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12. Cat and Mouse in Partnership a weakling and you have such great strength,
In Mumbai, two-year-old Arif was playing with his keen sense of smell and sharp vision. Why can
grandmother in the garden. Suddenly, their dog you not free yourself from his power? The buffalo
Puggy became very disturbed. He began jumping said, ‘The human is powerful because he has a
and barking. The grandmother thought it best to power called wisdom to control me.’ ‘I must ask
take the child inside. Arif’s mother heard the dog him about that,’ said the tiger, ‘because if I get
barking and came out. She saw Puggy fighting this wisdom, I would have power over everyone.’
with a 24-inch snake. She called for help. The So saying, the tiger went to the human. He said,
snake was killed. Puggy, too, had to be admitted ‘I have heard that you have something called
into a veterinary hospital for twenty-four days. In wisdom, which makes it possible for you to rule
Chennai, Radha was woken up at 4:45 a.m. by the over all the animals. Can I get some of your
cries of the family cat, Sparky. The cries were from wisdom?’ ‘Well,’ replied the man, ‘I have left my
the garage. Radha went downstairs to check what wisdom at home. If you wish, I can get it for you.’
had happened. She saw smoke and flames. She ‘May I accompany you?’ asked the tiger. ‘No, I
quickly grabbed the cat and rushed back inside to think, you should stay here or the villagers may
wake up her husband and their five children. The beat you to death,’ said the farmer. The farmer
fire destroyed the garage and a bedroom. None took a few steps homeward but then turned
of the family members was harmed, thanks to the around and came towards the tiger. ‘If you allow,
cat’s cries. can I tie you to this tree so that I know that you
will not attack my buffalo?’ The tiger wanted
14. The Little Half Chicken the mysterious wisdom very much, so he let the
Once, many, many years ago, a young farmer was farmer tie him up. Soon the farmer returned with
many villagers. They put dry hay around the tiger
ploughing his rice paddy. When it was noon, he and set the hay on fire.
let his water buffalo loose to graze and sat down
to eat his lunch. A tiger was watching them from The fire burned through the ropes and the tiger
afar. When the farmer was not looking, the tiger was able to free himself. He ran away into the
sprang and stood before the water buffalo. He forest, howling in pain. The wounds healed soon,
said, ‘I am not here to eat you. I wish to know but the burnt ropes left black stripes on his tawny
something from you. That human being is such coat. And that is how the tiger got his stripes!
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