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From Fables & Folk-Tales from an Eastern Forest, Collected and Translated by Walter Skeat, M.A., Illustrated by F. H. Townsend; Cambridge: At the University Press; 1901; pp. 3-4, 74.

THE KING OF THE TIGERS IS SICK.^a

WHEN the Great King of All the Tigers was sick, the Tiger-Crown-Prince made obeisance and said, “If my Lord will taste of the flesh of every beast of the field peradventure my Lord may recover.” So the Great King commanded the Crown-Prince to summon every kind of beast into his presence, and as they appeared the King ate of them. Only the Mouse-deer, who was likewise summoned, refused to appear.

Therefore the great King’s wrath was kindled against the Mouse-deer and in the end he too was fain to appear. And when he appeared he was questioned by the King. “Why did you not attend at the first when we had summoned hither every kind of beast that lives in the field?” The Mouse-deer replied, “Your slave could not approach your Majesty because of a dream of certain medicine^b 4 that would make your Majesty well.” The King replied, “What medicine was this of which you dreamed?” “Your slave dreamed that the only remedy for your Majesty’s sickness was for you Majesty to seize and devour That which is Nearest your Majesty.”

Immediately on hearing this the Great King of the Tigers seized the Prince of the Tigers and devoured him also. And straightway the King was cured, and the Mouse-deer himself became Crown-Prince in turn.

[74] Notes.

^a  The King of the Tigers is sick.

This story was also one of Che Busu’s.

^b  because of a dream of a certain medicine.  It is hardly necessary to remind the reader of the extraordinary importance assigned to dreams by all uncivilised races.

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