The Tiger King Class 12: Summary, Satire, Characters and Board Answers
Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked
The Tiger King by Kalki, from Vistas, is a satire about the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, who is told at birth that a tiger will cause his death. He kills ninety-nine tigers and believes he has shot the hundredth, but a splinter from a wooden toy tiger kills him. The board tests extracts, 40-50 word and 120-150 word answers.
What The Tiger King is about
The Tiger King by the Tamil writer Kalki (R. Krishnamurthy) is a satire on the conceit of those in power and on the cruel killing of wild animals for pride.
At the birth of the crown prince of Pratibandapuram, astrologers foretell that his death will come from a tiger; the ten-day-old baby replies, 'Let tigers beware!'. As Maharaja he bans tiger hunting by anyone else and vows to kill a hundred tigers. He bribes a British officer's wife with diamond rings worth three lakh rupees to keep his kingdom, marries a princess from a state with many tigers, and reaches ninety-nine. The dewan secretly brings an old tiger from the People's Park in Madras. The Maharaja shoots and misses, and a hunter kills it to hide the mistake. Later, a wooden toy tiger he buys for his son pricks his hand; the infection spreads, and he dies after surgery. The hundredth tiger takes its revenge.
What the board asks: a Vistas extract with four 1-mark parts (Q8); 40-50 word answers on the prophecy, the British officer episode, the marriage, the dewan's trick, and the irony of the ending (Q11); 120-150 word answers on satire and dramatic irony, the minions' behaviour, or cruelty to wildlife (Q13).
Weightage: Section C (Literature) carries 40 of the 80 theory marks; Vistas is tested through a Vistas extract (4 x 1), two of three short answers (2 x 2) and one of two long answers (5).Source: CBSE English Core (301) syllabus and sample paper 2026-27
In real board papers: asked in 1 of the 2 board papers we hold (2026 to 2026), on average 2 marks per paper. See the questions
The Tiger King: summary
In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.
The story's hero is the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, whose long, grand title is shortened to 'the Tiger King'. The narrator reveals at once that he is dead; the manner of his death is told at the end.
When he was born, astrologers predicted that he would become a great warrior but would one day have to die. The ten-day-old infant amazed everyone by speaking and asking how he would die. The chief astrologer said that as he was born in the hour of the Bull, death would come from the Tiger. The baby growled, 'Let tigers beware!'
The prince was brought up in English ways and became king at twenty. Remembering the prediction, he began hunting tigers. After his first kill the astrologer warned that he could kill ninety-nine tigers but must be careful with the hundredth. The Maharaja banned tiger hunting by anyone else and vowed to kill a hundred.
He refused a high-ranking British officer permission to hunt tigers, risking his throne. To save it, he sent fifty expensive diamond rings to the officer's wife; she kept them all, and he paid three lakh rupees. In ten years he killed seventy tigers, and then the tigers in his state disappeared. He married a princess from a state with many tigers and, by killing five or six on each visit, reached ninety-nine.
No hundredth tiger could be found. When sheep began to vanish from a village, the Maharaja hunted for weeks in rage, sacking officers and ordering land tax to be doubled. The terrified dewan secretly brought an old tiger from the People's Park in Madras and released it in the forest. The Maharaja shot it and left in triumph, but the bullet had missed; the tiger had only fainted. To protect their jobs, the hunters killed it themselves. The tiger was buried with honours.
For his son's third birthday, the Maharaja bought a crudely carved wooden tiger for three hundred rupees (it cost two annas and a quarter). A sliver from it pierced his right hand. The wound became infected and spread. Surgeons from Madras operated and announced, 'The operation was successful. The Maharaja is dead.' The hundredth tiger had taken its revenge.
Themes and message
Satire on the arrogance of the powerful
The Maharaja believes he can defeat fate by killing tigers. His power lets him ban hunting, punish officers and raise taxes at will, but his arrogance leads to his foolish death.
From the text: The infant's growl, 'Let tigers beware!'
Cruelty to wildlife
The Maharaja kills tigers for personal pride until they disappear from his state. The story indirectly condemns senseless hunting and its effect on animal populations.
