NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English (Footprints Without Feet) Chapter 1: A Triumph of Surgery (NCERT 2026–27)

Complete solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 1 – “A Triumph of Surgery” by James Herriot: original summary, theme, word meanings and every textbook exercise (Read and Find Out, Think about it and Talk about it) answered in full. The questions are kept exactly as in the NCERT book, with exam-ready answers, extra questions, MCQs and Assertion–Reason practice.

Class: 10 Subject: English Book: Footprints Without Feet Type: Story (Chapter 1) Author: James Herriot Session: 2026–27
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About the author

James Herriot (1916–1995) was the pen name of James Alfred Wight, a British veterinary surgeon who practised for many years in the Yorkshire countryside. He drew on his real experiences with animals and their owners to write a series of warm, humorous and hugely popular books, including All Creatures Great and Small. His stories are known for their gentle humour, vivid characters and deep affection for animals. “A Triumph of Surgery” is told in the first person by the vet himself, giving the tale its lively, eyewitness charm.

Summary

Tricki, a small dog, belongs to the wealthy Mrs Pumphrey, who pampers him beyond all reason. When the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, sees Tricki in the street, he is shocked: the dog has become hugely fat, like “a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner”, with bloodshot eyes and a lolling tongue. Mrs Pumphrey confesses that she has been feeding him extra treats – malt, cod-liver oil, Horlicks, cream cakes and chocolates – and giving him hardly any exercise. The vet warns her sternly to cut his food and increase his exercise, but the doting mistress cannot bear to refuse her pet anything.

Soon Tricki falls seriously ill, refusing food, vomiting and lying listlessly all day. The vet realises the only cure is to remove the dog from the over-indulgent household, so he insists on hospitalising Tricki for a fortnight. A tearful Mrs Pumphrey loads the car with beds, bowls, toys and coats, none of which the vet takes.

At the surgery there is no medicine at all. For two days the dog gets only water; then he begins to recover. Running and playing with the other dogs, eating normally at mealtimes and hunting rats, Tricki is soon transformed into a lithe, hard-muscled animal. Meanwhile Mrs Pumphrey sends fresh eggs, wine and brandy “to build up his strength”, which the vet and his partners happily enjoy. After two weeks the vet returns the healthy dog. Overjoyed, Mrs Pumphrey cries that his recovery is “a triumph of surgery” – though, in truth, simple diet and exercise did all the work.

Theme & message

The story gently satirises the harm done by over-indulgence and misguided love. Mrs Pumphrey’s excessive pampering nearly kills the very pet she adores, while the vet’s simple, sensible treatment – a controlled diet and plenty of exercise – restores Tricki to health. The chapter teaches that genuine care sometimes means being firm, that discipline and moderation matter for good health, and that wealth without common sense can do real damage. The humorous tone also gently mocks how the rich can mistake costly fuss for real care.

Word meanings

WordMeaning
pamperedtreated with too much care and indulgence
bloatedswollen with fat or fluid
rheumy(of the eyes) watery, with a sticky discharge
lolledhung out loosely (the tongue)
listlesslacking energy and enthusiasm
malnutritionpoor health from lack of proper food
relentto give in; to become less strict
totteringmoving unsteadily, about to fall
lumbagomuscular pain in the lower back
distraughtextremely worried and upset
regimea prescribed course of diet and exercise
hospitalisedadmitted to a hospital for treatment
swoonedfainted
pineto weaken from longing or grief
wailingsloud cries of grief
patheticarousing pity; pitiful
engulfedsurrounded completely
scrimmagea rough, confused struggle
surplusextra; more than needed
convalescingrecovering from an illness
bulletinsshort official reports (on progress)
litheslim, supple and able to move easily
chauffeura person employed to drive a car

READ AND FIND OUT

Page 2

1. Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?

ANSWERMrs Pumphrey is worried because Tricki has become listless and has no energy. She believes he is suffering from malnutrition, and she is alarmed by his lack of vigour – though, in reality, he is dangerously overfed and unfit.

2. What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?

ANSWERTo “build him up”, she gives him extra rich food between meals – malt, cod-liver oil, a bowl of Horlicks at night, and his favourite cream cakes and chocolates. She is not at all wise: this excessive feeding, combined with almost no exercise, is exactly what is making Tricki ill. Her misguided love does him more harm than good.

3. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?

ANSWER‘I’ refers to the narrator, Mr Herriot, the veterinary surgeon who treats Tricki and tells the story in the first person.

Page 3

1. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?

ANSWERNo, the narrator is not as rich as Mrs Pumphrey. He is a hard-working veterinary surgeon of modest means. This is clear from his delight at the luxuries – fresh eggs, wine and brandy – that she sends to the surgery, which he and his partners are not used to enjoying.

2. How does he treat the dog?

ANSWERHe treats Tricki sensibly and firmly, giving him no medicine at all. For the first two days he allows only water and no food; after that, Tricki shares normal meals with the other dogs and runs and plays freely with them. In short, the cure is a strict diet and plenty of exercise.

3. Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?

ANSWERHe is tempted because Mrs Pumphrey keeps sending generous gifts – two dozen fresh eggs, bottles of fine wine and even brandy – to strengthen the dog. The vet and his partners enjoy these luxuries so much that their days become “days of deep content”, making him reluctant to send Tricki home.

4. Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of surgery”?

ANSWERBecause Tricki returns home completely transformed – a lithe, energetic, healthy dog instead of the sick, bloated creature she had handed over. Believing the vet must have performed some great medical or surgical feat, she joyfully calls the recovery “a triumph of surgery”, never realising that simple diet and exercise had done all the work.

Think about it

1. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is? Would you say he is tactful as well as full of common sense?

ANSWERThe narrator is a sensible, observant and practical professional who genuinely cares for animals. He is full of common sense – he sees at once that Tricki’s real problem is over-feeding and lack of exercise, and he cures him with diet and activity rather than medicine. He is also tactful: instead of bluntly blaming Mrs Pumphrey, he firmly insists on hospitalising the dog, patiently dodges her endless anxious calls, and gracefully returns Tricki without ever wounding her feelings – even letting her keep her happy belief that it was “a triumph of surgery”. He also has a quiet sense of humour.

2. Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?

ANSWERTricki was clearly delighted to see his mistress – he leapt into her lap, licked her face and barked with joy – so in that sense he was happy to go home. However, he had also enjoyed his free, active life at the surgery, running with the other dogs and eating like them. Most likely Mrs Pumphrey, overjoyed at his recovery, will soon slip back into over-pampering him with rich food and little exercise, and Tricki may well fall ill again – unless she has truly learnt her lesson.

3. Do you think this is a real-life episode, or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?

ANSWERIt seems to be a mixture of both. James Herriot was a real veterinary surgeon who based his stories on his actual experiences, so the situation – an over-fed pet cured by diet and exercise – feels true to life. At the same time, the humorous exaggeration (the rich gifts of wine and brandy, Mrs Pumphrey’s extreme fussing, the comic descriptions) suggests the author has added imaginative, fictional touches to make the episode entertaining.

Talk about it

These are discussion/speaking activities. Suggested points are given to help you frame your own response.

1. This episode describes the silly behaviour of a rich woman who is foolishly indulgent, perhaps because she is lonely. Do you think such people are merely silly, or can their actions cause harm to others?

SUGGESTED RESPONSESuch behaviour is not merely silly – it can cause real harm. Mrs Pumphrey’s misguided love almost killed Tricki, the very pet she adored. Over-indulgence, whether towards pets, children or others, can spoil them, ruin their health and prevent them from becoming strong and independent. Often it springs from loneliness or a wish to feel needed, so such people deserve sympathy too; but the consequences of their actions can be serious for those they “love”.

2. Do you think there are also parents like Mrs Pumphrey?

SUGGESTED RESPONSEYes, there are many parents like Mrs Pumphrey. Out of love, some parents over-pamper their children – giving them too much junk food, costly gifts and freedom from any discipline, never allowing them to face difficulty. Like Tricki, such children may grow up unhealthy, lazy or unable to cope with real life. True love, like the vet’s firm treatment, sometimes means saying “no” and insisting on discipline, exercise and a balanced life.

3. What would you have done if you were: (i) a member of the staff in Mrs Pumphrey’s household, (ii) a neighbour? What would your life have been like, in general?

