Man To Man-Eater
Naren was an educated person, but he was given to crazy ideas, like learning the trick to change a human being into a tiger! From the moment the idea got into his head, he began a search for magicians, sorcerers, and scholars who could teach him a secret spell, by reciting which he could do the trick. Unfortunately, whosoever he approached regretted his inability, saying he did not know the incantation to be chanted. Naren, of course, would not easily give up and continued his search. One day, a sage-like person arrived in the town. Naren heard of him as someone very learned and knowing several techniques with which he had acquired untold prowess. He went and invited the sage to his home, where he was received with extreme reverence. Naren worshipped him like a divine person. The sage was highly pleased with Naren and said, "Son, you may ask for any gift that you wish for." He blessed Naren by placing both his hands on his head. Naren rose on his feet and with folded hands said, "O sage! I wish for only one thing. Please teach me the technique with which I can turn a man into a tiger." The sage was bewildered. He had come across many people with different wishes. But this was the first time he was meeting a person with such wild ideas. "Son, what you've asked for is full of risks. I do know the incantation, but I've never imparted it to anyone because of the dangers involved. But I'm taken by your reverence and feel that I can trust you. So, it will be my duty to see that your wish is fulfilled.
I shall teach you the technique, but on one condition. You should not use the spell to harm anyone. You may practice it only for your pleasure and entertainment. If you promise me this, I shall teach you the incantation." Naren promised that he would abide by the sage's directions. He then chanted two incantations and gave Naren a spoonful of red powder and another of yellow powder. "Mind you, you cannot turn anybody and everybody into a tiger. If someone is agreeable to such a change, you may chant the first incantation and immediately sprinkle the red powder on his head. He will turn into a tiger and its forehead will have a dark mark. The tiger will be devoid of any human knowledge and will not remember his human existence. The moment you wish him to resume human form, you've to chant the second incantation and sprinkle the yellow powder on the head. The man will shed his animal form. I warn you once again. Remember all my instructions!" After the sage had left the place, Naren called his wife and told her of the technique. She got excited. "I wish I could see a tiger right now, and right here!" Naren reminded her: "Ah! There is a drawback. I can't cast the spell on anybody I like. Someone will have to agree to become a tiger. I don't think we can find anyone with such a wish so soon. But there's a way out. I shall teach you the incantations, and submit myself to be experimented with. You can make me a tiger, and after some time turn me again into a human being. Agreed?" Naren's wife learned both the incantations by heart, and after chanting the first one, sprinkled the red powder on Naren's head.
Lo and behold! Naren took the form of a tiger. He began growling and ran hither and thither inside their house. Naren's wife knew that it was nobody else than her husband, but she was afraid of the tiger, so she ran and opened the door and let out the tiger. The animal ran away and found shelter in the nearby jungle. She waited for some time for her tiger husband to come back. But there was no sign of him for days together. One day, her brother came on a visit, when she told him all that had happened. The youth advised her to accompany him to the jungle where they could search for the tiger. What they did not know was, people had already complained to their king about the man-eater and the havoc created among them. So, the king too was in the jungle at that time in search of the tiger. He was taking a rest under a tree after having roamed the jungle without success. Before he realized what was happening, he heard a growl and a tiger was standing by his side. He knew there was no escape for him, still, he managed to push the animal to some distance. By the time he thought of his next step, instead of the tiger, he was now face to face with a man!
There were more surprises. A beautiful-looking woman jumped down from the tree and stood in front of him. The king took her to be a fairy of the forest and bowed to her. "Mother! You came to my rescue at the nick of time. You must be the fairy of the forest." "O, King! I'm not a fairy or a goddess. I'm just an ordinary woman. This is my husband and he happened to learn the tiger incantation, and all this was its aftermath." She then narrated everything to the king. Naren bowed to the king and said, "If my wife had not come here in search of me and chanted the second incantation and sprinkled the yellow powder on my head, I would not have become a man but would have remained a man-eater. I've been saved, and I've got back my wife." Naren's wife then confessed. "It was all because of my eagerness to see a tiger that all this happened. I should have been forewarned about the risks." The king expressed his gratitude to her for saving his life and gave Naren a respectable position in his court. On his part, Naren never again wished to practice the tiger spell. One day he heard that the sage had arrived in their city again. Naren and his wife called on him. The sage was curious to know how effective was the spell he taught Naren. "Mind you, son, all these spells and incantations must be used for the welfare of mankind. You must get over all your wild ideas and crazy dreams. Spread this message to others." He then blessed Naren and his wife.
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