BARBER HÍM and the TIGERS
by Maive Stokes · from Indian Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Once, there was a poor man named Him. He had no money for food. He had a big family. They were all hungry.
Him walked far away. He went into a jungle at night. It was a tiger jungle.
He saw a big tiger. Him was not scared. He took his razor. He made it very sharp. He walked to the tiger.
"I am here for the King," said Him. "I must catch some tigers."
The tiger was very scared. "Oh no! Please don't!" said the tiger. "I will give you gold! I will give you shiny stones!"
"Good," said Him. The tiger showed him gold. It was a big pile. Him took them all. He went home.
Him gave the gold to his family. They bought food and nice clothes. They were happy. But then, Him needed more gold.
He went back to the tiger jungle. He found the same tiger.
"I am here for the King," said Him. "I must catch more tigers."
The tiger was very, very scared. "Please don't! I will give you more gold! More shiny stones!"
Him took the gold and shiny stones. He went home again.
A wise old man saw Him. "You are rich now," said the old man. "How?"
Him told him his secret. "Come with me," said Him. "We can listen to the tigers talk."
That night, they climbed a big tree. They hid in the leaves. All the tigers came. They sat under the tree.
The tiger who gave Him gold spoke. "A man comes to catch us," he said. "He works for the King. I give him gold. What do we do?"
The Tiger King was there. He was big and had one eye. "We will talk tomorrow," he said.
The tigers left. Him and the old man went home.
Next day, Him goes to the jungle alone. He found the tiger.
"This time," said Him, "I will make a loud noise!"
The tiger was the most scared. "No! Please! That will hurt our ears! I will give you more gold! So much gold!"
Him took all the gold. He had to make two trips.
That night, they hide in the tree again. The tigers came.
The Tiger King was angry. "If that man comes back," he roared, "I will eat him myself!"
The old man was so scared. He fell out of the tree! He landed near the tigers.
Him was quick. He shouted, "Now I will scare them!"
The tigers heard him. They were terrified! They ran away fast.
Him helped the old man up. The old man was okay. They went home.
Him was very clever. He got food for his family. They lived happily ever after. Him never went back to the tiger jungle.
Original Story
BARBER HÍM AND THE TIGERS
To notes O NCE there lived a barber called Hím, who was very
poor indeed. He had a wife and twelve children,
five boys and seven girls: now and then he got a
few pice. One day he went away from his home feeling very
cross, and left his wife and children to get on as best they
could. “What can I do?” said he. “I have not enough
money to buy food for my family, and they are crying for it.”
And so he walked on till he came to a jungle. It was night
when he got there. This jungle was called the “tigers’
jungle,” because only tigers lived in it; no birds, no insects,
no other animals, and there were four hundred tigers in it
altogether. As soon as Barber Hím reached the jungle he
saw a great tiger walking about. “What shall I do?” cried
he. “This tiger is sure to eat me.” And he took his razor
and his razor-strap, and began to sharpen his razor. Then
he went close up to the tiger, still sharpening his razor. The
tiger was much frightened. “What shall I do?” said the
tiger; “this man will certainly gash me.” “I have come,”
said the barber, “to catch twenty tigers by order of Mahárájá
Káns. You are one, and I want nineteen more.” The tiger,
greatly alarmed, answered, “If you won’t catch us, I will give
you as much gold and as many jewels as you can carry.”
For these tigers used to go out and carry off the men and
women from the villages, and some of these people had
rupees, and some had jewels, all of which the tigers used to [ Pg 36] collect together. “Good,” said Hím, “then I won’t catch
you.” The tiger led him to the spot where all the tigers
used to eat their dinners, and the barber took as much gold
and as many jewels as he could carry, and set off home
with them.
Then he built a house, and bought his children pretty
clothes and good food, and necklaces, and they all lived very
happily for some time. But at last he wanted more rupees,
so he set off to the tigers’ jungle. There he met the tiger as
he did before, and he told him the Mahárájá Káns had sent
him to catch twenty tigers. The tiger was terrified and said,
“If you will only not catch us, I will give you more gold
and jewels.” To this the barber agreed, and the tiger led
him to the old spot, and the barber took as many jewels and
rupees as he could carry. Then he returned home.
