English for kids: The tiger in the trap
Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in the forest with some wild animals.
One day, the man found a tiger that was caught in a trap. The tiger called, "Hello, please help me get out of this trap."
The man said, "Oh, no! I can't do that. If I let you out of the trap you will eat me."
"No, I won't eat you. Just help me get out of this trap, please," said the tiger.
The tiger begged the man to help him. After a while, the man opened the cage.
Immediately, the tiger grabbed the man and said, "You are a foolish man. I am so hungry. Now I will eat you."
"But I have been so good to you!" said the man. "I helped you get out of the trap."
And the tiger said, "So what? People are always hunting me. I am going to eat you."
Then the man said, "That is not fair. Let's ask some others in the forest if they think this is fair."
The tiger said, "All right. You can ask for advice three times. I am sure they will agree with me. So hurry up. I am very hungry!"
First, the man stopped at a big tree. He said, "Tree, Tree, tell me what you think. I helped the tiger to get out of the trap. Now the tiger wants to eat me. Do you think that's fair?"
The tree said, "I give shade and shelter to everyone. Then they just take my branches for firewood. I think the tiger should eat you."
The man met a buffalo next. He said to the buffalo, "Buffalo, Buffalo, give me advice. I helped a tiger get out of a trap. Now the tiger wants to eat me. Do you think that's fair?"
The buffalo said, "When I gave milk, the people fed me well. I have no more milk. So now the people don't feed me anymore. I think the tiger should eat you."
The man then met a jackal. He said to the jackal, "Jackal, Jackal, I need to ask something.
I helped a tiger get out of a trap. Now the tiger wants to eat me. Do you think that's fair?"
The jackal said, "Take me to this tiger." The jackal asked the tiger, "Who was in the trap? The man?"
"No," said the tiger. "I was in the trap."
"How did you get into the trap?" asked the jackal.
"Like this!" said the tiger, and the tiger jumped back into the trap.
"Okay, I think you should stay there," said the jackal, quickly slamming the door of the cage shut.
The man thanked the jackal and they both went their separate ways. The tiger was stuck in the trap again.
Questions
Where did the man live?
What kind of animal was trapped in a cage?
Did the man let the tiger out?
Do you think the man did the right thing?
Why did the tiger want to eat the man?
Who did the man ask for advice first?
What advice did the tree and the buffalo give the man?
What did the jackal do?
What would you do if you found a dangerous animal trapped in a cage?
Have you ever seen a wild animal in the forest?