SUGGESTED RESPONSE(i) As a member of the staff: I would have had to obey her constant, fussy demands – cooking special dishes for Tricki, turning his cushions, changing his coats with the weather and rushing about whenever he “needed” anything. Life would have been busy and rather tiring, and I might have gently tried to suggest that less food and more exercise would be better for the dog.(ii) As a neighbour: I would probably have found her behaviour amusing yet a little annoying, and felt sorry for the over-fed dog. My own life would have been far more ordinary and peaceful, free of such anxious fuss over a pet.

4. What would you have done if you were in the narrator’s place?

SUGGESTED RESPONSEIn the narrator’s place I would have done much the same – clearly explained to Mrs Pumphrey that the dog was overfed and under-exercised, and then, when she could not control herself, taken the dog away to recover on a strict diet and plenty of activity. I would also have firmly but kindly counselled her to maintain proper diet and exercise for Tricki at home, so that he would not fall ill again, while being careful not to hurt her feelings.

Extra questions

Short answer

1. How does the narrator describe Tricki’s appearance when he first sees him in the street?

ANSWERHe describes Tricki as hugely fat, like “a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner”, with bloodshot, rheumy eyes staring ahead and his tongue lolling from his jaws.

2. What extra foods had Mrs Pumphrey been giving Tricki?

ANSWERShe had been giving him malt, cod-liver oil, a bowl of Horlicks at night, and his favourite cream cakes and chocolates – all between meals.

3. Why did the narrator decide to hospitalise Tricki?

ANSWERHe realised the only way to cure Tricki was to take him out of the over-indulgent household, so he insisted on hospitalising the dog for a fortnight under observation, away from his mistress’s pampering.

4. What gifts did Mrs Pumphrey send to the surgery, and why?

ANSWERShe sent fresh eggs (to build up Tricki’s strength), bottles of wine (to enrich his blood) and brandy (to put a final edge on his constitution). The vet and his partners enjoyed all of these themselves.

5. How was Tricki actually cured at the surgery?

ANSWERHe was cured with no medicine at all – just two days of only water, then a normal diet shared with the other dogs and plenty of exercise running and playing with them, which made him fit and healthy again.

Long answer

6. “A Triumph of Surgery” shows that over-indulgence can be harmful. Discuss with reference to the story.

ANSWERThe story makes its point through Tricki’s near-fatal illness. Out of deep but misguided love, Mrs Pumphrey overfeeds her dog with rich treats and gives him almost no exercise, turning him into a bloated, listless creature who soon refuses food, vomits and lies helpless all day. Her wealth and affection, far from helping, almost kill him. The cure, by contrast, is utterly simple: the vet removes Tricki from this pampering, withholds food for two days, then lets him eat normally and run freely with other dogs. Within two weeks the dog is lithe and energetic. The contrast between the harm done by indulgence and the good done by discipline shows clearly that genuine care means moderation, sensible food and activity – not unlimited treats. The same lesson applies to people: too much pampering spoils health and character, while a balanced, disciplined life builds strength.

7. Write a character sketch of Mrs Pumphrey.

ANSWERMrs Pumphrey is a wealthy, warm-hearted but foolishly indulgent woman who loves her little dog Tricki to excess. Her affection is genuine – she is heartbroken when he falls ill and overjoyed when he recovers – but it is misguided, for her constant feeding of rich treats and her refusal to exercise or discipline him nearly kill him. She is emotional and dramatic, almost swooning at the thought of parting with him, loading the car with beds, bowls, toys and coats, and ringing the surgery a dozen times a day. She is also generous, sending lavish gifts of eggs, wine and brandy. Above all she is innocent and trusting – she happily believes the recovery is “a triumph of surgery”, never grasping that her own over-indulgence was the cause of the illness. She is a likeable, comic figure whose love lacks common sense.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Who is the author of “A Triumph of Surgery”?

(a) Robert Arthur   (b) James Herriot   (c) Ruskin Bond   (d) H. G. Wells

ANSWER(b) James Herriot.

2. What kind of animal is Tricki?

(a) A cat   (b) A small dog   (c) A horse   (d) A greyhound

ANSWER(b) A small dog.

