Why This Tiger Is Worried?

The great tiger was the bravest animal in the whole jungle. He wasn't afraid of loud thunderstorms, and he wasn't afraid of dark, spooky caves. But today, the tiger was frozen solid.

A tiny, bright green ant had tumbled off a waxy leaf and landed—plop!—right on the very tip of his big, black nose.

The Great Standoff

The tiger’s eyes went completely cross-eyed as he stared at his tiny passenger.

"Oh no," the tiger whispered, his voice shaking like a leaf. "If that little ant takes one more step, he’s going to crawl right into my nostril. And if he goes in there... I’m going to SNEEZE!"

The tiger knew that a tiger-sized sneeze was like a giant hurricane. It would blow the leaves off the trees, wake up all the sleeping monkeys, and send the poor ant flying halfway across the forest!

A Tiny Talk

"Excuse me, little ant?" the tiger squeaked, trying his best not to move his lips.

The ant stopped. He looked up at the two giant, golden eyes staring down at him. "Yes, Mr. Mountain?" the ant chirped.

"I’m not a mountain," the tiger said, holding his breath. "I’m a tiger with a very, very ticklish nose. Could you please find a different path? My nostrils are closed for visitors today!"

The Great Escape

The ant realized he had taken a wrong turn at the mossy branch. "My apologies! I’ll head for your whiskers instead. They look like much better handles anyway."

The ant carefully tiptoed across the orange fur, staying far away from the "danger zone." The tiger squeezed his eyes shut and waited. Finally, the ant hopped onto a long, white whisker and slid down it like a playground slide, landing safely in the soft grass.

The tiger let out a huge sigh of relief. He didn't sneeze, the ant was safe, and the jungle stayed exactly where it was supposed to be.

More Stories