There lived in a forest a ferocious tiger who found pleasure in killing animals, even when he was not hungry. Every bird and beast used to avoid him.
Once the tiger killed an animal, and while eating it, a small bone stuck to his throat. This gave tremendous pain to him. He crying requested each and every bird and beast in the forest to take out the bone, and announced a reward for the job, as will be desired by the rescuer. But no one dared to come forward to help him, because they knew that the tiger was not at all dependable. As soon as the bone was taken out, he would kill his helper.
Seeing the deplorable condition of the tiger, at last a kind crane came near him and said, “See, your reputation is bad. No one believes you. If you promise me a reward and also that you would not kill me as soon as I take out the bone, I am ready to help you.”
The tiger said, “How can I kill a benevolent friend who would bring me relief from this pain? I promise not to kill you, and also promise to reward you according to your wish.”
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At this, the crane inserted his long neck into the tiger’s mouth and with his sharp beak, he soon uprooted the bone. Then he asked the tiger to suitably reward him according to his promise.
The tiger replied, “You foolish crane, how do you dare to ask reward from a tiger? By the good luck of your forefathers, you’ve been able to save your life from me, or I would have eaten up, your head when it was inserted inside my broad mouth. And that is your great reward.”