From the text: The tiger population 'became extinct in the forests of Pratibandapuram'.
Fate and dramatic irony
Everyone expects a real tiger to be dangerous, but the Maharaja dies from a tiny wooden tiger. The prophecy comes true in an unexpected way.
From the text: The narrator says the hundredth tiger took its 'final revenge'.
Sycophancy and fear in power
The dewan, hunters and shopkeeper obey and flatter the Maharaja out of fear, not loyalty; they hide the truth to protect themselves.
From the text: The hunters shoot the tiger themselves so that the Maharaja will not know he missed.
Characters
The Maharaja (the Tiger King)
Ruler of Pratibandapuram.
- Arrogant and obstinate
- Cruel to animals and subjects
- Determined to defeat fate
- Cunning when his throne is threatened
He kills ninety-nine tigers, bribes the British officer's wife, and orders land tax doubled in rage.
The dewan
The Maharaja's minister.
- Fearful
- Clever and resourceful
- Self-protective
He brings an old tiger from the People's Park in Madras to satisfy the king.
The chief astrologer
Predicts the Maharaja's death.
- Bold in his prediction
- Comically dramatic
He vows to burn his books and become an insurance agent if the hundredth tiger is killed.
The hunters
Members of the hunting party.
- Afraid of losing their jobs
- Deceptive
They kill the fainted tiger to hide the Maharaja's miss.
How it is written
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Dramatic irony | Readers know the hundredth tiger is still alive after the Maharaja leaves; he does not. | Creates humour and suspense; mocks his vanity. |
| Satire and exaggeration | A ten-day-old baby speaks; a long, comic title of honours. | Ridicules the pomp of rulers. |
| Humour | The dewan cries, 'Your Majesty! I am not a tiger!' | Shows the fear the king inspires. |
| Irony of situation | 'The operation was successful. The Maharaja is dead.' | A dark, comic twist that completes the prophecy. |
Key quotations
Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.
Let tigers beware!
The infant prince: On hearing his death will come from a tiger.
Shows his arrogance and sets up his tiger-killing campaign.
But you must be very careful with the hundredth tiger.
The State astrologer: After the first kill.
Sets the target of a hundred tigers.
It seemed easier to find tiger’s milk than a live tiger.
Narrator: When the hundredth tiger cannot be found.
Humorous exaggeration showing how the tigers had vanished.
The operation was successful. The Maharaja is dead.
The surgeons: After the operation.
Ironic, satirical ending.
In this manner the hundredth tiger took its final revenge upon the Tiger King.
Narrator: Last line.
The prophecy is fulfilled ironically.
The Tiger King in real life
Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.
Fear-based obedience
Suppose employees in an office hide a serious mistake from their angry boss because they fear being sacked.
Which characters in 'The Tiger King' behave like them? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Hunters hid that the Maharaja missed.
- Fear of losing jobs.
- Truth hidden.
Answer: They resemble the hunters, who killed the fainted tiger themselves and hid the Maharaja's miss because they feared losing their jobs. Like the dewan, they obey out of fear. Hiding the truth from a powerful person can lead to bigger problems later.
Memory hook: Fear hides truth; truth hidden hurts.
Trophy hunting
Imagine a news report about a rich tourist posing with a rare animal he shot for sport.
Which episode does this recall?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The British officer wanted a photo with a dead tiger.
- Hunting for pride.
Answer: It recalls the British officer who wanted to be photographed standing over a tiger's carcass, showing hunting for vanity.
Memory hook: A trophy photo, a lost species.
Irony of fate
Suppose an expert swimmer who crossed rivers trips on a small step at home.
How does this reflect the ending of the story?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Big dangers overcome; small one proves fatal.
- Maharaja killed by a toy tiger.
Answer: Like the Tiger King, who survived ninety-nine real tigers but died from a toy tiger's splinter, danger can come from where we least expect it.
Memory hook: Beware the small tiger.
