A tale of goat and tiger.

The story goes like this....
Once upon a time (since we don't know when, I can as well assume today),a tiger in his flight from hunters has lost his only son to the lake.
The cub woke  from his stupor and found a herd of goats yelling.
Cub thought he has reached his home land and joined the herd.
Thus, tiger has become a goat.
Let me pause for a while and ponder the role each player played:

• Firstly, tiger has left his most precious possession after his life (his son) in flight from hunters.
• Secondly, the cub didn't put in any effort to gaze at mirror or look at his own reflection in the lake in which he got up. He was enamoured by the noise outside and linked fun with joy.
• Thirdly,the goats even after looking at the obvious differences between themselves and the cub(yes goats gaze at themselves in the muddy waters in farms), they didn't raise a siren but just continued with their own yelping.

The farmer has come to take back his goats in the evening and he was shocked to find a cub in his herd.He took it with him without raising eyebrow. He just Ahem-ed a bit loudly and took the cub to goat pen.

Days went by and there are no cubs left in herd. All goats grazed grass, yelped in the fun parties and slept cuddled.

The cub is so busy being goat that he never thought of any forests or mountains. When his paws slashed the grass he was frightened that he was a defect and hid his paws from the community.

His throat pained when he yelped but he continued the practise as his friends do.

His stomach pained every night with hunger and his tongue was never satiated with grass.

But remembered the teaching of the eldest goat in the herd,"Look kid, this world is meant for suffering. The more you suffer here, the more you get there" pointing the sky," That's where we all end up."

Let me step out of story and chew the cud:

• The farmer played a major role by remaining stoic and looking at cub as goat.
• The cub listened to the eldest goat and never questioned the theory of suffering.
• The goats continue to yelp regardless of any changes in their pack. They are keeping the good work going. Kudos for that.

One fine day, (Why not today?), the tiger that took flight in the beginning of story happened to find his son in the herd. He came in front of herd and the goats didn't bother. Then the tiger roared in happiness and then goats cried as they are listening to a new music.The cub also cried and started to run.

But one goat,the eldest one was silent. He was transfixed at the tiger. The majestic face and ferocious roar had haunted him for years.Tiger gawked at the eldest goat.

"Hi mate, what are you doing here?"questioned the tiger.
" I am the eldest of this pack."

"But you are a tiger and not a goat."

"No I am a goat. You see I have been eating grass for last 8years and I should be goat."

"Did you find joy in that?"

The eldest goat laughed loudly and sadly," Joy? Happiness? My dear we are not meant to be happy in this world. The true world is up there in the sky.This is just a reflection."

"But then if you are not happy how can your reflection be? Similarly, if you are not happy in this reflection how can you be happy up there?"

There was a pause. But still the crying went on in the back.

The tiger left the eldest goat and went to his cub.

"Son I am your father, you are not this goat but king of those hills up there."

The cub hesitated for a moment and looked at the crying companions.

"This creature is illusion and not TRUE" yelled the eldest," Don't go with him.WE are born to suffer"

The cub looked at the serene and joyous face of tiger and heard the shouts of the eldest.

He took the plunge into the unknown for the pain was unbearable.

"Prove it." 

The tiger took him to the lake and pointed at the reflection.

Lo and behold! 

The cub found his true identity.

He looked at eldest and said," But you are also different,you are also tiger."

The eldest shivered and ran shouting,"Our goat was possessed by the devil. Run away from them."

All goats followed him crying,Run,run,run.

,,,,,

"Father can I show my paws?"

Definetly son. They are our assets.

"Father can I roar at top of my voice?"

Thats your birthright.

"Father can I stand alone?"

Thats your true pristine position.

,,,,,

A roar was heard by the goats at the darkest hour of village.

"Thats devil reckoning" feebly whispered the eldest goat.

In conclusion before I end this longish story,let me make some aspects clear.

• The goats aren't any less than tigers. They are fun-loving and ordinary people.They have done justice to their part in this story.
• The eldest goat( I cant call it tiger any more), is the most guiltiest. He not only settled for a life which is not his but spinned a theory of suffering.
• The cub is the hero as opportunity comes many times to realize their true identity but courage is required to face the mirror.

Now the tiger could be me, the hunters daily chores and cub my most cherished thoughts.Goats are the routine aberrations.

Else I could be the cub stuck in the pack of goats trying to find my true identity.

Else....there can be many interpretations and its left to the mind thro' which I am reading.

Dear 'tions that's all for now- go claim the tiger.

,,,,,,,,,,

"Ah! few more steps... I will reach the hill" panted the eldest goat-the tiger.