The Trapped Tiger’s Promise

MatthewJamesFriday 1

TheTrappedTiger’sPromise

(AnewversionofanIndianfolktale)

Thisstorybeginsonedayinahot,drippingjungleandwithamanandhishorse.Theywerelost.Theyhadbeenwalkingformanyhours,tryingtofindawaythroughthethickforestandnowtheyweretiredandfedup.Themanstoppedhishorseandgotoff.

“Ineedtositandhavearest,”hesaid.“We’regoingnowherefast!”

Thehorsenoddedinagreementandsaid,“yes,master.Wewillrest.”Hedidwhateverhismasterordered.

Astheyrested,themanheardastrange,high‐pitchedwhiningnoiselikesomeoneorsomethingcrying.Helookedaroundtofindwherethenoisewascomingfrom.Helookedhighupintothecanopyandlowintotheundergrowth.

“Ithinkitiscomingfrombehindthatbush,”themansaidpointingtoaplaceoffthepath.“Waithereamoment,horse.Iwillinvestigate.”

“Yesmaster,Iwillwaitforyou.”

Themaninvestigatedthenoiseandwassurprisedwithwhathefound:atigerinsidethecaféofametalhunter’strap.Thetigerwaswhiningandcrying.Seeingtheman,hesuddenlystoppedandbegged,

“Human,letout!Please,releaseme!”

Themansteppedback,shakinghishead.“Icantdothat!You’lleatmeifIreleaseyou.”

“Iwon’t,Ipromise,”moanedthetiger.“Pleasereleaseme.”

Themansteppedbackevenfurther.“Butyouareatigerinahumantrap.Youwillattackmeandeatme,Iknowit.”

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“Iwon’t,Ipromise!”criedthetiger.“Ipromiseoneverylivingthinginthisforest,thatIwon’tattackyouandeatyou.”

Themanwasmovedbythetiger’sbeggingandbelievedit,sohecarefully,slowly,movedforwardtothetrapandreleasedthetigerfromthecafe.Thetigershookhimselffreeandstretchedouthislimbs.

“Ahhh,thatisbetter,”saidthetigerflexinghissharppaws.

Themanturnedtogobutthetigerpouncedonhimandpinnedhimtotheground.Themanwailedindistress.

“Yousaidyouwouldn’tattackme!Youpromised!”

Thetigerlaughed.“Youwereafooltobelieveme,human.IhavebeeninyourtrapfordaysandnowIamstarving.”

“Itwasnotmytrap,”arguedtheman.“Iamjustalosttravellerhereinthejungle.”

“Youareahuman,”growledthetiger.“Iamatiger.Therearemillionsofyounowandonlyafewofusleft.Webothknowwhy.SonowIwillmakethebalancefairer.”

Thetigeropenedhismouth.

“Stop!”criedtheman“Youpromisedonthelivesofeverylivingthinginthisjungle.Thatisasolemnpromise.Youcannotbreakit.Thejunglewouldnotletyou.”

“Areyousureaboutthat?”askedthetiger.“Doyouthinkanylivingthinginthisjunglewilltakeyourside?”

“Letmefindout,”saidtheman.“IfIcanfindsomethingtoagreewithme,youwillnotbeabletobreakyourpromise.”

Thetigersatbackonhishindlimbs.“Iwouldliketoseeyoutry,human.Youhavenofriendsinthisforest.”

“Letmetryandfindone.IbetIcanfindone.”

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“Iwillgiveyouanhourtofindsomeonetosidewithyou,human.ThenIwilleatyou.”

Themanacceptedthetimelimit.Whatchoicedidhehave?Hewentbacktohishorseandtolditwhathadhappened.Thetigerfollowedandthehorseshookwithfear.

“WhatdoIdo?”themanasked,whispering.“WhatshallIaskforest?”

“Askthetrees,”suggestedthehorse.“Therearethousandshere.Oneofthemisboundtotakeyourside.”

Sothemanwenttothenearesttreeandcalledout,

“Tree,tree,helpme.ThetigerhasbrokenitspromisebutIknowyou’lltakemyside.”

Thetreeshooksoftlyfromsidetosideandrepliedinawoodyvoice,

“Takeyourside?Whyshouldthetreestakeyourside,human?Howmanytimeshaveyoupromisedtoleaveusaloneonlytocutusdownforyourowncomfortandprofit.”

“ButIneverdidthat,”wailedtheman.“I’venevercutatreedown.”

“Butmillionsofushavefallenanditwasmenwhocutusdown.Youwon’tfindatreeherewhosideswithyou,human.”

