Once a Brahmin was passing through a forest when he came across a tiger caught in a trap.
“Oh pious Brahmin. Please let me out of this cage”, called the tiger to the Brahmin.
“Oh no, my friend!” replied the Brahmin. “If I did so, you would kill me and eat me.”
The tiger swore to not kill him, and promised he would be the Brahmin’s slave for his entire life. Listening to the tiger plead, the Brahmin’s heart softened and he released the tiger from the trap. The tiger immediately pounced on the man and cried, “What a fool you are! What is to prevent my eating you now.”
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The Brahmin pleaded for his life. The tiger granted that he would abide by the decision of the first three things the Brahmin chose to question as to the justice of the tiger’s action.
The Brahmin first asked a tree. “I give shelter to all who pass by, yet humans tear down my brothers for firewood. You’re a fool to expect gratitude!” replied the tree.
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Disappointed, the Brahmin turned to a buffalo. “I give humans milk and all they feed me is dry grass. Now that I have run dry, they tie me to a yoke and make me work from morning to night. You’re a fool to expect gratitude!” replied the buffalo.
Finally the tiger and the Brahmin saw a jackal passing by and told him the entire story.
“How very confusing,” replied the jackal, shaking his head. “You were in the cage and the tiger came walking by. Your story does not make any sense. Could you please tell me again.”
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So the Brahmin told it all over again, but the jackal shook his head in a distracted sort of way, “I do not understand. The cage was in the tiger and you came walking by.”
“What a fool you are!” the tiger exclaimed. “I was in the cage and the Brahmin came walking by.”
“Of course my dear tiger!” replied the jackal. “I was in the cage and you came walking by. But how is that possible!”
The tiger was now getting impatient, as he was very hungry. He jumped into the cage and said, “Look, I was in the cage like this and the Brahmin came walking by. Now do you understand?!”
Perfectly! ” grinned the jackal, as he cunningly shut the door.
Moral: Any judgement should always be given after due thought.
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[…] remember that story I had told you about a kind Brahmin* who came across a tiger caught in a trap. The sobbing tiger had requested him to open the […]
What is the corresponding Sanskit name of this story?
It would be helpful to put what kind of folktale this story is as a subheading or something. Other than that, I like the story!
What is the publishing date of this story
nice stories