The Animal Race

There once lived a dog and there once lived a cat in the same town in the same street in the same year. The town was London, the street was Regent Street and the year was 1984.

The dog was called Fido and the cat was called Bradley.

They had an odd relationship. How can I put this? Well, they weren't exactly best of friends. In fact, they hated each other. Every day they would have an argument. Then they would fight. Then they would ignore each other. Then another argument would start up and it would keep going round in circles - argue, fight, ignore, argue, fight, ignore.

Most of the arguments were about who was best. Fido thought he was best and Bradley thought he was best.

One day, they decided to settle the argument once and for all and find out who really was the best.

So they decided to have a race. A race from one end of London to the other. From West London to East London. They would start at Paddington Station in the West and finish at Tower Bridge in the East.

The winner would be crowned "Animal King of Regent Street" and the loser would have to be his slave for ever.

The day of the race was Saturday July 7th, and they were both ready to go at 9 o'clock.

When the big station clock struck 9 they were off, with both trying desperately to beat the other to Tower Bridge.

But within five seconds, disaster struck. Fido wasn't looking where he was going and ran straight into a brick wall. Bradley wasn't having much luck either, as he was heading North instead of East.

Fido soon recovered, and, after a quick hospital detour to get a nose bandage, he was now galloping through Hyde Park. He hired a boat to take him across the lake, but the boat sank and he had to swim to safety. The Queen saw him and felt sorry for him with his soaking wet coat and sore nose. She took him in to Buckingham Palace to get him dry and give him something to eat. He got so cosy in the Palace that he forgot all about the race.

Meanwhile, Bradley had just arrived in Scotland. He'd gone 300 miles in the wrong direction. He stopped at a cafe to get a burger, but all they had was haggis. He asked the cafe owner, Jock MacDundee, if he was close to Tower Bridge, but couldn't understand the reply. So he carried on heading North, still hungry and with no idea where he was.

The next morning, a Buckingham Palace servant was serving Fido with a huge luxurious breakfast of sausages, bacon, eggs and custard, when he suddenly remembered about the race. So he grabbed a slice of toast and ran out of the Palace.

He sprinted down Pall Mall and then sprinted back again because he'd forgotten to thank the Queen for looking after him. When he got back to the Palace, he again forgot to thank the Queen. After racing up and down Pall Mall three more times he eventually remembered to thank her, and she said that he was welcome to stay at the Palace at any time.

Meanwhile, Bradley was no longer in Scotland. He'd gone past Scotland and was now at the North Pole. He was running so fast that he didn't feel the cold. And he was running so fast that a polar bear that was chasing him couldn't catch up. But then he stopped for a rest and the polar bear could catch up. Bradley saw the polar bear just in time and started running again. But now he was running even faster. He was running faster than a speeding car, faster than a train, faster than a rocket and nearly as fast a polar bear. But not quite. The polar bear caught up and grabbed the poor little cat. Bradley squealed and wriggled and squirmed in the polar bear's enormous paws. The polar bear was hungry. The polar bear was hungry for a big plate of cat.

Then Bradley had a good idea. An idea that was to save his life. Instead of letting the polar bear eat him, he decided to eat the polar bear. And he did. And he enjoyed every mouthful. It was the biggest meal he'd ever eaten, but it gave him the energy to carry on with the race.

He headed on through Canada, America, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, the South Pole, Africa, Spain, France and back to England. He'd gone all the way round the world and ended up back at Paddington Station, where he'd started the race.

Meanwhile, Fido was nearly at the finish line at Tower Bridge. He jumped on a red bus to take him the last half mile. He was excited. He knew he was going to win and he had a big smile on his face.

But then the bus turned left, instead of right towards the bridge. Then it turned left again, then right, then left, then straight on for a bit, then four more lefts and three more rights. When it eventually stopped, he jumped off to find himself back at Paddington Station. And there was Bradley, covered in icicles and eating a burger.

The two of them immediately started to argue about who had won the race. But of course neither of them had really won it, because they were both still at the starting line. The argument turned into a fight and then they started ignoring each other. Can you guess what happened next? Yes, another argument started, and then a fight and so on and so on for ever more.

