Master Tiger

#####Master Tiger

A long time ago, when people and animals still spoke the same language and Tiger’s fur was glossy yellow all over, Water Buffalo was going home after his evening bath in the river.

He was humming a little song, his nose high up in the air - at that time he still had a straight nose and upper lip. But with his nose pointing skyward, he did not notice Tiger following him until he heard a purred “Good evening” right at his side.

Buffalo would gladly have run away, but he did not want to look like a coward. So he just continued on his way, with Tiger chatting beside him.

“One doesn’t see you much in the forest any more,” said Tiger. “Is it because you’re still working with Man?”

Buffalo nodded. “Well! Isn’t that strange! I just can’t understand it. Why, Man has no claws, no poison, no special strength, and he’s so tiny. How can you accept him as your master?”

“I don’t quite understand it myself,” said Buffalo. “I suppose it’s because of his intelligence.”

“In-telli-what?”

“Intelligence,” explained Buffalo grandly, happy to know more than Tiger, “is something special Man has, that helps him rule over me, and over Horse and Dog and Pig and Duck too.”

“That’s interesting very, very interesting. If I had some of that intelli what-you-call-it, life would be much more agreeable. I’d be obeyed without all that running and pouncing I must put up with now. I’d just lie in the grass and choose the fattest beasts for my dinner. Do you think Man would sell me some of his in-tell-igence?”

“I-I don’t know,” mumbled Buffalo.

“I’ll ask him tomorrow. I don’t suppose he’ll dare say no to me!” growled Tiger, and he disappeared into the dusk.

Buffalo trudged home, a little scared and wondering whether he had not talked too much. But after dinner he felt better. Tiger never comes to the paddy fields, he thought before falling asleep.

But the next morning, when he arrived at the field with his master, Buffalo saw that he had misjudged Tiger, who was already there, waiting. And he had even prepared a speech for the occasion.

“Don’t be afraid, Little Master Man,” said the Tiger pleasantly. “I’m here with the most peaceful intentions. I have heard you possess something called in-tell-igence, and I would like to buy it. So please sell it quickly, for I’m in a hurry. I haven’t had my breakfast yet, you see!”

Buffalo felt angry with himself.

But then he heard the peasant say: “What a great honour-Master Tiger visiting my humble field and giving little me the opportunity to serve such a fine big beast!” And he bowed as if he were standing before the Emperor.

Tiger was very flattered and answered, “Please don’t make any ceremony for a simple creature like me. I just came to buy”

“To buy?” interrupted the peasant. “Oh, no! I insist on giving it to you, as a token of your memorable visit, which so honours me.”

“That’s very nice of you. I never thought Man had such good manners,” purred Tiger.

But he was thinking, “What a fine morning! First I’m greeted like a king, then I get in-tell-igence at no cost at all, and then I eat the peasant as an appetizer, and Buffalo for breakfast!” This thought made his eyes glitter like two green stars as he said, “You’ll give it to me right now, won’t you?”

“I gladly would, but I always leave it at home when I go to the fields,” answered the peasant, who had noticed the hungry gleam in the tiger’s eyes. “You see, it’s too precious to risk losing, and anyway I don’t need it out here. But I’ll run home and fetch it for you.”

He took a few steps and then hurried back again. “Did you just say you hadn’t had breakfast yet?” “Yes,” said Tiger. “Why do you ask?” “Because in that case I can’t leave Buffalo here. You might eat him.”

“I promise I won’t. Please, hurry up!” “I don’t doubt your promise, but if you forgot and ate Buffalo, who would help me with my work? On the other hand, he’s so slow, it will take hours to go home and return, and I wouldn’t like to keep Your Highness waiting. Of course, if Your Excellency let me tie you to the tree over there, I could safely leave Buffalo here.”

Tiger agreed. “I’ll eat them a little later on, that’s all,” he thought while the peasant tied him securely to the tree. And his mouth watered as he imagined the taste of the big grazing Buffalo, the tiny brown man, and the unknown thing called in-tell-igence, After a while the peasant returned.

“Did you bring it?” asked the impatient tiger.

“Of course,” answered the peasant, showing him a shining thing on a pole.

“Then give it to me, quickly!” ordered Tiger.

The peasant obeyed. He passed the bright, flaming torch under the tiger’s whiskers, and they started to burn. He passed it on to his ears, his back, his tail, and everywhere it touched was singed.

“It burns, it burns!” yelled Tiger.

“It’s intelligence,” said the peasant wryly. “Come Buffalo, let’s go!”

But Buffalo could not go. He was heaving, bursting with laughter. Fancy Master Tiger, the terror of the jungle, letting himself be tied up to a tree and singed by a torch. It was just too funny!

Buffalo rolled in the grass, unable to stop his laughter, until his mouth struck a tree stump, splitting his upper lip and hurting his nose. And you can see the result to this day.

And Tiger? Well, he howled and kicked, and after some time the flames burned through the rope so that he could get away. But the burning rope had so badly singed his yellow fur that, wash as he would, he could not get rid of the black stripes it had left as he struggled to get free. And that explains how Tiger got his stripes.