This Indian Folk tale story is collected from the book named “Indian Fairy Tales”, which was selected and edited by Joseph Jacobs.
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.
"No, my friend," replied the poor Brahman gently, "you would probably eat me if I did."
"Not at all!" swore the tiger with many promises; "on the opposing, I should be for ever grateful, and serve you as a slave!"
Now when the tiger cried and sighed, wept and swore. Then the pious Brahman's heart was softened and at last he agreed to open the door of the cage.
So the Brahman first asked a pipal tree what it thought of the matter, but the pipal tree replied coldly, "What have you to complain about? Don't I give shade and shelter to every one 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 poor Brahman was sad at heart and went further away 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! At the same time as 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 (one kind of smoking pip) of their grain!"
On this the poor Brahman turned back sorrowfully, and on the way he met a jackal, who called out, "Why, what is 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 his miserable story was ended; "would you mind telling me over again, for everything has got so mixed up?"
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| The Tiger, the Brahman and the Jackal |
The Tiger, the Brahman and the Jackal - Part 1
An Indian Folk tale
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.
"No, my friend," replied the poor Brahman gently, "you would probably eat me if I did."
"Not at all!" swore the tiger with many promises; "on the opposing, I should be for ever grateful, and serve you as a slave!"
Now when the tiger cried and sighed, wept and swore. Then the pious Brahman's heart was softened and at last he agreed to open the door of the cage.
Then unexpectedly the tiger was seized the poor Brahman and cried, "What a fool you are! What is to prevent my eating you now, for after being caged up so long I am just terribly hungry!"
In vain the poor Brahman excused for his life; the most he could gain was a promise to occupy 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 pipal tree what it thought of the matter, but the pipal tree replied coldly, "What have you to complain about? Don't I give shade and shelter to every one 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 poor Brahman was sad at heart and went further away 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! At the same time as 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 (one kind of smoking pip) of their grain!"
On this the poor Brahman turned back sorrowfully, and on the way he met a jackal, who called out, "Why, what is 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 his miserable story was ended; "would you mind telling me over again, for everything has got so mixed up?"
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