Folk-lore of the Telugus/The Tiger and its Council
XXXI.
THE TIGER AND ITS COUNCIL.
At Grannavara lived a very poor Brahman, Divasarma, who eked out a livelihood as a beggar. One day, when he chanced to go to the adjacent wood for fuel for his sacrifice, he saw a huge tiger under a spreading banyan tree. Shaking with fear, he bethought him how best he could go home. There were a few lambs near the tiger at the time, who saw the shivering Brahman and that he had come in innocence of his danger; so they wished to devise means for saving him. The lambs therefore approached the tiger and said:—"O King Tiger your charity knows no bounds. Your fame extends over the four corners of the world. A Brahman has been here for a, very long time, eagerly longing to see you." The tiger thereupon was overjoyed and told the lambs to fetch the Brahman to his presence. Then the lambs went to the Brahman, told him not to be afraid, and took him along with them to the tiger. Whereupon the tiger was exceedingly pleased with the Brahman, and presented him with some of the ornaments of those whom he had slain on previous occasions. The Brahman thereupon was filled with joy, took the jewels home, sold some of them and lived comfortably out of the proceeds of the sale.
Some time after, a neighbouring Brahman, feeling jealous of the former's situation, thought he could also make a fortune by going to the forest, and on going there saw the tiger surrounded by a number of foxes and dogs. These animals, thinking they might share the spoil, reported the coming of the Brahman to the tiger, and had him slain.
Moral:—People will assuredly come to grief if they approach a king when he is surrounded by evil councillors.