I stumbled upon this story about a tiger and a crow a few days ago and I think it teaches that true greatness does not come from dominance, but from humility, cooperation, and the willingness to help others.

It goes like that.

A mighty tiger and a crow were engaged in a heated debate over who was the strongest. With her usual confidence, the tiger declared,
“I am a wild beast! My power is unmatched!”

Unfazed, the crow countered,
“Your words don’t impress me. I am the true ruler of the sky!”

As their argument grew more intense, a group of hunters suddenly appeared, armed and ready. With cunning precision, they cast a net over the tiger, sedating her before she could react. The crow, too, was struck by a tranquilizer dart and fell helplessly into a cage. While the tiger was dragged away to a dark and narrow prison, the crow found himself trapped behind iron bars, his wings useless against captivity.

When the tiger awoke, she found herself locked in a cell with no way out. Her powerful paws clawed at the cold iron bars, but freedom seemed like an impossible dream. The crow, too, soon realized the harshness of his situation—no matter how much he flapped his wings, the cage held him firmly, denying him the open sky.

Months passed, and sorrow engulfed them both. The greed of the hunters kept them imprisoned, their strength fading as hunger gnawed at them. The tiger, growing weaker from lack of food, shared her suffering with the crow, who was just as deprived.

Then, one day, something happened. A careless hunter left the crow’s cage slightly open. Seizing the opportunity, the crow spread his wings and soared into the sky. But as he flew away, a thought struck him—his friend, the tiger, was still a prisoner.

Moved by loyalty, he cautiously returned to the hunters’ camp. With careful precision, he grasped the prison key in his beak and perched near the tiger’s cell.
“My friend, I have come to set you free!” he called out.

The tiger peered through the bars and saw the crow with the key. Hope flickered in her eyes. As the crow dropped the key, she swiftly grabbed it with her paw. With a forceful push, she unlocked the door, and together they fled—one soaring into the vast sky, the other racing through the dense forest.

Once safe, the tiger turned to the crow and said,
“Thank you, my friend. Without you, I would have remained a prisoner. You are greater than I am.”

But the crow, with wisdom in his voice, replied,
“No, my friend. I am not greater than you, just as you are not greater than me. The key lies in humility—recognizing our strengths without arrogance and helping others when we can. Life is unpredictable, and we never know who will be there to lend us a hand in our time of need.”

The tiger smiled and nodded.
“You are right, my friend. I admire you.”

And so, they continued their journey together, free and united.

What are the lessons we can learn from this story? Let me know in the comments box below!

Thank you for reading my post on Wise & Shine. You can read more from me on my blog crisbiecoach.