One day a very poor man, a fakír, said to him, “How did
you manage to become so rich? In old days you were so
poor you could hardly support your family.”
“I will tell you,” said Hím. And he told him all about
his visits to the tigers’ jungle. “But don’t you go there for
gold to-night,” continued the barber. “Let me go and listen
to the tigers talking. If you like, you can come with me.
Only you must not be frightened if the tigers roar.”
“I’ll not be frightened,” said the fakír.
So that evening at eight o’clock they went to the tigers’
jungle. There the barber and the fakír climbed into a tall
thick tree, and its leaves came all about them and sheltered
them as if they were in a house. The tigers used to hold
their councils under this tree. Very soon all the tigers in
the jungle assembled together under it, and their Rájá—a
great, huge beast, with only one eye—came too. “Brothers,”
said the tiger who had given the barber the rupees and
jewels, “a man has come here twice to catch twenty of us for
the Mahárájá Káns; now we are only four hundred in [ Pg 37] number, and if twenty of us were taken away we should be only
a small number, so I gave him each time as many rupees
and jewels as he could carry and he went away again. What
shall we do if he returns?” The tigers said they would meet
again on the morrow, and then they would settle the matter.
Then the tigers went off, and the barber and the fakír came
down from the tree. They took a quantity of rupees and
jewels and returned to their homes.
“To-morrow,” said they, “we will come again and hear
what the tigers say.”
The next day the barber went alone to the tigers’ jungle,
and there he met his tiger again. “This time,” said he, “I
am come to cut off the ears of all the four hundred tigers
who live in this jungle; for Mahárájá Káns wants them to
make into medicine.”
The tiger was greatly frightened, much more so than at the
other times. “Don’t cut off our ears; pray don’t,” said he,
“for then we could not hear, and it would hurt so horribly.
Go and cut off all the dogs’ ears instead, and I will give
you rupees and jewels as much as two men can carry.”
“Good,” said the barber, and he made two journeys with
the rupees and jewels from the jungle to the borders of his
village, and there he got a cooly to help him to carry them
to his house.
At night he and the fakír went again to the great tree under
which the tigers held their councils. Now the tiger who had
given the barber so many rupees and jewels had made ready
a great quantity of meat, fowls, chickens, geese, men the tigers
had killed—everything he had been able to get hold of—and
he made them into a heap under the tree, for he said that
after the tigers had settled the matter they would dine. Soon
the tigers arrived with their Rájá, and the barber’s tiger said,
“Brothers, what are we to do? This man came again to-day
to cut off all our ears to make medicine for Mahárájá Káns. [ Pg 38] I told him this would be a bad business for us, and that he
must go and cut off all the dogs’ ears instead; and I gave
him as much money and jewels as two men could carry.
So he went home. Now what shall we do? We must leave
this jungle, and where shall we go?” The other tigers said,
“We will not leave the jungle. If this man comes again we
will eat him up.” So they dined and went away, saying they
would meet again to-morrow.
After the tigers had gone, the barber and fakír came down
from the tree and went off to their homes, without taking
any rupees or jewels with them. They agreed to return the
next evening.
Next evening back they came and climbed into the great
tree. The tigers came too, and the barber’s tiger told his
story all over again. The tiger Rájá sat up and said, fiercely,
“We will not leave this jungle. Should the man come again,
I will eat him myself.” When the fakír heard this he was
so frightened that he tumbled down out of the tree into the
midst of the tigers. The barber instantly cried out with a
loud voice, “Now cut off their ears! cut off their ears!” and
the tigers, terrified, ran away as fast as they could. Then
the barber took the fakír home, but the poor man was so
much hurt by his fall that he died.
The barber lived happily ever after, but he took good care
never to go to the tigers’ jungle again.
