Lesson 2 The Tiger King

Lesson 2 THE TIGER KING (By-Kalki)
Introduction
As soon as the Tiger King was born, the chief astrologer predicted that his death would come from a tiger. He must be particularly careful with the hundredth tiger. At the age of twenty, the Maharaja started out on a tiger hunt. He was able to kill ninety-nine tigers. There remained just one more tiger to complete his tally. On the third birthday of his son, he bought a wooden tiger for him. While playing with that tiny little wooden tiger, one of the slivers pierced his right hand. Infection flared in his hand and he died soon after. In this way, the hundredth tiger took its final revenge upon the Tiger King.
Main points of the lesson The Tiger King is dead. Astrologers had foretold that one day the Tiger King would actually have to die. He would grow up to become the hero of heroes, champion of champions. But the child born under that star would one day have to meet his death. A great miracle took place. The ten-day-old Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur spoke very clearly.
He told them that all those who were born, would have to die one day. There was nothing new in that. There would be some sense if anyone could tell him the manner of his death. Everyone stood stunned. An infant born just ten days ago was talking in such a manner. The chief astrologer told the prince that he was born in the hour of the Bull. The Bull and the Tiger were enemies. Therefore, his death would come from the tiger. When he came of age at twenty, the State came into his hand. There were innumerable forests in the Pratibandapuram State. They had tigers in them. The Maharaja was overjoyed when he killed his first tiger. He sent for the state astrologer and showed him the dead beast. He told that the Maharaja must be very careful with the hundredth tiger. The king asked what if the hundredth tiger were also killed. The astrologer declared that he would tear up all his books on astrology and set fire to them. Then the king would have no trouble. The state banned tiger hunting by anyone except the Maharaja. Anyone dared to disobey; all his wealth and property would be confiscated. The king did face some problems. Once a high ranking British officer wished to hunt tigers in Pratibandapuram. But he was refused permission. He could hunt other animals except tigers. The Maharaja stood in danger of losing his kingdom itself. He managed to retain his kingdom by offering a bribe of 50 gold rings worth three lakh of rupees to his wife. The Maharaja's tiger hunts continued to be highly PREPARED BY SAMUDRA GODARA (NLU)
successful. He was able to kill seventy tigers within ten years. The king's mission of killing tigers came to a halt. The tiger population became extinct in the forests of Pratibandapuram. The king decided to marry in the royal family of a state with a large tiger population. The dewan found out the right girl. Maharaja Jung Jung Bahadur killed five or six tigers each time he visited his father-in-law. In this way, he was able to kill 99 tigers. There remained just one tiger to reach his tally of a hundred. If he could kill just one more tiger, the Maharaja would have no fears left. He could give up tiger hunting altogether. He had to be very careful with that last tiger. But the hundredth tiger was found nowhere. The Maharaja became very sad. The dewan realized that if the Maharaja didn't find the tiger soon, the results could be quite dangerous. A tiger was brought from the People's Park in Madras. It was brought straight to the forest where the Maharaja was hunting. The Maharaja took a careful aim and the tiger fell in a heap. The Maharaja became elated at killing the hundredth tiger. After he left, the hunters had a closer look at the tiger. The tiger was not dead. The Maharaja had missed the aim. They decided that the Maharaja must not know that he had missed the target. So one of the hunters killed the tiger. A few days later the Maharaja's son's third birthday was celebrated. The Maharaja bought a wooden tiger from a shop as a special gift on his birthday. On that day father and son played with the wooden toy-tiger. Its surface was rough. One of those needle-like slivers pierced the Maharaja's right hand. The next day, infection flared up in his hand. In four days it developed into a suppurating sore. Three surgeons performed an operation. "The operation was successful". The Maharaja was dead. In this manner the hundredth tiger took its final revenge upon the Tiger King.
Important Questions and Answers
(1) Who is the Tiger King? Why does he get the name? Ans The Tiger King is the king of Pratibandapuram. At the time of his birth, royal astrologers predict his death caused by a tiger. On growing up, he hunts ninety tigers. For killing many tigers, he gets the name Tiger King. (2) What did the royal infant grow up to be? Ans The royal infant grew taller and stronger day by day. The boy drank the milk of an English cow. He grew up to become the warrior of warriors, hero of heroes, and champion of champions. At the age of twenty the state came into his hands and he became the King. He was a brave and courageous king who was not afraid of fighting tigers. PREPARED BY SAMUDRA GODARA (NLU)
(3) What did the Maharaja do to find the required number of tigers to kill? Ans The Maharaja hunted all the tigers found within his state territory. He killed 70 tigers within ten years. But tiger population in his kingdom became extinct. He wanted to marry in the royal family of a state with a large tiger population. The dewan found the right girl. In this way, he was able to kill 99 tigers. (4) How did the Maharaja prepare himself for the hundredth tiger which was supposed to decide his faith? Ans When the Maharaja received the news of the hundredth tigers presence, he set out to hunt it. That tiger had been brought from the peoples park in Madras. He remained very careful with that tiger. He refused to leave the forest till that tiger was found. He ordered his dewan to find out the hundredth tiger at any rate. (5) What did now happen to the astrologer? Do you think the prophecy was indisputably disproved? Ans Having killed the last tiger, the Maharaja would naturally desire to call the astrologer and make fun of his prophecy. But by then the astrologer was already dead. No, I think the prophecy was indisputably disproved. The Maharaja killed 99 tigers. But he was not able to kill the hundredth tiger. At last toy tiger became the cause of his life.
PREPARED BY SAMUDRA GODARA (NLU)

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Lesson 2 THE TIGER KING (By-Kalki)

Important Questions and Answers

PREPARED BY SAMUDRA GODARA (NLU)

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