Some Versions Of The Tale Of Vyaghramari
By Harivallabh Chunilal Bhayani
Summary
Basic Plot Summary: A quarrelsome woman, leaving her husband with her two sons, enters a forest. They encounter a tiger. The woman, pretending to be fearless, scolds her children loudly: “Stop fighting over the tiger! You can share this one and we’ll find another soon.” The tiger, thinking she is the legendary tiger-killer, runs away in fear. A jackal later persuades the tiger that she is just a human. The tiger returns, this time with the jackal tied to him, to confront her. Seeing them, the woman shouts at the jackal: “You rogue! You promised three tigers, but brought only one!” Again, the tiger runs away in terror. Regional and Literary Versions: Kashmiri Folk Tale Version: The woman pretends to be a tiger-killer to save her husband, who had promised a cow to a tiger. When the tiger returns, he ties his tail to a jackal's. The frightened tiger flees again, dragging the jackal to its death. Rajasthan-Gujarat Version: Includes three animals (lion, hyena, and monkey), each fooled in turn. Buddhist Version (in Bhikṣuṇī-vinaya): A lion meets a mother with a child. She slaps the crying child and says: “You already ate one lion, now you want this one too?” The lion flees. A monkey questions him, then drags the lion back by the mane. The woman again scolds the child, saying: “Here comes your uncle with the lion. Now eat him.” Convinced of a conspiracy, the lion flees again. Themes & Interpretation: The story showcases: Female cleverness and boldness The power of speech and perception. A humorous inversion of predator-prey roles It blends elements of oral folklore and didactic Buddhist literature. The author suggests a comparative study of Prakrit, Sanskrit, and modern Indian versions is needed to fully trace the tale's evolution and variations.
Conclusion
The tale highlights female ingenuity and verbal dexterity, where a woman outsmarts powerful predators through her wit and boldness. The humorous inversion of roles between predator and prey reflects deep cultural narratives, underscoring the power of speech and perception. This story, which exists in various regional and literary versions, serves as a playful commentary on human adaptability, deception, and the subversion of power.