A boy was gathering foods and medicines in the forest, some black shiny berries, some resin from a tree and some delicious mushrooms. It was a perfect happy day, the birds the sun and the sweet smell of flowers and greenery.

He bent to reach one more mushroom and was suddenly pushed face to the ground and pinned there. A large shadow surrounded him. He rolled over and looked up in shock as the deep voice of Tiger said, ``You are my supper. Say good-bye to this world. ``

Now cats big and small are very good at doing what cats do but otherwise are not so clever.

The boy instantly popped a mushroom into his mouth and chewed and swallowed. Then he said, ``Indeed you can kill and eat me. You are fearsome and powerful but I wish you to know that these mushrrooms are deadly poison so you can eat me but you too will soon die. My family will look for me and find you, open your belly and roast your meat. Your fine skin and head will carpet the floor of a rich man´s house and your tiger bones will fetch a good price in the medicine shops. My family will have enough money for a year or more and I will be given a good funeral and long remembered.``

The cat was confused and repelled by all this chatter. He saw the frightful mushrooms spilled from the basket and sat back with lost appetite, then slowly walked away.

Moral: If quick thinking and deception can save you so be it.

Copyright: Robin T. Day March 4, 2007