Topics in this chapter
How the board asks The Tiger King
The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.
| Question type | How it is asked | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Vistas extract (Q8, 4 x 1) | Passages on the prophecy, the first tiger, the dewan's trick or the wooden tiger. | Short factual answers plus one inference about irony or character. |
| Short answer (Q11, 40-50 words) | The prophecy; the British officer; the marriage; the dewan's plan; the hunters' deception; the ending. | State the event and its significance. |
| Long answer (Q13, 120-150 words) | Satire and dramatic irony; minions and power; cruelty to wildlife; ecology. | Use several incidents, then link to the present. |
Tricks to remember The Tiger King
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
Numbers
10 days old when he spoke; 20 when he became king; 70 tigers in 10 years; 50 rings; 3 lakh rupees; 99 skins; 3rd birthday; 300 rupees for a 2¼-anna toy.
Use it when: Factual questions.
Plot chain
Prophecy → first tiger → ban → British officer → marriage → 99 → dewan's park tiger → miss → wooden toy → death.
Use it when: Summary order.
Three ironies
Missed the hundredth tiger; toy tiger kills; 'successful operation', dead patient.
Use it when: Irony long answer.
The Tiger King: extract-based questions
Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.
Extract 1: The first tiger
The Maharaja was thrilled beyond measure when he killed his first tiger. He sent for the State astrologer and showed him the dead beast. ‘‘What do you say now?’’ he demanded. ‘‘Your majesty may kill ninety-nine tigers in exactly the same manner. But...’’ the astrologer drawled. ‘‘But what? Speak without fear.’’ “But you must be very careful with the hundredth tiger.’’
(1) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Why did the Maharaja show the dead tiger to the astrologer?
(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
'Drawled' suggests the astrologer spoke:
(a) quickly and loudly (b) slowly and hesitantly (c) angrily (d) in a whisper(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What warning did the astrologer give?
(4) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What did the Maharaja decide after this conversation?
Show the answersAnswers
- To prove that the prediction of death from a tiger was wrong.
- (b) slowly and hesitantly
- That the Maharaja must be very careful with the hundredth tiger.
- To kill a hundred tigers and banned tiger hunting by anyone else.
Extract 2: The wooden tiger
On that day father and son played with that tiny little wooden tiger. It had been carved by an unskilled carpenter. Its surface was rough; tiny slivers of wood stood up like quills all over it. One of those slivers pierced the Maharaja’s right hand. He pulled it out with his left hand and continued to play with the prince.
(1) · 1 mark · Very short answer
On what occasion did the Maharaja buy the wooden tiger?
(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
The slivers are compared to:
(a) needles (b) quills (c) thorns (d) nails(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What happened after the sliver pierced his hand?
(4) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Why is this incident ironic?
Show the answersAnswers
- His son's third birthday.
- (b) quills
- The wound became infected, spread over his arm, and he died after an operation.
- The man who killed ninety-nine real tigers is killed by a harmless wooden toy tiger, fulfilling the prophecy.
The Tiger King: board-level solved questions
Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.
Example 1: The prophecy · 2 marks · Short answerBoard level
What did the astrologers predict about the crown prince, and how did he react? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Warrior but will die; death from a tiger (Bull vs Tiger).
- Ten-day-old baby: 'Let tigers beware!'
Answer: The astrologers predicted he would be a great warrior but would one day die, his death coming from a tiger because he was born in the hour of the Bull. The ten-day-old prince, instead of fearing it, growled, 'Let tigers beware!'
Example 2: Saving the throne · 2 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How did the Maharaja save his throne after refusing a British officer permission to hunt tigers? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Refused even a photo with a dead tiger.
- Sent fifty diamond rings to the officer's wife.
- She kept them; bill of three lakh.
Answer: He refused the officer even a photograph with a tiger he had killed. To avoid losing his kingdom, he sent fifty expensive diamond rings to the officer's wife, expecting her to keep one or two. She kept all, and he paid three lakh rupees but kept his throne.
Example 3: The marriage · 2 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Why did the Maharaja decide to marry, and how did it help his mission? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Tigers extinct in his state.
- Married into a state with many tigers.
- Killed five or six per visit; reached ninety-nine.