Themanranbacktohishorseandtoldhimwhatthetreehadsaid.

“Trythewildbirds,”suggestedthehorse.“Perhapstheywillhelp.”

Sothemanranaroundlookingforsomewildbirds.Hefoundaparrotinthebranchesabove.

“Bird,bird,helpme.ThetigerhasbrokenitspromisebutIknowyou’lltakemyside.”

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Thebirdflappeditswingsinexcitementandanger,andreplied,

“Takeyourside?Whyshouldthebirdstakeyourside,human?Howmanytimeshaveyoupromisedtoleaveusaloneonlytocatchusandpluckoutourbrightfeathers?Ortakeushometoeatorstealoureggs.”

“ButIneverdidthat,”criedtheman.“Ihaveneverharmedabirdinmylife.”

“Butthousandsofushavedied,alongwiththetrees,ourhomes.Wewatchfromuphereandweseecreatureslikethetigersslowlydisappearing.Wearenotsurprisedtheyareangry.Wewillnotsidewithyou.”

Withthat,theparrotflewawaysquawking.

Themanranbacktothehorseandtoldhimwhatthetreehadsaid.

“Havingproblems?”askedthetigerlickinghispaw.“Time’snearlyup.”

“Tryananimalthathumanshelp,”suggestedthehorse.“Trythecowsinthefarmswehavepassed.Perhapstheywillhelp.”

Sothemanrodethehorsebackdowntheforestpath,thetigerfollowingbehind.Theyarrivedatafield,freshlycutfromtherainforest,andthereacowwasgrazing.Themanranuptothecow.

“Cow,cow,helpme.ThetigerhasbrokenitspromisebutIknowyou’lltakemyside.”

Thecowlookedupfromitsgrass,stoppedchewingandreplied,

“Takeyourside?Whyshouldthecowstakeyourside?Youonlykeepusheresoyoucantakeourmilkandeatuswhenyouareready.”

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“That’strue,”admittedtheman.“Butatleastyouhavealife.Withouthumandesire,youwouldnotbealive.”

“Nocowborneverwantstodietofeedyou,human.Yougiveuslifebutyoutakeitfromuscruelly.Ifitwasn’tforyourfence,wewouldalljustwanderaway.”

Nowthemanfeltdesperate.Hetriedafewotherlastchoices:theriverwaterandtheearth,butbothofthemspokeofhowhumanshadpollutedthem,poisonedthem,madethemuncleanforalloflife,sotherewasnohopethere.Finally,themanfeltdefeated.Thetigertastedhischance.

“Timeforlunch,”saidthetiger.“Yousee,Itoldyounothingwouldtakeyourside,human.Youandyourkindhavedonetoomuchdamage.”

“Justamoment,”saidthehorsesteppinginfrontofthetigerandhisprey.“Youmayhavebrokenyourpromisebutyouhavebeencheatingfromthestart.”

“Whatdoyoumean?”yawnedthetiger.

“Thereisnowaythatannormal,powerful,strongtigerwouldevergettrappedinahunter’sholeonhisown.Ithinkyouwereworkingwithhumansandtheytrickedyou.

“Howdareyou,”growledthetiger.Themanhidbehindthehorsewhimpering.“Iamthekingofthejungle,themostfearsomeofallthehunters.Iwouldneverworkwithahuman.”

“Howdidyougetstuckinthatstupidhumantrapthen?Youcan’tevenfitinit.”

“I’llshowyouhow,”saidthetiger,histremendouspridepiqued.“ThenIwilleatyouandyourhumanmaster.”

Thetigerranbacktothetrapandsqueezedhimselfbackinside.Itclickedshut.

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“See?”saidthetiger.“Ididn’tdothiswithanyhumanhelp.Iwasavictim,justliketherestoftherainforest.”

“Andyouwillremainthatwayforafewdaysmore,”saidthehorse.“Climbup,master.Itistimeweleft.”

Notquitebelievinghisluck,themanjumpedonthehorseandtheyracedaway,leavingthetigerroaringwithrageandshakingthecage.

“Thatwassocleverofyou,”saidthehumangrippinghishorsefordearlifeastheygallopedaway.

“Youhaveatleastbeenkindtome,master.Butnowitistimeforyoutothinkaboutwhathumanshavedoneandwhytherainforestissoangry.Theremightbetimelefttochange.”

Themannoddedandsigheddeeply.Hishorsewasrightbutwouldonearthcouldhedo?

THEEND