3. When the vet first sees Tricki, he compares him to:

(a) a balloon   (b) a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner   (c) a fat cat   (d) a rubber ball

ANSWER(b) a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner.

4. According to Mrs Pumphrey, what was Tricki suffering from?

(a) Fever   (b) Malnutrition   (c) Lumbago   (d) A broken leg

ANSWER(b) Malnutrition – which she wrongly believed.

5. What was Tricki’s only fault, according to the narrator?

(a) Laziness   (b) Greed   (c) Aggression   (d) Fear

ANSWER(b) Greed.

6. Why was there no ring-throwing for Tricki lately?

(a) The vet forbade it   (b) Hodgkin, the gardener, was down with lumbago   (c) The rings were lost   (d) It was raining

ANSWER(b) Hodgkin, the gardener, was down with lumbago.

7. For how long did the vet keep Tricki at the surgery?

(a) A week   (b) A fortnight (two weeks)   (c) A month   (d) Three days

ANSWER(b) A fortnight (two weeks).

8. For the first two days at the surgery, Tricki was given:

(a) special medicine   (b) no food but plenty of water   (c) eggs and wine   (d) cream cakes

ANSWER(b) no food but plenty of water.

9. What did Mrs Pumphrey send to the surgery “to enrich Tricki’s blood”?

(a) Eggs   (b) Wine   (c) Brandy   (d) Milk

ANSWER(b) Wine. (The eggs were to build up his strength and the brandy to put a final edge on his constitution.)

10. By the end of the story, Tricki had been transformed into:

(a) a fatter dog   (b) a lithe, hard-muscled animal   (c) a sick puppy   (d) a lazy pet

ANSWER(b) a lithe, hard-muscled animal.
MCQ Answer Key: 1-(b)   2-(b)   3-(b)   4-(b)   5-(b)   6-(b)   7-(b)   8-(b)   9-(b)   10-(b)

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): Tricki fell seriously ill.

Reason (R): He was overfed with rich treats and given almost no exercise.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

2. Assertion (A): The vet gave Tricki no medicinal treatment of any kind.

Reason (R): A controlled diet and plenty of exercise were enough to cure him.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

3. Assertion (A): The narrator was tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest.

Reason (R): Mrs Pumphrey kept sending eggs, wine and brandy that the vet and his partners enjoyed.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

4. Assertion (A): Mrs Pumphrey was a wise and sensible pet owner.

Reason (R): She kept feeding Tricki rich treats and could not bear to refuse him anything.

ANSWER(d) A is false – she was foolishly indulgent, not sensible – while R is true and is in fact the reason her care was unwise.

5. Assertion (A): Mrs Pumphrey called Tricki’s recovery “a triumph of surgery”.

Reason (R): She believed the vet had performed a remarkable medical feat to save her dog.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.
Assertion–Reason Key: 1-(a)   2-(a)   3-(a)   4-(d)   5-(a)

Exam tips

Score full marks on this chapter

  • Remember the central irony: the “triumph of surgery” involved no surgery and no medicine at all – only diet and exercise. Examiners love this point.
  • Be ready to describe the contrast between Mrs Pumphrey’s harmful indulgence and the vet’s sensible cure.
  • For character questions, support every trait with one short example from the text (e.g. she “rang a dozen times a day”).
  • In value-based questions, link the story to a clear moral: real love means discipline and moderation, not over-pampering.
  • Keep the narrator’s name (Mr Herriot) and the dog’s name (Tricki) spelt correctly.

FAQs

Who is the narrator of “A Triumph of Surgery”?

The narrator is Mr Herriot, a veterinary surgeon, who tells the story in the first person. The story is written by James Herriot.

What was really wrong with Tricki?

Tricki was not malnourished, as his mistress thought. He was seriously overfed with rich treats and given almost no exercise, which made him fat, listless and ill.

How was Tricki cured?

He was cured with no medicine at all – two days of only water, then a normal diet with the other dogs and plenty of exercise, which made him fit and healthy again within a fortnight.

Why is the story called “A Triumph of Surgery”?

The title is ironic. Mrs Pumphrey uses these words, believing the vet performed a great medical feat, but in truth there was no surgery – just sensible diet and exercise.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Footprints Without Feet textbook; summaries and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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