Told by Dunkní.
[ Pg 39]
Story DNA
Moral
Cunning and a bold front can overcome even the most formidable adversaries, but excessive greed or fear can lead to misfortune.
Plot Summary
A desperately poor barber named Hím bluffs a tiger into giving him gold and jewels by pretending to be an agent sent by the Mahárájá to capture tigers. He repeats this trick, growing wealthy, and eventually shares his secret with a fakír. While hiding in a tree, they overhear the tigers' fearful discussions about Hím. When the fakír's fear causes him to fall from the tree, Hím's quick thinking scares the tigers away permanently, though the fakír dies from his injuries. Hím lives happily ever after, never returning to the jungle.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects a common trope in Indian folklore where wit and cleverness are valued, often allowing common people to outsmart powerful or dangerous entities. The mention of 'Mahárájá Káns' and specific currency (pice, rupees) grounds it in an Indian setting.
Plot Beats (14)
- Barber Hím, a poor man with a large family, is desperate for money.
- He wanders into a tiger-infested jungle at night.
- Encountering a tiger, Hím sharpens his razor and bluffs that he is there to catch twenty tigers for the Mahárájá.
- The terrified tiger offers Hím gold and jewels to spare them, which Hím accepts and takes home.
- Hím uses the wealth to improve his family's life, but eventually needs more money.
- He returns to the jungle, repeats the bluff, and gains more riches from the same tiger.
- A fakír asks Hím how he became rich, and Hím reveals his secret, inviting the fakír to observe the tigers with him.
- Hím and the fakír hide in a tree and overhear the tigers' council, where the tiger expresses fear of Hím and his demands.
- The next day, Hím returns alone and bluffs the tiger again, threatening to cut off all their ears for medicine, receiving even more wealth.
- Hím and the fakír return to the tree to listen to the tigers' council, where the tiger Rájá declares he will eat Hím if he returns.
- The fakír, overcome with fear, falls from the tree into the midst of the tigers.
- Hím, quick-witted, shouts, "Now cut off their ears!" causing the tigers to flee in terror.
- Hím takes the injured fakír home, but the fakír dies from his fall.
- Barber Hím lives happily ever after, never returning to the tigers' jungle.
Characters
Barber Hím ★ protagonist
Poor, but resourceful and cunning.
Attire: Simple, worn clothing befitting a poor barber, later richer attire due to his wealth.
Cunning, brave, opportunistic, quick-witted.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young man in his late teens with a determined expression and windswept chestnut hair. He wears a simple linen tunic, leather breeches, and worn travel boots. A leather satchel is slung across his torso, and he holds a sturdy wooden staff in one hand. He stands in a dynamic pose, one foot slightly forward as if ready to embark on a journey, looking off into the distance with hopeful eyes. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Tiger (Barber's Tiger) ◆ supporting
Large, powerful tiger, capable of speech and reasoning.
Fearful, gullible, generous (when coerced), easily intimidated.
Image Prompt & Upload
A majestic anthropomorphic tiger with vibrant orange fur and bold black stripes, standing upright on his hind legs. He wears a classic white barber's smock over his broad shoulders, a small pair of round spectacles perched on his nose. His expression is one of cheerful concentration as he carefully holds a shiny straight razor in one paw and a shaving brush in the other. His posture is confident and poised, as if about to perform a precise grooming task. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Mahárájá Káns ○ minor
A powerful ruler, though never seen directly.
Attire: Implied royal attire, though not explicitly described.
Authoritative, demanding (as perceived by Hím).
Image Prompt & Upload
A young Indian prince in his late teens with a regal yet stern expression, adorned in opulent royal attire. He wears a richly embroidered gold and crimson dhoti paired with a matching angavastram draped over one shoulder. Intricate jewelry includes a layered pearl necklace, jeweled armlets, and a majestic crown with emeralds and rubies. His dark hair is neatly oiled and styled, with a small tilak on his forehead. He stands with a confident posture, one hand resting on a jeweled dagger at his waist, the other holding a ceremonial scepter. The background suggests a grand palace courtyard with marble pillars and distant arches, hinting at luxury and power. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Fakír ◆ supporting
Very poor man, later injured by a fall.
