Tiger’s Curiosity About Human Intelligence
When the sun climbed higher and it was time for a break, the Tiger approached the Buffalo and asked,
"You're so big and strong. Why do you let a small human boss you around and whip you without fighting back?"
The Buffalo sighed and replied,
"You don't understand. Humans may be small, but they have something called intelligence. It’s because of their intelligence that they can control even the strongest animals like me."
The Tiger was fascinated. He had never heard of "intelligence" before and couldn't imagine what it looked like. Determined to see it for himself, he decided to ask the Farmer directly.
"You're so big and strong. Why do you let a small human boss you around and whip you without fighting back?"
The Buffalo sighed and replied,
"You don't understand. Humans may be small, but they have something called intelligence. It’s because of their intelligence that they can control even the strongest animals like me."
The Tiger was fascinated. He had never heard of "intelligence" before and couldn't imagine what it looked like. Determined to see it for himself, he decided to ask the Farmer directly.
Tiger Demands to See Intelligence
The Tiger boldly approached the Farmer and said,
"Hey, I've heard you humans have intelligence. Can you show it to me?"
The Farmer thought for a moment and calmly replied,
"My intelligence is at home. If you wait here, I'll go fetch it for you."
The Tiger, eager and curious, quickly agreed. But as the Farmer turned to leave, he paused and added,
"Wait a minute. If I leave, you might eat my Buffalo while I'm gone. How about I tie you to a tree to keep everyone safe?"
The Tiger hesitated but eventually agreed. Better safe than sorry, he thought.
A Painful Lesson: How Tigers Got Their Stripes
The Farmer securely tied the Tiger to a large tree. But instead of leaving, he picked up a whip and began striking the Tiger while laughing,
"This is my intelligence! Ha! Ha!"
The Tiger roared and struggled, but the ropes were tight. The Farmer then piled dry straw around the Tiger, set it on fire, and shouted,
"Now you really see my intelligence in action!"
Panicked, the Tiger thrashed around, but the flames grew hotter. The Buffalo, watching from a distance, couldn't stop laughing. He laughed so hard that he accidentally broke all his upper teeth by hitting them on a rock.
Eventually, the fire burned through the ropes, and the Tiger sprinted back into the forest without ever looking back. However, the fire had left permanent black stripes burned into his fur.
The Origin of the Tiger’s Stripes
From that day on, Tigers have carried black stripes as a reminder of the day they learned a painful lesson about human intelligence. And the Buffalo? He still bears the memory too, forever missing his upper teeth from laughing too hard.