Once a Tiger had been locked in a strong house by a human.
The tiger tried to push against the wall and the door of the house, but it was successful. The tiger was sitting morosely in the house hearing the rushing stream of water, just out of the place.
Some time later, the tiger was very hungry too when it heard the sound of an animal outside the house. It peered from the window and saw a beautiful deer which had come to the place to drink water from the stream.
“Sister Deer!” The tiger pleaded. “Please open the door.”
The Deer was startled on hearing the words from a tiger and nearly ran away from there.
“Please do not run away.” The tiger said immediately. “I was put here by a human. I need to get out, so that I do not starve and die in here.”
The deer studied the strong door and the tiger. A second later, the deer shook her head. “No Tiger! I shall not let you out. You may eat me, if I let you out.”
The Tiger shook his head in a sagely manner. “If you let me out you, I will be indebted to you. How can I eat you in good faith?”
The deer was unconvinced.
But the Tiger talked some more and finally the deer was convinced.
It opened the door of the house.
The tiger came out and in hunger, it pounced on the deer.
“I am going to eat you!”
The Deer looked around for help and found no one else. “You… said… you… would… not hurt me…” The animal bleated sadly at the Tiger.
The Tiger roared. “When one is hungry, who cares about good faith?”
The Deer was desperate and it realized that its end was near. “Will the others also believe the same?” The Deer asked suddenly.
The Tiger moved back in slight shock hearing the Deer’s words.
Which was when the Deer nodded earnestly. “If we find three others who also do not believe in Good Faith, then you can eat me.”
The Tiger stared and looked at the house where it had been help captive and it remembered the human who had locked it in. “Agreed.” The Tiger agreed arrogantly. The Tiger was sure that no one was going to accept the Deer’s theory.
It went exactly like that.
They first went to a tree.
“Brother Tree, the Tiger and me have come to you to seek an opinion.” The Deer sounded timid.
The tree had been gently swaying its branches in the wind and turned to the two animals. “What opinion?”
“This Tiger had been locked in a house…” The Deer told the Tree everything.
Finally, the Deer looked at the Tree. “Now, after hearing my story do you think Good Faith exists?”
The Tree firmly shook its head. “I feel sad for you Sister Deer.” But the Tree suddenly looked sullen. “In my entire experience, I have found that good faith does not exist. Look at me. I help everyone, including humans. Do any of them even think of thanking me for what I do? They even break off my tender branches to use it.” The Tree sighed eyeing the Deer. “No Sister Deer, good faith does not exist.”
The Tiger looked proud, but said nothing.
Both the animals saw many cattle grazing the field and found a buffalo all alone.
The Deer repeated its problems to the Buffalo. “Do you think Good Faith exists, Aunt Buffalo?”
The aged buffalo shook her head. “From my experience, I find that such a thing does not exist.”
The Deer paled as the buffalo continued. “Look! When I had a calf, I let the younger calf eat the juicy grass and ate old grass. After the calf has grown up, do you think, the calf is grateful to me for what I have done? No. Neither are humans any better.” So the buffalo shook her head. “I am sure that Good faith does not exist.
Sadly, the Deer was trying to accept the fact that it was going to be eaten. It realized that the opinion of the third person was going to doom it.
Which was when, they met a Hare.
The Deer told the Hare how it had found the Tiger and was about to ask its question.
But the Hare seemed confused.
“You found the Tiger in a house?” The Hare looked at the Tiger.
“Yes.” The Tiger growled angrily.
“How can a Tiger be found inside a house?” The Hare’s question came up immediately.
The Deer started explaining again. “I was going to a stream to drink water…”
“Take me to the place.” The Hare told the two impatient animals. “Then I can understand better.”
Grumbling, the Tiger led the Hare to the House near the stream. The Deer reluctantly followed the two animals.
“Was the Deer inside the house?” The Hare asked looking at the place.
The Tiger growled. “NO! I was inside the house.”
The animal walked inside the house. “Like this.”
“Was the door bolted from outside?” The Hare asked looking at the door.
“Yes!” The Tiger snarled.
“Like this?” The Hare asked bolting the door shut.
The foolish Tiger realized it a second later and uselessly threw itself on the bolted door.
“Go your way, Sister Deer.” The Hare told the Deer.
The Deer and Hare left the roaring Tiger in the house and both went their way.
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