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Once an old tiger
found a gold bangle by the side of a marshy pool. He was too old to
hunt so he thought he would use the bangle as a bait to catch a man.
Just then an old traveller was passing by on the opposite bank. The
tiger spotted him and decided to have him for his dinner.
The tiger called
the traveller and asked him to take the gold bangle as he had no use
for it. The traveller suspected that this may be a trick to get him.
"How can I
trust you?" asked the traveller.
The tiger replied,
"Don't you see I am old! My teeth are practically gone. My
claws are blunt, and I cannot use them. I am now a vegetarian and
have given up meat. Don't worry, come and take my gold bangle as a
gift."
The traveller said,
"When I get closer, my smell may change your mind."
"Don't be
silly, have no fear. I am now leading the life of an ascetic. You
are safe with me."
The traveller's
love for gold overcame his natural fear of the tiger.
"I think he is
telling the truth" the traveller said to himself. "I will
wade across the pool and get the gold bangle. He seems to be a nice
tiger."
As he started to
wade through the marshy pool he got stuck in the quick sand and
began to sink. The tiger shouted with a smile on his face,
"Wait there, I am coming to rescue you."
Finally the tiger
pounced upon the traveller and killed him.
That night the
tiger had the greatest feast of his life.
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