Folklore From Brunei: How The Mousedeer Tricked The Tiger

JAF. HUMANIORA.- One day a tiger was hunting in the jungle. He was very hungry. In fact, he was so hungry that he spoke aloud.

“I’d like to eat a nice juicy mousedeer.” He said. “Or a fat snake.” Continue Spoken.

Now, it happened that a mousedeer  and his friend the elephant were nearby. They heard what teh tiger said and decided to hide from him. Just then, the tiger fell in to a trap.

“help!. Help!. Help.” He roared. “Some body help me!!.” More spoke aloud.

“Let’s help the poor fellow.” Said the mousedeer.

“Do you think we should ?.” Asked the elephant. After all, we’ve just heard whats to eat for dinner.”

“Oh, come on.” Said the kindhearted mousedeer. Just then a snake glided out of the bushes.

“What’s up?.” He asked.

“It’s the tiger.” The mousedeer explained. “He’s fallen into a trap, and I think we should help him out.” Spoke Mousedeer. And so they did. The snake hung  from the elephnat’s trunk like a rope, and with the mousedeer giving directions, they pulled the tiger out of the trap.

“Thank you, kind friends. It was very hot in that trap, and now I’m thirsty and soooo hungry.” Said the Tiger. And with those words the ungrateful tiger ate the snake and ran off into the jungle. Now, the snake had been a good friend to the elephant, and the elephant was very angry. He and the mousedeer decided  to teach the tiger a lesson.

First they covered the trap with branches and leaves. Then the elephant set off to find the tiger. The mousedeer told the elephant what to tell the tiger: “Tell him that I died of right and that if he wants a free meal, he can come and eat me.” Said mousedeer. Soon the elephant found the tiger. “Hello, friend tiger.” He said. “What you just did wasn’s a very nice thing. Friends don’t eat each other.”

“It’s every man for himself.” Said the tiger. That’s she the law of the jungle.”

“Wll, I hope you’re happy.” The elephant replied. “Anyway, you gave the mousedeer such a fright that he dropped dead.”

“Oh, really?.” Said the tiger. “Then this is my lucky day. Two meals! Can you show me where he is?.” Tiger spoken.

“Oh, course.” Said the elephant. And he led the tiger back through the jungle. Suddenly they saw the mousedeer. He was hanging upside-down from a tree branch. “How did he get up there?.” Asked the suprised tiger.

“Oh, he leap into the tree when you roared.” Said the elephant.

“How am I supposed to get him?.” Said the tiger.

“How should I know?.” Said the elephant. “Jump, I suppose.”

The tiger crouched. Then with a roar he jumped at the mousedeer. But he was too late. Just as tiger jumped, the mousedeer moved away, and the tiger fellroaring into the trap. “Let me out.” He screamed. “Is this any way to treat a friend?.”

“Well, you should know.” Said the mousedeer, and he and the elephant walked into the jungle laughing.

Rewrite: Tim Apero Fublic.
Editor. Selita, S.Pd.
Tatagambar. Dadang Saputra.
Palembang, 4 September 2021.
Sumber: Irene-Anne Monteiro. More Favourite Stories From Borneo. Rosda Jayaputra: Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1986. (H. 1-2).

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