A long time ago, a Cat and a Tiger lived together. But the Cat was not very happy because the Tiger made him do all kinds of work.
One cold winter night, the Tiger sent the Cat out of their warm cave. He asked the Cat to get a piece of lit charcoal to start a fire. Shivering and crying the Cat began looking for a piece of charcoal.
He saw smoke coming out of the chimney of a small hut. The hut looked warm
and
the Cat
was feeling very
cold. He jumped
in through the
window.
An old man was sitting by the fire. "Come and sit by the fire," he said kindly. The old man also gave the Cat a piece of cooked fish.
The Cat's stomach was full and he was warm and happy. He did not want to go back to the Tiger and the cold cave. "Please, may I stay here?" he begged. The old man asked, "Why should I let you stay? What can you do for me?"
Just then a mouse passed by. The Cat pounced upon it and killed it. This pleased the old man and he let the Cat stay in the house.
Meanwhile, in the forest, the Tiger shivered in his cold cave. Several days later, the Tiger saw the Cat. He looked fat and happy. The Tiger was angry and said, "I am going to eat you."
"Yes, you should eat me up for not coming back that night," The Cat said sadly. "But wouldn't it be better if you come with me to my new home? Then you too can be happy and healthy as I."
The Tiger agreed to follow the Cat. Cat took him to a hole where a family of porcupines lived. "You should go in first since you are my guest," the Cat told the Tiger.
Tiger went inside and got badly hurt. When he came out, howling in pain, the Cat was nowhere to be seen. The Tiger slowly made his way back to the cave. To this day, Cat and Tiger have been enemies.