A Tiger which had been caught in a trap, seeing a man, begged to be
released. The man said to the Tiger: "If I let you out of the trap
will you promise not to attack me?" "Certainly," said the Tiger, and
the man therefore let the Tiger go; but the moment the Tiger was loose
it sprang upon the man and caught him. At this the man begged the
Tiger to wait until he had inquired how the law stood with reference to
their contract, and the Tiger agreed to do so. The man and the Tiger
therefore set out together; and on coming to a Road the man said: "O
Road, Road, is it lawful to requite evil for good, or good for good
only?" The Road replied: "I do good to mankind, but they requite me
with evil, defiling my surface as they go." Then they came to a Tree,
of which the man asked the same question. The Tree replied: "I do good
to mankind, but they requite me with evil, lopping off my branches and
cutting me down." At last they came to the Mouse-deer and the man made
the same inquiry as before. The Mouse-deer replied: "I must really go
into the question thoroughly before I answer it; let us go back
together to the trap." On reaching the trap, he requested the Tiger to
"Step inside," and the Tiger entering the trap, the Mouse-deer let down
the door of the trap, and exclaimed, "Accursed Brute, you have returned
evil for good and now you shall die for it." He then called in the
neighbours and had the Tiger killed.