One sunny afternoon, a tiger got stuck in a cage by the side of the road. He growled and paced, trying to squeeze through the bars—but nothing worked.

Just then, a kind traveler came by. He was a teacher named Ravi, walking home after visiting a nearby village.

“Please let me out!” begged the tiger. “I promise I won’t hurt you!”

Ravi hesitated. “Are you sure? What if you decide to pounce?”

“No way!” said the tiger. “I’m so grateful, I’ll help you forever!”

Feeling sorry for the tiger, Ravi opened the cage.

The tiger stretched, yawned, and then gave a toothy grin. “I am thankful,” he said, “but I’m also very hungry.”

Ravi’s eyes widened. “But you promised!”

“I did,” said the tiger. “But who follows promises these days?”

“Please,” Ravi said. “Let’s ask three others what they think. If they agree with you, I won’t argue.”

“Fine,” said the tiger. “But make it quick.”

Ravi walked to a nearby tree and explained the story.

The tree said, “People rest under my shade, but still break my branches. I don’t see why the tiger shouldn’t do what he wants.”

Next, Ravi asked a water buffalo pulling a cart.

The buffalo sighed, “When I was young and strong, people fed me well. Now that I’m older, they make me pull heavy loads all day. I don’t think the tiger owes you anything.”

Finally, Ravi spoke to a dusty road.

The road said, “Everyone uses me and leaves behind trash. If the tiger wants to snack, let him.”

Ravi returned to the cage, looking worried. The tiger licked his lips.

Just then, a jackal trotted up. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Ravi explained everything.

The jackal scratched his head. “Wait, the tree was in the cage, and you were eating the road?”

“No, no,” said Ravi. “I let the tiger out of the cage, and now he wants to eat me!”

“Huh,” said the jackal, looking puzzled. “I think I need to see it for myself.”

They walked back to the cage. The jackal squinted. “So the tiger was… in there?”

“Yes!” said the tiger.

“But how did you fit?” asked the jackal.

“Like this!” said the tiger, hopping back inside to show him.

“Ah!” said the jackal, slamming the door shut. “Now it makes sense!”

Ravi laughed in relief. The jackal grinned. “Sometimes, it just takes a little confusion to solve a big problem.”

_{“Ravi and the Terrible Tiger” by Nina D. Smith. Published by Bright Bunny Books © 2025. Retelling of “The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal” from Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs, originally published in 1892.}

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“Ravi and the Terrible Tiger” is ideal for students in Grades 3–5 because it uses accessible language, includes problem-solving and moral reasoning, and offers opportunities for discussion about fairness, promises, and cleverness.

Discussion Questions
1. Do you think the tiger was being fair to Ravi after being freed? Why or why not?

2. Why do you think the jackal pretended not to understand the story? What was his plan?

3. What lessons can we learn from how Ravi and the jackal handled the problem together?

This content is provided under fair use for educational purposes only. Commercial use is strictly prohibited by the creator.