Once upon a time, a merchant was walking along the road when he came upon a ferocious-looking tiger trapped in an iron cage. As he passed by, the tiger called out to him, asking to be let out of the cage for a while so he could drink some water.
The man pitied the big cat, but was concerned for his own safety. Tigers, after all, eat humans. But the tiger begged so much that the man finally agreed to let him out for a little while.
No sooner had the merchant opened the door, however, than the tiger pinned him on the ground, ready to tear him to pieces. It was the man's turn to beg for mercy.
"You knew I was a tiger," said the tiger. "What did you expect? You are a fool and deserve to die."
Before eating him, however, the tiger asked if the merchant had any last request. To buy time, the man asked that they ask six judges if the tiger's actions were justified. Convinced that he would have his way, the tiger agreed to this request.
Thus, the merchant and the tiger walked until they came to a banyan tree. They explained their predicament to the tree and asked that she pass judgment. After giving it a little thought, the banyan tree ruled that the tiger should rip the man apart.
The tree explained that men often come to take shelter from the hot sun. However, when they had had enough rest, they would cut her pretty branches, and scatter her leaves on the ground.
After a little while, they met a camel.
On hearing the tale, the camel said, "When I was young and strong, and could do much work, my master took care of me and gave me good food. Now that I am old, and have lost all my strength in his service, he overloads me and starves me, and beats me without mercy. Let the tiger eat the man, for men are an unjust and cruel race."
A bullock followed by an eagle and an alligator were also asked to judge the case. The bullock was mad at how his master had mistreated him in his youth. The eagle was offended that men always tried to shoot her down with their arrows or steal her eggs. The alligator was not pleased at how men torment his kind.
All seemed lost for the merchant as not a single judge had ruled in his favour.
The sixth was a Jackal. After hearing the story, she said it would be impossible to decide who was in the right unless she knew exactly where the man and the tiger were when the events occurred.
So the three parties trooped back to the cage. When they got there, the tiger went back into the cave and the merchant stood on the roadside.
"Was the cage door open, or shut?" the jackal asked.
"Shut and bolted," said the merchant.
"Then shut, and bolt it," said the jackal.
When the merchant had done this, the jackal said, "You wicked and ungrateful tiger! When the good merchant opened your cage door, is to eat him the only return you would make? Stay there for the rest of your days, for no one will ever let you out again. Proceed on your journey, friend merchant. Your road lies that way, and mine this."
So saying, the Jackal ran off in one direction, and the Merchant went rejoicing on his way in the other.
