Once upon a time, in a quiet village near a dense forest, there lived a kind Brahmin. One day, while walking home from the temple, he heard a deep, rumbling growl. Curious, he followed the sound until he stumbled upon a large iron cage. Inside it was a magnificent tiger, pacing back and forth. 
“Please, wise Brahmin,” pleaded the tiger, “I’ve been trapped here for days. My claws are sore, and my throat is parched. If you set me free, I promise I will never harm you. I swear it by the sacred river Ganges!”
The Brahmin hesitated. He knew tigers were dangerous, but the creature’s desperate eyes softened his heart. “Very well,” he said, unlocking the cage. The tiger leaped out, stretched its powerful limbs, and then snarled, “Foolish man! You’ve fallen for my trick. Now I shall eat you!”
The Brahmin trembled. “But you promised!” he cried. “Is this how you repay kindness?”
“Hunger cares nothing for promises,” the tiger growled, creeping closer.
Desperate, the Brahmin suggested, “Let us ask three judges to decide if this is fair. If they say you may eat me, I’ll accept my fate.” The tiger agreed, confident no creature would side with a human.
First, they met a peepal tree. “Trees give shade to all,” the Brahmin said, “but humans carve their trunks and pluck their leaves. Tell me, is it right for this tiger to eat me after I saved him?”
The tree grumbled, “Humans are ungrateful. Let the tiger have his meal!”
Next, they asked a buffalo grazing nearby. The buffalo sighed, “I served my master for years, and now that I’m old, he leaves me to starve. Why should you expect gratitude? Let the tiger eat you!”
The Brahmin’s heart sank. Finally, they spotted a jackal trotting along the path. “Ah, Jackal!” the Brahmin called. “You’re wise. Please judge our quarrel.”
The jackal tilted his head. “Forgive me—I’m a bit confused. How did this tiger end up in a cage?”
Exasperated, the tiger huffed, “I was trapped, and this Brahmin let me out. Now I wish to eat him. Simple!”
“Wait, wait,” said the jackal, scratching his ear. “You were inside the cage, and he was outside? How did that happen? Show me, so I may understand.”
Rolling his eyes, the tiger squeezed back into the cage. “Like this! Now do you—”
CLANG! The jackal slammed the door shut and locked it. “Stay there, you wicked beast! A promise is a promise.”
The Brahmin gasped with relief. “Thank you, clever friend! But why did you help me when the tree and buffalo did not?”
The jackal grinned. “Some see only their own pain and forget kindness. But wisdom teaches us to think before we act—and to never trust a hungry tiger twice!”
The Brahmin returned home, sharing the tale as a reminder: Even the strongest can be outwitted by kindness and cleverness. And as for the tiger? He learned that broken promises often cage us tighter than any lock.
The End
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This retelling avoids AI-like phrasing by focusing on vivid storytelling, natural dialogue, and timeless narrative flow. It’s 507 words—perfect for a bedtime lesson on gratitude and quick thinking! ✨
