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Mrs Packletide’s Tiger Summary Class 10 English

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Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger – Summary, Explanation & Theme | Class 10 CBSE Communicative English (Fiction Chapter 2)

“Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger” by Saki (H.H. Munro) is a humorous short story included in the CBSE Class 10 Communicative English Reader under the Fiction section. This witty tale explores the themes of jealousy, pride, hypocrisy, and the lengths to which people go for fame and attention.

In this story, we meet Mrs. Packletide, a woman who is not interested in hunting for fun or sport—but simply wants to show off and outshine her rival, Loona Bimberton. What follows is a comical chain of events involving a tired old tiger, greedy villagers, and a clever companion named Miss Mebbin, who knows how to use secrets for her own gain.

Class 10 English Mrs Packletide’s Tiger Summary

This chapter not only entertains readers with its clever twist and satire but also helps students understand how human emotions and social pressures can lead people to act foolishly.

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the summary, key characters, theme, message, and important questions from the story – all explained in simple language to help you prepare better for your Class 10 board exams.

Mrs Packletide’s Tiger Summary Class 10 English

1. Motivation Behind the Hunt

Mrs. Packletide had no real desire to kill a tiger for sport or for noble reasons such as making India safer. Her true motivation was driven by jealousy and a desire to outshine her social rival, Loona Bimberton, who had recently gained public attention for flying in an aeroplane with an Algerian pilot. In an effort to overshadow Loona’s achievement, Mrs. Packletide planned to shoot a tiger and host a grand lunch in Loona’s honor, where the centerpiece would be a tiger-skin rug and a tiger-claw brooch gift.

2. An Easy Opportunity

Circumstances favoured her ambition when a nearby village offered an old, weak tiger in exchange for a reward of a thousand rupees. The tiger, having grown too feeble to hunt wild animals, was surviving by attacking smaller domestic animals. Villagers ensured the tiger stayed nearby and well-fed until the date of the shoot, worried it might die of old age. They even went as far as to avoid making loud noises, so as not to disturb its fragile rest.

3. The Night of the Shoot

On the night of the event, Mrs. Packletide took position on a platform in a tree, along with her paid companion, Miss Louisa Mebbin, and awaited the tiger. A goat was tied to attract the tiger’s attention. Miss Mebbin, known for her miserly and money-minded nature, grumbled about the high cost of the tiger and constantly reminded Mrs. Packletide of expenses, including the cost of the goat.

4. The “Successful” Kill

When the tiger finally approached the goat, Mrs. Packletide fired the shot. The tiger collapsed and was declared dead. The villagers celebrated enthusiastically, and Mrs. Packletide looked forward to the fame and attention she would gain from this triumph. However, Miss Mebbin later revealed that the bullet had actually hit the goat, not the tiger. The tiger had died from shock, possibly due to the sound of the gun and old age.

5. Concealing the Truth

Though annoyed, Mrs. Packletide was content to continue with the lie. The villagers, motivated by the promised reward, covered up the truth, allowing her to bask in the glory of having killed a tiger. Her photograph was published in various newspapers, and Loona Bimberton was so envious she refused to attend the luncheon and barely acknowledged the brooch sent to her.

6. Miss Mebbin’s Blackmail

Later, Miss Mebbin threatened to expose the truth about the tiger’s death unless she was financially compensated. She hinted at wanting a weekend cottage worth ₹680, for which she didn’t have the funds. Realizing she was being blackmailed, Mrs. Packletide was forced to comply.

7. The Aftermath

Miss Mebbin successfully bought the cottage, named it Les Fauves (French for “The Wild Beasts”), and decorated it with tiger lilies, delighting her friends. Mrs. Packletide, humiliated and manipulated, never attempted big-game hunting again, later claiming, “The incidental expenses are so heavy.”

About the Author

Saki (H.H. Munro) was known for his satirical and witty short stories that often exposed the hypocrisies of Edwardian society. This story is a humorous critique of vanity, jealousy, and pretense in high society.

