Mouse Deer and Tiger

One upon a t im e , the re was a m ouse dee r liv ing in a fo res t.

A l t h o u g h h e w a s small, he wasn‟t afraid of the other bigger animals who wanted to eat
him. He wass o s m a r t ; h e a l w a y s m a n a g e d t o d i t c h t h e m . O n e d a y , a t i g e r
w a s w a n d e r i n g around for food. He hadn't been eating for days. He was really
hungry. While hewas walking in the forest, he saw Mouse Deer. The tiger wanted to eat
him.
Tiger slowly ducked, crawled, approaching Mouse Deer, then..."Gotcha!" said Tiger.
He caught Mouse Deer. “Hello, Mouse Deer! I‟m really hungry right now. You‟ll be my lunch
!” said Tiger. Mouse Deer didn‟t want to be his lunch. He triedto be calm. He looked around
and saw some buffalo‟s dung. He had an idea. “I‟m s o r r y , T i g e r . I c a n ‟ t b e y o u r
l u n c h n o w . T h e K i n g h a s o r d e r e d m e t o g u a r d h i s cake,” said Mouse Deer
calmly. “His cake?” said Tiger curiously. “Yes, there it is.It‟s very delicious. The King doesn‟t
want anyone else to eat it, so he ordered meto guard it,” Mouse Deer pointed the buffalo‟s
dung. “Can I taste it ?” Tiger asked.“Of course you can‟t. The King would be very
angry,” said Mouse Deer refused.“Just one little bite, Mouse Deer! The King will
never know,” said Tiger. “Well,o k a y , T i g e r . B u t f i r s t l e t m e r u n f a r a w a y ,
s o t h e K i n g w o n ‟ t b l a m e m e , ” s a i d Mouse Deer. “All right, Mouse deer. You can
go now.” Mouse Deer ran quickly outof sight. Tiger then took a big mouthful of the
„cake‟. “Phoooey! ” He spit it out.“Yuck, that‟s not cake. That‟s buffalo‟s dung.”

Tiger ran through the forest. He caught up with Mouse Deer. “Mouse Deer, you
tricked me. But now you will be my lunch.” Mouse Deer looked around and saw aw a s p
nes t in a tree . “I‟m so rry, Tiger. I c an‟t be yo ur lunch no w. The K ing
h a s ordered me to guard his drum,” said Mouse Deer calmly. “His drum?” said
Tigercuriously. “Yes, there it is. It has the best sound in the world. The King
doesn‟tw a n t a n y o n e e l s e t o h i t i t , ” M o u s e D e e r p o i n t e d t h e w a s p n e s t .
“ C a n I h i t t h e King‟s drum?” Tiger asked. “Of course you can‟t. The King would be very
angry,”s a i d M o u s e D e e r r e f u s e d . “ J u s t o n e l i t t l e h i t , M o u s e D e e r ! T h e
K i n g w i l l n e v e r know,” said Tiger. ”Well, all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so
the Kingw o n ‟ t b l a m e m e , ” s a i d M o u s e D e e r . “ A l l r i g h t , M o u s e D e e r . Y o u
c a n g o n o w . ” Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight. Tiger then reached up and hit the wasp
nest. Bzzzzzzz…! “Ouch…ouch! That‟s not a drum. That a wasp nests!”

Tiger ran away. But the wasps keep following him. He came to the river. He jumped i
n and stayed underwater as long as he could. At last the wasps wentaway. Then he
jumped out. He ran through the forest till he found Mouse Deer.“Mouse Deer,
you tricked me again. But now you will be my lunch.” Mouse Deerlooked around
and saw a cobra. The snake was coiled asleep on the ground. “I‟m s o r r y , T i g e r . I c a n ‟ t
b e y o u r l u n c h n o w . T h e K i n g h a s o r d e r e d m e t o g u a r d h i s belt,” said
Mouse Deer calmly. “His belt?” said Tiger curiously. “Yes. There it is. I t ‟ s t h e
bes t be lt in the wor ld . The K ing does n‟ t wan t an yo ne e lse to wea r
i t , ” Mouse Deer pointed the cobra. “Can I wear it?” Tiger asked. “Of course you
can‟t. The King would be very angry,” said Mouse Deer refused. “Just for one moment,
Mouse Deer ! The King will never know,” said Tiger. ”Well, all right, Tiger. But firstlet me
run far away, so the King won‟t blame me,” said Mouse Deer. “All right,Mouse
Deer. You can go now.” Mouse Deer ran quickly out of sight. Tiger thent o o k t h e
snake and s ta rte d to wa rp it a round h im se lf . The cob ra woke up .
I t squee zed Tige r and b it h im . SSsssss t t! “ Oouch! O w! O oo w! Tha t ‟s no t
a b e l t ! That‟s a cobra! Help! Mouse Deer! Help!” But Mouse Deer was already far away.
He laughed aloud. Mouse Deer was safe from Tiger now.