Answer: When tigers disappeared from his state after he had killed seventy, the Maharaja married a princess from a state with a large tiger population. On each visit to his father-in-law he killed five or six tigers, until ninety-nine tiger skins hung in his palace.
Example 4: The dewan's trick · 2 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How did the dewan help the Maharaja find the hundredth tiger, and what really happened to it? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Old tiger from People's Park, Madras.
- Maharaja missed; tiger fainted.
- Hunters shot it secretly.
Answer: The frightened dewan secretly brought an old tiger from the People's Park in Madras and released it in the forest. The Maharaja shot at it and left happily, but he had missed; the tiger had only fainted. The hunters then killed it to hide his failure.
Example 5: Satire and dramatic irony · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Kalki mocks the vanity of rulers in this story. Show how dramatic irony helps him do so. Answer in 120-150 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Conceit: infant's growl, ban, vow.
- Irony: readers know the tiger survived.
- Irony: harmless toy kills him.
- 'Operation successful, Maharaja dead'.
- Effect: mocks arrogance.
Answer: Kalki mocks the Maharaja's belief that power can defeat fate. From the moment the ten-day-old prince growls 'Let tigers beware!', he sets out to control his destiny by killing a hundred tigers. He bans others from hunting, bribes his way out of trouble and punishes officers and subjects when tigers cannot be found.
Dramatic irony runs through the story. When the Maharaja shoots the hundredth tiger and leaves in triumph, readers know the bullet missed and the hunters have quietly killed the animal. He celebrates a victory he never won. The final irony is greater: the man who killed ninety-nine real tigers dies from a sliver of a cheap wooden toy tiger. Even the surgeons' words, 'The operation was successful. The Maharaja is dead', are comically absurd.
Through these ironies, Kalki shows that the arrogance of rulers is foolish and that no one can escape fate.
Example 6: Minions and fear · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Describe the behaviour of the Maharaja's minions towards him. Are they sincere or driven by fear? Is there a similarity in today's world? Answer in 120-150 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Dewan's fear and trick.
- Hunters' deception.
- Shopkeeper's inflated price.
- Astrologer.
- Today: flattery of the powerful.
Answer: The people around the Maharaja obey him out of fear, not loyalty. The dewan trembles when the king brandishes his gun and, fearing disaster, secretly brings an old tiger from a park so that his master can kill it. The hunters, afraid of losing their jobs, shoot the fainted tiger themselves and let the king believe he succeeded. The shopkeeper, fearing punishment, sells a toy worth two annas and a quarter for three hundred rupees. Officers lose their jobs whenever the king is angry.
None of them dares to tell him the truth, and this dishonesty contributes to his downfall.
Similar behaviour exists today. Powerful leaders and bosses are often surrounded by people who flatter them, hide bad news and agree with everything to protect their own positions. Such fear-based loyalty harms both the leader and those he governs; honest advice is far more valuable.
Where the marks are
How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.
How did the Maharaja die? (40-50 words, 2 marks) (2 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Sliver of the wooden toy tiger pierced his hand; infection spread. | 1 |
| Died after the operation; the hundredth tiger's revenge; within word limit. | 1 |
Long answer on satire and irony (120-150 words, 5 marks) (5 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Incidents of arrogance and irony. | 2 |
| Explanation of the satire's target. | 1 |
| Organisation. | 1 |
| Accuracy. | 1 |
Where students lose marks in The Tiger King
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Saying the Maharaja really killed the hundredth tiger
Do this: His bullet missed; the tiger fainted and a hunter killed it.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Saying a real tiger killed the Maharaja
Do this: A splinter from a wooden toy tiger caused a fatal infection.
Usually costs: Central content mark.
Mistake: Calling the story a simple adventure
Do this: It is a satire on the arrogance of power and cruelty to animals.
Usually costs: Interpretation marks.
Mistake: Mixing up the dewan and the astrologer
Do this: The astrologer made the prediction; the dewan brought the zoo tiger.
Usually costs: Accuracy.
The Tiger King: previous year questions
- Asked in 1 of the 2 board papers we hold (2026 to 2026), on average 2 marks per paper; 1 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 2 of 3 sample papers.
Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.
Every The Tiger King question, by year
- 2026
Set 301/5/1: Q11 (4 marks)
- For 2025
Sample paper 2024-25: Q11 (4 marks)
- For 2024
Sample paper 2023-24: Q8(B) (4 marks)
Practice questions on The Tiger King
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
In which hour was the prince born?
(a) the hour of the Tiger (b) the hour of the Bull (c) the hour of the Lion (d) the hour of the GoatHint
Enemies of the Tiger.
Answer
(b) the hour of the Bull
Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerBoard level
How much did the wooden tiger really cost?
Hint
Annas.
Answer
Two annas and a quarter.
Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerBoard level
What did the astrologer promise to do if the hundredth tiger was killed? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Books, tuft.
Answer
He said he would tear up all his books on astrology, set fire to them, cut off his tuft, crop his hair short and become an insurance agent. This comic promise shows his confidence in the prediction and adds humour to the satire.
Q4 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder board level
What is the author's indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to human whims? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Extinction.
Answer
The author shows the Maharaja killing tigers only to prove a prophecy wrong, until tigers vanish from his state. Even an old zoo tiger is brought to be shot. This indirectly condemns the cruelty and selfishness of humans who destroy wildlife for pride or sport.
Q5 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder board level
Why did the shopkeeper quote three hundred rupees for the wooden tiger?
Hint
Emergency rules.
Answer
He feared he would be punished under the Emergency rules if he quoted such a low price to the Maharaja.
Q6 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
'We need a new system for the age of ecology, rooted in care for all people and for all life on Earth.' Discuss with reference to 'The Tiger King'. Answer in 120-150 words.
Hint
Hunting then; conservation now.
Answer
In 'The Tiger King', the Maharaja kills ninety-nine tigers simply to defeat a prophecy. He wipes out tigers from his own state, then from his father-in-law's, and even an old zoo tiger is sacrificed to his pride. His subjects suffer too, from doubled taxes and lost jobs. Power used without care harms both people and nature.
Today we know that such destruction can push species towards extinction and upset ecosystems on which human life depends. A new system for the age of ecology must protect wildlife through strong laws, protected forests and an end to hunting for sport. Development should not destroy forests and rivers. Leaders must govern with responsibility, and citizens must consume wisely.
Caring for the Earth and caring for people go together: when we protect tigers and their forests, we also protect clean air, water and our own future.
Test your recall
Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.
1.Who wrote 'The Tiger King'?Show answer
Kalki.
2.Which state did the Maharaja rule?Show answer
Pratibandapuram.
3.What did the British officer want?Show answer
To hunt a tiger, or at least a photograph of himself with a tiger's carcass.
4.How many tigers did the Maharaja kill in ten years?Show answer
Seventy.
5.Where did the dewan get the last tiger from?Show answer
The People's Park in Madras.
6.What tax order did the angry Maharaja give?Show answer
To double the land tax.
7.Who operated on the Maharaja?Show answer
Three famous surgeons from Madras.
Quick revision checklist
The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?
- Can you narrate the prophecy and the infant's reply?
- Can you explain the British officer and diamond rings episode?
- Can you explain how he reached ninety-nine tigers?
- Can you describe the dewan's trick and the hunters' deception?
- Can you explain the ending and its irony?
- Can you write 120-150 words on satire or wildlife?
The Tiger King: frequently asked questions
What is the theme of The Tiger King?
A satire on the arrogance of those in power, with an indirect comment on cruelty to wildlife and the inevitability of fate.
Why is the Maharaja called the Tiger King?
Because he devoted his life to killing tigers after being told a tiger would cause his death.
How was the prophecy fulfilled?
A sliver from a wooden toy tiger, the 'hundredth tiger', pierced his hand and caused an infection that killed him.
What is dramatic irony in the story?
Readers know things the Maharaja does not, such as that he missed the hundredth tiger, which makes his triumph ridiculous.
Based on: CBSE English Core (301) syllabus 2026-27; NCERT Vistas, Supplementary Reader in English for Class XII