A touching story by Kenneth Anderson about the deep friendship between a human family and a rescued sloth bear named Bruno.
"The Bond of Love" highlights the emotional bond between the author's wife and her pet bear, Bruno (later named Baba). The story proves that wild animals also have feelings, memory, and the capacity to love and be loved. It challenges the notion that dangerous beasts cannot be tamed by affection.
Two years prior, the author and his companions were passing through sugarcane fields near Mysore. People were driving away wild pigs. Suddenly, a sloth bear appeared and was unfortunately shot by one of the author's companions. They found a baby bear cub riding on the mother's back. The author managed to catch it and presented it to his wife in Bangalore.
The author had put down Barium Carbonate (a poison)
in the library to kill rats. Bruno entered and ate some of it.
Effect: Paralysis set in; he could not stand on his
feet. He was rushed to a vet.
Cure: The vet injected 10 cc of antidote followed
by another 10 cc. Bruno recovered completely and began eating
again.
Bruno drank a gallon of old engine oil which the author had drained from his Studebaker car and kept to use against termites. Surprisingly, it had no ill effects on him whatsoever!
As Bruno grew, he became equal in height to the Alsatians and was very mischievous. He had to be chained for safety. The family decided to send him to the Mysore Zoo. The author's wife was inconsolable, weeping and refusing to eat.
Friends told the wife that the bear would not recognize her. However, the moment she reached the cage, Bruno recognized her from yards away and howled with happiness. She ran to him, petted him through the bars, and he stood on his head in delight.
Seeing their bond, the Zoo Superintendent was kind enough to release Bruno back to them. He provided a cage for transport.
At home, a special island was made for Bruno (now called Baba):
Answer: The story clearly shows love is mutual. The author's wife loved Bruno deeply, treating him like a child. In return, Bruno, though a wild animal, reciprocated this love. He was miserable at the zoo without her, fretting and refusing food. When she visited, his joy knew no bounds, proving his love was just as strong as hers.
Answer: Bruno had grown very large in size. He could be dangerous to the children of the tenants. He had to be kept chained most of the time. Therefore, it was decided that he should be sent to the zoo for everyone's safety.
Answer: The author tied a rope to the overhanging branch of a mango tree with a loop at its end. Putting one foot in the loop, she kicked off with the other to bridge the six-foot gap of the moat to reach the island.
"We all missed him greatly: but in a sense we were relieved."
a) Who does 'we' refer to?
'We' refers to the author, his family, and friends.
b) Who did they miss?
They missed Bruno (the bear).
c) Why were they relieved?
They were relieved because keeping a fully grown bear at home was becoming dangerous and difficult to manage.