The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal
Reading this Indian fairytale reminded me of the many other short stories that I have read where the cunning animal defeats the powerful adversary ( Hare and tortoise for example). My immediate imagery from reading this short story was similar to that of The Jungle Book. The collection of animals such as the tiger, monkey, buffalo, and jackal created an image of a hot, Indian jungle. Additionally, the author uses specific examples such as "pipal-tree" to help conjure this image. In regard to the characters, the Brahman was an easy figure to support in the story. My research of a Brahman revealed that they are normally priests or teachers of the Indian caste system which helps explain why the tiger labels the Brahman as being "pious". It is clear that the Brahman's greatest strengths are his virtue and integrity, but in the story, they prove to be his weakness initially. However, despite being held captive by the tiger, the Brahman is able to escape thanks to the work of the jackal. Perhaps, the short story is commenting on how good works (the Brahman freeing the trapped tiger) will eventually result in good rewards. My previous experience in Indian culture involved studying the concept of karma which would fit with this interpretation. In addition to the Brahman, the jackal plays a prominent role in the climax and conclusion of the story. Like with Brahman, my research of the jackal and its depiction in stories and folktales revealed to more of the significance of the animal. The jackal, similar to the coyote or fox, is often associated with being clever and witty. Thus, its depiction in this short story should be of no surprise. I certainly was wondering how the jackal would outwit the tiger at the end, but see his method of doing so as definitely plausible. The author's use of dialogue to depict the jackal's method of wittiness was effective. From the tiger trying to explain to the jackal to the jackal acting incompetent, the dialogue was the primary driving force in the progression of the plot. Repetition was seen in the jackal's response of "Yes, my lord!" which is a common literary effect in myths and folktales. Overall, this was a clever short story with a satisfying ending.
Reading this Indian fairytale reminded me of the many other short stories that I have read where the cunning animal defeats the powerful adversary ( Hare and tortoise for example). My immediate imagery from reading this short story was similar to that of The Jungle Book. The collection of animals such as the tiger, monkey, buffalo, and jackal created an image of a hot, Indian jungle. Additionally, the author uses specific examples such as "pipal-tree" to help conjure this image. In regard to the characters, the Brahman was an easy figure to support in the story. My research of a Brahman revealed that they are normally priests or teachers of the Indian caste system which helps explain why the tiger labels the Brahman as being "pious". It is clear that the Brahman's greatest strengths are his virtue and integrity, but in the story, they prove to be his weakness initially. However, despite being held captive by the tiger, the Brahman is able to escape thanks to the work of the jackal. Perhaps, the short story is commenting on how good works (the Brahman freeing the trapped tiger) will eventually result in good rewards. My previous experience in Indian culture involved studying the concept of karma which would fit with this interpretation. In addition to the Brahman, the jackal plays a prominent role in the climax and conclusion of the story. Like with Brahman, my research of the jackal and its depiction in stories and folktales revealed to more of the significance of the animal. The jackal, similar to the coyote or fox, is often associated with being clever and witty. Thus, its depiction in this short story should be of no surprise. I certainly was wondering how the jackal would outwit the tiger at the end, but see his method of doing so as definitely plausible. The author's use of dialogue to depict the jackal's method of wittiness was effective. From the tiger trying to explain to the jackal to the jackal acting incompetent, the dialogue was the primary driving force in the progression of the plot. Repetition was seen in the jackal's response of "Yes, my lord!" which is a common literary effect in myths and folktales. Overall, this was a clever short story with a satisfying ending.
Flickr: The Brahman asking the buffalo for advice
Bibliography: Story source: Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1912).
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