The Tiger in a Trap
© Susan Johnson-Roehr
This is a story about judgment and gratitude.
Once upon a time, there was a small village nestled deep in the mountains. The mountains were full of wild, hungry animals eager to eat any villager who found himself lost in the wilderness. As the people of the village slept at night, they were often awakened by the roar of tigers and other frightening beasts living in the dark beyond the limits of their town. The people of the village were always afraid of tigers that roamed in the surrounding mountains. The village became more and more isolated as the people were too afraid to venture out into the mountains as they were sure they would be instantly gobbled by a hungry tiger. One day after yet another villager had disappeared into the mountains never to be seen again, the villagers came together to discuss the problem of man-eating tigers. How could they continue to live in constant fear of becoming dinner for one of these angry beasts? Many ideas were put forward, and the meeting lasted late into the night. As the villagers listened to the tigers roaring in the trees around them, they finally came to an agreement: they decided to dig pits all around the village to trap tigers. The women of the village prepared meals that the men could carry with them as they worked all day long. Every able-bodied villager came out to dig deep pits around the village and, particularly, along both sides of the mountain pass leading to the village. One day, a stranger passed through the mountainous area. As he was going through the mountain pass, he heard strange groaning sounds nearby. Looking into a pit, he saw a large tiger trying to jump out. Seeing the stranger, the tiger begged him for help: "Please, help me out of this trap, and I will never forget your kindness." Out of mercy, the stranger dragged a felled tree to the pit and lowered it in to the tiger. The tiger climbed out on its branches. As soon as the tiger was out of the trap, he said to the stranger: "I am grateful for your help, but humans made the trap to catch me. Because you are a human, I will have to kill you." Although very frightened, the stranger thought quickly. "Wait, Mr. Tiger," he said. "That is very unfair from my point of view. I think we should put this matter before an impartial party to judge whether this behavior is fair to us both or not." Because the tiger was not really that hungry (he had recently eaten a villager), he agreed to the stranger's proposal. Both of them went to find an ox, because oxen are known for their wisdom. After listening to their story, the ox said: "Well, the tiger is right, it is the fault of humans. Oxen, too, have a grudge against humans. They work us hard for their own benefit and then they butcher us mercilessly. I agree with the tiger!" Thinking quickly, the stranger suggested they ask another judge. They went to a pine tree, known for its heart and strength. The pine tree listened to their story and said: "Humans are to blame. They cut us down for lumber and for firewood. We don't deserve that!" The stranger was bracing himself for the tiger's bite when he saw a rabbit hopping toward them. "Just in time, Mr. Rabbit!" the stranger called. "Please, be the final judge of our case!" The stranger outlined the scene for the rabbit. The rabbit thought for a moment, then said: "Before I make any judgment, I must see the original scene." The stranger, the tiger and the hare all went to the pit where the tiger had been trapped. The rabbit said to the tiger: "I must see exactly how you were before this stranger rescued you. Where exactly were you?" Eager to show the rabbit where he had been, the tiger jumped back into the pit. "Was this tree in the pit when you fell into it, Mr. Tiger?" "No, it was not," the tiger confirmed. So, the rabbit and the stranger took the tree out of the pit. The hare then said to the stranger: "Mr. Stranger, now, be on your way." And the rabbit, too, hopped away.
Once upon a time, there was a small village nestled deep in the mountains. The mountains were full of wild, hungry animals eager to eat any villager who found himself lost in the wilderness. As the people of the village slept at night, they were often awakened by the roar of tigers and other frightening beasts living in the dark beyond the limits of their town. The people of the village were always afraid of tigers that roamed in the surrounding mountains. The village became more and more isolated as the people were too afraid to venture out into the mountains as they were sure they would be instantly gobbled by a hungry tiger. One day after yet another villager had disappeared into the mountains never to be seen again, the villagers came together to discuss the problem of man-eating tigers. How could they continue to live in constant fear of becoming dinner for one of these angry beasts? Many ideas were put forward, and the meeting lasted late into the night. As the villagers listened to the tigers roaring in the trees around them, they finally came to an agreement: they decided to dig pits all around the village to trap tigers. The women of the village prepared meals that the men could carry with them as they worked all day long. Every able-bodied villager came out to dig deep pits around the village and, particularly, along both sides of the mountain pass leading to the village. One day, a stranger passed through the mountainous area. As he was going through the mountain pass, he heard strange groaning sounds nearby. Looking into a pit, he saw a large tiger trying to jump out. Seeing the stranger, the tiger begged him for help: "Please, help me out of this trap, and I will never forget your kindness." Out of mercy, the stranger dragged a felled tree to the pit and lowered it in to the tiger. The tiger climbed out on its branches. As soon as the tiger was out of the trap, he said to the stranger: "I am grateful for your help, but humans made the trap to catch me. Because you are a human, I will have to kill you." Although very frightened, the stranger thought quickly. "Wait, Mr. Tiger," he said. "That is very unfair from my point of view. I think we should put this matter before an impartial party to judge whether this behavior is fair to us both or not." Because the tiger was not really that hungry (he had recently eaten a villager), he agreed to the stranger's proposal. Both of them went to find an ox, because oxen are known for their wisdom. After listening to their story, the ox said: "Well, the tiger is right, it is the fault of humans. Oxen, too, have a grudge against humans. They work us hard for their own benefit and then they butcher us mercilessly. I agree with the tiger!" Thinking quickly, the stranger suggested they ask another judge. They went to a pine tree, known for its heart and strength. The pine tree listened to their story and said: "Humans are to blame. They cut us down for lumber and for firewood. We don't deserve that!" The stranger was bracing himself for the tiger's bite when he saw a rabbit hopping toward them. "Just in time, Mr. Rabbit!" the stranger called. "Please, be the final judge of our case!" The stranger outlined the scene for the rabbit. The rabbit thought for a moment, then said: "Before I make any judgment, I must see the original scene." The stranger, the tiger and the hare all went to the pit where the tiger had been trapped. The rabbit said to the tiger: "I must see exactly how you were before this stranger rescued you. Where exactly were you?" Eager to show the rabbit where he had been, the tiger jumped back into the pit. "Was this tree in the pit when you fell into it, Mr. Tiger?" "No, it was not," the tiger confirmed. So, the rabbit and the stranger took the tree out of the pit. The hare then said to the stranger: "Mr. Stranger, now, be on your way." And the rabbit, too, hopped away.
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