist, traveller, and author. The story is an excerpt from his book "Ring of Bright Water" and narrates his experience of keeping an otter as a pet. Maxwell describes how he acquired the otter, named it Mijbil (Mij), and the many adventures and challenges they faced together — from the marshes of Iraq to the streets of London.
The story begins with Maxwell's desire to keep an otter as a pet after the death of his previous dog. He was travelling to Basra, in southern Iraq, and decided that the marshes of the Tigris river would be the ideal place to find one. He wrote to a friend in Basra asking him to help obtain an otter, but his friend could not find one immediately. However, when Maxwell arrived in Basra, his friend's Arab companion brought him an otter in a sack. This was Mijbil — a smooth-coated otter of a species previously unknown to science, later classified as Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli (Maxwell's otter).
At first, Mij was hostile, aloof, and unfriendly. He would not come near Maxwell and stayed in a distant corner. Maxwell kept him in his bedroom, which had a tiled floor. For the first 24 hours, Mij refused to interact and remained on his own. But on the second day, everything changed. Mij followed Maxwell to the bathroom and discovered water in the bathtub. From that moment, his entire personality transformed. He became playful, energetic, and deeply attached to Maxwell. He spent hours playing in the water, splashing, diving, and rolling around joyfully.
Mij's love for water was extraordinary. He would turn on the bathroom tap by himself, having learned to push and manipulate it with his paws. He would play with water for hours, creating fountains and splashing everywhere. Maxwell describes Mij's water play as a source of endless entertainment and joy. The otter would lie on his back under the running tap, juggle small objects in the water, and invent new games every day.
Beyond water, Mij was an incredibly playful and inventive animal. He loved playing with small objects — particularly marbles and a rubber ball. He would roll marbles across the floor, chase them, and bat them around like a kitten. He invented a game where he would place a marble on a sloped surface and watch it roll down, then retrieve it and do it again. His favourite toy was a rubber ball that he would bounce, kick, and chase around the room with boundless energy. Maxwell was continually amazed by Mij's intelligence and capacity for play.
The most dramatic part of the story is Maxwell's air journey from Basra to London with Mij. The airline (British Overseas Airways Corporation) did not allow animals in the passenger cabin, so Maxwell had to pack Mij in a small box lined with a mesh for air holes. He arranged to have the box placed in the cargo area, but he was allowed to keep the box with him in the cabin during the initial part of the journey. The ordeal began when Maxwell left Mij in the box to attend to check-in formalities. When he returned, he found that Mij had torn the mesh lining of the box and was bleeding. Maxwell was horrified and quickly took Mij out of the box to clean his wounds.
On the plane, Maxwell kept Mij on his lap under a blanket, but the otter escaped and created chaos in the aircraft cabin. Mij ran up and down the aisle, startling passengers. One air hostess screamed, and there was momentary panic. However, another air hostess was calm and helpful — she brought towels and helped Maxwell recapture Mij. The flight was eventful to say the least, with Mij drawing the attention and curiosity (and some alarm) of every passenger on board.
Once they arrived in London, Mij had to adapt to a completely different environment. Maxwell's London home was small, and the streets were busy. Mij was taken for daily walks on a leash through the streets and parks. People on the street had never seen an otter before and were confused about what animal Mij was. Maxwell overheard various guesses — some thought Mij was a baby seal, a squirrel, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, or even a leopard. One particularly amusing encounter involved a labourer who, after staring at Mij for a long time, asked Maxwell, "What is that supposed to be?" — to which his companion replied it was simply "a otter." Mij adapted to London life, found his favourite walking routes, and continued to charm everyone who encountered him.
Poet: Ogden Nash
Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales beneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.
Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,
Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon
At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.
Belinda giggled till she shook the house,
And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Meowch! cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda.
Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,
And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good.
Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!
But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.
But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,
Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,
With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
The pirate gaped at Belinda's dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets, but they didn't hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.
Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,
No one mourned for his pirate victim.
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate
Around the dragon that ate the pirate.
But presently up spoke little dog Mustard,
I'd have been twice as brave if I hadn't been flustered.
And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink,
We'd have been three times as brave, we think,
And Custard said, I quite agree
That everybody is braver than me.
Belinda still lives in her little white house,
With her little black kitten and her little grey mouse,
And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,
And her realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
Stanzas 1-2 (Introduction): The poem introduces Belinda, a girl who lives in a little white house with her pets: Ink (a black kitten), Blink (a grey mouse), Mustard (a yellow dog), and Custard (a pet dragon). Despite being a dragon with fearsome physical features, Custard is a coward — the opposite of what one would expect from a dragon.
Stanzas 3-6 (Custard's Cowardice): Although Custard has big sharp teeth, spikes, scales, a mouth like a fireplace, and daggers on his toes, he is terrified of everything and constantly cries for a "nice safe cage." Meanwhile, Belinda claims to be "as brave as a barrel full of bears," Ink and Blink claim to chase lions, and Mustard is "as brave as a tiger in a rage." They all mock Custard mercilessly, calling him Percival (a knight's name used sarcastically) and laughing at his cowardice.
