To See a Tiger
by Ruskin Bond is a short story covered under jungle stories section. Ruskin as
a young boy wants to see the real tiger in a forest – in its natural habitat.
Mr. Kishor drives him to a forest house and says that he will pick him after
two days. In that forest house, an army corporal takes care of his luggage and
room. For tea and meals, there is Bhag Singh – he is the servant in that house.
They all know as why young Bond has come to the house.
In the evening,
Bhag Singh informs him about a river that passes through the jungle and it is
hardly fifty-meters away from the house. At night many animals come to drink
water there and in the moonlight it is possible to see wild cats there from the
verandah. As the night approaches, Ruskin sits in the verandah with a fire
hearth around him. He keeps staring and staring but gets no view of the wild
animals. Instead, he hears weird cracking of frogs, it seemed as thousands of
frogs have gathered to celebrate something. The noise perturbs him. He feels
bad about his luck.
Next night
Bhag Singh sits with him, and from time to time he gives him tea so that he
remains awake for the animal watching. They see no wild animals there. Next
night Bhag Singh’s son sits with him and serves him tea from time to time.
Three nights wasted – no sight of animals – especially of tiger or lion.
Next day Mr.
Kishor comes to pick him up. While driving through the jungle, all of sudden
Mr. Kishor stops the jeep with a jolt and there in front of their eyes stands a
tiger in the middle of the road. It was crossing the path. Ruskin bemuses on
his luck, he waited for this sight for three nights but now he is seeing it in
the broad daylight.
Even in the
jungle stories, Ruskin never stops to surprise his readers with unexpected
endings. Simple but purely engaging story…recommended for kids.
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