Here are a few questions to see if you've been listening ...

1. What year was the race?
2. Where was the starting line?
3. Where was the finishing line?
4. What breakfast was the servant giving to Fido?
5. Why did Fido keep running up and down Pall Mall?
6. How did Bradley stop the polar bear from eating him? 

(Source: by Gordon Dioxide)

The Little Frog and the Big Buffalo

One day a Little Frog happens to see a buffalo on its way to the pond and is stopped by it.  The little frog got surprised.

What are you doing by jumping like this? Yelled the big buffalo at the little frog

This is how I walk responded the frog with a surprisetri-boy

You have got four legs like any other animal and why can’t you just walk? Buffalo again yelled with the same anger.

Now the little frog understood the confusion the big buffalo had and it turned upside down and asked:

Look my dear big buffalo how my legs are made. I do have four legs but the hind ones are differently made hence I can’t walk and I can only jump to cover distances.

Oh I am sorry – pleaded the big buffalo

I am really sorry for showing my anger at you without knowing the reason.  I shall be your friend from now on wards and I shall carry you now to wherever you want to go.  Please let me know where do you want to go – requested the buffalo

The little frog felt very happy with the sudden change in the behavior of the big buffalo.

I need to got to the pond near that banyan tree but I do not know how to climb on to your back – said the little frog

Do not worry I shall sit down so that with one leap you can jump on to my back – suggested the big buffalo

The frog did as suggested but the smooth skin of the buffalo made its efforts futile.  Both the big buffalo and the little frog were disappointed but continued their efforts.  At one point the frog could jump on to the back of the buffalo but as the big buffalo started standing up it had slipped down.  As their struggle continued they saw Dr.Dove coming towards them.

What’s the matter why are you here asked Dr.Dove by alighting on the branch of a neem tree near them.

I made a promise to carry this small frog on my back to the pond near that banyan tree but it has become difficult for this small frog to reach my back. 

You want to carry the frog on your back. Isn’t it? Asked Dr.Dove.

Yes told the buffalo

Then I have suggestion to you.  You both come along with me lead Dr.Dove towards the pond.  All three reached the pond.

Dear small frog you first jump into the water – said Dr.Dove

The small frog jumped into the water and looked up by turning back towards the buffalo and Dr.Dove.

Now dear Buffalo you walk into the water and sit down in such a way that your back is just touching the surface of the water level in the pond – said Dr.Dove.

The big buffalo did as suggested.

The little frog understood what is to be done. Immediately it jumped onto the back of the buffalo with ease and settled down there.

Soon the buffalo too understood and came slowly out of the water with the little frog on its back.  The little frog and the big buffalo were happy and thanked Dr.Dove.

Now tell me where shall I take you - asked the big buffalo

Not to the pond again but back to my home in the woods in the north pointed the little frog.  

A Squirrel in a Winter Night

You are aware that during winter the trees shed leaves and make the birds and other small animals that live on them to face cold nights.

One cold night a squirrel found it difficult to bear the cold.  It was on a search for a place that can protect it from the cold.  It ran into the parasol of a hut that belongs to an old man who lives on the outskirts of the forest.squirrel

As soon as the squirrel started moving in the parasol of his hut the old man heard the sound of it, came out and found the squirrel shivering with cold.  He extended his hand and waved his fingers to come on to it.  The squirrel for a moment kept quite and it recalled what all it had seen this old man doing earlier.  It appeared from this recalling that this old man is a good one.  It slowly crawled onto the hand of the old man who caressed it with his another hand and took it in side.

It was very warmth inside the hurt and it made the squirrel stop shivering soon and fall asleep.  It slept for more than three hours and woke up with the sound of the cupboard door opened by the old man.  The old man noticed this and came near the squirrel with a hot cup of tomato soup.  He fed the squirrel with the spoon and emptied the cup. 

The squirrel became active and found the holes in the roof of the hut.  The old man slept again.  As the day breaks out, the old man woke up and found searched for the squirrel in vain.  He thought that it had gone back to the forest.  He became busy with his daily chores. 