Stanzas 7-9 (The Pirate Arrives): One day, a fearsome pirate suddenly climbs through the window — armed with two pistols, a cutlass (sword) in his teeth, a black beard, and a wooden leg. When real danger arrives, all the so-called "brave" characters panic and flee. Belinda screams for help, Mustard runs away yelping, Ink hides at the bottom of the house, and Blink disappears into a mouse hole. All their boasted bravery evaporates instantly.
Stanzas 10-12 (Custard's Bravery): The supposedly cowardly Custard is the only one who stands up to the pirate. He jumps up snorting like an engine, his tail clashing like iron chains. He attacks the pirate "like a robin at a worm" and gobbles him up entirely — every bit. The pirate fires two bullets but misses. After the danger is over, everyone celebrates, hugs Custard, and dances around him.
Stanzas 13-14 (Return to Normal): However, in a deeply ironic twist, the other pets immediately start boasting again. Mustard claims he would have been "twice as brave" if he hadn't been "flustered." Ink and Blink say they would have been "three times as brave." And the humble Custard simply agrees: "I quite agree that everybody is braver than me." Life returns to normal in the little white house, and nothing changes — the others continue to boast, and Custard remains the humble, underestimated dragon.
The poem explores the contrast between boasted bravery and true courage. Those who talk the loudest about their bravery (Belinda, Ink, Blink, Mustard) are the first to flee when real danger arrives. The one who is mocked and ridiculed as a coward (Custard) turns out to be the only one with genuine courage. The poem teaches that true bravery is not about boasting — it is about acting when it matters. It also highlights human nature's tendency to take credit after the crisis and forget who actually helped.
Maxwell wanted to keep an otter as a pet instead of a dog. He thought that the marshes of the Tigris river in Iraq would be an ideal place to find one. His friend in Basra could help him obtain an otter. This "experiment" of domesticating a wild otter was something new and unusual — Maxwell wanted to see if an otter could be a loving and suitable companion animal, which was the experiment he was referring to.
Maxwell went to Basra, in southern Iraq, to find and obtain an otter from the marshes of the Tigris river. He had to wait there for some time because his friend could not immediately locate an otter for him. When Maxwell arrived, his companion's Arab friend brought him an otter in a sack. This otter was Mijbil (Mij) — a smooth-coated otter that turned out to belong to a species previously unknown to science, later named Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli after Maxwell himself.
In the beginning, Mij was aloof, distant, and unfriendly. For the first 24 hours, he refused to come near Maxwell and stayed in a corner of the room, avoiding all interaction. He was hostile and withdrawn, which was understandable for a wild animal suddenly placed in a new environment with a stranger.
However, on the second day, Mij's behaviour changed dramatically when he discovered water in the bathtub. He followed Maxwell to the bathroom, and the moment he saw water, he became a completely different animal — playful, energetic, affectionate, and joyful. He splashed, rolled, and played in the water for hours. From that point on, Mij became deeply attached to Maxwell and remained his loyal, playful companion.
Mij was an incredibly playful and inventive otter who enjoyed several games:
1. Water play: His greatest love was playing with water. He would turn on the bathroom tap by himself and spend hours lying under running water, splashing, diving, and rolling around.
2. Marble games: Mij loved playing with marbles. He would roll them across the floor, chase them, bat them around, and invented a game of placing a marble on a sloped surface, watching it roll down, and then retrieving it to repeat.
3. Rubber ball: He would bounce, kick, and chase a rubber ball around the room with boundless energy.
4. Juggling objects: He would lie on his back and juggle small objects between his paws, showing remarkable dexterity and intelligence.
Maxwell had to transport Mij from Basra to London by air. The airline did not allow animals in the passenger cabin, so Mij was placed in a small box with a mesh lining for ventilation. Maxwell left the box briefly to complete check-in formalities. When he returned, he found that Mij had torn through the mesh lining and was bleeding from his efforts to escape. Maxwell was distressed and quickly took Mij out to clean his wounds.
On the plane, Maxwell kept Mij on his lap under a blanket, but the otter escaped and ran loose in the aircraft cabin. He dashed up and down the aisle, startling and terrifying passengers. One air hostess screamed in panic. Fortunately, another calm and kind air hostess helped Maxwell recapture Mij using towels. The incident caused considerable commotion on the flight.
Since most people in London had never seen an otter before, they had no idea what animal Mij was. Maxwell overheard many wild and amusing guesses from passers-by. People variously thought Mij was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a bear cub, a small leopard, or even a brontosaurus. One particularly memorable encounter involved a labourer who stared at Mij for a long time and finally asked, "What is that supposed to be?" — showing that Mij was truly an exotic and unfamiliar sight in the streets of London.
The characters in the poem and their names are:
1. Belinda — The girl who owns all the pets and lives in a little white house.
2. Ink — The little black kitten.
3. Blink — The little grey mouse.
4. Mustard — The little yellow dog, described as "sharp as mustard."
5. Custard — The pet dragon, named Custard because he is considered a coward (custard being a soft, wobbly dessert — the opposite of what a fierce dragon should be).
