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A man was walking through the woods one 

afternoon, when he came across a tiger trapped in a 

cage. 

"Excuse me", called the tiger. "Would you be so 

kind as to let me out?" The man took one look at 

the tiger's rippling muscles and dagger-like claws 

and said, "Do you think I'm some kind of fool? If I 

let you out you'll just eat me up."

"Come on now- I wouldn't eat you," coaxed the 

tiger. "If you set me free, I'll be in your debt 

forever." The man looked doubtful. 

"Oh please," sobbed the tiger "I'm begging you." At 

the sight of a full-grown tiger crying like a baby, the 

man gave in. "Alright, alright," he said. "I'll let you 

out. But remember what you said about not eating 

me."

He opened the door of the cage and out sprang the tiger, 

"Thank you very much," it snarled, and a slow dangerous 

smile spread across its face. "Now I'm going to have you 

for lunch." 

"But-but that's not fair," stammered the man. "You said 

you wouldn't eat me." The tiger threw back its head and 

laughed. 

"Fair?" it growled. "Who said anything about fair?" It 

narrowed its amber eyes and stared at the man. 

"I'll tell you what. In return for letting me out of the cage, 

I'll let you choose three judges. You can ask them 

whether it's fair for me to eat you. If they say it's unfair, 

then I'll leave you alone. But if they think it's fair enough, 

you'll have to let me eat you up." 

"Very well," agreed the man nervously.

He looked around for someone to ask, but there was no 

one in sight. So he walked up to the nearest tree and 

cleared his throat. 

"A tiger was trapped and I set it free. Is it fair if it eats 

me?" he asked. The tree rustled its leaves. 

"Fair?" it whispered. "Is it fair that I offer men cool shade 

from the sun and, in return, they rip off my branches to 

feed to their cattle? Your fate is as fair as mine. What will 

be will be." The man gulped as the tiger sharpened its 

claws. He hurried on through the woods.

After a little way, he came across a buffalo turning a 

wheel at a well. 

"A tiger was trapped and I set it free. Is it fair if it eats 

me?" he asked. 

"Ha!" snorted the buffalo. "is it fair that all my life I've 

given people my milk to drink and now that I'm old they 

make me walk round and round all day in the hot sun? 

Your fate is as fair as mine. Face it like a man!" The 

tigers belly rumbled loudly.

In desperation, the man fell to his knees and asked the 

road. 

"A tiger was trapped in a cage and I set it free. Is it fair if 

it eats me?" 

"Fair?" rasped the road, a little dusty from lack of use. 

"Do you think its fair that I show men the right way to go 

and I get trampled all over for my trouble? Your fate is as 

fair as mine. There's no way around it." The tiger licked 

its lips in glee. 

"I think that just about settles it," it said. "Lie down here 

and prepare to be eaten."

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