As he was about to rest for a nap after the lunch, he heard a noise on the top of the roof.  He looked up and found that the holes on the roof are being filled with a lump of fiber.  He went out to find out who was at work and saw the squirrel seriously filling the holes one after the other first with the fiber and topping it with a big leaf meticulously.

The old man came inside and started doing some thing.  The squirrel on the top of the roof completed its job and entered the hut to find out if it missed any hole.  The old man thanked the squirrel and offered a cup of hot milk.  The squirrel drank it merrily.

The old man asked, ‘how did get the fiber and the leaves to fill all the holes at once?’

I came out in the morning when you were still sleeping, started collecting the fiber and leaves from the nearby creeper in small quantities and brought them to the rooftop.  Once I felt I had enough material to fill the holes I started doing the job that I know well.

Though you are a small animal you have a big mind to think and great strength to do the job.  I thank you for your kind help.  You can live with me, if you want – said the old man.

The squirrel agreed to it by waving its tail and the head in joy.

Indeed the holes were well filled and the rainfall that occurred a couple of days later made it further firm and there was no leakage in the hut.

They lived together for a long time in the same hut.

The Golden Bird

A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted, and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. The king became very angry at this, and ordered the gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. The gardener set his eldest son to watch; but about twelve o’clock he fell asleep, and in the morning another of the apples was missing. Then the second son was ordered to watch; and at midnight he too fell asleep, and in the morning another apple was gone. Then the third son offered to keep watch; but the gardener at first would not let him, for fear some harm should come to him: however, at last he consented, and the young man laid himself under the tree to watch. As the clock struck twelve he heard a rustling noise in the air, and a bird came flying that was of pure gold; and as it was snapping at one of the apples with its beak, the gardener’s son jumped up and shot an arrow at it. But the arrow did the bird no harm; only it dropped a golden feather from its tail, and then flew away. The golden feather was brought to the king in the morning, and all the council was called together. Everyone agreed that it was worth more than all the wealth of the kingdom: but the king said, ’One feather is of no use to me, I must have the whole bird.’

Then the gardener’s eldest son set out and thought to find the golden bird very easily; and when he had gone but a little way, he came to a wood, and by the side of the wood he saw a fox sitting; so he took his bow and made ready to shoot at it. Then the fox said, ’Do not shoot me, for I will give you good counsel; I know what your business is, and that you want to find the golden bird. You will reach a village in the evening; and when you get there, you will see two inns opposite to each other, one of which is very pleasant and beautiful to look at: go not in there, but rest for the night in the other, though it may appear to you to be very poor and mean.’ But the son thought to himself, ’What can such a beast as this know about the matter?’ So he shot his arrow at the fox; but he missed it, and it set up its tail above its back and ran into the wood. Then he went his way, and in the evening came to the village where the two inns were; and in one of these were people singing, and dancing, and feasting; but the other looked very dirty, and poor. ’I should be very silly,’ said he, ’if I went to that shabby house, and left this charming place’; so he went into the smart house, and ate and drank at his ease, and forgot the bird, and his country too.

Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back, and no tidings were heard of him, the second son set out, and the same thing happened to him. He met the fox, who gave him the good advice: but when he came to the two inns, his eldest brother was standing at the window where the merrymaking was, and called to him to come in; and he could not withstand the temptation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and his country in the same manner.

Time passed on again, and the youngest son too wished to set out into the wide world to seek for the golden bird; but his father would not listen to it for a long while, for he was very fond of his son, and was afraid that some ill luck might happen to him also, and prevent his coming back. However, at last it was agreed he should go, for he would not rest at home; and as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the fox, and did not attempt his life as his brothers had done; so the fox said, ’Sit upon my tail, and you will travel faster.’ So he sat down, and the fox began to run, and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled in the wind.

When they came to the village, the son followed the fox’s counsel, and without looking about him went to the shabby inn and rested there all night at his ease. In the morning came the fox again and met him as he was beginning his journey, and said, ’Go straight forward, till you come to a castle, before which lie a whole troop of soldiers fast asleep and snoring: take no notice of them, but go into the castle and pass on and on till you come to a room, where the golden bird sits in a wooden cage; close by it stands a beautiful golden cage; but do not try to take the bird out of the shabby cage and put it into the handsome one, otherwise you will repent it.’ Then the fox stretched out his tail again, and the young man sat himself down, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.

