Had It Been a Tiger…
“An unexpected moment of reflection in the heart of the forest, where a king’s hunt reveals deeper truths about nobility and nature.”
The king’s hunting party was out in the forest, divided into small groups and scattered throughout the area. The king was accompanied by a courtier as they traversed the woods together. Hours passed, and the king could not find a single animal to hunt. His frustration grew.
Suddenly, a deer appeared before him. He took aim and discharged his arrow, but it missed the target completely. “Wonderful,” commented the courtier, prompting a surge of annoyance in the king. His eyes narrowed, and he glared at the courtier, irritated by the remark.
The courtier, speaking almost to himself, mused, “How many hunters have the nobility to let a beast escape like this? Our king, of course, had to shoot because, having entered the forest, he must discharge an arrow or two. But would he care to kill a mere deer? Had it been a tiger, his arrow would have surely finished it!” At that moment, the expression on the king’s face transformed from irritation to one of unexpected happiness.