• The Brahmin, the Tiger, and the Jackal

Cleverness protects from betrayal

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a wise and kind-hearted man called a Brahmin. One day, while walking through the jungle, he came across a tiger trapped inside a cage. The tiger saw the Brahmin and cried out, "Please, kind man, help me! A hunter has trapped me here, and I cannot escape."

The Brahmin, though compassionate, was also cautious. He knew tigers were dangerous animals. "Why should I help you?" he asked. "If I set you free, you might eat me!"

"I promise I will not harm you," the tiger pleaded. "I just need your help to get out of this cage."

The Brahmin hesitated but felt pity for the tiger. He decided to help and carefully opened the cage. As soon as the tiger stepped out, it turned to the Brahmin and said, "I am very hungry. I think I will eat you now."

The Brahmin was shocked and protested, "But you promised not to eat me! That is not fair."

The tiger sneered and replied, "I have changed my mind. I am hungry, and you are here."

Thinking quickly, the Brahmin said, "If you want to eat me, we should first ask others if it is fair. Let’s ask three beings what they think. If they all agree, then you can eat me."

The tiger, curious, agreed to the idea. Together, they set off to find others to judge the matter.

First, they came to a big, old tree. The Brahmin explained what had happened and asked, "Do you think it is fair for the tiger to eat me after I helped him?"

The tree replied, "Humans take shade from us and cut us down for wood. They are ungrateful. Yes, it is fair for the tiger to eat you."

The Brahmin felt discouraged, but he continued. Next, they met a buffalo grazing in a field. The Brahmin asked the same question.

The buffalo said, "Humans make us work hard, pulling their carts and plowing their fields, yet they give us little in return. It is fair for the tiger to eat you."

The Brahmin grew more worried. Finally, they came across a clever jackal. The Brahmin explained the situation to the jackal, hoping for a different answer.

The jackal scratched his head and said, "I’m confused. Can you explain again how this all happened? I don’t quite understand."

The Brahmin repeated the story, but the jackal still acted puzzled. "So, the tiger was in the cage? How did it fit? Can you show me?" the jackal asked.

The tiger, eager to prove his point, stepped back into the cage to demonstrate. As soon as he was inside, the jackal shouted, "Quick, shut the door!" The Brahmin immediately locked the cage, trapping the tiger once again.

The tiger roared angrily, but the jackal just smiled. "You should not have broken your promise," the jackal said.

The Brahmin, relieved and grateful, thanked the clever jackal for saving his life. He left the tiger locked in the cage and returned safely to his village, vowing to be more careful in the future.