Before the castle gate all was as the fox had said: so the son went in and found the chamber where the golden bird hung in a wooden cage, and below stood the golden cage, and the three golden apples that had been lost were lying close by it. Then thought he to himself, ’It will be a very droll thing to bring away such a fine bird in this shabby cage’; so he opened the door and took hold of it and put it into the golden cage. But the bird set up such a loud scream that all the soldiers awoke, and they took him prisoner and carried him before the king. The next morning the court sat to judge him; and when all was heard, it sentenced him to die, unless he should bring the king the golden horse which could run as swiftly as the wind; and if he did this, he was to have the golden bird given him for his own.

So he set out once more on his journey, sighing, and in great despair, when on a sudden his friend the fox met him, and said, ’You see now what has happened on account of your not listening to my counsel. I will still, however, tell you how to find the golden horse, if you will do as I bid you. You must go straight on till you come to the castle where the horse stands in his stall: by his side will lie the groom fast asleep and snoring: take away the horse quietly, but be sure to put the old leathern saddle upon him, and not the golden one that is close by it.’ Then the son sat down on the fox’s tail, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.

All went right, and the groom lay snoring with his hand upon the golden saddle. But when the son looked at the horse, he thought it a great pity to put the leathern saddle upon it. ’I will give him the good one,’ said he; ’I am sure he deserves it.’ As he took up the golden saddle the groom awoke and cried out so loud, that all the guards ran in and took him prisoner, and in the morning he was again brought before the court to be judged, and was sentenced to die. But it was agreed, that, if he could bring thither the beautiful princess, he should live, and have the bird and the horse given him for his own.

Then he went his way very sorrowful; but the old fox came and said, ’Why did not you listen to me? If you had, you would have carried away both the bird and the horse; yet will I once more give you counsel. Go straight on, and in the evening you will arrive at a castle. At twelve o’clock at night the princess goes to the bathing-house: go up to her and give her a kiss, and she will let you lead her away; but take care you do not suffer her to go and take leave of her father and mother.’ Then the fox stretched out his tail, and so away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled again.

As they came to the castle, all was as the fox had said, and at twelve o’clock the young man met the princes going to the bath and gave her the kiss, and she agreed to run away with him, but begged with many tears that he would let her take leave of her father. At first he refused, but she wept still more and more, and fell at his feet, till at last he consented; but the moment she came to her father’s house the guards awoke and he was taken prisoner again.

Then he was brought before the king, and the king said, ’You shall never have my daughter unless in eight days you dig away the hill that stops the view from my window.’ Now this hill was so big that the whole world could not take it away: and when he had worked for seven days, and had done very little, the fox came and said. ’Lie down and go to sleep; I will work for you.’ And in the morning he awoke and the hill was gone; so he went merrily to the king, and told him that now that it was removed he must give him the princess.

Then the king was obliged to keep his word, and away went the young man and the princess; and the fox came and said to him, ’We will have all three, the princess, the horse, and the bird.’ ’Ah!’ said the young man, ’that would be a great thing, but how can you contrive it?’

’If you will only listen,’ said the fox, ’it can be done. When you come to the king, and he asks for the beautiful princess, you must say, “Here she is!” Then he will be very joyful; and you will mount the golden horse that they are to give you, and put out your hand to take leave of them; but shake hands with the princess last. Then lift her quickly on to the horse behind you; clap your spurs to his side, and gallop away as fast as you can.’

All went right: then the fox said, ’When you come to the castle where the bird is, I will stay with the princess at the door, and you will ride in and speak to the king; and when he sees that it is the right horse, he will bring out the bird; but you must sit still, and say that you want to look at it, to see whether it is the true golden bird; and when you get it into your hand, ride away.’

