The mother demands justice from the local judge, who initially tries to dismiss her pleas but eventually agrees to have the tiger captured and brought to trial. After failed attempts, a drunkard named Li Neng encounters the tiger and convinces it to surrender itself. At the trial, the judge spares the tiger’s life on the condition that it provides for the widow, which it dutifully does by bringing her gifts of food and money.
The tiger takes on the role of the widow’s adopted son until her eventual passing, after which it disappears. The story concludes with speculation about the tiger’s fate, with some believing it died of grief and others suggesting it was rewarded in the afterlife for its virtuous deeds.
Key Episode Takeaways
- The power of a mother’s love and grief can compel extraordinary actions.
- Justice and the rule of law can sometimes be served through unconventional means.
- Redemption and virtue can manifest in unexpected forms, even from seemingly dangerous or monstrous entities.
- Acts of kindness and selflessness can transcend boundaries and forge unlikely bonds.
- Folklore and storytelling often convey moral lessons and speculative interpretations of the human experience.
- The mystery and ambiguity surrounding the tiger’s ultimate fate leaves room for imagination and multiple interpretations.
- The story celebrates the virtues of filial piety, loyalty, and compassion.
- The tale highlights the enduring bond between a parent and child, even when that bond is tested or transformed.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “My poor son, she muttered. Something has happened to him.” by Widow Tang
― This quote highlights the widow’s initial concern for her missing son and foreshadows the tragic revelation that he was killed by a tiger. - “If you can promise to take the place of this widow’s son and support the woman in her old age, I am quite willing to spare you from a disgraceful death. What say you? Will you accept my offer?” by The Judge
― This quote from the judge presents the unconventional solution of allowing the tiger to live if it agrees to provide for the widow, setting up the central premise of the story. - “Some who know this story say that he died of grief in a secret cave which he had long used as a hiding place. Others add, with a wise shrug of shoulders, that, like Shan Wang, he was taken to the western heaven, there to be rewarded for his deeds of virtue and to live as a fairy forever afterwards.” by Narrator
― This quote presents two contrasting interpretations of the tiger’s fate after the widow’s death, leaving its ultimate destiny ambiguous and open to the reader’s imagination.
Chapter Details
Chapter 1: The Woodcutter’s Tragic Loss
A young woodcutter named Tang and his elderly mother lived a poor but happy life. One day, Tang went to the mountain to cut wood as usual but never returned. His mother discovered he had been killed by a tiger. Distraught, she approached the city judge, demanding justice for her son’s death.
- The young woodcutter Tang was killed by a tiger while working in the mountains, leaving his elderly mother devastated.
- Distraught by her son’s death, the old widow approached the city judge, demanding the tiger be punished for killing her only son and provider.
1. “I have come into this hall today to beg your worship to see that the slayer of my son is punished. Surely the law says that none may shed blood without giving his own blood in payment.“ by Widow Tang
― This quote shows the old widow’s determination to seek justice for her son’s death, believing the tiger should be punished according to the law.
Chapter 2: The Judge’s Bizarre Ruling
Faced with the grieving widow’s demand for justice, the judge devised an unusual plan. He ordered a reluctant man named Li Neng to capture the tiger and bring it to trial. After a long pursuit, Li Neng found the tiger and convinced it to surrender peacefully. At the trial, the judge, rather than executing the tiger, struck a deal – the tiger would provide for the widow in exchange for its life.
- Instead of executing the tiger for killing the woodcutter, the judge struck an unusual deal, allowing the tiger to live if it agreed to provide for the grieving widow.
- The tiger, perhaps out of guilt or self-preservation, nodded in agreement to the judge’s offer, thereby avoiding death and taking the place of the widow’s deceased son.
1. “However, I am not a cruel judge. If you can promise to take the place of this widow’s son and support the woman in her old age, I am quite willing to spare you from a disgraceful death. What say you? Will you accept my offer?“ by The Judge
― This quote reveals the judge’s bizarre ruling, offering the tiger a chance to redeem itself by providing for the widow instead of facing execution.
Chapter 3: The Tiger’s Faithful Provision
True to its promise, the tiger began providing for the widow, bringing her gifts of food, cloth, and money. The widow, initially skeptical, came to appreciate the judge’s wisdom and embrace the tiger as a substitute for her lost son. The tiger’s desire for killing waned, and it grew attached to its foster mother, continuing to care for her until her eventual death.
- The tiger faithfully provided for the widow, bringing her food, cloth, and money, honoring the deal struck with the judge.
- Over time, the widow came to accept the tiger as a surrogate son, and the tiger grew attached to its foster mother, losing its violent nature.
1. “The tiger grew much attached to his foster mother and often purred contentedly outside her door, waiting for her to come and stroke his soft fur. He no longer had the old desire to kill.“ by Narrator
― This quote highlights the bond that developed between the tiger and the widow, with the tiger losing its killer instinct and becoming a gentle companion.
Chapter 4: The Tiger’s Enduring Legacy
After the widow’s eventual death, the tiger mourned her deeply, disappearing from the mountain. Some believed it died of grief, while others speculated it was rewarded for its virtuous actions. The story was immortalized on the widow’s tombstone, celebrating the unlikely bond between human and beast that defied expectations and brought solace to a grieving mother.
- After the widow’s death, the tiger mourned her deeply, disappearing from the mountain and leaving its fate uncertain.
- The story of the tiger’s unlikely bond with the widow was immortalized, depicting the redemptive power of compassion and the ability to find solace in unexpected places.
1. “Others add, with a wise shrug of shoulders, that, like Shan Wang, he was taken to the western heaven, there to be rewarded for his deeds of virtue and to live as a fairy forever afterwards.“ by Narrator
― This quote presents an alternative perspective, suggesting the tiger may have been rewarded in the afterlife for its virtuous actions in caring for the widow.
