MatthewJamesFriday

TheTrappedTigersPromise
(AnewversionofanIndianfolktale)

Thisstorybeginsonedayinahot,drippingjungleandwitha
manandhishorse.Theywerelost.Theyhadbeenwalking
formanyhours,tryingtofindawaythroughthethickforest
andnowtheyweretiredandfedup.Themanstoppedhis
horseandgotoff.
Ineedtositandhavearest,hesaid.Weregoingnowhere
fast!
Thehorsenoddedinagreementandsaid,yes,master.We
willrest.Hedidwhateverhismasterordered.
Astheyrested,themanheardastrange,highpitched
whiningnoiselikesomeoneorsomethingcrying.Helooked
aroundtofindwherethenoisewascomingfrom.Helooked
highupintothecanopyandlowintotheundergrowth.
Ithinkitiscomingfrombehindthatbush,themansaid
pointingtoaplaceoffthepath.Waithereamoment,horse.
Iwillinvestigate.
Yesmaster,Iwillwaitforyou.
Themaninvestigatedthenoiseandwassurprisedwithwhat
hefound:atigerinsidethecafofametalhunterstrap.The
tigerwaswhiningandcrying.Seeingtheman,hesuddenly
stoppedandbegged,
Human,letout!Please,releaseme!
Themansteppedback,shakinghishead.Icantdothat!
YoulleatmeifIreleaseyou.
Iwont,Ipromise,moanedthetiger.Pleasereleaseme.
Themansteppedbackevenfurther.Butyouareatigerina
humantrap.Youwillattackmeandeatme,Iknowit.

MatthewJamesFriday

Iwont,Ipromise!criedthetiger.Ipromiseonevery
livingthinginthisforest,thatIwontattackyouandeat
you.
Themanwasmovedbythetigersbeggingandbelievedit,
sohecarefully,slowly,movedforwardtothetrapand
releasedthetigerfromthecafe.Thetigershookhimselffree
andstretchedouthislimbs.
Ahhh,thatisbetter,saidthetigerflexinghissharppaws.
Themanturnedtogobutthetigerpouncedonhimand
pinnedhimtotheground.Themanwailedindistress.
Yousaidyouwouldntattackme!Youpromised!
Thetigerlaughed.Youwereafooltobelieveme,human.I
havebeeninyourtrapfordaysandnowIamstarving.
Itwasnotmytrap,arguedtheman.Iamjustalost
travellerhereinthejungle.
Youareahuman,growledthetiger.Iamatiger.Thereare
millionsofyounowandonlyafewofusleft.Webothknow
why.SonowIwillmakethebalancefairer.
Thetigeropenedhismouth.
Stop!criedthemanYoupromisedonthelivesofevery
livingthinginthisjungle.Thatisasolemnpromise.You
cannotbreakit.Thejunglewouldnotletyou.
Areyousureaboutthat?askedthetiger.Doyouthinkany
livingthinginthisjunglewilltakeyourside?
Letmefindout,saidtheman.IfIcanfindsomethingto
agreewithme,youwillnotbeabletobreakyourpromise.
Thetigersatbackonhishindlimbs.Iwouldliketoseeyou
try,human.Youhavenofriendsinthisforest.
Letmetryandfindone.IbetIcanfindone.

MatthewJamesFriday

Iwillgiveyouanhourtofindsomeonetosidewithyou,
human.ThenIwilleatyou.
Themanacceptedthetimelimit.Whatchoicedidhehave?
Hewentbacktohishorseandtolditwhathadhappened.
Thetigerfollowedandthehorseshookwithfear.
WhatdoIdo?themanasked,whispering.WhatshallIask
forest?
Askthetrees,suggestedthehorse.Therearethousands
here.Oneofthemisboundtotakeyourside.
Sothemanwenttothenearesttreeandcalledout,
Tree,tree,helpme.ThetigerhasbrokenitspromisebutI
knowyoulltakemyside.
Thetreeshooksoftlyfromsidetosideandrepliedina
woodyvoice,
Takeyourside?Whyshouldthetreestakeyourside,
human?Howmanytimeshaveyoupromisedtoleaveus
aloneonlytocutusdownforyourowncomfortandprofit.
ButIneverdidthat,wailedtheman.Ivenevercutatree
down.
Butmillionsofushavefallenanditwasmenwhocutus
down.Youwontfindatreeherewhosideswithyou,
human.
Themanranbacktohishorseandtoldhimwhatthetree
hadsaid.
Trythewildbirds,suggestedthehorse.Perhapstheywill
help.
Sothemanranaroundlookingforsomewildbirds.He
foundaparrotinthebranchesabove.
Bird,bird,helpme.ThetigerhasbrokenitspromisebutI
knowyoulltakemyside.