This, too, happened as the fox said; they carried off the bird, the princess mounted again, and they rode on to a great wood. Then the fox came, and said, ’Pray kill me, and cut off my head and my feet.’ But the young man refused to do it: so the fox said, ’I will at any rate give you good counsel: beware of two things; ransom no one from the gallows, and sit down by the side of no river.’ Then away he went. ’Well,’ thought the young man, ’it is no hard matter to keep that advice.’

He rode on with the princess, till at last he came to the village where he had left his two brothers. And there he heard a great noise and uproar; and when he asked what was the matter, the people said, ’Two men are going to be hanged.’ As he came nearer, he saw that the two men were his brothers, who had turned robbers; so he said, ’Cannot they in any way be saved?’ But the people said ’No,’ unless he would bestow all his money upon the rascals and buy their liberty. Then he did not stay to think about the matter, but paid what was asked, and his brothers were given up, and went on with him towards their home.

And as they came to the wood where the fox first met them, it was so cool and pleasant that the two brothers said, ’Let us sit down by the side of the river, and rest a while, to eat and drink.’ So he said, ’Yes,’ and forgot the fox’s counsel, and sat down on the side of the river; and while he suspected nothing, they came behind, and threw him down the bank, and took the princess, the horse, and the bird, and went home to the king their master, and said. ’All this have we won by our labour.’ Then there was great rejoicing made; but the horse would not eat, the bird would not sing, and the princess wept.

The youngest son fell to the bottom of the river’s bed: luckily it was nearly dry, but his bones were almost broken, and the bank was so steep that he could find no way to get out. Then the old fox came once more, and scolded him for not following his advice; otherwise no evil would have befallen him: ’Yet,’ said he, ’I cannot leave you here, so lay hold of my tail and hold fast.’ Then he pulled him out of the river, and said to him, as he got upon the bank, ’Your brothers have set watch to kill you, if they find you in the kingdom.’ So he dressed himself as a poor man, and came secretly to the king’s court, and was scarcely within the doors when the horse began to eat, and the bird to sing, and princess left off weeping. Then he went to the king, and told him all his brothers’ roguery; and they were seized and punished, and he had the princess given to him again; and after the king’s death he was heir to his kingdom.

A long while after, he went to walk one day in the wood, and the old fox met him, and besought him with tears in his eyes to kill him, and cut off his head and feet. And at last he did so, and in a moment the fox was changed into a man, and turned out to be the brother of the princess, who had been lost a great many many years.

By the Grimm Brothers

The Nodding Tiger

Just outside the walls of a Chinese city there lived a young woodcutter

named T'ang and his old mother, a woman of seventy. They were very poor

and had a tiny one-room shanty, built of mud and grass, which they

rented from a neighbor. Every day young T'ang rose bright and early and

went up on the mountain near their house. There he spent the day cutting

firewood to sell in the city near by. In the evening he would return

home, take the wood to market, sell it, and bring back food for his

mother and himself. Now, though these two people were poor, they were

very happy, for the young man loved his mother dearly, and the old woman

thought there was no one like her son in all the world. Their friends,

however, felt sorry for them and said, "What a pity we have no

grasshoppers here, so that the T'angs could have some food from heaven!"

One day young T'ang got up before daylight and started for the hills,

carrying his axe on his shoulder. He bade his mother good-bye, telling

her that he would be back early with a heavier load of wood than usual,

for the morrow would be a holiday and they must eat good food. All day

long Widow T'ang waited patiently, saying to herself over and over as

she went about her simple work, "The good boy, the good boy, how he

loves his old mother!"

In the afternoon she began watching for his return--but in vain.

The sun was sinking lower and lower in the west, but still he did not

come. At last the old woman was frightened. "My poor son!" she muttered.

"Something has happened to him." Straining her feeble eyes, she looked

along the mountain path. Nothing was to be seen there but a flock of

sheep following the shepherd. "Woe is me!" moaned the woman. "My boy!

my boy!" She took her crutch from its corner and limped off to a

neighbour's house to tell him of her trouble and beg him to go and look

for the missing boy.

