Tiger, encountering Ram for the first time, is terrified by his gruff demeanor and retreats. Jackal mocks Tiger’s cowardice and convinces him to confront Ram together. However, Ram cleverly outwits them by pretending to see Tiger as prey for his “hungry child.” Terrified, Tiger flees, dragging Jackal along. The pair return home battered and humiliated, while Ram escapes unharmed.
Source
South-African Folk Tales
by James A. Honey, M.D.
New York,1910
► Themes of the story
Trickster: The Jackal embodies the trickster archetype, attempting to deceive the Ram and manipulate the Tiger for his own benefit.
Moral Lessons: The tale imparts a lesson about the consequences of underestimating others and the potential downfall of deceitful behavior.
Conflict with Nature: The interactions between the animals highlight the challenges and confrontations that arise within the natural world.
► From the same Region or People
Tiger (leopard) was returning home from hunting on one occasion, when he lighted on the kraal of Ram. Now, Tiger had never seen Ram before, and approaching submissively, he said, “Good day, friend! What may your name be?”
The other in his gruff voice, and striking his breast with his forefoot, said, “I am Ram. Who are you?”
“Tiger,” answered the other, more dead than alive, and then, taking leave of Ram, he ran home as fast as he could.
► Continue reading…
Jackal lived at the same place as Tiger did, and the latter going to him, said, “Friend Jackal, I am quite out of breath, and am half dead with fright, for I have just seen a terrible looking fellow, with a large and thick head, and on my asking him what his name was, he answered, ‘I am Ram.'”
“What a foolish fellow you are,” cried Jackal, “to let such a nice piece of flesh stand! Why did you do so? But we shall go to-morrow and eat it together.”
Next day the two set off for the kraal of Ram, and as they appeared over a hill, Ram, who had turned out to look about him, and was calculating where he should that day crop a tender salad, saw them, and he immediately went to his wife and said, “I fear this is our last day, for Jackal and Tiger are both coming against us. What shall we do?”
“Don’t be afraid,” said the wife, “but take up the child in your arms, go out with it, and pinch it to make it cry as if it were hungry.” Ram did so as the confederates came on.
No sooner did Tiger cast his eyes on Ram than fear again took possession of him, and he wished to turn back. Jackal had provided against this, and made Tiger fast to himself with a leathern thong, and said, “Come on,” when Ram cried in a loud voice, and pinching his child at the same time, “You have done well, Friend Jackal, to have brought us Tiger to eat, for you hear how my child is crying for food.” On these dreadful words Tiger, notwithstanding the entreaties of Jackal to let him go, to let him loose, set off in the greatest alarm, dragged Jackal after him over hill and valley, through bushes and over rocks, and never stopped to look behind him till he brought back himself and half-dead Jackal to his place again. And so Ram escaped.
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Dreamtime Whispers 