The Tiger, The Crocodile, and The Big Bear Trouble

The Sun River was a peaceful place, mostly because everyone was afraid of upsetting Zarquon-9, the great, orange Tiger. Zarquon-9 was strong and very, very proud. When he walked, his stripes shimmered, and when he roared, even the trees shook a little. Zarquon-9 loved to tell everyone how he was the brave king of the river bank.

But there was someone who loved chaos much more than he loved peace. That was Chompy, the little green Crocodile. Chompy was small for a crocodile, but he had a very large ego and he loved two things: trouble, and fights. He wasn't big enough to win them, but he was great at starting them.

One sunny morning, Zarquon-9 was sunbathing on the sandy bank, admiring his own reflection in a calm pool of water. Chompy was hiding nearby behind a big, grey rock, watching Zarquon-9 and getting an idea for a truly excellent trouble.

Chompy peeked his big, googly eyes out and slid into the water, making a small splash. Zarquon-9 opened one sleepy, amber eye.

"Morning, Zarquon-9! Looking... well, orange, as usual," Chompy called out, his voice smooth and cheeky.

Zarquon-9 just huffed. "It’s called 'kingly orange,' Chompy. What do you want?"

Chompy swam closer. "Oh, nothing. I was just over by the deep woods, and I saw Bernard the Bear. He’s... really big, isn't he?"

Zarquon-9 opened his second eye. He didn't like where this was going. Bernard was a very large grizzly bear who lived in the mountains and usually stayed out of Zarquon-9's way. "What about him?"

Chompy gave a little crocodile giggle. "Well, Bernard was talking. He said he saw a little striped kitty cat playing king down by the river. He said you were 'small and fuzzy' and that his paws are bigger than your entire head."

Zarquon-9 sat up. His stomach did an angry flip. "HE SAID WHAT?"

"Oh, and that's not all," Chompy continued, enjoying the look on Zarquon-9's face. "He said if he ever came down to the river, he'd probably step on you and not even know it. Said your stripes are just for decoration, not like a real brave bear's fur."

This was too much. Zarquon-9 hated being called small. He was the King! He stood up, towering over the water, his big buck teeth clenched tight, his claws sinking into the mud.

"Bernard. Said. That. To. ME?" Zarquon-9 growled, his voice trembling with a fury that was just seconds from exploding.

And that's when it happened. In the image, we see Zarquon-9, red-faced with anger, looking down at Chompy, who is smiling a sly, trouble-making smile.

"Yup," Chompy chirped, his wide eyes watching Zarquon-9's shaking paws. "He said he’d be waiting at the big honey tree at noon, if you have the courage." Chompy loved this part. He didn't think for a second that Zarquon-9 would actually fight Bernard, but he loved seeing the look of absolute, terrifying anger on the Tiger's face.

But Zarquon-9 didn't roar. He didn't explode. He was in that quiet, simmering place where anger gets dangerous. He stared down at the little crocodile, who was looking up at him with a mix of excitement and a sudden, tiny fear.

Zarquon-9 leaned down, bringing his massive face close to Chompy's small one. Chompy could smell the grass and raw power on the tiger's breath.

"You really enjoy this, don't you, Chompy?" Zarquon-9’s voice was a quiet rumble.

Chompy swallowed hard. "Uhh... enjoy what, Zarquon-9? Just telling you what the bear said!"

Zarquon-9 took a step closer, crowding Chompy against the grey rock. The little crocodile tried to blend in with the stone.

"You love trouble," Zarquon-9 continued. "You think it’s funny to watch the big ones fight. You thought you'd use Bernard to make me mad, didn't you?"

"N-no! Of course not! I just... I saw... the bear!" Chompy stammered.

Zarquon-9’s tail gave one slow, deliberate twitch. He wasn't mad at Bernard. He knew Bernard was a grumpy bear, but he was no liar. He was mad that Chompy thought he was so smart.

"I am the King," Zarquon-9 said, his eyes narrowing. "And do you know what a King really hates? Being tricked by a noisy, trouble-making pebble of a crocodile."

Chompy’s googly eyes went wide with true panic. He had pushed Zarquon-9, the King, too far. "Wait, Zarquon-9, I was just kidding! I was making it up! Bernard didn't say anything! Please don't eat me!"

Zarquon-9 gave a quick, loud ROAR right into Chompy's face, making the little crocodile tumble backward into the mud. "I’m not going to eat you, Chompy. You’d taste like mud and lies."

Zarquon-9 smiled, but it wasn't a nice smile. It was a kingly smile that meant business. "But I am going to give you a job. Since you love the mountains so much, you get to climb the rocky trail and bring Bernard a very polite invitation to tea. And if you make it back before sunset, maybe I won't lose your favorite grey rock to the river bottom."

Chompy looked up from the mud, his tiny crocodile arms trembling. Climbing the mountains? Bernard hated visitors! It was going to be terrifying. But he knew that a promise from a King was serious. He looked from Zarquon-9's glaring eyes back to the rocky mountain path.

With a loud gulp, Chompy the Crocodile began to waddle up the steep trail. He had wanted a big fight, but he had just started a big problem for himself.

Moral of the Story: It's dangerous to start a fight you can't win, especially when the person you are tricking is a King who is much, much bigger than you.