Now this neighbour was kind-hearted, and willing to help old Mother

T'ang, for he felt very sorry for her. "There are many wild beasts in

the mountains," he said, shaking his head as he walked away with her,

thinking to prepare the frightened woman for the worst, "and I fear that

your son has been carried off by one of them." Widow T'ang gave a scream

of horror and sank upon the ground. Her friend walked slowly up the

mountain path, looking carefully for signs of a struggle. At last when

he had gone half way up the slope he came to a little pile of torn

clothing spattered with blood. The woodman's axe was lying by the side

of the path, also his carrying pole and some rope. There could be no

mistake: after making a brave fight, the poor youth had been carried off

by a tiger.

Gathering up the torn garments, the man went sadly down the hill. He

dreaded seeing the poor mother and telling her that her only boy was

indeed gone for ever. At the foot of the mountain he found her still

lying on the ground. When she looked up and saw what he was carrying,

with a cry of despair she fainted away. She did not need to be told what

had happened.

Friends bore her into the little house and gave her food, but they could

not comfort her. "Alas!" she cried, "of what use is it to live? He was

my only boy. Who will take care of me in my old age? Why have the gods

treated me in this cruel way?"

She wept, tore her hair, and beat her chest, until people said she had

gone mad. The longer she mourned, the more violent she became.

The next day, however, much to the surprise of her neighbours, she set

out for the city, making her way along slowly by means of her crutch. It

was a pitiful sight to see her, so old, so feeble, and so lonely. Every

one was sorry for her and pointed her out, saying, "See! the poor old

soul has no one to help her!"

In the city she asked her way to the public hall. When she found the

place she knelt at the front gate, calling out loudly and telling of her

ill-fortune. Just at this moment the mandarin, or city judge, walked

into the court room to try any cases which might be brought before him.

He heard the old woman weeping and wailing outside, and bade one of the

servants let her enter and tell him of her wrongs.

Now this was just what the Widow T'ang had come for. Calming herself,

she hobbled into the great hall of trial.

"What is the matter, old woman? Why do you raise such an uproar in front

of my yamen? Speak up quickly and tell me of your trouble."

"I am old and feeble," she began; "lame and almost blind. I have no

money and no way of earning money. I have not one relative now in all

the empire. I depended on my only son for a living. Every day he climbed

the mountain, for he was a woodcutter, and every evening he came back

home, bringing enough money for our food. But yesterday he went and did

not return. A mountain tiger carried him off and ate him, and now, alas!

there seems to be no help for it--I must die of hunger. My bleeding

heart cries out for justice. I have come into this hall to-day, to beg

your worship to see that the slayer of my son is punished. Surely the

law says that none may shed blood without giving his own blood in

payment."

"But, woman, are you mad?" cried the mandarin, laughing loudly. "Did you

not say it was a tiger that killed your son? How can a tiger be brought

to justice? Of a truth, you must have lost your senses."

The judge's questions were of no avail. The Widow T'ang kept up her

clamour. She would not be turned away until she had gained her purpose.

The hall echoed with the noise of her howling. The mandarin could stand

it no longer. "Hold! woman," he cried, "stop your shrieking. I will do

what you ask. Only go home and wait until I summon you to court. The

slayer of your son shall be caught and punished."

The judge was, of course, only trying to get rid of the demented mother,

thinking that if she were only once out of his sight, he could give

orders not to let her into the hall again. The old woman, however, was

too sharp for him. She saw through his plan and became more stubborn

than ever.

"No, I cannot go," she answered, "until I have seen you sign the order

for that tiger to be caught and brought into this judgment hall."

Now, as the judge was not really a bad man, he decided to humour the old

woman in her strange plea. Turning to the assistants in the court room

he asked which of them would be willing to go in search of the tiger.

One of these men, named Li-neng, had been leaning against the wall, half

asleep. He had been drinking heavily and so had not heard what had been

going on in the room. One of his friends gave him a poke in the ribs

just as the judge asked for volunteers.

Thinking the judge had called him by name, he stepped forward, knelt on

the floor, saying, "I, Li-neng, can go and do the will of your worship."

"Very well, you will do," answered the judge. "Here is your order. Go

forth and do your duty." So saying, he handed the warrant to Li-neng.

"Now, old woman, are you satisfied?" he continued.

