Moti Guj-Mutineer by Rudyard Kipling

Name: Moti Guj-Mutineer
Author: Rudyard Kipling

A coffee planter in India hires elephants to clear stumps from his land. The best elephant, Moti Guj, belongs to a negligent mahout named Deesa, who often drinks excessively and mistreats Moti Guj. Despite this, Moti Guj remains loyal, understanding that Deesa's drunkenness leads to affection and care afterward. Deesa's desire for a drinking spree prompts him to seek leave from the planter, claiming family emergencies. The planter reluctantly agrees but knows Moti Guj will only respond to Deesa's commands. Deesa leaves, and Moti Guj is assigned to another mahout, Chihun. Moti Guj feels lost without Deesa and resists Chihun's authority, leading to chaos on the plantation. The planter, frustrated by Moti Guj's disobedience, considers punishing him but ultimately decides against it when Moti Guj displays his strength and independence. As Deesa indulges in revelry, Moti Guj grows restless and searches for him, worried about his well-being. When Deesa finally returns, he is drunk and fearful of the consequences. Moti Guj joyfully reunites with Deesa, and they return to work together, demonstrating their bond despite the mahout's flaws. The story explores themes of loyalty, the complexities of human-animal relationships, and the consequences of neglect and indulgence.

By Rudyard Kipling · First published 1890 · Genre: Fiction, Adventure, Animal Fiction · 3,015 words

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First lines

Once upon a time there was a coffee-planter in India who wished to clear some forest land for coffee-planting. When he had cut down all the trees and burned the under-wood the stumps still remained. Dynamite is expensive and slow-fire slow. The happy medium for stump-clearing is the lord of all beasts, who is the elephant. He will either push the stump out of the ground with his tusks, if he has any, or drag it out with ropes. The planter, therefore, hired elephants by ones and twos and threes, and fell to work. The very best of all the elephants belonged to the very worst of all the drivers or mahouts; and the superior beast's name was Moti Guj. He was the absolute property of his mahout, which would never have been the case under native rule, for Moti Guj was a creature to be desired by kings; and his name, being translated, meant the Pearl Elephant. Because the British Government was in the land, Deesa, the mahout, enjoyed his property undisturbed. He was dissipated. When he had made much money through the strength of his elephant, he would get extremely drunk and give Moti Guj a beating with a tent-peg over the tender nails of the forefeet. Moti Guj never trampled the life out of Deesa on these occasions, for he knew that after the beating was over Deesa would embrace his trunk and weep and call him his love and his life and the liver of his soul, and give him some liquor. Moti Guj was very fond of liquor-arrack for choice, though he would drink palm-tree toddy if nothing better offered. Then Deesa would go to sleep between Moti Guj's forefeet, and as Deesa generally chose the middle of the public road, and as Moti Guj mounted guard over him and would not permit horse, foot, or cart to pass by, traffic was congested till Deesa saw fit to wake up.

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Moti Guj-Mutineer is listed on Textopian as a short story by Rudyard Kipling, dated 1890 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Rudyard Kipling
Date: 1890 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fiction, Adventure, Animal Fiction, Humor, Social Commentary
Length: 3,015 words
Structure: 1 section, 53 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Fiction — The narrative is a fictional story centered around the characters of Moti Guj and Deesa, exploring their relationship and experiences.
Adventure — The plot involves the adventures of an elephant and his mahout, including themes of work, freedom, and the challenges they face.
Animal Fiction — The story features anthropomorphized animals, particularly the elephant Moti Guj, highlighting their emotions and interactions with humans.
Humor — The narrative contains humorous elements, particularly in the interactions between Deesa and Moti Guj, as well as the absurdity of their situations.