Attire: Simple, worn clothing of a mendicant.
Curious, easily frightened, trusting.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly man with a long, gray beard and deeply lined, wise face. He wears a simple, faded saffron-colored robe and a white turban. He sits cross-legged on a woven mat, his posture relaxed yet dignified, with one hand resting on his knee and the other holding a small, rustic clay bowl. His expression is serene and contemplative. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Tiger Rájá ⚔ antagonist
A great, huge beast with only one eye.
Fierce, authoritative, defiant, easily startled.
Image Prompt & Upload
A menacing adult humanoid tiger with piercing amber eyes and sharp fangs visible in a cruel smirk. He wears ornate golden armor adorned with black stripes and crimson gemstones, a flowing dark cape draped over broad shoulders. His posture is imposing, seated on a throne of obsidian and bone, one clawed hand resting on the armrest while the other holds a jagged black scepter. Thick, striped fur covers his muscular frame, and a regal yet sinister crown sits atop his head. The background is a shadowy throne room with flickering torchlight casting dramatic shadows. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Barber Hím's Home
A very poor dwelling, initially lacking enough money for food, but later a newly built house with pretty clothes and good food for the children.
Mood: Initially desperate and impoverished, later happy and prosperous.
Hím's initial state of poverty and his family's hunger; later, his family's prosperity after his trips to the jungle.
Image Prompt & Upload
A gloomy, overcast afternoon reveals a dilapidated thatched-roof cottage with crumbling walls, a bare dirt yard, and a single empty wooden table visible through a small, foggy window. The scene transitions seamlessly beside it to a bright, sunny morning where a newly built, sturdy wooden house with a clean thatched roof, whitewashed walls, and a red door stands. Through its large, clear windows, a laden table with bread and fruit is seen, with colorful fabrics drying on a line nearby. Lush green grass and wildflowers surround both dwellings. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Tigers' Jungle
A jungle inhabited exclusively by four hundred tigers; no birds, insects, or other animals. It contains a 'great, huge' tree where tigers hold councils.
Mood: Dangerous, eerie, but also a source of unexpected wealth and fear for the tigers.
Hím's initial encounter with the tiger, his repeated visits for gold and jewels, and the tigers' councils under the great tree.
Image Prompt & Upload
Deep in the emerald heart of the jungle, colossal trees form a dense, silent canopy, their leaves filtering late afternoon sunlight into golden shafts. The air is still, devoid of any birdsong or insect hum. A great, ancient tree dominates a mossy clearing, its trunk wider than a hut, bark scarred with deep claw marks. A worn, earthen path circles its massive roots. The undergrowth is thick with broad-leafed ferns and hanging vines, shadows pooling in the dense foliage. The color palette is rich with deep greens, warm amber light, and dark, earthy browns. An atmosphere of watchful silence pervades the scene. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Under the Great Tree in the Jungle
The base of a tall, thick tree within the tigers' jungle, where the tigers gather for their councils. Its leaves are thick enough to shelter Hím and the fakír.
Mood: Tense, secretive, and ultimately climactic.
The tigers holding their councils, Hím and the fakír eavesdropping, and the fakír's fatal fall.
Image Prompt & Upload
A colossal ancient tree with a trunk as wide as a house dominates a misty jungle clearing at dusk. Its gnarled, moss-covered roots sprawl across the damp earth, weaving between giant ferns and luminous fungi. The canopy is so thick it forms a living cathedral ceiling, with dappled golden sunset light piercing through gaps in the leaves, creating ethereal sunbeams in the humid air. The bark is deeply furrowed and textured, and the surrounding jungle is dense with dark emerald foliage, hanging vines, and the faint glow of fireflies beginning to appear. The atmosphere is sacred, still, and ancient, with a sense of quiet gathering. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