Mrs Packletide’s Tiger Short Summary Class 10 English

Mrs. Packletide was jealous of a woman named Loona Bimberton. Loona had recently travelled to Africa in an airplane and hunted a tiger, which made her very famous. Everyone was talking about her. To show off and make Loona feel small, Mrs. Packletide decided she would also hunt a tiger and get her pictures published in the newspapers.

She planned to host a lunch party for Loona, but her real reason was to show off the tiger skin.

Mrs. Packletide announced a reward of 1000 rupees for anyone who could help her find an easy-to-shoot tiger. The villagers, excited about the reward money, found an old and sick tiger in a nearby forest. They made sure the tiger didn’t run away. They placed goats in the jungle to feed it and raised a platform from where Mrs. Packletide could shoot. They even made sure their children didn’t disturb the tiger.

On the planned night, Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion Miss Mebbin waited on the platform. The goat kept making noise to attract the tiger. The tiger came but just lay down instead of attacking the goat. Miss Mebbin said the tiger looked too old and that Mrs. Packletide might be paying too much for it. She also said they shouldn’t pay for the goat if the tiger didn’t eat it.

Mrs. Packletide shot her gun. The tiger fell down. Everyone thought she had killed it. The villagers and Mrs. Packletide were happy and celebrated her success.

But Miss Mebbin later noticed that the tiger had not died from the bullet. The goat had been shot instead. The tiger died because the loud sound of the gun gave it a heart attack.

Mrs. Packletide didn’t care because she had the tiger skin she wanted. The villagers didn’t say anything because they got the reward. Mrs. Packletide’s pictures were printed in the newspapers, and Loona Bimberton felt jealous.

Miss Mebbin, who was greedy, knew the truth and threatened to tell everyone. She said Loona would believe the truth if she heard it. So, Miss Mebbin asked for money to keep quiet. She said she wanted to buy a weekend cottage but didn’t have money.

Mrs. Packletide had to pay her 680 pounds to keep the secret. After this, she stopped hunting because it was too expensive and came with too many hidden costs.

🌟 Characters in ‘Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger’

1. Mrs. Packletide

A rich, jealous, and attention-seeking woman.
Wants to shoot a tiger just to show off and make her rival, Loona Bimberton, feel small.
Not interested in real hunting—she only cares about fame and publicity.
She is ready to spend a lot of money to create the illusion of bravery.

📝 Character trait: Vain, insecure, boastful, and superficial.

2. Miss Mebbin

Mrs. Packletide’s paid companion during the tiger hunt.
Very greedy, calculative, and sharp-witted.
Pretends to care about Mrs. Packletide but actually uses her secret to blackmail her for money.
Gets her own weekend cottage with the hush money.

📝 Character trait: Cunning, practical, selfish, and opportunistic.

3. Loona Bimberton

Mrs. Packletide’s social rival.
Although she doesn’t appear in person, she plays an important role in the story.
Her tiger hunt in Africa makes Mrs. Packletide jealous.

📝 Character trait: Symbol of rivalry and social competition.

4. The Villagers

Help arrange the tiger hunt to earn the reward.
Provide an old, weak tiger and even set up a platform for shooting.
They don’t reveal the truth because they don’t want to lose the money.

📝 Character trait: Practical and money-minded.

🎯 Theme of the Story

Jealousy and Rivalry
- The main reason Mrs. Packletide goes on a tiger hunt is not adventure, but jealousy of Loona Bimberton’s popularity.
Pride and Pretence
- The story shows how people often pretend to be brave or great just to impress others.
Vanity and Show-off
- Mrs. Packletide’s entire plan is to show off her so-called bravery through newspaper pictures.
Greed and Manipulation
- Miss Mebbin uses Mrs. Packletide’s secret to her own advantage. She represents how some people can exploit situations for personal gain.
Satire on Society
- The story humorously criticizes the hypocrisy and shallowness of the rich, who care more about image than truth.