ONCE upon a time,
a tiger was caught in a trap. He tried in vain to get out through the bars, and
rolled and bit with rage and grief when he failed.
By chance a poor
Brahman came by.
"Let me out
of this cage, oh pious one!" cried the tiger.
"Nay, my
friend," replied the Brahman mildly, "you would probably eat me if I
did."
"Not at
all!" swore the tiger with many oaths; "on the contrary, I should be
forever grateful, and serve you as a slave!"
Now when the tiger
sobbed and sighed and wept and swore, the pious Brahman's heart softened, and
at last he consented to open the door of the cage. Out popped the tiger, and,
seizing the poor man, cried, "What a fool you are! What is to prevent my
eating you now, for after being cooped up so long I am just terribly
hungry!"
In vain the
Brahman pleaded for his life; the most he could gain was a promise to abide by
the decision of the first three things he chose to question as to the justice
of the tiger's action.
So the Brahman
first asked a papal- tree what it thought of the matter, but the papal-tree
replied coldly, "What have you to complain about? Don't I give shade and
shelter to everyone who passes by, and don't they in return tear down my
branches to feed their cattle? Don't whimper--be a man!"
Then the Brahman,
sad at heart, went further afield till he saw a buffalo turning a well-wheel;
but he fared no better from it, for it answered, "You are a fool to expect
gratitude! Look at me! Whilst I gave milk they fed me on cotton-seed and
oil-cake, but now I am dry they yoke me here, and give me refuse as
fodder!"
The Brahman, still
more sad, asked the road to give him its opinion.
"My dear
sir," said the road, "how foolish you are to expect anything else!
Here am I, useful to everybody, yet all, rich and poor, great and small,
trample on me as they go past, giving me nothing but the ashes of their pipes
and the husks of their grain!"
On this the
Brahman turned back sorrowfully, and on the way he met a jackal, who called
out, "Why, what's the matter, Mr. Brahman? You look as miserable as a fish
out of water!"
The Brahman told
him all that had occurred. "How very confusing!" said the jackal,
when the recital was ended; "would you mind telling me over again, for
everything has got so mixed up?"
The Brahman told
it all over again, but the jackal shook his head in a distracted sort of way,
and still could not understand.
"It's very
odd," said he, sadly, "but it all seems to go in at one ear and out
at the other! I will go to the place where it all happened, and then perhaps I
shall be able to give a judgment."
So they returned
to the cage, by which the tiger was waiting for the Brahman, and sharpening his
teeth and claws;
"You've been
away a long time!" growled the savage beast, "but now let us begin
our dinner."
"Our dinner!" thought the wretched Brahman, as his
knees knocked together with fright; "what a remarkably delicate way of
putting it!"
"Give me five
minutes, my lord!" he pleaded, "in order that I may explain matters
to the jackal here, who is somewhat slow in his wits."
The tiger
consented, and the Brahman began the whole story over again, not missing a
single detail, and spinning as long a yarn as possible.
"Oh, my poor
brain! oh, my poor brain!" cried the jackal, wringing its paws. "Let
me see! how did it all begin? You were in the cage, and the tiger came walking
by--"
"Pooh!"
interrupted the tiger, "what a fool you are! I was in the
cage."
"Of course!
" cried the jackal, pretending to tremble with fright; "yes! I was in
the cage--no I wasn't--dear! dear! where are my wits? Let me see--the tiger was
in the Brahman, and the cage came walking by--no, that's not it, either! Well,
don't mind me, but begin your dinner, for I shall never understand!"
"Yes, you
shall!" returned the tiger, in a rage at the jackal's stupidity;
"I'll make you understand! Look here--I am the tiger--"
"Yes, my
lord! "
"And that is
the Brahman--"
"Yes, my
lord!"
"And that is
the cage--"
"Yes, my
lord!"
"And I was in
the cage--do you understand?"
"Yes--no -
Please, my lord--"
"Well? "
cried the tiger impatiently.
"Please, my
lord!--how did you get in?"
"How!--why in
the usual way, of course!"
"Oh, dear
me!--my head is beginning to whirl again! Please don't be angry, my lord, but
what is the usual way?"
At this the tiger
lost patience, and, jumping into the cage, cried, "This way! Now do you
understand how it was?"
"Perfectly!
" grinned the jackal, as he dexterously shut the door, "and if you
will permit me to say so, I think matters will remain as they were!"
-------------------------
From: INDIAN FAIRY
TALES
ISBN: 978-1-907256-23-3
A percentage of the
profit from the sale of this book will be donated to CHIRSTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE
APPEAL
