Long ago, a stripeless tiger saw a woodcutter, sleeping near his bullock cart. The tiger crept quietly and whispered to the bullock, “Your master is not strong, yet he makes you work for him. So how does he do it?” The bullock answered, “Why don’t you ask him?” The tiger sprang over to the woodcutter and asked, “I have heard that the source of man’s power is something called wisdom.” The terrified woodcutter replied, “I will gladly go and fetch wisdom for you. But I cannot leave a hungry tiger with my bullock. So, will you let me tie you to this tree?” The tiger agreed. A little later, the clever woodcutter returned with straw and lighted a torch. He laid straw beneath the tiger and set it on fire. The tiger roared, until the fire burned the ropes. Then he ran to the river where he soothed his burnt fur. However, his skin had orange and black stripes forever.
The Clever Woodcutter