"Quite satisfied, your worship," she replied.

"Then go home and wait there until I send for you."

Mumbling a few words of thanks, the unhappy mother left the building.

When Li-neng went outside the court room, his friends crowded round him.

"Drunken sot!" they laughed; "do you know what you have done?"

Li-neng shook his head. "Just a little business for the mandarin, isn't

it? Quite easy."

"Call it easy, if you like. What! man, arrest a tiger, a man-eating

tiger and bring him to the city! Better go and say good-bye to your

father and mother. They will never see you again."

Li-neng slept off his drunkenness, and then saw that his friends were

right. He had been very foolish. But surely the judge had meant the

whole thing only as a joke! No such order had ever been written before!

It was plain that the judge had hit on this plan simply to get rid of

the wailing old woman. Li-neng took the warrant back to the judgment

hall and told the mandarin that the tiger could not be found.

But the judge was in no mood for joking. "Can't be found? And why not?

You agreed to arrest this tiger. Why is it that to-day you try to get

out of your promise? I can by no means permit this, for I have given my

word to satisfy the old woman in her cry for justice."

Li-neng knelt and knocked his head on the floor. "I was drunk," he

cried, "when I gave my promise. I knew not what you were asking. I can

catch a man, but not a tiger. I know nothing of such matters. Still, if

you wish it, I can go into the hills and hire hunters to help me."

"Very well, it makes no difference how you catch him, as long as you

bring him into court. If you fail in your duty, there is nothing left

but to beat you until you succeed. I give you five days."

During the next few days Li-neng left no stone unturned in trying to

find the guilty tiger. The best hunters in the country were employed.

Night and day they searched the hills, hiding in mountain caves,

watching and waiting, but finding nothing. It was all very trying for

Li-neng, since he now feared the heavy hands of the judge more than the

claws of the tiger. On the fifth day he had to report his failure. He

received a thorough beating, fifty blows on the back. But that was not

the worst of it. During the next six weeks, try as he would, he could

find no traces of the missing animal. At the end of each five days, he

got another beating for his pains. The poor fellow was in despair.

Another month of such treatment would lay him on his deathbed. This he

knew very well, and yet he had little hope. His friends shook their

heads when they saw him. "He is drawing near the wood," they said to

each other, meaning that he would soon be in his coffin. "Why don't you

flee the country?" they asked him. "Follow the tiger's example. You see

he has escaped completely. The judge would make no effort to catch you

if you should go across the border into the next province."

Li-neng shook his head on hearing this advice. He had no desire to leave

his family for ever, and he felt sure of being caught and put to death

if he should try to run away.

One day after all the hunters had given up the search in disgust and

gone back to their homes in the valley, Li-neng entered a mountain

temple to pray. The tears rained down his cheeks as he knelt before the

great fierce-looking idol. "Alas! I am a dead man!" he moaned between

his prayers; "a dead man, for now there is no hope. Would that I had

never touched a drop of wine!"

Just then he heard a slight rustling near by. Looking up, he saw a huge

tiger standing at the temple gate. But Li-neng was no longer afraid of

tigers. He knew there was only one way to save himself. "Ah," he said,

looking the great cat straight in the eye, "you have come to eat me,

have you? Well, I fear you would find my flesh a trifle tough, since I

have been beaten with four hundred blows during these six weeks. You are

the same fellow that carried off the woodman last month, aren't you?

This woodman was an only son, the sole support of an old mother. Now

this poor woman has reported you to the mandarin, who, in turn, has had

a warrant drawn up for your arrest. I have been sent out to find you and

lead you to trial. For some reason or other you have acted the coward,

and remained in hiding. This has been the cause of my beating. Now I

don't want to suffer any longer as a result of your murder. You must

come with me to the city and answer the charge of killing the woodman."

All the time Li-neng was speaking, the tiger listened closely. When

the man was silent, the animal made no effort to escape, but, on the

contrary, seemed willing and ready to be captured. He bent his head

forward and let Li-neng slip a strong chain over it. Then he followed

the man quietly down the mountain, through the crowded streets of the

city, into the court room. All along the way there was great excitement.