6. The Pirate — The villain who climbs through the window with pistols and a cutlass.
Custard cried for a "nice safe cage" because, despite being a powerful dragon with sharp teeth, spikes, scales, and daggers on his toes, he was timid and afraid. He preferred the safety and security of a cage over the dangers of the outside world. While the other pets boasted about their bravery — Belinda claiming to be brave as bears, Ink and Blink claiming to chase lions — Custard openly admitted his fear and wanted protection.
He is called "cowardly" because his behaviour contradicts his fearsome appearance. A dragon is expected to be brave, fierce, and terrifying, but Custard is the opposite — gentle, timid, and easily frightened. However, as the poem later reveals, this perceived cowardice is misleading. When real danger comes, Custard is the only one who shows true courage, while the boasters flee.
When all the other pets fled in terror at the sight of the pirate, Custard was the only one who stood his ground and fought. He jumped up "snorting like an engine" and clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon. With a great clatter and clank, he attacked the pirate "like a robin at a worm" — swiftly and decisively. The pirate fired two bullets at Custard, but both missed. Custard then gobbled up the pirate entirely — "every bit." The pirate was completely devoured, and the danger was eliminated solely by the dragon everyone had mocked as a coward.
The poem is rich with situational irony:
1. The biggest irony is that the dragon who is mocked as a "coward" turns out to be the only brave one when real danger arrives. All the self-proclaimed brave characters (Belinda, Ink, Blink, Mustard) flee in terror.
2. After Custard saves everyone by eating the pirate, the other pets immediately start boasting again — claiming they would have been even braver if they hadn't been "flustered." They learn nothing from the experience and refuse to give Custard proper credit.
3. Custard, despite being the hero, humbly agrees that "everybody is braver than me." He does not seek credit or challenge their false claims, which is ironic because he is clearly the bravest of them all.
4. The poem's irony extends to a commentary on human nature — people who talk the most about their bravery are often the first to run, while those who are quiet and humble may possess the greatest courage.
Maxwell had placed Mij in a small box with mesh lining for the flight from Basra to London. While Maxwell was away completing check-in formalities, Mij tore through the mesh and hurt himself trying to escape. On the plane, Maxwell kept Mij on his lap under a blanket, but the otter wriggled free and ran loose in the cabin. He dashed up and down the aisle, terrifying passengers. One air hostess screamed in fright. Another calmer air hostess helped by bringing towels, and together they managed to recapture Mij. The entire incident caused great commotion among the passengers, none of whom had ever expected to encounter an otter on a commercial flight.
The name "Custard" is deeply ironic for a dragon because custard is a soft, wobbly, gentle dessert — the complete opposite of what a dragon represents. Dragons are traditionally associated with fire, ferocity, power, and danger. Naming a dragon "Custard" immediately suggests that this dragon is anything but fierce — he is soft, timid, and harmless. The irony deepens when we discover that despite his gentle name and cowardly reputation, Custard is actually the bravest character in the poem. The soft-named dragon proves to be harder and braver than all the tough-sounding characters combined.
Mij's ability to turn on bathroom taps by himself reveals the remarkable intelligence and dexterity of otters. It shows that otters have excellent problem-solving skills — Mij observed how the tap worked and figured out how to manipulate it with his paws to get the water flowing. This also demonstrates their highly developed manual dexterity, as otters have nimble, sensitive paws capable of performing fine motor tasks. Furthermore, it highlights their deep connection with water — Mij's motivation to learn this skill came from his overwhelming love for water and play. The incident underscores that otters are among the most intelligent and adaptable animals in the wild.
Before the pirate's arrival: Belinda, Ink, Blink, and Mustard all boasted about their extreme bravery — Belinda was "brave as a barrel full of bears," Ink and Blink claimed to chase lions, and Mustard was "brave as a tiger in a rage." Meanwhile, Custard was mocked and ridiculed for being a coward who cried for a "nice safe cage." The others laughed at him, called him Percival sarcastically, and treated him with contempt.
After the pirate's arrival: The situation reversed completely. Belinda screamed for help, Mustard fled yelping, Ink hid at the bottom of the house, and Blink disappeared into a mouse hole. Only Custard fought the pirate and ate him. Yet even after being saved, the others immediately resumed boasting, claiming they would have been even braver. Custard humbly agreed he was the least brave — showing that true courage does not need to advertise itself.
Maxwell faced numerous challenges with Mij: the otter was initially hostile and took time to warm up; his love for water meant constant mess and wet floors; transporting him by air was a nightmare as Mij tore through the box, injured himself, and caused chaos on the plane; in London, taking Mij for walks attracted constant public attention and confusion; and managing an otter's needs in a small London home required significant adjustments to Maxwell's lifestyle.
This suggests that keeping exotic or wild animals as pets is extremely challenging and not always advisable. Wild animals have specific needs — space, water, diet, environment — that are difficult to replicate in a domestic setting. The story, while charming, subtly highlights that the bond between Maxwell and Mij came at the cost of considerable inconvenience, stress, and adaptation on both sides.
