A Tiger Comes to Town-II
by R.K. Narayan
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In this second part, the tiger wakes after a good sleep in the Headmaster's room and stretches and roars, not to attack but simply because he feels alive, which frightens the Headmaster crouching in the attic even more. Outside, the Master insists on going into the room, unarmed and without protection, to bring the tiger out, saying, 'We have no time to waste.' The teachers and the Chairman of the 'Tiger Committee', an Honorary Magistrate, refuse to let him, calling it unlawful, like committing suicide. The Master argues that circus people handle tigers all the time and that it is only his own life he is risking. The Magistrate makes him sign an affidavit absolving everyone of responsibility. The Master, annoyed at being doubted, writes the affidavit in Sanskrit, the language of the scriptures, which he knows the Magistrate cannot read, thereby quietly mocking their limited knowledge: if they cannot even understand an ancient human language, how can they understand a tiger? He then unlocks the room and leads the tiger away, advising it, 'human beings, for all their bluster, are timid creatures, don't look at them.'
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The tiger wakes and the Headmaster trembles
The tiger awakes after a good stretch of sleep, sees the Headmaster cowering in the attic, and stretches and roars 'for no particular reason except that he felt alive'. He puts his forelegs on the wall, scratches it and growls softly, which only makes the Headmaster more nervous. The tiger actually wishes to assure the poor man that he will not hurt him.
The Master wants to go in unarmed
The Master, outside, says no one is going anywhere, they will see the tiger walk out with him, and asks someone to take a ladder in to help the Headmaster down. When asked if he really means to go in without arms or protection, he replies, 'Yes, we have no time to waste.' The Chairman of the 'Tiger Committee', a second Honorary Magistrate, forbids him, saying it is unlawful to commit suicide.
The affidavit in Sanskrit
The Master argues that circus people approach tigers all the time and that it is his own life he is risking. Confused, the Chairman insists he first sign an affidavit absolving everyone of responsibility for his life or death. The Master writes the affidavit, but in Sanskrit, 'the language of the gods', which he knows the Magistrate cannot read. When the Chairman objects that it is in a language they do not know, the Master calmly reminds him that Sanskrit is one of the mother languages, quietly exposing how limited the officials' learning really is.
Leading the tiger away
Without further fuss the Master puts the key into the lock and opens the Headmaster's room. He tells the tiger, 'human beings, for all their bluster, are timid creatures. They are likely to panic when they see you. Don't look at them. That's the only way to maintain one's peace of mind.' The lesson again stresses that our fear of animals arises from our inability to understand them, and that even educated people's knowledge of animals is limited and often wrong.