"The man-slaying tiger has been caught," shouted the people. "He is

being led to trial."

The crowd followed Li-neng into the hall of justice. When the judge

walked in, every one became as quiet as the grave. All were filled with

wonder at the strange sight of a tiger being called before a judge.

The great animal did not seem to be afraid of those who were watching so

curiously. He sat down in front of the mandarin, for all the world like

a huge cat. The judge rapped on the table as a signal that all was ready

for the trial.

"Tiger," said he, turning toward the prisoner, "did you eat the woodman

whom you are charged with killing?"

The tiger gravely nodded his head.

"Yes, he killed my boy!" screamed the aged mother. "Kill him! Give him

the death that he deserves!"

"A life for a life is the law of the land," continued the judge, paying

no attention to the forlorn mother, but looking the accused directly

in the eye. "Did you not know it? You have robbed a helpless old woman

of her only son. There are no relatives to support her. She is crying

for vengeance. You must be punished for your crime. The law must be

enforced. However, I am not a cruel judge. If you can promise to take

the place of this widow's son and support the woman in her old age, I am

quite willing to spare you from a disgraceful death. What say you, will

you accept my offer?"

The gaping people craned their necks to see what would happen, and once

more they were surprised to see the savage beast nod his head in silent

agreement.

"Very well, then, you are free to return to your mountain home; only, of

course, you must remember your promise."

The chains were taken from the tiger's neck, and the great animal walked

silently out of the yamen, down the street, and through the gate opening

towards his beloved mountain cave.

Once more the old woman was very angry. As she hobbled from the room,

she cast sour glances at the judge, muttering over and over again, "Who

ever heard of a tiger taking the place of a son? A pretty game this is,

to catch the brute, and then to set him free." There was nothing for her

to do, however, but to return home, for the judge had given strict

orders that on no account was she to appear before him again.

Almost broken-hearted she entered her desolate hovel at the foot of the

mountain. Her neighbours shook their heads as they saw her. "She cannot

live long," they said. "She has the look of death on her wrinkled face.

Poor soul! she has nothing to live for, nothing to keep her from

starving."

But they were mistaken. Next morning when the old woman went outside to

get a breath of fresh air she found a newly killed deer in front of her

door. Her tiger-son had begun to keep his promise, for she could see the

marks of his claws on the dead animal's body. She took the carcass into

the house and dressed it for the market. On the city streets next day

she had no trouble in selling the flesh and skin for a handsome sum of

money. All had heard of the tiger's first gift, and no one was anxious

to drive a close bargain.

Laden with food, the happy woman went home rejoicing, with money enough

to keep her for many a day. A week later the tiger came to her door

with a roll of cloth and some money in his mouth. He dropped these new

gifts at her feet and ran away without even waiting for her thank-you.

The Widow T'ang now saw that the judge had acted wisely. She stopped

grieving for her dead son and began to love in his stead the handsome

animal that had come to take his place so willingly.

The tiger grew much attached to his foster-mother and often purred

contentedly outside her door, waiting for her to come and stroke his

soft fur. He no longer had the old desire to kill. The sight of blood

was not nearly so tempting as it had been in his younger days. Year

after year he brought the weekly offerings to his mistress until she was

as well provided for as any other widow in the country.

At last in the course of nature the good old soul died. Kind friends

laid her away in her last resting place at the foot of the great

mountain. There was money enough left out of what she had saved to put

up a handsome tombstone, on which this story was written just as you

have read it here. The faithful tiger mourned long for his dear

mistress. He lay on her grave, wailing like a child that had lost its

mother. Long he listened for the voice he had loved so well, long he

searched the mountain-slopes, returning each night to the empty cottage,

but all in vain. She whom he loved was gone for ever.

One night he vanished from the mountain, and from that day to this no

one in that province has ever seen him. Some who know this story say

that he died of grief in a secret cave which he had long used as a

hiding-place. Others add, with a wise shrug of the shoulders, that, like

Shanwang, he was taken to the Western Heaven, there to be rewarded for

his deeds of virtue and to live as a fairy for ever afterwards.