The Tiger’s tail
5.
Rhea King, 21
From Kerala
Recited the story in their mothertongue, Malayalam
"My mother used to tell me this story when I was a child. A man used to go from village to village eating feasts. One day, he was returning from a feast through the jungle, when he spotted a tiger. The tiger didn’t see him, he was facing the opposite direction. In a panic, the man grabbed the tiger’s tail. This is where the story ends, leaving the man in a funny situation: How long will the man be able to hold onto the tiger’s tail, and if he lets go, the tiger will eat him. This is a tale told to children to teach them not to make hasty decisions."
Rhea also told me about Puli Kali, a folk dance they've grown up with. The next audio clip is one of them sharing a few of their memories, recorded.
Is there a reason you chose to get a tiger tattoo?
"I’ve always wanted a tattoo of a Tibetan scripture that has a tiger in it, the pose of this tiger reminded me of that."