577- The Weak Tiger

A farmer took his cat with him to the field to catch the mice which eat his young birds and corrupt his crops. The cat did his work skillfully. Then, he felt that the farmer had wronged him since he did not present him food till he searched for the mice to eat them. Therefore, he fled from the farm to the neighboring wilderness.

There, he found a tiger so he trembled. The tiger looked at him and said in amazement, “Who are you? You seem to be a cousin of mine, as you resemble me. However, you’re small and weak. What’s wrong with you?”

“I wish I were like you cousin. I’m suffering from man who is strong and weak in the same time. He destroyed my might and humiliated me till I became small and weak. You’re huge ‘cause you’re free not enslaved by man.”

The tiger answered mockingly, “Is there a creature stronger than me? How does he look like and what are his abilities?”

“Come and see.”

They went to the farm. As the tiger saw man he mocked at him, “The cat told me that you’re stronger than me while I don’t see so. Would you fight me?”

“I left my strength in my hut. Would you wait till I get it?”

“Sure.”

“To guarantee that you’ll wait me, let me bind you with a rope to the tree.”

The farmer bound the tiger to the tree, went to his hut and came with a strong stick. The tiger saw that he would loose him and fight with him but the farmer went on beating the tiger not paying attention to the tiger’s cries till the tiger died.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: النمر الضعيف.

Grant me wisdom and dominion O Lord

To bind the enemy with Your might

To strike him with the tree of the cross.

The enemy has no dominion over me,

As You give me authority over the serpents and scorpions

And every power of the enemy.

The Dishonest Tiger

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Man Corrupting Nature