"Kpow!" went the gun. The boy woke up. The King had missed his target, and the tiger had run away.

"What's going on?" cried the boy. Everyone was too busy being excited about the tiger they had found. Nobody paid any attention to the boy.

"We will wait awhile!" declared the King, "We will follow the tracks. And next time we spot him, we shall form a circle around him. I will do the shooting. If I should miss, you fellows will have to shoot him when he comes to you. If he comes to you, you must shoot the leg only. I will finish the job!"

The boy had never seen a gun before. "Shoot the leg only? Why would anyone want a picture of the tiger's leg?" he thought to himself. Nevertheless, he knew that the action was just now starting, so he was very excited. He dared not go back to sleep now.

And so off they went, following the tracks and looking through the binoculars to find the tiger from a distance. All the while, sitting right in the reach of the boy's hand, was that gun which he became very curious about. While they all happened to be looking through their binoculars, curiosity got the best of the boy. He reached for the gun and started toying with it. "Kpow!," went the gun. The entire party was struck by surprise, and the boy was filled with laughter, “Hee Hee Hee Hee…. Hee Hee Hee Heee….”

The poor boy still didn't know what a gun was.

Struck by anger the King shouted, "What are you doing, boy?!" The boy's smile quickly turned into a frown. Luckily, nobody was hurt.

When it was apparent that the boy did not know what a gun was, the King's anger subsided. "This is a gun. It is used to shoot the tiger, " he said.

"I've never seen a camera that was so loud," said the boy. The King bursted in laughter. "Ha ha ha ha ha…. Ha ha ha ha ha ha…. You are a good comedian, my boy," he said. "We are not going to shoot a picture of the tiger. We are going to poke a hole in its body with this gun. That is called shooting. Then the tiger will bleed to death, and we shall take its head and skin back home."

The boy was surprized. “Bu bu bu, Bleed to to to death?” he asked, in a surprised tone. "Doesn't the tiger have feelings like us, father?" the boy continued. "Well, I suppose he does," replied the King.

"Isn't it kind of mean to, kill him?" asked the boy. Being aware of the innocent, childish nature of his son, the King responded, "Well, what about all of those animals that the tiger kills? The tiger himself is a mean animal. So he doesn’t deserve to live!"

"Oh, I see," the boy replied, nodding his head.

A few minutes later, the boy replied, "Father, since tigers are so mean, maybe we should kill all of them." "Yes! My boy! Yes! Now you're on the right track. If we could find all of the tigers, we should kill all of them," said the King. The King was very certain he finally had an argument that his son could understand.

"I see," the boy replied, nodding his head.

The King was happy and relieved. Finally, he would be able to shape his son into a more strong, fearless, and great man, fit to be a king.

After thinking about his father’s words, the boy asked, "Well, if tigers are so mean, and if we should kill all of them, then why did God make tigers in the first place?" The King replied angrily, "You ask too many questions, boy! Ask God, don't ask me!"

"I see," the boy replied, nodding his head. The boy understood that it made more sense to ask that question to God, and not his father.

Some time later, the boy's conscience could not let him sit still any longer. He cried once more, "Why must you kill the tiger?!"

The King, seated comfortably on the elephant, responded arrogantly, "Why!? You ask, why, must I kill the tiger!?" He got up and stood upon the platform on which he was sitting, took out his sword, pointed the sword to the sky, and gave a brilliant speech, "Why will I kill the tiger? So that I may hang his head above my throne for all to see! I, the mighty King Dudly, who went into the forest and fearlessly fought this wild creature, and killed it! I, King Dudly of Lalaland, more mightier than the tiger! Ah Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ah Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ah Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

All of the King's friends applauded him. "Long live King Dudly! Long live King Dudly! Long live King Dudly!" they shouted. The King's team of hired supporters were already announcing His triumph over the tiger!

After the commotion calmed down a bit, the boy asked his father, "Does it take a lot of strength to kill an animal at a distance with a gun in your hand, seated on top of an elephant? It doesn't sound too hard."

The King reacted in anger, "How dare you speak in that manner with The King! Ever since the beginning of this trip you have been nothing but trouble! You ask too many questions! You do not understand the mightiness and bravery of the tiger hunter! You do not belong with this party. I should leave you here in the jungle, where you shall be eaten by the tiger!"