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Paper Tiger
A long time ago, in a distant forest, two tigers lived. One was of flesh and
blood... claw and sinew... hide and breath. The other was only made of orange
and black lines on paper cut to look like a tiger. One day, they went out
hunting together. The flesh-and-blood tiger said to his companion, "See that
deer over there? You distract him from the front, and I will circle around
behind him for the kill." The paper tiger agreed to this.
So the two tigers executed their plan to bring down the deer. The paper tiger
began roaring and growling and generally raising a ruckus, trying to hold the
deer's attention long enough for his companion to spring in for the kill. But
the deer could see the shadows of branches through the paper tiger's body, and
knew there was not much more to him than noise. The deer charged the paper
tiger and trampled him into the ground.
At this, the flesh-and-blood tiger sprang at the deer's throat and latched on
with great ferocity. Chaos reigned as the deer struggled for its life. But the
flesh-and-blood tiger won out; he tore out the throat of the deer, thus avenging
his slain companion. He let the deer drop to the ground, and padded over to
where the paper tiger lay on the ground. "You should have put some substance
into your roars, friend."
* * *
This tale is based on a comment a former karate instructor made to me many years
ago. To this mentor, I owe a great deal, and pass the same lesson along to you:
"Don't be a paper tiger."
...Jedi Tionne
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