A poor Toungya farmer left his breakfast every morning in his hut in the Toungya, and a tiger came and stole it every day. The man in his anger set a trap of huge logs so arranged as to fall on any animal which touched the bait. The tiger was caught and badly crushed by the logs, but was still alive. When the man came in on hearing the roars, the tiger pleaded hard for his life. He admitted the daily theft, but urged that theft was not a capital crime, and that he had been so severely punished already by the fall of the trap that he ought in justice to be released from the trap.

The man refused, saying he feared the tiger would eat him if released. The tiger swore most solemnly never to attempt revenge, and was released.

As soon as he was out of the trap he seized the man, and was about to devour him. The man pleaded the sanctity of the oath just taken. The tiger told him necessity knew no law, and that, crippled as he was, he could no longer catch game for his daily food, but must eat the man or starve.

The hare happened to be passing, and the case was referred to him for decision. The hare, with a wise look, said, "I can't understand this matter clearly. Now, you both act out just what each did". The man told where he hid his breakfast everyday, and showed how he set the trap. The hare said he could not understand the trap, and made the man set it to show how it was done. The tiger was then ordered to show what he did, and accordingly entered the trap, but walked round gingerly, carefully avoiding the spring of the trap.

"I don't see that anything happened to you that you can justly complain of," said the hare. "How could you have received these terrible bruises?" The tiger edged nearer and nearer, till at last he touched the spring, and trap fell again. "Out dah and attack him," said the hare, "and never again restore an advantage to an enemy too strong for you."

 

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