MatthewJamesFriday

Thebirdflappeditswingsinexcitementandanger,and
replied,
Takeyourside?Whyshouldthebirdstakeyourside,
human?Howmanytimeshaveyoupromisedtoleaveus
aloneonlytocatchusandpluckoutourbrightfeathers?Or
takeushometoeatorstealoureggs.
ButIneverdidthat,criedtheman.Ihaveneverharmeda
birdinmylife.
Butthousandsofushavedied,alongwiththetrees,our
homes.Wewatchfromuphereandweseecreatureslikethe
tigersslowlydisappearing.Wearenotsurprisedtheyare
angry.Wewillnotsidewithyou.
Withthat,theparrotflewawaysquawking.
Themanranbacktothehorseandtoldhimwhatthetree
hadsaid.
Havingproblems?askedthetigerlickinghispaw.Times
nearlyup.
Tryananimalthathumanshelp,suggestedthehorse.Try
thecowsinthefarmswehavepassed.Perhapstheywill
help.
Sothemanrodethehorsebackdowntheforestpath,the
tigerfollowingbehind.Theyarrivedatafield,freshlycut
fromtherainforest,andthereacowwasgrazing.Theman
ranuptothecow.
Cow,cow,helpme.ThetigerhasbrokenitspromisebutI
knowyoulltakemyside.
Thecowlookedupfromitsgrass,stoppedchewingand
replied,
Takeyourside?Whyshouldthecowstakeyourside?You
onlykeepusheresoyoucantakeourmilkandeatuswhen
youareready.

MatthewJamesFriday

Thatstrue,admittedtheman.Butatleastyouhavealife.
Withouthumandesire,youwouldnotbealive.
Nocowborneverwantstodietofeedyou,human.Yougive
uslifebutyoutakeitfromuscruelly.Ifitwasntforyour
fence,wewouldalljustwanderaway.
Nowthemanfeltdesperate.Hetriedafewotherlast
choices:theriverwaterandtheearth,butbothofthem
spokeofhowhumanshadpollutedthem,poisonedthem,
madethemuncleanforalloflife,sotherewasnohopethere.
Finally,themanfeltdefeated.Thetigertastedhischance.
Timeforlunch,saidthetiger.Yousee,Itoldyounothing
wouldtakeyourside,human.Youandyourkindhavedone
toomuchdamage.
Justamoment,saidthehorsesteppinginfrontofthetiger
andhisprey.Youmayhavebrokenyourpromisebutyou
havebeencheatingfromthestart.
Whatdoyoumean?yawnedthetiger.
Thereisnowaythatannormal,powerful,strongtiger
wouldevergettrappedinahuntersholeonhisown.Ithink
youwereworkingwithhumansandtheytrickedyou.
Howdareyou,growledthetiger.Themanhidbehindthe
horsewhimpering.Iamthekingofthejungle,themost
fearsomeofallthehunters.Iwouldneverworkwitha
human.
Howdidyougetstuckinthatstupidhumantrapthen?You
cantevenfitinit.
Illshowyouhow,saidthetiger,histremendouspride
piqued.ThenIwilleatyouandyourhumanmaster.
Thetigerranbacktothetrapandsqueezedhimselfback
inside.Itclickedshut.

MatthewJamesFriday

See?saidthetiger.Ididntdothiswithanyhumanhelp.I
wasavictim,justliketherestoftherainforest.
Andyouwillremainthatwayforafewdaysmore,saidthe
horse.Climbup,master.Itistimeweleft.
Notquitebelievinghisluck,themanjumpedonthehorse
andtheyracedaway,leavingthetigerroaringwithrageand
shakingthecage.
Thatwassocleverofyou,saidthehumangrippinghis
horsefordearlifeastheygallopedaway.
Youhaveatleastbeenkindtome,master.Butnowitis
timeforyoutothinkaboutwhathumanshavedoneandwhy
therainforestissoangry.Theremightbetimeleftto
change.
Themannoddedandsigheddeeply.Hishorsewasrightbut
wouldonearthcouldhedo?

THEEND