The Nodding Tiger
(based on a Chinese folktale)
The old widow had as many wrinkles as the tiger had stripes. The old widow's son was as kind as the tiger was fierce. The old widow and her son were as happy as the tiger was aloof.
The tiger lived in the woods and nodded to himself all day long. Yes, life is good, the tiger nodded. Yes, it is good to be tiger.
One day, the son went into the woods to cut firewood as usual, but he didn't return. Yes, the tiger nodded, he was tasty.
The old widow wept, and tore her hair, and was as sad as she was poor, and madder. Her neighbor's despaired for her.
She set out for the city the next day, hobbling on her cane. Everyone pointed and said, "What a poor old soul with no one to help her!" but no one helped her.
She wasn't allowed into the courthouse so she sat down on the steps and set up a ruckus. She wailed, she wept, she smacked passers-by with her cane. Eventually, a bespectacled bureaucrat let her come inside.
"Arrest the tiger!" The old widow got right to the point. "The tiger ate my son. I demand justice!"
